Beverly Stowe McClure's Blog: Enter Beverly's World of Writing, page 8

A LOOK INTO THE FUTURE?

The Legacy Human by Susan Kaye Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Would you like to be smarter than others? How about being more beautiful or good looking or living forever? Silly questions, right? But things are not always what they seem.

In THE LEGACY HUMA Singularity 1, by Author Susan Kaye Quinn, we meet seventeen-year-old Elijah (Eli) Brighton, a legacy human, who wants to become an ascender, which means they’re no longer human. They have so much going for them, being beautiful one of their advantages.

Eli is a talented artist, who sometimes has spells where his work is exceptional, but he doesn’t remember painting them. He also has another problem. His mother needs medicine, which is expensive so he has to paint to help pay for her needs. I like the fact that he’s such a caring son.

Susan Kaye Quinn has created an interesting world with characters trying to survive. Does Eli achieve his goal of becoming an ascender? Or does he discover that being an ascender is nothing like he though?

THE LEGACY HUMAN Singularity Book 1 is a good story about discovering what truly is important in life. I enjoyed meeting the characters and really hoped Eli would find what he was looking for.




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Great Advice for School Visits

Schools: A Niche Market for Authors by Jane R Wood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Do you visit schools with your books for children? If so, you know how the students love to meet you and you love to meet the students. Everyone, teachers included, has a great time. Now, I admit
I’ve only made a few school visits. Since I enjoyed the ones I did, I hope to change that soon.
Author Jane R. Wood’s book SCHOOLS A NICHE MARKET FOR AUTHORS sort of helped me make the decision for more visits. The author starts her book by mentioning that your books should have educational value. She then goes on to explain why and how you can do it. Class time is valuable, so see what you have that might go along with what is being taught. Don’t forget to make the stories fun as well as educational. Create activities to go along with the books.

The author has a lot of good information on how to have a successful school visit. Combine your ideas with hers, adjusting them perhaps to suit your books, and the students, as well as you, will have a successful visit.

Just reading SCHOOLS A NICHE MARKET FOR AUTHORS inspires me to get busy for this coming year and share my work with the children the books are written for. How about you?
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Aw, Those Middle School Years

Lights, Camera, Middle School! by Jennifer L. Holm

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Middle School. The years between being children and teens. The years where everything changes. In BABYMOUSE: TALES FROM THE LOCKER by best-selling authors Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm, Babymouse is now in middle school, and it’s like a “monster movie” with “spooky creatures” to quote Babymouse in her own words. And then there’s the whiskers. Yeah, the whiskers.

Babymouse tells her story of what middle school is like, and what a story it is. From whiskers to wanting to be famous to wanting a private jet to a locker that possibly contains a monster and trying to figure out who her friends are, Babymouse keeps the reader, at least this reader, laughing and turning pages to see what she does next.

Then she decides to join the Film Club, and when problems arise Babymouse has her own unique ways of solving them.

I can picture not only middle school kids but teens and even adults following each adventure as middle school readers realize they may be facing the same or similar situations that Babymouse faces. And older readers might nod as they remember those confusing years.

Black and white drawings by B&W illustrations add humor to the scenes. If anyone can read this story without laughing and perhaps even learning a thing or two about middle school, they need to read it again. BABYMOUSE: Tales from the Locker would make a great addition to middle school classrooms and libraries, as well as your own library. Highly recommended.

I was sent an ARC of the novel.




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Ghosts and Romance, a Lovely Story

Guardian's Touch by L.A. Dragoni

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Have you ever met a ghost? What? You say there is no such thing. Well, perhaps you’re right. But maybe, just maybe, you’ll change your mind after reading LA Dragoni’s latest novel GUARDIAN’S TOUCH (Touched by Afterlife Book 2). I’ve been waiting for a long time to see what happened to Tamara and Dex, our heroes from GHOST TOUCH (Touched by Afterlife Book 1.) They’re finally back, and the author does not disappoint us.

Tamara and Dex are in love. Their lives are running smoothly, at least they were until the cows start acting weird, and the dog Ruff is not his normal self. And that’s just the beginning of strange happenings to the young couple. Not only does Dex switch from the sweet caring guy who loves Tamara to a rude, sometimes violent man, one she hardly recognizes, he has no memory of his behavior. Tamara wonders if it’s her imagination, or if she’s having stress from her experience with the ghosts she helped cross over a few months earlier. Or is she seeing ghosts that do not exist? She knows one thing: she must find out what’s happening to Dex and stop it, before she loses him completely.

LA Dragoni is a master at creating characters that seem like real, living beings, which made me care about Tamara and Dex and want good things to happen for the young couple who had been through difficult times. The plot is good and solid, with a surprise or two along the way.

As much as I enjoyed GHOST TOUCH, the first book in the series, GUARDIAN’S TOUCH is even better. So, whether you believe in ghosts or not, you might enjoy meeting the characters in the author’s latest story. I think it will keep you guessing as tLo what happens next. Happy Reading.




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On Growing Older

Still Me...After All These Years: 24 Writers Reflect on Aging by Karen Helene Walker

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



“Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life for which the first was made; Our times are in His hand…” As I read the stories in the anthology STILL ME…AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, Poet Robert Browning’s words from RABBI BEN EZRA came to mind. I never really thought about them when I was younger, but now I understand what he was saying, at least what it means to me.

As we go through life we learn, at least we should. And in the individual stories of this anthology we see that just because one is growing older doesn’t mean thei,r active life is over. Quite the contrary. Many new adventures are waiting for us, if we just recognize them. We see this in these stories. Some discuss physical changes in our bodies. So, our hair turns gray, our muscles grow flabby. That doesn’t mean we can’t still dance and swim and do the things we enjoy doing.

