YA Bound Book Tours is organizing a Blog Tour for: The Occasional Diamond Thief by J.A. McLachlan. This tour will run from May 18th to May 29th. Check out the full blog tour schedule below:
The
Occasional Diamond Thief
Release
Date: 05/15/15
EDGE Publishing
EDGE Publishing
Summary
from Goodreads:
What if you learned your father was a thief? Would you follow
in his footsteps, learn his "trade"? If you were the only one who knew,
would you keep his secret?
When 16-yr-old Kia is training to be a universal translator, she is co-opted into traveling as a translator to Malem. This is the last place in the universe that Kia wants to be—it’s the planet where her father caught the terrible illness that killed him—but it’s also where he got the magnificent diamond that only she knows about. Kia is convinced he stole it, as it is illegal for any off-worlder to possess a Malemese diamond.
Using her skill in languages – and another skill she picked up, the skill of picking locks - Kia unravels the secret of the mysterious gem and learns what she must do to set things right: return the diamond to its original owner.
But how will she find out who that is when no one can know that she, an off-worlder, has a Malemese diamond? Can she trust the new friends she’s made on Malem, especially handsome but mysterious 17-year-old Jumal, to help her? And will she solve the puzzle in time to save Agatha, the last person she would have expected to become her closest friend?
Kia is quirky, with an ironic sense of humor, and a loner. Her sidekick, Agatha, is hopeless in languages and naive to the point of idiocy in Kia's opinion, but possesses the wisdom and compassion Kia needs.
When 16-yr-old Kia is training to be a universal translator, she is co-opted into traveling as a translator to Malem. This is the last place in the universe that Kia wants to be—it’s the planet where her father caught the terrible illness that killed him—but it’s also where he got the magnificent diamond that only she knows about. Kia is convinced he stole it, as it is illegal for any off-worlder to possess a Malemese diamond.
Using her skill in languages – and another skill she picked up, the skill of picking locks - Kia unravels the secret of the mysterious gem and learns what she must do to set things right: return the diamond to its original owner.
But how will she find out who that is when no one can know that she, an off-worlder, has a Malemese diamond? Can she trust the new friends she’s made on Malem, especially handsome but mysterious 17-year-old Jumal, to help her? And will she solve the puzzle in time to save Agatha, the last person she would have expected to become her closest friend?
Kia is quirky, with an ironic sense of humor, and a loner. Her sidekick, Agatha, is hopeless in languages and naive to the point of idiocy in Kia's opinion, but possesses the wisdom and compassion Kia needs.
Buy Links:
EDGE Publishing has a Thank you Gift for anyone who
buys the print version of the book. If they send an email to events@hadespublications.com
with their Amazon receipt, they will receive a copy of a short story that
features Kia.
Praise for The Occasional Diamond Thief by J. A. McLachlan
***
"J. A. McLachlan is a terrific writer -- wry and witty, with a keen eye
for detail. I've been following her work with interest and delight since
2003. In a world where young-adult fiction is booming, The Occasional
Diamond Thief propels McLachlan to the front of the pack." -- Robert J.
Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of FlashForward
"The story is full of humor, danger, fun, and adventure. This is Science
Fiction anyone would love." -- J. Jones, VINE VOICE
"Flawless--The Occasional Diamond Thief was one of those rare stories
where I found myself hanging onto every word. McLachlan delivers a
fast-paced, unpredictable story with perfectly-executed twists.
Descriptions were succinct and epigrammatic with no room for boredom. It
felt so real, it was almost like being in the theater with a surprise
treat at the end. Much like the theater, once the credits have started to
roll and the crowd starts to thin, there was a snippet at the end that you
do not want to miss." -- BittenbyBooks.com
"Loved it! I haven't read a heroine I loved this much since Katniss
Everdeen. McLachlan's Kia is smart, tough and hilarious, and pairing her
with serene, forgiving Agatha left me laughing long after I finished the
story. The settings were vivid, the plot raced along, and the themes kept
me turning pages. McLachlan combines her love of science fiction, ethics
and good, old-fashioned storytelling in The Occasional Diamond Thief, and
the results couldn't be better. I loved every page." -- Amanda Darling,
Screenwriter
"J. A. McLachlan is a remarkable creator of worlds, a remarkable creator
of character, a master of suspense. In short, a remarkable storyteller.
You don’t have to be a young adult to love this book." -- Sheryl Loeffler,
Writer, A Land in the Storytelling Sea
for detail. I've been following her work with interest and delight since
2003. In a world where young-adult fiction is booming, The Occasional
Diamond Thief propels McLachlan to the front of the pack." -- Robert J.
Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author of FlashForward
"The story is full of humor, danger, fun, and adventure. This is Science
Fiction anyone would love." -- J. Jones, VINE VOICE
"Flawless--The Occasional Diamond Thief was one of those rare stories
where I found myself hanging onto every word. McLachlan delivers a
fast-paced, unpredictable story with perfectly-executed twists.
