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Well, not exactly Cynthia, herself.
I'm visiting today at The Book Roast. Stop by and read an excerpt from the latest installment of the adventures of Cynthia and Gus.
Cynthia's Attic: The Magician's Castle will be out around DEC, 2009 (Quake). Get a sneek peek today and maybe win a copy of Cynthia's Attic: The Magic Medallion.
Meanwhile, here's where you can buy the series.
Amazon
Echelon Direct
Click at the top to change the fish! Use your mouse to make it swim!
Above all, protect the environment and Earth!
A great weight lifted off my shoulders when I listened to the announcement that the United States has finally agreed to a change in direction on global climate agreements.
Born and raised in Germany comes with a completely different outlook on our environment. Growing up, I was taught in school not to litter. We actually had classes on the subject.
I immigrated from Germany to the United States back in 1991, and remember driving down an Interstate when suddenly, a trash-filled bag from a well known fast food chain, came flying out from the car in front of me. I grabbed pencil and paper and wrote down the license plate number. When I later proudly presented the evidence to a policeman I was laughed at. When you toss as much as a cigarette butt in the country I was raised in, you end up with a hefty fine.
Throughout the years I've made extra efforts to stop some abuse against Mother Earth. I remember a friend asking me to assist him changing the oil and filter on his automobile. When all was finished, my friend carried a plastic bowl with five quarts of used motor oil to his bathroom.
No way! I thought, as he was about to unload the substance into his toilet. I explained to him that one drop of oil renders a bathtub full of drinking water useless, and I volunteered to take the used oil to the local parts store for recycling. Do the math; if my education changed how this person recycled his used motor oil, I saved many bathtubs worth of drinking water.
I'm grateful for the new policy concerning our environment and for a new, more global geared administration. I must say however, an educational process must be in place along with the changes. I'm not sure how it's asked that we protect the earth, when it seems some people can't take care of their problems at home. Animals build soft nests, why can’t we!
Hi everyone!
My name is Valerie Smiser, and this is my very first blog. I am an 8th grader at Midland Middle School, and I’m here to tell you about what’s going on around here for Earth Day!
At school today, everyone wore green shirts. A lot of people rode their bikes to school, too, including me and my friend Ben. You might have heard of Ben, he’s the one who had that trouble last year, with that thing he found in his locker? If not, you can read about it in a book called LOCKER SHOCK! by Pam Ripling.
ANYWAY, after we got to school, we had a special assembly where they passed out energy saving kits. We were supposed to go home and check out our faucets for leaks, lightbulbs for wattage, and unplug things that draw energy when we aren’t using them. We have a water shortage in our area.
At lunchtime, some people came in and set up telescopes in our quad area, and some other groups set up “natural” crafts such as using the sun’s energy to burn your name into a piece of wood. I thought that was pretty dumb, though, because we were also celebrating Arbor Day, and here they were burning holes into tree branches. They did tell us that the trees were already dead, but, I’m just sayin’.
Now I’m at home, and I did find out that the shower in my mom’s room drips. Mom says I’m pretty good with my hands, for a girl (can you imagine a mom saying that?) and she let me tighten up the shower head with a wrench. It seems okay now. Since my dad isn’t around anymore, I pretty much take care of a lot of stuff now.
Our city gave free bus transportation all day. They want people to start riding the bus more and driving their cars less. Since I already ride my bike every day, I’m like doing Earth Day all the time.
Gotta go – time to do my homework!
Valerie,
(as told to author
Pam Ripling)
Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK!Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at Beacon Street Books.
Happy Earth Day, everyone!
Wendel Wordsworth here.
Are you part of the
Green Generation? I’ve been a member since the day I was born. You guessed it, because I’m a
green worm!
Oh, but I’m part of the
Green Generation in other ways, too. I conserve energy and recycle. Plant trees and pick up litter. I bet you do whatever you can to keep our beautiful world healthy, too.
And how fun to have a special day set aside to remind us of all we can do to
“green up” America. Every little thing makes a BIG difference.
The website
EarthDay.net has a lot of
“green” tips for students like you and me. Here are just a few things we can all do at school:
Flip the Switch!• Make signs or stickers as reminders to turn off lights in classrooms or other spaces when they are not in use.
• Request that energy saving light bulbs be used.
The Hot & Cold of It!
• Ask that room doors be closed to trap heat during winter months.
• Report windows that leak air.
Monitor Monitors!• Check that computers are turned off at the end of each day.
• When not in use, set computers to “sleep mode.”
Recycle!• Start a school recycling program.
• Conserve paper by using both sides.
Won’t you write in and tell us what special things you did on
Earth Day? Do you have a
“green” idea not mentioned here? Let us know!
It’s really not hard being
“green!”
Wendel Wordsworth
www.WendelWordsworth.com
Cynthia's Attic is celebrating something dear to Cynthia and me (Gus). Earth Week. And, we're real excited that so many schools are getting into the Green Scene! From recycling, getting rid of junk mail (we'd all like to do that, right?), planting a tree, or something as simple as unplugging our cell phone charger when we're not using it, we can all do something. Just one little something! Let's all help green the planet!
Also, throughout the week, we'll have other really cool characters giving their views.
Wednesday: A cute little Green (how appropriate!) worm named, Wendel, will be here to share his "up close and personal" views on Earth Day.
Stay tuned! (and RECYCLE!)Welcome to the Green Generation!Mary Cunningham BooksQuake
If you look very closely, you can see 3 Yellow Finches Feasting!
I have a bird feeder outside my office window. Can't see it from my desk, but when I remember to get up from the computer and stretch, I can see them happily devouring sunflower seeds.
We had to go to a smaller wire feeder after the doves and a persistent squirrel pretty much destroyed the first one and ate us out of bird house and home, but now it's filled with colorful songbirds.
At any one time, we have yellow finches, cardinals, sparrows a painted bunting or two and a woodpecker. All sharing. All getting along. Oh, sure, there is some minor squabbling on occasion, but mostly they just mind their own business.
I feel kinda sorry for the doves, because the new feeder is too small for their wide bodies, but the six or seven who had declared ours the only "five-star feeder" on the block are getting so big, they could be be in serious danger by next Thanksgiving!
Uh-oh. Just spotted Mr. Squirrel, sitting on the rail thinking, "Nuts! Why can't I get to the "good eats" anymore? Sorry fella.
Seeing Woody Woodpecker, Mr and Mrs. Cardinal and The Goldy Finch Family feeding, singing, communicating, waiting their turn, made me think.
If all these different bird species can do it, why can't we?
It's official. The new resident of the White House and the Obama family is Bo, a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog given to the Obama girls as a gift by that Portuguese water dog-lovin' senator himself, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.
A secret meeting apparently took place six weeks ago, and Bo (formerly known as Charlie), was a perfect little gentleman. He sat when the girls sat, stood when the girls stood. He made no toileting errors and did not gnaw on the furniture.
The Obamas have long said they wanted a rescue dog. But the carefully bred PWDs almost never end up in shelters. Bo had been living with another family, but it wasn't a good fit, so the Kennedys acquired him for the Obamas.
As for the rescue pledge, the Obamas came up with a solution intended to lend a serious symbolic note: They're going to make a donation to the D.C. Humane Society.
Guess I'm gonna cut them some slack. No, they didn't go to the local shelter and choose a dog the way we did, but then I'm not (nor is my husband) President of the United States. And, they did sort of "rescue" the dog from a home that wasn't quite right.
So, welcome to the White House, little Bo! What's your opinion?
Here's a link from my previous blog. To find a pet rescue shelter close to you click
here.
Read full story from TODAY MSNBC.
Our adopted "daughter" Molly - in Maine watching Dad leave shore without her!
She adopted us when she was about 3, at least that's the age we were given by the Miami Animal Shelter. Her first "mom" had died and a neighbor brought Molly into the shelter because there were no relatives to take her. Lucky us.
We'd been considering getting a dog because my husband traveled during the week and he knew I was getting a little lonely. Having always been dog lovers, a small, older pet was our first option.
He missed Molly on his first trip through the shelter, but on a second trip (he felt compelled to give one more look) past the cages of older dogs, there she was; sitting dignantly behind two barking German shepherds. Ken asked to meet her and the rest is history; love at first sight.
Molly left us last October 10, six months to the day. We had 13 years with her, and if we'd had our druthers, we'd have 13 more.
But, back to the picture above. We were visiting dear friends in Maine who lived on a gorgeous lake. The first morning, we got up smelling coffee and welcoming the fresh Maine air; that is until Molly chased a skunk under an outbuilding and returned wearing her own "special scent."
Our friends told us that the "special scent" remained in their home for several months. Fortunately, our friendship has lasted a little longer than that...over 20 years!
I'm sure, in this little tribute, Molly would want me to add a
link to the wonderful places that shelter dogs and cats until they find a good home, so here's a list state-by-state. If you want to add a link for your favorite pet adoption shelter, please leave a comment.
Here's to you, Molly Girl.
xoxo, Mom
CA: I'm so excited! As you may know, Gus's (and my) favorite thing in the whole world is eating! We're thrilled that our guest today in
Cynthia's Attic, is
Laura Schaefer, author of
The Teashop Girls (Simon & Schuster, Paula Wiseman Books-Dec. 2008). But first, a little bit about the book.
The Official Rules of the Teashop Girls:1. Teashop girls are best friends forever.
2. Tea is held every week, no matter what.
3. All tea and scones must be split equally at all times.
Annie, Genna, and Zoe have been hanging out at the Steeping Leaf since elementary school. The Teashop Girls do everything together -- at least they used to. With the end of eighth grade approaching, Genna's too busy with theater, Zoe's always at tennis, and Annie feels totally left out. What happened to tea every week, no matter what?
When Annie convinces her grandmother to give her a job as a barista at the Leaf, things begin to look up. In between whipping up chai lattes for customers, and attempting to catch the attention of her Barista Boy crush, Annie is finally beginning to feel as grown-up as her best friends. But an eviction notice spells trouble for the Leaf and unless they can turn the business around, the teashop will have to close its doors forever.
Fresh, honest, and sweet, Laura Schaefer's debut novel is sure to resonate with readers everywhereCA: Laura has graciously and
deliciously posted her Apple Cupcake recipe! You'd better believe I made them and they're amazing! So, without further delay...
heeeere's Laura (and her cupcakes)!
My apple cupcake adventure started out when I had a sweet tooth attack coupled with the realization that there was no baking powder in the house. As most bakers know, it's tough to make a cupcake without baking powder. But I did have baking soda, so it wasn't long before I was googling "cupcake+baking soda" and seeing what came up. Not much. Fortunately, I did locate an apple coffeecake recipe that looked delicious and didn't call for baking powder. I figured I'd modify it a bit and see what happened. I value taste before beauty anyway and I always have yummy granny smith apples in my fridge.
I got to work on the mixture and popped it in the oven. Alas, my cupcakes did, indeed, collapse. The 'cakes actually formed nice little concave bowls in which to place the cream cheese frosting. "Works for me!" I thought. The result was truly delicious, albeit best eaten over the sink. There is nothing better than tea and cupcakes. Yum.
Here is the recipe. I added baking powder to it, in the hopes that your efforts might turn out a little more rounded. Good luck!
Apple Cream Cheese CupcakesIngredients
8 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large tart apple, cored and chopped
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Prepare a cupcake pan with paper liners.
3. Cream 5 tablespoons butter and 1 cup sugar. Add egg and milk and beat well. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and apples. Batter will be stiff. Spoon into prepared cupcake pan. Bake about 25 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and remaining butter. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the confectioners' sugar. Frost the cupcakes after they've cooled. Makes 12.
"The Teashop Girl, Laura Schaefer"
CA: Yum, Laura! They look delicious, especially with those cream cheese bowls! Hope everyone enjoyed my guest today, but I gotta run! Off to bake more muffins (and to read Teashop Girls!)
The Teashop Girls - Amazon
The Teashop Girls - IndieBound
Laura Schaefer Website
Mary Cunningham
"Discover the Magic in Cynthia's Attic"
The Teashop Girls author, Laura Schaefer will post a scrumptious apple cupcake recipe Tuesday, April 7th! Right here!
Meanwhile, here's a TV interview with Laura that's really cool.
Cats can be so dramatic!
(thanks to friend, Kim for the laugh - hey, we might as well laugh!)
Cynthia's Attic is thrilled to host author, M. K. Scott and the release of her 'Tween fantasy, Zamora's Ultimate Challenge.
About the Author:
M.K. Scott, a total book fiend and a horse lover extraordinaire, is both a children s book author and adult fiction author. She is currently writing two mystery series (the Wine Lovers Mysteries and the Horse Lovers Mysteries) for Berkeley Prime Crime. When she's not hanging out with her kids and trying to keep them in line, she teaches creative writing to middle school kids. Her love for horses keeps her busy, but not as busy as her writing. Right now she is juggling ideas for about 8,456,342 ideas for new stories to write. Her imagination often keeps her awake at night, but she doesn't mind as she is constantly meeting new people and "things" even if it is only in her mind. M.K. lives in San Diego, CA with her super-cool husband, and her equally cool three kids, two dogs, two cats, and two horses.
Synopsis:
Mason and Carter Clover only agree on two things--their baby sister Isabella is a royal pain and their favorite video game, Zamora s Ultimate Challenge, is totally awesome. But fantasy turns to reality when Zamora s evil face appears across the brothers television screen. Claiming to have kidnapped Isabella, the queen challenges the boys to a daring rescue before she takes over their
sister's soul. Zamora s plan is to use the baby as a human vessel to travel to Earth and dominate the world. Once the brothers figure out how to get inside the video game, they are hurled into the magical land of Boysen where they meet their helpful guides: a sage, a quirky mermaid, and a Pegasus (who flies them to each thrilling level of the video game).
Racing against time, the brothers search for their sister, encountering a myriad of dangerous enemies including stinging fairies, haunted Master Souls, and brutish, knife-wielding pirates. Can they beat each level of the game while being hunted by a fire-breathing dragon, stalked by a robotic shark, and terrorized by acid-poop-bombing pterodactyls? Driven by the powerful bonds that unite siblings, Mason and Carter are determined to face their fears and will stop at nothing to bring Isabella home...but first they must survive Zamora s Ultimate Challenge!
M. K. is giving away prizes! Check her site for more information.
M. K. Scott website
Quake (Echelon Imprint)
Discover the Magic in Cynthia's Attic
In case you can't read the sign, that's my name at the bottom!
Last month, I was asked to present Young Author writing awards at Corydon Intermediate School (4-5-6 grades) in Corydon, Indiana (Southern Indiana, in case you're wondering). Despite having a lot of fun going back to my hometown and being included in an event that is near and dear to my heart-young writers and readers-it was also a little strange because CIS used to be the old high school.
Hate to tell you how many times I attended basketball games, played volleyball, sat through boring school assemblies, or danced at post-basketball game sockhops in that same gym!
Never, in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd ever stand on that gym floor, in front of people-filled bleachers and have to talk! Yikes! Quite an experience.
I also had the privilege to speak to my dear friend, Barbara Smith's 4th grade class. I spent almost an hour answering questions about my series, writing in general and just having fun...in the same room where I sweated through (barely passed) Algebra I!
Barbara (we played together as kids and went to high school together) saw the irony, too. We had a good laugh over the strict atmosphere of that same class. In fact, she frequently mentions our old Algebra teacher to her students and tells them if they aren't quiet, Miss Eskew's spirit just might have some choice words for them!
I'll post more pictures of my visit in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, "neener-neener-neeeeeeener, Miss Eskew! I spoke for an hour in your classroom, and lived to tell about it!
Mary
If you want to check out my series, go to Quake
or, my website: Mary Cunningham Books
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By:
Mary Cunningham,
on 3/30/2009
Blog:
Cynthia's Attic Blog
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Part Two of my interview with fascinating writer, Sandra Novack, author of the adult literary novel, "Precious."
Sandra Novack Bio:
I was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1972. When I was little, my brother used to hide me in his paper route bag and then come home and tell my mother he'd lost me somewhere in town. It was like a great secret the two of us shared, one only given away by an inevitable laughing spell.
My sisters and brothers were older than me by ten to fifteen years, and I spent much of my time tagging along after them, stealing their rock-and-roll albums, and imitating their every word and action. In some ways, I was as much raised by them as by my parents. Or, as I like to tell people, I was raised by a band of gypsies. They are my tribe, my family.
Precious is dedicated to my sister, Carole, who left home when I was seven.CA: I believe we all have "little pieces" of our own lives in our writing. You have been on a promotional tour for "Precious." How has it changed your life? Or, has it?
SN: It's gotten me outside myself a bit. Most writers are solitary, and my days are usually very quiet, which is good because my voice and writing spring from that silence. Meeting people is always a positive experience, though the downside is that I'm "off" my schedule and not writing lately, and writing is the thing that keeps me most level in life. I always take the advice of my friend, who says, "You've got to enjoy the excitement when it comes because it'll always end, too. Enjoy the moment." So I try to look at it like that. I don't think it's changed my life, no. I'm still Sandy. Always have been, always will be. There's not a lot that gives me a big head, and there's also not a lot that discourages me, either, from picking up the pen again and telling a new story.
CA: You seem so down to earth, and I can't imagine you'll ever change! Can you give a couple of tips to aspiring writers? Maybe some that made an impression with you when you were starting out.
SN: Never be afraid to risk, and never be afraid to fail. Very few people (if any) start off being brilliant writers, or even competent writers, but you've got to keep at it to even get to those places. Rejection and even failure are both inevitable on the path to success. Successes are best measured one at a time, too. I remember when I started writing and finally had a story that had a sense of plot I felt that was a big success, since if I wrote one story that "worked" I could write another. Same with publishing. When I first published, it was in a very little journal that no one had ever heard of, but I thought, If I could do it once, I could do it again, and I could get even better at doing that. It's dangerous to be like, "I have to be brilliant right away and be noticed right away and be published in top venues right away." That kind of thinking can lead to disappointment, I believe. Finally: Read. Anyone you love! And learn from that fiction, and those stories.
CA: This is great advice, Sandra. It's all about prepration, isn't it.
