Carol Baldwin's Blog

CHECK OUT A CAPTIVATING YA COVER REVEAL–PLUS a GIVEAWAY!

INTRODUCTION

I’m thrilled that Stephanie Cotta chose my blog to host her cover reveal of her next book in the Iron Kingdom series.

The much-loved young adult series began with The Conjurer’s Curse and was followed by The Wraiths of Arjun. The third book, The Ghosts of Gambit, is a gripping, pulse-pounding tale of rebellion, loyalty, and the high cost of defying a brutal empire. This action-packed story is rich with harrowing adventure, complex characters, heartfelt themes, and two no-spice swoony romances that will have you fighting over which couple to love more! Scroll down Gambit for pictures and information on each of the main characters.

Stephanie is a fellow Monarch Educational Press author and as I blogged earler this year, successfully introduced me to steam punk fantasy with her book, Heartsmith. She is not only an amazing author who weaves intricate, clean-reads fantasy stories, but she is an artist also. She designed her cover and the book includes several of her original illustrations.

CAN WE HAVE A DRUM ROLL?

Without further ado, here is the cover!

GIVEAWAY!

Stephanie is giving away a copy of The Ghost’s Gambit to one of you! Just leave a comment and you’re in–U.S. addresses only. Share this post or follow Stephanie on social media, and you will receive more chances to win the book; just let me know what you do. The book publishes October 28 and after that Stephanie will be giving away another copy through her newsletter. Sign up now and you’ll hear all about that giveaway too. My giveaway ends October 2.

For all of you who love YA fantasy, or know a teen who does, add this book to your holiday shopping list!

The post CHECK OUT A CAPTIVATING YA COVER REVEAL–PLUS a GIVEAWAY! first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.

Dust and Crown: Journey Bloomfield Gives this YA/Upper MG Novel a Thumbs-Up!

INTRODUCTION

It’s been a few months since we’ve heard from blogger and young writer, Journey Bloomfield. Here she is with her thoughts on Havelah Mclat‘s YA fantasy, Dust and Crown.

REVIEW

I used to read a lot of fairy stories when I was a child, and this was such a nostalgic read for me. The simplistic writing style and the setting created that old fairy-tale feel that I find so very charming. A wonderfully wholesome tale about fairies and adventure sure to capture the hearts of readers young and old alike.

Though I went into this one thinking it was going to be a fairly standard young adult fantasy, sword and sorcery novel, I was pleasantly surprised at the author’s unique take on the genre, and the refreshingly original writing that made this one something truly special.

I really loved the main characters. Fyodar and Anastasia’s friendship is so sweet, and it was so fun to see it develop. The supporting cast, too, was splendid and established enough for them to feel like real, three-dimensional people without going into too much detail. Igor and Ira were nice mentor-type characters and Ruslan’s redemption arc was beautifully executed.

One thing I thought was a little implausible was that Fyodar didn’t recognize Nastia as Anastasia for so long. It makes some sense because he had only met her once for a brief amount of time, but since she left such an impression on him it was a small enough thing that could have been easily overlooked.

The book was set in a fascinating conjunction of the real world and the separate land of fairies. The fairy’s culture was well thought out, and I found myself enchanted with their simple and charming way of life. I liked seeing the differences in the Russian and the French fairies too, and the ending was satisfying and conclusive. At 172 pages it is a quick and fun read and I would love to see future books featuring the same characters and world! I think it would make a wonderful animated film as well.

This would definitely be acceptable for most any age. Though there is some mild peril, everything else remains clean and wholesome. I could see myself reading and loving this book as a young child, and I can see myself revisiting it in the future as well. 

Thank you to the author, Havelah Mclat, for providing a copy for review.

GIVEAWAY

Havelah is giving away an ebook to one fortunate blog reader. Contest ends September 23!

OUR REVIEWER

Journey Bloomfield is a homeschooled fantasy author who has spent the last eight and a half years exploring all 50 U.S. states with her family. In her spare time, she can be found playing the violin, sword fighting with her brothers, or working her way through her exceptionally long to-be-read list.

Make sure you check out more middle-grade books on Greg Pattridge’s blog.

The post Dust and Crown: Journey Bloomfield Gives this YA/Upper MG Novel a Thumbs-Up! first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.

