Back to the Future - A Giveaway Hop Across Time ~ A Guest Post by Julia Hughes, author of A Raucous Time

Hello everyone, Paul here! Today we are joined by Julia Hughes, author of the YA book A Raucous Time. Let's recap what's currently going on here at Sher A. Hart blog first. Make sure to check out the 3rd Annual Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop and be sure to check out Daynight by Megan Thomason Book Blast & Blog Tour posted earlier by Sher. Stop by  The Circle of Tivedon Blog Tour as today is the last day to enter. Then there is the Sunshine Syndicate tour and huge giveaway. Our 1000 follower No Strings Attached Giveaway started last week and runs through today, with a box of books to a US winner and a $20 Amazon gift card to an international follower.  And two more giveaways are open for another week, including the blog tour of Rise of the Fire Tamer by Kailin Gow, and The Freak of Nature Book Blast. All are set to open in a new window so you won't lose your place here.

I would like to thank Kathy at I Am A Reader Not A Writer and  Book Haven Extraordinaire for hosting the Back to the Future - A Giveaway Hop Across Time. Author of A Raucous Time, Julia Hughes has been kind enough to give away 2 autographed paperbacks as well as 2 ebooks. Julia has also been kind enough to offer to ship the books to Europe, the US, and Canada. Thanks Julia!.

Today Julia is guest posting for us. I have to preface her post with fact that I struggled at times with some of the "British English" in the book. The setting and dialogue, including words I had a bit of difficulty deciphering are all part of what made me enjoy A Raucous Time so much. The subsequent discussions I've had with Julia regarding this fact was the inspiration for her post. So without any further delay I give you author Julia Hughes guest post: Musings on British & American English.

Hi Paul, and thank you so much for your review on "A Raucous Time". I showed it to the Celtic Cousins. Rhyllann laughed and said his only flaws were being too good looking and having a pain in the butt for a cousin. Wren smiled and said you're one smart guy, and then asked if you were up for a trip to South America? He reckons he knows where to find the Lost City of Gold, "El Dorado". Provided of course that pesky American Indiana Jones doesn't get to it first!

I smiled too, when you mentioned the odd word of "British English" gave you pause for thought, but I knew a smart guy like you would figure it out! As the late great Irish writer George Bernard Shaw once said: 'England and America are two countries divided by a common language!' I've total confidence that your readers are just as brilliant at interpretation as you, and will have no trouble translating the odd unfamiliar term – or curved ball! 

King John's treasure does exist, El Dorado, the Lost City of Gold may prove to be a myth, (though I hope not for the Celtic Cousins' sake!), but language, and the ability to communicate ideas freely between ourselves adds a richness to life that is beyond value.

Several times in his "Lord of the Rings" trilogy Tolkien reminds us "All that's gold does not glisten". Compared to the romance of French and Italian, our shared language isn't the prettiest – but by heavens, it's stood the test of time! I think the key to its success is the manner in which it keeps evolving –  of course having our American cousins take up the baton and sprint out the stadium with it has put new life in the old girl! The English language has become an international treasure. One that allows us all to share in some amazing adventures: Whether by traditional story telling; or in 3D on Hollywood's silver screen, to the magic of printed words on paper and lately, kindle.

With over a million words to choose from, we're sometimes spoilt for choice, but not me – at least not today! I want to say a heartfelt "thank you" for inviting me to share in your "Back to the Future" blog hop, I feel extremely lucky to take part in this particular adventure!

Also, if you're a children's book author (from picture books up through YA) who doesn't have a blog, or if you're a reader who wants to share book reviews on our blog, please contact Paul or me. We provide free training and free books to review here. In return, we ask for a six month commitment. After that you can stay with us or start your own blog.

I also wanted to remind you that Julia Dweck's  picture book Cat or Dog for President is free today only on Amazon in honor of the fifty-seventh presidential inauguration. Whether or not you like the current president, you'll love this imaginative picture book, and so will your children, grandchildren, friends' children, you get the idea. So don't wait, click the title above or the picture below, and a new window will open on Amazon.

Thanks for stopping by everyone. I hope you enjoyed Julia's brilliant guest post as much as I did. Be sure to enter the Rafflecopter below for  a chance to win a copy of A Raucous Time.

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