T's Stuff: The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute

Join Us for this Book Series Tour from Jul 7 to Aug 10, 2020!

“A Wrinkle in Time meets The Princess Bride.” - Review by Lee Lee Thompson, The Perpetual You Magazine

“Chute’s novel weaves STAR WARS-like characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for booklovers of all ages.” - US Review of Books

“Fast and bizarre… Never a dull moment.“ - Foreward Reviews

SERIES DETAILS:

Series Title: The 8th Island Trilogy by Alexis Marie Chute

Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs) (368 to 448 pages)

Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult

Publisher: SparkPress.

Release dates: Jun 2018; Oct 2019; Apr 2020

Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

Series Description:

The 8th Island Trilogy includes Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun.
Over the three books, we follow the adventures of a quirky family, the
Wellsleys. The main characters are frumpy senior citizen Archie, his
daughter-in-law, Tessa, and his ill fourteen-year-old granddaughter
Ella.

Archie, searching for his missing son, accidentally transports his
family—and a cruise ship full of people—to a magical planet. There, they
uncover the truth: all worlds are dying. Yet hope is not lost. A way to
restore all that will soon be destroyed is revealed, along with the
realization that Ella will play a role no one could have
imagined—especially not her.

On the mysterious island of Jarr-Wya, many races of
creatures battle for dominion and magic lurks around every corner. When
the world falls dark, that is when bravery must shine the brightest, and
the Wellsleys will reveal the strength they never knew they
possessed—as well as the power of love to save the day.

Books in the 8th Island Trilogy:

Book Details:

Book Title: Above the Star by Alexis Marie Chute

Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 368 pages

Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult

Publisher: SparkPress.

Release dates: Jun 2018

Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

Book Description:

When frumpy senior citizen Archie goes in search of his missing son in
the Spanish Canary Islands, he stumbles upon a higher mission: locating a
magical cure for his ailing fourteen-year-old granddaughter, Ella.
Using a portal-jumping device called the Tillastrion, Archie and a
stone-headed creature named Zeno are transported to Jarr-Wya, a
magnificent yet terrifying island in a connected realm―along with Ella
and her strong-willed mother, Tessa, who accidentally stow away on this
not-so-secret quest.

What they find on Jarr-Wya is an island tortured by a wicked Star
anchored in the sea, and a raging three-way battle for dominion between
the stone-wielding Bangols, the fiery Olearons, and the evil Millia
sands. Ella’s wit and resourcefulness emerge in this new world, while
Tessa is forced to confront her long-buried secrets and a confusing new
love triangle. When Ella is captured, Tessa and Archie―with the help of a
company of peculiar allies―set out to save her and unravel the terrible
mystery of her cure. A mesmerizing, stay-up-all-night adventure of
three unlikely heroes, Above the Star reminds us that even the smallest
act of bravery can transform our lives and the fates of the worlds
around us.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Amazon.ca

B&N ~ Chapters Indigo ~ Target

Book Depository ~ Google Play

Add to Goodreads

Book Details:

Book Title: Below the Moon by Alexis Marie Chute

Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 448 pages

Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult

Publisher: SparkPress.

Release dates: Oct 2019

Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

Book Description:

Ella Wellsley is not your typical teenager. Cancer left her mute, but
not powerless. Trapped in a parallel dimension, Ella rallies her
strength to join her family―her mother, Tessa, her grandpa Archie, and
her magical boyfriend―in locating the cure to her illness. This cure is
entangled in the fate of all worlds, and threatened by the presence of
an evil Star anchored in the sea. The Star has thrown life everywhere
into chaos―and it is Ella who holds the key to unlocking its mystery.

Caught in a web of betrayal, mistaken identities, secrets, and love
triangles, Ella, Tessa, and Archie must overcome their troubled pasts to
ensure a future for all worlds. On this journey―armed with unearthly
abilities and unexpected allies―each member of the Wellsley family will
learn the power of love in the face of their greatest fears.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Amazon.ca

B&N ~ Chapters Indigo ~ Target

Book Depository ~ Google Play

Add to Goodreads

Book Details:

Book Title: Inside the Sun by Alexis Marie Chute

Category: Young Adult Fiction (13 to 17 yrs), 384 pages

Genre: fantasy, adventure, coming of age, ya, adult

Publisher: SparkPress.

Release dates: April 2020

Content Rating: PG: Battle scenes and death depicted.

Book Description:

All worlds are dying, and it’s up to one broken and dysfunctional family from Earth―the Wellsleys―to save the day.

Cancer-ridden Ella celebrates her fifteenth birthday beneath an
enchanted mountain, but it is what lies even farther below―the
mysterious Star in the sea―that demands she grow up quickly. While Ella
grapples with the sacrifice she must make and the lies she is forced to
tell, her mother, Tessa, is hell-bent on protecting her.

