Carol Baldwin's Blog, page 3
May 5, 2025
BIG BOY 4014 And The STEAM TRAIN: Climb on Board for this Picture Book Review
What happens when a little girl grows up near train tracks loving the sound of a train whistle? If you’re picture book author extraordinaire, Marsha Diane Arnold, that means when you grow up you’ll want to write a picture book about one of the legendary 600-ton locomatives who were called Big Boys. And that’s what you’ll do!
Before you read this review, I encourage you to read Marsha’s interview on Beth Anderson’s blog. Marsha shares how she found the heart of BIG BOY 4014’s story and how she decided to personify this mighty steam engine. For aspiring nonfiction picture book writers, the blog is a goldmine of information and BIG BOY 4014 is a great mentor text!
AUTHOR’S NOTE:“The trains are called Big Boys, but traditionally locomotives are referred to as ‘she’ by their engineers and crews. I have followed that tradition in my story, referring to this iconic lolomitve as ‘she.” –Marsha Diane Arnold
REVIEWUsing the point of view of the train, Marsha Arnold begins her story with what Big Boy wants a wonderful inciting event: her dream. More than anything else she wants to pull out of the station, ring her bell, sound her whistle, and chug up the Wasatch Mountains at top speed.
But that was only a dream. Big Boy 4014 wasn’t near a train track. She’d been out of use for more than 50 years. She was a museum relic without heat in her firebox. Big Boy 4014 was one of eight locomotives left over from WWII. She and twenty-four other engines carried soldiers and heavy freight as part of the war effort.
In 2013, some curious visitors started wondering if Big Boy 4014 could travel again. But where would she run? How much would it cost?
One person began to dream along with Big Boy.
Big Boy’s dream for a Steam Team was born.
Nine men decided to restore Big Boy in time for the Golden Spike 150th anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad.
A huge bulldozer dragged her inch by inch over temporary tracks to the main rail line. Then two diesel locomotives pushed and pulled her 1300 miles from Los Angeles to Cheyenne, Wyoming.
At the Union Pacific Steam Shop she was disassembled and rebuilt.
After six years of work, Big Boy 4014 was ready to roll! She took a test run to Colorado and then headed to Ogden, Utah for the great celebration. “Living Legend” locomotive 844 teamed up with her for a double dose of power. “People lined the tracks to feel the rumble under their feet as Big Boy passed, to see the steam cloud billowng above her, to hear her whistle, loud and clear.”
Finally, on May 9, 2019 Big Boy and “Living Legend” faced each other–nose to nose–and recreated the scene from 150 years earlier.
Since then, Big Boy 4014 has taken several tours around the country. Check the Union Pacific website to see if she’s coming to a town near you.
“And if a steam locomotive could talk, Big Boy would say, ‘Thank you for coming. Stand 25 feet back! My steam is hot.”
….”I’m ringing my bell and sounding my whistle.”
DONG-DONG-DONG-DONG-DONG-DONG
WHOOOOOOO-WHOO-WHOOOOOO
EXTEND AND CONNECTThe art in this book is beautiful. Make sure you take time to admire the gorgeous illustrations by Adam Gustavson. They are true to life and communicate the might of a train that is as powerful as 7,000 horses. After you read this book with your kids, grandkids, or students watch this video about how the train was brought back to life.
In addition, don’t miss curriculum connections. Students in pre-K- second grade can learn about geography, the importance of railroads criss-crossing the country, and the engineers who worked on the Steam Team (a great STEAM correction- pun intended!) to language arts. Point out the vivid verbs and figurative language sprinkled throughout a delightful nonfiction picturebook–that reads like a story.
Because it is.
No giveaway this time! My grandkids are enjoyng this book!
The post BIG BOY 4014 And The STEAM TRAIN: Climb on Board for this Picture Book Review first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker .
April 25, 2025
Children of The Ancient Heroes- HOPE AND DESPAIR: An Enthusiastic Book Review by Kate Lundeen
Get ready for more epic adventures with Eli and Tirza Nesbit, also known as the Children of the Ancient Heroes. They’re the heroes of Book 2 of Russell Fellows‘ Lighted Lands series, entitled Hope and Despair. I gave rave reviews to the first novel in Fellow’s series, Children of the Ancient Heroes: Dreams and Nightmares, and this book has even more escapades than the first.
REVIEWAs the novel opens, Eli and Tirza must combine efforts to save the life of a beloved Lighted Lands monarch. The monarch’s demise could spell the end of both the fantasy world and their own. Time is of the essence. Both children must gather ingredients from opposite ends of the kingdom to make a healing potion and save the ruler’s life. Both children have special companions to assist them. Eli has a huge tiger named Tati, while Tirza has a giant Labrador named Choco. Eli’s ingredient path takes him through perilous mountains filled with child bandits and dusty dry deserts with t creepy cave dwelling wizards. Tirza faces perilous river rapids and dangerous sea monsters. In a cruel twist of fate, the children must decide if their mission is worth all the trouble. Eli and Tirza’s battle with physical death and dangerous mind games puts the fate of both the fantasy world and their own perilously in the balance!
In Fellow’s first novel, Children of the Ancient Heroes, mythical creatures helped Tirza and Eli discover their identity as Children of the Ancient Heroes who are sworn to protect and defend the good forces in a fantasy realm. In Hope and Despair mythical creatures aid in the preservation of that identity as the children’s guardians. Throughout the novel, evil seeks to twist or completely choke out the children’s positive perception of their role. Once the children lose sight of their purpose as kingdom preservers, evil can infiltrate and destroy the Lighted Lands through the gullible innocence of Tirza and Eli. Fellows’ storytelling art truly comes into play when he depicts scenarios where characters come to the aid of our heroes. The action is show stopping and the characters’ interaction is touching.
Choco and Tiger Tati bravely battle all manner of enemies that dare to cross Eli and Tirza’s path. The battles are so epic, that the reader will need to read about them to discover the attraction. Some mythical help comes from the most unlikely sources right when evil seems to triumph. For example, Eli befriends an outlaw dwarf named Glondel whose shady reputation makes him untrustworthy. Glondel’s knowhow of dangerous poppies and his wheeling and dealing with creepy desert wizards keeps Eli on the right path. Cal, a water nymph who used to be on the side of the enemy, becomes a friend after Tirza rescues her.
At risk of giving the exciting plot away, I’ll hand the reins over to Master Storyteller Russell Fellows for your reading pleasure. A word of fair warning: The cliffhanger in this novel makes the one in the first book seem like child’s play.
GIVEAWAYRussell is giving away an autographed copy of his latest middle-grade fantasy to one of you! Leave a comment by April 28 and I’ll enter your name. U.S. addresses only. For the fun of it–if your birthday is this month, I’ll enter your name twice!
PREORDER NOW!
As I’ve mentioned before, preorders are very important to authors. HOPE AND DESPAIR is coming out from Monarch Press on May 6. You can preorder it here:
The post Children of The Ancient Heroes- HOPE AND DESPAIR: An Enthusiastic Book Review by Kate Lundeen first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Writing Teacher, Speaker .
April 19, 2025
Gauri Dalvi Pandya’s Picture Book: A Journey of Connection
Congratulations to Gauri Dalvi Pandya (author) who won the Grand Prize Award from Sleeping Bear Press‘s “Own Voices, Own Stories Award” for this debut picturebook. Illustrator Avani Dweivedi vivid illustrations bring the story to life.
ReviewA little girl has a problem.
How can she leave her beloved Aaji and Ajoba–her grandmother and grandfather?
Her grandmother has a solution. She sews a kurta for her with BIG pockets.
Her grandmother puts special things into the pockets.
Aaji tucks a mogra (a flower) from her braid and Gutta asks, “What if the fragrance fades away?”
Aaji puts some of her bangle bracelets in a pocket. Gutta groans, “Ugh, what if the bangdya break?”
On and on… Gutta feels despondent over every present her grandmother puts into the kurta’s pockets. Most of all, she’s afraid they will forget each other after she leaves.
Suddenly, she has an idea.
Gutta helps her grandmother make two kutas with even bigger pockets.
