 Interview by Ashley Eastman Featuring Fatal Mistake Each day could be her last… Tara Parrish is the only person ever to survive an attack by the Lone Wolf bomber. Scared and emotionally scarred by her near death, she goes into hiding with only one plan–to stay alive for another day. She knows he’s coming after her, and if he finds her, he will finish what he started. But not if he can help it. Agent Cal Riggins has had only one goal for the past six months–to save lives by ending the Lone Wolf’s bombing spree. To succeed, he needs the help of Tara Parrish, the one person who can lead them to the bomber. Cal puts his all into finding Tara, but once he locates her, he realizes if he can find her, the Lone Wolf can, too. He must protect Tara at all costs, and they’ll both need to resist the mutual attraction growing between them to focus on hunting down the bomber, because one wrong move could be fatal. "Serial killers, romance and bombs, oh my! Fatal mistake is a thrill ride from page one. Hop on, strap in, and prepare to be entertained!" - Lynette Eason - bestselling, award-winning author of the Elite Guardians series Ashley: What was your inspiration for writing the White Knights series? Susan: The White Knights series was born during the six weeks I spent with FBI agents at the FBI Citizen’s Academy. I saw the agent’s incredible hearts for helping others. I also saw how that heart for others motivated them and also how it took a toll on them. When things turn ugly and law enforcement professionals can no longer control the situation, making them unable to provide the needed help, they take it harder than most people. I thought about how a group of agents on a special team that deploys to particularly difficult situations might behave if they couldn’t provide help. Then I wondered how being a Christian might impact their actions and knew I had to put their faith to a test. To challenge these agents, I had to find really BIG problems that they couldn’t simply use their tremendous skills and abilities to solve on their own. I wanted them to realize they couldn’t rely on their own strength and training, but must turn to God and each other for help, only then could they succeed on the job and in life. Since the team is a Critical Incident Response Team, I needed to look at news headlines to see the type of incidents these agents might respond to. For Fatal Mistake I chose a serial bomber who has struck so many times and escaped capture that the agent in charge of the investigation has learned he can’t bring in the bomber on his own and the reader sees him struggle with this realization. Ashley: Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique? Susan: Tara Parrish is your everyday woman who is faced with an extraordinary challenge. At first she runs from the seemingly insurmountable problem, but then digs in and starts to fight back. I think this is how many of us first face a challenge, and that the reader can easily see themselves in her and can imagine being in her shoes. Cal Riggins is an FBI agent whose past lost of a person close to him has left him driven with the need to protect others. In Fatal Mistake that pushes him beyond reasonable limits to find the Lone Wolf bomber. And when God doesn’t respond in Cal’s timing, he takes things into his own hands. I know I do this at times and I’m sure readers do, too, and can relate. Ashley: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows. Susan: Tara grew up on a farm. As a child she wanted to be a farmer just like her father. That ended when her parents were killed in crash. Cal must live in Washington D.C. for his job, but he secretly wishes he could live in the boonies somewhere without any neighbors and lots of land surrounding his home. Ashley: In three sentences, what is this book about? Susan: How about three phrases? Serial killer. Terrifying bombs. Learning to trust God through it all, even when all seems lost. Ashley: Sad truth right there. It seems like we trust God the most during tough trials in our life. Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story? Susan: Though I at first I didn’t use outlines, after writing a few suspense books with intricate details that needed to be kept track of and resolved, I decided I would spend a lot less time rewriting if I started to outline. So I created my first outline and have never looked back. Ashley: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers? Susan: Well, hopefully none of the readers will ever experience a bomb, but they can identify with Cal and Tara as they struggle with trusting God and others. They both must learn to trust God and leave the outcome up to Him. And, isn’t that the core of faith and something we all struggle with at times? Ashley: Sure is. What is your favorite genre to write for? Susan: Suspense, particularly romantic suspense is my favorite genre to not only write but to read as well. I love the combination of fast paced action. The mental challenge of figuring out who the bad guy is and a healthy dose of romance combined with all of it. Ashley: How many books are planned for this series? Susan: There are six members of the White Knights team and each book features one of the team members so there is potential for six books. Ashley: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination? Susan: There was a tremendous amount of research required about bombs and FBI investigative procedures for this book. I found myself being very interested and yet terrified at what I discovered about bombs, as you can easily obtain items needed to create a bomb. Ashley: How do you strike the right balance in your Romance Suspense book? Susan: I try to balance romance and suspense equally. I have the riveting, move along at a fast pace suspense, then I slow it down with character issues and romance. It seems to balance quite well in my opinion and readers often confirm that for me. Ashley: Are you working on the next book in the series? Susan: The next book is called Kill Shot and it is completed and will release in February 2018 Ashley: Can you give us a hint at the next book in the series? Susan: Sure. Here’s the back cover copy. Some fears haunt you forever…. As the ballistics and weapon’s expert for the FBI’s special task force nicknamed the White Knights, Rick Cannon has known the Department of Defense was developing self-steering bullets. Rick feared these smart bullets–which have one hundred percent accuracy that can turn even a novice into a lethal sniper–would eventually end up in the hands of the wrong people. But since the ammunition was still in the development stage, he figured they had plenty of time before that happened. He was wrong. Dead wrong. Until they become reality. When a homeless vet is killed with a smart bullet, it’s clear that the ammunition has been stolen, and the Knights are called in to find the thief and stop the killings. But they aren’t the only ones desperate to find the killer. Therapist Olivia Dobbs is well known for her success in counseling military veterans with PTSD. When she discovers one of her clients moments after he is murdered, she becomes both the FBI’s prime witness, and suspect. Despite the mutual attraction that immediately sparks between them, Rick can’t–no he won’t–let Olivia interfere with his investigation. But when the sniper trains his rifle on her, Rick must recall all the skills he learned as a Marine sniper to make sure the next bullet fired isn’t a kill shot that takes Olivia out. Ashley: Were any scenes or characters cut from the book? Can you give an example? Susan: I had a scene where Tara and Cal visit the FBI forensic lab in Quantico but had to cut it due to word count. In prep of writing authentic FBI stories, I attended my local FBI Citizen’s Academy and graduated in 2016. The academy was a combination of classroom lectures, firearms simulator, shooting hand and long guns at the FBI shooting range with agent instructors, and blowing up and disarming bombs with their bomb experts. I loved every minute of the academy and am still a member of the alumni group. I hope to visit FBI Headquarters in D.C. in December along with a visit to Quantico where FBI agents train. This academy inspired me to not only write about my White Knights, but to share details with readers that are authentic and convey the incredible integrity, compassion, and caring that FBI agents possess. This scene accomplished all of that. I loved sharing details like the biovestibules that serve as airlocks to keep contamination to a minimum, and the sheer magnitude of the 500,000 square foot building with over 500 employees all devoted to crime scene analysis. I think this allowed me to convey the big job the FBI crime scene employees have to do and the cost of crime in our country. Who knows, maybe the scene will be resurrected and modified for another book in the White Knight series. Ashley: Where do you like to write? Susan: I have rheumatoid arthritis and I often have painful joints so I mostly write sitting in a comfy recliner to minimize the pain. I have a view out over our backyard and my garden, and I am a gardening fanatic, so that is a very inspiring view for me. Of course, at times the garden calls to me, and I can’t resist so I go out there when I should be writing. But these little trips out into God’s beautiful world also helps me work out story problems, too. Ashley: Are you a full-time or part-time author/writer? Susan: I am a full-time writer. I had six books release this past year. If I didn’t work full-time, that wouldn’t have been possible. It was barely possible as it was. So far, I only have two books and two novellas releasing in 2017, which is a much more manageable schedule. Ashley: How long does it usually take you to write a single book? Susan: After I have plotted the book and written a synopsis, which can take weeks, I can get the rough draft written for a trade-length book like Fatal Mistake in a month. But my rough drafts are very rough, and what then follows is months of editing. During this time I work on editing the book, then set it aside and come back to it several times so I see it with fresh eyes. So all in all, I’d say it takes about four months to complete the book. Ashley: What do you hope readers take away from the White Knights series? Susan: Hope and trust in God. Simple as that. No matter how bad life can seem there is always hope. My wish is that the characters’ struggles resonate with the reader, and they can see the characters work their way out of a problem and move into the light of hope by trusting in God. Then the reader can see anything is possible, and they, too, have reason to hope. Ashley: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer? Susan: I always wanted to write a book but like many people today, I was too busy to sit down and do it. Then I was struck with a chronic illness, and I was forced to sit for long periods of time. A type A personality, I couldn’t sit and do nothing so I started writing. As the disease progressed, I had to quit my job and I had more and more time to write. Soon I was writing full time and actively pursuing publication. Ashley: What was your favorite book as a teen or child? Susan: As a child I didn’t have a favorite book, but I can tell you the Nancy Drew mystery series was my all time favorite series to read. I couldn’t wait until the latest book came out. Ashley: What are your hopes for your future as an author? Susan: I hope to continually improve my craft and hope to continue writing for publication as long as I can. I love writing and am so blessed that God has given me the opportunity to have this career. Ashley: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing? Susan: My faith impacts my writing in that it is so woven into who I am that it slips into my books without me even realizing it. I recently wrote my Agents Under Fire series which is a clean read series for the general market not the Christian market, and I discovered that I couldn’t write a single book without making my characters believers. Ashley: Coke or Pepsi? Susan: Neither. I can’t drink carbonated beverages so my choice of drink is water. Okay, fine, I do drink like a zillion cups of coffee in the morning. Ashley: Soft shell or Hard Shell tacos? Susan: Funny you should ask. I was a soft shell taco person all the way, but lately I had a craving for hard shells, and so we had them last week. It reminded me that when I was pregnant with my first daughter, I had such bad morning sickness that I was constantly sick. The only food I could keep down were tacos and they had to be hard shell tacos from Taco Bell. Ashley: Favorite place to vacation? Susan: Honestly, I haven’t had a vacation in years as we have spent every moment of free time the last two years remodeling our house, and I would vacation just about anywhere if given the opportunity. Ashley: Favorite season? Susan: Spring/early summer is my favorite time of year for two reasons. We live in rainy Oregon. It’s a beautiful area of the country because of all the rain, but almost daily rain from October to July is a bit much. So when spring arrives so do sunny days, which signal the beginning of gardening season. Over the winter, I spend days drooling over seed catalogues and pictures of my veggie garden from the prior year. Coming up with a new plant rotation, buying fertilizer and seeds, and dreaming of the veggies I’ll harvest. And then spring arrives and yes…finally, I can get outside in the sunshine and dig in the dirt and I am a happy girl! Ashley: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers? Susan: When I am struggling to get words on paper for a rough draft and my late afternoon slump arrives, peanut M&Ms provide much needed brain power. LOL Ashley: Do you listen to music while you write? If so what are some examples? Susan: I never used to listen to music when writing, but lately I found that it helps me concentrate. Right now I often listen to oldies like Art Garfunkle’s Breakaway album or the Best of Bread. Ashley: Is there anything about yourself that might surprise your readers? Susan: 1. I once recorded radio commercials for a company I used to work for. It was so odd hearing my voice on the radio. 2. I once raced a turtle. I grew up in Turtle Lake where we held annual turtle races so it doesn’t seem as odd as it sounds, right? 3. I used to play trumpet. Not only in high school and college, but as an adult I also I played at church for years. Ashley: How you create characters and are they are based on people you know? Susan: Characters aren’t based on people I know, per se, but are from a lifetime of watching and studying people. I have a degree in psychology and have always been fascinated with what makes people do what they do, so putting together character traits to form a unique and complex person is really enjoyable for me. 
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 Title: Swipe Author: Evan Angler Series Title: The Swipe Series Readability Age Range: Recommended for grade 6 and up for content Genre(s): Science Fiction Publisher: Thomas Nelson Year Published: 2012 Spoilers: Yes Summary: Would you rather take a single oath of allegiance to your government or disregard the pledge and fall into a life of poverty and neglect? It seems like a simple decision, right? That’s the choice Logan Langly and all other Americans have to make on their 13th birthday. If Logan was any other twelve year-old on the dawn of his thirteenth birthday, he would be excited to finally receive his mark and begin his true journey into life, but Logan has one issue: when his sister Lily went to receive her mark, she never returned. Aside from his fear of turning out like his sister, Logan becomes nervous for a different reason: he discovers he is being watched. As the new school year begins in the town of Spokie, Logan encounters Erin Arbitor, the daughter of a government agent for the Department of Marked Emergencies or DOME. Erin doesn’t like Spokie, and wants to leave as soon as possible. She discovers information about a markless man named Daniel Peck, who seemingly kidnaps 12 year olds before they can take the oath. His next target? Logan. In a series of events, they try to find Peck and turn him in. However, as time passes, Logan suspects that Peck is actually be trying to help him and that the system he grew up under may contains dark secrets. Review: The Swipe Series is written in a manner that makes you relate to the characters and their situations, almost as if the world we live in is heading in the same miserable direction. This book reminds you not to blindly follow your leaders, but to question what powers you allow your government, and to make sure to pay attention to the ever-changing world we live in. I enjoy Swipe each time I read it. There are some darker elements such as disrespect and prejudice. I found the series a unique take on the biblical end times, each installment edging closer and closer to Jesus’ return. Conclusion: The Swipe Series is a fresh new take on Christian fiction. It has all the action and dystopian feel from current popular fiction, and if it was sitting on a shelf, you might not even see the difference between it and your average teen fiction. However, unlike most other teen series, it maintains the censorship and standards most parents desire for their young readers. I first read through the series when I was in middle school. It has all the action, plot twists and thrilling scenes to keep you up reading all night. Whether you’re looking for a good read to finish off the summer or just something to keep the kids occupied during a long car ride, this could be your next favorite series. Christian Beliefs/Non-Christian Beliefs: In an era dominated by apocalyptic fiction, there is one clear truth- The prophecies in Revelations will eventually come to light. The Swipe Series focuses on a world where corruption and socialism are accepted and the populace is being cruelly deceived into receiving what could be considered the mark of the beast. Aside from the frightening, realistic truths, remember that this is written for tweens and young teens and isn’t written to scare you into paranoia. It is a simple work of fiction to encourage and guide you to question the decisions you make so lightly, and to live in a way to prepare for Jesus’ return. It is a definitive reminder that we are in the world but certainly not of it. Authority Roles: In a dystopian future after a major war, the American government decides to consolidate society into two groups: those who are committed to following the new authorities, and those who become outcasts. The system is simple: on your thirteenth birthday, choose allegiance and be rewarded with social security along with the ability to pay for food and necessities. Those who pledge an oath of allegiance are given a mark to bear on their arm, this mark acts like an ID and credit card rolled up into one. With it, you can purchase groceries or check in at events, but without it, you lack the freedom to gather food or make a decent living. With this new government comes some disrespect, from markless against the marked authorities and the reverse clearly seen as well. Violence: Kids in a group playfully wrestle and punch each other sometimes aggressively. Kissing/Sex: None Profanity: Phrases like “Screw it up” or “Sucks” are used occasionally, some name calling “Tightwad; cheapskate; misers; stingy skinflints” etc. is thrown around. One character talks in a clearly prejudiced way against the markless. Discussion Topics: Living under a Corrupt authority, The Christian Response to Non-Christian Leaders, Prejudice Additional Notes: There is some disrespect against some authorities including sneaking out at night. Erin hates Spokie and regrets her father’s choice to bring them there. Unsure of who he can trust, Logan becomes lonely/depressed in the midst of his paranoia. Jesse Sheppard Jesse is a Writing and Editing Major at a Small Christian College in Kansas where he is a freshman. In His Free Time, He Enjoys Reading, Writing and College Theater.  For many decades, stories of betrayal and blood have surrounded the mysterious land of Aragnar, a nation inhabited by winged warriors. A bloodthirsty king has taken the Aragnarian throne, and he is now coming to claim the rest of the world for himself... Aragnar amounts to little more than legend within a small village on Whitecliff island, but not for long. When Maria Fellbane's quiet life is interrupted by strange visitors, her destiny is forever altered as the stories of Aragnar come to life. As prophecy and war collide, will Maria be able to stand strong in her faith, or lose everything she loves?
 I am excited to announce that I have signed a 2 book deal with Harvest Kids (Harvest House Publishers in Eugene, OR.) The first Daddy's Favorite Sound is co-written by my eldest daughter, Kinley. The firs book will release in hardback in March 2019! The second book is still to be determined, but is currently scheduled for March 2020!
I look forward to sharing more with you about this book and the progress as we take it from idea to storytime in your home. Read more about the book HERE  I want to introduce Lindsay Cummings to you. She just broke into the publishing world with two separate series releasing in the same year. The Murder Complex (Greenwillow Books/Harpercollins) and The Balance Keepers (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins). The imprint of the second series is the same that published Veronica Roth and the blockbuster Divergent series. I came across Lindsay on facebook and was immediately intrigued by her outspoken faith to the generally secular publishing world in which she reviews and writes for. Her husband is a youth pastor and the two of them love Jesus and animals, but you'll read a bit more about both of those in the interview below. A savvy promoter, Lindsay has created a presence by reviewing books and coming up with a catchy brand called #BookNerdigans. You can even buy #BookNerdigans gear. Alright so without further delay let's get to the interview.
