My reviews for MMGM, Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, under the Magical Gazebo this week include three books that all involve going through a portal or transition to a land beyond. They couldn’t be more different than one another but each has a distinctive experience in another land, powerful lessons they learn there, and key decision points that will change their lives forever. Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley A dying grandfather shares amazing stories of a circus with an invisible tiger, a flying birdwoman, and the magician called The Man Who Bends Light, stories that may in fact be real. Young…
The Unexpected Dazzling Swim Class
Everyone moved side to side, warming up as dancers before a ballet or jazz class. A few stretched, but mainly tried not to splash their neighbor too much. The music started and was festive with accents from the 1980s. It lifted us all with a can-do attitude. But then they added weights… We all groaned and continued, and laughed. All except a very tall senior person, who I call the General, who was at the back of the class looking serious and sedate. It was my second week back at water aerobics here in the Bay Area and I watched…
Twitter takeover, great conferences updates, and more!
Hi friends, I’m writing this like a newsletter since there’s a lot going on right now for the blog (my Twitter is taken over by Shilo Snow!) and also with some neat conferences I’ve been able to attend. Thanks for your patience while things have been getting updated, like upcoming articles and I’m lining up some neat things. RIGHT NOW -Reclaiming Shilo Snow Scavenger Hunt! This week author Mary Weber and Just Commonly are hosting a huge, international giveaway and my Twitter feed has been taken over! If you’ve stopped at Thorn & Vine looking for the next clue, just…
Starting From Scratch by Author Sara Ella
This holiday season, I’m sure you can relate to the high expectations we all have, and those moments when things take a turn we’d never expected, and it’s time to scratch our plans and chart a new path forward. In the midst of the craziness, take a break and enjoy some refreshment from my friend, very talented Author Sara Ella. Starting from Scratch by Sara Ella Do you ever buy those baking mixes from the grocery store? You know, the ones that basically come with everything you need except for oil, water, and eggs? They’re so easy to use, my…
The Other Side of Unblemished with YA Author Sara Ella
My dear friend Young Adult Author Sara Ella shares all kinds of insights about her debut novel, Unblemished, which is launching October 11th, 2016. Scroll down to see the YouTube interview. As a resilience expert, I dig deeper into character insights and choices Sara made while developing the plot and character aspects. Sara shares interesting tidbits to watch for, like the influence of musical theater on the chapter titles, and even about a character that took over the whole story line. He just wouldn’t keep in check! Check out my review of her wonderful adventurous book and connect with Sara…
Recent Comments