Jessica Haight's Blog, page 131

Lucky Leprechaun Book Giveaway!

Thanks to I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, Books Complete Me, and Author Cindy Thomas for hosting the  Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop! Fairday's Blog is giving away a paperback edition of  Hatchet  by Gary Paulsen, plus a signed hardcover edition of the spooky, new middle grade adventure, The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow  by J. Haight & S. Robinson . 

The Lucky Leprechaun Giveaway Hop will run from March 15th-22nd, so, join in the fun! This is a spirited hop, and there are lots of blogs participating, giving away all sorts of books and other fabulous prizes.  


Open to US and International : ) 


☞ Be sure to visit the hopping blogs! 
( click here for the list )


Enter to win:1) Follow Fairday's Blog!2) Leave a comment and let us know: 
What is the luckiest thing that has ever happened to you? 3) Fill out the Rafflecopter form below
Hatchet by Gary PaulsenThirteen year old Brian Robeson is flying to Canada to visit his father when the pilot of the small bush plane that he is traveling in has a heart attack and dies. The plan crashes and the adventure really begins. Alone, in an unfamiliar area, Brian must learn the necessary skills to survive. He must rely on himself and dig deep in his memory to remember any bits of information that will help him to stay alive. read more...
Click here to find out what Gary Paulsen has to say!




The Begonia House keeps its secrets. Everyone knows that. Everyone, that is, except for clever eleven-year-old Fairday Morrow, whose family has just moved in. Being the Senior Investigator in the Detective Mystery Squad, more commonly known as the DMS, she’s ready to uncover the mysteries hidden within the strange manor. As the investigation gears up and the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place, the DMS enters into a world where anything is possible, and the danger is most definitely real. Follow along with Fairday and her friends, as spooky meets lovely in this twisting tale of dark secrets and hidden pasts.  Read the first seven chapters 

☞ Read the reviews!
☞ DMS Home Site 

Thanks for popping over! We hope that you will stay and visit with us for a while. Below, you will find an overview of the topics that we discuss on Fairday's Blog! They range from riddles, to reviews, to just things that we like to shout out about : )
What Fairday's Blog! is all about...
Fairday's Riddles are posted on Mondays- they can be written about anything and everything, all at the same time!
Lizzy's Book Reviews are posted on Wednesdays. Lizzy has read just about every middle grade novel out there, and she loves to share her thoughts and, of course, her opinions.
The Top of the Heap  is a post we put up on Thursdays. We thought it would be fun once a week to put up two things that we appreciate and have been thinking about during the week.
Author Interviews are posted on Fridays. The DMS seeks out the best middle grade authors today and brings them here to chat about their stories. 
Margo's Musings  Fridays are sometimes shared with Margo, Fairday's little sister. This post focuses on reviewing children's book authors, which we follow up with an  Author Interview .
The DMS Wants to Know  was a post we came up with for Saturdays because when we get together to hang out on the weekend, we always chat about different situations and ideas that are floating around in our brains and we like to listen to what other people think about them- some of the comments we've gotten have been absolutely fascinating!

Make time to riddle and rhyme!
62 original riddles and illustrations  

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Available in all e-book formats
Download for only .99¢ on Smashwords


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Author Interview with Kevin Emerson

The DMS was lucky enough to interview  Kevin Emerson , author of the middle grade novel  The Fellowship for Alien Detection . Fairday was abducted by this stellar story, and it was great to share our thoughts about it and hear yours! We are excited to learn a little bit more about the story behind the story. So, without further ado... take it away, Kevin! 