Losing parents and other family members is heartbreaking, but as one story mentions we still have the wisdom we learned from our parents or siblings.

These stories will have you laughing, and thinking, and counting your blessings, so pick up a copy and enjoy STILL ME …AFTER ALL THESE YEARS. I think you’ll be glad you did.




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A Cave Bear

Mountain of the Cave Bear: The Chronicles of Arul by R.K. Singh

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Have you ever been inside a cave? What was it like? We took a tour through Carlsbad Caverns one time. When we reached a certain place, they turned off all the lights. Talk about dark. I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. Scary? You bet. What sort of creatures might be lurking in hidden crevices?

MOUNTAIN OF THE CAVE BEAR, a short story by R. K. Singh, opens with the description of a cave that is so vivid that I felt like I was in the cave, seeing the same things Arul was seeing. I could envision the pine trees heavy with snow and I followed Arul and his father as they looked for tracks or some sign of the cave bear they were tracking, one of the last remnants of an ancient ice age, that was killing the cattle and even a child. More human lives would be lost if the bear was not killed soon.

Will they find the bear? If they do, will their poison-tipped arrows be enough to kill such a creature? Or will Arul and his father become the victims, instead of the hunters? This is a well written story that made me really care about the characters and what happened to them.

I enjoyed this short story. It kept me guessing what would happen next.

The author also gives some historical facts at the end of the story that are interesting.




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A Faery Good Story

Faery Swap by Susan Kaye Quinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Have you ever wished you could swap bodies with someone? Why would you want to do such a thing? In FAERY SWAP by Author Susan Kaye Quinn, we meet Zaneyr, a faery who does just that. In alternate chapters, we see the way the faery and Finn, the human he swapped with, deal with the situation.

Finn, his little sister, Erin, and his Dad, who is seldom around, have moved from California to England where everything is different. Mom is dead and not only does Finn have to be careful to follow the rules about school so Child Protective Services doesn’t take Erin away, he’s about to find out just how different his new life is. When he meets a strange guy, who doesn’t seem to be right in the head, and who’s looking for a lost coin, he and the weird kid swap bodies, not Finn’s choice, by the way, and Finn enters a magical world of faeries. The big question is: how on earth does he get his own body back?

FAERY SWAP is a fun and sometimes a bit scary novel for middle-grade readers, as well as older readers, who like fantasy and faery stories. This would make a good addition to school libraries, as well as your own library.




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Making Choices

Delivering Jacob by Kevin Hopson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When a family member dies, it changes the lives of those left behind. And when it’s a child, sometimes the parents draw apart. This is what happens in DELIVERING JACOB by Author Kevin Hobson.

Jacob’s son has died, and all he wants to do is be reunited with his son. So, he decides to kill himself, but when he pulls the trigger of the gun, what follows is a mystery that will keep you guessing as to what will happen next. At least it did me. Jacob soon finds himself with a decision to make. Will he choose life, or will he choose death?

This version of DELIVERING JACOB is the audio edition. The author does the reading himself and he does a great job. His voice sounds good, and he stresses certain scenes. A very nice job.

This story made me take another look at my own life. Will I one day face the same choices Jacob faced? If so, what would I do? Don’t be so quick with your answers. One never knows until you’re there. This is a nice story, well told. I enjoyed listening to it.




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Piper Morgan is Back

Piper Morgan Makes a Splash by Stephanie Faris

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


A hot summer day. A swimming pool with cool water. What more could a girl want? The delightful Piper Morgan is back with a new adventure.

In PIPER MORGAN MAKES A SPLASH, the latest story in the Piper Morgan series for young readers, Piper’s mom has a new job at the pool place, which leads to all sorts of fun for Piper, or so she hopes. Will Piper get her own pool? Will she have a chance to do a commercial, like the man on TV? She seems to find trouble whatever she does. Piper is smart, and she tries to be good. She also knows when she messes up.

Throughout the book, black and white illustrations by Lucy Fleming add to the fun of the story. Also, each chapter ends with an interesting “Splash Fact.”

Stephanie Faris has created a cast of characters that could be a real family. Young readers might relate to Piper when her plans don’t always turn out the way she wants them to. I recommend this story and the other books in the series for young readers and older ones, who enjoy a fun read, too. These books would make a great addition to elementary school classrooms and libraries, as well as your own library.




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Great Middle Grade Story

Duck and Cover by Janet F. Smart

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


When I was a kid, back in the day, I remember the blackouts we had sometimes at night. The sirens blared. House lights went off. My sister and I sat at the window, looking outside, watching for planes that might drop bombs on us. The sky was dark, but we never saw a plane. We didn’t understand it completely, but I knew it was bad. An air force base where they trained pilots was near our town, which possibly made our area a target. After a while the all clear signal sounded and lights flashed back on in the houses.

DUCK AND COVER, the latest novel for middle grade readers, by Author Janet F. Smart, brought back those memories. Twelve-year-old Teddy’s father died six months ago, and Teddy and his mom moved back to West Virginia to be with family. The author has done a beautiful job showing us Teddy’s emotions. Not only is he mourning the loss of his dad, he’s worried about rumors that the Russians will attack the United States. Teddy and his friends are brave, though, and they don’t just sit back waiting to see what happens. They prepare for such an emergency.

The author sprinkles historical facts into the story, such as the presidents of those times. And perhaps readers will do a bit of research on their own, to learn more about America’s history.

This novel would make a great addition to school classrooms and libraries, as well as to public libraries and your own. Recommended for readers young and old.




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