Excerpt: Cryptogram Chaos by Linda Covella with Giveaway

BeachBoundBooks is pleased to be coordinating a Blog Tour for the middle grade virtual reality adventure Cryptogram Chaos written by Linda Covella. The tour will run from May 23 - June 13, 2016

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Cryptogram Chaos
 by Linda Covella 
IngramSpark Publication 
 Middle Grade Adventure 
197 pages

What if you were 8, or 11, or 14, and you could race cars at 150 mph, bungee jump, fly, eat all the ice cream and candy you wanted, or become powerful avatars such as Robobug, Kulshedra the dragon, and Altai, the gryphon avatar? All this and more is possible in the ultimate virtual reality game The Cryptogram Connection created by 14-year-old computer whiz Cody Reynolds and his two classmates, Nicole Nash and Kerry McCorkle. To advance to different levels in the game, players must solve cryptograms, or secret codes. (Readers also get to solve the cryptograms.) They create their game to be used with the latest VR technology developed by local game manufacturer NuVision Games–a headset with biosensors that transmit signals to the brain, fooling it into tasting, hearing, feeling, seeing, and smelling what was programmed into the game. The games are as close to reality as reality itself. The game becomes every kids’ virtual dream, and Cody, Nicole, and Kerry, besides becoming national celebrities, make more money than they ever imagined. But The Cryptogram Connection turns into “cryptogram chaos” when an evil presence inhabits Zazar, the laser avatar and the most powerful, and takes control of the game. It’s up to the three partners to enter the game and fight Zazar to save the gamers from virtual—and real—disaster.

Take a sneak peek!!!

Cryptogram Connection: Level 1

I followed my brother Brad down the long hallway. Video displays flush with the walls flashed scenes from NuVision’s games: Androids fighting with laser swords, transformer-type machines battling it out on desert planets, and alien assassins targeting places and people on Earth.

“So where are we going?” I asked.

“The lab,” Brad said.

Cryptogram Connection: Level 2

“Cool.” I’d only been in the lab one other time. Having a brother who worked at the number one computer game manufacturer had its advantages. He’d started his afterschool job at NuVision as a sophomore. In just two years, he’d made it into the inner sanctum, which is what I called the lab.

 He stopped in front of the elevator and pushed the “down” button. Jamming his hands in his pockets, he practically bounced on his toes.

 “What are you so amped about?” I asked.

Cryptogram Connection: Level 3

He just grinned. I picked at my name tag. Something was up, and my legs suddenly tensed like coiled springs: I couldn’t wait to get to the lab.

 

And here she is. . .

LINDA COVELLA!!!

 

Linda Covella’s varied background and education (an AA degree in art, an AS degree in mechanical drafting & design, and a BS degree in Manufacturing Management) have led her down many paths and enriched her life experiences. But one thing she never strayed from is her love of writing. Her first official publication was a restaurant review column for a local newspaper. But when she published articles for various children’s magazines, she realized she’d found her niche: writing for children. She hopes to bring to children the feelings books gave her when she was a child: the worlds they opened, the things they taught, the feelings they expressed. She has published one young adult historical romance Yakimali’s Gift, and, besides Cryptogram Chaos, two other middle grade novels in The Ghost Whisperer Series: The Castle Blues Quake and The Ghosts of Pebble Brook Lodge. She is a member of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). She lives in Santa Cruz with her husband, Charlie, and dog, Ginger. No matter what new paths Linda may travel down, she sees her writing as a lifelong joy and commitment. Learn more about Linda and her writing at http://lindacovella.com/.

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Giveaway!!!

Prize: One winner will receive a 25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice Giveaway ends: June 13, 11:59 pm, 2016
Open to: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Linda Covella and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to stacie@BeachBoundBooks.com.

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