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Summary: Showbiz superstar, Lisette, flees a blackmailer threatening to reveal to the scandal-hungry media that she bore a child of incest. Her father, and ex-lover, initiates an audacious plan to set her free that leaves the whole family hovering on the brink of emotional and financial disaster.
Their adult daughter, Harriet, learns the truth and vows vengeance on all who conspired to hide her birth by registering her as the twin of the man she loves.
“The night will end in death.”
About the Author
Sarah Stuart lives in a quiet English village where wildlife sightings are common: the subliminal theme of her novels is a plea for animal protection from exploitation worldwide. Her passion is theatre. She has wide insider knowledge, garnered from working with her dogs in musicals ranging from Sandy in Annie to Bulls Eye in Oliver. Theatre, and concert tours, are the settings for her Royal Command series. Book one, Dangerous Liaisons, is a Romance Finalist in the Independent Author Network Book Awards 2015. Book two, Illicit Passion, is rated 5 stars by Readers' Favorite. The element of danger increases in book two, hence a comment from one reviewer "a dark and compelling read".
Product Details
File Size: 1453 KB
Print Length: 357 pages
Publisher: Sarah Stuart; 2 edition (September 9, 2015)
Publication Date: September 9, 2015
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
Language: English
ASIN: B0157DGA2G
0 Comments on Pay It Forward Sarah Stuart for Illicit Passion as of 1/1/1900
Even though I'm not doing NaNoWriMo, I do love to fast draft so I figured I'd share some tips for anyone who needs a little push to get over that middle slump that sometimes creeps up when we're drafting.
Keep momentum I'm going to start with this one because we all know that the excitement of NaNo drives you in the beginning, but it's tough to keep that excitement up mid-month. The key is to keep going. Don't slack on those word count goals. Keep up the pace you've been maintaining.
Don't be afraid to jump around If you get stuck on a scene, skip it and go back to it later. Keep pushing ahead. Sometimes when the middle starts to get to me, I jump ahead to the climax because it's exciting and fast paced. That gets me into the groove again and keeps the words flowing.
Set small goals Daily word count goals can sometimes be overwhelming. Break them up into what you want to write in a twenty-minute span. Setting short goals, means you'll feel a sense of accomplishment sooner, and that can motivate you to keep going and write more.
Reward yourself You know that cookie you're dying to eat. How about after you reach 1,000 words? Give yourself a reason to want to get those words down and then reward yourself for a job well done.
Share your goals and progress When I ran competitively, one of the things I did before a race was tell everyone what time I wanted to run. If they knew my target time, I'd feel accountable because I knew they'd ask me if I met it. Tell people your goals and then check in with your progress. Don't let writing be a solitary experience.
Feed off the energy of others and inspire others just the same Feeling like you're in a slump? Don't post about that. Encourage others to keep going and let them do the same for you. Think positively. Cheering on others just may spark some creativity in yourself.
Good luck NaNoWriMo participants! You can do this. Keep those fingers flying across the keys.
*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post.
I have two books out this year, POET: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF GEORGE MOSES HORTON (authored and illustrated), and THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH (illustrated). Both books deal with the subject of African Americans who overcame great adversities in the backdrop of slavery and/or Reconstruction. Collectively the books have garnered 5 starred reviews from major book review journals, and have been praised widely elsewhere.
In general, with stories dealing with the topic of slavery—or history in general—I strive to be honest with children and not sugarcoat. History is not always sweet. I believe that children are smart, resilient, and can handle the truth. As one librarian recently said to me about the topic, “Children have no problem with getting down in the mud.” I owe it to children to tell the truth.
In POET, I portray the anger of enslaved African Americans during a slave rebellion scene, several enslaved people brandishing weapons. A white slave owner has been killed. A white mother reaches out to shield her child from the violence. It was a difficult scene and a lot of thought went into it. When I was a kid, I always wondered why enslaved people didn’t fight back. I’d say things like, “No one would have made me a slave, I’d have fought back!” Well, guess what, many times, enslaved people did fight back! Take Nat Turner, whose rebellion caused fear in slaveowners all over the South.
But as a kid, I never saw that depicted in books, so I didn’t know. Had I known, I might not have felt so ashamed every time the topic of slavery came up in sixth-grade history class.
In THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH, I show the fear in an enslaved child’s face, before a relative is about to be whipped by a white man, an angry mob looks on. This is what happened, it was real life for the children who lived through it. I owe it to my ancestors to portray their stories accurately, with empathy, sensitivity, with consideration to my young audience.
Broaching the subject of slavery can be a tricky one, though. Should an enslaved person ever be pictured smiling? Well, it depends upon what is happening in a story. In POET, I pictured Horton on the cover of the book with a glowing smile, although he is enslaved and not freed until later in life. On the first page of the book, I also pictured him with a (slight) smile, all the while, the text on the page reads that “George was enslaved.” That was a tough call, and I revised that spread many times. I worried about what young Horton’s expression might communicate to young readers (and reviewers) about Horton’s condition.
In the end, I stayed true to Horton’s story, based upon reading his autobiographical sketch in THE POETICAL WORKS. Horton’s life was full of sadness, tragedy, disappointment, anger, misery. He had to perform daylong, backbreaking work, without pay. At seventeen, he was given away to the family member of his master, separated from his family. I made sure to include these sad realities in my text. But do you think Horton, still enslaved, did not smile as he held a copy of his published books in his hands? It’s all about context. What is happening in a story when the smile occurs?
As book creators, we need to be careful not to portray enslaved people as happy in their condition as slaves, but we also have to remember that smiles humanize, they offer hope.
You should always spend Friday the 13th doing something cool and creepy. The F13 that came around last week was my most memorable yet! I headed to Minnesota where Forepaugh's, a restaurant with delicious food and spooky ghosts, was hosting a special party.
My favorite group of paranormal investigators, Ghost Stories Ink, was celebrating a very cool achievement, and their favorite New York Times best selling author (me!) was part of it.
The printouts above were tickets to keep track of your appetizers and drinks, which included beverages that smoked all by themselves.
These nine stories and several illustrations were inspired by investigations this groups of authors and illustrators have gone on over the past few years. G.S.I. also hosts investigations and creative workshops that anyone can attend, and two of those attendees won a contest and had their stories included in the book.
The story I donated to the book was inspired by my investigation with them this past January in Los Angeles. It's titled The Last Supper Club, and I believe it's the first short story I've written. How does it begin? "Connor waits..." And how does it end?
Perfectly!
Thank you for inviting me to your Friday the 13th gathering, G.S.I.
Y'all scare me!
0 Comments on Ghost Stories Ink: NIGHT VISIONS as of 11/17/2015 10:34:00 PM
Every year, Guys Lit Wire lends its platform to host a book fair for Ballou. Working with librarian Melissa Jackson and her students, we build a wish list of titles they need and then ask the internet to buy a book (or 2) (or more) and send some joy their way. It's quick and it's easy and for book lovers in particular, it's a no-brainer.
We all know that books matter to kids, and we all know why buying books for teens who do not have wide access to them is a smart investment in our world's future. For Ballou, the school fund for book purchases is not large and as a Washington Post article showed earlier this year, the dollars for books in DC often go to wealthier neighborhoods. Also, when they get money schools like Ballou are often not able to purchase the sort of fun or seemingly frivolous titles that teens would really to read.
That is where the Guys Lit Wire Book Fair for Ballou comes in. We buy the books the kids ask for, plain and simple.
The mailing address is already set-up for checkout and there are nearly 400 books to choose from with a price range that starts under $5. We do hope you will find a book that you want to send to Ballou and help us fill their shelves with the titles these kids want so very much to read.
Don't let it stop there. If you know of a library, school, shelter, or hospital that's in great need of books and other items, give back. Rally up your co-workers, patrons, students, and friends, gather donated items (new or gently used), and donate them to your chosen organization or charity. Share your good fortune and good spirits with others.
Every year, Guys Lit Wire lends its platform to host a book fair for Ballou. Working with librarian Melissa Jackson and her students, we build a wish list of titles they need and then ask the internet to buy a book (or 2) (or more) and send some joy their way. It's quick and it's easy and for book lovers in particular, it's a no-brainer.
We all know that books matter to kids, and we all know why buying books for teens who do not have wide access to them is a smart investment in our world's future. For Ballou, the school fund for book purchases is not large and as a Washington Post article showed earlier this year, the dollars for books in DC often go to wealthier neighborhoods. Also, when they get money schools like Ballou are often not able to purchase the sort of fun or seemingly frivolous titles that teens would really to read.
That is where the Guys Lit Wire Book Fair for Ballou comes in. We buy the books the kids ask for, plain and simple.
The mailing address is already set-up for checkout and there are nearly 400 books to choose from with a price range that starts under $5. We do hope you will find a book that you want to send to Ballou and help us fill their shelves with the titles these kids want so very much to read.
Don't let it stop there. If you know of a library, school, shelter, or hospital that's in great need of books and other items, give back. Rally up your co-workers, patrons, students, and friends, gather donated items (new or gently used), and donate them to your chosen organization or charity. Share your good fortune and good spirits with others.
Check out the book trailer for this fantasy adventure for children!
When in the enchanted wood, Emily finds she has a surprising connection with her little dog and all of the other animals. When she discovers she needs to help rid the wood of marauding goblins, she must work with the animals to bring peace back to the woodland realm.
BABY ORCA, My new children's book about a baby killer whale, comes out February 23, 2015. Learn about these magnificent mammals, how mothers and grandmothers care for the young and teach them to hunt.
So many publishers are participating, rgz! Just hashtag #GiveBooks and publishers are matching the mention with donations to #FirstBook. Isn't that amazing? So well done!
Here's the link to make it super easy if you want to hit your multiple sites.
I grew up in a time before computers, before ebooks, and before Amazon delivery.