Through bizarre encounters, love-sick Tessa realizes that she is not the
lonely orphan she believes. Her husband, Arden, and father-in-law,
Archie, are not the only ones with magical bloodlines. This revelation
changes everything. As Archie chooses to embody his unexpected ancestry,
he learns that leading the charge in the ultimate battle against evil
won’t be as easy as he thought. He’ll need his family―and the strange
allies he has gained―by his side to give Ella enough time to set things
right.

Can they defeat the unstoppable Millia sands―and another unexpected
foe―before everything they hold dear is destroyed? Or will their
adventure tear them apart for good? The finale to The 8th Island Trilogy
will hold you spellbound until the final page, and long after.

Buy the Book:

Amazon ~ Amazon.ca

B&N ~ Bookshop ~ Target

Book Depository ~ Google Play

Add to Goodreads

Meet the Author:

Alexis Marie Chute is an award-winning author, artist,
photographer, art curator, filmmaker, and public speaker. She has
received over 40 noteworthy distinctions for her visual and literary
work. Her award-winning fantasy series The 8th Island Trilogy includes,
Above the Star, Below the Moon, and Inside the Sun. The series has been
described as “A WRINKLE IN TIME meets THE PRINCESS BRIDE” by The
Perpetual You magazine, and “Fast and bizarre… never a dull moment” by
Forward Reviews. The 8th Island Trilogy “weaves STAR WARS-like
characters with a WONDER-like message to form an enrapturing read for
blooklovers of all ages” – US Review of Books. Chute’s bestselling
memoir, Expecting Sunshine: A Journey of Grief, Healing and Pregnancy
After Loss, was a top Kirkus title of 2017 and received a plethora of
other literary distinctions. The memoir was accompanied by the feature
documentary of the same name, which has screened internationally for the
last three years. Chute received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art and
Design from the University of Alberta, Canada, and studied at Media
Design school in Auckland, New Zealand. She graduated valedictorian with
her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Lesley University in
Cambridge, MA, USA. Chute is a highly regarded public speaker. She has
presented on art, writing, bereavement, and the healing capacities of
creativity around the world. Contact the Author/Artist for bookings
info@alexismariechute.com When not in her art/photo studio or at her
computer, Chute loves to spend quality time with her family, read
fiction and non-fiction, watch reality TV, paddleboard, and canoe. She
is not a winter person but lives in frosty Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
with her husband and their three living children.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest ~ YouTube ~ LinkedIn

Tour Schedule:

July 7 – Splashes of Joy – series spotlight / guest post / author interview / giveaway

July 7 - Working Mommy Journal – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 7 - fundinmental - series spotlight / giveaway

July 7 - Corinne Rodrigues | Booksnista - series spotlight / giveaway

July 8 - Leels Loves Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 8 – Book Bustle – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 8 - Living in a Bookworld – series spotlight / giveaway

July 9 - Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 9 – I'm Into Books – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 10 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 10 - She Just Loves Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 13 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 13 - Books and Zebras – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 14 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 14 - Cheryl's Book Nook – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 15 – Rockin' Book Reviews – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 15 - Blooming with Books – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 16 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 16 - Books and Zebras – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 17 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 17 - Writer with Wanderlust – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 20 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 20 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 20 - Adventurous Bookworm – book review of Above the Star / giveaway

July 21 – Book Corner News and Reviews – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

July 21 - Stephanie Jane – series spotlight / giveaway

July 21 - Leels Loves Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 22 – T's Stuff – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway

July 22 - She Just Loves Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 22 - Blooming with Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 23 - Rockin' Book Reviews – book review of Inside the Sun / guest post / giveaway

July 23 – Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 24 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 24 - Books and Zebras – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

July 27 – Book Bustle – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 27 - Adventurous Bookworm – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 28 – Working Mommy Journal – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

July 28 - Olio by Marilyn – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 28 - Library of Clean Reads – series spotlight / giveaway

July 29 – 411 ON BOOKS, AUTHORS, AND PUBLISHING NEWS – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway

July 29 - Blooming with Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

July 30 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 30 - Cheryl's Book Nook – book review of Below the Moon / giveaway

July 31 – She Just Loves Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 3 – StoreyBook Reviews – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Aug 3 - Leels Loves Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 4 – Confessions of the Perfect Mom – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 4 - Cheryl's Book Nook – book review of Inside the Sun / guest post / giveaway

Aug 5 – Locks, Hooks and Books – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 5 - Adventurous Bookworm – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 6 – Olio by Marilyn – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 6 - Olio by Marilyn – series spotlight / author interview / giveaway

Aug 7 – Falling Into A Good Book – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Aug 7 - Jazzy Book Reviews – series spotlight / guest post / giveaway

Aug 10 - Books for Books – series spotlight

Aug 10 –Book Bustle – book review of Inside the Sun / giveaway

Interview with author-artist-filmmaker Alexis Marie Chute

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

As a child, I always wanted to be an artist and author—exactly what I am doing right now. I also wanted to be an actress and big business woman. I’ve always had many dreams and still think it would be a great challenge to be a lawyer or a firefighter. I don’t subscribe to the idea that we must pick one career and stick with it. Life is more fun with adventure, change and challenge.

Where/When do you best like to write?

Mornings are best for me. When I’m working on a book, I like to write first thing in the morning until 11am or sometimes, with a lot of coffee, till 1pm. Then CRASH (crash = nap). I like to write surrounded by candles and incense. I cannot have distractions or a cluttered desk. My music choice is typically classical, like Vivaldi or Mozart, and nothing with words as I find I begin typing what I am listening to. I like to write at my vintage style black wood desk by the window in my room. My actual work-desk in the office is too distracting. When I am crunching a deadline, I don’t have a “best time” to write; I simply sit down and get it done, no matter if I feel like it or not. I love deadlines as external motivators.

What do you think makes a good story?

A good story has characters that are simultaneously loveable and deplorable. The plot is unexpected and varied. There is a lot at stake, and the risks and rewards are always in flux. I can tell a story is good when it keeps me up at night, lingers long after the last page, and I wish I had thought it up!

What inspired the three main characters in The 8th Island Trilogy (Archie, Tessa, Ella)?

I was inspired to create the Wellsleys—Archibald, Tessa, and Ella Wellsley—based on real families. They have interesting relationships with each other, some good, like Ella and Grandpa Archie, and some more tense and complicated, like Tessa and her estranged husband Arden. I created characters with flaws, but also redeeming characteristics. In Ella, Tessa, and Grandpa Archie, my goal is for readers to relate, to see themselves, as well as have protagonists they can root for.

The order of the trilogy:

Above the Star

Below the Moon

Inside the Sun

How does a new story idea come to you? Is it an event that sparks the plot or a character speaking to you?

I get new ideas all the time. From everywhere. From everyone. A new lightbulb is constantly illuminated above my head. My struggle is not finding ideas, but choosing which ideas are worth my attention and which ideas should be the focus for right now. Typically, however, plot precedes character for me in the developmental stage, but character always shines in the end.

Do you always know what the ending of your books will be when you start writing?

When I began writing book one, Above the Star, I had no idea what the ending of the trilogy was going to be—not even after I began writing book two, Below the Moon. I had to pause writing at that point to outline and plot right to the end so I could make sure all the storylines resolved and surprise the reader.

It was a fun experience to outline—I’m typically a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of writer—although I always leave room for the magic of creativity while writing. I even surprise myself. For example, I cried when writing the end of Below the Moon. At the end of Inside the Sun I shed no tears but felt a strange sense of completion and satisfaction. It was eerie and beautiful, surprising and addictive all at once.

Is there a message/theme in your novels that you want readers to grasp?

The resiliency of the human spirit is what percolates up in most of my work. It’s the dogged determinedness that I see in so many people, no matter the hardships they face. They inspire me, and because of them, I want my work to inspire others.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Not in winter—I hate snow—but typically I love being outdoors! My favorite activities are paddle boarding, canoeing, hiking, trail running, and sitting in a hot tub outside and talking for hours with friends and family.

Also, aside from my writing, I am a visual artist, curator, filmmaker, and public speaker. So those things, plus family time, keep me super busy. I do, however, always make time for the important people in my life. I LOVE getting together with friends and playing games… you might say I’m a game addict; Mario Cart, Ticket to Ride, Hand and Foot, Uno, Cards Against Humanity, puzzles, escape rooms… You get the idea.

What’s the best writing advice you have ever received?

I have a friend who is an amazing illustrator. His name is Kelly Mellings. We weren’t talking about writing specifically, but about working in creative fields. Kelly gave the absolute best advice that I have applied to every area of my life—personal and professional. He told me he always does things before he’s ready—and I took that lesson to heart.

I was not ready to write a book, but I learned as I went and got ‘er done!

I was not trained on how to create and produce a documentary film, but I did it anyway. It’s called Expecting Sunshine and is based on my memoir of the same name.

I had a general concept of how to be an art curator, I learned on the go, and now curate an annual exhibit called InFocus Photo, and curate for two other spaces; the Renaissance Edmonton Airport Hotel and the Multicultural Heritage Centre.