Brock: Lindsay thank you for discussing your writing journey with us and how your faith influences your writing. Lindsay: Thanks so much for chatting with me! It’s really cool to be able to talk about my faith so openly in an interview, so I’m excited about this. Brock: Lindsay would you introduce yourself to my readers. Lindsay: The short answer, is that I’m a 23 year old author at HarperCollins, who lives in Texas and loves God. The long answer, which I like more, is that I’m a 23 year old author who only got to this place because God took me on a crazy journey, and when I finally opened up my eyes and paid attention to His voice, He lead me home. I live in Celina, TX with my husband Josh, who is a first-time Youth Pastor at LifeWay Church. I’m an animal lover, with dogs, a wolf, a draft horse, tons of chickens, and a hedgehog. I love singing worship music, reading far too much to be cool, and I love my God. Brock: I like the long answer too. Lindsay, when did you feel called to be a writer? Lindsay: I was always a writer, even as a kid. My dad wrote a book when I was younger, and I always wanted to be like him. I wrote little short stories all the time growing up, but the real honest writing started after I graduated high school, and got sick with Chronic Fatigue. It was about 2 1/2 years of surgeries and being bedridden, sometimes so weak I couldn’t get up off of the couch without someone helping me stand. Writing was an escape, a way to explore freedoms that my own weak body couldn’t give me at the time. I never wanted to be an author, not as a career. But God lead me here, and now, I don’t want to do anything else. Brock: Amazing the journey and plan he has us on at times. I too never expected to be a published author. Tell us about your writing journey and the milestones along the way? Lindsay: It started with the Chronic Fatigue, and simply writing to escape. But by the time I had finished my very first book (a terrible book, I might add), I realized that THIS was what I wanted to do with my life. It’s funny, all my life, I’ve bounced around to different hobbies (guitar, ice hockey, horses, hair styling, and so much more), but writing always stuck with me. When I finished my first book, I went to a writer’s conference in Dallas, called DFWcon. This is where my journey really begin, as I met my agent, Louise Fury. My first book that I pitched to her, she didn’t want. I kept her email address, and about 4 months later, after I had another new book, I took a shot and sent her an email. She was very enthusiastic about reading The Murder Complex, which is the series that, eventually, 3 years later, finally hit shelves in bookstores. It’s been a rough journey. I struggle with depression, exhaustion, and I worry too much. But God is always there to get me through to the next day. Brock: Were there any amazing/miraculous doors God opened for you? Lindsay: My agent is incredible, truly. She’s a South African spitfire of a woman, who knows how to sell a book :) I just adore her, and honestly, I feel like God plucked her out of the massive pile of agents and saved her just for me. She knows I worry and stress, and she knows how to calm me down. We got a lot of rejections for The Murder Complex when it was out on submission with publishers, but Louise continued to remind me that there was a plan. It would happen. We just didn’t know when. Eventually we got the book deal, and then another about a year later (with my children’s series, Balance Keepers), and I can see God’s hand in every step of the way. Sometimes, I imagine He’s up in Heaven, chuckling as He looks down at me while I stress and stress and stress. I imagine Him saying, “Lindsay, Child, I’ve got this. Just trust me!" Brock: I have been reminded on more than one occasion that Go's always got me. He's always carrying me and His plan is perfect. Lindsay, how does your faith impact your writing? You are writing for a secular audience, so in what ways do you intertwine your faith into your work? Lindsay: The books that I write are not Christian, but strangely, The Murder Complex is my own take on a dark science fiction version of Revelation. Balance Keepers is just a fun fantasy book that kids can enjoy. While I don’t write Christian fiction, I do try very hard to let people know that I’m a Believer. On my social media accounts, I’ll post pictures of my Bible. I’ll post a cool shot of a verse. I always try to mention, when I’m speaking, that God is the ultimate reason for my success. I want readers to know that it’s “cool” to be a Christian. You can still write dark scifi, and fantasy, and love God! I’ve been able to talk to some teens who aren’t Believers, but have taken an interest in it because of my posts…and honestly, that’s the coolest part of it all. Brock: Our mission field is around us everyday in all we do. Colossians 3:17 says, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (ESV) What does a typical writing day look like for you? Lindsay: I write full time from home, so I like to sleep in. Once I’m up, I snuggle with my giant German Shepherds for a while, and then I write for an hour or two. I give myself a break, maybe take a nap (I have to nap every day because of my energy levels), and then write a little more. I also try to read every single day. Reading great books inspires me to write great books. Brock: Any particular habits while you write? Lindsay: I can’t write with music unless it’s instrumental only! (Lately, the Mockingjay Part One Score has been lovely). I also like to be alone, with no distractions. Brock: Tell us about your blogging/reviewing? Lindsay: I started book blogging before I was picked up by my agent and then HarperCollins. I think it just helped me have a solid start to an online presence, and I was able to stay up to date on the newest books and trends in the industry. Brock: Tells us about #Booknerdigans Lindsay: #Booknerdigans is a silly hashtag I created a few years ago. It’s just for people to use, if they love books. I didn’t realize it was going to explode in a big way. It’s been fun to see people using it all over Twitter and Instagram. I also started a booknerdigans.com site, for some teens around the world to post their thoughts about new book releases. Brock: What authors have influenced your writing if any? Lindsay: I loved CS Lewis growing up. His fantasy worlds are so rich and alive. I also loved JK Rowling, and Suzanne Collins. While the latter two aren’t Christian writers, they’ve definitely got God-given talents for creating incredible stories. Brock: Alright now we'll switch gears from author life to the books you've just released. First share about The Murder Complex series with us. Lindsay: The Murder Complex takes place in the futuristic Florida Everglades, in a walled-in city called the Shallows, where the murder rate is higher than the birth rate. It’s a dark story, but there are patches of light littered throughout. There is also a prequel novella, The Fear Trials, that’s out in ebook format, and book 2, The Death Code, comes out in April 2015! Brock: Who is The Murder Complex written for? Lindsay: It’s Young Adult, which typically means high school to college, but honestly, I think it’s a series that everyone can enjoy. Brock: Who are the main characters in The Murder Complex? Lindsay: It focuses on Meadow Woodson, a 16-year-old girl whose father has trained her to kill to survive, and Zephyr James, a 17-year-old orphan, whose job is to clean the streets of carnage once the latest murders have happened. Brock: What elements of your faith are woven into The Murder Complex? Lindsay: It’s my take on Revelation—with a futuristic, assassin twist. Brock: Is there anything you wish for your readers to take away from The Murder Complex? Lindsay: I simply want readers to enjoy the book. I want them to be able to connect with the story, and just have fun with it. I wrote this first book while I was very sick, post-surgery, and writing it was therapeutic for me. If one person is struggling with the same type of thing, and my book helped them get through it…well, that would be pretty cool for me! Brock: How many books are planned for The Murder Complex, and can you give us any insight on what to expect next. Lindsay: The Death Code is book 2, and it has the same fast-paced, short chapters that alternate between Meadow and Zephyr. It’s a fun book. It took me about 7 drafts to get it right, so now that it’s done, I’m really excited for readers to get it in 2015. Brock: Now you also have a Kids fiction series. Tell us about Balance Keepers. Lindsay: Balance Keepers is a fantasy trilogy, about kids who go to school in the Core of the earth. From there, they learn to harness one unique set of special powers through a Tile necklace they each get. In the Core, they train to enter hidden Realms that, when they are out of Balance, threaten the surface world above. Brock: Who is Balance Keepers written for? Lindsay: Balance Keepers is considered Middle Grade, so upper elementary through middle school. But again, it’s a fun, light-hearted book that anyone can enjoy! Brock: Who are the main characters in Balance Keepers? Lindsay: Albert Flynn is an eleven-year-old boy whose parents are divorced. He goes to spend the summer with his dad in Herman, Wyoming, where he discovers the Core. Albert is fun as most boys his age are. He has a companion dog named Farnsworth, a magical dog that has glowing blue eyes! Albert is joined by Birdie Howell, a spitfire of a girl who’s whip smart, and Leroy Jones, a somewhat nerdy, scaredy-cat kid who is the comic relief in every chapter. Brock: What elements of your faith are woven into the Balance Keepers series if any? Lindsay: Not many—but when I do school visits, I’m not afraid to tell kids who I put my trust in! Brock: Is there anything you wish for your readers to take away from Balance Keepers? Lindsay: I just want them to have fun while they read it. I want them to smile and laugh. It’s such a fun series, and I feel like the books can just make people happy! Brock: How many books are planned for Balance Keepers? Lindsay: There are 3 books planned for Balance Keepers. Book 2 comes out September 2015. Brock: I noticed your acknowledgements in the back of the books mention Jesus. Why did you feel it necessary to give Him credit? Lindsay: I am nothing without God, and I want the world to know that. Brock: Tell us all the amazing ways readers can find you and connect with you. Lindsay: I’m on Twitter @authorlindsayc, Instagram @authorlindsaycummings, and www.lindsaycummingsbooks.com Brock: Thank you Lindsay for introducing us to you and for giving us a look into your work. Lindsay: Thanks for chatting with me! It’s great to be able to openly talk about my faith, and just let people know that God is the reason for it all. God bless you, and everyone else who reads this! You can read more about Lindsay Cummings through her websites lindsaycummingsbooks.com and booknerdigans.com. Her three released titles are: The Murder Complex (Greenwillow Books/Harpercollins) The Fear Trials (A Murder Complex Prequel Novella) (HarperTeen Impulse) Balance Keepers: The Fires of Calderon (Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins)  Where Bear? by Sophy Henn is a fun imaginative book that takes readers on a journey from one place to the next to find Bear a new home. My kids enjoyed the sometimes silly and sometimes practical places where Bear could live, yet he always said "No.". The little boy and Bear finally try a snowy location and discover it's exactly where Bear belongs. My kids were pleased to learn that Bear and the little boy stayed friends and were even headed off on another adventure together.
Elsie says, "The toy shop is so silly. I like the cave the most." Then she makes her voice into an echo, "No, no, no, no, no." You'll have to read the book to understand that last part. An interview with Sophy Henn: Brock: Sophy thanks for joining us for this interview. We're always excited to talk to authors and illustrators of the books we love. Sophy: I am so pleased your kids enjoyed Where bear?, that really is the best thing to hear! Brock: How did you come up with the idea for Where Bear? Sophy: I was playing around with some acrylic paint and absentmindedly painted a white bear in a forest. He looked a little lost and confused, "Where was this bear supposed to be?" Then I scrabbled around in a note book where, among a lot of other nonsense, I had written down 'Where Bear' as it sounded nice. Bingo! The story started from there. Brock: Are bears your favorite animal? If not what is? Sophy: I love all animals, I really couldn't pick a favourite, though as my next book is about a Panda you could be forgiven for thinking I had a thing about bears. I have a dog called Buster and a huge soft spot for guinea pigs! Brock: Will there be a second Where Bear book? Sophy: I am not sure, never say never! But I wouldn't want to do one for the sake of it and the right story just hasn't popped into my head. Yet! Brock: My kids loved your illustrations. What artistic technique did you use for Where Bear?Sophy: Your kids have excellent taste!!!! I hand draw everything using plain old pencils, then I scan it in and put it all together on my Mac. But whenever I get the chance I love to play around with inks, printmaking, paints, you never know what might come out of it! Brock: If you'd like to learn about one of Sophy's techniques you can see an illustrated guide on The Guardian about drawing expressions, and it features a bear. Brock: Thanks Sophy for all the great answers. Sophy: Thanks again Brock, I really appreciate your interest in Where Bear? and look forward to reading your review! Order Where Bear? Here From the Publisher: This beautifully illustrated, fun read-aloud picture book will have kids everywhere asking the same question: “Where, bear?”Once there was a bear cub who lived with a little boy. But over time the bear cub grew . . . and grew . . . and GREW! And did things that bears do . . . and do . . . and DO! One day the boy looked at the bear and realized he was just too big and bearish to be living in a house. “I think it’s time we found you a new place to live where you can be bearish and big,” said the boy. “But where, bear?”So begins a delightful journey that reminds us that even when best friends are apart, they always stay together. Praise for WHERE BEAR?: * “[N]othing short of magnificent. Each page is absolutely charming and begs to be looked at again and again.”–Library Media Connection, starred review“[A] winsome debut . . . The catchy refrain, ‘Then where, bear?,’and Henn’s sophisticated matte-toned illustrations make for a zippy take on the ‘finding your place’ genre.”–New York Times Book Review“This gentle tale about friendship and home will give early readers and their grown-ups plenty of food for discussion.”–Kirkus Reviews“Simple illustrations in bold colors allow the bear’s repertoire of expressions — chagrin, boredom, and terror — to take center stage.”–Boston Globe“[C]hildren will gravitate to the rhythmic repetition and the graphic design. A notable debut.”–Booklist Henry and Waverly Found the Same First Word: A Review of Henry Finds His Word by Lindsay Ward9/2/2017  Henry Finds His Word by Lindsay Ward was a fun read for my littlest one and as a parent it was ridiculously relatable; especially in the moment Henry finds his last word. With fun vibrant illustrations and a quick easy to read story, it makes a great read for your youngest listeners in the family. In our house Waverly is doing exactly what Henry does on the final page of the book. It's all about "MAMA!"
When I asked Waverly what she thought of the book, she simply said, "Mama! Mama! Mama!." I think that says it all. From the Publisher: New moms and their babies will love watching Henry say his first word Baby Henry is under a lot of pressure to say his first word. His parents are all excited about what it will be, but Henry doesn’t see what the big deal is. He says things all the time like “bbbghsh” and “boop,” but no one seems to understand what he means. So, Henry decides that he better start searching for a word. Luckily, just when he needs it most, his first word comes looking for him.This picture book about learning to talk is the perfect gift for new parents and big brothers and sisters. Watching Henry hit this developmental milestone is a treat, and new moms will melt when they find out what Henry’s first word is.Order Here  In his retelling of the classic story Chicken Little, Robert Byrd gives a new triumphant twist to the story. Brave Chicken Little stays true to the story's characters and beginning, but takes us to a happier resolution that children will appreciate. In this richly illustrated version, the villain; Foxy Loxy, is defeated and our heroes (albeit not the wisest at first) escape to the tell the King the sky is falling. Your kids will enjoy hearing the story and meeting the large cast of characters along Chicken Little's way. They'll wonder what will happen when Chicken Little, Henny Penny, Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey, Piggy Wiggy, Rabbit Babbit, Natty Ratty, Froggy Woggy, and Roly and Poly Moley are trapped by Foxy Loxy, but will celebrate when the family of foxes is outfoxed by brave Chicken Little. It's nice to read an optimistic outcome to your kids that still teaches a great lesson.
Brock: It's my pleasure to have Robert Byrd here to answer a few questions about Brave Chicken Little. Robert, why did you decide to retell the story of Chicken Little? Robert: I always liked the story of Chicken Little, and the sky falling, and how foolish all the animals seemed, but I felt the traditional telling of the tale didn't really go anywhere. Brock: Is that why you added a more positive hopeful ending to the story? Robert: In some versions the fox eats everybody and in others the king's dogs chase the fox away, and in others nothing really happens at the end. I thought the story could be told with Chicken Little - a very small animal - out-foxing the fox. Chicken Little is sort of a hero while all of the others are rather useless in a bad situation. I also liked the idea of introducing new characters into the story. Brock: My kids loved your illustrations. What artistic techniques did you use for Brave Chicken Little? Robert: I work with ink line drawn over pencil line, and then washes and layers of watercolor, on Arches water color paper. Thanks so much for your interest in my work. You can see more of what I do at Robert Byrd Art Brock: Thanks Robert for answering our questions. Order Here From the Publisher: Whack! What’s that? Could it be? A piece of the sky! Oh my! Chicken Little and his friends run, run, run to tell the king. Nothing stands in the way except…the sly Foxy Loxy. Surely they have time to stop for lunch with Foxy and his kits. But what happens when Chicken Little and company find themselves on the menu? What this classic story needs is a new ending and a brave hero. And maybe this time, it’s Chicken Little! Cleverly retold and exquisitely illustrated by Robert Byrd, Brave Chicken Little transforms a cautionary fable into a tale of triumph. Praise for BRAVE CHICKEN LITTLE: “Byrd’s rewrite of the Chicken Little story is a distinct improvement on traditional versions…pen-and-ink spreads drawn with a sense of lyricism [are] pleasantly at odds with the slapstick prose.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review“So much attention and detail has been lavished on each flora and fauna enhanced spread that children will want repeat viewings. That will give them more time to catch the humor that can be broad (CL cellar escape) or subtle (the range of expressions on the animals’ faces).” – Booklist, starred review“This is the most fun version of Chicken Little since Paul Galdone’s Henny Penny (Seabury Press, 1968).” --Library Media Connection“A handsome, most welcome addition to the…literature of folk and fairy tales.” --Kirkus “Byrd upends both the classic tale’s conventions and its cautionary message; still, his revision works as an underdog-makes-good story, much abetted by his elegantly detailed illustrations.” --Horn Book“Alliteration, occasional rhyming, and poetic language add richness to the storytelling and strengthen the readaloud potential.” --BCCB  An adventure that rhymes along the way. The style and free flow of the wispy illustrations match the rhyming flowing poem of this book perfectly. A fun and beautifully illustrated edition to anyone's library for their kids, When the Wind Blows by Linda Booth Sweeney and Jana Christy will take you to a seaside village on an early spring day. The adventure of the little boy and his grandma, reminded me of my childhood outings with my Grandma Swigart and while we did not live by the sea, we did find ourselves at the lake feeding ducks and flying kites in our hometown park.
