Welcome to my blog. Fridays are returning to author spotlights, interviews, and guest posts. There will be various genres featured, but they will all be clean reads. This Friday, I have a middle grade novel featured from author Emily A. Steward. Let’s check it out.
Thomas Templeton and the Whispers of Branson Manor
A sinister force awaits…
Thomas has only vague memories of the night his parents vanished, and the memories haunt his dreams: an old mansion, a game of hide and seek, and panicked screaming.
After their aunt threatens to split them up, Thomas and his two sisters journey to the abandoned family mansion looking for clues to their parent’s disappearance. Soon after they arrive, terrifying messages and apparitions make it clear that someone or something doesn’t want them there.
When another person close to Thomas disappears, the children must work quickly to stop the sinister force before they become the next victims of Branson Manor.
Enjoy an Excerpt
Evie stood in the doorway of the room just ahead. She seemed frozen to the spot. “I think it’s in here,” she said in a loud, breathy whisper.
I looked past her into the room. It was empty except for a full-length iron mirror in the right corner. The knocking came from the opposite side of the room. As I stepped inside, I signaled for my sisters to wait and crept closer. The sound was definitely getting louder and was way too consistent to be an animal. It sounded like a pattern. Just as I reached the wall, the knocking stopped.
“Thomas . . . ” Sarah’s voice came out thin. “Let’s go back to the living room.”
I ran my finger along the edge of the peeling wallpaper. Some faint markings were beneath it. “Just a second,” I murmured, pulling the paper back. There was definitely something written under here. The letter t?
A loud thud sent me sprawling. It sounded like something was trying to get out. I scrambled to my feet and backed up to where the girls were waiting. The knocking resumed, louder and faster now.
“Thomas,” she said in a low voice. “I think it’s . . . I think it’s Morse code.” Sarah and I had spent a whole summer learning Morse code. We wanted a way to communicate without our aunt understanding. Turning my head, I listened hard. The knocks came in short quiet raps and louder distinct pounding. This might represent the dots and dashes. I tried to concentrate. The first one sounded like an h . . . no, an r. Rats, it was too fast for me and I couldn’t make it out. Sarah had always been better at it. She squinted in concentration as she counted under her breath.
“It’s just one word over and over.” As she spoke her face went pale.
“What is it?” I asked, afraid to know the answer.
“Run.”
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About the Author
Emily Steward spent the better part of her childhood dressed as a ninja and trying to convince others to call her ‘Ace.’ When she wasn’t saving the world from evil samurai, she could usually be found in the branches of a tree reading a good book. She now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three daughters, and dog Bentley. Though she seldom dresses as a ninja now, her adventurous spirit remains as does her love of tree climbing and reading good books.
Connect with Emily and her books
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Emily_Steward14
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emsteward14/
Website/Blog: https://estewardblog.wordpress.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/emilyasteward