The nearest bookstore was a four hour drive away. I didn’t have much money and I didn’t have many friends. What I did have was a tiny school library and what that library had was a collection of your novels.
At Halloween, I read The Witches.
At Easter, I read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
When I was sad, I read Matilda.
When I needed to laugh, I read The BGF.
When people were mean to me, I read The Twits.
Your books taught me that there are magical worlds in which being intelligent, kind, and brave could change everything. They took a lonely little girl and helped her see that even though there were mean people in the world, there were also good people, like Ms. Honey and Grandpa Joe. And there were kids who were seen as just as strange and weird as I was. And that they were the most wonderful people because everything that was strange and weird about them also made them special.
In a time before I belonged, I had your characters, and they belonged to me.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Drake is a junior high Science and English teacher (she knows, scary teenagers!) and the mother to two active little boys. She is a sucker for Paranormal Fiction and Magical Realism with a few YA Fantasy or Horror novels thrown in for good measure. When Elizabeth's not hanging out on YABC, she can be found over at Reading Between Classes.
[New York] The worlds of comic books and science fiction collide with spectacular results and everyone comes out a winner at Wintercon, December 5-6, 2015 at the Resorts World Casino in Jamaica, New York!
With Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens due in theaters, Star Wars will be a huge part of this convention. The original Boba Fett from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Jeremy Bulloch, and young Boba Fett from Attack of the Clones, Daniel Logan, head up an all-star celebrity guest contingent.
In addition to Bulloch and Logan, guest appearances include John Morton (Dak Ralter in The Empire Strikes Back), Taylor Gray (Ezra Bridger in Star Wars Rebels), panels, costume contests, the Lucasfilm-recognized Star Wars group The 501st Legion, and superstar Star Wars comics artists John Cassaday and Dave Dorman.
But the science fiction component won’t be limited to Star Wars! Nichelle Nichols, Star Trek’s Lt. Uhura, and Power Rangers Austin St. John and Jason Lee Scott will be joined by Michael Biehn from Terminator and Aliens, original Godzilla actor Haruo Nakajima, Tsugutoshi Komada (Godzilla vs Megalon’s – Jet Jaguar making his first appearance anywhere!), Linda Harrison (Planet of the Apes’ Nova), Steve Guttenberg (Police Academy), and Michael Wright (V – The Series).
They’re joined by all-star comic book artists Neal Adams (Batman), James O’Barr (The Crow) and Billy Tucci (Shi), who head the roster of creators. WWE superstars Mick Foley, King Kong Bundy and Tito Santana will also be on hand as will David Harris and Terry Michos from direct Walter Hill’s 1979 cult classic film The Warriors. World renowned cosplayer Yaya Han is on the roster as well.
The show will be held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 5, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 6. Resorts World Casino is located at 110-00 Rockaway Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11420. There are free shuttles from Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn.
“We’re excited to bring New York fans a great line-up of comic book guests, celebrity guests, and vendors,” said Frank Patz, the show’s co-promoter, who also produces Long Island’s annual Eternal Con. “With gaming tournaments, costume contests, a huge dealer room, and Q&A panels, it’s going to have something for everyone.”
“WinterCon is a superb kick-off to the holiday season,” said Michael Carbonaro, the event’s other co-promoter, the veteran promoter of the Big Apple Con. “Sunday is kids day at the show. In addition to the costume contests and other kids events, we’ll have a Jedi Accademy and every child attending it will get a free light saber.”
Single day tickets are $25 for Saturday and $20 for Sunday for adults, $15 for Saturday and $8 for Sunday for kids. Weekend passes are $40 for adults and $20 for kids. Special VIP packages are also available for $85. For more information, visit the show’s website, www.nywintercon.com, or email [email protected].
0 Comments on WinterCon Celebrates Star Wars, Comics December 5-6 as of 11/17/2015 1:44:00 PM
Are you wondering what's new in YA today? Check out these wonderful new releases!
In this latest novel from National Book Award finalist Martine Leavitt, a schizophrenic teen believes that Bill Watterson can save him from his illness if he creates one more Calvin & Hobbes comic strip.
Seventeen-year-old Calvin has always known his fate is linked to the comic book character from Calvin & Hobbes. He was born on the day the last strip was published; his grandpa left a stuffed tiger named Hobbes in his crib; and he even has a best friend named Susie. As a child Calvin played with the toy Hobbes, controlling his every word and action, until Hobbes was washed to death. But now Calvin is a teenager who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, Hobbes is back—as a delusion—and Calvin can’t control him. Calvin decides that if he can convince Bill Watterson to draw one final comic strip, showing a normal teenaged Calvin, he will be cured. Calvin and Susie (and Hobbes) set out on a dangerous trek across frozen Lake Erie to track him down.
Holly Mathews’ mom is the new manager of a ritzy retirement home, and they just moved in. But having super-rich retirees as her only neighbors isn’t a total bust, because the gorgeous, notorious Malik Buchannan is the grandson of a resident. Just one problem: when they meet, Malik assumes Holly is there to visit her own rich relative. She doesn’t correct him, and it probably doesn’t matter, because their flirtation could never turn into more than a superficial fling . . . right? But the longer she lives in his privileged world, the deeper Holly falls for Malik, and the harder it is to tell the truth . . . because coming clean might mean losing him.
