Category: Guest (Page 7 of 43)

Cover Reveal PRINCESS BREEZE by Beverly Stowe McClure

May 31, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

Writer friend and big supporter of the kidlit community Beverly Stowe McClure is here to share the cover for her upcoming middle grade novel PRINCESS BREEZE, a sequel to JUST BREEZE. Let’s give Beverly a big welcome!

PRINCESS BREEZE blurb:

For months, Breeze Brannigan has heard nothing from Cam, the prince she met at school, who disappeared one night, without telling her goodbye. On the night she graduates from middle school, however, he contacts her and invites her to visit Isla del Fuego, his home. Who could refuse such an invitation?

Breeze along with her whole family and best friends, Amy and Allison, soon sail to the island, where she and Cam renew their friendship. But danger lurks; a legend comes to life; and Breeze finds herself in the middle of a battle that can have one winner.

About the Author:

Most of the time, you’ll find Award-Winning Author Beverly Stowe McClure at her computer, typing stories young voices whisper in her ears. When she’s not writing, she’s snapping pictures of wildlife, flowers, and clouds. She’s affectionately known as the “Bug Lady.” She’s not telling why. To relax she plays the piano. Her fur babies don’t appreciate good music and hide when she tickles the ivories.

Beverly is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She also teaches a women’s Sunday school class at her church.

Find more about Beverly and her books on her website.

May #InkRipples: 10 YA and MG Novels Inspired by Fairy Tales & Myths

May 8, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

Last week I touched on why fairy tales make for such good fodder for story ideas. And as promised, here are some of my favorite YA and MG novels that drew inspiration from fairy tales and myths (I’ve included myths here because they are also great sources of inspiration for similar reasons that fairy tales are…and I happen to have some great examples!) with quotes from the authors to give you even further insight into their ideas.

CRUEL BEAUTY by Rosamund Hodge

“A good fairy tale retelling taps into that sense of story-behind-story. It feels inevitable. You read it and you think, Yes, obviously, this is what happened. This is what it means. Writing a fairy tale retelling feels like discovery, not invention. Why did I combine Beauty and the Beast with Bluebeard? Because I was thinking about those stories one day and I realized, Beauty married the Beast in order to kill him. She’s afraid she will die like his previous wives. That’s what happened. How else could it be?” ~Rosamund Hodge (from an interview on Epic Reads)

ASH by Malinda Lo

“Ash has gotten a lot of attention because it is a lesbian retelling of Cinderella. But my first draft had nothing gay about it–Ash, the main character, fell in love with the prince…. After I got some feedback from a friend, I realized that Ash was actually much more interested in one of the female characters, the huntress. That realization was startling to me; I had written all of that into the story without even consciously knowing it.” ~Malinda Lo (from an interview on Cynsations)

THE LIGHTNING THIEF by Rick Riordan

“My son Haley asked me to tell him some bedtime stories about the Greek gods and heroes…. I remembered a creative writing project I used to do with my sixth graders — I would let them create their own demigod hero, the son or daughter of any god they wanted, and have them describe a Greek-style quest for that hero. Off the top of my head, I made up Percy Jackson and told Haley all about his quest to recover Zeus’ lightning bolt in modern day America.” ~Rick Riordan (from the author’s website FAQ)

BEAUTY (and ROSE DAUGHTER) by Robin McKinley

“Beauty and the Beast has been my favourite fairy-tale since I was about six; I still have the book I first read it in. When I wrote Beauty, I sat down, as I thought, to write a short story, and found I had more to say than I expected…. Beauty and the Beast is still my favourite fairy-tale…it was the only fairy-tale around that didn’t have the heroine waiting limply to be rescued by the hero…. I wrote Rose Daughter, as I say, in a six-month hurtle. And in hindsight I realize what fueled the hurtle, why, having tapped into a new lode of Beauty and the Beast in my mind and heart and bloodstream, the story shaped itself and shot out onto the page as it did.” ~Robin McKinley (from an essay on author’s website)