Brock: And now an interview with Linda Booth Sweeney. How did you come up with the idea for the poem When the Wind Blows? Linda: When my oldest son Jack was two (he’s now 16!), we went out to run an errand. It was bright and sunny when we left, but as we headed back home, a storm came in and the wind blew, and blew. His stroller was literally blown off the side walk! Jack loved the whole thing and kept pointing out to me what he saw — the sign shaking so hard it looked like it would fall off the post, the awnings billowing and snapping, the puddles shimmering…I had my head down trying to get him home safely but his excitement was contagious! I joined him in his wide-eyed awe of the wind and found myself laughing and skipping home, and loving every minute of it. That’s how the first draft was born. I just wrote down all the things we noticed. And then from there, I began to fill it out and develop the rhyme. I wrote the book, in part, invite children outside, to keenly observe the wind, or the rain and snow for that matter! My guide here is the poet Mary Oliver. Here are her ““Instructions for living a life”: "Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” What happens when the winds blows? The snows flurry? The rains falls? I want kids to get out there and get there noses in it, and be amazed and tell about it. Brock: What a great motivation to create this tale. Is spring time your favorite season? Linda: It is definitely one of my favorites. Spring is all about renewal and rejuvenation. It’s about faith too. Faith that the purplish asparagus crowns will find their way through still icy April earth, and those little green daffodil shoots will once again appear. We had six major snow storms here in New England so it definitely tested our faith that Spring would finally come. Even this week (the first week of April), my iPhone showed snow flakes for this week’s weather forecast! Brock: I'm in Colorado, so I know all about the constant sometimes unpredictable changes in the weather. What is your connection to the ocean? Linda: I do love the ocean and would spend time every summer in Truro, Massachusetts with my family in a tiny, one-room cottage. I have to say though, the beauty of the ocean connection in this book is really Jana’s inspiration. You’ll have to ask her! Brock: What advice would you give to a future poet? Linda: Quiet down. Be fully present wherever you are. On the soccer field, in the woods, even in the grocery store. See what words emerge and then go home and write them down. Start with four lines and see how it feels. Then, if you get hooked, become a student of poetry. Read as much as you can. My favorite guidebook is by Mary Oliver’s “A Poetry Handbook”. And then read other’s poetry. Two of my favorite poetry picture books right now are “The Forest Has a Song” by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater and “A Rock Can Be” by Laura Purdie Salas. Brock: Thanks Linda for the wonderful answers!Order Here: From the Publisher: Spring weather can be exciting! When wind chimes start singing and clouds race across the sky, one little guy knows just what to do—grab his kite! But as the kite soars, the wind picks up even more, and soon he and his grandma are chasing the runaway kite into town. As they pass swirling leaves, bobbing boats, and flapping scarves, breezes become gusts and the sky darkens. Rain is on the way! Can they squeeze in one more adventure before the downpour? Scenes rich with springtime details for little eyes to follow and lyrical verse that captures the changeable mood of the weather make this perfect for spring story times. Praise for When the Wind Blows: *“Electric colors evoke the kinetic energy that crackles before a storm and the irrepressible excitement a good squall brings out in young and old. … The book’s exhilarating verse [is] metronomic and as succinct as the heartbeat throbbing in the cold ears of a child racing back to his dry house… Gale-force gusts of invigorating artwork and imagery will leave readers breathless in windswept wonder.”–Kirkus Reviews, starred review “The rhythm of the book seems to mimic the steady blow of the wind on each page. Young readers will enjoy following the story in the supporting gorgeous watercolor images as they watch the winds pick up speed.”–School Library Journal “The rhymes are fresh and unpredictable, and the narrative maintains a crisp rhythm throughout. Christy’s illustrations align closely with the text, effectively capturing swirling winds, swinging signs, and swaying tree branches.”–Booklist  A quick easy read with rhyming like Dr. Suess. Doreen Cronin and Juana Medina's Smick will make your kids smile as they flip the pages and memorize the easy text of this picture book. "Smick is a quick slick read."
Order Here From the Publisher: Smick is a BIG dog. Sit, Smick. Chick is a little chick. Stay, Smick! So what happens when they see a stick? Written by New York Times bestselling author Doreen Cronin and ingeniously illustrated by newcomer Juana Medina, Smick is a story of unlikely friendship, a sense of adventure, and a lot of wonderful wordplay. PRAISE FOR SMICK: “Maximum fun.” --Booklist, starred review “Less is definitely more in this fetching, fun-filled mix of dog, chick and stick, guaranteed to tickle all.” --Kirkus Reviews This dad says, "SnoozeFest will be your next bedtime hit," though we read it before lunch. The imagery in SnoozeFest is fun and engaging, taking you into the town of Snoozeville where we meet Snuggleford Cuddlebun a rather sleepy sloth. Samantha Berger and Krstyna Litten have created a fun little world to visit that your kids will connect to. For example the names of all the blankets 'Knit-Knit and Woobee' (At our house we call blankie Foofie) and the fun animals who visit the NuzzleDome for the SnoozeFest. My girls sat on my lap as I read the fun rhyming prose of SnoozeFest accompanied by engaging beautiful art. They enjoyed looking at the artwork in detail, talking about the silly things they saw. We read the book twice back-to-back because they liked it so much. I recommend SnoozeFest to moms and dads looking for a fun read-aloud story. When I asked my kiddos what they thought of the book; Kinley said, "Really good. My favorite part was the cats in the pajama parade." Her sister Elsie agrees about the cats in pajamas (we love cats) but adds the book was, "Silly." A quick and awesome interview with the author and artist: Brock: Samantha, how did you come up with the idea for Snoozefest? Samantha: Snoozefest combines 3 things I absolutely love: sloths, music, and SLEEPING! Once upon a time, I took a trip to Costa Rica and stayed at a sloth sanctuary that helps rescue sloths and baby sloths. I met a sloth named Buttercup and held her in my arms. Here is a photo: [caption id="attachment_4233" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Samantha and Sloth[/caption]I couldn't believe how slowly sloths moved, and how expressive their faces were (*Just look at that FACE!) and how much they liked to SLEEP! I knew I wanted to write a book starring a sleepy sloth someday. And, I also love music!There are, all over the world, these HUGE music festivals, where tons of bands play, and people gather to listen to music for days. (Some of the famous ones in the United States are Coachella, Lollapalooza, Burning Man, and South by Southwest). That gave me the idea to have a great big music festival for the world's greatest sleepers. What would the audience do at that music festival? They would sleep through the whole thing! And who would love that festival MOST? A sloth! (and ME!) That is how Snoozefest was born. Brock: That's a fun story. I'm going to have to put, 'holding a sloth,' on my list of things to do before I die. Tell us one thing about Snuggleford Cuddlebun that was not in the book? Samantha: Snuggleford Cuddlebun has six sloth sisters and brothers. Their names are Yawna, Dozer, Sir Crashington, Snora, Restacio and Droolian. All of them are also too tired to wear pants. Brock: That makes me laugh. What advice would you give to a kid who wants to become an author? Samantha:
Kristyna: Yeah, I love drawing animals so it was great to draw all the animal families that would be going to the Snoozefest. I’m glad they liked the three little kittens. Those mischievous three are actually on a number of the pages, right from the point they are waiting for the bus through to the performances of all the great bands. Where most of the crowd are chilled and mellow, the cats are running wild. One of them is even emptying the contents of an onlooker’s handbag, and another is riding a sheep across the stage. Brock: My girls loved that (the cats)! My oldest had me flipping pages back and forth, while she was laughing. I wish I had a video of it. She was going on about the silly little kittens. What was your favorite part of the book to illustrate? Kristyna: I really loved doing the PJ Parade. I love fashion and drawing clothes so that was really my favourite spread to do. And I also love colourful patterns so I block printed and drew lots of patterns that could be used through the book. So they all came in particularly useful when I was colouring all the unique blankets animals would bring to the festival. Brock: PJ Parade was certainly the winning spread at our house. What advice would you give to a kid who wants to become an illustrator? Kristyna: Draw as often as you can and draw what you enjoy drawing, the more you draw for pleasure the more confident you’ll become in drawing new things and develop as an illustrator. I’m still learning every day. Brock: Great advice Kristyna, I'm no artist, but I do love to doodle. Perhaps there is even hope for me someday. Thanks Samantha and Kristyna for taking the time to answer these questions. We learned a lot and I know my family looks forward to your next books, hopefully we'll meet Snuggleford Cuddlebun again. From the Publisher:Bedtime story meets Coachella in this adorable book about a sloth who packs up his pajamas to attends an arena festival for nappers, dozers, and the very best sleepyheads. Snuggleford Cuddlebun is a champion sleeper. In fact, she’s such a good sleeper that she decides to go to Snoozefest, an arena festival that celebrates sleep. There, she lounges in her hammock while bands like the Nocturnal Nesters and the Quiet Quartet serenade the audience with lullabies. There’s warm milk and honey to be had, designer pajamas from Diane von Firstinbed, and no one dares be seen without a baby blanket. But before she knows it, the nuzzling, snuggling, and dreaming are over—and Snuggleford has slept through it all. This hilariously endearing bedtime story is perfect for anyone who loves sloths, music festivals, and/or cuddles. Order Here   Your phone won't work. Water isn't coming from the tap anymore. Your car won't move. Your refrigerator is warming up. The lights won't turn on. There's no radio or television. THERE'S NO POWER!
I couldn't put this book down![/caption]While browsing book covers (which always helps to inspire me) I came across The Rule of Three by Eric Walters. After reading the book synopsis I was drawn in. I originally read the book on my Kindle, but have since purchased a hardback copy to sit next to the just released hardback of Fight for Power, Book 2 in the series. The Rule of Three made me consider my preparedness in the event something catastrophic happens. I began running through a list of questions on how I would protect and provide for my family should our world, as we know it, come to a sudden stop. Yes there has been a lot of focus on this in the entertainment industry in recent years and I'm not talking about dystopian novels like The Hunger Games, Divergent, or Matched. I'm talking about near-time dystopian stories like the current TV show Revolution or Jericho from a few years back. Add these TV dramas to the craze of zombie movies like World War Z and shows like The Walking Dead (which I don't watch because zombies terrify me) and a reality show like Preppers and you have to stop and ask, "Am I ready if everything changes in the blink of an eye?" All with the exception of Preppers the above shows and books are fictional portrayals of what could be around the next minute of our lives and you might shrug off the possibility something could happen. But if you've been paying attention to the news you'll find plenty of real stories that make these realities just hours away from possible. For example a mutation of the Ebola virus that became airborne, a cyber attack on our nation's power grid, a biological, chemical, or nuclear terrorist attack by Al Qaeda or ISIS, the Russians deciding Ukraine isn't enough and they want or need all of Europe so they strike us with tactical nukes, maybe the Chinese with their vast military and small but capable nuclear arsenal are hankering for more resources and territory so they have to bump off their biggest competitor in the region; us, a solar flare that takes out or disrupts our power grid and communications network of towers and satellites. So now that you won't sleep tonight take a moment and read the interview I did with Eric Walters author of The Rule of Three. Brock: Eric, first of all thank you for answering these questions about your book The Rule of Three. I found this book to be an amazing tale of a reality just moments away at any time. What was your inspiration or motivation behind writing The Rule of Three? Eric: I’ve always liked science fiction and dystopic stories so I thought I’d try my hand at writing one. Brock: Good answer. I tend to do that when I start thinking of new stories. I center in on what I myself enjoy reading. The title to the book actually has a meaning inside the story, what is "The rule of three?" Eric: You can last three minutes without air, three days without water, and three weeks without food. Brock: In your words and three sentences tell my readers what The Rule of Three is about? Eric: An event robs the world of computers, electricity, transportation and communication. A neighborhood bands together to try to create a safe haven where they can survive. Other groups try to take their survival away. Brock: Well described. Eric, how many books are planned for the series? Eric: The second, Fight For Power, is out in January, and the third – which I just finished editing today – is called Will To Survive and comes out in January 2016. There could be a fourth – we’ll see! Brock: A whole year? Yikes I'm not sure I can wait. And if there is a fourth book I'll really be in trouble. It's a bit of a conundrum, I want the story to keep going, but I don't want to wait that long to finish it. The setting for the story is a place anyone of us in a modern society could find ourselves living. To me that makes the story all the more chilling. Why did you choose to place your story in the now instead of the far future? Eric: Most dystopic novels seem to involve some undefined time in the future, a place in space, or hinge on something bizarre like zombies. This story is more disturbing because it happens right now, right here. This is what would happen if suddenly the lights went down. This is what would actually happen. Brock: You're absolutely right about the "now" being the secret sauce on making it more disturbing. Readers can't help but place themselves in Adam's shoes and consider what they would face. I’ve recently read several news articles about how vulnerable the United States power grid is to terrorism, both cyber and otherwise. Were these articles an influence on your writing, or your choosing of this topic? Eric: I think we like to believe we’re too ‘civilized’ to allow a complete disintegration of society. I think the power failure on the East Coast in 2003 and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans showed how thin that veneer of civilization really is. There is a greater level of vulnerability that any of us would like to admit. Brock: True, when we're faced with survival and protection of the very ones we love, we can feel helpless, which can make us desperate. How real do you think the threat to our power grid is? Eric: I remember clearly the blackout of 2003. That was simply a cascading series of accidents that nobody tried to make happen. What if somebody deliberately overloaded the system through a cyber-attack? Brock: And not only are there large sophisticated countries that don't like us, but there are terrorist organizations, and groups of hackers. If our countries (United States or Canada) went dark, do you believe that the governments would be unable to respond? Does the book reflect what you truly believe would happen in the aftermath? Eric: If civilization crumbled the way the book describes than no government would be able to respond. The responders would be reduced to simply trying to protect their own families and would be robbed of the tools to respond – no transportation, no communication, no computers. Brock: We rely so much on electricity. This winter our power went out for a couple of hours and our heat wouldn't work because our thermostat unit runs on power and doesn't have a battery backup. I think of water, if we didn't have power here in Colorado for our water plants to pump the water to us, we'd be without. Unlike where I lived in Illinois, water isn't abundant. Tell my readers about the characters in the series. Why did you choose to focus on a high school boy as your main character? What makes Adam special? Eric: There’s an exciting dynamic involved with being that age. Those of us who are older can all remember that time of our lives – the excitement, the uncertainty and trying to figure out the future. Adam possesses a morality, a belief in doing the right thing even when things are desperate. It’s his inherent morality that drives the story. Brock: Herb is a very interesting character, and one whose secrets I look forward to learning about in the rest of the series. Tell us about Herb and Adam’s relationship. How do you see their bond? Why would Herb choose someone like Adam to invest in? Eric: I love Herb as a character. The ‘old man’ who is more than some guy who yells at you for being on his lawn. I see so much of this story as not only Herb using his skills and experience but also him seeking redemption, trying to make up for the things he’d done in his life. Herb will continue to be revealed through the next two books. Brock: Tell us about Lori and why you chose to include her character in the books? Can you share one fact with us about Lori that’s not in the books? Eric: Lori is strong. Her strength will be revealed more in the coming books. She’s a much better shot than Adam and saves him on one occasion. Brock: Further I enjoyed the short e-novella, Nothing to Fear, you wrote about Lori and Adam. Why did you choose to focus on their relationship in the novella? Eric: Even with the entire world falling to pieces there are some things that are even stronger. Despite everything going on it wouldn't change how they felt toward each other. Brock: What sort of research did you have to do for The Rule of Three? For example using Chlorine tablets to purify water and ultralight flying. Eric: I read books about surviving disaster, consulted with engineers, airplane pilots and preppers to help with the authenticity of my story. Brock: Have you ever flown in an ultralight? Eric: I would never get into an ultralight! Those things are terrifying! Brock: You did a great job or putting a few comedic moments in the book as well as a budding romance. Why did you find these two elements important to include in the series? Eric: I worked in a hospital E.R. for 18 years. Bizarre, strange humor seems to be a part of the most desperate situations. I thought the story needed humor to temper what the characters were going through and form a counter-point to action. Brock: What can we expect in Fight for Power? Eric: The action heats up as the world becomes more desperate. Brock: Will we meet any new characters in Fight for Power? Eric: A few new characters but mainly twists with existing characters. Brock: What is your thought on the ‘phenomenon’ of prepping or those people who we refer to as ‘Preppers?’ Eric: I can see where they’re coming from. Writing this trilogy has made me more aware about the possibilities and the need to prepare. My family has talked about what we’d do in the event of an ‘incident’. We know where we’d meet and what we’d do. Does that make me paranoid or realistically prepared? I guess you have to decide. Brock: Can you give us the top five items you would stock up on in preparation for an event like what occurs in your books? Eric's List:
Eric: I hope there’s no possibility . . . but it’s better to be prepared. Brock: Eric, how has your faith impacted your writing? Eric: It’s amazing how much my faith and beliefs have found their way into my writing. Looking back at my books I realize that I’ve actually written sermons into four different books and the concepts of faith and hope are constantly there. I never try to ‘hit somebody over the head’ with my beliefs but they are fairly solidly embedded in the thoughts, actions and beliefs of my characters. Even in a book like Shaken – built around the Haitian earthquake – my characters questioning faith is the foundation on which his faith is ultimately confirmed. Brock: Have you embedded any spiritual themes within The Rule of Three? Eric: In The Rule of Three the concept of morality, acting correctly and not allowing situational ethics to overwhelm a belief system. Brock: Do you have a favorite Bible verse and what is it? Eric: I’m very much a follower of James. I believe that your actions are the definition of who you are. It may sound strange for a writer to say, but it doesn't matter what you say, it’s what you do, that matters. It isn't a Biblical quote but my favorite from St. Francis, "Preach the Gospel every day and if necessary use words." Brock: Can you tell me a little about Creation of Hope. What is it? How did that come about? Eric: This program was founded by my wife and I and a family in Kenya, Ruth and Henry. We were visiting Kikima, Kenya and found an area with 25,000 people including 500 orphans – many living on the streets, sleeping in garbage dumps, living and dying without care or support. We started with one orphan, which became 4, then 40 and now close to 400 orphans and impoverished children are being supported on a regular basis. We have 55 children in our residence and 42 children in residential high school or post-secondary with the rest being in the homes of extended family members. We have 118 sponsored children – with 15 of these sponsored by Kenyans – as well as sponsors in the U.S. and Germany. Last year we had over 100 schools involved and we promised schools that 100% of funds would go directly to service and we show them exactly how we spent their money. We believe in complete accountability and transparency and through the website we try to show each month how money is raised and spent. My wife and I spent close to 30 hours per week administering the program. It is a great deal of work, but more than that, it is a true blessing for us. We are practicing our faith through our actions. Brock: It's heartwarming to know that other authors are using their time and talents to share the plight of the orphan as well as to highlight the needs of these impoverished nations. I myself work for a ministry called Compassion International. It's a wonderful Christ centered ministry that provides holistic development for children in poverty in 26 countries. Eric: I know Compassion International and the high standards it maintains. God bless you for what you’re doing! Brock: Eric thank you for your answers and for shedding more light on The Rule of Three and Fight for Power. And thank you for being open about your faith and for the amazing ministry you founded and are leading in Kenya. You can learn more about Eric Walters on his website EricWalters.net and Creation of Hope at CreationofHope.com.  One of my favorite books to read aloud to my kids, King Jack and the Dragon by Peter Bently and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, takes you right into the imagination of young Jack and his friends. It reminded me of Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sandek by delving into a child's imagination on a search for 'monsters' as well as the style of art used in the story. For anyone who loved Where the Wild Things Are this is a must have title for your bookshelf. When I was a little boy I was always exploring my yard looking for dinosaurs or other beasts; armed with toy weapons and equipment for the hunt. Most parents (especially dads) will connect with the fun tale and enjoy reading it while inspiring your own kids imaginations.
Brock: I reached out to author Peter Bently about his story King Jack and the Dragon and asked a few question. I hope you'll enjoy the Q&A. Peter, how did you come up with the idea for the King Jack and the Dragon? Peter: It began with my son Theo (alias King Jack) building a den in our back garden one summer night when he was about seven. He planned to camp out all night, but once it got truly dark he was soon spooked by all the unknown noises of the night – rustling branches, roosting birds, scuttling creatures and so on – and staying the night without mum and dad didn't seem such a good plan. But we commended him for being brave enough to try! Brock: Our kids often are the best inspiration for our writing. In fact I've got a book under review with a couple of publishers inspired by my oldest daughter. Did you pretend to fight monsters and dragons when you were a little boy? Peter: I do remember imagining there were monsters under my bed and how I would scare them off if they woke up! Brock: I doubt many children get through childhood without facing an imaginary monster or two, whether under their bed, in their closet, or as they imagine being a knight or princess. Can you tell us something about King Jack not in the story? Peter: He likes to be the king but he is also fair to his playmates and happy to let his baby brother Caspar join in too. Jack likes to play at pirates too…you can read all about that when "Captain Jack and the Pirates" comes out later this year. Brock: We will certainly look forward to that release. What is your favorite part of the story and why? Peter: I like the part where he imagines the dragons and monsters he is fighting. It's partly to do with Helen Oxenbury's pictures, which portray the creatures so perfectly – not too scary. She told me the monsters were a tribute to the late Maurice Sendak. Brock: On that last point, prior to doing the interview, that (the likeness to Maurice Sendak's Wild Things) is exactly what I wrote into my review. Good to know I wasn't off base. Thanks again Peter for answering these questions and giving us some insight into this great children's book. One I think all parents should read to their kids. Order Here From the Publisher: A lively playtime adventure that becomes a warm and cozy bedtime book—perfect for every little knight-in-training. From the illustrator of the award-winning We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. Night is falling and playtime is nearly over. But brave King Jack and his faithful knights Zak and Caspar are still protecting their castle fort from fierce dragons and terrible beasts. This captivating, joyful make-believe adventure is the perfect bedtime story for brave children everywhere. Fans of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site and Dinosaur Roar will especially enjoy this imaginative tale.An ALA Notable Book Bank Street Book Committee Best Children’s Books of the Year Kate Greenaway Award “Sure to be read aloud again and again, this testament to imaginative play exudes warmth.”--Kirkus Reviews Praise for King Jack and the Dragon: “At once contemporary and classic.” — The New York Times “Though the characters are wholly modern, there is a timelessness to the cycle of excitement, apprehension and parental comfort that should give this lovely book a long stay on the nursery shelf.” — The Wall Street Journal* “It’s an enchanting tribute to both full-throttle pretend play and the reassurance of a parent’s embrace.” --Publishers Weekly, starred review* “A tale of make-believe that children will delight in hearing again and again.” — School Library Journal, starred review “The rhyming verse, large trim size, and detailed illustrations…make this a suitable story for group sharing, while the sweet, intimate tone will make it a family favorite.” — Booklist “From this simple premise of imaginative play, Bently and Oxenbury create a classically sweet picture book.” — Horn Book “This one is sure to become a full-on family favorite at bedtime.” — The Washington Post “Altogether, ‘King Jack’ is just about perfect.” — The Sacramento Bee  Meet me at the Moon by Gianna Marino is full of beautiful and captivating illustrations. The scenes of the animals on the African savvanah will steal your child's imagination and get them dreaming of traveling there one day. My girls enjoyed reading this book and looking at the colorful illustrations of animals. There might be a few moments where your children are concerned for Little One while his MaMa is gone, but be assured that they are reunited under the moon as promised. Wrap your own arm (like an elephant's trunk) around your child in an elephant hug as MaMa and Little One reunite.
From the Publisher: A heartwarming love story between mother and child. When Mama Elephant must leave Little One to ask the skies for rain, the young elephant is worried. Who will care for Little One? Who will sing Mama’s special songs? When will she return? Mama is very reassuring – Little One will hear her song on the wind and feel her love in the warmth of the sun, and, after the rains come, they will meet where the moon sets. Exquisitely illustrated and supremely comforting, Meet Me at the Moon is a mother and child love story to be enjoyed again and again. Order Here PRAISE FOR MEET ME AT THE MOON: “Marino’s breathtaking panoramas make an already powerful story sing.” --Publishers Weekly, starred review “The textured mixed-media art paired with the flowing text elevates this title above most missing-mama fare … Radiating warmth and comfort, this distinguished title strikes home.” --Kirkus, starred review “Heartfelt and sincere, yet never cloying, this will work well one on one or in story hours.” --Booklist  Frog and Fly by Jeff Mack is a silly book that will have your kids ROTFL (Rolling on the floor laughing) or at the very least make them LOL (if you don't know that one then...) Frog and Fly's. A set of simple comics between Fly and Frog that end with Fly getting slurped, however kids will not be sad for fly because he returns in each story. I especially enjoyed Story 3 of the book.
An Interview with Jeff Mack: Brock: Jeff thanks again for joining us for an interview about your books. How many Frog and Fly comics are there? Jeff: There are six stories. I originally wrote them as two books with three comics in each. Then I combined them to make a single hardcover book with six chapters. Later, when Frog and Fly was re-published as a shorter board book, two of the stories had to be edited out. Brock: Is the Fly the same fly each time? Jeff: Yes. Frog and Fly live in a parallel cartoon universe where animals speak and instantly recover from any nasty injuries. It's like the old Road Runner cartoons where the coyote falls off a cliff over and over again. It's totally impossible. I guess that's one of the reasons I find those cartoons so funny. Brock: That's what I was imagining. What is your favorite Frog and Fly story? Jeff: My personal favorite is the one where Frog and Fly have a contest to see who is faster. Frog keeps losing and crashing into stuff. Then he tricks Fly into saying that he's yummier. Fly wins again. And, at the same time, he loses. It has a nice logic to it, but it's still totally absurd. I also like the final story in the hardcover version. It features a bear, and it has a very twisted ending. Brock: What advice would you give to a kid who wants to create short comics? Jeff: While you're writing the comics, don't worry about making them short. Just write what you love. Make the story as long as you want. Then put it away in a drawer, and do something else for a few days. Later, when you read it again, you'll have an easier time identifying which parts make the comic fun and interesting and which parts just make it long. Then you can cut out the less interesting parts and make it shorter. Also, with comics, it helps to figure out if you are someone who naturally thinks about the words first or someone who thinks about the pictures. When I write a story, I usually have ideas for the pictures before I know what the words will be. So I start my comics by sketching the characters in different scenes. Then I go back and write the dialogue afterward. For other people, their ideas may take the form of words, so they write lines of speech first. Then they draw pictures to illustrate the dialogue. There are many ways to make comics. My advice is to experiment and discover which way works most naturally for you. Brock: Thanks Jeff for taking the time to gives us more insight into Frog and Fly. Order Here From the Publisher: Silly comic-strip style stories and two comical combatants make for one laugh-out-loud board book! Frog and Fly are constant companions. There is only one problem . . . Frog thinks Fly is delicious! This leads to a never-ending battle of wits with laugh-out- loud consequences. Told in short comic-strip style chapters, Frog and Fly will delight kids and leave them begging for yet another slurpy story. Praise for Frog and Fly: “Mack’s winning combination of simple text, uncluttered multimedia art, and comic-book-style panels make for a great beginning-reader format as well as a good choice for. . . read-alouds. Many children are going to find this hilarious; it’s reminiscent of both joke books and old Saturday-morning cartoons, when coyotes fell off cliffs and bounced right back, and it never, ever got old.” --Booklist “This expressive and personable duo provides a spot-on brand of joke book-style humor that children will find plenty entertaining.” --Publishers Weekly  One of the most wonderfully illustrated books I've read to my kids. Three Bears in a Boat is a fantastic story with a great message set amid the gorgeous backdrop of the sea. The story and images will capture your kids' attention and imaginations as you read to them. They'll want to explore the island and rise along the boat with Dash, Theo, and Charlie. When the three bears break their mom's favorite blue sea shell they try to cover their tracks, but at the end of their journey, though they find a shell, the bears decide to tell their mama the truth. The forgiveness of their mama brings the story to a wonderful ending, but adds the simplest of consequences when the three bears get no desert. This consequence though is one many children will understand.
Order Here From the publisher: From the co-creator of the New York Times bestselling Ladybug Girl series comes a high seas adventure inspired by the classic picture books Little Bear and Where the Wild Things Are. Three bear siblings break their mother’s favorite blue seashell, and rather than tell her, they decide to set out in their sailboat to find her a new one. On their quest they encounter salty sailors, strange new islands, huge whales, and vast seas but no blue seashells. When a treacherous storm suddenly blows in, the three bears find themselves tossed about in their little boat, far from Mama. What will become of their search, and what will it take to bring them safely home?This read aloud shares its best qualities with classic picture books: breath-taking illustrations, epic adventure, and a subtle message about taking responsibility for your actions. Praise for Three Bears in a Boat:* “Gorgeous . . . A first purchase for all.”--School Library Journal (starred review)* “Humorous and intelligent—and with watercolor seascapes so luminous that readers will want to jump in—this is a book to be treasured for years to come.”--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)* “Breathtaking . . . Beautiful . . . Gentle”--Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A beautiful journey you’ll want to return to repeatedly. . . . If you’re looking for a gift book, a bedtime book, or just something uniquely attractive to the eye, seek ye just three little bears. Charm incarnate.”—Elizabeth Bird, A Fuse 8 Production, School Library Journal A School Library Journal Best Book of 2014 A Kirkus Best Book of 2014 You can make a huge different in spreading the word about my books by simply requesting that your local library purchase any of my books. Using the tax dollars your family is already paying, your school or public library, will be happy to stock great new middle grade and young adult fiction as well as picture books. Simply print out the book list below (downloadable) and take it into your library to request they purchase and shelve these titles. Send me an email and let me know when the libraries have stocked the book or books and I'll send you something awesome! 
Brock Eastman's Book List. Quest for Truth
Check out this cool picture of my office bookshelf. |
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I also met with an avid group of Questers. These kids knew everything about the series. They knew details I'd forgotten. (I suppose I need to re-read the series) Their passion for the series reinvigorated me to finish the final book and gave me some excellent insight into the depth of my characters and stories, especially the now beloved Drex. And maybe a bit about Midnight the cat. But it's readers like you, readers like the Hibbard and Choate families that make writing fun and exciting, and well not quite so lonely.
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Finally, I love seeing how the Quest for Truth has inspired you. I recently received a kind letter from a reader and a poem inspired by Quest for Truth from another reader. So why not send me an email with your thoughts about the series or even some artwork. I love hearing from you the Questers. You're the ones that make this adventure possible.
Check out the poem by Olivia
Interview by Brock Eastman
Featuring Secret of the Lost King
Brock: How did you come up with the idea for this book?
Shaun: I actually never intended Secret of the Lost King to become a book, let alone a series. It was actually first written as a stage play for a summer camp. A group of twelve actors brought the story to life over the course of a weekend. It was a lot of fun and after we finished I kept thinking, “You know, this would make a really good book.” So I sat down with the script and wrote book one out. And then I got ideas for a second book set in this world, and then a third, and now it’s expanding to a six-book series!
Brock: That's awesome when God brings things together like that! Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Shaun: Jack is an orphan who has always wondered about what life would be like outside the confines of the orphanage where he lives. But he’s also afraid of everything. So when he has to leave his home in Secret of the Lost King, he’s afraid. And especially when he learns that he may be one of the only people in the kingdom who can end the evil emperor Morogh’s reign, he’s even more frightened. How could he ever live up to this task? What makes him so special? I love exploring these sorts of themes: the value in a person and the unique things they bring to the table in any situation.
Brock: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
Shaun: Molly, one of the other orphans who joins Jack on his journey, is actually an avid horse enthusiast, although she would never admit it to anyone. Disdain is one of her favorite emotions.
Jack is actually an expert in horticulture, or the study of plants. Sounds boring, but definitely useful when you’re traveling through the woods and you’re just not sure which berries you really can eat.
Brock: In three sentences what is this book about?
Shaun: Secret of the Lost King is an adventure story exploring what it means to be a hero. Jack and his friends face an impossible task: find a missing king and discover the secret behind his disappearance. Along the way, they have to face one of the hardest questions any of us have to ask: what value do we bring to the table in any situation?
Brock: Intriguing! Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Shaun: When I sit down to write, I typically come up with the overarching story to begin with. I want to know where my characters start out and where they will probably end up. However, I have always said my “subconscious writing brain” is way smarter than I am, and as I write the story generally morphs a bit as my brain connects things together I never could have come up with on my own. I’m always amazed at the end of a book when I realize something and say, “I didn’t even plan for that to be connected! Crazy…”
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Shaun: This book is a story about discovery. Jack is discovering who he is and what his life is all about. I think a lot of us ask those same questions: Who am I? Why do I matter? These fundamental questions are so important for us to explore. I believe that God has created everyone for a purpose. He loves each one of us and definitely has us where He wants us to be: sometimes in an amazing place, and sometimes in the valley of shadows. Whether we are on the mountaintops or down below, we can trust that God is with us every step of the way and will use what we experience and go through to impact more lives than we can ever imagine.
Brock: Yes, that's a great lesson to live by. What is your favorite genre to write for?
Shaun: I really love writing fantasy stories. The possibilities are endless and the journeys are always surprising. However, I also really love fiction that is introspective and explores the deep thoughts a lot of us have but are afraid to voice.
Brock: What is the biblical background or basis for the series?
Shaun: As I was planning the series, I came across this verse in the book of Joel: “‘And it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. And even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days’” (2:28-29, NASB). I came up with this idea to match Jack’s journey with a story from the Bible -- someone else who had gone through the same struggles. For me it made total sense to match Jack up with Gideon, a man from Judges, who was afraid to be the hero God had called him to be.
Brock: How many books are planned for the Thrones series?
Shaun: Six. Along with a few side short stories. There are so many amazing characters in this world I want to explore I can’t leave it just at the six novels!
Brock: Are you working on the next book in the series?
Shaun: Yes! I am working hard on book number three, and I’m excited about where the story left off in Sword of the Broken Son. There are some fascinating revelations at the end of book two that are begging me to be explored this time around.
Brock: How do you hope parents will use this book with their kids?
Shaun: I am a huge believer in parents reading books to/with their kids. In 2013, School Library Journal asked families: How many parents read bedtime stories to their kids? According to the poll, about "two-thirds of parents don't read to their kids every night" (Bayliss, 2013).
Bedtime stories were a huge part of my elementary years. I loved it when my parents would come and read me a story before I drifted off to sleep. Those times not only sparked my imagination, but gave me valuable face time with my parents. I love hearing stories of families reading this story together and diving deeper into the story of Gideon and what it means to be a hero in their home, school, and neighborhood.
Brock: Where do you like to write?
Shaun: I love coffee. Therefore, I love coffee shops. Therefore, I write in them. All the time. The atmosphere, the smell, the varied conversations around me all inspire me to keep writing. I actually find I don’t write very well when I’m at home. There are so many distractions!
Brock: True! Expound on the spiritual themes in the Secret of the Lost King.
Shaun: In Secret of the Lost King, I really wanted to explore the idea of what it means to be a hero. We talk a lot about superheroes and standing up for what you believe in, and I wanted to write a story that explored what it means to be a hero in God’s eyes. It’s not always flashy. It’s not always fun. Sometimes it’s extremely hard. But being a hero who follows God brings a lasting impact on the lives of people around us we can never even begin to measure.
Brock: What are some of the strongest influences on your writing?
Shaun: I love 1980’s films. They were my bread and butter when I was little. Films like The Neverending Story and Return to Oz and Star Wars and Indiana Jones fed my imaginative brain like crazy. When I started reading, I devoured books. I used to read a hundred books a year, constantly checking out large stacks from the library, and later on when I could buy my own books, building my library from our local used bookstores. Brandon Mull, Madeleine L’Engle, C.S. Lewis, L. Frank Baum, Robert Liparulo, and Melody Carlson have all had tremendous impact on my writing style.
Brock: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?
Shaun: I seriously devoured Oz books when I was little. My great-grandmother’s early 1900’s copies made it to our family and I ate those books up! In my teen years I discovered Ted Dekker and finally read the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis.
Brock: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would co-write a book with?
Shaun: Oh man, that’s definitely a toss up between Brandon Mull or E.J. Patten.
Brock: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Shaun: I’m a Children’s Pastor in my other work life, so I am always thinking about how to communicate the truth about Jesus to readers. However, I never feel satisfied with stories that wrap up everything neatly because I don’t believe life wraps up neatly. I think life is very complicated and especially in today’s culture, we ask a lot of hard questions about faith and Jesus and church. I want to be the writer who is never afraid to tackle those hard questions and allow there to be no answers by the end of the story.
Brock: Coke or Pepsi?
Shaun: Coffee.
Brock: Soft shell or hard shell tacos?
Shaun: Coffee. Just kidding, soft shell tacos!
Brock: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?
Shaun: Coffee. Always coffee. I’m not addicted. I promise.
Brock: Haha Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
Shaun: Philippians 1:6 - “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Brock: Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what are some examples?
Shaun: I love listening to movie soundtracks while I write. I’ve actually got a pretty extensive collection by now, but some of my favorite go-to soundtracks are: Return To Oz by David Shire, anything by Hans Zimmer, and recently Dave Barry’s The Black Hole soundtrack.
Brock: What inspires your writing?
Shaun: All kinds of things, but typically my stories always begin with an emotional thread I want to yank on until it unravels completely. I love exploring difficult questions and feelings. For instance, with Secret of the Lost King, I wanted to explore the idea of discovering who we are. What is that journey like, how does it happen, how does it end?
In Sword of the Broken Son, I wanted to explore the idea of rejection. What does it mean to be rejected? What do we do when we feel like God has rejected us?
But as my wife will tell anyone, my brain is crazy and comes up with the most random ideas sometimes!
Featuring Secret of the Lost King
Brock: How did you come up with the idea for this book?
Shaun: I actually never intended Secret of the Lost King to become a book, let alone a series. It was actually first written as a stage play for a summer camp. A group of twelve actors brought the story to life over the course of a weekend. It was a lot of fun and after we finished I kept thinking, “You know, this would make a really good book.” So I sat down with the script and wrote book one out. And then I got ideas for a second book set in this world, and then a third, and now it’s expanding to a six-book series!