Finally, is there something funny you can share about yourself that your fans might not know? Hmmmm??
SN:1) I once had two pet cows named Sirloin and Hamburger.
2) I once proudly announced to my mother that I could spell "relief" and then spelled Rolaids. I was very young--and very pleased with myself--and didn't understand WHY she laughed.
3) When my grammy was living with us and dying of cancer, I, in my ten-year-old wisdom thought it prudent to read to her from the Bible, and I picked (in my even more infinite wisdom) the Book of Job. I read to my dying grammy from Job everyday!!!! It's bad enough, I think now, that I picked JOB, but I don't even know if my grammy was very religious...I still feel very badly about this.
4) I love the smell of Vicks and also Scotch tape, and sometimes just smell both for the heck of it.
5) When I was four I named my pet cat "Linda" because I was smitten with the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz. It took my brother, Jimmy, telling me that the witch's name was Glinda, not Linda, and that we should probably name the cat Morris because it was a boy, anyway.
CA: Sandra, I can't tell you how much I've enjoyed having you visit "The Attic!" This will definitely go down as one of my favorite interviews. Your generosity to your fans and readers shines through. Please come back again, soon!
In case you missed it, here's
Part One: Visit Sandra on her
Website Buy Precious at your local Independent Bookstore (Such as,
Horton's Books & Gifts)
(Watch for Sandra's short story collection! Random House 2010!) 
She's really done it, now.
Gus, *endearing* MC in the series, "Cynthia's Attic," has hijacked the
Teen-Seen Blog, and she's NOT LEAVING!
I'm A Star!!
Please try to convince her to come home! I really need her back here to help me find Sebastien's girlfriend, Emeline who disappeared through the magic trunk in "The Magician's Castle." Hate to admit it, but I have severe writer's block without her.
Teen-Seen Blog! Help me get Gus back before somebody gets hurt (or embarrassed!)
Cynthia's Attic is thrilled to host author, M. K. Scott and the release of her 'Tween fantasy, Zamora's Ultimate Challenge.
About the Author:
M.K. Scott, a total book fiend and a horse lover extraordinaire, is both a children s book author and adult fiction author.
She is currently writing two mystery series (the Wine Lovers Mysteries and the Horse Lovers Mysteries) for Berkeley Prime Crime. When she's not hanging out with her kids and trying to keep them in line, she teaches creative writing to middle school kids. Her love for horses keeps her busy, but not as busy as her writing. Right now she is juggling ideas for about 8,456,342 ideas for new stories to write.
Her imagination often keeps her awake at night, but she doesn't mind as she is constantly meeting new people and "things" even if it is only in her mind. M.K. lives in San Diego, CA with her super-cool husband, and her equally cool three kids, two dogs, two cats, and two horses.
Synopsis-
Zamora's Ultimate Challenge: Mason and Carter Clover only agree on two things--their baby sister Isabella is a royal pain and their favorite video game, Zamora s Ultimate Challenge, is totally awesome. But fantasy turns to reality when Zamora s evil face appears across the brothers television screen. Claiming to have kidnapped Isabella, the queen challenges the boys to a daring rescue before she takes over theirsister's soul. Zamora s plan is to use the baby as a human vessel to travel to Earth and dominate the world.
Once the brothers figure out how to get inside the video game, they are hurled into the magical land of Boysen where they meet their helpful guides: a sage, a quirky mermaid, and a Pegasus (who flies them to each thrilling level of the video game).Racing against time, the brothers search for their sister, encountering a myriad of dangerous enemies including stinging fairies, haunted Master Souls, and brutish, knife-wielding pirates.
Can they beat each level of the game while being hunted by a fire-breathing dragon, stalked by a robotic shark, and terrorized by acid-poop-bombing pterodactyls? Driven by the powerful bonds that unite siblings, Mason and Carter are determined to face their fears and will stop at nothing to bring Isabella home...but first they must survive Zamora s Ultimate Challenge!
Check back on
Apr. 2 for "The Story Behind The Story with author,
M. K. Scott!
M. K. Scott websiteZamora's Ultimate Challenge - View the
Trailer on M. K.'s Blog!
Oh, and while you're there, find out how to win a
fun-filled trip to
San Diego, CA!
Buy Zamora's Ultimate Challenge Today!
AmazonDiscover the Magic in
Cynthia's Attic"The Missing Locket"
"The Magic Medallion"
"Curse of the Bayou"
Sandra Novack, the author of "Precious," is my guest today in "Cynthia's Attic.
