Books for kids, teens, & those who are young at heart

Category: Nature (Page 11 of 20)

Twig Stories Author Jo Marshall on Research

A big thanks to everyone who voted for Elixir Bound in the You Gotta Read June cover contest…it took second place (and earned two months of free advertising)! While I’m off celebrating, please welcome Jo Marshall, author of the gorgeous Twig Stories and fellow puzzle enthusiast, as she shares some great tips on research.

SF image 5 chap 13 barkbiter battle - CROPPEDThanks, Katie, for inviting me to talk about research strategies and tips. It’s a kick to be on your blog, especially since we have something in common besides writing books for kids. You once edited a puzzle magazine.  Working puzzles happens to be my passion!  Finding the right puzzle piece is like doing research to find that perfect fact, which fits a scene in your book. Once you do, your puzzle fits together brilliantly!  With that in mind, here’s a few of my researching tips.

First, if I might describe the puzzle box for my stories.  I write eco-literary, fantasy novels called Twig Stories for young readers, ages 8 to 12.  Twigs are impish, amusing, stick creatures, and live in a land of jagged, volcanic peaks, serene glacial lakes, moss-draped rainforests, and windswept prairies similar to where I live in Snohomish, Washington in the Pacific Northwest.  Devastating climate change events are impacting this region.

First tip ~ Assemble the frame of your puzzle first.

Although Twigs are pure fantasy, climate change is real.  Due to an overabundance of information, I continually research climate shift in the Pacific Northwest.  I decide which pieces of the climate crisis puzzle will sweep young readers into the thrilling, fantastic world of Twigs, and at the same time increase their concern for nature.  Only those pieces which make Twig Stories entertaining, yet are actual ecological facts form the frame.  Endangered animals like the spirit bear, horned lark, and salamanders fit the criteria easily, and of course, scary climatic events like glacial outburst floods and dying forests caused by bark beetles fit, too.

Second tip ~ Sort the pieces of your story into topics or groups.

After I have a frame, I group my pieces.  You might choose those parts of your story you need to understand better.  For each of my four books, I chose four specific climate change impacts to research – glacial floods, dying forests, shrinking glaciers, and species adaptation.  These choices immediately gave the stories focus, determined the action, offered clarity to the theme, and created resolution to the conflict.  Other groups might be characters or places.

Third tip ~ Figure out where your pieces fit.

To find where your pieces go, you need to collect descriptive facts for your groups.  Adequate descriptions that embrace the splendor of the Twigs forest home with all its exquisite complexity require research.  For your character group you may need to know what they wear, how they shelter, where they travel, for example.  Placing facts in your story immediately inspires your characterizations and plot.  Nothing motivates my Twigs to reach beyond their limits more than discovering the tremendous diversity in nature.  I constantly rewrite the descriptions and action (usually for the better!) to match fact.  If I’m ever stumped, or wonder, “What happens next?” I often find the answer on an internet fact search.  Through description, you discover where pieces fit into the story, and so the puzzle starts to come together.

Fourth tip ~ Use all your resources!

Like using 5 lamps on your puzzle table to see better, you can use every resource at your fingertips!  The internet is fantastic for global fact-finding.  But there are other ways to research, too.  Libraries, authors, television documentaries, radio shows – whatever you can find to uncover facts for your story will work.  Occasionally you grip that puzzle piece that won’t fit anywhere.  It just doesn’t make sense, but it’s essential to the action.  Ask the experts!  I sent emails to professors and nonprofit officers asking for help.  Most were amazingly generous with their guidance.  All of my manuscripts were reviewed by different conservation experts in the fields of wildlife, forestry, geology, glaciology, biology, and climate change.  Without their helpful suggestions, Twigs would not have such excellent adventures!

Placing the last piece in the puzzle is always a thrill.  Once all the pieces, or facts, are in place, your readers will love your story and also know a little more about your world and theirs, and that is a very satisfying feeling.

Thanks again, Katie, for sharing Twig Stories with your fans and followers.  I hope my puzzle perspective encourages writers of all genres to research and infuse their stories with facts.  I’m sure their readers will love it!

Twig Stories ~ Leaf & the Sky of Fire ~ front coverLeaf & the Sky of Fire blurb:

Twigs live in a fragile world of old forests and magnificent glaciers threatened by climate change, yet Twigs stick together to survive! In a dying forest – infested with bark beetles – small, stick creatures called Twigs are forced to hide in a cave, or be devoured by the ravenous barkbiters! A young Twig named Leaf attempts a foolhardy rescue, but instead leads them all into even greater danger for now they are pursued by barkbiters and fire!  Still, the Twigs have courageous companions. Three loyal salamanders and a fearless, misplaced chameleon guard the Twigs during their escape over a barren ridge. In their darkest moments, a spirit bear stalks them.  And the barkbiters are relentless as they swarm after the Twigs.  Soon the firestorm panics all the forest creatures!  But there is one passage south, if only the Twigs discover it in time!

Royalties are shared with nonprofits concerned with wildlife protection, climate change research, nature conservancy, and forest preservation.

Twig Stories are beautifully illustrated by D.W. Murray, an award-winning Disney artist. His credits include Mulan, Tarzan, Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear, and Curious George. He is a recipient of the New York Society of Illustrators Gallery and the 2004 Gold Aurora Award.

Twig Stories are available in kindle ebooks and paperbacks worldwide. Check out Leaf & the Rushing Waters, Leaf & the Sky of Fire, and Leaf & the Long Ice. Leaf & Echo Peak arrives early 2014!

JoMarshall.PHOTOAbout the Author:

Jo volunteered as a literacy tutor for elementary school children for many years.  In 1986, while living in West Berlin, she earned a B.A. in German Language and Literature from the University of Maryland, Europe. In Berlin, she worked as a liaison between the military and diplomatic communities. Jo lived in the D.C. area from 1999 to 2006, and worked in litigation for two nonprofit organizations as the legal assistant to the General Counsel.  Jo enjoys mysteries, puzzles, board games, science, NPR, PBS, and Big Band era music. She is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, Read A Book Make A Difference, and many forest and wildlife conservation nonprofits. Jo lives with her family in Snohomish, Washington. For more about Jo visit her Amazon author page.

Summer Nights at the Beach

080I took a drive by the beach at 11:00 the other night to take a look at the moon. It wasn’t quite the “super moon” anymore, but it was still big and bright. As I slowly drove down the one-way beach road, windows down, music loud, I noticed how many teens were out and about.

Several groups of just boys or just girls, a couple of mixed groups, and lots of couples. All looking impossibly young to be out on their own at 11:00 at night. Then again, I’ve always looked impossibly young for whatever stage of life I’m in. (I blame this skewed perception of age on TV and movies, where most teen roles are played by non-teens.)

Then I remembered my own days as a teen hanging at those very same beaches (yup, I’m a lifer here in my hometown!). The thick summer air cut only by the cool breeze off the water. Crickets chirping and waves lightly crashing. Too-short shorts not covering enough skin. Sand squishing between my toes.

It was summer and we were free. Free from school, free from wearing all but the skimpiest of clothing, and free to be reckless and stupid. My friends and I were most likely doing things we probably won’t tell our kids about now and things we definitely didn’t want our parents to find out about then. Those were the days, indeed!

It’s good writing fodder to have a rush of memories like that. Makes me feel both young and old, if you know what I mean. What are your fond memories of summertime as a teen?

Shameless Plug: Vote for the Cover of Elixir Bound

Elixer_Bound_300dpiA lot of you have expressed your love for the cover of Elixir Bound, created by the talented C.K. Volnek. I, too, love this cover and really appreciate the level of detail on it…and I really can’t wait to see it on the cover of the paperback (update: looks like a late summer release date)!

So I wanted to let you all know that the Elixir Bound cover is one of You Gotta Read’s entries for the June cover contest. The entry should be posting today (entry #10), and voting starts June 21 and goes until June 26. If it places in the top 3, I’ll get some free advertising on their website.