Brock: That's awesome when God brings things together like that! Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Shaun: Jack is an orphan who has always wondered about what life would be like outside the confines of the orphanage where he lives. But he’s also afraid of everything. So when he has to leave his home in Secret of the Lost King, he’s afraid. And especially when he learns that he may be one of the only people in the kingdom who can end the evil emperor Morogh’s reign, he’s even more frightened. How could he ever live up to this task? What makes him so special? I love exploring these sorts of themes: the value in a person and the unique things they bring to the table in any situation.
Brock: Give us one fact about each main character that no one else knows.
Shaun: Molly, one of the other orphans who joins Jack on his journey, is actually an avid horse enthusiast, although she would never admit it to anyone. Disdain is one of her favorite emotions.
Jack is actually an expert in horticulture, or the study of plants. Sounds boring, but definitely useful when you’re traveling through the woods and you’re just not sure which berries you really can eat.
Brock: In three sentences what is this book about?
Shaun: Secret of the Lost King is an adventure story exploring what it means to be a hero. Jack and his friends face an impossible task: find a missing king and discover the secret behind his disappearance. Along the way, they have to face one of the hardest questions any of us have to ask: what value do we bring to the table in any situation?
Brock: Intriguing! Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Shaun: When I sit down to write, I typically come up with the overarching story to begin with. I want to know where my characters start out and where they will probably end up. However, I have always said my “subconscious writing brain” is way smarter than I am, and as I write the story generally morphs a bit as my brain connects things together I never could have come up with on my own. I’m always amazed at the end of a book when I realize something and say, “I didn’t even plan for that to be connected! Crazy…”
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Shaun: This book is a story about discovery. Jack is discovering who he is and what his life is all about. I think a lot of us ask those same questions: Who am I? Why do I matter? These fundamental questions are so important for us to explore. I believe that God has created everyone for a purpose. He loves each one of us and definitely has us where He wants us to be: sometimes in an amazing place, and sometimes in the valley of shadows. Whether we are on the mountaintops or down below, we can trust that God is with us every step of the way and will use what we experience and go through to impact more lives than we can ever imagine.
Brock: Yes, that's a great lesson to live by. What is your favorite genre to write for?
Shaun: I really love writing fantasy stories. The possibilities are endless and the journeys are always surprising. However, I also really love fiction that is introspective and explores the deep thoughts a lot of us have but are afraid to voice.
Brock: What is the biblical background or basis for the series?
Shaun: As I was planning the series, I came across this verse in the book of Joel: “‘And it will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. And even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days’” (2:28-29, NASB). I came up with this idea to match Jack’s journey with a story from the Bible -- someone else who had gone through the same struggles. For me it made total sense to match Jack up with Gideon, a man from Judges, who was afraid to be the hero God had called him to be.
Brock: How many books are planned for the Thrones series?
Shaun: Six. Along with a few side short stories. There are so many amazing characters in this world I want to explore I can’t leave it just at the six novels!
Brock: Are you working on the next book in the series?
Shaun: Yes! I am working hard on book number three, and I’m excited about where the story left off in Sword of the Broken Son. There are some fascinating revelations at the end of book two that are begging me to be explored this time around.
Brock: How do you hope parents will use this book with their kids?
Shaun: I am a huge believer in parents reading books to/with their kids. In 2013, School Library Journal asked families: How many parents read bedtime stories to their kids? According to the poll, about "two-thirds of parents don't read to their kids every night" (Bayliss, 2013).
Bedtime stories were a huge part of my elementary years. I loved it when my parents would come and read me a story before I drifted off to sleep. Those times not only sparked my imagination, but gave me valuable face time with my parents. I love hearing stories of families reading this story together and diving deeper into the story of Gideon and what it means to be a hero in their home, school, and neighborhood.
Brock: Where do you like to write?
Shaun: I love coffee. Therefore, I love coffee shops. Therefore, I write in them. All the time. The atmosphere, the smell, the varied conversations around me all inspire me to keep writing. I actually find I don’t write very well when I’m at home. There are so many distractions!
Brock: True! Expound on the spiritual themes in the Secret of the Lost King.
Shaun: In Secret of the Lost King, I really wanted to explore the idea of what it means to be a hero. We talk a lot about superheroes and standing up for what you believe in, and I wanted to write a story that explored what it means to be a hero in God’s eyes. It’s not always flashy. It’s not always fun. Sometimes it’s extremely hard. But being a hero who follows God brings a lasting impact on the lives of people around us we can never even begin to measure.
Brock: What are some of the strongest influences on your writing?
Shaun: I love 1980’s films. They were my bread and butter when I was little. Films like The Neverending Story and Return to Oz and Star Wars and Indiana Jones fed my imaginative brain like crazy. When I started reading, I devoured books. I used to read a hundred books a year, constantly checking out large stacks from the library, and later on when I could buy my own books, building my library from our local used bookstores. Brandon Mull, Madeleine L’Engle, C.S. Lewis, L. Frank Baum, Robert Liparulo, and Melody Carlson have all had tremendous impact on my writing style.
Brock: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?
Shaun: I seriously devoured Oz books when I was little. My great-grandmother’s early 1900’s copies made it to our family and I ate those books up! In my teen years I discovered Ted Dekker and finally read the Narnia books by C.S. Lewis.
Brock: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would co-write a book with?
Shaun: Oh man, that’s definitely a toss up between Brandon Mull or E.J. Patten.
Brock: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Shaun: I’m a Children’s Pastor in my other work life, so I am always thinking about how to communicate the truth about Jesus to readers. However, I never feel satisfied with stories that wrap up everything neatly because I don’t believe life wraps up neatly. I think life is very complicated and especially in today’s culture, we ask a lot of hard questions about faith and Jesus and church. I want to be the writer who is never afraid to tackle those hard questions and allow there to be no answers by the end of the story.
Brock: Coke or Pepsi?
Shaun: Coffee.
Brock: Soft shell or hard shell tacos?
Shaun: Coffee. Just kidding, soft shell tacos!
Brock: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?
Shaun: Coffee. Always coffee. I’m not addicted. I promise.
Brock: Haha Do you have a favorite Bible verse?
Shaun: Philippians 1:6 - “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Brock: Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what are some examples?
Shaun: I love listening to movie soundtracks while I write. I’ve actually got a pretty extensive collection by now, but some of my favorite go-to soundtracks are: Return To Oz by David Shire, anything by Hans Zimmer, and recently Dave Barry’s The Black Hole soundtrack.
Brock: What inspires your writing?
Shaun: All kinds of things, but typically my stories always begin with an emotional thread I want to yank on until it unravels completely. I love exploring difficult questions and feelings. For instance, with Secret of the Lost King, I wanted to explore the idea of discovering who we are. What is that journey like, how does it happen, how does it end?
In Sword of the Broken Son, I wanted to explore the idea of rejection. What does it mean to be rejected? What do we do when we feel like God has rejected us?
But as my wife will tell anyone, my brain is crazy and comes up with the most random ideas sometimes!
Author Website: ShaunStevensonbooks.com
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shaunstevensonbooks/
Author Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/shaunstvn
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shaunstvn
Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shaunstevensonbooks/
Author Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/shaunstvn
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/shaunstvn
UPDATE: Read about her Book launch for Book 2 and Book 1
Interview by Brock Eastman
Featuring Code Name Flood
Perfect for fans of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World!
Code Name Flood is the electrifying sequel to The Ark Plan, which School Library Journal praised by saying: “Nonstop action, marauding dinosaurs, and kids on the run: What’s not to like?”
Last week, twelve-year-old Sky found a cryptic message from her dad, who mysteriously fled the safety of their underground compound five years ago. The note said the fate of the world depended on her going topside, to a lost world that’s ruled by dinosaurs.
Today, after a treacherous journey through the wilderness, Sky and her friends have made it to their destination: Lake Michigan. There they discover a hidden underwater lab, and with the help of its scientists, Sky will finally learn the truth about her father’s secret mission.
Tomorrow, it will be up to Sky and her friends to save humanity from the very edge of extinction.
Readers who enjoy middle-grade adventures by Brandon Mull and Rick Riordan will love this action-packed story, which takes the premise of Michael Crichton’s bestselling classic to a whole new level, envisioning a post-apocalyptic future where cloned dinosaurs have taken over, and the world’s only hope is one group of courageous kids.
Brock: What was your inspiration for writing Edge of Extinction series?
Laura: While my inspiration for the entire series came from a visit to the New York Natural History Museum and their amazing dinosaur display, the idea for a large part of this book actually came from the New York Subway system. When I visited New York with my mom, I was amazed by the underground networks that crisscrossed and twisted underneath the city, and I wondered what it would look like if the human race had to live in those tunnels, instead of just using them to get from point A to point B. So when I was writing CODE NAME FLOOD, and I needed an East Compound, I put it in New York’s subway system.
Brock: Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Laura: Sky, Todd, and Shawn are all back for book two, and I added a new character I think everyone is going to enjoy named Chaz. I don’t want to say too much about her and give away a big surprise in the story, but I think she is one of my favorite characters. She’s spunky and funny, and I think she is a great foil for Sky’s one-track determination, Todd’s humor, and Shawn’s seriousness.
Brock: In three words, what is this book about?
Laura: Sea Monsters, Determination, Friendship
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Laura: My character’s are the boss, I just show up for work every day and do what they tell me.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Laura: My readers are usually middle school age kids, and while they crave adventure and excitement, but a lot of times they aren’t quite ready for the real thing yet. My book is an edge-of-your seat thrill ride from page one, and my readers get to LIVE all that danger and excitement from the safety of their couch!
Brock: What is your favorite genre to write for?
Laura: Science fiction and fantasy will always have my heart; since those are the genres I most enjoy reading. Besides, there is something intoxicating about building worlds and creating something that only existed in your imagination up until it hits the page.
Brock: How many books are planned for this series?
Laura: This is the second and last book in the series. CODE NAME FLOOD wraps up the mysteries and questions that were started in Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan. That being said, I’d love to write another one. The world I created for Sky and her friends is just too much fun, so never say never!
Brock: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Laura: While book one required quite a lot of dinosaur research, Code Name Flood required research of a slightly different variety. You many have noticed the rather fierce looking creatures on the cover, well, those AREN’T swimming dinosaurs. They are ancient aquatic marine reptiles. Which is a mouthful to say and an even bigger mouthful to incorporate seamlessly into a story. Despite that annoying technicality, the research on creatures like the kronosaurus and elasmosaurus was incredibly interesting. There is just something about sea monsters that sends a shiver up your spine. I’m not so sure my characters would agree, as I unceremoniously dumped them into a lake swarming with the creatures, but it makes for a fun read!
Brock: Why did you choose to focus on a female protagonist?
Laura: My narrator, Sky Mundy, is a girl, which is funny since EVERY other book I’ve ever written has been from a male perspective. Please don’t ask me why, since I have no idea. In fact, the next series I’m pitching is written with a boy protagonist. I guess part of it is that I was never a girly-girl. I always hung with the boys (I was the only girl invited to many a boy’s birthday party in grade school), and I loved sports and being outside. So I guess I have an easier time seeing the world that way. My solution with Sky was to make her a lot like who I was at that age. She came out a very focused and driven character because that’s who I was!
Brock: Are you working on the next book in the series?
Laura: As I mentioned before, the Edge of Extinction series is done for the moment, but I do have other things in the works! I’m not at liberty to mention any of them yet, but I think they are pretty great! No dinosaurs this time though, sorry!
Brock: Do you plot or outline the entire series before you begin writing, or do your books take on lives of their own? Or is there a combination?
Laura: I should outline, but I don’t. I’ve tried it, and it never works out. (I’ve never been very good at following directions!) I’m what you’d call a “pantser” which means that I “fly by the seat of my pants” when I write. Some (my mother) would also tell you that I live a lot of my life that way. For better or for worse. I like having the freedom to take the story wherever it needs to go.
Brock: If your book changed as you wrote it, how is it different than how you originally planned?
Laura: A large part of this book takes place in the East Compound, which used to be the underground subway network of New York City. This was never in my original plans for the book, but when my original manuscript got split into two books, I loved the idea of taking the story into the subway network.
Brock: How do you hope parents will use this book with their kids?
Laura: I hope they use CODE NAME FLOOD in the same way that they used Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan, to foster a LOVE of reading in their kids. I think we get really wrapped up (and I was guilty of this as a teacher) in worrying about what our kids are comprehending, deciphering, inferring, and predicting while they read, when really, we should be worried about fostering a love of reading in our kids. In handing them a great book and telling them they get to read in the same way we’d hand them a huge ice cream cone with sprinkles and tell them to enjoy.
Brock: Are you a full-time or part-time author?
Laura: I’m as full-time as being a stay-at-home mom to two small children allows…so not nearly as full-time as I would like some days! My writing time usually comes after my kids are in bed for the night and the house is quiet. It has been a huge blessing to be an author and a mom, and I have an incredibly supportive family who steps in if I need to do an author visit or a signing. It’s really the best of both worlds.
Brock: Expound on the spiritual themes in the Edge of Extinction.
Laura: I’m not sure if it counts as a spiritual theme, but there is definitely some biblical symbolism in both books. I wove references and symbols from the story of Noah’s Ark throughout both books, which is where the title CODE NAME FLOOD, came from.
Brock: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Laura: I realized I wanted to be a writer the first time a book grabbed me and refused to let go until I finished it. It was an incredible experience to live in someone else’s world for a while, to be someone else. I put the book down and went, wow, I want to do this someday.
Brock: What are some of the strongest influences on your writing?
Laura: I mentioned in the first interview we did about Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan, that I taught seventh grade language arts for six years before becoming an author, and I think the biggest influence on what I write are the kids that I taught. I had so many students who struggled to get engaged in a book, to really fall into a story, and every time I sit down to write, those are the kids I have in the forefront of my mind. I want to write a book that they can’t put down. I picture that student I had who told me that they didn’t like reading, and I imagine handing them my book and saying, “Oh yeah, prove it.” That may sound odd, the whole imaginary interaction in my head, but if you think about it…that is exactly what an author does for a living. Conduct imaginary interactions and then put them down on paper. So really, I’m not crazy, I’m just a professional writer!
Brock: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would co-write a book with and why?
Laura: I would give anything to co-write a book with Tamora Pierce. I’ve been reading her books ever since grade school, and I still buy everything she writes. Her books are the ones that I’ve read and re-read a million times, and that I re-buy when my copies get a little to beat up. I first fell for her Song of the Lioness series. Her protagonist, Alanna, was a spunky red-headed twelve year old with a will of iron, and I wanted to be her. So I guess it isn’t all that surprising that when I wrote my own book, I made my protagonist a red-headed girl!
Brock: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Laura: I think my faith impacts my writing in the same way my faith impacts every aspect of my life. I am first and foremost a Christian, and I live my life that way. What I write, how I write, and who I write about is all a reflection of that.
Brock: Favorite place to vacation?
Laura: Ever since having kids, I don’t think vacation is a place anymore. Vacation is now going to the grocery store…alone. My husband and I had the house to ourselves for an entire Sunday a few weeks ago, and I think we enjoyed it more than most people enjoy sitting by the beach. I love my kids to pieces, but there is something about being alone, about remembering who you were before you were “mom”, that feels like a vacation.
Brock: Favorite pasta dish?
Laura: My mom’s spaghetti. It’s nothing fancy, just sauce out of a jar, but it always tastes better if my mom makes it.
Brock: What is your favorite dinosaur?
Laura: The Spinosaurus, which is why he got to be front and center on the cover of book one. I mentioned before that there really weren’t “swimming dinosaurs.” Well, there weren’t until they discovered the Spinosaurus. The more we find out about this terrifying guy, the cooler he gets, and I think he is eventually going to give the T. Rex a run for his money in the dinosaur popularity contest.
Brock: What is your favorite thing about writing books?
Laura: Getting to talk to the kids that have read them. It never gets old, and it’s such a thrill every time someone tells me they enjoyed my story.
Brock: Be sure to check out Laura's newest released book in the Edge of Extinction series, Code Name Flood. You won't want to miss it!
Interview by Brock Eastman
Featuring Code Name Flood
Perfect for fans of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World!
Code Name Flood is the electrifying sequel to The Ark Plan, which School Library Journal praised by saying: “Nonstop action, marauding dinosaurs, and kids on the run: What’s not to like?”
Last week, twelve-year-old Sky found a cryptic message from her dad, who mysteriously fled the safety of their underground compound five years ago. The note said the fate of the world depended on her going topside, to a lost world that’s ruled by dinosaurs.
Today, after a treacherous journey through the wilderness, Sky and her friends have made it to their destination: Lake Michigan. There they discover a hidden underwater lab, and with the help of its scientists, Sky will finally learn the truth about her father’s secret mission.
Tomorrow, it will be up to Sky and her friends to save humanity from the very edge of extinction.
Readers who enjoy middle-grade adventures by Brandon Mull and Rick Riordan will love this action-packed story, which takes the premise of Michael Crichton’s bestselling classic to a whole new level, envisioning a post-apocalyptic future where cloned dinosaurs have taken over, and the world’s only hope is one group of courageous kids.
Brock: What was your inspiration for writing Edge of Extinction series?
Laura: While my inspiration for the entire series came from a visit to the New York Natural History Museum and their amazing dinosaur display, the idea for a large part of this book actually came from the New York Subway system. When I visited New York with my mom, I was amazed by the underground networks that crisscrossed and twisted underneath the city, and I wondered what it would look like if the human race had to live in those tunnels, instead of just using them to get from point A to point B. So when I was writing CODE NAME FLOOD, and I needed an East Compound, I put it in New York’s subway system.
Brock: Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Laura: Sky, Todd, and Shawn are all back for book two, and I added a new character I think everyone is going to enjoy named Chaz. I don’t want to say too much about her and give away a big surprise in the story, but I think she is one of my favorite characters. She’s spunky and funny, and I think she is a great foil for Sky’s one-track determination, Todd’s humor, and Shawn’s seriousness.
Brock: In three words, what is this book about?
Laura: Sea Monsters, Determination, Friendship
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Laura: My character’s are the boss, I just show up for work every day and do what they tell me.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Laura: My readers are usually middle school age kids, and while they crave adventure and excitement, but a lot of times they aren’t quite ready for the real thing yet. My book is an edge-of-your seat thrill ride from page one, and my readers get to LIVE all that danger and excitement from the safety of their couch!
Brock: What is your favorite genre to write for?
Laura: Science fiction and fantasy will always have my heart; since those are the genres I most enjoy reading. Besides, there is something intoxicating about building worlds and creating something that only existed in your imagination up until it hits the page.
Brock: How many books are planned for this series?
Laura: This is the second and last book in the series. CODE NAME FLOOD wraps up the mysteries and questions that were started in Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan. That being said, I’d love to write another one. The world I created for Sky and her friends is just too much fun, so never say never!
Brock: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Laura: While book one required quite a lot of dinosaur research, Code Name Flood required research of a slightly different variety. You many have noticed the rather fierce looking creatures on the cover, well, those AREN’T swimming dinosaurs. They are ancient aquatic marine reptiles. Which is a mouthful to say and an even bigger mouthful to incorporate seamlessly into a story. Despite that annoying technicality, the research on creatures like the kronosaurus and elasmosaurus was incredibly interesting. There is just something about sea monsters that sends a shiver up your spine. I’m not so sure my characters would agree, as I unceremoniously dumped them into a lake swarming with the creatures, but it makes for a fun read!
Brock: Why did you choose to focus on a female protagonist?
Laura: My narrator, Sky Mundy, is a girl, which is funny since EVERY other book I’ve ever written has been from a male perspective. Please don’t ask me why, since I have no idea. In fact, the next series I’m pitching is written with a boy protagonist. I guess part of it is that I was never a girly-girl. I always hung with the boys (I was the only girl invited to many a boy’s birthday party in grade school), and I loved sports and being outside. So I guess I have an easier time seeing the world that way. My solution with Sky was to make her a lot like who I was at that age. She came out a very focused and driven character because that’s who I was!
Brock: Are you working on the next book in the series?
Laura: As I mentioned before, the Edge of Extinction series is done for the moment, but I do have other things in the works! I’m not at liberty to mention any of them yet, but I think they are pretty great! No dinosaurs this time though, sorry!
Brock: Do you plot or outline the entire series before you begin writing, or do your books take on lives of their own? Or is there a combination?
Laura: I should outline, but I don’t. I’ve tried it, and it never works out. (I’ve never been very good at following directions!) I’m what you’d call a “pantser” which means that I “fly by the seat of my pants” when I write. Some (my mother) would also tell you that I live a lot of my life that way. For better or for worse. I like having the freedom to take the story wherever it needs to go.
Brock: If your book changed as you wrote it, how is it different than how you originally planned?
Laura: A large part of this book takes place in the East Compound, which used to be the underground subway network of New York City. This was never in my original plans for the book, but when my original manuscript got split into two books, I loved the idea of taking the story into the subway network.
Brock: How do you hope parents will use this book with their kids?
Laura: I hope they use CODE NAME FLOOD in the same way that they used Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan, to foster a LOVE of reading in their kids. I think we get really wrapped up (and I was guilty of this as a teacher) in worrying about what our kids are comprehending, deciphering, inferring, and predicting while they read, when really, we should be worried about fostering a love of reading in our kids. In handing them a great book and telling them they get to read in the same way we’d hand them a huge ice cream cone with sprinkles and tell them to enjoy.
Brock: Are you a full-time or part-time author?
Laura: I’m as full-time as being a stay-at-home mom to two small children allows…so not nearly as full-time as I would like some days! My writing time usually comes after my kids are in bed for the night and the house is quiet. It has been a huge blessing to be an author and a mom, and I have an incredibly supportive family who steps in if I need to do an author visit or a signing. It’s really the best of both worlds.
Brock: Expound on the spiritual themes in the Edge of Extinction.
Laura: I’m not sure if it counts as a spiritual theme, but there is definitely some biblical symbolism in both books. I wove references and symbols from the story of Noah’s Ark throughout both books, which is where the title CODE NAME FLOOD, came from.
Brock: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Laura: I realized I wanted to be a writer the first time a book grabbed me and refused to let go until I finished it. It was an incredible experience to live in someone else’s world for a while, to be someone else. I put the book down and went, wow, I want to do this someday.
Brock: What are some of the strongest influences on your writing?
Laura: I mentioned in the first interview we did about Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan, that I taught seventh grade language arts for six years before becoming an author, and I think the biggest influence on what I write are the kids that I taught. I had so many students who struggled to get engaged in a book, to really fall into a story, and every time I sit down to write, those are the kids I have in the forefront of my mind. I want to write a book that they can’t put down. I picture that student I had who told me that they didn’t like reading, and I imagine handing them my book and saying, “Oh yeah, prove it.” That may sound odd, the whole imaginary interaction in my head, but if you think about it…that is exactly what an author does for a living. Conduct imaginary interactions and then put them down on paper. So really, I’m not crazy, I’m just a professional writer!
Brock: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would co-write a book with and why?
Laura: I would give anything to co-write a book with Tamora Pierce. I’ve been reading her books ever since grade school, and I still buy everything she writes. Her books are the ones that I’ve read and re-read a million times, and that I re-buy when my copies get a little to beat up. I first fell for her Song of the Lioness series. Her protagonist, Alanna, was a spunky red-headed twelve year old with a will of iron, and I wanted to be her. So I guess it isn’t all that surprising that when I wrote my own book, I made my protagonist a red-headed girl!
Brock: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Laura: I think my faith impacts my writing in the same way my faith impacts every aspect of my life. I am first and foremost a Christian, and I live my life that way. What I write, how I write, and who I write about is all a reflection of that.
Brock: Favorite place to vacation?
Laura: Ever since having kids, I don’t think vacation is a place anymore. Vacation is now going to the grocery store…alone. My husband and I had the house to ourselves for an entire Sunday a few weeks ago, and I think we enjoyed it more than most people enjoy sitting by the beach. I love my kids to pieces, but there is something about being alone, about remembering who you were before you were “mom”, that feels like a vacation.
Brock: Favorite pasta dish?
Laura: My mom’s spaghetti. It’s nothing fancy, just sauce out of a jar, but it always tastes better if my mom makes it.
Brock: What is your favorite dinosaur?
Laura: The Spinosaurus, which is why he got to be front and center on the cover of book one. I mentioned before that there really weren’t “swimming dinosaurs.” Well, there weren’t until they discovered the Spinosaurus. The more we find out about this terrifying guy, the cooler he gets, and I think he is eventually going to give the T. Rex a run for his money in the dinosaur popularity contest.
Brock: What is your favorite thing about writing books?
Laura: Getting to talk to the kids that have read them. It never gets old, and it’s such a thrill every time someone tells me they enjoyed my story.
Brock: Be sure to check out Laura's newest released book in the Edge of Extinction series, Code Name Flood. You won't want to miss it!
Author Website: LauraMartinBooks.com
Author Facebook: @LauraMartinBooks
Author Twitter: @LauraMartinBook
Author Pinterest: Laura Martin
Author Instagram @LauraMartinBooks
Interview by Brock Eastman
Featuring A Plague of Unicorns
Have you ever heard read a book by Jane Yolen? There’s a good chance you have. The author of over 350 books and recipient of countless awards you’ve likely picked up or seen a Jane Yolen book while browsing your local bookstore. She’s been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the twentieth century. I’m honored to have had the chance to sit down and talk about her recent Zondervan release; A Plague of Unicorns.
Brock: Jane, thanks for taking the time to share about A Plague of Unicorns with us. Can you first start with how you came up with the idea for the novel?
Jane: The prosaic answer is that I was introduced to editor Kim Childress at the Texas Library Assn. Meeting two years ago and she said she was a big fan and would love to do a book with me. I knew ZonderKidz, but wasn't sure I had something that might work for them. But then I remembered a short story I'd published years ago in a book of mine called Here There be Unicorns. And when I told her [Kim] a bit about it, and how I thought it could be made into a middle grade novel, her eyes lit up. She asked to see the story and some idea of how I would turn it into a novel.
The deeper answer: I have been fascinated by unicorns since a child. One of my first published poems was in my college magazine about unicorns. So to be asked to go back to engage, enlarge, and be enveloped one again in unicorns was a gift.
Brock: She’ll probably be embarrassed I’m sharing this, but she’s my sister so it’s a brother’s right. When my sister was in grade school her room was decked out in unicorns for a good while, statues, bedspread, poster, curtains. Who are the main characters in the story?
Jane: James, heir to the dukedom of Callanshire, who's father has not come back from the Holy Lands and is presumed hurt, imprisoned, or dead. He is a child who asks questions, though he seems rather more interested in asking questions than listening to the answers. His sister Alexandria who--for the medieval times--is a mighty strong young woman. And then there are the various monks and abbots who all stand for various minds of teachers.
Brock: Jane, would you share one fact about each main character that no one else knows?
Jane: James is rather like me at that age, and rather like my middle child, my son Adam. Alexandria is named after my oldest granddaughter Glendon Alexandria Callan-Piatt. I have the abbot's cider recipe but didn't put it in the book, nor will I give it out.
Brock: A cider recipe you’re withholding. We’ll see if we can’t get it from you some time in the future. In three sentences what A Plague of Unicorns about?
Jane: It is about unlikely heroes, faith and trust, learning to listen to answers--though they may come from some of the oddest places--and about how kindness towards an enemy or a presumed enemy can often overcome even the meanest of them.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Jane: Every reader brings a bit of themselves (their baggage if you will) to a story. And what they take out is unique to them. So that is something you will have to ask them, not me.
Brock: Fair answer. What is your preferred genre to write for?
Jane: Depends which day you ask. Right now it's poetry and fantasy because that's what I'm working on.
Brock: Any certain research required for A Plague of Unicorns, or was it all from your imagination?
Jane: As I had already written a number of short stories, poems, and even a novel (The Transfigured Hart) about unicorns, I didn't need to do a lot of research about them. Medieval abbeys/monasteries however. . .the summer I was working on the book I was in Scotland and visited a few ruins. It helped me visualize them.
Brock: I’m sure that was fun and added more depth to the writing. Why did you choose to tell the story from this perspective?
Jane: I tell the story that wants telling. In this case, it's about a younger brother/older sister (as I was to my brother Steve). But with sixty novels out, I have written from both boys’ and girls’ points of view.
Brock: Is it difficult to be accurate to a Biblical perspective when writing fantasy fiction?
Jane: The unicorn is seen in Christian terms as an avatar of Christ: pure, able to heal (with its horn), and in many of the stories killed and then resurrected in a garden. (See the unicorn tapestries.) But I decided to make them an inexplicable force of nature in this book, which the monks cannot conquer until it is done with gentle persuasion and a kind of love.
Brock: Now let’s switch gears and learn about you as an author. Where do you like to write?
Jane: Downstairs in my house, surrounded by photos of my children and grandchildren.
Brock: Are you a full-time or part-time author/writer?
Jane: More than full time. After all I have more than 350 books out!
Brock: How long does it usually take you to write a single book?
Jane: As long as it takes. I once wrote a picture book in three days, including all the revisions. But my picture book OWL MOON took fifteen years to write.
Brock: When you write do you outline the entire story before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Jane: There are two kinds of writers--outliners, and those of us who fly into the midst. Of course in this book [A Plague of Unicorns] I already had an outline, the published short story. But I had to let quite a bit of it go!
Brock: It sounds like you prefer to ‘fly into the midst.’ When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Jane: As a child I was always writing. I thought I would be a poet for my heart and a journalist like my dad to make a living. I was a lousy journalist.
Brock: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?
Jane: I was such a constant reader, it continually changed. But some of my favorites were The Colour Fairy Books by Andrew Lang, any version of the King Arthur story, The Secret Garden, Little Women, James Thurber’s Thirteen Clocks, The Story of Ferdinand, and any horse and dog book.
Brock: What are your hopes for your future as an author?
Jane: I am about to turn 76. I still have many stories in me. I hope I can live long enough to write most of them.
Brock: Now for some lightning round questions. Coke or Pepsi?
Jane: Mineral water.
Brock: Soft shell or hard shell tacos?
Jane: Don't like tacos.
Brock: Favorite place to vacation?
Jane: Scotland.
Brock: Favorite season?
Jane: Fall.
Brock: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write?
Jane: British decaf tea and dried dates.
Brock: Favorite color?
Jane: Wine.
Brock: Do you listen to music while you write?
Jane: Never. I am so musical, it would drive the story's rhythms rather than letting the story do that.
Featuring A Plague of Unicorns
Have you ever heard read a book by Jane Yolen? There’s a good chance you have. The author of over 350 books and recipient of countless awards you’ve likely picked up or seen a Jane Yolen book while browsing your local bookstore. She’s been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America and the Aesop of the twentieth century. I’m honored to have had the chance to sit down and talk about her recent Zondervan release; A Plague of Unicorns.
Brock: Jane, thanks for taking the time to share about A Plague of Unicorns with us. Can you first start with how you came up with the idea for the novel?
Jane: The prosaic answer is that I was introduced to editor Kim Childress at the Texas Library Assn. Meeting two years ago and she said she was a big fan and would love to do a book with me. I knew ZonderKidz, but wasn't sure I had something that might work for them. But then I remembered a short story I'd published years ago in a book of mine called Here There be Unicorns. And when I told her [Kim] a bit about it, and how I thought it could be made into a middle grade novel, her eyes lit up. She asked to see the story and some idea of how I would turn it into a novel.
The deeper answer: I have been fascinated by unicorns since a child. One of my first published poems was in my college magazine about unicorns. So to be asked to go back to engage, enlarge, and be enveloped one again in unicorns was a gift.
Brock: She’ll probably be embarrassed I’m sharing this, but she’s my sister so it’s a brother’s right. When my sister was in grade school her room was decked out in unicorns for a good while, statues, bedspread, poster, curtains. Who are the main characters in the story?
Jane: James, heir to the dukedom of Callanshire, who's father has not come back from the Holy Lands and is presumed hurt, imprisoned, or dead. He is a child who asks questions, though he seems rather more interested in asking questions than listening to the answers. His sister Alexandria who--for the medieval times--is a mighty strong young woman. And then there are the various monks and abbots who all stand for various minds of teachers.
Brock: Jane, would you share one fact about each main character that no one else knows?
Jane: James is rather like me at that age, and rather like my middle child, my son Adam. Alexandria is named after my oldest granddaughter Glendon Alexandria Callan-Piatt. I have the abbot's cider recipe but didn't put it in the book, nor will I give it out.
Brock: A cider recipe you’re withholding. We’ll see if we can’t get it from you some time in the future. In three sentences what A Plague of Unicorns about?
Jane: It is about unlikely heroes, faith and trust, learning to listen to answers--though they may come from some of the oddest places--and about how kindness towards an enemy or a presumed enemy can often overcome even the meanest of them.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Jane: Every reader brings a bit of themselves (their baggage if you will) to a story. And what they take out is unique to them. So that is something you will have to ask them, not me.
Brock: Fair answer. What is your preferred genre to write for?
Jane: Depends which day you ask. Right now it's poetry and fantasy because that's what I'm working on.
Brock: Any certain research required for A Plague of Unicorns, or was it all from your imagination?
Jane: As I had already written a number of short stories, poems, and even a novel (The Transfigured Hart) about unicorns, I didn't need to do a lot of research about them. Medieval abbeys/monasteries however. . .the summer I was working on the book I was in Scotland and visited a few ruins. It helped me visualize them.
Brock: I’m sure that was fun and added more depth to the writing. Why did you choose to tell the story from this perspective?
Jane: I tell the story that wants telling. In this case, it's about a younger brother/older sister (as I was to my brother Steve). But with sixty novels out, I have written from both boys’ and girls’ points of view.
Brock: Is it difficult to be accurate to a Biblical perspective when writing fantasy fiction?
Jane: The unicorn is seen in Christian terms as an avatar of Christ: pure, able to heal (with its horn), and in many of the stories killed and then resurrected in a garden. (See the unicorn tapestries.) But I decided to make them an inexplicable force of nature in this book, which the monks cannot conquer until it is done with gentle persuasion and a kind of love.
Brock: Now let’s switch gears and learn about you as an author. Where do you like to write?
Jane: Downstairs in my house, surrounded by photos of my children and grandchildren.
Brock: Are you a full-time or part-time author/writer?
Jane: More than full time. After all I have more than 350 books out!
Brock: How long does it usually take you to write a single book?
Jane: As long as it takes. I once wrote a picture book in three days, including all the revisions. But my picture book OWL MOON took fifteen years to write.
Brock: When you write do you outline the entire story before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Jane: There are two kinds of writers--outliners, and those of us who fly into the midst. Of course in this book [A Plague of Unicorns] I already had an outline, the published short story. But I had to let quite a bit of it go!
Brock: It sounds like you prefer to ‘fly into the midst.’ When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Jane: As a child I was always writing. I thought I would be a poet for my heart and a journalist like my dad to make a living. I was a lousy journalist.
Brock: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?
Jane: I was such a constant reader, it continually changed. But some of my favorites were The Colour Fairy Books by Andrew Lang, any version of the King Arthur story, The Secret Garden, Little Women, James Thurber’s Thirteen Clocks, The Story of Ferdinand, and any horse and dog book.
Brock: What are your hopes for your future as an author?
Jane: I am about to turn 76. I still have many stories in me. I hope I can live long enough to write most of them.
Brock: Now for some lightning round questions. Coke or Pepsi?
Jane: Mineral water.
Brock: Soft shell or hard shell tacos?
Jane: Don't like tacos.
Brock: Favorite place to vacation?
Jane: Scotland.
Brock: Favorite season?
Jane: Fall.
Brock: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write?
Jane: British decaf tea and dried dates.
Brock: Favorite color?
Jane: Wine.
Brock: Do you listen to music while you write?
Jane: Never. I am so musical, it would drive the story's rhythms rather than letting the story do that.
Author website: JaneYolen.com
Author Facebook:
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Author Twitter: @JaneYolen
Author Facebook:
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Author Twitter: @JaneYolen
The Cover
BCC
Perfect for fans of Jurassic Park and Jurassic World! Code Name Flood is the electrifying sequel to The Ark Plan, which School Library Journal praised by saying: “Nonstop action, marauding dinosaurs, and kids on the run: What’s not to like?”
