BLOG TOUR: Queen Of The Sea by Dylan Meconis

Welcome to the Official Blog Tour for Dylan Meconis' Queen of the Sea! Today, on our tour stop, we have an exclusive excerpt graphic to share! Not only that, we have a cool tour-wide giveaway! So... Check it out and grab your copy now!!! Follow the tour, HERE!

Genre:

Young Adult

Historical Fiction

Graphic Novel

Publish Date:

June 25, 2019

Publisher:

Walker Books US

Synopsis:

Cult graphic novelist Dylan Meconis offers a rich reimagining of history in this hybrid novel loosely based on the exile of Queen Elizabeth I by her sister, Queen Mary.

When her sister seizes the throne, Queen Eleanor of Albion is banished to a tiny island off the coast of her kingdom, where the nuns of the convent spend their days peacefully praying, sewing, and gardening. But the island is also home to Margaret, a mysterious young orphan girl whose life is upturned when the cold, regal stranger arrives. As Margaret grows closer to Eleanor, she grapples with the revelation of the island’s sinister true purpose as well as the truth of her own past. When Eleanor’s life is threatened, Margaret is faced with a perilous choice between helping Eleanor and protecting herself.

       

*Excerpt*

Praise for QUEEN OF THE SEA

The art, reminiscent of Raina Telgemeier’s style, creates levity during perilous situations. The book is dense with dialogue, often feeling more like a work of prose than a graphic novel. As a result, this complex work will be more accessible to those familiar with graphic novels…Certain to charm sophisticated graphic novel devotees. —School Library Journal (starred review)

Meconis offers an atmospheric alternate history inspired by the childhood and succession of Queen Elizabeth I in this quietly ambitious graphic novel…Art in soft, earthy colors brings this singular story to life in styles ranging from simple line drawings to elaborately styled text illuminations. The island world is richly developed, both in its physical particulars and its close-knit community (fascinating digressions into topics such as convent time, hand gestures used at table, and chess and embroidery flesh out daily life), and Margaret proves herself an endearing heroine with a strong voice full of humor and wonder. Her perspective transforms a storm-wracked rock into a vibrant world of hidden treasures. —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Meconis’ humor and storytelling gifts here wed seamlessly with her evocative pen-and-ink and gouache illustrations, which are rendered in warm earth and sea tones and brim with movement, expressively capturing even Margaret’s interior monologues. With its compelling, complex characters and intrigue-laden plot, this will have readers hoping it’s only the first of many adventures for Meconis’ savvy heroine. —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Weaving faith, love, statecraft, and self-discovery into a tale of palace intrigue relocated to the halls of a convent on a remote island at sea, Dylan Meconis uses the trappings of the history we know to create a high-stakes adventure in an alternate past that feels so detailed and so familiar, you’ll find yourself wondering why you never read about it in school. This beautiful book swept me away from the first page.” —Kate Milford, author of the Greenglass House series

“Dylan Meconis is at the absolute top of her game. A gorgeously rendered, lovingly realized alternate history, full of personal revelations in the midst of political intrigue. A tale of growing up, and of understanding that the world is larger and stranger than it once seemed. (Plus it has a Terrible Recipe for Terrible Gruel.)” —Ben Hatke, author-illustrator of the Zita the Spacegirl series

“This is the book I was always trying to get my hands on in high school that never seemed to materialize. An adventure to lose yourself in, with an attention to historical detail to please the nerdiest among us. I fell easily and completely into this world and its characters, knowing I was safe in Dylan Meconis’s hands, and I’m really excited for more people to find out what I’ve known for a long time—that she is one of a kind.” —Kate Beaton, author-illustrator of Hark! A Vagrant

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**About the Author**

Photo Content from Dylan Meconis

I’ve been writing and illustrating my own stories since the first grade, and I’ve been making comic books since middle school (no, really! Seventh grade was a tough year for me socially, so I had a lot of time to draw). I started my first book-length comic (graphic novel) in high school.

Unlike a lot of people who become professional artists and authors, I didn’t go to art school or a creative writing program in college. Instead, I mostly studied history, literature, philosophy, and French in the College of Letters at Wesleyan University. This means I have a brain full of weird facts, old books, strange art, and the extremely useful ability to read The Tales of Canterbury in the original Middle English. Except for the Middle English bit, it’s all come in very handy for writing and drawing historical fiction and fantasy.

I first started to get paid for making comics when I was still in college, when my first graphic novel was published online. After college, I worked as a graphic designer and visual communications consultant (which means “person who helps teach adults complicated stuff in cool new ways using pictures”). I’ve worked with Fortune 500 companies, global charities, technology companies, libraries, and a lot of other interesting organizations. I’ve made illustrations, animations, information graphics and cool presentations, explaining everything from how microchips work to the ways that clean drinking water can help communities in the third world.

For the last ten years, though, I mostly work as a writer, comic book creator and illustrator! Sometimes I make books totally by myself, and sometimes I get to team up with other writers or artists. It can be lots of fun, but it can also be very hard work. Luckily, I never get tired of making new stories. 

Stay connected with Dylan Meconis

    

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***The Giveaway***

Giveaway Open Internationally | Must be 13+ to Enter

Note: Not Responsible for Lost & Damaged Prizes in Your Mail Box

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Organized by

BOOK BLITZ: High School Queens by Zachary Ryan

Today, we are excited to participate on this 7-day Book Blitz for Zachary Ryan's High School Queens, the first title in the High School Queens Trilogy! Today, we have an exclusive excerpt AND a cool blitz-wide giveaway to share! So... Check it out and grab your copy now!

