Grace Lin's Blog, page 9
October 7, 2016
Fun with When the Sea Turned to Silver: Make a Rainbow
So, how far are you in the book? Well, here's another activity for you when you finish!In When the Sea Turned to Silver, the goddess Nuwa places five-colored stones into the sky to stop the Starry River from flooding the earth. Pinmei's grandmother claims that when one sees a rainbow in the sky, they are truly seeing Nuwa's gift.
With this activity, you can see Nuwa's gift yourself! Using science, cast your own rainbow--truly an experiment worthy of a goddess! Download the activity HERE!
When the Sea Turned to Silver
Pinmei's grandmother always has the most exciting tales to tell but the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller. Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Alongside her friend Yishan, Pinmei must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save her grandmother--before it's too late.
A fast-paced adventure that is extraordinarily written and beautifully illustrated, When the Sea Turned to Silver is a masterpiece companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Four starred reviews and a National Book Award nominee. NOW AVAILABLE!
October 6, 2016
Fun with When the Sea Turned to Silver: Math Exercises fit for an Emperor
I thought that once you have read When the Sea Turned to Silver (which, of course you already have, right?), you might want some fun activities to do with the book...so, I have some for you! Today's activity is a Math Exercise fit for an Emperor!
In When the Sea Turned to Silver, a magistrate steals a bite from a magical Peach of Longevity. Folktales do not usually lead to math, but if you explore the years inherent in the story, you may solve some mysteries about the magistrate...Download the activity HERE!
When the Sea Turned to Silver
Pinmei's grandmother always has the most exciting tales to tell but the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller. Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Alongside her friend Yishan, Pinmei must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save her grandmother--before it's too late.
A fast-paced adventure that is extraordinarily written and beautifully illustrated, When the Sea Turned to Silver is a masterpiece companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Four starred reviews and a National Book Award nominee. NOW AVAILABLE!
October 5, 2016
Fun with When the Sea Turned to Silver: Readers Theater
I know When the Sea Turned to Silver only came out yesterday, but a couple of kids got the book early:
That's because they were my volunteer guinea pigs for an awesome readers' theater that was put together for the book. Here's a sneak peak:
Yes, I'll be doing this readers' theater at all my events (if you come, you might get to play one of the parts!), but you can also put on this show yourself! The script is available to download HERE! Break a leg!
When the Sea Turned to Silver
Pinmei's grandmother always has the most exciting tales to tell but the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller. Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Alongside her friend Yishan, Pinmei must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save her grandmother--before it's too late.
A fast-paced adventure that is extraordinarily written and beautifully illustrated, When the Sea Turned to Silver is a masterpiece companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Four starred reviews and a National Book Award nominee. NOW AVAILABLE!
That's because they were my volunteer guinea pigs for an awesome readers' theater that was put together for the book. Here's a sneak peak:
Yes, I'll be doing this readers' theater at all my events (if you come, you might get to play one of the parts!), but you can also put on this show yourself! The script is available to download HERE! Break a leg!
When the Sea Turned to Silver
Pinmei's grandmother always has the most exciting tales to tell but the peace is shattered one night when soldiers of the Emperor arrive and kidnap the storyteller. Everyone knows that the Emperor wants something called the Luminous Stone That Lights the Night. Alongside her friend Yishan, Pinmei must face obstacles usually found only in legends to find the Luminous Stone and save her grandmother--before it's too late.
A fast-paced adventure that is extraordinarily written and beautifully illustrated, When the Sea Turned to Silver is a masterpiece companion novel to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. Four starred reviews and a National Book Award nominee. NOW AVAILABLE!
October 4, 2016
My book is out! Find the Red Butterfly!
Today's the day!!! When the Sea Turned to Silver is NOW out in stores!!!! The book is officially available!
I hope to see you at my book party! Thanks so much to all who pre-ordered! But for those of you who didn't & don't live nearby, you can go find it in your local indie bookstore and...
LOOK FOR THE RED BUTTERFLY:
Why? Well, my publisher did this really cool thing and offered independent bookstores the opportunity to sell autographed copies. Which, meant last month I flew to the publisher's warehouse:
and signed a lot of books:
Really, it was a lot of books:
which have been sent to select independent bookstores for purchase! Yes, you can still get an autographed book (if your store participated).
AND, I did something special for the last nine (lucky number nine!) books I autographed. In the last nine books, I included a drawing of a red butterfly:
If YOU buy the book with a red butterfly in it, take a photo of with it and send it to me!
You can post it on my Facebook page or tweet it at me or just send it via e-mail (gracelin.manager @ gmail.com) and I'll send you something great! A booklet (though I think I might be out of those), a poster, maybe an original piece of art...we shall see! So, go to your local indie bookstore and look for the book & the butterfly!
I'm so curious to see if anyone actually finds one!
September 27, 2016
one more week!
When the Sea Turned to Silver hits the bookstore shelves in one more week!!! While you wait, you can watch this booktrailer!
Please come help me celebrate the book's release at Porter Square Books on Oct. 8th or at one of my other events (I'm traveling to California to TX and to IL)! I hope to see you!
