Storyteller's Journey

A Summertime Break!

It has become my habit to take a break from blogging during the summer months, so this post will be my last until September. I'll be busy with a variety of activities including:

Revising a middle grade novel, working on a new picture book, and signing copies of my new novel, The Tale of Willaby Creek - as well as The Scandinavian Santa - at several venues in the Pacific Northwest. Then there is a big family reunion to attend in the middle of August. Whew! I'll be super busy this summer...like most everyone else.

If you will be in Washington or Oregon this summer, I'd love for you to visit me at one of my book signings. Click here for my Events page.

Also, click here if you'd care to read my recent quarterly newsletter.

To receive my quarterly newsletters click on this link where you can be placed on my mailing list: http://www.victorialindstrom.com/contact.php

I'll still be hanging around my FB and Twitter pages, so say hello.
Wishing you a summer of sunshine and lemonade! Remember to read!

Whimsical Word of the Week

Bindle - (n.)

a hobo's bag, sack, or bundle.
Example: As the old man walked along the cobblestone road, he collected small pieces of junk and placed them in his bindle.

Bibliophile's Corner

Circus Mirandus
by Cassie Beasley

Amazon Description:
Do you believe in magic?
Micah Tuttle does.

Even though his awful Great-Aunt Gertrudis doesn’t approve, Micah believes in the stories his dying Grandpa Ephraim tells him of the magical Circus Mirandus: the invisible tiger guarding the gates, the beautiful flying birdwoman, and the magician more powerful than any other—the Man Who Bends Light. Finally, Grandpa Ephraim offers proof. The Circus is real. And the Lightbender owes Ephraim a miracle. With his friend Jenny Mendoza in tow, Micah sets out to find the Circus and the man he believes will save his grandfather.

The only problem is, the Lightbender doesn't want to keep his promise. And now it's up to Micah to get the miracle he came for.

My Thoughts:
It was with great anticipation that I pre-ordered my copy of Circus Mirandus several weeks ago. It arrived, I read it, and I was not disappointed! Themes of hope and friendship are woven throughout Ms. Beasley's debut fantasy novel. In addition to that, this middle grade story features a magical, whimsical, and imaginative plot. I highly recommend Circus Mirandus to readers aged eight to twelve.

Click here to learn more about the author, Cassie Beasley.

Storyteller's Journey

Today is the final day of the official release event organized by

CBB Book Promotions for my MG novel The Tale of Willaby Creek!

 

Welcome to the release event for The Tale of Willaby Creek by Victoria Lindstrom! This is a MG adventure fantasy that has just released! 

About the Book:

A magical tale of amazing sacrifice...

When a violent windstorm strikes an enchanted rain forest many of the woodland creatures of Willaby Creek are stranded, injured, or lost forever to the frenzied force of the tempest. Basil, a black bear full of doubt and fear, becomes the unlikely leader to head the woodland creatures' rescue. He is joined by Daphne, a spunky blue dryad; Oliver, a wise horned owl; Elbert, a noble elk; and a host of other creatures that inhabit the enchanted rain forest.

Dangerous twists and turns in this animal adventure fantasy cause Basil to discover a courage, and a conviction, he never knew he had. The answers to the ancient mysteries in this magical tale emerge in an extraordinary finale under the tall timbers of the hidden hinterland.

Add to your Goodreads shelf

Buy from Amazon Hardcover | Amazon Kindle | Nook  

A Note From the Author:

For seven years my husband and I owned a cabin on the southern shore of Lake Quinault, near Willaby Creek. We spent many weekends enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the Olympic National Forest. While there, we saw: Black bears, Roosevelt elk, eagles, herons, river otter, raccoons, one bobcat, and a host of other woodland critters.
In December 2006 the Hanukkah Eve Windstorm hit the Pacific Northwest causing severe damage to parts of the Olympic National Forest. One afternoon following the windstorm I wondered: What happened to all of the animals? After that, a seed of the story that was to become The Tale of Willaby Creek tumbled into my mind.

         As writers, we are told to write what we know; the setting for
        The Tale of Willaby Creek is definitely a familiar place to me.

Willaby Creek Falls

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About the Author:

VICTORIA LINDSTROM is a full-time writer, a voracious reader, and the author of the children's picture book, The Scandinavian Santa. She loves to wander through the woods, capture the beauty of Nature in photographs, and visit museums and fine art galleries. She and her husband, Michael, live near the shore of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest. You may visit Victoria at: www.victorialindstrom.com

Facebook | Twitter @AuthorLindstrom | Goodreads | Pinterest 

Giveaway:
One $50 Amazon gift card (INT), One hardcover copy of The Tale of Willaby Creek (US) and an ebook of The Tale of Willaby Creek (INT) as well as 3 bookmarks (US)
Ends 7/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Whimsical Word of the Week

Wallydrag - (n.)
feeble or worthless person or animal.
Example: The factory foreman felt the slow employee was nothing but a wallydrag.

Bibliophile's Corner

The Boy Who Lost Fairyland
by Catherynne M. Valente

Flap Copy Description:
When a young troll named Hawthorn is stolen from Fairyland by the Golden Wind, he becomes a changeling – a human boy -- in the strange city of Chicago, a place no less bizarre and magical than Fairyland when seen through trollish eyes. Left with a human family, Hawthorn struggles with his troll nature and his changeling fate. But when he turns twelve, he stumbles upon a way back home, to a Fairyland much changed from the one he remembers. Hawthorn finds himself at the center of a changeling revolution--until he comes face to face with a beautiful young Scientiste with very big, very red assistant.

My Thoughts:
Ms. Valente's recent release: The Boy Who Lost Fairyland is the fourth book in her Fairyland Series - it's just as magical as her first three! Ms. Valente's choice of whimsical words, her creative metaphors, surprising settings, and unpredictable plot, make this fantasy novel for young readers truly extraordinary. I highly recommend The Boy Who Lost Fairyland to readers from the ages of eight to eighty!

Click here to learn more about the author/poet Catherynne M. Valente.

Storyteller's Journey

Public Domain Photo

          Summer Reading List!
Once again it's time to feature my annual summer reading list for children. My ten favorites since last fall are listed in random order below. Merely click on a title to read my book review posted on Bibliophile's Corner.

The Way to Stay in Destiny, by Augusta Scattergood.

Rain Reign, by Ann. M. Martin

West of the Moon, by Margi Preus

The Night Gardener, by Jonathon Auxier

Listen, Slowly, by Thanhha Lai

Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson

The Imaginary, by A. F. Harrold

Nightbird, by Alice Hoffman

The Crossover, by Kwame Alexander

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender,
                                                                                 by  Leslye Walton

It was a tough reading list to compile this year. I had to make a few choices based on whether or not the book would be a good summer read. A couple of wintertime novels were beat out due to that alone.

                          HAPPY READING, EVERYONE!

Whimsical Word of the Week

Tenebrous - (adj.)
dark; shadowy or obscure.

Example: The tenebrous behavior of the spy was what made him so successful in his profession.

Bibliophile's Corner

Nana in the City
by Lauren Castillo

Amazon Description:
In this magical picture book, a young boy spends an overnight visit with his nana and is frightened to find that the city where she lives is filled with noise and crowds and scary things. But then Nana makes him a special cape to help him be brave, and soon the everyday sights, sounds, and smells of the city are not scary—but wonderful. The succinct text is paired with watercolor illustrations that capture all the vitality, energy, and beauty of the city.  

My Thoughts:
Having recently returned from a vacation in New York City, I can relate to the apprehensions of the protagonist in this extraordinary Caldecott Honor picture book. The whimsical illustrations coupled with the message that you can overcome your fears - even in a major metropolis - is something that children of all ages could relate to. This delightful book also reinforces the idea that you can make a happy home even in an unfamiliar setting. I highly recommend this picture book; it's one that should be in all children's book collections.
(Note: My copy of Nana in the City was purchased at the world famous Strand Bookstore in the heart of Manhattan as a souvenir!)