The Golden Spark by John Allen Royce has been named an Independent Publisher Highlighted Title for August 2011. (see online)

The Independent Publisher (IP) Highlighted Title designation honors newly-published books exhibiting superior levels of creativity, originality, and high standards of design and production quality.

The honor is awarded each month to the top new US titles published in the USA by independent publishers, selecting the best of new independent books each month. Being chosen as an Independent Publisher Highlighted Title brings well-deserved attention to the book, author, and publisher.

The Golden Spark is Book 2 of an award-winning trilogy adventure into mankind’s past, The Legend of the Great Horse. A horse-loving teenager is lost in history with only her knowledge of horsemanship to help her survive. Sequel to Eclipsed by Shadow, winner of the 2009 Eric Hoffer Award for YA Fiction.

The Golden Spark by John Allen Royce has been chosen to participate in the LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program.

LibraryThing is an open, collaborative project, driven by readers. The website allows people to catalog their personal libraries, discover new books and connect with others who share their tastes.

The LibraryThing Early Reviewer Program is open to selected publishers for distribution of advance copies of books to interested readers, in return for feedback and reviews.

The resulting pre-publication reviews for The Golden Spark are listed in the Great Horse Media Kit … or check out the original reviews on LibraryThing.

The Golden Spark is Book 2 of an award-winning trilogy adventure into mankind’s past, The Legend of the Great Horse. Sequel to Eclipsed by Shadow, winner of the 2009 Eric Hoffer Award for YA Fiction.

[PDF version]

March 13, 2010 | The Mom’s Choice Awards® has named Eclipsed by Shadow: The Legend of the Great Horse ~ Book I of III among the best in family-friendly media, products and services.

The Mom’s Choice Awards® (MCA) is an awards program that recognizes authors, inventors, companies, parents and others for their efforts in creating quality family-friendly media, products and services.

Parents, educators, librarians and retailers rely on MCA evaluations when selecting quality materials for children and families. The Mom’s Choice Awards® seal helps families and educators navigate the vast array of products and services and make informed decisions.

An esteemed panel of judges includes education, media and other experts including Dr. Twila C. Liggett, ten-time Emmy-winner, professor and founder of PBS’s Reading Rainbow, and Julie Aigner-Clark, Creator of Baby Einstein and The Safe Side Project.

MCA judges are bound by a strict code of ethics which ensures expert and objective analysis free from any manufacturer association. Entries are scored on a number of elements including production quality, design, educational value, entertainment value, originality, appeal and cost. The end result is a list of the
best in family-friendly media, products and services that parents and educators can feel confident in using.

For more information on the awards program and the honorees, please visit MomsChoiceAwards.com

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Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the new trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, an award-winning literary adventure about the colorful role of horses in civilization.

Contact the Publisher:

Micron Press
www.TheGreatHorse.com
inquiries@MicronPress.com

‘Eclipsed by Shadow’ Wins Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult (YA) Fiction

Boston, MA (PRWEB) May 27, 2009 — John Royce’s debut novel, Eclipsed by Shadow, has won the Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult (YA) Fiction. The Hoffer Award is presented each year to honor freethinking writers and independent books of exceptional merit.

“Eclipsed by Shadow” is the first book of a new fiction adventure trilogy, “The Legend of the Great Horse,” a fun and engaging portrayal of the history of horsemanship in civilization. This volume begins the journey of a modern-day teenager traveling back in time to explore how horses were used in the past. History comes alive as readers encounter prehistoric horse-hunts and experience the hysteria and thrills of chariot racing, ride with the thundering hordes of Genghis Khan and witness the pageantry of jousting.

Vivid writing and colorful characters (both two- and four-legged) create a fresh, page-turning adventure that educates as it entertains. Library Journal recommends the book, saying “Veteran horseman Royce combines history and myth with action and adventure to create a fast-paced, well-informed tale…” and other critics have ponied up their praise: “Sure to Please!” (Midwest Book Review), “Lots of Horsepower Here!” (Free Lance-Star) and “One of those works you will remember forever.” (2009 Reader Views Literary Award review)

The author, John Royce, is a horseman from Texas with over 25 years of experience in competitive riding, training horses and coaching students. His unique story is the product of 10 years of research. Mr. Royce explains the enduring popularity of horses: “Horses have been with mankind since the beginning–the history of horses is the history of civilization.” The author currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts.