What inspired you to write The Fellowship for Alien Detection?
My initial inspiration was a deep love of The X-Files, combined with a cross country road trip where we went to Roswell, White Sands, and Area 51. Not to mention Graceland. The second thing was thinking about achievement and how some teens today get so completely overscheduled (that’s where the idea of a wacky summer scholarship came from). Once I had these ideas, I thought about being on road trips with your family, something I spent a lot of time doing as a kid and teen. 
How long did it take you to write The Fellowship for Alien Detection?
The problem with everything I wrote above about inspiration was that I then needed a plot. I had three ideas from the start: Suza in her missing town, Haley and her clocks, and Dodger and his radio. But despite all that, it took me 7 YEARS to write this book. Part of that was weird circumstance: my agent found an interested editor right off the bat, but he wanted me to remove the parents from the book, and make the kids older and on the road on their own. Which would have essentially ruined the story. Then, it sat on the shelf while I wrote my first books. Other editors read it, but were never that interested. My agent and I kept believing in it, and I finally met an editor, Jordan Brown at Walden Pond Press, who felt the same. And then, after all those years, I rewrote the entire thing! But those basic ideas and characters were still there.
What are some of your favorite books from childhood? Were there any specific authors who inspired you?
When I was a kid, I loved a series called The Three Investigators, which was a Hardy Boys knock off. I also really liked Encyclopedia Brown , and Spider-Man comic books and Choose Your Own Adventure anything. As a teacher, some of the books that inspired me to write for kids were The Golden Compass, Absolutely Normal Chaos, Holes, Catalyst, Harry Potter, Maniac McGee.
How did you come up with the characters Haley and Dodger?
Both were inspired by students I’d had. Haley by the neurotic overachievers, Dodger by the inward, awkward boys. They both got a bit of my anxiety: Haley the compulsion to DO THINGS because she feels like she’s on-the-clock. Dodger got the paralysis that comes with feeling like you don’t fit in as part of a vast universe, and the feeling that you’re alone and different. In a way, the two characters are halves of a whole.

If you could befriend any character from a book, who would you befriend? Why?
Probably Lyra from the Golden Compass. I could have used a girl like that in my life in middle school, both to have adventures with, and to set me straight.
Where do you like to write? Do you listen to music while you are writing?
I either write in my office at home, or in a coffee shop. I listen to music sometimes, but other times I need to hear the rhythm of the words and the character voices. I also get lots of writing done on airplanes. 
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Why?
There are so many places. The South Pacific? At least for awhile. I’d like to feel that remote. Also, London. Man, I love London. Or in a ski town like Telluride.
Have you ever met an alien? If so, can you tell us about it?
That’s classified.
Where can we purchase your book?
F.A.D. is in all the places that have the books. The best spot is always an independent bookstore near you. 

Amazon ☞ Barnes and Noble 

Connect with this author:
Author Website  ☞ Facebook ☞  Twitter


Read the reviews!

✭ Enter the giveaway for a chance to win a copy of The Fellowship for Alien Detection, plus a signed bookplate!         

  
Giveaway ends Sunday, March 17th! Open to US and International : )  


FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Top of the Heap!

Monday's Riddle set our charts for the stars this week, and Fairday reviewed the stellar new middle grade book The Fellowship for Alien Detection by Kevin Emerson- stop by the post and enter for a chance to win a copy of this far-out story! Saint Patrick's Day is almost here, and it's time to get your Irish on. The  Lucky Leprechaun Book Giveaway Hop will be launching on Friday, plus Kevin Emerson will be stopping by to tell us a little more about his story. Saturday, we always look forward to hearing from you on The DMS Wants to Know . Today, we want to take a moment to shout out to two aliens who are really out of this world!

This week's top of the heap: Awesome Aliens ✌


Fairday: My whole family still enjoys The Flintsones and we all like Gazoo. He is a little, green man, who was exiled from his home planet for building a weapon that could destroy the universe. Gazoo claims that it was no big deal and, of course, he had no intentions of using it. Still, he's stuck here on Earth with Fred and Barney, plotting to pompously add a little excitement into their prehistoric lives. : ) ~ F






Lizzy: What can I say? I have to pick E.T.! I mean, he is the pinnacle of adorable aliens. I love the scene when they are being chased, and E.T. lifts all the bicycles into the air- the looks on the kids' faces is priceless. It would be amazing to befriend an extra-terrestrial like E.T., as long as I had some Reeses Pieces with me! ~ L
FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

What Happened to Suza?

Haley's greatest desire is to be a journalist, so when she misses out on the opportunity to join the Junior Corespondent Fellowship for the Daily Times in New York City for summer break, she isn't thrilled. However, after being accepted as a candidate for the first annual Fellowship for Alien Detection, her interest is sparked. Even though her best friend, Abby, will be at music camp, Haley can't help but feel intrigued by the eerie circumstances surrounding a story that revolves around a missing girl named Suza Raines. With her family on board for the investigation, she plans to interview a group of people who have had some disturbing experiences. After meeting Steph, the strange sister of the missing girl, Haley is cast right into a mystery that is sixteen minutes short of making sense. Along with Dodger, the other extraordinary recipient of the fellowship, Haley is determined to piece together the puzzle and figure out exactly what is going on. What will Haley and Dodger find in Arizona? What is hidden in the abandoned mine? What will happen when Haley digs further into UCA (United Consolidated Amalgamations Corporation)? You will have to read this exciting story to find out. 

The Fellowship for Alien Detection by Kevin Emerson is a fun story that will keep you guessing. I enjoyed thinking about the mystery and was easily able to connect with Haley. She is an inquisitive thirteen year old with a lot of determination. The story moves along at a good pace, keeping you on the edge of your seat. I would recommend this book for readers ten and up. If you are interested in alien conspiracies and abduction, then this middle grade read is for you!


Has anyone else read The Fellowship for Alien Detection or any other books by Kevin Emerson? What did you think? 
Happy reading! ~ F  




The Fellowship for Alien Detection is on tour this month , and Kevin Emerson will be stopping by on Friday, March 15th to tell us about the story behind his story. We are excited to be a part of this inter-stellar middle grade blog tour, and we hope to see you out there!
Enter for your chance to win a hardcover copy of this far-out story, plus a signed bookplate! 

Open to US and International : ) 

a Rafflecopter giveaway FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Answer to Monday's Riddle! Phone Home!

Great job Riddlers! Ali Ginger-Read and Embrethiliel guessed correctly. This week we will be taking a trip into outer space, seeking those ever elusive extra-terrestrials. Wednesday, Fairday will be chiming in with a far-out review, and Thursday, we have some stellar thoughts to share with you on Top of the Heap . The Lucky Leprechaun Book Giveaway Hop will be landing here on Friday, along with something else that's out of this world. Saturday, we love to hear from you on The DMS Wants to Know!

Remember, the truth is out there! See you all around the book block ; ) ~ F

What I am you may not know, but when I come I'll steal the show. For all this time I've been a mystery, living inside your lines of history. I may be watching and studying your groove or perhaps I'm plotting to make my next move. Whatever it is that I may be showing, the surprise of me is just in the knowing. For, I am an enigma wrapped in a pickle- something inside that forever will tickle. The further out there or deeper you go, there will always be more about me to know. I am that something that comes from a place where there's nothing to do but float off in space. 

What am I? Answer: An Alien 




Make time to riddle and rhyme!
62 original riddles and illustrations  

Fairday's Riddles: Volume I 
Available in all e-book formats
Download for only .99¢ on Smashwords


FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Monday's Riddle! The Truth Is Out There

Hello Riddlers! Can you can guess the theme? It's far out this week  ; ) ~ F

What I am you may not know, but when I come I'll steal the show. For all this time I've been a mystery, living inside your lines of history. I may be watching and studying your groove or perhaps I'm plotting to make my next move. Whatever it is that I may be showing, the surprise of me is just in the knowing. For, I am an enigma wrapped in a pickle- something inside that forever will tickle. The further out there or deeper you go, there will always be more about me to know. I am that something that comes from a place where there's nothing to do but float off in space. 

What am I? 

I gave you a clue!




FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

2013 Unicorn Writers' Conference

"It's a beautiful day to be inspired!"


Follow along with Jess & Stephanie as they unveil the magic of...

The 2013 Unicorn Writers' Conference  
Saturday March, 9th was the 4th annual Unicorn Writers' Conference held at Saint Clements Castle in Portland, CT.

We were lucky enough for the chance to attend this exciting event and are happy to share it with all of you!

This unique writers' conference is a gathering of writers of all genres and a place to get inspired! The energy bubbled and brewed all day long inside the eclectic walls of the castle, captivating our imaginations and raising our spirits. 

The day began with breakfast in the ballroom. This provided the perfect opportunity to network with other writers, and it was a good time to go over the workshops that we wanted to attend.


NY Times best-selling author, Matthew Pearl , was the keynote speaker. He was very down to earth, and it was fascinating to learn about his experience becoming a writer. His books sounded very interesting, and we picked up two of his titles- The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow . He is an adult fiction writer, and we were intrigued by the premise of his stories. 



The halls were lined with spooky pictures of unknown characters, all watching us surreptitiously as we passed by them- they reminded us of the many oily stares that grace the hallways of Hogwarts : ) 




As we made our way through the high archways, the castle opened itself up to the flow of creativity flooding through its many doorways and passages...









The extraordinary attention to detail made the whole experience all that much more spell-binding!





Her Majesty, Queen Stephanie ♔











The castle is hauntingly enchanting, hosting a little magic hidden around every corner...