Exciting News and An Awesome Conference

Exciting News

Two weeks ago I won my first book award! I am thrilled that Half-Truths received the Bronze award in the Readers’ Favorite “Coming of Age” category. You can read their review here. Now, I can put this lovely sticker on my book!

Write2Ignite’s Fall 2025 Master Class

As some of you know, I have been on the Write2Ignite team for many years. Dedicated to educating, inspiring, and encouraging Christian kidlit writers, we sponsor two master classes a year (here’s a link to our spring class with Joyce Hostetter). In two weeks, we are hosting a Zoom master class on self-publishing led by author and pubisher, Darcy Pattison.

If you are interested in gaining tools, strategy, and insider knowledge from someone who knows the ins and outs of self-publishing, please join us! Click here for more information, here for reading about becoming a publishing problem solver, and here to register.

I am emceeing the event and hope to see you there!

The post Exciting News and An Awesome Conference first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.

M is for Mason Jar: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway

INTRODUCTION

Carolyn Fraiser is not new to my blog; her last book I featured was Moon Tree. Carolyn has an exceptional talent of making what might appear to be ordinary, something quite spectacular!

Her newest picture book is not just any ol’ alphabet book. And it’s not just a nod to farmers and to a way of life that many children aren’t familiar with. It’s also a masterful display of one of my favorite types of figurative language– ALLITERATION!

Here’s the first spread to prove my point:

REVIEW

The book follows these three children as they, and the adults in their lives, enjoy the pleasures of homesteading.

Young readers will see a mother baking buttermilk biscuits for breakfast and peek into a pantry filled with canned creamed corn and cucumbers (from county fair cookbooks– of course!)

They’ll wish they were in this picture:

Or, get to collect eggs from excited hens!

The colorful and soft illustrations by Sally Garland provide a homey feel to the book. And I smiled as I turned the pages, wishing that I had a child in my lap to read this book to!

The page, “O is for orchards packed with oranges and olives on wide-open farms” reminded me of a farm in southern Spain where I picked oodles of oranges and ate outstanding olives! (back at you, Carolyn!)

Hard work is also shown:

This educational book ends with 26 ways kids can get involved on a homestead. Some activites can be adapted for city dwellers. I predict that children will enjoy learning their A,B,C’s in this unique tribute to homesteading.

GIVEAWAY

Leave me a comment by September 9 if you’re interested in winning this book. If you are a teacher, librarian, or homeschool educator, you will get 2 chances to win. U.S. addresses only.

The post M is for Mason Jar: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.

So, My Mom’s from Outer Space–A Sparkling Review from Guest Blogger, Katie Lundeen

Version 1.0.0INTRODUCTION

Monarch Press proudly presents a new out-of-this world science fiction adventure called So, My Mom’s from Outer Space. As a mom of all boys, author Tennille Marie’s novel has middle school boy written all over it! The star of the story is a relatable young man on the cusp of the teen years paired with an alien sidekick. The plotline is chock full of goofy villains, humorous battle scenes and laugh out loud lines.

REVIEW

Wyatt is about to face the formidable teen years, but little does he know, some out-of-this-world adventure is about to add spice to his life.

He returns home from a visit to a friend’s house one day to discover that his mom is missing without a trace. To add to Wyatt’s shock, a gift from his mom for his thirteenth birthday happens to be a weird orange space creature called a Blairgorx. This creature informs him that his mom is the queen of an intergalactic planet and Wyatt is a prince. The creature’s job is to protect Wyatt and help find the queen before the villainous space monsters called Grools capture and destroy them. The Blairgorx must train Wyatt in space warfare and help Wyatt adjust and use his royal powers that manifest themselves when he turns thirteen. Does Wyatt have what it takes to elude the Grools and find his mom with his trusty space sidekick?

