Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor, and Monster Hunter? by C.L. Colyer - Book Tour + Giveaway

Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor, and Monster Hunter?

by C.L. Colyer

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GENRE:   Middle Grade Action Adventure

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BLURB:

Nothing frightens Atticus Everheart more than monsters, thanks to his older brothers, who often threaten to feed him to the beastly creatures.
Fearing that’s what they will do if he doesn’t replace the book he accidentally ruined, he takes a job tutoring a boy in his neighborhood.

Although nervous about the job, Atticus soon discovers there’s a lot more in store for him than teaching. Never in a trillion years would he have imagined he’d be hiding from monsters, working with ghosts, or searching for werewolves and witches. He’s not brave, and he has no plans to change.

Until he’s forced to.

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EXCERPT

“What?” called Atticus to his retreating student. 

He had to have heard wrong. Drago hadn’t said, “dead.” He’d said, “red.” No, the color didn’t make sense either. “Fred.” That’s what Drago had said; it was probably short for Frederica. 

Feeling better, Atticus made a mental note to clean the wax out of his ears when he got home, then jogged up the stairs after Drago. 

“Please take the spelling test! We’re supposed to be studying!” Under his breath he added, “You don’t struggle with lessons, do you? You’re easily distracted.” 

Drago had a shorter attention span than Evie, and that was saying something. Atticus’s littlest sister bounced from subject to subject faster than his father surfed TV channels. 

“Look, take the pretest, and then you can introduce me to your grandmother.”

“I’ll take it after you meet her.” 

Atticus tripped over a step, caught his balance, and continued his ascent, keeping one hand on the railing. Would Drago’s mother fire him if she found out that Atticus hadn’t taught Drago a single word? Was it Atticus’s fault? He had tried to choose easy words, but home did have a silent e. There’d been a time when Atticus had forgotten about it too. 

“Is home too hard? How about batty?” said Atticus, throwing out the first word that came to mind. Batty described his student. B-a-t-t-y, meaning nuts, wacko, cuckoo. 

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Author Interview

1. What is the first book that made you cry? I’m not sure if this was the first book to make me cry, but I had to have a box of tissues next to me when I read Fault in Our Stars, and I remember skimming one of the chapters because it was just too sad. I recommend the book to anyone who enjoys contemporary YA. Just read it with tissues nearby.

2. How long, on average, does it take you to write a book? Six months to a year, depending on how much I have going on. Atticus Everheart, Fifth Grade Tutor and Monster Hunter? took about nine months from first draft to last revision.

3. How do you select the names of your characters? I tend to make a mental note of names I hear and like, and then I use the name in the next book. Atticus got his first name from a show I was watching. His last name just popped into my head one day and stuck. Naming Drago was slightly more difficult. At first, I wanted him to have a name that meant dragon. I went to the website Behind the Name and searched for names meaning dragon. Draco came up, but I didn’t want to use the name of a well-known character from Harry Potter, so that was out. While searching the site for other options, I found Drago, and I thought “Drago Dracul” had a nice ring to it. 

4. What are your top 5 favorite movies?

• Practical Magic – I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve seen it.
• Sweet Home Alabama – I’m a sucker for the second chance-romance in this one.
• Dracula Untold – And not just because Luke Evans is in it.
• Mean Girls – Don’t judge! It’s a great example of a movie that shows character growth and the clicks in high school.
• Harry Potter – Always. 

5. If you were the last person on Earth, what would you do? I’d learn how to fly a plane and tour the world. There are so many places I would like to visit. 

6. What fictional character would you want to be friends with in real life? Hermione Granger. I’m a proud Gryffindor and I think she and I would get along just fine. 

7. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers? Don’t give up, ignore the nay-sayers, and read a lot.  Also, an editor from a writing workshop I attended recommended Mean Girls as a movie to watch to help with character development and voice. It really is a great movie if you’re an aspiring writer. 

8. What book do you wish you had written? I recently read The Midnight Library and thought it had such a clever plotline. I remember thinking I wish I had thought of it.

9. Tell us 10 fun facts about yourself!

• I can’t start my day without a good cup of coffee. My mind just doesn’t wake up until I have caffeine in me.
• I work full-time in a technical job. A magic wand would come in handy most days.
• Every sorting hat test I’ve taken placed me in Gryffindor.
• I have a sixth sense that allows me to feel others’ emotions. It’s great when people are in a good mood. Not so much when they’re sad, but then I know when someone can use a little cheering up so it works out.
• I got my first manicure a couple of weeks ago, which made my nails stronger. Now they are just long enough to keep catching on the wrong keys. How do people with nails type? I really need to know the trick. 
• I believe in guardian angels and I know there were times mine worked overtime.
• I’m still undecided about demons, ghosts, ghouls, and other supernatural beings, but that’s only because of what they represent and I’m okay with being in denial.
• I hate to sew, but I have a sewing machine.
• My guilty-pleasure is curling up on the couch and binge watching my favorite TV series, which includes Charmed, Vampire Dairies, and Downton Abbey.
• I’m just as happy at home as I am when I’m with friends. 

10. What is your favorite genre to read?   It’s a tie between middle-grade fantasy and paranormal romance. 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

C.L. Colyer found her love for writing in first grade when her class was sent to the library and asked to find a book for their first book report. While she doesn’t still have this book report, she’s very proud to say she got an A on it. Her favorite thing about the book was that it had no words. That’s right, not one! That gave her the freedom to interpret the pictures in any way she wanted and write her own story.

This sparked her love for writing essays. It wasn’t until she was an adult that she sat down and penned her first novel. This story has a special place in her heart because it’s the story that helped her discover her passion for writing. She has since written several books, many of which may never see the light of day, but all of which helped her learn to combine her passion for writing with her fascination with all things mythical.  You’ll find examples of this in her novels.

Buy links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Atticus-Everheart-Fifth-Monster-Hunter/dp/1509246118/ 

Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/atticus-everheart-fifth-grade-tutor-and-monster-hunter-c-l-colyer/1142093808 

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/atticus-everheart-fifth-grade-tutor-and-monster-hunter/id6443330146 

Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/bzVLPE 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62309386-atticus-everheart-fifth-grade-tutor-and-monster-hunter 

Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Apple ~ Other Retailers

Goodreads 

Keep in Touch:

Website: https://cheriecolyer.com/children/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Cherie-Colyer-author-250631921629169 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherieColyer

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/cherie_colyer

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21748654.C_L_Colyer

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/C-L-Colyer/e/B09C6JPT3X/

Bookbub author page: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cherie-colyer

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

C.L. Colyer will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway