Storyteller's Journey

Winners of My Book Giveaway!
It's time to announce the lucky winners of the book giveaway for The Tale of Willaby Creek. The SCBWI Book Launch Party was so much fun!


Thanks to the Society of Children's Book Authors & Illustrators for hosting the fantastic event. There were so many great books featured!

So, without further ado, here are the names of the four winners of a signed copy of my middle grade novel The Tale of Willaby Creek:

Judy Scott, Esperanza Gailliard, Constance Messmer, and
Elizabeth Varadan. Congratulations, to each one of you!
(Each of you was notified of winning via the e-mail address you left on the book launch party site.)

Thanks so much for participating in my book's launch party!

Whimsical Word of the Week

Elysian - (adj.)
beautiful or creative; divinely inspired; peaceful and perfect.
Example: The little lake cabin in the woods had an elysian effect upon the writer.

Bibliophile's Corner

Brambleheart
by Henry Cole

Flap Copy Description:
Brambleheart is beloved illustrator and author Henry Cole’s charming animal fantasy about a young chipmunk who stumbles upon a magical secret that helps him discover the meaning of friendship.
Twig has always wondered who he will become. In the Hill, everyone studies a craft and becomes a master’s Apprentice, but first you have to be good at something.

Twig tries very hard in all his classes, but his imagination wanders to his favorite books or the delicious mayapples growing beyond the scavenge yard...and then he loses his focus.

Unsure he’ll ever amount to anything, Twig sets out on a journey to discover himself. However, instead of finding answers, he stumbles upon a strangely colored globe that contains a curious secret.

Protecting his secret is all Twig wants to do. But when he learns that his secret might hurt others, he’s forced to make a choice between his place in the world and the feelings in his heart.  

My Thoughts:
Brambleheart is a whimsical and inspirational middle grade novel that just recently released. Henry Cole is not only the author, but the illustrator - and what delightful pencil drawings he's created! If you know a reader who loves stories featuring anthropomorphic animals, Brambleheart would be a great book to suggest. I highly recommend this light fantasy novel to readers from the ages of eight to twelve.

Click here to learn more about the author/illustrator Henry Cole.

Storyteller's Journey

Spring Has Finally Returned!

When you live in the Pacific Northwest like I do, the arrival of spring is something of an event. It marks the end of the dark, dismal days, and the onset of more light - even if it's still cloudy and we still receive an onslaught of more rain.
Then too, it's my favorite time to be out in my yard. So far I've weeded and fertilized the soil for my vegetable garden. Now it's time to plant tomatoes, onions, lettuce, carrots, and herbs.

"Spring has returned. The Earth is like a child that knows poems."
                                                                             ~ Rainer Maria Rilke
 

This rabbit planter in our back yard always reminds me of Beatrix Potter. Hope your spring brings you a sense of new life & rejuvenation.
                                (Click here if you'd like to view my recent quarterly newsletter.)

                                         Happy Easter!

Whimsical Word of the Week

Loquacious - (adj.)
tending to talk a great deal; talkative.
Example: The little boy didn't talk until he was three-years-old, but then he was quite loquacious.

Bibliophile's Corner

The Odds of Getting Even
by Sheila Turnage

Flap Copy Description:
The trial of the century has come to Tupelo Landing, NC. Mo and Dale, aka Desperado Detectives, head to court as star witnesses against Dale's daddy--confessed kidnapper Macon Johnson. Dale's nerves are jangled, but Mo, who doesn't mind getting even with Mr. Macon for hurting her loved ones, looks forward to a slam dunk conviction--if everything goes as expected.
Of course nothing goes as expected. Macon Johnson sees to that. In no time flat, Macon's on the run, Tupelo Landing's in lockdown, and Dale's brother's life hangs in the balance. With Harm Crenshaw, newly appointed intern, Desperado Detectives are on the case. But it means they have to take on a tough client--one they'd never want in a million years.

My Thoughts:
When an author takes on a series she always runs the risk of not being able to deliver stories quite as good as the first, especially if it was an award-winning book like Ms. Turnage's Three Times Lucky, which was a Newbery Honor book. However, in both her second book (The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing), and now in this third book in the Mo & Dale Mystery Series, Sheila Turnage delivers big time. The Odds of Getting Even is fueled by high-octane humor, while leading the reader down a road of mystery and adventure. The serious themes of friends, family, and fathers make this middle grade novel more than just a fun ride. I highly recommend this book to readers aged eight to twelve; it would also be a great book for a young teen who is a reluctant reader.

Click here to learn more about the author, Sheila Turnage.

Storyteller's Journey

Friends with Fictional Characters?

Is it possible to have a friendship with a fictional character? I believe most writers would reply "yes!" But if so, why...and how? Since I've been working on my middle grade story of Livvi Biddle for nearly five years, I know for me, my eleven-year-old protagonist is definitely my friend.
"Livvi Biddle" Digital Art: Victoria Lindstrom

Why did that happen? And maybe more importantly, how? The answers to those psychological questions are not too difficult to determine, at least not for me.

While I have three sons: David, Kevin, and Brian, the three of them each know that if they'd been born a female they would have been named Olivia - Livvi, for short. So you might surmise that maybe I'm just treating my protagonist like the daughter I never had. I believe that's part of why I feel close to her, but there's more...

I've discovered that when I create a character there's a bit of me that goes into her/his personality, especially the protagonist. Maybe it's familiarity, but I believe it's also a latent desire to connect with someone that understands me, and whom I understand. Maybe that's how the seed of friendship takes root. I subconsciously create a character I'd like to have as a friend. A sort of literary BFF.

When you've been a bookworm as long as I have, at some point along the way you become honest with yourself and admit that safety is a big reason why you're friends with fictional characters: They're always there; they never change; they're usually inspirational; and they never betray you. (Not to worry, I have lots of human friends, too!)

On a side note: You might wonder about the fact that I've been working on this story for so long. That was also a concern of mine. So, when I enlisted the editorial services of Chris Eboch last December, I specifically asked her to be honest with me and tell me if it was time to put my pal Livvi Biddle to bed. Thankfully, she said I should continue.

While I have major work to do with my plot, Chris also made these comments: "Setting - not much to say here. You generally describe places well..." and "Characters - This is also a strong area." The one that meant the most: "As I said, you are a strong writer overall..."

That was all great news, since I hope to see Livvi Biddle come to life at some point. For now, I'm busy strengthening the plot in my story.

When I reflect on my proclivity for befriending my protagonists, I'm reminded that one reason I began to seriously write was the hope that children might connect with my stories and my characters. (Like I did with so many books as a child.) Offering a young reader a novel, a magic lantern, during a challenging time in her childhood, can illuminate her uncertain path and even give her hope for the future. Maybe the reader will find that my fictional friend is her friend, too.