Last week, twelve-year-old Sky found a cryptic message from her dad, who mysteriously fled the safety of their underground compound five years ago. The note said the fate of the world depended on her going topside, to a lost world that’s ruled by dinosaurs.
Today, after a treacherous journey through the wilderness, Sky and her friends have made it to their destination: Lake Michigan. There they discover a hidden underwater lab, and with the help of its scientists, Sky will finally learn the truth about her father’s secret mission.
Tomorrow, it will be up to Sky and her friends to save humanity from the very edge of extinction.
Readers who enjoy middle grade adventures by Brandon Mull and Rick Riordan will love this action-packed story, which takes the premise of Michael Crichton’s bestselling classic to a whole new level, envisioning a postapocalyptic future where cloned dinosaurs have taken over and the world’s only hope is one group of courageous kids.
Last week, twelve-year-old Sky found a cryptic message from her dad, who mysteriously fled the safety of their underground compound five years ago. The note said the fate of the world depended on her going topside, to a lost world that’s ruled by dinosaurs.
Today, after a treacherous journey through the wilderness, Sky and her friends have made it to their destination: Lake Michigan. There they discover a hidden underwater lab, and with the help of its scientists, Sky will finally learn the truth about her father’s secret mission.
Tomorrow, it will be up to Sky and her friends to save humanity from the very edge of extinction.
Readers who enjoy middle grade adventures by Brandon Mull and Rick Riordan will love this action-packed story, which takes the premise of Michael Crichton’s bestselling classic to a whole new level, envisioning a postapocalyptic future where cloned dinosaurs have taken over and the world’s only hope is one group of courageous kids.
The Interview
Brock: How did you come up with the idea for this book or series? or What was your inspiration for writing this book or series?
Laura: While my inspiration for the entire series came from a visit to the New York Natural History Museum and their amazing dinosaur display, the idea for a large part of this book actually came from the New York Subway system. When I visited New York with my mom, I was amazed by the underground networks that crisscrossed and twisted underneath the city, and I wondered what it would look like if the human race had to live in those tunnels, instead of just using them to get from point A to point B. So when I was writing CODE NAME FLOOD, and I needed an East Compound, I put it in New York’s subway system.
Brock: Tell us about the main characters? Who are they, what makes them unique.
Laura: Sky, Todd, and Shawn are all back for book two, and I added a new character I think everyone is going to enjoy named Chaz. I don’t want to say too much about her and give away a big surprise in the story, but I think she is one of my favorite characters. She’s spunky and funny, and I think she is a great foil for Sky’s one-track determination, Todd’s humor, and Shawn’s seriousness.
Brock: In three words what is this book about?
Laura: Sea Monsters, Determination, Friendship
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Laura: My character’s are the boss, I just show up for work every day and do what they tell me.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Laura: My readers are usually middle school age kids, and while they crave adventure and excitement, but a lot of times they aren’t quite ready for the real thing yet. My book is an edge-of-your seat thrill ride from page one, and my readers get to LIVE all that danger and excitement from the safety of their couch!
Brock: What is your favorite genre to write for?
Laura: Science fiction and fantasy will always have my heart; since those are the genres I most enjoy reading. Besides, there is something intoxicating about building worlds and creating something that only existed in your imagination up until it hits the page.
Brock: How many books are planned for this series?
Laura: This is the second and last book in the series. CODE NAME FLOOD wraps up the mysteries and questions that were started in Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan. That being said, I’d love to write another one. The world I created for Sky and her friends is just too much fun, so never say never!
Brock: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Laura:While book one required quite a lot of dinosaur research, Code Name Flood required research of a slightly different variety. You many have noticed the rather fierce looking creatures on the cover, well, those AREN’T swimming dinosaurs. They are ancient aquatic marine reptiles. Which is a mouthful to say and an even bigger mouthful to incorporate seamlessly into a story. Despite that annoying technicality, the research on creatures like the kronosaurus and elasmosaurus was incredibly interesting. There is just something about sea monsters that sends a shiver up your spine. I’m not so sure my characters would agree, as I unceremoniously dumped them into a lake swarming with the creatures, but it makes for a fun read!
Brock: Why did you choose to focus on a female protagonist?
Laura: My narrator, Sky Mundy, is a girl, which is funny since EVERY other book I’ve ever written has been from a male perspective. Please don’t ask me why, since I have no idea. In fact, the next series I’m pitching is written with a boy protagonist. I guess part of it is that I was never a girly-girl. I always hung with the boys (I was the only girl invited to many a boy’s birthday party in grade school), and I loved sports and being outside. So I guess I have an easier time seeing the world that way. My solution with Sky was to make her a lot like who I was at that age. She came out a very focused and driven character because that’s who I was!
Brock: Are you working on the next book in the series?
Laura: As I mentioned before, the Edge of Extinction series is done for the moment, but I do have other things in the works! I’m not at liberty to mention any of them yet, but I think they are pretty great! No dinosaurs this time though, sorry!
Brock: Do you plot or outline the entire series before you begin writing, or do your books take on lives of their own? Or is there a combination?
Laura: I should outline, but I don’t. I’ve tried it, and it never works out. (I’ve never been very good at following directions!) I’m what you’d call a “pantser” which means that I “fly by the seat of my pants” when I write. Some (my mother) would also tell you that I live a lot of my life that way. For better or for worse. I like having the freedom to take the story wherever it needs to go.
Brock: If your book changed as you wrote it, how is it different than how you originally planned?
Laura:A large part of this book takes place in the East Compound, which used to be the underground subway network of New York City. This was never in my original plans for the book, but when my original manuscript got split into two books, I loved the idea of taking the story into the subway network.
Brock: How do you hope parents will use this book with their kids?
Laura: I hope they use CODE NAME FLOOD in the same way that they used Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan, to foster a LOVE of reading in their kids. I think we get really wrapped up (and I was guilty of this as a teacher) in worrying about what our kids are comprehending, deciphering, inferring, and predicting while they read, when really, we should be worried about fostering a love of reading in our kids. In handing them a great book and telling them they get to read in the same way we’d hand them a huge ice cream cone with sprinkles and tell them to enjoy.
Brock: Are you a full-time or part-time author/writer?
Laura: I’m as full-time as being a stay-at-home mom to two small children allows…so not nearly as full-time as I would like some days! My writing time usually comes after my kids are in bed for the night and the house is quiet. It has been a huge blessing to be an author and a mom, and I have an incredibly supportive family who steps in if I need to do an author visit or a signing. It’s really the best of both worlds.
Brock: Expound on the spiritual themes in the book/series?
Laura: I’m not sure if it counts as a spiritual theme, but there is definitely some biblical symbolism in both books. I wove references and symbols from the story of Noah’s Ark throughout both books, which is where the title CODE NAME FLOOD, came from.
Brock: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Laura: I realized I wanted to be a writer the first time a book grabbed me and refused to let go until I finished it. It was an incredible experience to live in someone else’s world for a while, to be someone else. I put the book down and went, wow, I want to do this someday.
Brock: What are some of the strongest influences on your writing?
Laura: I mentioned in the first interview we did about Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan, that I taught seventh grade language arts for six years before becoming an author, and I think the biggest influence on what I write are the kids that I taught. I had so many students who struggled to get engaged in a book, to really fall into a story, and every time I sit down to write, those are the kids I have in the forefront of my mind. I want to write a book that they can’t put down. I picture that student I had who told me that they didn’t like reading, and I imagine handing them my book and saying, “Oh yeah, prove it.” That may sound odd, the whole imaginary interaction in my head, but if you think about it…that is exactly what an author does for a living. Conduct imaginary interactions and then put them down on paper. So really, I’m not crazy, I’m just a professional writer!
Brock: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would co-write a book with and why?
Laura: I would give anything to co-write a book with Tamora Pierce. I’ve been reading her books ever since grade school, and I still buy everything she writes. Her books are the ones that I’ve read and re-read a million times, and that I re-buy when my copies get a little to beat up. I first fell for her Song of the Lioness series. Her protagonist, Alanna, was a spunky red-headed twelve year old with a will of iron, and I wanted to be her. So I guess it isn’t all that surprising that when I wrote my own book, I made my protagonist a red-headed girl!
Brock: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Laura: I think my faith impacts my writing in the same way my faith impacts every aspect of my life. I am first and foremost a Christian, and I live my life that way. What I write, how I write, and who I write about is all a reflection of that.
Brock:Favorite place to vacation?
Laura: Ever since having kids, I don’t think vacation is a place anymore. Vacation is now going to the grocery store…alone. My husband and I had the house to ourselves for an entire Sunday a few weeks ago, and I think we enjoyed it more than most people enjoy sitting by the beach. I love my kids to pieces, but there is something about being alone, about remembering who you were before you were “mom”, that feels like a vacation.
Brock: Favorite pasta dish?
Laura: My mom’s spaghetti. It’s nothing fancy, just sauce out of a jar, but it always tastes better if my mom makes it.
Brock: What is your favorite dinosaur?
Laura: The Spinosaurus, which is why he got to be front and center on the cover of book one. I mentioned before that there really weren’t “swimming dinosaurs.” Well, there weren’t until they discovered the Spinosaurus. The more we find out about this terrifying guy, the cooler he gets, and I think he is eventually going to give the T. Rex a run for his money in the dinosaur popularity contest.
Brock: What is your favorite thing about writing books?
Laura: Getting to talk to the kids that have read them. It never gets old, and it’s such a thrill every time someone tells me they enjoyed my story.
Laura: While my inspiration for the entire series came from a visit to the New York Natural History Museum and their amazing dinosaur display, the idea for a large part of this book actually came from the New York Subway system. When I visited New York with my mom, I was amazed by the underground networks that crisscrossed and twisted underneath the city, and I wondered what it would look like if the human race had to live in those tunnels, instead of just using them to get from point A to point B. So when I was writing CODE NAME FLOOD, and I needed an East Compound, I put it in New York’s subway system.
Brock: Tell us about the main characters? Who are they, what makes them unique.
Laura: Sky, Todd, and Shawn are all back for book two, and I added a new character I think everyone is going to enjoy named Chaz. I don’t want to say too much about her and give away a big surprise in the story, but I think she is one of my favorite characters. She’s spunky and funny, and I think she is a great foil for Sky’s one-track determination, Todd’s humor, and Shawn’s seriousness.
Brock: In three words what is this book about?
Laura: Sea Monsters, Determination, Friendship
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Laura: My character’s are the boss, I just show up for work every day and do what they tell me.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Laura: My readers are usually middle school age kids, and while they crave adventure and excitement, but a lot of times they aren’t quite ready for the real thing yet. My book is an edge-of-your seat thrill ride from page one, and my readers get to LIVE all that danger and excitement from the safety of their couch!
Brock: What is your favorite genre to write for?
Laura: Science fiction and fantasy will always have my heart; since those are the genres I most enjoy reading. Besides, there is something intoxicating about building worlds and creating something that only existed in your imagination up until it hits the page.
Brock: How many books are planned for this series?
Laura: This is the second and last book in the series. CODE NAME FLOOD wraps up the mysteries and questions that were started in Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan. That being said, I’d love to write another one. The world I created for Sky and her friends is just too much fun, so never say never!
Brock: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Laura:While book one required quite a lot of dinosaur research, Code Name Flood required research of a slightly different variety. You many have noticed the rather fierce looking creatures on the cover, well, those AREN’T swimming dinosaurs. They are ancient aquatic marine reptiles. Which is a mouthful to say and an even bigger mouthful to incorporate seamlessly into a story. Despite that annoying technicality, the research on creatures like the kronosaurus and elasmosaurus was incredibly interesting. There is just something about sea monsters that sends a shiver up your spine. I’m not so sure my characters would agree, as I unceremoniously dumped them into a lake swarming with the creatures, but it makes for a fun read!
Brock: Why did you choose to focus on a female protagonist?
Laura: My narrator, Sky Mundy, is a girl, which is funny since EVERY other book I’ve ever written has been from a male perspective. Please don’t ask me why, since I have no idea. In fact, the next series I’m pitching is written with a boy protagonist. I guess part of it is that I was never a girly-girl. I always hung with the boys (I was the only girl invited to many a boy’s birthday party in grade school), and I loved sports and being outside. So I guess I have an easier time seeing the world that way. My solution with Sky was to make her a lot like who I was at that age. She came out a very focused and driven character because that’s who I was!
Brock: Are you working on the next book in the series?
Laura: As I mentioned before, the Edge of Extinction series is done for the moment, but I do have other things in the works! I’m not at liberty to mention any of them yet, but I think they are pretty great! No dinosaurs this time though, sorry!
Brock: Do you plot or outline the entire series before you begin writing, or do your books take on lives of their own? Or is there a combination?
Laura: I should outline, but I don’t. I’ve tried it, and it never works out. (I’ve never been very good at following directions!) I’m what you’d call a “pantser” which means that I “fly by the seat of my pants” when I write. Some (my mother) would also tell you that I live a lot of my life that way. For better or for worse. I like having the freedom to take the story wherever it needs to go.
Brock: If your book changed as you wrote it, how is it different than how you originally planned?
Laura:A large part of this book takes place in the East Compound, which used to be the underground subway network of New York City. This was never in my original plans for the book, but when my original manuscript got split into two books, I loved the idea of taking the story into the subway network.
Brock: How do you hope parents will use this book with their kids?
Laura: I hope they use CODE NAME FLOOD in the same way that they used Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan, to foster a LOVE of reading in their kids. I think we get really wrapped up (and I was guilty of this as a teacher) in worrying about what our kids are comprehending, deciphering, inferring, and predicting while they read, when really, we should be worried about fostering a love of reading in our kids. In handing them a great book and telling them they get to read in the same way we’d hand them a huge ice cream cone with sprinkles and tell them to enjoy.
Brock: Are you a full-time or part-time author/writer?
Laura: I’m as full-time as being a stay-at-home mom to two small children allows…so not nearly as full-time as I would like some days! My writing time usually comes after my kids are in bed for the night and the house is quiet. It has been a huge blessing to be an author and a mom, and I have an incredibly supportive family who steps in if I need to do an author visit or a signing. It’s really the best of both worlds.
Brock: Expound on the spiritual themes in the book/series?
Laura: I’m not sure if it counts as a spiritual theme, but there is definitely some biblical symbolism in both books. I wove references and symbols from the story of Noah’s Ark throughout both books, which is where the title CODE NAME FLOOD, came from.
Brock: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Laura: I realized I wanted to be a writer the first time a book grabbed me and refused to let go until I finished it. It was an incredible experience to live in someone else’s world for a while, to be someone else. I put the book down and went, wow, I want to do this someday.
Brock: What are some of the strongest influences on your writing?
Laura: I mentioned in the first interview we did about Edge of Extinction-The Ark Plan, that I taught seventh grade language arts for six years before becoming an author, and I think the biggest influence on what I write are the kids that I taught. I had so many students who struggled to get engaged in a book, to really fall into a story, and every time I sit down to write, those are the kids I have in the forefront of my mind. I want to write a book that they can’t put down. I picture that student I had who told me that they didn’t like reading, and I imagine handing them my book and saying, “Oh yeah, prove it.” That may sound odd, the whole imaginary interaction in my head, but if you think about it…that is exactly what an author does for a living. Conduct imaginary interactions and then put them down on paper. So really, I’m not crazy, I’m just a professional writer!
Brock: What is the one author, living or dead, who you would co-write a book with and why?
Laura: I would give anything to co-write a book with Tamora Pierce. I’ve been reading her books ever since grade school, and I still buy everything she writes. Her books are the ones that I’ve read and re-read a million times, and that I re-buy when my copies get a little to beat up. I first fell for her Song of the Lioness series. Her protagonist, Alanna, was a spunky red-headed twelve year old with a will of iron, and I wanted to be her. So I guess it isn’t all that surprising that when I wrote my own book, I made my protagonist a red-headed girl!
Brock: In what ways does your faith impact how you approach writing?
Laura: I think my faith impacts my writing in the same way my faith impacts every aspect of my life. I am first and foremost a Christian, and I live my life that way. What I write, how I write, and who I write about is all a reflection of that.
Brock:Favorite place to vacation?
Laura: Ever since having kids, I don’t think vacation is a place anymore. Vacation is now going to the grocery store…alone. My husband and I had the house to ourselves for an entire Sunday a few weeks ago, and I think we enjoyed it more than most people enjoy sitting by the beach. I love my kids to pieces, but there is something about being alone, about remembering who you were before you were “mom”, that feels like a vacation.
Brock: Favorite pasta dish?
Laura: My mom’s spaghetti. It’s nothing fancy, just sauce out of a jar, but it always tastes better if my mom makes it.
Brock: What is your favorite dinosaur?
Laura: The Spinosaurus, which is why he got to be front and center on the cover of book one. I mentioned before that there really weren’t “swimming dinosaurs.” Well, there weren’t until they discovered the Spinosaurus. The more we find out about this terrifying guy, the cooler he gets, and I think he is eventually going to give the T. Rex a run for his money in the dinosaur popularity contest.
Brock: What is your favorite thing about writing books?
Laura: Getting to talk to the kids that have read them. It never gets old, and it’s such a thrill every time someone tells me they enjoyed my story.
Interview by Brock Eastman
Featuring The Ice Child
In this novelette, Sipp, a clockmaker’s apprentice, dreams of opening his own shop, but the people of Martigny believe he’s marked by the devil—all except for kind, independent Elise. As Sipp’s hope for the title of master craftsman fades, another destiny calls to him on the winter wind. But will answering that call mean leaving Elise behind forever?
Evangeline Denmark's THE ICE CHILD is a captivating fairy tale with lyrical prose and memorable characters that can be enjoyed in one sitting, but read over and over again. I really fell in love with Sipp--a talented artist--as he learned to accept his vocation, no matter what others thought of him. This is the perfect story for an evening by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate, so grab your copy and enjoy Denmark's magical world!
—Ashlee Cowles, author of Beneath Wandering Stars
Brock: Nice to have you with us here today, Evangeline. Could you tell us how did you come up with the idea for The Ice Child?
Evangeline: This story came out of some world-building I did for my novel, Curio, although there aren’t any discernable links to that book. It was just my imagination following a path that sprang up as I did background work.
Brock: Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Evangeline: Since this is a novelette, there really is only one main character, Sipp. Sipp is a clockmaker’s apprentice, an orphan, and an outcast due to a strange mark he bears. He also had an incredible talent that he hides.