It is impossible to highlight all the humor without giving the plot away.  I will list a few of my favorite funny moments.  In Chapter Seventeen, a Grool shows up at Wyatt’s school and corners him. Wyatt nabs a burger from a teacher’s hand and throws it at the Grool in self-defense. Nothing seems to happen until the Grool swallows a pickle. The scene reads: 

The Grool gulps and closes his mouth. His sharp, pointy teeth snap together. The tomato falls off his eye onto the ground. He looks stunned. His mouth opens and a big, long blue tongue pops out. He grabs his stomach with his four arms. His stomach starts to bubble out in different places. He tries pushing the bubbles back into place with his hands, but the bubbles pop out even more. His face starts to swell and expand. He puts two of his hands on his face, but it keeps growing. In fact, the Grool’s whole body grows bigger and bigger like a balloon being filled with water… The Grool’s body has grown so enormous that its mouth and eyes can barely be made out. “You will pay for this, Prince,” the Grool gurgles. His voice is harsh and deep. Then it happens. POP! The Grool explodes! Green goopy slime splatters everywhere, covering Junior and the doors with a coat of green muck. Although Junior and Mr. Ron couldn’t see the Grool, they sure can see all the green goop that exploded out of it. (pp 91-92).

Who would think that green pickles would cause the demise of space villains?

The Blairgorx adopts the image of a teenage fashion magazine heartthrob to protect Wyatt at school. The Blargorx’s popularity does not faze him as he stands up to bullies with offers like Prince, would you like me to wound him?” (p. 34). 

The Blairgorx also calls loud attention to Wyatt’s secret crush because Wyatt admits to liking her. The creature calls for her from across the room and states things like, “I am one hundred and fifty years old. At my home awaits my beautiful Blairgorxa and my twelve Blairgorites. So, I apologize, but I am already taken. But my cousin, Wyatt, has no wife, girlfriend, or children for that matter” (pp.39-40).” Wyatt wonders why in the world his mom would give him such a nutcase for a protector! 

The Blairgorx may be humorously annoying in his protection efforts and the Grool battle tactics may be juvenile, but sometimes a little outlandish pretending and laughter is good for the soul! Thank you, Tenille Marie, for writing a fun book for boys in an age when it is challenging to find books for boys and to foster their interest in reading. The book ends on a cliff-hanger and I hope there will be a sequel!

GIVEAWAY FOR AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY!

Leave a comment by September 3 and I’ll enter your name in the contest. Tennille will autograph it to the reader of your choice!

About Our Guest Blogger

Katie Lundeen is no stranger to this blog. She last reviewed Angels in the Sand. She says,”The Lord’s hand of watchful care and protection blessed my life from my start as a tiny premature infant. Doctors diagnosed me with cerebral palsy from birth complications which mainly affected my legs and motor skills.  I also have a learning disability that does not allow me to write down or process thoughts as fast as other people.  I am a former homeschooler and obtained an Associate in Arts degree from a North Carolina community college after five years of hard work! I discovered and developed a love for writing in college. Now I pen articles for my local church newsletter and write book reviews. I enjoy my current job as a part-time library assistant in a Christian library in Matthews, NC. I have a servant’s heart and a willing attitude to grow in old skills and develop new ones along whatever path the Lord chooses to take me.”

Check out other great middle-grade books on Greg Pattridge’s blog.

The post So, My Mom’s from Outer Space–A Sparkling Review from Guest Blogger, Katie Lundeen first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.

The Peach Thief: A Middle Grade Book Gets a Thumbs Up from A New Guest Reviewer

SUMMARY

The Peach Thief, by Linda Joan Smith, is historical fiction about a young orphan girl named Scilla who lived in the woods. She would steal food to survive. One day Scilla climbed the Earl’s kitchen garden wall to steal a peach, and was caught by Mr. Layton, the head gardener. She was mistaken for a boy and was given a job cleaning pots. After doing this for a while, Scilla was kicked out because she was not needed anymore. She asked to do any sort of job but was declined access to the garden. Once she was allowed back in the garden she was invited for dinner with the Earl and Duchess of Havermore. There she met Emily, an old friend, and the Earl’s son Phin who finds out Scilla is not a boy but a girl.  Eventually, Scilla becomes a gardener for the garden. How will Scilla keep her identity a secret by working in the garden full-time?

REVIEW

Personally, I think The Peach Thief was a good story. I liked it because it noted how girls were treated unfairly compared to boys in the past. This was highlighted when Scilla said if she didn’t pretend to be a boy while stealing, she would get sent to jail. She worked hard and eventually when Mr. Layton found out she was a girl, he still accepted her. 

I also liked how realistic it was about the time and place. The Peach Thief is set in England in the 1850s. The fact that Scilla was homeless and had to steal food to survive showed how many people lived back then. Also, she pretended to be a boy because if they knew she was a girl she would be punished shows how women were not treated equally.