Oh, and there's still time to pre-order and get one of those exclusive "cut" story booklets! You really don't want to miss that!
Please come help me celebrate the book's release at Porter Square Books on Oct. 8th or at one of my other events (I'm traveling to California to TX and to IL)! I hope to see you!
Oh, and there's still time to pre-order and get one of those exclusive "cut" story booklets! You really don't want to miss that!
September 26, 2016
on my desk monday
Because of the new book, my schedule is packed this fall (come see me at an event near you!) and I'm not going to be home on election day! But I'm still going to try to do my civic duty and am applying for an absentee ballot! It's a pretty easy thing to do, so if you are going to be away from home on election day, you should do it, too!
September 19, 2016
on my desk monday
On Saturday a box arrived at my doorstep with the exclusive "deleted" story booklets:
These are the booklets I made as part of my pre-order promotion. I specially illustrated, "The Story of the Stonecutter" (one of the stories I cut out of my book) and had it designed and printed. If you pre-order When the Sea Turned to Silver from my book party store, you get one! And, I think they are worth getting (if I do say so myself)! They printed beautifully:
Don't you want one? It's a collector's item! An added bonus to share with students! All you have to do is pre-order the book! And don't forget to come to the party, you can win an original piece of art from this booklet!
These are the booklets I made as part of my pre-order promotion. I specially illustrated, "The Story of the Stonecutter" (one of the stories I cut out of my book) and had it designed and printed. If you pre-order When the Sea Turned to Silver from my book party store, you get one! And, I think they are worth getting (if I do say so myself)! They printed beautifully:
Don't you want one? It's a collector's item! An added bonus to share with students! All you have to do is pre-order the book! And don't forget to come to the party, you can win an original piece of art from this booklet!
September 5, 2016
on my desk monday
Even though I was officially on vacation on the Cape, I still had to bring work:
The picture book is coming along and I am excited about this new direction, but it is slow going. I admit, it was made slower by the calls of the beach,
where Rain Dragon and I created art of another sort:
shell castle
sand ducks and hummingbirdAnd the discovery of the first autumn leaf:
Summer is over.
I'm glad, even though I had to neglect the drawing table, to enjoy some of it.
The picture book is coming along and I am excited about this new direction, but it is slow going. I admit, it was made slower by the calls of the beach,
where Rain Dragon and I created art of another sort:
shell castle
sand ducks and hummingbirdAnd the discovery of the first autumn leaf:
Summer is over.
I'm glad, even though I had to neglect the drawing table, to enjoy some of it.
August 30, 2016
house of dreams
So, we have lived in our new house for almost four years now and it has been an adjustment. The biggest one has been adjusting my own romantic expectations. One of my favorite books is Anne's House of Dreams, in which Anne lives in charming house near the sea.
While I knew it was unlikely that I would have a gorgeous seaside house, I've always kind of wished for something beautiful--either a grey stone cottage with centuries of character or a glass modern home that lit like a lantern in the night. A house that you could imagine lived with stories and full of "scopes for imagination."
Of course, that's not exactly what we ended up with. Don't get me wrong, I like our house. It was a good choice--solidly built, good location--all the things we needed to check off on our real estate list. But during that first year, I felt a small sense of disappointment. It was a nice house, but not my house of dreams.
But, as more time has passed, the disappointment has faded and transformed. Perhaps it is kind of suburb-ian, perhaps it does lacks that storybook charm or any kind of grandness that would impress visitors...but it is our house! A house that we are paying for with income that I make from books! That is truly a dream.
And, as we add more of our own quirky touches (that would never fit with a castle by the sea) and make our own memories here, I'm starting to realize that while this might not be my house of dreams, it is something even better--a home.
While I knew it was unlikely that I would have a gorgeous seaside house, I've always kind of wished for something beautiful--either a grey stone cottage with centuries of character or a glass modern home that lit like a lantern in the night. A house that you could imagine lived with stories and full of "scopes for imagination."
Of course, that's not exactly what we ended up with. Don't get me wrong, I like our house. It was a good choice--solidly built, good location--all the things we needed to check off on our real estate list. But during that first year, I felt a small sense of disappointment. It was a nice house, but not my house of dreams.
But, as more time has passed, the disappointment has faded and transformed. Perhaps it is kind of suburb-ian, perhaps it does lacks that storybook charm or any kind of grandness that would impress visitors...but it is our house! A house that we are paying for with income that I make from books! That is truly a dream.
And, as we add more of our own quirky touches (that would never fit with a castle by the sea) and make our own memories here, I'm starting to realize that while this might not be my house of dreams, it is something even better--a home.
August 27, 2016
privilege
I've been feeling old these daystiredtoo many projectstoo many billstoo many messages to answer, dates to schedule, responsibilities to care for, relationships to nurture, fears to conquer, insecurities to wrestletoo many wrinklesandnot enough sleepnot enough energy
Just not enough Time
is still so much more than was given to you.
Robert Mercer 5/30/72-8/27/07
Just not enough Time
is still so much more than was given to you.
Robert Mercer 5/30/72-8/27/07
