#MMBBR #Showcase Acea Bishop Book 1 & 2 by Kyle Shoop

Welcome to the Animal Kingdom - where mystery and adventure roam free! 

Twelve-year-old Acea Bishop was always the nerdy kid who would rather go to the library during recess to read about animals instead of playing basketball like the other boys. Now, after waking up inside of an ancient kingdom strangely resembling a zoo, Acea is running from those same animals he used to love reading about. 

Worse yet? Acea's not just on a quest to get home - his mom and the dad-he-never-knew are both being held hostage inside by an evil sorcerer with a vendetta. Realizing that his odds of survival and freeing his parents are slim, Acea raises an army of animals to combat the sorcerer and regain control of the kingdom. 

Follow Acea as he travels through the exotic zoo habitats and unlocks the secrets of the kingdom's mysterious past that hold the key to his fate. 

Acea has secrets. Big ones. He just doesn't know it yet.

Seven Ancient Wonders, One Path Home. 

Defying all odds, Acea Bishop has ended Vesuvius’s evil spell over his father’s Animal Kingdom. Acea should be relieved, but he knows the real war is just beginning to brew. After watching his parents disappear to Lemuria, the shadowy prison for all indebted Wizards, Acea now must find the path to free them. But where is Lemuria? If he makes it there, will he actually be able to release the debt and reunite his family? 

Finally opening the Animal Kingdom’s “exit” door doesn’t lead Acea back to safety as he’d hoped. Rather, Acea is thrown into the fantastical world of Wizards. He embarks on a journey through the Seven Ancient Wonders in trying to unite long-abandoned Kingdoms in the fight against Vesuvius. In doing so, Acea uncovers long-forgotten secrets – secrets revealing the mysterious history of the ancient Order of the Nine and emphasizing the gravity of Vesuvius’s malicious threat. But Acea knows he must still learn the one thing needed if he’ll ever defeat Vesuvius: how to actually be a Wizard. 

Join Acea on his adventure as he travels through and unearths the secrets of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. There may be Seven Ancient Wonders, but for Acea – there’s only one path home. 

The highly anticipated sequel to Acea and the Animal Kingdom!

Q.  What inspires your writing?

A. At the heart of it, I just want to entertain by telling a good story. I focus on trying to tell a story which entertains and moves me. I’m my biggest critic, so if I can make myself get lost in my own story then I’ve accomplished my goal. What inspires me most is wanting to finally express the characters, plot, and conflict which I find myself thinking about. Stories consume my thoughts until I’m able to finally express them on page.

Q.  What is your favorite thing about being a writer?

A. The moment when I put the period on the final sentence on the first draft of each novel. I didn’t know this would be my favorite part of writing until I finished my first book, Acea and the Animal Kingdom. It was such a rush. Finishing my second one, Acea and the Seven Ancient Wonders, was even more of a rush! Also, though I write primarily to entertain myself, I absolutely love hearing feedback from readers. For the first book, I conduct an informal poll of feedback of which “zoo room” is the favorite, so I love hearing about it from readers.

Q.  What is the toughest part of being a writer?

A. Great question! Honestly, for me it’s the moments where I have bursts of inspiration about plot lines but I’m unable to sit down and write it out at that moment. It’s frustrating because those are the moments where writing will absolutely consume my thoughts – and they’re not always at the most opportune times.

Q.  If you could not be writer, what would you do/be?

A. Most people actually don’t realize that in addition to being a writer I’m also a practicing attorney! I’m still not sure, though, which profession is the one starting to give me grey hairs…

Q.  What would the story of your life be entitled?

A. Wow, another great question! I’ll just go with what popped into my mind first: “The Dreamer.” Before I started writing novels, I wrote and recorded three music cds (I play guitar). One of the songs I wrote was called The Dreamer, and I suppose I’ve just come to terms with the fact that – years later – that title still sums me up. Regardless of whatever I’m doing in my personal life, I always seem to be relating it to a fictional plot or idea. Writing – regardless of whether through music or novels – has been my creative outlet for this, so that I can find balance between the two.

Q.  What is your favorite book of all time?

A. Myst! It’s actually an older trilogy, and I don’t really have a favorite among them. But I re-read those books so many times growing up. They were written after the popular (old) computer game came out. Everything about those books I love, and I’m sure there are elements which have inadvertently inspired my novels.

Q.  Which character from ANY book are you most like?

A. This is embarrassing to admit, but I don’t really read a lot. I know other authors say that writers have to read a lot to do “research” for their own writing, but I don’t work that way. So the answer may be surprising because it’s not for any book in my own genre. I was a philosophy major years ago in college, and loved The Fountainhead. I’d like to think I’m independent and determined like Howard Roark.

Q.  What character from all of your book are you most like?

A. My wife says the evil sorcerer named Vesuvius, but I hope she’s just kidding… I’ve always thought I’m most like my main character, Acea’s father. To say anything more, though, would be to spoil aspects of Acea and the Animal Kingdom. But I think I’m just in point in my life where I relate to fatherhood, and recognizing how fatherhood can be a motivation greater than other things.

Q.  Which book would you love to take a weekend vacation inside of?

A. Jaws? No, that’s a bad answer… The Shining? No, that’s another bad answer… My wife suggested The Notebook, so I’ll just stick with that. Ever notice how in the book Noah ends up on such a beautiful, secluded property? I’m down with that for a weekend.

Q.  What is your favorite season?

A. Autumn! Everything about it – the leaves, the smell of the air, everything…

Q.  What inspired your book cover(s)?  Or what is your favorite book cover and why?

A. I actually did both of them, though I had assistance with the second book’s cover. I can’t say why the lion is on the front, other than it makes sense to my readers. The pyramid for the second book just made sense – it’s by far the most recognizable of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which is the setting of the book. I’m actually just finishing up the cover to the last book in the trilogy,Acea and the Adventure Thru Time. I can’t give anything away other than the reason for the cover will make sense on several different levels. And I think it just looks cool! My favorite book cover of all time is probably a copy of Moby Dick I had as a kid that showed the boat on water with a massive whale coming at it from below the water. That dichotomy always stuck with me. 

Q.  Tell me something funny that happened while on a book tour or while promoting your book.

A. When I was one of the Comic Cons (I won’t say which one), I couldn’t help but laugh at one lady’s costume who came to my stand. Normally I love seeing cosplay outfits, but this was … over the top. She was dressed as Wonder Woman, but was wearing a bikini set made only out of duct tape. I just couldn’t get past that during our conversation.

Q.  Are you working on something new?

A. Yes, and I’m almost done with it! I’m currently finishing up the last book of the Acea Bishop Trilogy. It will be entitled Acea and the Adventure Thru Time, and I expect it to be released before the end of this year. I’ve had the end of the series planned from the very beginning, and I’m thrilled to say that the ending will be more rewarding and satisfying than I even expected when I originally planned it out!

Q.  Anything you want to say to followers of this blog or those that are just stopping by?

A.  Thanks for reading! I love hearing from readers, and they have no idea how book reviews can motivate an author.  You can find more out about me and my novels at www.KyleShoop.com.