Review Copy Giveaway: A Slip In The Right Direction

[Ella Curry]

 

Win a Review Copy of the YA Novella
A Slip In The Right Direction by author Rachel Berry

 

 

 

Read the book excerpt below and leave your comments, along with your email address to enter a drawing to win a review copy of Rachel Berry's new YA title, A Slip In The Right Direction. Author Rachel Berry will pull all the comments from her online book tour on Nov. 15, 2010 and announce the winners on Dec. 1, 2010.  Please consider giving books as gifts this holiday season! 

 

 

Eligibility:  To be deemed eligible to participate in this contest, you must be 20 years of age or older and the contest legal  in your state. Open only to permanent legal residents of the 50 states of the U.S.A. and D.C.  This contest is NOT available outside the United States all federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply void where prohibited or restricted by law.  Winners will be notified via email.  Books will be shipped media mail 7 days after contest ends. The winners will be listed on the author's website on December 1, 2010  at:  http://www.thecliftonhendersonseries.com

 

To Enter the Contest:  Read the sneak peek excerpt, listen to the interview or podcast. To enter the drawing hosted by EDC Creations Media Group, readers must preview the excerpt/interview  below and leave a comment of 10 words or more.  Three  readers will win copies of this book, while the author is on tour.  Winners will be randomly selected to receive a copy of the featured book. Winners will be posted on the author's teen blog. Books mailed within 7-10 business days of the contest ending.  All prizes distributed by EDC Creations, not the publishers. Your privacy is protected. Email lists are never sold.

 

No purchase necessary to enter or win.  Only one book per month per household or bookclub.  All that we ask is for the reader to post a review online or in the social network of their choice, after reading the book. Spread the word and tell 10 people about the book. 

 

 

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A Letter to my young Readers and the Parents,

 

 

A Slip In The Right Direction is the coming-of-age story of a 14-year old boy Clifton Henderson, aka Slip, living in Chicago. His daily struggles with surviving the street gangs, puppy love, and family life matures him to unexpected wisdom and the desire to inspire others. Clifton also discovers and learns to deal with the natural occurrences of becoming a young man, and his visions of premonition.

 

My intentions for creating this book is to entertain you, especially those of the male gender. This series is also to introduce you to poetry and get to know the male heart and some of that which rushes through them beginning in their youth, and to identify with Slip aka Clifton Henderson and all that he goes through, learns, dreams of, and aspires to be as he "comes-of-age."

 

My hope is to inspire you, excite your dreams and hopes, and to know that there is a world of people behind you, always, as you continue to come in contact with the friends and adversaries of your journey, and as you grow and be the best "you" that you can be. I want the female readers to relate to and understand the masculine minds of positive young men who eventually turn into those brave kings, protectors, and providers that we are proud to surround ourselves with, marry, love, and support. In life, there are always lessons, challenges, and celebrations. I ask that you bring not only your eyes to this STORY but also your heart, and then support that young man in your life that needs your guidance along his journey to KING-DOM.

 

 

Please visit my website at: www.RachelBerry.webs.com  to find out information about how to purchase the portrait and poem that also go with this book series.

 

» Hear An Excerpt Read By Rachel Berry
http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/W5xlb0ZQ

 

Excerpt from YA title: A Slip In The Right Direction
by author and poet Rachel Berry

 

 

Setting the scene from A Slip In The Right Direction:
Fourteen-year-old Clifton Henderson aka Slip has witnessed and become unwillingly involved in a robbery by Chicago gang members. He’s back at home; reported the crime to the police, and is being questioned by a detective who wants to take him down to the station. His parents are not home, but in the streets anxiously looking for him …
 

Book Excerpt
Part 1 of The Clifton Henderson series

 

I took another long stare at him. Something about the way he said this thing made me know he didn’t believe I was innocent. His offer for me to leave was probably not for the safety of a good citizen but thinking I’d be fingered as a snitch among the gangbangers and they’d be hot on the lookout for me. This was his way of stopping more violence. But it didn’t matter what he believed or didn’t believe; he had a point. If I didn’t go with him, I couldn’t leave the apartment without worrying and my folks couldn’t come back home without me worrying. This was really turning into a thing—a bad thing—especially for me. I made my decision.

 

“I’ll go with you.”

 

”He said, “Something else you need to understand, kiddo.”

 

He wrote in his pad while talking. I desperately wanted to snatch the pad out of his hand and read it.