Read an excerpt from Precious (Random House):
Sissy is too old to be telling anyone she dreams of Gypsies. She is too old to speak of women who crawl through the window to snatch her from bed, too old to be frightened by their long faces, their pellucid eyes and wrinkled, drawn skin. Baba, they call. Little doll. Come with us, Baba, they insist. The Gypsies sing: Child, you are ours. They linger at the brink of her waking, at the border of her dreams. Sissy is too old to confess that she wakes with a sharp start still, or that when she awakens, she calls instinctively for Eva, and then waits and waits yet a moment more before turning on the light atop her bedside table. Hunched down in the sheets, she imagines the mist that hangs outside her window, phantom shapes that emerge from darkness. Her mind races over the always-present dream.
In the moment Sissy awakens, there are no clutching fingers but the disconsolate hurtling of a black bird against the window, the sound of beak hitting glass and then a flutter of wings. Sissy knows this is wrong, that birds and Gypsies have no place together. But, between her dreams and her waking, they are still there—bound. Then, suddenly, nothing: magically, both bird and Gypsies vanish.
Sissy is nine—an unlucky number—and she is too old for such nonsense. She knocks five times, a bumpity- bump- bump rhythm, a language she and her sister, Eva, share through the walls at night.
Where are you? the knocks urge. Can you come here?
CA: So happy to have you here today, Sandra! One of the first questions I'm sure you're asked is, how did you get into writing? Is it something you've always wanted to do?
SN: Actually, I didn't start off wanting to be a writer, no. I grew up in a blue-collar family and was the first to go to college, and I only did so after I worked a few years in a child support/welfare office and also a prison, basically as a secretary. When I finally decided to pay my way through school, I majored in psychology and thought for sure I'd be a counselor. But I took a creative writing class in my senior year, and I really loved it. So I took another, then switched to a masters for English Literature and Creative Writing. Even then I was thinking more of teaching than writing for a living. But the writing bug stayed with me, and in 2001 I decided to dedicate my time to creative writing and did an MFA. I became very serious about writing then, and I started publishing afterward.
Certainly what encouraged me early on was the joy of discovering new worlds and engaging in the creative process. That, and the encouragement of my teachers. Even though I wasn't very good at all, in terms of language or plot or anything really, my teachers always told me, "keep trying!" That's great advice, of course, because the more you write, the better you do get.
CA: I couldn't agree more! "Precious" revolves around families from a blue-collar community in Pennsylvania and the crisis facing them. I see from your bio that you grew up in Pennsylvania. So, the obvious question is, have you based any of the characters or story line on true experiences? Is Sandra in there somewhere?
SN: That's a great question, Mary. By now most can find out that Precious was inspired by the fact that when I was seven, my sister ran away from home and I've never seen her again. So that event is true, though the novel is entirely fictionalized. As for myself, and where I am in the work, personally: I've had friends in PA ask me this, too, and I always say it's like the Bob Dylan movie, I'm Not There. There are little pieces of me everywhere, so much so that any true "Sandy" is diluted and infused all over (and therefore, in another sense, is nowhere).
I am the girl who goes missing (Vicki), and Sissy, too, and even a part of me is in Natalia and Eva. I am the girl who, in the circus scene, Sissy sees, the one who gets lost in the crowd and holds a flower. I am the woman on the wire, and the bird. Etc. etc.
And some parts are based on true experiences, though I'm certain my "truth" would never be known, just by reading the story. For example, and for whatever bizarre reason, I have this "thing" with circuses and carnivals. After my sister ran away, my mother was worried about me and wanted to shield me from things, so she called my other sister and asked her to come and take me out, to do something "fun." My sister took me to Dorney Park--an amusement park.
Then (and unrelated), some years later, after my grammy (who lived with us) died, my mother didn't want me to have to witness the undertaker coming in and such, so she asked my brother to come and get me. He did, and he took me to a local carnival that happened to be in town. You get the point: The carnival scene at the end of Precious is, in a way, a "truth", but not even one my family would see, because I am the only one who thinks, "Carnival in town? Uh-oh, something chaotic has happened, something sad! Run!!" (I say it as a joke, but they do make me a little anxious.)
Part Two of the Interview with Sandra Novack will post March 30! Stay tuned!
Visit Sandra on her Website and her Blog
Buy Precious at your local Independent Bookstore (Such as, Horton's Books & Gifts)
Or Amazon
Mary Cunningham BooksQuake - Shaking Up Young ReadersWOOF: Women Only Over Fifty
Discover the Magic in Cynthia's Attic!
Tuesday, March 24, author, Sandra Novack will visit Cynthia's Attic. I recently heard her speak at a library event, and was so impressed by her genuine love for her craft, her latest novel, Precious, and for the characters that grace the pages of this amazing book.