Descriptions were succinct and epigrammatic with no room for boredom. It
felt so real, it was almost like being in the theater with a surprise
treat at the end. Much like the theater, once the credits have started to
roll and the crowd starts to thin, there was a snippet at the end that you
do not want to miss." -- BittenbyBooks.com
"Loved it! I haven't read a heroine I loved this much since Katniss
Everdeen. McLachlan's Kia is smart, tough and hilarious, and pairing her
with serene, forgiving Agatha left me laughing long after I finished the
story. The settings were vivid, the plot raced along, and the themes kept
me turning pages. McLachlan combines her love of science fiction, ethics
and good, old-fashioned storytelling in The Occasional Diamond Thief, and
the results couldn't be better. I loved every page." -- Amanda Darling,
Screenwriter
"J. A. McLachlan is a remarkable creator of worlds, a remarkable creator
of character, a master of suspense. In short, a remarkable storyteller.
You don’t have to be a young adult to love this book." -- Sheryl Loeffler,
Writer, A Land in the Storytelling Sea
Hello, I’m J. A. McLachlan, the author of
The Occasional Diamond Thief. I’m so pleased to be meeting you, and I’d like to
thank Nana, Mommy and Sissy for having me here on Three Partners in Shopping, today.
This blog tour is part of my online launch of The Occasional Diamond Thief, and
I’ll have something different at each stop – book excerpts, author and
character reveals, vlogs, reviews and blog posts – for you to enjoy. You can
find The Occasional Diamond Thief at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NF9NYJM And you can find me
at: http://www.janeannmclachlan.com
3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! would like to thank author, J. A. McLachlan for sharing her thoughts with us today.
This blog on relationships is written by
Kia, the female protagonist in The Occasional Diamond Thief.
Relationships. I’ve been asked to talk about relationships. I’m, like, 16, and I can’t even get Jaro to notice me other than as a friend. And furthermore, my dad died when I was a kid, and my family’s mostly dysfunctional, except my brother Etin who’s never around. Which pretty much makes me an expert on non-relationships.
(Off-stage)
Kia: I’ve got to do this, right?
J.A.: Yes, Kia, you’ve got to do it. They want to hear from you.
Kia: Okay. But I will get back at you for this.
J.A.: Kia, just tell them your thoughts on relationships.
Kia: Right. Okay. Here goes.
J.A.: Yes, Kia, you’ve got to do it. They want to hear from you.
Kia: Okay. But I will get back at you for this.
J.A.: Kia, just tell them your thoughts on relationships.
Kia: Right. Okay. Here goes.
Well, here's the important thing to
remember, the only thing that really matters: people die, and there's nothing
you can do about it. You can never have them back. You can never spend another
hour with them. So whoever you care about, as long as you both care about each
other, hold on to them with everything you've got, like nothing else
matters. Because nothing else matters.
I don't mean stay in a violent or emotionally harmful relationship - I am not a proponent of abusive or enabling relationships. But there are people who love each other - partners, friends who were once close, siblings, parents and children - who haven't spoken to each other in years. They let go. Before they had to.
Not me. They'll have to pry my white-knucked fingers loose from the people I love to put them in the grave. And nothing short of death will do it.
That's all I've got to say about relationships. That's all I know about 'em.
I don't mean stay in a violent or emotionally harmful relationship - I am not a proponent of abusive or enabling relationships. But there are people who love each other - partners, friends who were once close, siblings, parents and children - who haven't spoken to each other in years. They let go. Before they had to.
Not me. They'll have to pry my white-knucked fingers loose from the people I love to put them in the grave. And nothing short of death will do it.
That's all I've got to say about relationships. That's all I know about 'em.
Check
here for the other places I’ll be from May 18th until May 29th: http://yaboundbooktours.blogspot.ca/2015/03/blog-tour-sign-up-occasional-diamond.html
About
the Author
J. A. McLachlan was born in Toronto, Canada. She is the
author of a short
story collection, CONNECTIONS, and two College textbooks on Professional
Ethics. But speculative fiction is her first love, a genre she has been
reading all her life, and The Occasional Diamond Thief is her second in
that genre, a young adult science fiction novel, published by EDGE Science
Fiction and Fantasy Publishing. After over a decade as a college teacher,
she is happy to work from home as a full-time author now.
story collection, CONNECTIONS, and two College textbooks on Professional
Ethics. But speculative fiction is her first love, a genre she has been
reading all her life, and The Occasional Diamond Thief is her second in
that genre, a young adult science fiction novel, published by EDGE Science
Fiction and Fantasy Publishing. After over a decade as a college teacher,
she is happy to work from home as a full-time author now.
Author Links:
I love the character and the effects on the cover!
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting, the cover is great.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty cover! Sounds like a good read!
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed learning about the book. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHi Natalie, Sara, Janet and Patrick - thanks for reading and commenting!
ReplyDeleteI love the cover too - the minute I saw it, it was like finally meeting Kia after knowing her in my head for years.
I'm pleased you like the character, Natalie - she's one of my favorites.
thanks for sharing about this book. the cover looks intriguing
ReplyDeleteThe cover is beautiful, thanks for the chance!
ReplyDelete