RECOMMENDATION

Kids about 9 and under might not enjoy this book because it is very long and mature. I would recommend this book to 5th graders and middle schoolers due to the subject matter.

OUR GUEST REVIEWER

Lucy W. is 10-years-old and is the 5th grade. In addition to reading, she enjoys going on adventures and learning new things. She also loves Star Wars, art, and chickens.

For more Middle Grade titles, check out Greg Pattridge’s MMGM blog.

The post The Peach Thief: A Middle Grade Book Gets a Thumbs Up from A New Guest Reviewer first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.

I AM GRAVITY- How’s That For An Intriguing Picture Book Title? A STEM Review and Giveaway

How do you tackle something as complicated as gravity in a picture book? Author Henry Herz (author of I am Smoke) and Illustrator Mercè López did just that in another impressive picture book published by Sleeping Bear Press. Because it tackles an advanced scientific concept, I recommend this book for middle-grade classrooms as well as for younger readers. Everyone can learn from this STEM book!

REVIEW

As you might imagine from the book’s title, this mighty law of physical interaction is written using personification. Each page describes a way in which gravity works but in such a way that readers of all ages can understand it. The color pallete of gray, brown, with splotches of orange, turquoise, and white creates a subdued and awe-filled feeling.

The book opens with this gorgeous illustration and a poetic definition.

The narrative goes on to describe what gravity does. Notice the vivid verbs– gather, compress, and squeeze.

I tug on everything…My grip even warps the path of light around stars and planets.

The greater the distance, the weaker my grasp…I have the strength to hold the Milky Way together–and I never, ever tire. I am gravity.

The winds blow because I hold colder air down. I make rain fall and smoke rise.

Author Notes for Curious Readers (or in other words, physics explained)

Back Matter is a wonderful addition to informational picture books and historical novels. (Readers tell me they particularly enjoy the pictures and information at the back of Half-Truths.) I AM GRAVITY is a great example of providing more information about the topic as well as the key scientists (Newton and Einstein) who played such important roles in explaining gravity.

On a side note, nonfiction picture book author, Beth Anderson, has been running a great series of blog posts on Back Matter. If you are an educator or aspiring nonfiction writer, I highly recommend checking out what she has to say. Part 1 (Types of Back Matter) and Part 2 (images and graphics).

Curriculum Resource

Clearly, this is a book that can be used in a Science curriculum, but also teachers and home educators can use it as a Language Arts resource. As I mentioned, it is a great example of personification. Ask your students to pick a concept from science and try to personify it. Highlight the active verbs and ask students to employ active verbs in their writing sample.

For Further Thought

Read Jena Benton’s interview with Herz and his thoughts on the illustrations. Click on Kathy Temean’s post for information about the book’s journey.

Giveaway

Leave a comment by August 13 to enter this giveaway. If you are a teacher, libarian, or home educator, let me know and you’ll get a second chance. U.S. addresses only.

The post I AM GRAVITY- How’s That For An Intriguing Picture Book Title? A STEM Review and Giveaway first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.

Laugh and Learn with ‘Get Real, Lucille’ and an Author Interview

Today is the much awaited publication of Get Real, Lucille written and illustrated by Laura Petrisin, a fellow Monarch Educational Press author.

How can a young reader not be hooked into turning the page with a cover like that?

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Lucille is just a rubber chicken in a circus act… or is she? Tired of being the punchline, Lucille sets off on a journey to discover what it really means to be real. But when feathers fly and chickens start hatching trouble, she’ll learn that being real isn’t about scratching, clucking, or fluffing-it’s about shining from the inside out. A joyful, laugh-out-loud story about friendship, finding your voice, and learning to love who you truly are-because the world needs the Real Deal Lucille!

REVIEW

Here’s the opening:

Lucille, the rubber chicken, stared out the train window. “I wish I were a REAL chicken,” she muttered, “instead of a just a prop for circus JOKES.”

Peaches sat beside Lucille. “Don’t you like making people laugh?” She asked.

Lucille just sighed.

Everybody laughed, but Lucille just got…DIZZY.

Lucille takes a field trip to the farm to introduce herself to the chickens. Sadly, she is met with disdain.

The “real” chickens mock the rubber chicken and tell her to “Get real, Lucille!”

Unfazed even when the chickens pummel her with eggs, Lucille does what any circus performer with spirit does.

