School’s In: Meljean Brook & David Kentewess (Contest)

Schools In (200px)It’s that time of year again. Everyone is going back to school and so is Meljean Brook’s David Kentewess from Riveted.

A century after a devastating volcanic eruption forced Iceland’s inhabitants to abandon its shores, the island has become enshrouded in legend. But the truth behind the legends is mechanical, not magical–and the mystery of the island a matter of life and death for a community of women who once spilled noble blood to secure their freedom.

Five years ago, Annika unwittingly endangered that secret, but her sister Källa took the blame and was exiled. Now Annika serves on an airship, searching for her sister and longing to return home. But that home is threatened when scientific expedition leader David Kentewess comes aboard, looking to expose Annika’s secrets. Then disaster strikes, leaving David and Annika stranded on a glacier and pursued by a madman, with their very survival depending on keeping the heat rising between them–and generating lots of steam…

Make sure you stick around to the end. We’ll be giving away a copy of Riveted.

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Exploration for Fun and (Unfortunately Little) Profit

MBrook-RivetedIn the alternate history of the Iron Seas, the world doesn’t look quite like it does now; but just as in our own history, there are plenty of people eager to explore (or exploit) it. Exploration is expensive, however, so many scientists – like vulcanologist David Kentewess from Riveted – must rely upon Science and Exploration Societies to fund their expeditions.

Of course, those societies often want to see a return on their investment – and that means that they need their scientists to return, as well (and hopefully alive.) So before any scientist goes off on an expedition, he is required to complete a series of courses, such as:

“Surviving the Arctic Extremes”

This course covers: maintaining a journal, building shelters, spotting icebergs, avoiding bears, and amputating frostbitten appendages. (Meljean’s Note: This course has declined in popularity since it was discovered that there was no waterway through the Arctic, and since the invention of the airship. David took it, however, because he has a particular interest in Scandinavian kingdoms – and because volcanos often happen to be mountainous, and the tops of mountains are often snow-covered. He’s a clever guy, our David.)

“Negotiating Ransoms with Piratical Heathens and Bargaining with Savages”

This course covers: maintaining a journal, keeping clothes shabby but presentable (so that the pirates won’t expect much in the way of payment, but so that the Society isn’t embarrassed by the appearances of their representatives), and a list of baubles which are useful when bargaining with primitive civilizations. (Meljean’s Note: The instructor for this course was recently beheaded after attempting to negotiate with baubles.)

“Kraken, Megalodons, and the Horrible Beasts of the Deep”

This course covers: maintaining a journal, learning that engine vibrations and noise will attract marine predators, and evasion tactics. (Meljean’s Note: Most of the evasion tactics include some form of “dropping to one’s knees and praying for one’s life.” Also, they never mention the mechanical whales. Oops.)

“The Ghastly Zombie Plague and Nanoagent Infections”

This course covers: maintaining a journal, protecting oneself from zombie attacks whilst exploring Europe and Africa, preparing oneself for self-destruction if bitten, preparing oneself to destroy friends that are bitten, how to avoid infection if one inadvertently comes into contact with one of the poor bastards who lived under Horde rule. (Meljean’s Note: Almost all information contained in this course is misleading or incorrect. A proposed guest lecture by adventurer Archimedes Fox might have cleared up many misconceptions, but after the Society discovered that he had become infected – and how many fees they’d have to pay to the government just to let him past the city borders – they carried on as usual. Ah, well. They probably wouldn’t have believed him, anyway.)

Fortunately for David, at least one of these courses was helpful. And he did learn to keep a rather detailed journal.

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Meet Meljean Brook!

Meljean was raised in the middle of the woods, and hid under her blankets at night with fairy tales, comic books, and romances. She left the forest and went on a misguided tour through the world of accounting before focusing on her first loves, reading and writing–and she realized that monsters, superheroes, and happily-ever-afters are easily found between the covers, as well as under them, so she set out to make her own.

Meljean BrookContact Info
Website: website
Blog: Blog
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

Want to purchase Meljean’s novels?
Iron Seas

  1. The Iron Duke at Amazon | Book Depository
  2. Heart of Steel at Amazon | Book Depository
  3. Riveted at Amazon | Book Depository
  4. Mina Wentworth and the Invisible City at Amazon

Guardians

  1. Demon Angel at Amazon | Book Depository
  2. Demon Moon at Amazon | Book Depository
  3. Demon Night at Amazon | Book Depository
  4. Demon Bound at Amazon | Book Depository
  5. Demon Forged at Amazon | Book Depository
  6. Demon Blood at Amazon | Book Depository
  7. Demon Marked at Amazon | Book Depository
  8. Guardian Demon at Amazon | Book Depository (May 7, 2013)

Please help spread the word: Tweet: Go back to school with 30 authors while #giveaways ensue during #SchoolsIn (Sept 1-30) http://tinyurl.com/LESchoolsIn – #paranormal #contests #UF

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Contest Time!

Thank you Meljean for taking part in Literary Escapism’s School’s in!

Meljean is giving away a copy of Riveted. To enter, all you have to do is answer this one question: As a scientist about to go off on an expedition, what other courses do you think would be useful? Remember, you must answer the question in order to be entered. US/CA Only!