Brock: In three words, what is this book about?
Evangeline: Creativity. Prejudice. Acceptance.
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Evangeline: I definitely let the characters take control.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Evangeline: I think we’re all tugged toward some creative pursuit, but it’s easier for some to pursue it than others. Sipp is afraid of the exposure his talent will bring because of cruel way he’s been treated by the townspeople. I hope that readers will feel emboldened to pursue whatever art beats away inside of them, and that they’ll give space and appreciation to others attempting to do the same.
Brock: What is your favorite genre to write for?
Evangeline: If I say fantasy, people automatically think of dragons and epic quests, and that’s not really what I do. But everything I write falls under the Fantasy umbrella. I just haven’t figured out the correct label. Supernatural? Paranormal? Magical? Out-of-the-box weirdness?
Brock: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Evangeline: Since this story is set in Martigny Switzerland in the 18th Century, I did have to do some research into what that region was like during that time period. I purposefully left the timing open because guilds are featured in the story, and they were in decline toward the end of that century.
Brock: Why did you choose to focus on a male protagonist?
Evangeline: For me Sipp represents boys that don’t fit into society’s expectations for the traditional male, which—to borrow a phrase from my grandmother—is stuff ‘n nonsense. Sipp is an artist; he’s gentle and kind, and sees the world differently. These are qualities to treasure in any individual they happen to show up in.
Brock: Can you give us a hint at the next book in the series?
Evangeline: I intended for this to be a standalone holiday story, but I have another adventure in mind for Sipp and Elise, so we’ll see if I can return to their world.
Brock: That's how it works. Doesn't it? So, where do you like to write?
Evangeline: I write in my very cold basement with a couple of sweatshirts on, fuzzy socks, and sometimes fingerless gloves—like Sipp wears!
Brock: Are you a full-time or part-time author/writer?
Evangeline: I’m a full-time writer. I’m useless at everything else.
Brock: How long does it usually take you to write a single book?
Evangeline: Depends on the length obviously. Novellas take around 3 months, and full-length novels around 6 months to a year.
Brock: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Evangeline: Most writers realized they wanted to write when they were kids. Often they were bookworms and lost in their own worlds. I sort of came from a different angle. As a kid I was too busy talking to think much about writing, but I created story out of everything, including my vocabulary sentences. By the time I reached college I’d recognized my deep love for words and started to think about a career in publishing.
Brock: What are some of the strongest influences on your writing?
Evangeline: The Brontë sisters, C.S. Lewis, Anne Rice, my mom
Brock: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?
Evangeline: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Brock: What are your hopes for your future as an author?
Evangeline: I hope I can keep telling stories about characters who are on the fringe and encounter things that stretch or reshape their understanding of reality.
Brock: Coke or Pepsi?
Evangeline: Coke Zero. I’m an addict.
Brock: Soft shell or hard shell tacos?
Evangeline: I believe all tacos should have an equal opportunity to be in my belly.
Brock: Favorite season?
Evangeline: Card-carrying, PSL-drinking, boot-wearing, leaf-loving fan of Fall.
Brock: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?
Evangeline: Trail mix, Coke Zero, COFFEE.
Not tacos though. It’s really hard to write and eat tacos at the same time.
Brock: Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what are some examples?
Evangeline: I compile soundtracks to for all my books. I think you can listen to them if you follow me on Spotify. Of course they vary but a few bands always seem to make it on my lists—Snow Patrol, The Fray, Night Riots, The Airborne Toxic Event, Vampire Weekend, U2, blink-182, Green Day.
Brock: The Ice Child is based on a fairy tale. Why do you think fairy tales have enduring significance?
Evangeline: Fairy tales deal with problems and fears that we wrestle with as humans. That’s why we find versions of the same story in many different cultures. They’re breadcrumbs (yes, Hansel and Gretel reference intended) along our trail to confronting problems like injustice and fear of the unknown.
The Ice Child folktales attempt to explain away infidelity and always involve the wife telling a lie and the husband getting rid of a child he doesn’t want. Awful, right? With my story I wanted to focus on that unwanted child and extend the conversation to include the incredible value of each individual.
Brock: What are you working on now?
Evangeline: Another Young Adult novel based on a folk tale, actually. But this one comes from Japanese culture. I’m loving the chance to examine some unfamiliar legends and folklore.
Featuring The Ice Child
In this novelette, Sipp, a clockmaker’s apprentice, dreams of opening his own shop, but the people of Martigny believe he’s marked by the devil—all except for kind, independent Elise. As Sipp’s hope for the title of master craftsman fades, another destiny calls to him on the winter wind. But will answering that call mean leaving Elise behind forever?
Evangeline Denmark's THE ICE CHILD is a captivating fairy tale with lyrical prose and memorable characters that can be enjoyed in one sitting, but read over and over again. I really fell in love with Sipp--a talented artist--as he learned to accept his vocation, no matter what others thought of him. This is the perfect story for an evening by the fire with a mug of hot chocolate, so grab your copy and enjoy Denmark's magical world!
—Ashlee Cowles, author of Beneath Wandering Stars
Brock: Nice to have you with us here today, Evangeline. Could you tell us how did you come up with the idea for The Ice Child?
Evangeline: This story came out of some world-building I did for my novel, Curio, although there aren’t any discernable links to that book. It was just my imagination following a path that sprang up as I did background work.
Brock: Tell us about the main characters. Who are they? What makes them unique?
Evangeline: Since this is a novelette, there really is only one main character, Sipp. Sipp is a clockmaker’s apprentice, an orphan, and an outcast due to a strange mark he bears. He also had an incredible talent that he hides.
Brock: In three words, what is this book about?
Evangeline: Creativity. Prejudice. Acceptance.
Brock: Do you outline the entire book before starting, or do you write as you go and let the characters take control of the story?
Evangeline: I definitely let the characters take control.
Brock: How do you believe this story relates to the lives of readers?
Evangeline: I think we’re all tugged toward some creative pursuit, but it’s easier for some to pursue it than others. Sipp is afraid of the exposure his talent will bring because of cruel way he’s been treated by the townspeople. I hope that readers will feel emboldened to pursue whatever art beats away inside of them, and that they’ll give space and appreciation to others attempting to do the same.
Brock: What is your favorite genre to write for?
Evangeline: If I say fantasy, people automatically think of dragons and epic quests, and that’s not really what I do. But everything I write falls under the Fantasy umbrella. I just haven’t figured out the correct label. Supernatural? Paranormal? Magical? Out-of-the-box weirdness?
Brock: Any certain research required for the book, or is it all from your imagination?
Evangeline: Since this story is set in Martigny Switzerland in the 18th Century, I did have to do some research into what that region was like during that time period. I purposefully left the timing open because guilds are featured in the story, and they were in decline toward the end of that century.
Brock: Why did you choose to focus on a male protagonist?
Evangeline: For me Sipp represents boys that don’t fit into society’s expectations for the traditional male, which—to borrow a phrase from my grandmother—is stuff ‘n nonsense. Sipp is an artist; he’s gentle and kind, and sees the world differently. These are qualities to treasure in any individual they happen to show up in.
Brock: Can you give us a hint at the next book in the series?
Evangeline: I intended for this to be a standalone holiday story, but I have another adventure in mind for Sipp and Elise, so we’ll see if I can return to their world.
Brock: That's how it works. Doesn't it? So, where do you like to write?
Evangeline: I write in my very cold basement with a couple of sweatshirts on, fuzzy socks, and sometimes fingerless gloves—like Sipp wears!
Brock: Are you a full-time or part-time author/writer?
Evangeline: I’m a full-time writer. I’m useless at everything else.
Brock: How long does it usually take you to write a single book?
Evangeline: Depends on the length obviously. Novellas take around 3 months, and full-length novels around 6 months to a year.
Brock: When did you realize you wanted to become a writer?
Evangeline: Most writers realized they wanted to write when they were kids. Often they were bookworms and lost in their own worlds. I sort of came from a different angle. As a kid I was too busy talking to think much about writing, but I created story out of everything, including my vocabulary sentences. By the time I reached college I’d recognized my deep love for words and started to think about a career in publishing.
Brock: What are some of the strongest influences on your writing?
Evangeline: The Brontë sisters, C.S. Lewis, Anne Rice, my mom
Brock: What was your favorite book as a teen or child?
Evangeline: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Brock: What are your hopes for your future as an author?
Evangeline: I hope I can keep telling stories about characters who are on the fringe and encounter things that stretch or reshape their understanding of reality.
Brock: Coke or Pepsi?
Evangeline: Coke Zero. I’m an addict.
Brock: Soft shell or hard shell tacos?
Evangeline: I believe all tacos should have an equal opportunity to be in my belly.
Brock: Favorite season?
Evangeline: Card-carrying, PSL-drinking, boot-wearing, leaf-loving fan of Fall.
Brock: Do you have a particular drink or food you consume when you write? Like coco, raspberry tea, animal crackers?
Evangeline: Trail mix, Coke Zero, COFFEE.
Not tacos though. It’s really hard to write and eat tacos at the same time.
Brock: Do you listen to music while you write? If so, what are some examples?
Evangeline: I compile soundtracks to for all my books. I think you can listen to them if you follow me on Spotify. Of course they vary but a few bands always seem to make it on my lists—Snow Patrol, The Fray, Night Riots, The Airborne Toxic Event, Vampire Weekend, U2, blink-182, Green Day.
Brock: The Ice Child is based on a fairy tale. Why do you think fairy tales have enduring significance?
Evangeline: Fairy tales deal with problems and fears that we wrestle with as humans. That’s why we find versions of the same story in many different cultures. They’re breadcrumbs (yes, Hansel and Gretel reference intended) along our trail to confronting problems like injustice and fear of the unknown.
The Ice Child folktales attempt to explain away infidelity and always involve the wife telling a lie and the husband getting rid of a child he doesn’t want. Awful, right? With my story I wanted to focus on that unwanted child and extend the conversation to include the incredible value of each individual.
Brock: What are you working on now?
Evangeline: Another Young Adult novel based on a folk tale, actually. But this one comes from Japanese culture. I’m loving the chance to examine some unfamiliar legends and folklore.
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Written by Samuel Parker
When a day trip out of Las Vegas with his wife takes a turn for the worse, Jack is sure that he has the ability to get them home. But he drove into something far beyond reason.
Rescue comes in the form of a desert hermit, but hope fades as the couple realizes that the nomad has no intention of letting them leave. A chance encounter with a kidnapped runaway and her crazed abductor leads them all farther into the wilderness—and closer to the cold brutality that isolation brings.
At the edge of his sanity, Jack begins to learn that playing by another’s rules may be the only way to survive.
In a voice that is as hypnotizing as a desert mirage, debut novelist Samuel Parker entices readers down a dangerous road, where the forces of good and evil are as crushing as the Mojave heat. This is suspense in its purest, most unfiltered form.
When a day trip out of Las Vegas with his wife takes a turn for the worse, Jack is sure that he has the ability to get them home. But he drove into something far beyond reason.
Rescue comes in the form of a desert hermit, but hope fades as the couple realizes that the nomad has no intention of letting them leave. A chance encounter with a kidnapped runaway and her crazed abductor leads them all farther into the wilderness—and closer to the cold brutality that isolation brings.
At the edge of his sanity, Jack begins to learn that playing by another’s rules may be the only way to survive.
In a voice that is as hypnotizing as a desert mirage, debut novelist Samuel Parker entices readers down a dangerous road, where the forces of good and evil are as crushing as the Mojave heat. This is suspense in its purest, most unfiltered form.
Fragments of Imagination
There is a scene from the film adaptation of A River Runs Through It where the young Norman Maclean presents his father, his schoolmaster, with a piece of writing. Norman hands in his composition and his father marks it up with red, telling him “Again . . . half as long.” This happens several times until the writing is approved, thrown in the trash, and the boy runs off to fish.
The Art of Brevity
In a world where the mark of a “true” writer seems to be the word count tally of the day or week or month, brevity can be a sign of lack of discipline. However, brevity can be a valuable tool to wield and provide space for a reader to incorporate their own imagination into your story.
One of my favorite chapters in my book Purgatory Road has only 48 words. It looks a bit odd in book form, taking up less than a half page. But I feel it is one of the more unique chapters in the book, as it conveys so much more emotion, context, and suspense than what would have been accomplished at 10 times the word count. (For context, the couple is stranded in the Mojave for a long while when we arrive at this scene.)
17
Morning light skirted the eastern ring of the valley as gently as an Easter sunrise.
“Jack,” she whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Jack . . . water?”
“No.”
“It’s all gone?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“Oh.”
“Sorry.”
“Okay.”
They drifted in a daze between waking and oblivion.
“Jack?”
“Yeah?”
“I thought you left.”
“Nope.”
“Okay.”
Brevity causes you to be confident in the words you have chosen, and confident that the reader will add what is flexible and implied, giving them more investment and bringing the story to life with much more vividness as it becomes laced with their own imagination and memory.
One perfectly placed sentence can cut to the heart of a thought as quick as a Ginsu and with just as much ferocity. In fact, I think it can do more to impress on the reader the gravity of the story than burying them in superfluous prose.
The Sound of Silence
Music composition uses silence just as much as sounds. A pause or muted part allows the listener’s mind to wander, reflect, or ponder, as one writer said, “what it is that echoes in the silence.” [1] I would argue that sentence, paragraph, page, and chapter composition can accomplish much of the same effect. The problem that surfaces is our fear of trusting the reader to imagine our world in their own minds, to relinquish the keys of creation, and let a fragment echo in the silence and expand apart from the written word.
In Purgatory Road, I use fragments to a level that caused my editor a bit of concern. Sentences are not supposed to look like this; even Microsoft tries to flag our attention and scream “This is wrong!” Below is an example of something I like to do in controlling the pace of a narrative with single words:
Laura stared out of the windshield. The road ran off out of sight, disappearing into the horizon, mesmerizing in its seemingly magical disappearance.
Alone.
She thumbed her wedding ring in absentminded play, the sweat beginning to seep out of her skin, causing the band to roll freely around her finger. She looked at it, its jewel sparkling, shining in the rays streaming through the glass.
The “Alone” gets grammatically flagged, but as read, it causes the reader to stop. A bullet. Even if it’s only for a fraction of a second, the reader has to contemplate that word in isolation. It’s more forceful than saying “she was all alone sitting in the car.” Alone. There is something slightly menacing in reducing the clutter and getting down to the raw bone of what you are trying to say.
The world is not binary, so this bit of advice will not work for all occasions. Some things need explaining, some do not. But I would challenge you to look at your recent work, the one with the mega word count that you celebrated to your friends on Twitter about, and hear the voice of Norman Maclean’s father as you reread it: “Again . . . half as long.”
You may surprise yourself by how a more direct and simple word choice cuts down to the marrow of the story you are trying to tell.
[1] http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music_box/2009/08/silence_is_golden.html.
There is a scene from the film adaptation of A River Runs Through It where the young Norman Maclean presents his father, his schoolmaster, with a piece of writing. Norman hands in his composition and his father marks it up with red, telling him “Again . . . half as long.” This happens several times until the writing is approved, thrown in the trash, and the boy runs off to fish.
The Art of Brevity
In a world where the mark of a “true” writer seems to be the word count tally of the day or week or month, brevity can be a sign of lack of discipline. However, brevity can be a valuable tool to wield and provide space for a reader to incorporate their own imagination into your story.
One of my favorite chapters in my book Purgatory Road has only 48 words. It looks a bit odd in book form, taking up less than a half page. But I feel it is one of the more unique chapters in the book, as it conveys so much more emotion, context, and suspense than what would have been accomplished at 10 times the word count. (For context, the couple is stranded in the Mojave for a long while when we arrive at this scene.)
17
Morning light skirted the eastern ring of the valley as gently as an Easter sunrise.
“Jack,” she whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Jack . . . water?”
“No.”
“It’s all gone?”
“Yeah,” he said.
“Oh.”
“Sorry.”
“Okay.”
They drifted in a daze between waking and oblivion.
“Jack?”
“Yeah?”
“I thought you left.”
“Nope.”
“Okay.”
Brevity causes you to be confident in the words you have chosen, and confident that the reader will add what is flexible and implied, giving them more investment and bringing the story to life with much more vividness as it becomes laced with their own imagination and memory.
One perfectly placed sentence can cut to the heart of a thought as quick as a Ginsu and with just as much ferocity. In fact, I think it can do more to impress on the reader the gravity of the story than burying them in superfluous prose.
The Sound of Silence
Music composition uses silence just as much as sounds. A pause or muted part allows the listener’s mind to wander, reflect, or ponder, as one writer said, “what it is that echoes in the silence.” [1] I would argue that sentence, paragraph, page, and chapter composition can accomplish much of the same effect. The problem that surfaces is our fear of trusting the reader to imagine our world in their own minds, to relinquish the keys of creation, and let a fragment echo in the silence and expand apart from the written word.
In Purgatory Road, I use fragments to a level that caused my editor a bit of concern. Sentences are not supposed to look like this; even Microsoft tries to flag our attention and scream “This is wrong!” Below is an example of something I like to do in controlling the pace of a narrative with single words:
Laura stared out of the windshield. The road ran off out of sight, disappearing into the horizon, mesmerizing in its seemingly magical disappearance.
Alone.
She thumbed her wedding ring in absentminded play, the sweat beginning to seep out of her skin, causing the band to roll freely around her finger. She looked at it, its jewel sparkling, shining in the rays streaming through the glass.
The “Alone” gets grammatically flagged, but as read, it causes the reader to stop. A bullet. Even if it’s only for a fraction of a second, the reader has to contemplate that word in isolation. It’s more forceful than saying “she was all alone sitting in the car.” Alone. There is something slightly menacing in reducing the clutter and getting down to the raw bone of what you are trying to say.
The world is not binary, so this bit of advice will not work for all occasions. Some things need explaining, some do not. But I would challenge you to look at your recent work, the one with the mega word count that you celebrated to your friends on Twitter about, and hear the voice of Norman Maclean’s father as you reread it: “Again . . . half as long.”
You may surprise yourself by how a more direct and simple word choice cuts down to the marrow of the story you are trying to tell.
[1] http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/music_box/2009/08/silence_is_golden.html.
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