 

 “Until this thing is sorted out, it’s not clear as to whether you are a participant or you’re actually a victim, namely a witness. Do you understand that? I mean, have I made myself clear here?”

 

Oh, you’re as transparent as they come, my mind whispered. But my mouth just said, “Yep.”

 

Funny, I heard Momma’s voice in my head say, Slip, now you know you’re always suppose to say “yes sir” and “yes ma’am” to your elders. But somehow, I don’t think she meant elder jerks. I was good on this one.

Cop dude sat there, still looking around the room suspiciously. He focused in on Momma’s Betty Boop doll collection that lined the wooden mantelpiece. “Are you the only child in the house?”

 

“I’m the only child in the house,” I repeated irritably.
 
“Any siblings? That means brothers or sisters.”

 

 

I began a silent countdown in my head, Mom’s method of anger management. Then I exhaled.
 
“I have an older sister. She doesn’t live here. She’s twenty-six years old and lives a few blocks away.”

 

“How about we get her on the phone?”
 
He was doing it again, talking without looking at me and writing in that dumb pad of his.

 

“She might not be home; she was supposed to be coming over for dinner tonight.”
 
He gave his watch another look, then went back to writing.
 
“How ’bout we try her anyway?”
 
By now, I was standing with my hands on my hips, mean-mugging him. Mom would have lost it had she seen me. I massaged my temples, shook my head, and dragged my feet over to the telephone. I saw cop dude cut his eyes over at my feet, as if my feet and sneakers were all that existed of me. He then turned back to his pad, doodling.
 

I wished I could shut my eyes and make the whole night disappear. I thought back to the scene that played out earlier. I pictured Demon’s bloody body being carried away on the stretcher. He looked unconscious as the paramedics pushed him into the back door of the ambulance, a complete opposite of the strong, cocky guy who had been bragging earlier. A tiny object like a bullet had cut through all that talk. Erskine, handcuffed and pushed along toward the squad car by two cops, had called to his brother to hang on before he was pressed, headfirst, down into the backseat. I gotta admit, for a minute, I did feel sorry for Demon. Thoughts rushed angry tears to my eyes for a fleeting moment, making the phone pad fuzzy as I dialed Christine’s number. And then, from out of nowhere, I got that feeling again.
 
This time, it was a little different than the rest—more intense and very vivid. I knew immediately it had nothing to do with me or the Dragons or the robbery. It was about the mystery person in Apartment 6. I swayed for a dizzy moment, and then the feeling was gone. Slowly, I turned around to see if Officer Know-So-Much was looking. But he was busy still writing in that dumb pad.
 
 I took a long sigh. What a night! But who knew? It was long from over.

 

 

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 © Book Excerpt Reprinted by Permission. All rights reserved. Do not repost or use without author's permission

 

 

Praise for Young Adult Novella:  A Slip In the Right Direction

 "A Slip In The Right Direction speaks to an all too familiar reality of America's Black and Brown folk who are in a day-today struggle to survive."-----Bruce George, Co-Founder of Def Poetry Jam and Founder of The Bandana Republic
 

Connect with author Rachel Berry Online:
Author Rachel Berry's website:   http://www.RachelBerry.webs.com
Book blog for YA Readers:        http://www.thecliftonhendersonseries.com/blog

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Author & Poet Rachel Berry]

Hello readers and fellow wordsmiths, thank you for stopping by.

My goal for this tour is to reach as many parents, guardians, and teens as possible, especially young male readers. I wrote this book for tweens and teens, especially the young male readers to help create someone and something to connect to while becoming a young man and young woman.

The characters speak from a place you can relate to. The situations can take place in anyone's life.

I'd love to hear about the stories from the adults who have been able to read this story with a special tween or teen in their life.

The book also has 10 workbook questions in the back for discussion about the story and to examine some things going on in the life of the reader.

The synopsis is done poetically and a poem finishes the book. I did this to excite the power of poetry and words in the reader. There is also a portrait that can be bought with the book and works well as a gift. I wanted to also introduce art as a needed form of expression to our young readers.

Remember this book is part 1 of 'The Clifton Henderson' series. Each year a new book will address other situations, issues and concerns of our character as he and his sidekicks grow up.

Please stop by my website to gain more information or drop me a line. I enjoy hearing from you.

Enjoy reading as I will continue to enjoy writing stories for you and 'Doing It From The Heart & Soul.'