Sandra Novack Bio:
I was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1972. When I was little, my brother used to hide me in his paper route bag and then come home and tell my mother he'd lost me somewhere in town. It was like a great secret the two of us shared, one only given away by an inevitable laughing spell.
My sisters and brothers were older than me by ten to fifteen years, and I spent much of my time tagging along after them, stealing their rock-and-roll albums, and imitating their every word and action. In some ways, I was as much raised by them as by my parents. Or, as I like to tell people, I was raised by a band of gypsies. They are my tribe, my family.
Precious is dedicated to my sister, Carole, who left home when I was seven.
Please stay tuned for an interview you won't soon forget!
Visit
Sandra and read an excerpt from
Precious on her
website.
In honor of "Read An E-Book" week, I've gathered some great reasons to do just that!
* Ebooks promote reading. People are spending more time in front of screens and less time in front of printed books.
* Ebooks are good for the environment. Ebooks save trees. Ebooks eliminate the need for filling up landfills with old books. Ebooks save transportation costs and the pollution associated with shipping books across the country and the world.
* Ebooks are portable. You can carry an entire library on one DVD.
* Ebooks defy time: they can be delivered almost instantly. Ebooks are transported to you faster than overnight shipping: in minutes or in seconds.
* Ebooks are cheaper to buy.
* Ebooks make reading accessible to persons with disabilities. Text can be re-sized for the visually impaired. Screens can be lit for reading in the dark.
* Ebooks, with their capacity for storage, encourage the publishing of books with many pages, books that might be too expensive to produce (and purchase) in paperback.
* Ebooks -- thanks to the simplicity and speed of publication and feedback -- allow authors to experiment in many themes and styles.
* Ebooks are good for paperbook publishing. By setting an example for diversity and freedom of expression, ebooks may motivate the stagnant book publishing industry towards the renewal of small presses, the end of the blockbuster-bestseller publishing mentality, and a healthier balance between the needs of commerce and culture.
Here are some great links :
Echelon Press
Quake
Fictionwise (Children's Books)
Cynthia's Attic on Fictionwise!
I know this is an old phrase from a 2000 movie, but people are repeating it more and more in this tough economy.
I recently saw a story on NBC nightly news about an Atlanta man, who is around age 70, using his retirement money to drive cancer patients to therapy. He drives about 1,000 miles a week and pays for the gas himself, to honor his wife who died several years ago from the disease. He's planning to quit soon, though...when he celebrates his 100th birthday!
On the same newscast, Brian Williams told of a woman on a Maryland toll road. She pulled up to the booth and, to her shock, was told that the car in front of her had paid her toll. She had her $2.00 in hand, so she said, "Take this for the car behind me." She moved up far enough to see the woman behind her hand money to the attendant and motion that it was for the car behind her! There's no idea how far this stretched, but let's hope it reached someone who truly needed it.
On a local note, I got my hair cut yesterday. Much to my hairdresser's delight, I have turned the complete cutting and styling over to her. Yes, I know that my years of experience, cutting and thinning my hair without one day of Beauty/Hairdresser School, is truly amazing, but I got tired of the pressure. As a result of this revelation that maybe she knows more about cutting and styling than I do, my hair now looks current and pretty darn good! (go figure)
But, back to my point about paying it forward. My hair salon Free Spirit Salon and Spa, in Villa Rica, GA, has been offering half-price haircuts to anyone who's unemployed. Lori, my stylist said that it just made sense considering that no one wants to walk around needing a haircut let alone go job hunting! I pointed out that the salon also might get new customers by spreading good will. She seemed to dismiss this by saying, "We just want to help."
We all need to help in this economic downturn, so, Pay It Forward today!
By:
Mary Cunningham,
on 3/10/2009
Blog:
Cynthia's Attic Blog
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I've zoomed into techie land! From trying to figure out how to post a blog a few short years ago, to having my own book up on Kindle, I'm rocketing through cyberspace on Amazon's Whispernet!
Take a look at Curse of the Bayou, now up as a Kindle download. Do they still call them downloads? Or, have they been renamed? Maybe Time-Travel Tomes. (Now, that's just stupid!). Catcher In the I(pod)? (Help! I'm losing my I-Brain!)
Anyone out there have a better name than "downloads?" C'mon people. There's gotta be a more current phrase!
Meanwhile, Save a Tree - Read an Ebook!
And, read "Cynthia's Attic: Curse of the Bayou!"
Amazon
Fictionwise
Quake
Mary Cunningham Books
For a quartet of girlfriends known as the Pixie Chicks, life takes on a delicious new flavor when their normal Friday night walkabout through the Hobbitville Gardens reveals secrets and adventures previously unimagined.