Amy Tannenbaum , Melissa Miller , Mollie Traver The editor panel was comprised of three editors from different publishing houses. We were happy for the chance to hear about current events in the literary marketplace and find out some key insights into what an editor is looking for in a writer today. 
All around, it was a unique experience put together with a lot of style, and we look forward to attending this conference next year. 
Love the worlds of words, for they are infinite : ) ~ Jess & Stephanie


Fabulous! 
FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Margo's Musings! I Spy!

Happy Friday people! Here in New England, we are all enjoying a fluffy, white snow day. Margo decided that it would be fun to take a break and keep an eye out Waldo. Spend some time playing with the ones you love today- take a peek and see if you can spy him lurking in the crowd.  ~ F & M


Can you find Waldo? 



Find Waldo...





FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Top of the Heap!

Monday's Riddle was an amusing guise, and Lizzy's review of The Secret Tree by Natalie Standiford introduced us to two new spies who stumble upon a big case of secrets. Friday, we have something sneaky in store, and Saturday, we always love to hear your unique perspective on The DMS Wants to Know . Today, we are shouting out two familiar spies that can really solve the case.


Today's top of the heap: Excellent Spies : )

Fairday: One of my favorite spies has to be Harriet M. Welsch. She carries her notebook with her everywhere, jotting notes about her neighbors and friends. Harriet is so organized that she even has a spy route that she follows regularly. As an observer, she is trying to learn about people and the world around her. She records what she sees with honesty, and when her notebook falls into the wrong hands, Harriet must do some deep thinking. I love this book because there is so much to learn from Harriet’s observations and the way she deals with the world around her. Thanks so much to the lovely Adrianna from She's Got Books on Her Mind for reminding me about this fun story! ~ F



Lizzy: Nancy Drew is clever, smart, and adventurous. She drives around in her blue convertible solving mysteries with her keen eye for detail. I love that Nancy works with her best friends and finds help in some unusual places. Her tools are simple but effective. Spies and detectives must remember a flashlight and magnifying glass because you never know when they will help crack the case. Nancy does her research and gets people to talk to her, and she isn’t afraid to stop and observe in order to put the clues together. I have enjoyed tagging along as she sorts through what is in front of her to make some fascinating discoveries. Nancy Drew and friends can be found working together in over 100 books! ~ L


FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED

Can You Keep a Secret?

Minty wants to grow up to be in the roller derby. She and her best friend Paz (roller derby name Pax A. Punch) have been working on a routine that they plan to perform in the neighborhood fourth of July Parade. It is the summer before sixth grade and the girls have endless months before them to annoy their older sisters, practice roller skating, and go to the pool. When Minty spots a flash of light at the edge of the forest, she runs after it to see if it is the legendary Man Bat or possibly the witch from The Witch House. In the woods, she hears a low humming coming from a tree. She reaches her hand into a hole and pulls out a slip of paper with a message. This is the start of a summer very unlike the one Minty was expecting. 
It isn’t long before Paz starts hanging out with older girls and leaving Minty out. Luckily, Minty has a new friend of her own, Raymond. Together they are trying to find out who the secrets in the tree belong to, and they start spying on the neighbors hoping to find clues. They want to help people by solving some of their problems created by their secrets. Can Raymond and Minty match each secret to someone from the neighborhood? Will they be able to help solve some of the problems that they have read about in the tree? Will Minty and Paz be able to repair their friendship? What is the secret that Raymond is hiding? Read this book and become enchanted by the secrets that await!
The Secret Tree by Natalie Standiford is a book about the ups and downs of friendship and the secrets that we all keep inside. Minty is a character I could relate to because she is someone who enjoys being a kid and doesn’t really want things to change. My heart went out to her as she struggled with friendships that were in transition. I especially loved the advice her older sister gives her about middle school and friendships. I had fun trying to figure out who the secrets belonged to and found the detective work done by Raymond and Minty to be fascinating. The beginning of this book started off a little slow for me because I didn’t really know much about roller derby and there are many references in the first twenty pages. I stuck with the book, and I am glad I did! The rest of the book flew by, and I couldn’t wait to see how everything turned out. I recommend this book for kids in third through seventh grade. Kids getting ready for middle school will relate to this book and will connect to the characters. It makes you wonder what secrets the people around you are keeping!

Has anyone else read The Secret Tree? Or another book by Natalie Standiford? We would love to hear your thoughts? 

A special thanks to Barbara Ann Watson! We won a copy of this book on her blog.

Happy Reading! ~LFEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED