In a land of flat plains there sits a ridge of hill, and on the very top one, the one always embraced by a cloak of mist, there dwells a beast. The people of Instep, the town closest to Kneeknock Rise, hold a fair each autumn, when the weather turns surly and the Megrimum atop […]
Indie Endeavors, part 2 – Traditional vs. Self-Publishing
So you’re thinking of self-publishing? Jump into my how-to series… Read part 1: My Eight-Year Journey. Before I get into the nuts and bolts of self-publishing, I’ll take a week to lay the process alongside traditional publishing and see how it stacks up. Having never been published by the mainstream industry, I admit I’m no authority. […]
Cycles, by Lois D. Brown, Book Review
I always tread cautiously when my blog attracts requests for book reviews. I see a wide range of talent and professionalism, but Cycles, by Lois D. Brown, I am pleased to say, rates among the best stories I’ve received. Within, an accident leaves13-year-old Renee Beaumont’s life completely shaken. Not only does she narrowly escape death, […]
The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog, by John R. Erickson, 1983, Book Review
Hank is an Australian shepherd employed on an American ranch. Being “Head of Ranch Security,” as he proudly informs us, “requires a keen mind, a thick skin, and a peculiar devotion to duty. I mean, you put in sixteen-eighteen hours a day. You’re on call day and night. Your life is on the line every […]
Indie Endeavors, part 1 – My Eight-Year Journey
Last year, I choose to become an independently-published author (affectionately dubbed an “Indie”). This year, I’m going make an effort to share some of my experiences with others who may be considering the same route. Today, as my first post in this series, I’ll describe the eight-year road that precluded my own decision. Actually, I’ve […]
Thirteen Treasures, by Michelle Harrison, 2010, Book Review
Tanya can see fairies. Unfortunately, she can’t explain away the odd things that always seem happen to her because no one else can see them. So Tanya ends up holding the blame each time they cause mischief. And now her mother has had enough. Tanya is being sent on an extended visit to her grandmother’s […]
Belle Prater's Boy, by Ruth White, 1996, Book Review
Belle Prater’s Boy is just the kind of book I love–beautifully written, moving, and full of thoughtful conclusions. It’s 1953 and Gypsy’s Aunt Belle has disappeared without a trace. Her cousin, Woodrow, comes to live in Granny and Grandpa Ball’s house right next door. He looks rough, with his hand-me-down mining clothes and his crossed […]
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by JK Rowling, 2000, Book Review
This is one seriously long book! As much as I love the story–this is my third time through and I’m delighted all over again because my brain just doesn’t retain details–one of my few complaints is that it is so long. I know more than one kid who has balked at its length. Personally, because […]
Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney, 2007, Book Review
Somehow this book flew under my radar. Since it came out, it has prompted a whole Wimpy Kid series and even a movie, but it just made its way into my hands today. It’s an easy read, I finished the whole thing in an hour, but I now understand the rage. It’s hilarious in a […]
Turtle in Paradise, by Jennifer L. Holm, 2010, Book Review
Turtle in Paradise is just the kind of book I love to read best. Sweet and clean, well-crafted, beautiful, with a host of characters I wish I knew, and an open-armed family at the end. It claimed Newbery honors last year. Turtle grew up in New Jersey with her single mother. She’s the steady one in […]