Who knew the statues were portals to similar, magical gardens around the world? Or that only a select few can travel by statue and fewer still can arrive at their desired point? These four will reach for the stars despite the risks of the unknown to embrace an adventure suitable only for the boldest of teens.
I just finished Pixie Chicks, Hobbitville Sage # 1 by the multi-talented author, Regan Black.
First off, Love the names! (see previous post for Pixie Chicks profiles!) This group of friends are so typical of all teenage groups. Just as I remember my “gang” of five many moons ago in high school! All have strengths and weaknesses and contribute to the group. Best of all, they look out for each other.
Saga # 1 highlights Pixie Chick, Brie, and her friendship/secret love for high school hunk, Troy. The author’s description of Brie spotting Troy in the school hallway, and her ensuing “tsunami of teenage hormones” is priceless!
And, of course, there can’t be a great teenage story with a bully. Sierra is a classic.
I was captured by this story from the first line and can’t wait to read Saga # 2,
# 3, # 4…well you catch my drift.
Check out Regan Black's Pixie Chicks and more great books on Quake!
I'M SO EXCITED!! Just got my copy of Pixie Chicks, by Regan Black (Quake - Fictionwise). Can't wait to read it! I'll review it in the days to come, but meantime, here's a preview of the Pixie Chicks themselves!
Pixie Profiles
The Pixie Chicks are a quartet of girls in the high school marching band. They got this name from the drum major during their freshman year of summer band camp. Yes, eventually you will hear more about him.
Brianna Marie Fairchild is the leader - when a leader is needed for planning and arranging things. Brianna has wavy, white fairy-blond hair and blue eyes. She’s got a dancer’s wand-slim build and she’s only about 5′5″. She marches piccolo, so, naturally she plays the flute as well. She lives with her mother and brother and her dad, when he’s not often working elsewhere in the world. All her friends refer to her mother as “Mom Fairchild” and though her brother, Ben, is younger, he’s taller - this annoys Brie.
Austin Patricia Kelley is an inch taller than Brie, with sleek, dark blond hair and big doe eyes. She plays flute and shares a band locker with Brie. She prefers to watch rather than participate in sports, unless it’s a team venue where she has plenty of back up (like the band). Her most unique (and valuable asset) is her ability to know anything and everything about any cute guy rating above average. Her depth of knowlege creeps out the Pixies, but only a little. After all, Austin isn’t really a stalker, and she’s a great friend.
Lana Louise Richmond is tall and a curvaceous - which is a lethal combination in high school. The resulting jealousy means the Pixies are her only girlfriends - good thing they’re the BEST! She’s got long, dark hair and mesmerizing dark eyes…and they all wonder why she never has dark circles because no one has caught her sleeping since Kindergarten naptime. She can play any of the low brass instruments and has been known to march sousaphone.
Claire Taylor Sullivan, with her curly red hair, green eyes and shorter stature, looks like she’d be more at home in an Irish Pub than a midwestern highschool. She’s a talented musician who marches alto sax, drum line or trombone…wherever the band director needs her. She’s more quiet than the others, but don’t let that fool you, she’s got serious skills - and she’s keeping some serious secrets from the Pixies - including a very hot Scottish boyfriend!
Meet them and see other great 'Tween and Young Adult Books - now available from Quake!
Mayra Calvani's Golden Retriever, Amigo, has come up with a great idea. He's now conducting interview on
Pets and Authors BlogsAmigo, it turns out, is a fabulous interviewer! As he humbly tells it, "I'm three years old and I have connections with the CIA. My new hobby is to interview authors' pets--dogs, cats, rats, lizards, birds, squirrels, horses, fish, you name it! I'm less tolerant with rabbits (for obvious reasons), but I can always be bribed with the right treats (how about filet mignon?). Learn the authors' dirty little secrets... straight from their pet's mouths! Woof! Woof!
So, jump on over to Pets and Authors Blog and read about Balto and Willow and Osiris. Find out all the tricks they use to annoy their author mom's and dad's. (Amigo likes to stare at his mom until she feels guilty about writing.)
So, check out Amigo's blog. He's even working on getting his own e-mail account!
And, while you're at it, check out Amigo's mom's books!
Mayra's Secret Bookcase 
The Magic Violin (click on picture for Amazon)
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Our adopted "daughter" Molly - in Maine watching Dad leave shore without her!
CA: I'm so excited! As you may know, Gus's (and my) favorite thing in the whole world is eating! We're thrilled that our guest today in Cynthia's Attic, is Laura Schaefer, author of The Teashop Girls (Simon & Schuster, Paula Wiseman Books-Dec. 2008). But first, a little bit about the book.
Great car-funny story!
Thanks, Patty!