And with that, Lucille realizes, “I CAN make people laugh!”

She tells Peaches ways to improve their act, and suddenly, the crowd is laughing with Lucille, not at her.

On the way out of town, Peaches compliments Lucille’s suggestions. “It looks like our new act is a BIG hit.” Peaches said. “Those were super ideas!”

Children (and the adults who will read the book over and over again to young readers) will enjoy the puns and alliteration as well as the colorful illustrations that have a circus-like feel to them. I also enjoyed the facial expressions of the chickens and the easy to read font for the text.

In the picture book world, word count is very important. In only 700 words, Laura has captured the heart of everyone of us who is unhappy about who we are–until we realize that our abilities and talents make us unique and special.

Kudos to Laura Petrisin on her debut picture book. Young readers will laugh at Lucille’s antics. Adults will appreciate the message of self-acceptance that Laura gently weaves into a tale of a rubber chicken whose “Honk!” is just as good as any chicken’s “Squawk!”

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

CAROL: What was your inspiration?

LAURA: One day this thought popped into my mind – what if a rubber chicken wanted to be a real chicken? How would that play out? What would be the motivation? What would be the obstacles? I wanted the message to be one of finding your voice and loving who you are. I also wanted an example of self agency. The main character solves her own problem. Not wanting to be the butt of circus jokes, she came up with a plan to change her circumstances.

CAROL: Which came first, the story or the illustrations? (I wanted to say, “the chicken or the egg,” but that was just too corny!) How did you create the art?

LAURA: The story always comes first for me. I sketch the illustration and paint with alcohol ink to create a sense of flow, similar to watercolor. Then I scan it into Procreate where I clean it up and refine the picture.

CAROL: What was your path to publication?

LAURA: It’s a long one! Lol! I started writing stories in my early 30’s when my children were young. I sent manuscripts out to publishers but I got no bites. That was in the days of snail mail and it could get expensive. Then life happened. I raised the kids, taught school and homeschooled. After the kids left home, I taught as a GED instructor at a local drug rehab. That’s when I turned my attention back to writing stories. I self- published my own chapter book, Acorn and Button in 2022. Before that, I joined SCBWI, enrolled in Storyteller Academy and joined a critique group. In other words, I got serious. When I wrote Get Real, Lucille, I sent the manuscript out to a dozen or so agents and got rejections. Then I sent it out to Jennifer Lowry, Monarch’s publisher,  who saw the potential in it. She wanted revisions. I made them and sent it back. More revisions were suggested. I made them and sent it back. Then… silence. I took a hard look at the manuscript and the suggested changes. I really focused and tackled each one. I realized the manuscript didn’t have a lot of lyrical style so I worked on that. I sent it in for a third time and hit pay dirt! Lol! A note of encouragement to other writers – I’m 70 years old and I have my first traditionally published book. It’s never too late!

CAROL: How did you find Monarch Educational Press?

LAURA: I found Monarch through a workshop sponsored by Write2Ignite. Jen Lowry was one of the publishers who presented at the workshop. I liked her immediately. Jen is a bubbly, encouraging person.

CAROL: What advice do you have to someone trying to publish their first picture book?

LAURA: Stay open, humble and persevere. Don’t be so attached to your own story that you can’t be open to constructive criticism. Writing is subjective. That’s why it’s important to gain objectivity about your writing through other writers who read it, such as critique partners. The trap is to feel rejected or worse, offended when people point out where your work might be falling short. I think writers must be able to distance or detach themselves from their work in order to really listen to another’s feedback. The feedback may be helpful or it may not. The trick is to consider it at the very least. I’ve revised a lot of my writing due to feedback and it improved. 

CAROL: What’s next?

LAURA: I’m working on a picture book about my granddaughter who has Down syndrome. It’s a series of snapshots of her world and the hope that our perceptions of people who are different from us can be enlarged. It’s not people who are “less than,” but our perceptions of them that are often “less than.”

GIVEAWAY

Laura is giving away an autographed copy of Get Real, Lucille to one fortunate blog reader. If you share this post on social media and tell me what you did in the comments, I’ll put your name in twice. Giveaway ends August 8. U.S. addresses only.

The post Laugh and Learn with ‘Get Real, Lucille’ and an Author Interview first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.

