Caroline Akervik's Blog, page 9
March 16, 2015
The Prisoner of Cell 25 - couldn't put it down
I bought this book of a review several years ago. It was described as a great book for reluctant readers. So, I suggested it as an end of year read aloud for a 5th grade classroom. Michael Vey mania ensued. All of the students, girls and especially boys, were discussing the book, requesting it, reading it. It was a librarian's dream. I ordered the sequels and the phenomenon continued. But, for some reason, I didn't pick up the book myself. I understood the premise, a boy with electrical powers who also grapples with Tourette's syndrome while fighting an evil group bent on world domination. Then, one weekend, I somewhat reluctantly, brought the book home. That night, with determination, I sat down to read, and found I couldn't put it down. Michael is an appealing hero, an underdog, but one who rises to every occasion. I liked the idea of the other electrical kids and their unique and different powers. I like how Michael makes unlikely allies, even with some rather suspect kids. I guess what I most enjoyed about the book is that Michael is a real and believable middle school aged kid. The book is a nonstop thriller that kids and adults can't put down. I am a Michael Vey fan!
December 19, 2014
December 16, 2014
Some of My Favorite Christmas Books for Children
This is one of my favorite "true" Christmas stories. It is set on the western front on a Christmas Eve during World War One. It relates a magical night when the soldiers laid down their arms to celebrate the spirit of the season. When I teach this book, usually to fifth graders, I also play the song. This is a deeply moving tale.
I absolutely love the illustrations in this animal oriented telling of the Christmas story. The handling of the Jesus story is very gentle and deft. The animals express nearly human thoughts and feelings about miracle of Christmas.December 1, 2014
November 21, 2014
Featured New Release by Fire and Ice author Alice J. Black
Blurb:
When she is moved halfway down the country during the summer holidays, Amanda finds she's stuck in a place that she not only hates but where it never seems to stop raining. Godfrey Hall, their new home, is a dark, cold place that she can't seem to adjust to. The worst room is the dining room where a set of mosaic doors seems to draw her in despite the fact that she despises it. The first day her parents are both out, Amanda finds out the true secret of the mosaic doors and nothing will stop her opening the shrine made for a man hundreds of years before her.
About the author:
Bio: Alice lives and works in the North East of England where she lives with her partner and slightly ferocious cat. She writes all manner of fiction with a tendency to lean towards the dark side, but also likes to challenge herself and write out of her genre too. Dreams and sleep-talking are currently a big source of inspiration and her debut novel, The Doors, is a young adult novel which originally sprouted from a dream several years ago and grew from there.
Contact:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/alice.j.black.doors
Wordpress: http://alicejblack.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @AliceJBlack
Purchasing links:
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doors-Alice-J-Black/dp/1680460080/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416422823&sr=8-1&keywords=the+doors+alice+j+black
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Doors-Alice-J-Black-ebook/dp/B00PN0GR7W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416422868&sr=8-1&keywords=the+doors+alice+j+black
Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/493282
November 11, 2014
November 10, 2014
Calvin the Cookie Maker Book Giveaway
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Calvin the Cookie Maker by Caroline Akervik
Calvin the Cookie Maker by Caroline Akervik Giveaway ends December 31, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to winNovember 7, 2014
October 6, 2014
Press Release for Calvin the Cookie Maker
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Caroline Akervik
Web site address: http://www.weecreekpress.com/
Blog: http://carolineakervik.blogspot.com/
Calvin the Cookie Maker will soon be released by Wee Creek Press.
Calvin the Cookie Maker, a middle grade Christmas story with a distinctly Midwestern feel, will soon be released by Wee Creek Press. The author is Caroline Akervik, whose writing credits include White Pine: My Year as a Lumberjack and a River Rat and A Horse Named Viking, and the illustrator is Nina Maria Rothfus.
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, October 6th
Wee Creek Press will soon be releasing Calvin the Cookie Maker by Caroline Akervik.