The story is a delightful read for history buffs and horse fans alike, Young Adult (YA) 15+ to adult.

Eclipsed by Shadow (Micron Press | 2008) by John Royce
ISBN 978-0-9724121-3-1
292 Pages, Softcover $15.95

ISBN 978-0-9724121-5-5
304 Pages, Hardcover $24.95

Contact the Publisher:

Micron Press
Robert Hall (r_hall@micronpress.com)
Boston, MA

First Chapter, Bio, Press Kit, and more online at: www.TheGreatHorse.com

Review copies available on request.

History at a Gallop: “Eclipsed by Shadow” wins 2009 Reader Views Literary Award

BOSTON – The first volume of a new trilogy about the history of horsemanship has won in the Fantasy category of the 2008 Reader Views Literary Awards. Veteran horseman John Royce has crafted a fast-paced literary journey through civilization’s earliest history that is gaining the attention of YA+ readers and educators.

Readers are transported to long-ago cultures through vivid characters and events. One does not have to be a horse enthusiast to recognize that horsemanship has been a central force of civilization, and Eclipsed by Shadow tells the history through a fun and engaging story. As the Award review states, “John Royce introduces us to one of those works you will remember forever.”

Since its publication in late 2008, Eclipsed by Shadow has received recommendations from Library Journal, Midwest Book Review and the Historical Novel Society as well as a growing list of excellent reviews from newspapers, Top Amazon reviewers and others.

“Horsemanship provides a colorful link to our human past,” says author John Royce, veteran horseman turned writer, “It was my inspiration for an adventure story about the arc of civilization.”

Readers and reviewers are finding this first book of The Legend of the Great Horse trilogy to be an authentic and engaging experience. In the words of a Top 50 Amazon Reviewer: “This sweeping historical fantasy should have an impact on its reader that penetrates far beyond the boundaries of the usual YA (Young Adult) novel. It teaches lessons about history & horsemanship, and what it really means to be ‘civilized.’ “

Eclipsed by Shadow | The Legend of the Great Horse ~ Book I of III
By John Royce

ISBN 978-0-9724121-3-1
292 Pages, Softcover $15.95

ISBN 978-0-9724121-5-5
304 Pages, Hardcover $22.95

Micron Press
71 Prince Street, #35
Boston, MA 02113
(617) 301-2901

First Chapter, Bio, Press Kit, and more online at: www.TheGreatHorse.com

Bob Spear | Heartland Reviews

 

Rating: 5 Hearts

This fascinating YA first book of a trilogy on the history of man’s relationships with the horse is particularly well done. Meagan, a young teenager, witnesses the arrival of a new colt she names Promise. She enjoys socializing the colt and caring for him until it’s time for him to grow up with other colts. Several years later, the now young adult horse returns to Meagan’s horse farm to begin saddle training.

Unfortunately, a crooked horse trainer is out to steal Promise. Meagan stumbles on the plot and manages to leap onto Promises back and jumps a fence in order to escape. Suddenly Promise sprouts wings and carries Meagan back in time to caveman times. Meagan falls off, only to find herself in the middle of a caveman horse hunt for fresh food. After a short time there, she jumps on another horse and finds herself as a slave in Rome , and then she moves forward to ride with the Mongols. After more hard times, she moves forward in time to the times of the Crusades, where the book ends with the reader anxious to know what is next.

This series teaches not only the history of Man’s relationship with the horse, but the history and day-to-day cultures of different civilizations of the past. We rated this first book five hearts.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of the new trilogy, The Legend of the Great Horse, arriving this Summer 2008 with a fresh and original look at the colorful role of horses in civilization.