ELLA ENCHANTED by Gail Carson Levine

“I wrote [Ella Enchanted] because I love fairy tales and I’d just read Beauty by Robin McKinley, which I admired enormously…. I was starting a new writing class and needed an idea, so I thought maybe I could expand a fairy tale too. “Cinderella” is such an important tale, it’s the first one I thought of. But when I considered it, I realized I didn’t like Cinderella or understand her. She’s so disgustingly good! And why does she take orders from her horrible stepmother and stepsisters?” ~Gail Carson Levine (from the author’s website)

ICE by Sarah Beth Durst

“I was initially inspired by a picture book of the Norwegian folktale “East of the Sun and West of the Moon” illustrated by P.J. Lynch. Specifically, there’s one illustration in there of the “lassie” where she has her hand on her hip and she’s wearing this you-won’t-stop-me expression. As soon as I saw that illustration, I knew I wanted to write about that kind of girl–a fearless girl who won’t be stopped.” ~Sarah Beth Durst (from an interview on YA Book Queen)

THE HUNGER GAMES by Suzanne Collins

“[The Hunger Games is] very much based on the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, which I read when I was eight years old. I was a huge fan of Greek and Roman mythology. As punishment for displeasing Crete, Athens periodically had to send seven youths and seven maidens to Crete, where they were thrown into the labyrinth and devoured by the Minotaur, which is a monster that’s half man and half bull. Even when I was a little kid, the story took my breath away, because it was so cruel, and Crete was so ruthless.” ~Suzanne Collins (from an interview with the School Library Journal)

QUEST OF THE HART by Mary Waibel

“Quest of the Hart…the first book in the Princess of Valendria series, is a reverse Sleeping Beauty. This story all started when a friend suggested I write a book where the girly-girl saves the guy. While thinking about how to adapt this idea, I kept thinking of the princess in the tower needing rescue, and Sleeping Beauty popped into my mind. I pulled out my DVD, sat down with pen and paper, and jotted down the sequence of how things happened in the Disney version. Armed with a plan, I started working on my own version, and Quest of the Hart was born.” ~Mary Waibel (from an email from the author)

CINDER by Marissa Meyer

“I entered a writing contest [and chose two prompts]: Set the story in the future and include a fairy-tale character. My contest entry was a sci-fi version of “Puss in Boots” and I had so much fun writing it that I thought I would try to do an entire series of science-fiction fairy tales!… So I started to brainstorm what futuristic twists I could give to some of my favorite fairy tales. A couple months later I was drifting off to sleep when the lightning bolt struck: Cinderella… as a cyborg! My head instantly filled with all sorts of ideas and I had to crawl out of bed and start taking notes.” ~Marissa Meyer (from the author’s website FAQ)

ENTWINED by Heather Dixon

“I’ve always loved the Twelve Dancing Princesses. I remember looking through page after page of a beautifully illustrated storybook when I was a kid, and just wishing I could live in their world. So, the visual element just really stuck for me.

I also have, like, a million sisters.” ~Heather Dixon (from an interview on Enchanted by a Book)

Okay, now it’s your turn to share your favorite retellings (and feel free to branch out from books and include other media)!

#InkRipples is a monthly meme created by Katie L. Carroll, Mary Waibel, and Kai Strand. We pick a topic (May is about fairy tales), drop a ripple in the inkwell (i.e. write about it on our blogs), and see where the conversation goes. We’d love to have you join in the conversation on your own blogs or on your social media page. Full details and each month’s topic can be found on my #InkRipples page.

The Inspiration Behind TWICE BETRAYED by Gayle C. Krause

April 26, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m pleased to welcome writer friend Gayle C. Krause to the blog today. She is celebrating her latest release, the middle grade historical fiction TWICE BETRAYED, and sharing the inspiration behind the book. Welcome, Gayle!

Thanks for having me on your blog today, Katie. I’m so proud to share my newest novel with your readers. If you like the 1776 era in American history, the story of a young girl’s loyalty to her friends, mystery, danger, and spies, TWICE BETRAYED is for you.

