Whimsical Word of the Week

Brume -

fog or mist.

Example: a wispy brume mysteriously hung over the English moor.

Bibliophile's Corner

The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root
by Christopher Pennell

Flap Copy Description: Every night Carly stayed in her room, drinking hot tea and sitting in her chair by the little brick fireplace she felt so lucky to have. She read books, waiting for the sun to rise so that she could finally go to sleep and leave the lonely, wakeful hours behind.

Strange things abound in the town of Whistle Root: a little girl named Carly Bean Bitters has never been able to sleep at night, rats make music in the moonlight, and friends are found in the unlikeliest of places.
     When a wicked creature hatches deep in the woods, Carly must uncover a secret legacy of magic and music. Will she save herself and her new friends before it's too late?

My Thoughts:
Christopher Pennell's debut middle grade novel is delightfully creative and the illustrations by Rebecca Bond are just wonderful. The author included mysterious settings, awesome word choices, and imaginative characters. While I found the plot to be a bit confusing, overall I found The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root to be well worth recommending to readers from the ages of eight to twelve.

Storyteller's Journey

Public Domain Photo

Delving Into the Dark Side

Since beginning the second story in my MG  series, I have realized the need to feature my antagonist much more in the sequel. While I introduced the villain in small snippets in the first novel, this next tale will include him as a primary character. Consequently, I have been developing a more detailed back story and character arc for my heroine's nemesis.

During this process I have found that "delving into the dark side" has made me feel quite creepy. One night I even had a nightmare in which I was my story's antagonist - it felt awful! Although this process has been unpleasant, it has given me a better understanding of my villain, which I'm hoping will enable me to write a more textured antagonist. After all, the strength of a story rests, in part, on the challenges placed upon the protagonist. Creating a well-developed antagonist is one way to attain the tension that so intrigues the reader.

Have you ever felt a "darkness" while developing your antagonist?

Whimsical Word of the Week

Pluviophile -

a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace during rainy days.
Example: Since the writer lived in the rainy Pacific Northwest, it helped that she was a pluviophile.

Bibliophile's Corner

The Lightning Dreamer
by Margarita Engle

Amazon Description:
"I find it so easy to forget / that I'm just a girl who is expected / to live / without thoughts." Opposing slavery in Cuba in the nineteenth century was dangerous. The most daring abolitionists were poets who veiled their work in metaphor. Of these, the boldest was Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda, nicknamed Tula.

In passionate, accessible verses of her own, Engle evokes the voice of this book-loving feminist and abolitionist who bravely resisted an arranged marriage at the age of fourteen, and was ultimately courageous enough to fight against injustice. Historical notes, excerpts, and source notes round out this exceptional tribute.

My Thoughts:
Margarita Engle educates the reader not only on the life of famed poet, Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda, she also enlightens the reader to the travesty of slavery in Cuba during the nineteenth century. This well-written novel in verse is packed with poignant and passionate prose - another great example of the talent of Margarita Engle. I would highly recommend The Lightning Dreamer to female readers from the ages of ten and up, and to anyone who enjoys history or poetry.

To learn more about Margarita Engle, click here: http://margaritaengle.com/

Storyteller's Journey

Public Domain Photo

Fall's Fresh Start

"Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall."
F. Scott Fitzgerald.

You might think that living in the cold and rainy Pacific Northwest that I would look forward to the warmer seasons of spring and summer. You'd be wrong. Maybe it's because I've lived here nearly all of my life that autumn is, without a doubt, the time of year when I feel nature mirrors back to me my own soul. Writing, reading, walking in the woods, and visiting the stormy Pacific Ocean, are just a few of the things I love to do in the fall, but there are many more.

In addition to that, being a student at heart, I always start a new project in the fall. There's just something about September that calls to me for a time of fresh learning and creating. This year is no exception. After completing a rewrite of The Tale of Willaby Creek, and sending out another query letter for Livvi Biddle ~ The Secret of Stonehenge, I have decided to proceed with Book II in the series: Livvi Biddle ~ A Garden in Giverny.  Learning more about France, Paris, and Claude Monet and his garden in Giverny, has kept me busy for the last three weeks. Although I've been a long-time fan of the art of Monet, it was essential that I learn the details of the master's life (like the name of his gardener; and when he had eye surgery) to create a believable tale.

For me, fall is truly the time when I return to "the cauldron of creativity."
So, while the school buses rumble up and down the nearby country road, and the Seattle Seahawks make their bid for a Super Bowl slot, I'll be lost in the whimsical world of Wordlandia inside my studio!

Have you started a new project recently? What's your favorite season?

Whimsical Word of the Week

Dibble -

a pointed gardening implement to make holes in soil, especially for planting bulbs or seedlings.
Example: The angry autumn sky brooded over the gardener as he wielded his dibble to plant the bulbs.