For anyone who has dreamed of their own Cinderella story, this romance shows that when it comes to true love, the best person to be is yourself!
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Christopher Pike comes a brand-new fascinating and seductive new novel about a girl with a mysterious ability—but one that carries an unimaginable cost.
From the moment Fred met Aja, he knew she was different. And she was.
Aja had a gift. But her gift came with a price.
After a shocking sequence of events, Fred must look back at their relationship, and piece together all of their shared moments, so he can finally understand Aja’s precious gift…and its devastating repercussions.
Michael used to live to game, but the games he was playing have become all too real. Only weeks ago, sinking into the Sleep was fun. The VirtNet combined the most cutting-edge technology and the most sophisticated gaming for a full mind-body experience. And it was Michael’s passion. But now every time Michael sinks, he risks his life.
The games are over. The VirtNet has become a world of deadly consequences, and Kaine grows stronger by the day. The Mortality Doctrine—Kaine’s master plan—has nearly been realized, and little by little the line separating the virtual from the real is blurring. If Kaine succeeds, it will mean worldwide cyber domination. And it looks like Michael and his friends are the only ones who can put the monster back in the box—if Michael can figure out who his friends really are.
**DISCLAIMER:
If there are any new YA books we missed, let us know in the comments below, and we'll add them to the list!
538: Murder, Suicide and A Mother’s Love is a faction about family dysfunction and the prevailing love that sustains a mother. Lilly, happily marries and is full of life as she births five beautiful children. Life takes a drastic turn and she finds herself in a place that she never had dreamt of being. The grip of life keeps a tight rein on Lilly as she suffers great loss, but her strength in God and the love for her children push her forward. There are days that she lives by simply putting one foot in front of the other. The drama that unfolds, at times, is unbelievable. From the eldest child to the youngest, the anxieties are obvious. Lilly finds herself at times unable to interact and is often heard reciting cliché’s, words she lived by, ”When it rains, it pours, A Bird in the Hand is Worth Two in the Bush, It’ll All Come Out in the Wash.” Lilly is strong, resilient and loyal, and her inner strength causes her to persevere. www.Cheryleboyle.com
Cheryle Boyle is a wife, mother and grandmother. She enjoys experiencing life and making memories with her family. Cheryle lives in Georgia and enjoys sewing, cooking, embroidery, reading and shopping with her granddaughters. She loves writing and shares some family interactions in her book, thus creating this faction (Facts + Fiction = Faction).
0 Comments on Book Tour Stop With Cheryle Boyle as of 1/1/1900
Eric Pinder is the author of four picture books and four adult nonfiction books. His most recent release is How to Share With a Bear, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2015). From the promotional copy:
The perfect thing to do on a chilly day is to make a cave. But comfy caves never stay empty for long…. What can you do when a bear takes over your cave? Try to distract him with a trail of blueberries? Some honey? A nice, long back scratch?
How to Share With a Bear is a story about how although it’s not always easy, sharing with a sibling can be the most fun!
Congratulations on How to Share With a Bear! Tell me about the inspiration for this story.
Being a kid should automatically count as credit toward getting a degree in architecture, because we’ve all made blanket forts and blanket caves as kids. What’s more fun? I think every uncle, aunt, parent, and babysitter has had to master the architecture of a blanket cave at some point, too. Often it’s a collaborative effort, in the same way that reading a picture book is a shared experience.
For How to Share with a Bear, I had the blanket cave setting in mind from the start. The word “cave” got me thinking about real caves, and what you might find in one. That led naturally to a bear.
How or when did you make that leap in your imagination from bears being scary creatures that could eat you to being a cuddly companion?
William Faulkner’s “The Bear” was an early influence, even before I started writing for children. And no one gets through high school without seeing Shakespeare’s bear chase characters right off the stage. So we have this perception of bears as big and scary, but in childhood we’re also familiar with Fozzy Bear, Yogi Bear, Winnie-the-Pooh, and our own teddy bears.
Hear the word “bear” and you don’t know at first which you’re going to get: the terrifying grizzly or the funny, cuddly kind of bear. The very word “bear” creates uncertainty, all on its own.
Uncertainty creates tension and suspense. And suspense makes readers keep turning the pages. We have these two dueling, conflicting perceptions of bears lodged in our minds from an early age, and I think the subtle tension that evokes is what makes bears so great for storytelling.
Cat in the Clouds, If All the Animals Came Inside, Share with a Bear... I'm sensing a theme with animals and nature.
One of my earliest favorite memories is camping with my dad in Baxter State Park on a rainy afternoon when suddenly a moose stuck its head right into our leanto to say hi. I didn’t have that day in mind when writing If All the Animals Came Inside, but now that I think about it, that memory must have been an influence all along.