So, what inspired me to write TWICE BETRAYED?

Well, I’ve always loved history and discovering how things came to be.

When I walked in Pompeii, I felt like I had been there before.

In the Coliseum, a new story about one of the entertainers blossomed, which I’ve yet to write, but it’s taken its place in my brain queue.

In the Caribbean, I’m positive the long-lost pirates whispered to me with each crash of the waves, and so I also have a female pirate story I’m working on.

But Perdy’s story was different. I wrote it first, and when I visited the Betsy Ross House, after the story was completed, I froze in my tracks. My husband asked me what was wrong.

But nothing was wrong…it was right. I had described the shop, the kitchen, the bedroom Perdy shared with her sister and grandmother in great detail, with the only difference between Twice Betrayed and the real thing being the shape of the stairs. Mine are square with landings between floors and the real house has circular stairs within the walls.

And since the whole story about Betsy Ross making the first flag is a legend, with no real proof that she actually made it (ask any historian), it was a perfect setting for my story.

I come from a long line of seamstresses and am a certified Home Economics teacher, where I also taught sewing to my students, so you can see how the sewing bits in the story are relevant.

TWICE BETRAYED is a mix of fact and fiction stitched together to bring a new light to the fabric of our beginnings, told from the eyes of a thirteen-year-old girl, who fell into a web of deceit and struggled to win her freedom, just like the country being born around her.

TWICE BETRAYED blurb:

With the spark of independence crackling in Colonial Philadelphia, three girls dress as boys and head to the river to put a perilous plan into action, but only two return. The third, a milliner’s assistant, is found drowned, with gold in her hems, coded spy letters in her bodice, and a journal implicating another sewing apprentice in the treacherous plot.

All eyes turn toward Perdy Rogers, Betsy Ross’ thirteen-year-old apprentice, but she’s no spy! With her life on the line, she struggles to untangle herself from the web of deceit and learns the hard way that freedom, whether an individual’s or a country’s, comes at a cost.

If you or you followers read TWICE BETRAYED, I’d appreciate a review on Amazon and Goodreads. Thanks for having me. Remember…

“The golden thread of friendship is what stitches hearts together!”

TWICE BETRAYED is available in paperback and ebook.

I also have a new picture book coming out this year. DADDY CAN YOU SEEE THE MOON? will be released November 7, 2017 from Clear Fork Publishing. It’s about a young boy and his soldier dad sharing special moments by looking at the moon each night. But when Dad comes home a wounded warrior, his son discovers it’s the power of love that kept them connected all along.

About the Author:

Gayle C. Krause is a member of SCBWI, KIDLIT, Ink, KSRA, and a past member of the Historical Novel Society and the Poet’s Garage. She’s served on the Rhyming Revolution Selection Committee, choosing the “best” rhyming picture book for 2015 and 2016. A Master educator, she’s taught Children’s Literature to prospective teachers at the secondary and post-secondary levels. Ms. Krause writes fantasy, contemporary, and historical fiction for Young Adult, Middle Grade, and young children. Her publishing credits include:

Rock Star Santa – Scholastic 2008.
RATGIRL: Song of the Viper – Noble Young Adult /Trowbridge Books 2013
Scheherazade’s Secret – Trowbridge Books 2014
Twice Betrayed – Trowbridge Books 2017
And coming November 7, 2017 – Daddy, Can You See the Moon? – Clear Fork Publishing.

She lives in a small town not far from where she was born. She listens to her muse sing through the trees of the Pocono Mountains and is inspired to write for children everyday. For more about Gayle, visit her website gayleckrause.com, Twitter @GeeCeeK, Facebook, and Goodreads pages.

Trailer Reveal AS YOU LAY SLEEPING by Katlyn Duncan

February 15, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

My critique buddy Katlyn Duncan is here on the blog again today, this time to reveal the trailer for her YA thriller AS YOU LAY SLEEPING. Welcome, Katlyn!

Timeless with a Twist from Sharon Chriscoe Author of RACE CAR DREAMS

February 13, 2017 / Katie L. Carroll

I’m very excited for today’s guest on the Observation Desk is the author of the picture book RACE CAR DREAMS. The boys got this one for Christmas and love it! Sharon is doing a one-day Amazon giveaway on Wednesday, so make sure to check out my Twitter (@katielcarroll) or author Facebook page on Wednesday for details on that. Welcome, Sharon!

Timeless with a Twist

by Sharon Chriscoe

Thanks for having me, Katie! When I think about my favorite children’s books, one simple word comes to mind:

Timeless.

A book that will not only hold up to reading after reading, but also generation after generation. A book that can be a treasured gift passed down through a family line or holds special memories of days gone by.

Some of my all-time favorite children’s books are: The Velveteen Rabbit, The Little Engine That Could, Corduroy, Little Bear (series) and Goodnight Moon. Each of these books has one special quality in common. They are timeless. No matter if they were read in the 1920’s or in 2017, their message is still important and needs to be shared, and loved.
Today’s market is in some ways very much the same as it has always been. Classics are still as popular as ever. Children or animals are the most common main characters. And friendship, love, perseverance, and bedtime routines are always hot topics.

However, like most other things, books are evolving. One example of how children’s books are evolving is when an author adds a twist to the story. By adding twists to their book, the author brings something fresh and new to their story and in return making it a timeless treasure that will enlighten children for decades.

Children’s book twists can take place in a classic plot, such as Mary Had A Little Glam by Tammi Sauer, or Goldilocks and The Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems, in where both authors use a familiar fairy tale but change the plot, setting, or point of view. These books are called fractured fairy tales.

Other examples of a twist can be by portraying unusual characters, such as Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast by Josh Funk, where the main characters are yes . . . just as the title suggests, a lady pancake and a sir French toast. Or The Day The Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt, a story told from the point of view of a box of crayons.

Theme is also an effective way to add a twist to your book. In Be A Friend by Salina Yoon, the theme is friendship and acceptance. But the twist is that Salina uses a mime to tell her story. Dennis, her main character, never speaks a word, yet the ‘reader’ hears every one.

Another example of a twist can be seen in my picture book, Race Car Dreams. The twist combines both an unusual character and its theme, where a little race car does the same bedtime rituals as a child. This enables children to see themselves in the book’s little Race Car as he prepares to settle in for a good night’s sleep. By imagining that race cars also wind down their engines with a bath, a good story, and a full tummy, children are both soothed and entertained, and drift happily off to dreamland.

So, the next time you’re looking for a new picture book idea, let your mind wander and see where the twists take you–and you might find yourself writing a timeless book of your own!

RACE CAR DREAMS blurb:

After a day at the track of zipping and zooming, a race car is tired and ready for bed. He washes his rims, fills his tummy with oil, and chooses a book that is all about speed. All toasty and warm, he drifts off to sleep, he shifts into gear . . . and dreams of the race!

Find RACE CAR DREAMS at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

About the Author:

Sharon Chriscoe may not vroom around a race track, but she does zip and zoom around in a bread truck with her husband, Ricky. Fueled with fresh bread, snacks, and writing tools, Sharon has made this her mobile office! She and her husband live in Pilot Mountain, North Carolina. They have three children and one grandchild, as well as an assortment of dogs, cats, bunnies and occasionally a groundhog. In addition to RACE CAR DREAMS, she is the author of BULLDOZER DREAMS (Running Press Kids, 2017) and FIRE TRUCK DREAMS (Running Press Kids, 2018), and THE SPARROW AND THE TREES (Arbordale Publishing, 2015). She is also a contributor to several magazines such as Highlights High Five, Highlights Hello, and The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids. She is a member of The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and is a graduate of The Institute of Children’s Literature. She is represented by Jessica Sinsheimer of the Sarah Jane Freymann Literary Agency. To learn more about Sharon, her books, and future events, visit her website: www.sharonchriscoebooks.com.