Welcome back to Lamon Reviews. Today we have a spotlight, author interview, and giveaway for GALLANT: THE CALL OF THE TRAIL by Claire Eckard.
Remember the giveaway for your chance to win a signed copy of GALLANT: THE CALL OF THE TRAIL! (one winner/USA only) (ends Dec 17)
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We are happy to have a short interview with todays featured author Claire Eckard.
LR: What has been the most emotional aspect of your own journey with this book?
CE: There have been so many! It was amazing to finish the first draft! It was wonderful working with my editor, Carmen Smith, who worked so hard to help me shape the book into the best version of itself. The artwork that Phylicia Mann did for the cover and illustrations completely blew me away. I knew she was talented, but she really brought my characters to life in a way that was even better than I had expected.
Obviously seeing the book in print for the first time was incredible. By far the most emotional aspect of this, though, was reading the professional reviews by Readers Favorite, Kirkus reviews and Publishers Weekly which were across-the-board outstanding. That really verified that I had done what I had set out to do, which was tell a fantastic story that people of all ages would relate to.
LR: What age group is this series written for?
CE: Well, that’s a tough one. I categorized it as Young Adult but the feedback coming in has been from young readers of ten to adults in their nineties and every single one of them has loved the story. One of the reviewers compared it to National Velvet with a modern twist, and that classic story, although written for a younger audience, really appealed to a broad audience. I think Gallant will as well.
LR: Do you own horses yourself?
CE: Yes! My husband and I have ten horses and a miniature mule at our ranch just outside Prescott, Arizona. We both do endurance, although these days I enjoy trail riding with friends over competing. He has been the most competitive out of the two of us in the sport and I have spent a lot of time crewing for him over the years which allows me to see the sport from a different aspect that has helped when portraying the sport in my books. Some of our horses are retired, and some are too young to ride or compete on yet. The mini mule is just there strictly for entertainment purposes!
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Book Title: Gallant: The Call of the Trail by Claire Eckard
Category: Young Adult Fiction (Ages 13-17), 300 pages
Genre: Young Adult
Publisher: Mill City Press
Release Date: September 2021
Content Rating: PG-13 : It’s a saga about love, relationships, personal growth and adventure, set against a backdrop of endurance racing. A strong middle grader/pre-teen could read it.
A gripping journey of a young girl and a foal who are raised together in The Valley of Hearts Delight. Gallant and Gracie have a special bond, rarely seen between a human and a horse. Separated by a bad accident when Gallant is five, each gets a second chance of happiness pursuing the long-distance sport of endurance riding, neither knowing they are leading parallel lives. Will Fate bring them together again? Gallant’s arch nemesis, The Almighty Flash, threatens to destroy all that Gallant has worked for. His misguided ambition and greed, developed at the hands of an abusive owner, has created a darkness in his soul that turns to blind fury when his endurance career is threatened.
Award winning Author Claire Eckard combines her love of writing with her passion for animals to create memorable children’s books that are fun to read, but also include valuable life’s lessons. Claire grew up in England and moved to Hawaii in her early twenties where she married her husband of thirty-four years. Together they raised two sons, Mitchell and Matthew. Claire is inspired by her two Granddaughters Mila and Ella, as well as the beautiful backdrop of the Arizona mountains where she lives. Claire has a farm full of animals, and has spent many years as a board member and volunteer of her local animal shelter.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads
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Nov 30 – The Momma Spot – book review / giveaway
Dec 1 – Bigreadersite – book review
Dec 2 – @twilight_reader – book review
Dec 3 – Writer with Wanderlust – book review / guest post / giveaway
Dec 6 – Gina Rae Mitchell – book spotlight / author interview / giveaway
Dec 7 – Captive Dreams Window – book review
Dec 8 – Jazzy Book Reviews – book spotlight / guest post / giveaway
Dec 8 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review / giveaway
Dec 9 – Working Mommy Journal – book review / giveaway
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Dec 10 – Literary Flits – book spotlight / giveaway
Dec 10 – Books for Books – book spotlight
Enter the giveaway above for your chance to win a signed copy of GALLANT: THE CALL OF THE TRAIL! (one winner/USA only) (ends Dec 17)
You can follow the entire tour here
Now I’d like to hear from you.
What are your thoughts on todays spotlight? Would you like to win a copy of GALLANT: THE CALL OF THE TRAIL? Leave a comment below, like and share the post with others!
And As Always…
Go forth, dear readers, support your favorite indie authors and encourage reading and literacy.
K. LaMon
Lamon Reviews
Lamon Reviews 