On a less pluggy note, great weather here in CT this weekend. We took a walk to the beach on Saturday and on Sunday went strawberry picking and did the wine tasting at the farm’s winery. Love those fresh strawberries, but it was early in the season so the pickings were a bit slim. May have to go back in a couple of weeks when all those green berries are red. How was your weekend?

Spring 2013 in Pictures

As the unofficial start of summer kicked off this past weekend, I thought I’d take a look back at what I did this spring. As seems to be the usual lately in coastal CT March weather was crappy, May proved far rainier than April, and June looks to be starting out hot, hot, hot. But you know what they say about weather in New England…if you don’t like it, just wait a few minutes.

So what I have been up to lately (other than writing Elixir Saved and editing other poeple’s books)? Mostly hanging out with The Boy. Here’s a picture essay of my spring.

Our first trip to the zoo...checking out the wolves.

Our first trip to the zoo…checking out the wolves.

Now looking at The Boy's favorite animal...tiger!

Now looking at The Boy’s favorite animal…tiger!

Cousins hugging during out trip to the Poconos.

Cousins hugging during out trip to the Poconos.

Hiking to the waterfall in the Poconos.

Hiking to the waterfall in the Poconos.

More hiking, this time at Sleeping Giant.

More hiking, this time at Sleeping Giant.

Walking (mostly running) to the top of the castle at Sleeping Giant.

Walking (mostly running) to the top of the castle at Sleeping Giant.

One of many times climbing the dinosaur stairs at the park after library story time.

One of many times climbing the dinosaur stairs at the park after library story time.

Mother's Day tea tasting.

Mother’s Day tea tasting.

Our second trip to the zoo...this peacock may or may not have stolen my sweatshirt. It's still a bit of a mystery what happened to the sweatshirt.

Our second trip to the zoo…this peacock may or may not have stolen my sweatshirt. It’s still a bit of a mystery what happened to the sweatshirt.

Baby goat at the zoo (we also got to see baby hogs)...too cute!

Baby goat at the zoo (we also got to see baby hogs)…too cute!

Beach time!

Beach time!

Footsteps in the sand...Mommy's aren't that much bigger than The Boy's!

Footsteps in the sand…Mommy’s aren’t that much bigger than The Boy’s!

First backyard fire.

First backyard fire.

I’m sure summer will bring lots more zoo, park, beach time. Maybe some fireworks thrown in there. Perhaps a completed draft of Elixir Saved. A weekend trip to upstate New York for the end of the summer. The Boy’s 2nd birthday. I’m trying to plan a low key family trip for early September, but not making much progress on that. What are your plans for the summer?

 

Transformative Power of the Senses

I’m always amazed at how a  small detail—a sight glimpsed out of the corner of my eye; the whiff of an familiar, but forgotten, smell; a tickle of sound in my ear—can transform me to a different place. And not always a physical place, sometimes a place in time.

Honeysuckle, with its far-reaching sweet scent and sticky nectar, brings me back to early summer during my childhood. When there was always a tree to climb or a brook to explore or a patch of asphalt to skin my knees on. When the sun stayed up late and my parents allowed me to play outside until a late bedtime.

The album Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos transports me to a white mini-van packed to the gills with my family and our luggage. Cruising down the highway toward Florida, scenery rushing by as we drove south to Florida. My siblings and I singing “The Name Game” song: “Chuck, Chuck, bo-buck, banana-fana fo-“. My sisters and I cutting off and then cracking up when my brother—the youngest, who was only three—shouted out the swearword.

IMAG0721

The view in Connecticut.

Today as The Boy and I walked to the beach, a puff of white in the space between two houses made me suck in a surprised breath as my mind traveled 6,300 miles to the island of Moorea in French Polynesia. Once we arrived at the beach, I stopped for a better look. Puff up those clouds a little more, change the gray waters of Long Island Sound to a see-through turquoise, substitute Long Island for an island in the South Pacific, and turn the rest of the slightly overcast sky to a pale blue…and I was in paradise.

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The view in Moorea, French Polynesia.

Okay, I realize looking at the two pictures, the views aren’t even close to each other, but something about that quick glance set the gears in my mind turning and brought me to another place. Both sights are beautiful in their own ways, don’t you think?

What senses bring you to a memory?

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