I know you spend a lot of time outdoors and have even written some books for grownups on that subject. Can you tell me what prompted you to write for children and what has been the biggest challenge in crafting stories for young readers?
One day a strange thing happened: Everyone in my circle of friends started having kids. Their houses were suddenly full of books by Seuss and Boynton and Silverstein. I’ve always liked poetry, and writing picture books is similar; they’re both read aloud—performed—so the sound and rhythm of each word and syllable matters. It’s almost like writing a song. Reading those old favorite books on friends’ shelves and hearing them performed out loud reminded me of how much fun they are. I had to start writing some of my own.
Writing for any age group is challenging. The biggest challenge with picture books is appealing to two different audiences at the same time: the grownup reading the book, and the child listening to them read. Re-watching Sesame Street recently made me appreciate how well they often write on two levels like that. One Sesame Street skit features a bear who is a writer. The bear’s name is Flo. It took me a second to connect the dots: Flo Bear, i.e. Gustave Flaubert, author of Madame Bovary. Clever joke! That second level of understanding flew completely over my head when I saw skits like that as a toddler, but it didn’t confuse or distract me, either. Watching it as a grownup, it made me chuckle.
What's your process like? Do your stories simmer in your head for a long time before you sit down at the computer?
I leave a plate of cookies next to my laptop overnight and hope that elves will write the story for me. Then I get up the next morning, eat one of the stale cookies, mutter about elves, and start typing away on my own. To force myself to make time to write, I’ll put background music on the CD player and make a rule: no checking email or playing Scrabble or anything else but writing until the music stops. Usually the first half-hour is agonizing, but then I’ll get momentum.
Sometimes a single sentence or an opening scene will simmers for months before the rest of the story appears. At other times, like a gift from the Muses, a whole first draft will appear on the page in one sudden creative burst. But that’s rare. I should probably bake more cookies for the Muses. You also teach creative writing at the New Hampshire Institute of Art. Does that also feed your creativity?
The best way to describe teaching is “exhausting but rewarding.” Lesson prep and commenting on student stories is time-consuming, but it’s worth it. Sometimes a student’s story or poem will be so good that it makes me grin the whole time I’m reading it. Just being part of a community where everyone loves books, talks about books, and asks smart questions about books on a weekly basis sparks creativity.
Of course, there are times when I wish I’d assigned less homework. (Right now, my students are probably saying, “Yeah, us too.”) It takes energy and time to critically read and edit dozens of pages of stories by others between classes, and that does leave less time and energy for your own creative work. It makes sticking to a regular writing schedule, even if it’s only an hour a day, extra important.
For most teachers the summer—blissful, leisurely summer—is the most productive season for our own writing. But the books we read and the classroom conversations we have during the rest of the year definitely fuel new writing projects. I frequently see Facebook posts of you selling books at Farmers Markets. Tell me more about this unique venue choice.
A middle-schooler at an author event said, “Hey, my mom runs the farmers’ market. You should sell your books there.”
That’s not a venue that would ever have occurred to me, but, being a starving writer in need of money, I filed the idea away and gave it a try.
The first day I sold $200 worth of books. People like getting signed copies. Even on rainy days when I sell nothing, it’s still fun to meet and talk to people. You can tell who the teachers and school librarians are.
The best part is seeing kids who really love books. A beginning reader at one market slowly read If All the Animals Came Inside aloud to his grandma, pausing every now and then to say, “Did you write this page and this page?” and “What the heck’s a yak!?” It was like listening to a funny DVD commentary for my own book. Halfway through, he told me, “You’re actually doing a really good job writing this. So far.” Kids are the bluntest and best of literary critics.
At some markets I’m the only writer there, sandwiched between vegetable stands, maple syrup, and corn on the cob. Other towns combine farmers’ markets with craft fairs, so there are painters, wood-carvers, and photographers there, too.
One tip for doing book-signings at venues like this is that it helps to have at least three or four different books on your table. People like to see a selection and be able to browse. I’ve seen authors with only a single title at their table, and they’ve struggled. The more covers you have on display, the more eye-catching your table will be.
What's coming up next?
Another picture book with Stephanie Graegin, How to Build a Snow Bear, is coming in 2016, and The Perfect Pillow, illustrated by Chris Sheban, in 2017. The latter has animals but surprisingly no bears, which may be a first for me.
I also just finished a big revision of a creative nonfiction manuscript about adventures in teaching. That one does have bears, and wolves, and even a camel. So I guess I’m not done writing about animals just yet. I read about the bats being cut from How to Share With a Bear - any plans for bat inclusion in future books? Or do you have something against bats?
I love bats! They eat mosquitoes and have sonar as a superpower. Sometimes a scene, like the one with the bats, is good on its own, but the story as a whole is stronger without it.
I save deleted scenes and pruned sentences in a folder called “Scraps.” Sometimes they’ll get used or adapted later in a different story.
Please welcome my friend, the multi-talented Lindsay Barrett George, who offers a glimpse of the inner workings of a creative mind. Her thoughts will delight and inspire you! Now, here's LINDSAY and her writing pearls of wisdom. . . (Details for the book giveaway of Maggie's Ball at the bottom of the post!)
The idea for Maggie’sBall came from a few sources:
-- a Popeye sing-along from the 1950’s (follow the bouncing ball)
-- the Sony Bravia TV commercial – where you see thousands of bouncing colored balls descending down a SF city street
--my friend Mary Maxon’s dog – Tobey, now gone – who would drop his favorite ball down the stairs and then catch it… the ball bounced and bounced and bounced… Tobey loved playing ‘Fetch’, even if by himself
-- and, the fact that my puppy Maggie and I played ‘Fetch’ every day with her yellow ball (lots of bouncing!)
REVIEWS OF MAGGIE'S BALL: "A consistent, directional progression of the story, large, easy-to-read type, the challenge of finding the characters and naming the objects and places, and the gentle, sweet ending make Maggie’s adventure a perfect title for young readers, who will want their own pup to play with by tale’s end.” --Kirkus *starred* review
School Library Journal PreS—An eager little dog is looking for someone to play with when her ball bounces down a hill into town. A colorful spread shows the park and four buildings set around it, with many children and adults playing and going about their business. Maggie searches for her ball everywhere, circling the town and looking in all the shop windows. The illustrations are bright and big, as is the minimal text, making the oversize book a winner for preschool storytimes as well as for individual perusings where the ample small details will fascinate children. Eventually, Maggie ends up disconsolately resting near a bench occupied by a girl reading—but wait—is there a yellow ball next to the bench? The little girl asks Maggie to play ball with her, and the pup delightedly complies. The pictures of the dog bursting with joy and happiness when she finds her ball and a friend are priceless.—Judith Constantinides, formerly at East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library, LA
Thoughts on Process. . . There is no intelligent way to talk about the creative process. Great ideas – when they arrive - hang in the air. And ideas don’t come from me, but to me. I collect, store, safe-keep them… I let them simmer and out they pop!
You CANNOT lose faith in the fact that this process--this simmering--will happen - again. It does …but in it’s own good time.
Some thoughtful words for readers/lovers of books for children . . .Maybe that a picture book is its own ‘thing’… and that every stroke, every word is there because someone - the author or illustrator – either painted it or wrote it. You start with a bank page and – you want to create an experience for a child, one stroke at a time. One word -- and it has to be the exact right word – one word at a time.
I LOVE making books for children – they are the best audience - and they believe in the magic that lies between the covers of a book. That expectation of something extraordinary that might happen – when you turn a page… is part of why I love the bookmaking process. And of course, the children…to delight them and to connect with them – that’s the best part.
More about Lindsay and her wonderful picture books: Lindsay Barrett George’s books have been picked as Outstanding Science Books for Children, American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, and have received Children’s Literature Choice Awards. Box Turtle at Long Pond was chosen as a Children’s Book of the Year by the Library of Congress.
Lindsay received the Carolyn Field Award (1989), and the Drexel Award (2007). Inside Mouse/Outside Mouse was chosen as the first selection in Pennsylvania’s ‘One Book Every Young Child’ initiative.
Lindsay began her career in the children’s book field as a book designer in a New York City publishing house. She has combined a fine arts background with her graphic design experience to produce books that, hopefully, make the animals she cares about come alive for children.
Lindsay lives with her husband, as well as a sweet mini-Dachshund, a big brown dog, 5 cats, and a very handsome duck in Northeast Pa. For more about Lindsay, her books, and her school visits, check out her website:lindsaybarrettgeorge.com
The #Giveaway: Lindsay is generously donating a signed copy of Maggie'sBall to one lucky reader, and it can be personalized just for YOU! All you have to do for a chance to win is leave a comment on the post. Winner will be announced on Saturday, November 21st. Thanks for stopping by!
0 Comments on INSIGHTS and INSPIRATION from AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR LINDSAY BARRETT GEORGE as of 1/1/1900
One of the things I greatly admire is the ability of Newbury award-winning author Margarita Engle of creating an immersive experience in her books. She does this in a variety of ways. First she not only creates characters that we attach to immediately but somehow identify with even if we’ve never met such a person before in our lives. Inside Margaria Engle’s stories you will always meet a wide array of characters that you wouldn’t usually see together such as a slave, a Swedish suffragette in her book The Firefly Letters. To deepen the experience even further, she writes using language in a most unique way, free verse. The Wild Bookis such a treasure of a story. Margarita Engle shocks us by making us look at how language is being used and conveyed. For the brave who embrace this style of story telling, you will not be sorry nor will you turn back.
For little Fefa, life in the Cuban countryside is not as free and exciting as one might think. When Fefa is diagnosed with word blindness, known today as dyslexia, by an uncaring doctor, she is distraught. In school, people make fun of her. At home, her siblings make fun of her. She is an outcast, and she is embarrassing.
To Fefa, words are slippery, elusive creatures that cause frustration to the point of tears. She tries so hard to hold on to them, but no matter her efforts, they manage to escape her grasp. Reading out loud is her biggest fear. If people make fun of her not being able to read silently, what will they do if she tries to read to a crowd? It’s a horrifying nightmare.
However, world-blindness is not the only trouble that Fefa and her family struggle with. When Fefa’s parents were just married, the country was in a time of turmoil, and they were imprisoned in a camp. For a time, the country has been safe. But a new trouble is bubbling: bandits stealing children for ransom money. Since Fefa’s family is wealthy, and the bandits would have a lot of children to choose from, the family is very afraid that one of their children will be targeted.
Also, the land around her family home is quite dangerous. One day, her oldest brother decides that he is going to take down a crocodile that has been threatening their home. He is confident that he can beat this beast; unfortunately, he’s not as capable as he thinks he is. The crocodile wounds him in such a way that farm work is no longer an option for his future. After struggling over his injury, he decides to become a teacher. And his first pupil? Who better than his own sister, Fefa!
As with all her books, I loved this one. I loved it so much I couldn’t keep it a secret and so I shared it with crafting buddy and emerging author Hannah Rials. Hannah joins us today with some great extension activities to bring The Wild Book alive and let you explore the wonders of Fefa’s world.
I was a little taken aback by the poetry format of The Wild Book; however, after only a few pages, I was hooked. The language that Margarita Engle chooses to use for Fefa is absolutely beautiful and captivating. Her descriptions are unique, phrases that I’ve never heard of. This story also does a wonderful job of tastefully writing about a young girl struggling with Dyslexia. She does nothing to degrade the struggle, but almost makes it beautiful. She gives Fefa hope, even when the girl is struggling. Fefa can help children with Dyslexia to understand that they are not alone, and they are not a problem. Dyslexia is not impossible, it is just a hindrance that can be overcome.
Something To Do:
1. Make your own chapbook to put your own poems, thoughts, and dreams in. Here’s a great tutorial at English Drawings.
2. Here is a link to a list of apps that are helpful for students with dyslexia.
3. Fefa’s mom’s favorite place was the beach, where they only visited once a year. And what do you do at the beach? Collect seashells! Here’s a cool new activity from Rainy Day Mum if you have too many seashells to know what to do with.
4. Cuba-The culture of Cuba is rich in just about everything. To learn more about the beautiful country National Geographic Kids has done a great job.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge-
Get a FREE Diversity Book for Your Classroom Library!
Teachers! We want to help you build your classroom library with diverse, inclusive and multicultural books! Here’s how to get a free book through Multicultural Children’s Book Day on January 27th. You can also win a Skype author visit with a children’s book author! We will draw a winner from the teachers who signed up. This year the Skype author visit is with (to be announced).
LATEST EXCITING UPDATE! Junior Library Guild has agreed to sponsor this portion of the MCCBD 2016 event and donate up to 200 books for classrooms and teachers!
Go HERE for more details or to sign up your classroom and earn a FREE handcover multicultural children’s book!
An exhibition of the work of Golden Age illustrator Harvey Dunn has opened at the Norman Rockwell Museum.
Dunn grew up on a South Dakota farm and studied with Howard Pyle. He became an artist reporter in World War I, and then spent the balance of his career as an influential story illustrator and teacher.
The exhibition includes work from throughout his career, as well as paintings by some of his noteworthy students such as Dean Cornwell, Henry C. Pitz, Mead Schaeffer, Harold von Schmidt, Frank Street, Saul Tepper, John Clymer, Lyman Anderson, and James E. Allen. There will also be public talks by experts on Dunn.
They'll be showing the little film I put together using footage by Frank Reilly. (Link to Video)
Dunn said, “We think of art as sort of a flimsy thing,” he said, “but do you realize that the only thing left from ancient times is the art… The Greek statues that are armless and nameless are just as beautiful today as they were the day the unknown sculptor laid down his hammer and chisel and said, ‘Oh, hell, I can’t do it!'” The exhibition will be up through March 13. NRM presents: Harvey Dunn and His Students
0 Comments on Harvey Dunn at the NRM as of 11/17/2015 10:56:00 AM
Sidebar, the podcast with lively interviews of comic artists and illustrators, will be shutting down.
"As announced on our final show (#337), all the Sidebar back episodes — including the ones previously archived in our store — are available for free download over the next three weeks. After early December, no more. We will be shutting this blog down along with all other hosting sites."
You can still hear 2010 my interview for free. Many thanks to Dwight, Swain, and Adrian for all the great interviews you've done over the years, and thanks, Eric, for letting me know.
0 Comments on Sidebar to Close as of 11/17/2015 8:34:00 AM
As punishment for plotting with his brothers to steal immortality, Garreth is suffering a freezing torment until the end of time. Again and again, his fierce fighter’s physique is frozen into a chiseled ice sculpture, his heart hardening like a diamond in his chest—only to thaw and resume the chilling torture. Until, like his older brother Dethan, he is offered a reprieve from a goddess—in exchange for his allegiance in a celestial civil war.
Garreth lives to fight and fights to live. But while laying siege to an embattled city, he finds another reason to go on—a beautiful warrior woman named Sarielle, who commands a mythic beast through a mysterious and powerful bond. Terrified of her strength, the city rulers have kept her captive, and now she refuses to submit to a new master. As Garreth seeks to unleash her passion and melt the icy resistance of her heart, will he become her ultimate salvation—or lead them both to greater destruction?
Disclaimer: I received no compensation from the author, Netgalley or the publisher for this honest review.
This is the second book in this series. You can read my review of the first one here.
This story focuses on Garreth, the warrior cursed to freeze at night. He tries to have icy control over his heart and emotions but all that gets disrupted by innocent and vulnerable Sarielle whose heart is just as chilled and guarded as his.
The mix of jaded warrior (Garreth) versus innocent, yet stubborn protector (Sarielle) made the story a decent read. This one took me longer to read than the first one and I can't quite pinpoint why. Overall, so far, this series is pretty good.
Would I recommend this? This sequel keeps the pace set by the first. If you like to finish a series then yes, go for it.
Don't forget to get the first book in this series
For centuries, Dethan has been trapped in a fiery inferno for defying the gods and snatching the power of immortality. Condemned to have his battle-hardened body licked by flames only to regenerate and be consumed all over again, Dethan has lost all hope—until the Goddess of Conflict appears. She will release him from torment—if he’ll use his power and strength as a warrior to raise an army and defeat a fierce enemy faction of gods.
Free to live as a man once again, Dethan meets Selinda—heir to the throne of Hexis—and his thoughts quickly turn from the conquest of cities to the conquest of this headstrong beauty. Betrothed to a cruel, calculating powermonger, Selinda needs a champion, and so Dethan enters into another bargain: If she will share her bed—and her body—with him, Dethan will save her city from destructive forces within and without. As the lovers ignite a searing passion, Dethan will risk all—even the wrath of the Goddess of Conflict—for a chance to make Selinda his forever.
Congratulations to SCBWI-Houston authors Marianne Dyson, Marilyn Evans and Sara Joiner!
Each of them has a book included in the National Science Teachers’ list Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12: 2016. The notes below are abbreviated excerpts from the authors’ or publishers’ websites. Follow the links to see the whole story!
Marianne’s Dyson and her famous co-author Buzz Aldrin made the list with their new book WELCOME TO MARS: MAKING A HOME ON THE RED PLANET. As NASA prepares for a future mission to Mars, moon explorer Buzz Aldrin offers valuable insights, based upon the latest thoughts on what it will take for human habitation on Mars to become a reality. Visit MArianne Dayso’s website for a free download of an eight-page teacher’s guide for grades 2-8. Individual downloads for each grade level are also available.
Marilyn Grohoske Evans debut picture book SPIT & STICKS: A CHIMNEY FULL OF SWIFTSrelates the life cycle of swift birds and its analogy with a human family. Informative text tells the story of the diligent swifts alongside wordless illustrations of the family on the farm. This parallel story of two very different, but both growing, families follows the changes in each as summer gives way to fall and the humans wave good-bye to the departing swifts—until next year.
Librarian Sara K. Joiner made the list with her debut middle grade novel AFTER THE ASHES. In this riveting coming-of-age survival story, a stubborn and intellectual teen must fight for her life when the mighty volcano Krakatau erupts and puts her hometown on the Javanese coast in mortal danger. Set against the backdrop of one of the most spectacularly horrifying natural disasters in human history, this debut novel is by turns exciting, funny, tragic and poignant.
Here’s this week’s events:
NOVEMBER 17, 24 & DECEMBER 1, TUESDAYS, 7-8:30 PM WRITESPACE YOUNG WRITERS CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP (Ages 14-19) COST: $75.00; Limited to 12 High School Students
In this workshop, instructor Elizabeth White-Olsen will examine aspects of craft that go far beyond high school. Students will venture deep into the process of creating stories and study crucial components of craft such as character motivation, gesture, point of view, scene-building, as well as learn to fulfill the famous writing adage, “show, don’t tell.” Along with exploring fiction, we will study poetry and poetic techniques.
Writing Real Teenagers for Real Teenage Readers (and Adult Readers, Too!)
Realistic young adult fiction is filling the bestseller lists, and books by Rainbow Rowell, John Green, and E. Lockhart are captivating the attentions of readers both young and old. But how can an adult writer craft an authentic teenager as protagonist? How do we as grown ups write stories full of the tension, excitement, longing and frustration that come with being 16?
This three-hour workshop focuses on writing realistic contemporary fiction for young adults. We’ll spend time in class studying a mentor text and discussing how and why it works, including analyzing the voice, characterization, setting, structure, pacing and plot. Participants will have time to write in class, applying our conversations to an existing work in progress, or they may choose to respond to an exercise or two. Sharing is optional but encouraged. Participants will leave with a reading list of some of the best contemporary young adult fiction from recent years as well as resources on the querying and publishing process.
Note: This workshop is geared toward writers of contemporary, realistic YA, rather than toward writers of paranormal and fantasy YA.
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