It’s December in Wisconsin and not quite Christmas, which means it’s already cold and snowy and all Calvin Greene can think about is Christmas. After watching a cooking show on TV, he is inspired to make a glittery Christmas Cookie book that he tries to share with his parents, but they’re too busy to pay attention. Adding to Calvin’s holiday blues, two of the best players on his hockey team want him to play with them in the Pond Hockey Tournament, but his best friends, Perry, who’s not a very good hockey player, wants Calvin to play with him, too. What should Calvin do? A snow storm is coming, so who knows if the Pond Hockey will even happen? Life is crazy and Christmas is around the corner. Will Calvin and his family and friends have time to take a breath and enjoy the holiday season?
Calvin the Cookie Maker is a charming, soon-to-be holiday classic with a distinctly Midwestern feel to it. It is sure to appeal to reluctant readers in the middle grades. The illustrations and cover art are by Nina Marie Rothfus, whose other book illustrations include Melanie Gets a Nanny and Mr. Poots and the Scary Babyseries.
Calvin the Cookie Maker will be available in both paperback and in eBook format.
carolineakervik.blogspot.com | #CAkervik
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September 29, 2014
Procrastination and final edits
I love to write... Well, I'm not sure that that is entirely accurate. I think it would be more honest to say that I feel anxious and frustrated if I don't write. I am compelled to write, but I must admit that, almost on a daily basis, I put off writing through a variety of rituals. I check email, work on my blog, read the news, check on Twitter. I waste at least a half an hour in preparation for writing. But it seems premature to jump into writing. To feel ready to write, I need to go through these steps. Sometimes, I even try to trick myself to get more writing completed by getting up extra early to get these steps done.
This past Saturday, I got the edits of Calvin the Cookie Maker back from the editor. This book has to be completed and released by October 1st, as it is a Christmas story. I was thrilled to finally get the edits. I had campaigned to get them back in time for the book to be released this year. But it was almost physically painful to make myself sit down and work on the story one more time.
It's always surprising to read one's own work after stepping away from it for a while. The time and distance gives you perspective to evaluate the story. I think that's why I sometimes hesitate to get to work on edits. Or, maybe the truth is that final edits are simply polishing what is already there. There is not a lot of room for creativity. Final edits require real concentration and close reading. I tend to be more of a big picture person, so this work is challenging for me. Also, this final reading is what gives me closure on a story. I am about it set it free, for it develop a life of its own, for it to develop its own connection with its readers, one that will not include me, the author.
Hitting the "The End" is definitely a bitter sweet feeling. The story has grown up, achieved maturity. Now, though I know what led to this story, how ideas, memories, and experiences came together to generate it, it is no longer my project, my creature. In a way, it has gained a life of its own. Perhaps, this is fanciful, but it is a feeling that I have every time I finish a story.
Yes, now I can say, I truly like Calvin the Cookie Maker. He is my gift to my children and my husband, Andy. I do not bake, my Christmas decorations are far from tasteful and are definitely more of a holiday explosion. But Calvin captures some of my favorite family memories and emotions.
This past Saturday, I got the edits of Calvin the Cookie Maker back from the editor. This book has to be completed and released by October 1st, as it is a Christmas story. I was thrilled to finally get the edits. I had campaigned to get them back in time for the book to be released this year. But it was almost physically painful to make myself sit down and work on the story one more time.
It's always surprising to read one's own work after stepping away from it for a while. The time and distance gives you perspective to evaluate the story. I think that's why I sometimes hesitate to get to work on edits. Or, maybe the truth is that final edits are simply polishing what is already there. There is not a lot of room for creativity. Final edits require real concentration and close reading. I tend to be more of a big picture person, so this work is challenging for me. Also, this final reading is what gives me closure on a story. I am about it set it free, for it develop a life of its own, for it to develop its own connection with its readers, one that will not include me, the author.
Hitting the "The End" is definitely a bitter sweet feeling. The story has grown up, achieved maturity. Now, though I know what led to this story, how ideas, memories, and experiences came together to generate it, it is no longer my project, my creature. In a way, it has gained a life of its own. Perhaps, this is fanciful, but it is a feeling that I have every time I finish a story.
Yes, now I can say, I truly like Calvin the Cookie Maker. He is my gift to my children and my husband, Andy. I do not bake, my Christmas decorations are far from tasteful and are definitely more of a holiday explosion. But Calvin captures some of my favorite family memories and emotions.
