Fiona Ingram Launches Her Blog Tour of The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper

...and giveaway!

A plane crash! Lost in the jungle! Hunted by their old enemy, will Adam, Justin, and Kim survive long enough to find the Third Stone of Power? With only a young boy, Tukum, as their guide, the kids make their way through the dense and dangerous jungle to find the lost city of stone gods, where the Stone of Power might be located. River rafting on a crocodile-infested river and evading predators are just part of this hazardous task. Of course, their old adversary Dr. Khalid is close behind as the kids press on. But he is not the worst of their problems. This time Adam will clash with a terrible enemy who adopts the persona of an evil Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca, and is keen to revive the ancient tradition of human sacrifice. Adam, Justin, and Tukum must play a dreadful ball game of life and death and maybe survive. Will they emerge alive from the jungle? Will Dr. Khalid find the third Stone of Power before they do?

Print Length: 318 Pages
Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Adventure
Publisher: Bublish, Incorporated (November 2017)
ISBN: 978-1946229465

While this is the third in the series, this can be read as a standalone book, however the author encourages readers to reader the first two books in The Chronicle of the Stone series as well: The Secret of the Sacred Scarab and The Search for the Stone of Excalibur.

The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper is now available to purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound.



Book Giveaway Contest!

To win a copy of the book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper by Fiona Ingram, please enter using Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post. Giveaway ends on August 19th at 12AM EST. We will announce the winner the next day on the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

About the Author, Fiona Ingram

Fiona Ingram is a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, she was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked her new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with her mother and two young nephews. They had a great time and she thought she’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, she had changed careers. She has now published Book 3 (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) in her middle grade adventure series Chronicles of the Stone, with many awards for the first book,The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, and a few for Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, and one already for Book 3! She also teaches online novel writing for aspiring authors and she finds that very satisfying. Relaxation time finds her enjoying something creative or artistic, music, books, theatre or ballet. She loves doing research for her book series. Fiona loves animals and has written two animal rescue stories. She has two adorable (naughty) little dogs called Chloe and Pumpkin, and a beautiful black cat called Bertie.

You can find Fiona at –

Website: www.chroniclesofthestone.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/FionaRobyn

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/secretofthesacredscarab

Author Site: http://www.FionaIngram.com

Blog: http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com

GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2868182.Fiona_Ingram

-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: First, I'm so excited you are joining us again for another blog tour! What has changed for you since your last tour with us in 2015?

Fiona: I’m very excited to be back with WOW, since you hosted my very first book tour with Book 1: The Secret of the Sacred Scarab. In the meantime, I have landed a Japanese and a Chinese publishing deal for all my books, even the ones I have yet to write, and all 3 books have won awards, and even more for Book 1, which seems to be an evergreen favourite. I have a great movie agent who also does international book deals and we’re working on getting the books into the Latin American market, especially as Book 3: The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper is set in Mexico. I am working on Book 4: The Cabal of the Ouroboros right now. It is set in the catacombs of Paris and the adventure theme is around the Knights Templar.

WOW: That is absolutely unbelievable! You are a true success story of self-publishing! What tips do you have for authors looking to self-publish their books?

Fiona: a) Never fall into the trap of thinking that your story is so great you can bypass the services of a professional editor and cover designer. Make sure your book meets the industry’s highest standards in editing, cover, and layout. Spend the money – it’ll be worth it.

b) Enter book awards. The more you win (even if it’s just a nomination), the better you look to the professionals. My Asian publishers were impressed by the books’ awards and nominations, and that’s why I got these deals.

c) Tell the world every day about your book/s. Marketing need not be expensive and word of mouth is the simplest and easiest way of getting your book out there.

d) Don’t give up. There’s fierce competition out there, but if your book is a worthy product, it will get noticed. (PS: I usually give up every day, around 4 p.m. but then after a good night’s sleep I start all over again!)

WOW: Ha, that is about the same time I give up everyday too, actually. Somehow though I always recover and start over! So, do you have any advice for writers seeking to write for a younger audience?

Fiona: My advice is to treat your young audience with respect. Don’t talk down to them. Kids are very clever. They read, they watch television, they know a lot. Don’t be afraid to use big words or complex ideas. Kids love learning new jawbreakers they can show off to their friends. Test your ideas on some kids of the right age, either your own, or those of friends/relatives. They’ll soon tell you if you’re on the right track. As an adult writer one can do the research required and structure a children’s story well. However, I think it is very important to remember how one felt at the age group one is writing for. I remember the magical middle grade years very, very well. That sense of adventure, jumping into anything exciting because who knew where it would end up. I hope I have conveyed that in my adventures when Adam and Justin hurtle headlong into an exciting quest.

“I remember the magical middle grade years very, very well. That sense of adventure, jumping into anything exciting because who knew where it would end up.”

WOW: Oh I recall that sense of adventure as well and it was so vivid in those middle grade years! Your books have a little bit of everything—history, geography, action, adventure—for the older child. What led you to write middle grade fiction? What inspired you to begin writing for children?

Fiona: I didn’t deliberately choose middle grade fiction; it sort of chose me. I also love the middle grade age group when kids are not quite teens looking towards adulthood, but still believe in the magical possibilities of adventure and excitement. When I was a child, all the technological gadgetry kids now have to entertain them was just a twinkle in some inventors’ eyes. We had to entertain ourselves. I started writing stories for my three younger brothers and their friends, and then we’d act out the tales (always dangerous and involving near death close shaves and usually a few monsters) for our very long suffering and patient parents – they were a very supportive and enthusiastic audience.

WOW: You know, your adventures as a kid sounds like the ones I enjoyed as a kid! Growing up in a pre-technology overload era is definitely something I'm grateful for! How much research went into writing this book? What were you surprised to learn?

Fiona: The amount of research for each book is phenomenal. Each book is based on the mythology, culture, legends and history of a new country. It’s important to choose the information that fits beautifully with the theme and the adventure. It’s also important not to burden the young reader with too much detail, just enough to get the heroes out of danger, or to help them work out a solution to a problem. But I love research, so I don’t see it as hard work. I always have a Young Readers’ Guide at the back of each book, with interesting details on some of the topics touched on in the story. On the books’ website, www.chroniclesofthestone.com, I have included a Young Readers’ Companion, which is a downloadable nonfiction guide to the story with lots more detail. I was always interested in the Maya and the Aztecs, but just had a passing knowledge. This book really required in-depth research into a lot of mythology and legendary important figures in Mesoamerican culture. But it was fascinating!

WOW: That is awesome you include that type of information in your books! That's so valuable to young readers! In your books, there is a young girl that joins the two main characters in their adventures, who happens to be African. Did you base this character on your own adopted daughter?

Fiona: The year I went to Egypt with my two nephews, I fostered an underprivileged African child. Mabel came to live with me as a foster child and then later I adopted her. She and my youngest nephew bonded and since the books are based on my nephews, it seemed almost inevitable that Mabel enter the series. She chose her character’s name, Kim, and I included in her backstory a lot of what Mabel had experienced with learning difficulties, and issues raised by a black child living with a white person. It was quite a learning experience for both of us and a lot of this is included in the second book, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur. Kim’s entry into the series was very fortuitous because including a girl in a boys’ adventure certainly made the whole dynamic much more interesting, especially as the boys are quite annoyed that she has such good ideas!

WOW: What a rewarding experience that is for both of you! Ha, and I love the idea of the boys being annoyed at her good ideas! So, I love the story of how you came to write this series. Can you share that with our readers?

Fiona: In one of those serendipitous events that change lives, I went to Egypt with my mom and my two young nephews (aged 10 and 12 at the time). We had the most incredible and fascinating time, and when we got back home I thought I’d write a short story for the boys, with them as the heroes, as a different kind of memento. The short story turned into a multi award-winning book; the book turned in a 7-adventure book series! The young cousins, Adam and Justin, are based almost entirely on my nephews and some of the lines of dialogue come straight from them. Their enthusiasm and excitement at being in Egypt rubbed off on me and really inspired me.

WOW: Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us and best of luck to you and your books! 

--- Blog Tour Dates

August 13 @ The Muffin
What goes better in the morning with coffee than a muffin? Grab your cup of morning brew and join us today when we celebrate the launch of Fiona Ingram's book, The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.  You can read our interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book.
http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

August 14th @ Write Like Crazy
Make sure you stop by Mary Jo's blog Write Like Crazy where Fiona Ingram talks about why your child doesn't like reading and how to fix this. Also, you can enter to win a copy of the book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
http://www.writelikecrazy.com

August 15th @ Girl Zombie Authors
Come by Christine's blog where Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on writing about different places for kids.
https://girlzombieauthors.blogspot.com/

August 16th @ Jessica Samuel's Blog
Come by Jessica's blog today where Fiona Ingram talks about how to transform your non-reader into a reader.
https://jessicasamuelsauthor.com/

August 19th @ Madeline Sharples' Blog
Stop by Madeline's blog today where author Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts with young writers on writing and creating characters.
http://madelinesharples.com/

August 20th @ Mari's #JournalingPower Blog
Stop by Mari's blog where author Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on developing characters that children will relate to.
https://www.createwritenow.com/journal-writing-blog

August 20th @ Bairn's Bard
Stop by Rebecca's blog Bairn's Bard today where you can read a post by Fiona Ingram's daughter and also you can read about Rebecca's thoughts on the book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
https://bairnsbard.wordpress.com/

August 21st @ Cover2Cover Blog
Stop by Steph's Cover2Cover where you can read Fiona Ingram's blog post about choosing books for your kids.
http://cover2coverblog.blogspot.com/

August 22nd @ Look to the Western Sky
Come by Margo Dill's blog Look to the Western Sky where Fiona Ingram writes about her experiences fostering (and later adopting) an illiterate African child who is now a lovely young woman who loves reading.
http://margoldill.com/

August 22nd @ A New Look on Books
Come by Rae's blog where Fiona Ingram writes about the joy of writing for children.
https://anewlookonbooks.com/

August 26th @ Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi
Come by Karen's blog where Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on how to encourage your kids to start writing.
http://karencioffiwritingforchildren.com/

August 27th @ Mommy Daze: Say What??
Stop by Ashley's blog where Fiona Ingram talks about helping kids read better with homeschooling. A must read as school is about to start!
https://adayinthelifeofmom.com/

August 27th @ Rebecca Whitman's Blog
Come by Rebecca's blog where you can read Fiona Ingram's post about using computers to improve reading skills.
https://rebeccawhitman.wordpress.com

August 28th @ Jennifer's Deals
Stop by Jennifer's blog where she shares what she her thoughts about Fiona Ingram's incredible middle grade adventure book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
https://www.jennifers-deals2.com/

August 29th @ Jill Sheets Blog
Stop by Jill's blog where she reviews The Temple of the  Crystal Timekeeper and shares what she thinks about the book.
https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/

August 30th @ Story Teller Alley
Visit Veronica's blog and check out her thoughts on the book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
http://storytelleralley.com/blog

August 31st @ Mommy Daze: Say What??
Make sure you stop by Ashley's blog again where she shares her thoughts on Fiona Ingram's book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
https://adayinthelifeofmom.com/

August 31st @ Rebecca Whitman's Blog
Stop by Rebecca's blog again where you can read Fiona Ingram's post about writing a children series.
https://rebeccawhitman.wordpress.com/

September 1st @ Cathy C. Hall's Blog
Visit Cathy's blog today where Fiona Ingram shares the top ten things you never knew about Mexico!
https://c-c-hall.com/

September 2nd @ Break Even Books
Come by Erik's blog Break Even Books where Fiona Ingram talks about how to make your books both enjoyable and educational.
https://breakevenbooks.com/

September 3rd @ Beverly A. Baird's Blog
Join us over at Beverley A. Barid's blog where author Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on developing a children's series.
http://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com

September 4th @ Cathy C. Hall's Blog
Make sure to come by Cathy's blog again where she shares her thoughts on Fiona Ingram's book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
https://c-c-hall.com/

September 4th @ Carpinello's Writing Pages
Stop by Cheryl's blog and make sure you catch her review of Fiona Ingram's book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper. 
http://carpinelloswritingpages.blogspot.com/

September 5th @ Jill Sheet's Blog
Come by Jill's blog today where Fiona Ingram shares her thoughts on writing for children.
https://jillsheets.blogspot.com/

September 5th @ Ali's Bookshelf
Stop by Ali's blog where Fiona Ingram talks about whether books can help children cope with life.
http://alisbookshelfreviews.blogspot.com

September 7th @ Beverly A. Baird's Blog
Join us at Beverly's blog again for her thoughts on Fiona Ingram's adventurous book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
http://beverleyabaird.wordpress.com

September 7th @ Anthony Avina's Blog
Stop by Anthony's Blog where you can read Fiona Ingram's post about why a book series is so good for non-readers.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

September 9th @ Anthony Avina's Blog
Make sure to check out Anthony's blog again where you can read his thoughts on Fiona Ingram's book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
https://authoranthonyavinablog.com/

September 10th @ Misadventures with Andi
Come by Andi's blog where you can read Fiona Ingram's post about why children love reading about other countries and cultures.
https://misadventureswithandi.com/

September 10th @ Whitman's Academics
Stop by Rebecca's blog where Fiona Ingram's talks about turning a non-reader into a reader.
https://whitmansacademics.wordpress.com/

September 12th@ Coffee with Lacey
Stop by Lacey's blog where she reviews Fiona Ingram's book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
coffeewithlacey.wordpress.com

September 13th @ Coffee With Lacey
Be sure to stop by again when Lacey interviews author Fiona Ingram and chats about her newest book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
coffeewithlacey.wordpress.com

September 14th @ Seraphina Reads
Stop by Seraphina's blog where she interviews author Fiona Ingram about her book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
http://www.seraphinareads.com/

September 14th @ World of My Imagination
Come by Nicole's blog where she shares her opinion about Fiona Ingram's middle grade fiction book The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper.
http://theworldofmyimagination.blogspot.com

September 15th @ Story Teller Alley
Stop by Veronica's blog Story Teller Alley to read Fiona Ingram's post on how she came about to write the series The Chronicles of the Stone. 
http://storytelleralley.com/blog

*****BOOK GIVEAWAY*****

Enter the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win a print copy of The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper! The giveaway ends on August 19th at 12AM EST. We will announce the winner the next day on the Rafflecopter widget. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway