Author: Robert Hall

“Eclipsed by Shadow” Wins Eric Hoffer Book Award

eric-hoffer-award-bannerEclipsed by Shadow has won the Eric Hoffer Book Award for Young Adult (YA) Fiction!

This is a tremendous national honor given in the name of one of America’s great thinkers.

The Eric Hoffer Award for short prose and books was established at the start of the 21st century as a means of opening a door to writing of significant merit. It honors the memory of the great American philosopher Eric Hoffer by highlighting salient writing, as well as the independent spirit of small publishers.

The Hoffer Award exists as a platform to honor independent books of exceptional merit.

More information about Eric Hoffer and this honor will be posted over the next week…

“Eclipsed by Shadow” Shortlisted for Major Book Award

“In a time of drastic change, it is the learners who inherit the future.” – Eric Hoffer, American Philosopher

Boston, MA, May 8, 2009 (PressReleasePoint) – The YA historical fiction novel Eclipsed by Shadow has been named to the Eric Hoffer Book Award Grand Prize Shortlist. The Eric Hoffer Book Award is presented each year as a means of opening a door to independent writing of significant merit.

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of a new fiction trilogy adventure, The Legend of the Great Horse, which is gaining critical praise for its engaging portrayal of the history of horsemanship in civilization. This first volume begins the journey of a modern-day rider traveling back in time tohope_logo experience how horses were used in the past. Vivid writing and colorful characters (both two- and four-legged) create a fresh, page-turning adventure that educates as it entertains.

The author, John Royce, is a veteran horseman from Texas with over twenty-five years of experience in competitive riding, training horses and coaching students. His unique story is the product of ten 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 story is a delightful read for history buffs and horse fans alike, YA 15+ to adult.

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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 $22.95

Contact:
Robert Hall (R_Hall@MicronPress.com)
Micron Press
71 Prince Street, #35
Boston, MA  02113
(617) 301-2901

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

“Eclipsed by Shadow” nominated for the Mom’s Choice Awards

The following is the description of Eclipsed by Shadow for the Mom’s Choice Awards:

Eclipsed by Shadow is the first book of a new trilogy, “The Legend of the Great Horse,” which takes the reader on a journey through the ages when horses were everyday companions in work, war, sport and spectacle. The story is told through the eyes of a young woman, a horse-crazy teenager traveling through history with knowledge of 21st Century horsemanship as her only defense.

Young Meagan Roberts comes from a family rich in love if not money, and is the proud owner of a new backyard foal she names Promise. Meagan is told the story of a long-forgotten legend about her beloved foal, a dark prophecy no one will believe. The legend is fulfilled when Promise wings Meagan back in time to see how horses were used in the history, where she must survive using only her own modern-day skills and ability.

Well-researched and vivid in detail, Eclipsed by Shadow combines suspense, fantasy and factual history in a journey that brings man’s ancient partnership with the horse to life. Readers become part of the adventure as they travel back to the days when primitive man stalked horses as prey, and witness the startling developments of horsemanship in ancient and medieval cultures.

This engaging book will especially appeal to history buffs, horse enthusiasts and educators. The story combines fast-paced adventure with accurate information about horsemanship and the various historical periods explored. Further information about this educational and imaginative literary novel may be found at www.TheGreatHorse.com.

The title is being entered in the Fiction and Fantasy categories. Announcements will be made January 1st, 2010.

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

For Immediate Release
Contact: Robert Hall | Micron Press 617-301-2901

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

» See Reader Views Literary Award Review

BOSTON – The critically acclaimed first volume of a bold 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.

“I believe a wholesome story can be a page-turning adventure,” says author John Royce, veteran horseman turned writer, “Horsemanship provides a colorful link to our human past, and that inspiration sparked an adventure which spans 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.’ “

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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:  TheGreatHorse.com