A Head of Cabbage: A Poignant Memoir and A Mini-Interview

In an effort to organize my writing space, I’ve resolved to post reviews on books that I read months ago but have put off reviewing. That’s often because it’s difficult to write a review that’s worthy of the book.

From the Publisher

Barbara Abbott was eighteen when her father threatened to kill her if she went to school against his will. A sharecropper since he lost his farm in 1956, he needed her on the farm to help plant their annual tobacco crop. Barbara would often sneak away to school, but her mother would retrieve her before her second class started and return her to the fields. Then, after the workday was over, she studied unassigned chapters hoping that she would not get behind in her class assignments due to absences from school. Her father believed living off the land was the best option for southern black people. He never encouraged his children to seek an education; he saw how education had not helped many black people financially and had an extreme distrust of white people and the government. Eventually, Barbara got accepted into Bennett College, a predominately black all-girls school, though she left college after her junior year to marry her high school sweetheart. Then, while pregnant, she discovered that her husband was gay and had a lover living next door. Spanning many decades, this personal narrative shares an account of the everyday life struggles of a black woman and shows her determination to live a life different from those of her ancestors.

Review

Barbara Johnson’s memoir is a raw and often disturbing look at what this brave woman experienced growing up in poverty in an abusive family. This book is not for the faint of heart; Barbara doesn’t hold back on relaying the full extent of the emotional and physical abuse she suffered. But it is a story that is also infused with hope, love, forgiveness, and wisdom.

It is about a Black woman who overcame obstacles in receiving an education, discrimination in the workplace in the 60s, 70s, and 80s, and economic adversity as a single parent. The book’s title comes from a memory of only having enough money to feed her family with a head of cabbage.

The story opens with Barbara seeking therapy because of her intense anger towards her husband and ends with forgiveness. That’s a lot of territory to cover in 360 pages. In between, readers will find the stark memories of being molested, starting when she was six, continuing into adolescence. Although she’s unsure of why her psychiatrist wants her to talk about these early memories, through therapy, she confronts their destructive hold on her.

Her father constantly tried to keep her from attending school. Here is an excerpt of when she refused to drop out:

Daddy became furious and took a step closer to me. “Gal, you ain’t gonna tell me what you gonna do. I said that you ain’t going to that school house today. That means yo’ ass ain’t going. If you try to get on that shit-ass school bus, I’ll take my shotgun and blow yo’ head off.”…He took a step closer to me and asked, “Do you have a clue as to who you is talking to? I’m yo’ daddy, and I’ll tell you what you can and can’t do.” He turned around and looked at the shotgun hanging on the doorpost several inches above my head.

Barbara describes the intense moments that followed as she walked in fear to the waiting bus. Later in the day, she breaks down and tells her teachers what is going on at home. She confides, “I would rather die than not finish high school.”

Her father’s threats were empty, but it took Barbara years to realize that. With a determination to be the one child in the family to graduate, she faced her father’s bullying and graduated without one family member applauding her achievement. “After that, I told myself not to expect things from my parents that they couldn’t give.”

Barbara includes important conversations that she had with her children. In 1989, they were talking about racism, and Barbara said, “If you don’t recognize something, you can’t acknowledge it, and if you don’t acknowledge it, you can’t change it. That is why every descendant of slaves, every black person in America, needs a psychiatrist- to help us stop hurting and hating.”

Although the context of that conversation was racism, I think it’s a fitting summary of what Barbara learned about herself. I applaud Barbara’s ability to write about her experiences; it is almost unbelievable to consider what she overcame.

Interview

CAROL: What was the hardest part about writing A Head of Cabbage?

BARBARA: Having to relive all the trauma I experienced.

CAROL: How did your family react?

BARBARA: My family was not fond of my memoir because they didn’t appreciate me disclosing the level of poverty we endured and how mean spirited our father was.

CAROL: What have been the responses you received?

BARBARA: Quite a few women have given praise for A Head of Cabbage because many of them could relate to the abuse that I suffered. Many others have told me that reading my memoir helped them to have a better understanding of racism. In all, I have gotten mostly praise.

Recommendation

I recommend this book for adults or mature young adults. Barbara’s experiences are often tough to read. Yet, it is a remarkable first-person account of a remarkable woman.

Barbara Johnson giving a recent writing workshop.

The post A Head of Cabbage: A Poignant Memoir and A Mini-Interview first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.