Even though I’m not giving the additional entries any more, you can still help support the author by sharing their article, and this contest, on your blog, Twitter, Facebook, or anywhere you can. After all, the more people who are aware of this fabulous author ensures we get more fabulous stories.

The winner must post a review of the novel someplace. Whether it is on their own blog, Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing or wherever, it doesn’t matter. Just help get the word out.

All School’s In contests will remain open until October 7th at which time I’ll determine the winner with help from the snazzy new plug-in I have. Have you checked out the other Black Friday contests yet? Check out the Master List to see all the Black Friday giveaways

I have not been contacting winners, so you will need to check back to see if you’ve won.

About Jackie 3282 Articles
I am a 30-something SAHM with two adorable boys and a supportive husband who is very tolerant of my reading addiction. I love to read and easily go through about a dozen books a month – well I did before I had kids. Now, not so much. After my first son was born, I began to take my hobby of reviewing a little more serious and started Literary Escapism to help with my sanity. I love to discuss the fabulous novels I’ve read and meeting all the wonderful people in the book blogging community has been amazing.

25 Comments

  1. As a scientist about to go off on an expedition, what other courses do you think would be useful?

    Wilderness Survival 101 – The Basics: Course study to include, but not limited to, keeping a journal, how to start a fire when your matches are wet or all gone, how to forage for food, how to trap game.

    Wilderness Survival 102 – Stop, Put That Down!: Course study to include, but not limited to, keeping a journal, how to recognize if the plant you foraged is poisonous, how to recognize poisonous insects, how to treat the effects of poisonous plants/insects.

    Wilderness Survival 201 – RUN!: Course study to include, but not limited to, keeping a journal, , how to avoid “game” that thinks you’re food, how to create weapons from the environment around you.

  2. a good course would be How to Win Over Sponsors and Influence Donors
    So that one could find people to help pay for an expedition!

  3. “Poisonous Creatures 101” – course includes maintaining a journal complete with detailed drawings of poisonous creatures so that the next scientist to find your journal knows what to avoid. Course also includes first aid procedures such as how to safely such venom out of a wound, how to tie and release a tourniquet to prevent the spread of poison, and how to safely amputate infected limbs.

  4. Pre-Wilderness Training 101: The care and protection of feet – Keeping them dry and fungus-free while fleeing zombie hordes.

    I’m cheating, because my husband is an old infantry officer. If you don’t take care of your feet, nothing else goes.

  5. Air Navigation 101 – Topics may include how to move from one place to another without getting lost, techniques used for navigating in the air, visual flight rules etc.

  6. “The Power of Positive Thinking”

    This course covers: maintaining a journal; anticipating conditions that might result in psychological trauma; looking on the bright side of life-threatening situations rather than focusing on the ‘dead’ part of ‘deadlines’; maintaining confidence in one’s charm despite the lack of basic hygienic amenities and resistance of the opposite sex; embracing nightmares as a natural function of your subconsciousness; visualizing success in the face of disasters, sabotage and a general sense of impending doom. (Reader’s note: after being sent out for field experience, the instructor revised the syllabus to embrace cynicism as a safety mechanism, drinking heavily and imagining a bloody death as a means of running bloody faster.)

  7. As a scientist about to go off on an expedition, what other courses do you think would be useful?

    Poisonous vegetations. Since well everyone really does not know what is out there. People and animals and Zombies are not their only worries. There are some vegetation out there you have to worry about too. Some are poison to the touch not just consumed.

  8. Cooking 101 – Includes maintaining a journal, recognizing edible vegetation, cooking with whatever supplies are at hand, learning to survive on very little food.

  9. How to cook with basic ingredients.
    Basic construction from materials you find laying around
    Self defense for the uncoordinated.

  10. Spelunking: wheeeeeeeee!
    First-aid: on the count of 3…
    Starting-a-fire: burn, baby, burn!
    Grubs: its what’s for dinner
    Maintaining a journal: make sure it’s waterproof

  11. I’d say calligraphy arts 101

    for an artsy readable journal, use of everything possible to write it, so even if the scientist dies, they can recover and make loooots of money from those prescious journals and the unfortunate death of their much loved art-scientist-reckless spirit.

  12. The Art of Disguise
    Ninja Skills
    Trapeze since they are up in the air.
    Awesome knife skills
    and of course the Womanly Arts of Manipulation

  13. I think a course in Arctic Athletics would come in handy. The course would teach you to exercise, run, speed walk and manage your body in such a cold climate. Keeps you in shape.

  14. A course in cartography. Gotta know about rhumb lines if you’re a navigator, even of an air ship. And if you’re exploring it’s good to know how to make a map, especially if you want to keep any locations to yourself.

  15. Etiquette 101. What if offering a member of an unknown tribe/species/alien your hand to shake is considered a deadly insult? It could be embarrassing. Or lethal.

  16. Dealing with Air Sickness and Seasickness while abroad.. natural remedies and how to find ingredients whereever you are!

  17. I would think wilderness survival would cover keeping warm and dry, learning rudimentary cooking skills, and how to avoid unfriendly creatures and poisonous plants.

  18. As a scientist about to go off on an expedition, what other courses do you think would be useful?

    Forging for communication

    This would be how to find a location which allows the scientist to communicate back to home base without paying or getting caught.

    cryptography for the paranoid

    How decrypt others notes while learning how to encrypt your own notes so no one can steal your discovery.

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