Genre:

Young Adult

Contemporary

Series:

High School Queens, #1

Publish Date:

March 21, 2019

Publisher:

Kingston Publishing Company

Synopsis:

They all thought they did a masterful job of keeping their secrets close to their chest. These stupid fools thought they were the high court of this kingdom, but they had no clue who was really pulling the strings. You might wonder to yourself, who would be that heartless to make them backstab their friends, expose other’s secrets, and lose their morals? You don’t need to know who I am, but you better remember my name, The Marked Queen.

Danielle, Andrew, Delilah, Aman, and Jasmine all are now faced with a mysterious villain whose one goal is to ruin each of their lives. They must protect their secrets at all cost, or they’ll be the next victim on Marked Day. They know what’s at stake, and they’ll stop at nothing to continue being: the rich spoiled girl, the normal teenager, the girl who isn’t banging the principal, the straight vlogger, and the girl who isn’t her dad’s punching bag. What happens when The Marked Queen changes up the game just in time for prom? Will each of our favorite puppets survive? Or are they willing to backstab each other just to keep up their personas? The only thing lost at this prom wasn’t going to be their virginity.

Sex, Lies, and High School Queens explores the major theme of self-acceptance. Can they learn to accept all their flaws or pray victim to The Marked Queen? Each chapter continues to fill your sweet tooth until the climactic moment at the prom where you get to have that final bite of the bitch cake you’ve been dying to consume.

      

  

*Excerpt*

Danielle, Delilah, and Jasmine on one side while Calvin, Aman, and Eddie were on the other side. “Now, before we announce who will be King and Queen, there is a video montage first.” 

The video started off about Danielle with her fashion, Delilah with her writing, Jasmine with her studies, Calvin with baseball, Aman with vlogging, and Eddie with football. The video ended with all six of them in a group shot together. 

Principal Grand smiled. “Well, that was something.” People started applauding. “Now it’s time to announce your Prom King and Queen.” Principal Grand opened the envelope. “Prom King and Queen of Johnson Prep 2018 are…” Principal Grand didn’t get to announce, because the projector started displaying another video. 

Everyone turned to the screen and saw the new video. Everyone in the royal court except, Eddie’s, heart dropped. It started out with Delilah’s scandal being revealed in the form of a photo. The photo you might ask was a screenshot of Danielle spilling Delilah’s dirty secret to The Marked Queen. Delilah turned to look at Danielle. 

“Someone turn this off!” Principal Grand screamed, because he couldn’t believe that this was happening. He was being exposed, and he didn’t know from who. 

The next was of Andrew. It was another screenshot of Jasmine’s text to The Marked Queen. Jasmine turned to look at Andrew. She could tell that he was livid. What set him off the most, were the photos in the local newspaper of his mother’s destroyed grave. Andrew was filled with rage, and he didn’t know how to feel. 

The next was for Flynn. It was a photo of Delilah’s work next to Flynn’s, exposing that he had taken material from her story to add to his. Delilah was pissed and hurt about Danielle’s betrayal, but she had a moment of gratification. 

The next one was of Aman and Calvin. Aman and Calvin turned to each other. It was a photo of them kissing and a screenshot of Calvin telling The Marked Queen about their relationship. “How could you?” Aman felt completely betrayed by Calvin. Calvin wanted to feel remorse, but he felt free that it was finally out. 

Then we had Jasmine’s dirty little secret. “I gave you Andrew!” she screamed, as she saw the photo of her father hitting her, and her puking in the bathroom. The caption was our favorite. “Maybe if she lost the weight faster, then her father wouldn’t have hurt her.” 

The final one, was for the main Queen herself. It was a photo of Danielle’s real house. “Looks like this bitch was just a knock off.” It also had photos of her sewing her clothes from the window. “She believed she was Cinderella, but she would never fit into the glass slipper.” People laughed at that caption. Danielle felt mortified. 

The lights in the room turned off. A spotlight had turned on toward the entrance. They saw her walk into the room, and everyone gasped at who entered. She walked into prom like the perfect villain. She knew the royal court was beneath her. Why have a plastic tiara, when your name would already be infamous? She headed straight toward her favorite subjects. Her dress was as red as the spilled blood of her victims. She knew no one expected her to be The Marked Queen, and that was what made this reveal so juicy. She grabbed a glass of sparkling cider off the table. She toasted to the puppets she had grown so fond of over the past year. “Hello, bitches,”

Don't miss the sequel! Just released May 2019!

(cover links to Goodreads)

         

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**About the Author**

Zachary Ryan grew up in a black-and-white box in Maryland, before moving to Chicago to start a new life. There, he found that he was accepted for his misfit status--and learned that it's perfectly normal to spend your twenties feeling lost and confused.

After a disastrous sexual encounter, Ryan stumbled on a group of true friends, or "soul cluster," that he connected with. Through his writing, he hopes to help other broken souls out there find comfort amid the chaos.

Stay connected with Zachary Ryan

   

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***The Giveaway***

Giveaway Open Internationally

Note: Not responsible for Lost or Damaged Prizes in Your Mailbox

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by