Author to Author: A Conversation Between Journey Bloomfield and Isabelle Knight

In the last few weeks I’ve been delighted to share reviews by two precocious writers, Journey Bloomfield and Isabelle Knight. I first introduced them to you when Journey reviewed Isabelle’s first book, Guardian’s Heir, in her Enchantria series.

Today, Journey and I celebrate Isabelle‘s completion of this series with the publication of The Last Hope. In this interview, we get to know Isabelle, her thoughts about world-building, and her advice to other young writers.

Interview

Journey: When did you start writing?

Isabelle: I started writing when I was ten and was bored with my summer vacation. I had nothing to do, and I’d always had this idea of a book in the back of my head. I sat down in front of my computer and told my dad, “I’m going to write a book.” 

Journey: How did you reach the point you’re at now?

Isabelle: There were a lot of hurdles to get through and mountains to climb, and I just had to persevere. Some amazing things did happen, but I really do think it was the stars aligning in some odd way — I really didn’t have much control over it. The only thing I could control was not giving up and keeping on writing, even when times got tough.

Journey: How did you decide which creatures to include in Enchantria’s world?

Isabelle: I wanted Enchantria to have a lot of mythical creatures, along with a few fictional creatures. I oftentimes find that these creatures come to me when I need them. It’s my job to try and flesh them out, and I think that’s when their personality comes through.

Journey: How do you handle the different cultures and kingdoms in Enchantria?

Isabelle: I didn’t get the idea for the other kingdoms until I was well into book three. After that, I had to figure out what the kingdoms were. I decided on twelve kingdoms because twelve seems to be that golden number in MG fantasy and in several other areas of life… there are twelve Chinese zodiacs, twelve astrology signs, twelve numbers on the clock, etc.

The hardest part was trying to figure out exactly who would be living in each of the kingdoms, along with the kingdoms’ names. And as for the details about specific cultures – not a lot of it made it into the final books, but those little details came to me as I made up the kingdoms.

Journey: Book Four of Enchantria is coming out soon. How does it feel having written an entire series? Was it hard to leave those characters once you finished?

Isabelle: By the time this interview is out, The Last Hope will have been released! It feels absolutely crazy, and I still don’t believe it.

After writing “The End” in Enchantria, I felt like I was in “the in-between”—a place between projects, where I’m hovering in the void and feeling lost. I bounced around a few ideas and tried to write several of them out, but I felt like none of them were sticking with me. I had the crippling worry that, “What if Enchantria is the only series I’ll ever be able to write?” It isn’t, of course, but it definitely has been hard to leave the characters behind.

Journey: Do you have any advice for young writers?

Isabelle: My advice for young writers or those who are starting out is to just write. The definition of being a writer is someone who writes. Even if you’re scared of the blank page, get something down.

Take every piece of writing advice with a grain of salt as well. Two pieces of writing advice will often contradict each other, and it’s up to you to discover what works for you! At first, I would say focus on honing your voice and your creativity and discovering the story you want to tell. Don’t worry about perfection. We are constantly learning how to write and each book be better than the last. Don’t give up. Writing is hard, and so is publishing! But I genuinely believe that if you keep going and keep writing, you will get there, no matter how long it takes.

My Contributors

Journey Bloomfield is a homeschooled fantasy author who has spent the last eight and a half years exploring all 50 U.S. states with her family. In her spare time, she can be found playing the violin, sword fighting with her brothers, or working her way through her exceptionally long to-be-read list.

Isabelle Knight is the middle-grade fantasy author of the Enchantria series, which she began writing at age ten and published during her middle school years. A lifelong book and cat lover, she now resides somewhere in a book-filled apartment, surrounded by an unimaginable number of stuffed pandas and enough books to start her own bookstore. When she’s not writing about creepy shadows, daring heroines, and magical adventures, she’s talking about books, writing, and other writerly ramblings on her blog or YouTube channel! You can find her at springfallschronicle.com or on YouTube as Isabelle Knight.

Calling New Guest Bloggers!

If you know a young person who loves to read and write and would be interested in reviewing clean YA or MG books on my blog, please leave me a comment and I’ll get in touch with him or her. It’s a great way for them to practice writing and editing skills!

For more middle-grade book reviews, check out Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday blog.

The post Author to Author: A Conversation Between Journey Bloomfield and Isabelle Knight first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker.