Friday, December 16, 2022

Storyteller's Journey

Along the Horse Trail by Michael Lindstrom - 9 X 12 Oil on panel 

 Season's Greetings!

Our December has been lovely so far. We've already enjoyed lunches & dinners with friends and family that have made this holiday season so special. We're anticipating the arrival of our son Brian from NYC tomorrow!

As usual, I'll be taking a winter break from blogging to enjoy time with my family; I'll be back on Writ of Whimsy sometime in January.

Click here to read my recent quarterly newsletter - with BIG NEWS!

Wishing you and yours the joy, peace, and love of the season!

Wednesday, December 14, 2022

Whimsical Word of the Week

Frankincense - (n.)
an aromatic gum resin burned as incense.
Example: The magi knelt down and offered the baby gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 
 

Monday, December 12, 2022

Bibliophile's Corner

Little Red Sleigh
by Erin Guendelsberger 
& illustrated by Elizaveta Tretyakova

Flap Copy Description:
It was a snowy Christmas Eve, a night for dreams to come true...
The Little Red Sleigh has one big dream - to one day become Santa's big red sleigh! But all her life, she's been told she's too small, she's too young, she can't fly, and she certainly can't meet Santa.
Well, this Christmas, with the help of some friends, she's determined to do the impossible.

My Thoughts:
Little Red Sleigh is one of those simple, yet beautifully profound, holiday stories for children. (The exquisite illustrations add significantly to this lovely story.) Learning to receive a Christmas miracle (even though it doesn't look quite like you imagined) from unexpected sources, is the type of message everyone - not just children - needs to hear this holiday season. I highly recommend Little Red Sleigh for children of all ages!

Click here to learn about the author, Erin Guendelsberger.
Click here to learn about the artist, Elizaveta Tretyakova.

Friday, December 9, 2022

Storyteller's Journey

Lindstrom Wintertime Tales!

While I rarely post a reminder of the books my husband and I created - the Lindstrom Wintertime Tales - if I don't promote them during the holidays, when?? 


If you haven't perused my "Books" on my website, take a look here.

If you'd like a personalized copy of any of my books, send me an email via my website: www.victorialindstrom.com 

Happy Holidays!

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

Whimsical Word of the Week

Apricity - (n.) 
the warmth of the sun in winter.
Example: The face of the Nordic skier grew red from the atmosphere's apricity.
 

Monday, December 5, 2022

Bibliophile's Corner

A Very Mercy Christmas
by Kate DiCamillo

Flap Copy Description:
When Stella Endicott gets the sudden idea to go caroling, she has a little trouble getting anyone to join her. Her brother, Frank, is not good at spontaneity, The Watsons are very involved in a precarious baking endeavor, Eugenia Lincoln declines, a bit rudely, to accompany the singing on her accordion. And Horace Broom is too busy studying planetary movement.
Will Stella need to sing by herself, accompanied only by the cacophonous contributions of the pig, the cat, and the horse she picks up along the way? Or might there be a gentle miracle in store?

My Thoughts:
This beautiful picture book will be a big hit this Christmas season for all those Mercy Watson fans out there! Kate DiCamillo's magic pen has created a heartwarming tale just in time for the holidays. (There's even a Christmas tree ornament included inside the book!) I highly recommend A Very Mercy Christmas to children aged three to seven.

Click here to learn about the award-winning author, Kate DiCamillo.

Friday, December 2, 2022

Storyteller's Journey

My Literary Memories

When I think back to some of my favorite books as a young reader several come to mind. The three featured in this post also inspired me to be a writer.

Pippi Longstocking introduced me to a world where being an unconventional child was not only okay, but it was also fun and inspirational. Pippi was the earliest character to encourage me to be myself. Later in life, learning about author Astrid Lindgren inspired me as a writer.

Of all the books I read as a child, Heidi was my very favorite. My mother's copy of Heidi is the very book I read. (It sits proudly on my mother's fireplace mantel to this day.) There was something that pulled at my heartstrings about the young girl who had been orphaned, and was raised by relatives, until she finally found a home in the Swiss mountains with "Alm-Uncle." The little orphaned girl's love and kindness eventually warmed the heart of the angry mountain man. Heidi was the first novel I ever read.

Like so many female writers, I can directly connect my love of writing - and reading - to Louisa May Alcott's, Little Women. It's difficult to explain just what it was about this American classic that so captured a generation of young readers so long ago, or why it still does. For me, reading about the simple life of a family during the Civil War was a big part of what drew me in to the plot. Reading this coming-of-age novel in my fifth-grade year seemed to turn my life on a dime. After reading Little Women, I began journaling and writing poetry...and I've never stopped.

As I embark on the process of publishing my novel with a young female protagonist, these three books are never far from my mind. Each one seems to echo in my soul. The dream isn't to just write a successful book, but one that is meaningful. Like these books were to me.