When she tells her grandparents that she plans to put her favorite food–bhendi (okra)–into the pockets. Her grandparents counter with objections. “What if it gets spoiled?” Aaji asks.
Turn around is fair play and Gutta answers as they pester her with arguments.
Finally, the kurtas are done.
The book ends with the family split by a large ocean, but talking to each other over the internet while they wear their kurtas.
“Whirling and twirling, we will hold on to each other. And just like that, we will not feel so far away.”
GlossaryThe two pages at the back provide definitions of the Marathi language used in the book along with colorful pictures. I liked that addition, but I wish there would have been a map showing the western part of India where the story takes place.
GiveawayTo enter this giveaway, leave a comment by April 30. Since this is a great classroom resource, if you are an educator or school librarian, please leave that information in the comments and you’ll receive two chances. I’ll be giving this book away through the next issue of Talking Story which is on Asian American Authors. Coming soon!
The post Gauri Dalvi Pandya’s Picture Book: A Journey of Connection first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Teacher, Speaker .
April 15, 2025
Catch My Latest Book News!
Sorry I haven’t blogged in 10 days–but it’s been a whirlwind since April 2. Here are a few highlights of the last two weeks.
Book Launch Plus!First, there was the National Reconciliation Day event “Reconciliation Through Story” sponsored by the Levine Museum of the New South. I was joined by my fellow Charlotte authors, Meredith Ritchie, Kathleen Burkinshaw, and Dorothy Price. Natisha Lance kept the conversation going and there was a great dialogue among the authors and with the attendees.
I love this picture of John Craig, my loyal Facebook friend, with Half-Truths tucked under his arm!
The next day I had my virtual launch on Instagram hosted by my friend, Jessica Holiday.
Meanwhile, my sister Barbara, insisted that I pose for this picture. Do you like the outfit? That was courtesy of my personal shopper, my good friend Dottie Tippett who found it all on Amazon!
I had one day off to celebrate my sister and brother’s milestone birthday .
April 5 was the official launch at Park Road Books! Halli Gomez introduced me and my interviewer, Elliott Kurta.
Elliott did a great job and asked me outstanding questions! (By the way…those are my own old gloves I’m wearing!)
This is a portion of the first chapter.
I was thankful for all of my friends and family who showed up…
and bought books!
I felt loved and supported by everyone–espeically my SCBWI-C peeps! Viviane Lwin, Kimberly Wilson, Megan Hoyt, Joyce Hostetter, Dorothy Price, and Halli Gomez.
After the launch, my family and out-of-town friends had a picnic lunch at Freedom Park. The same park that Kate and Lillie stroll around in Half-Truths!
The next day, I received my first professional review from Midwest Book Review. Here’s a snippet. I was in tears when I read it.
On Monday, April 7, I began a new journey of being a YA author. Since then I’m thrilled to see Half-Truths do very well on Amazon.
BOOK CLUB NEWS!It turns out, adults are enjoying reading Half-Truths too. If your book club decides to read it, I’ll give a book talk through zoom. We’ll cover my researh process and I’ll share some of the stories that never made it into the book. I’d also love to talk to a teen or mother/daughter book club. Contact me and we’ll figure out what works best for your group. If you book me–I’ll send you a Blue Willow necklace!
Now, if you’ll excuse me…I have a book to read!
The post Catch My Latest Book News! first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Teacher, Speaker .
April 2, 2025
Launch Event for Half-Truths: Join the Celebration!
My BFF writing partner emailed me this verse today. I AM rejoicing in all that the Lord did to help me get to my publication day. One of the ways I am celebrating is by sharing this excellent review of Half-Truths by Elliott Kurta, a young man who I have mentored for the last few years. One day I hope to hold his book in my hands!
Elliott’s VerdictAudience: 5th – 11th graders
In 3 Words: layered, charming, heart-warming
One Sentence Synopsis: Aspiring journalist Katie accidentally stumbles upon a family secret that could undo her and her family.
Final Verdict: 5/5 stars
Elliott’s ReviewOften, one has to turn to the past to uncover the future. Such is the case with Half-Truths, where Katie moves from her family farm in rural North Carolina to the bustling city of Charlotte. As she falls into a world of tulle, tea parties, and tradition, she accidentally stumbles upon a century-old secret with the power to ruin her family’s reputation. A brilliant meld of coming-of-age, mystery, and historical fiction, Half-Truths is an unforgettable debut fit for anyone whose curiosity has ever got the best of them.
Half-Truths’ defining feature is its narrator, Katie. Plucky, optimistic, and single-minded, Katie brings to mind Jo March and Anne of Green Gables, two equally steely-eyed and soft-hearted protagonists. Baldwin’s forte is voice: she effortlessly balances Anne Katherine’s country colloquialisms and g-droppin’, the casual cruelty of a society in which racism comes just as easily as discussing the weather, and the prejudices and pretensions of Charlotte’s high-society. Half-Truths is rife with nuance, and one of the most enjoyable parts of reading the novel is watching Anne Katherine gradually find her voice and begin to confidently stand up for what is right.
Each character stands out in their own light: Lillian as independent and brooding, Horace Carter as spirited and intellectual, Ginny as fun-loving and uppity. Despite the fact that Half-Truths is set in the 1950s, each conversation sounds as if it could’ve taken place yesterday. Like most teenagers, Katie reads Seventeen (albeit now in its 80+ years of publication, ), “cuts the rug” with her friends, and struggles to escape her parents’ expectations of her.
At times, Katie’s escapades can be difficult to read—and not just when her pet goat tramples her grandmother’s flowers. Throughout the novel, she reckons with how her actions have—knowingly or unknowingly—harmed those around her. Lillian, her family’s Black housekeeper, bears the brunt of her mistakes, threatening their new friendship. Katie’s discomfort is palpable even through the pages as she realizes the full impact of her words. Growth is not linear, and Katie struggles throughout the novel with deciding right from wrong in a world filled with shades of grey.
Beyond innocence and guilt, lies and half-truths, Half-Truths is a novel about childhood. Katie’s optimism and authenticity, her dedication to doing what is right and using the written word to raise empathy and expose wrongdoings, are what make her such a compelling narrator. Despite all of the differences that divide them, Katie and Lillian’s friendship is stronger than any misunderstandings, ignorance, or prejudice that might divide them.
Elliott, My InterviewerIf you’re in the Charlotte area, I hope you can come to my launch at Park Road Books at 11 on Saturday, April 5. Elliott will ask me some tough questions, we’ll have some fun giveaways, and Southern refreshments!
Book Blog Tour and Giveaways!There are still several chances to win Half-Truths!
Today I’m the featured author on Kay DiBianca’s blog as I talk about writing historical fiction.
Donna Earnhardt reviewed Half-Truths and is running a giveaway on her blog.
Joan Edwards interviewed me and also has a giveaway until April 12.
Marci Whitehurst’s giveaway ends tomorrow!
Sue Uhlig’s giveaway is open until April 15.
Penny Reeve has a review and ebook giveaway.
Gretchen Griffith had great questions in her interview and her giveaway ends April 12.
The post Launch Event for Half-Truths: Join the Celebration! first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Teacher, Speaker .
March 31, 2025
Unlock Your Writing Potential with Joyce Hostetter
If you’ve followed my blog for awhile, then you are not new to my friend and mentor, Joyce Hostetter. I have learned so much from Joyce over the twenty years that I’ve known her, that I’m happy she will be leading the next Write2Ignite virtual Master Class.
Check out this interview on the Write2Ignite blog to get to know Joyce better and for a sneak peek into her master class. And here is a conversation between Joyce and me in which you’ll see how she taught me how to research, focus, and revise!
If you write fiction or nonfiction, picture books, middle grade, or YA– you’ll leave with a head stuffed with new ideas and tools to use for your books. Please register here. I am one of the break-out leaders and I hope to see you on April 26!
P.S. There will be LOTS of wonderful door prizes–including several of Joyce’s titles.
The post Unlock Your Writing Potential with Joyce Hostetter first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Teacher, Speaker .
March 22, 2025
Discover ‘Half-Truths’: My 18-Year Journey to Publication
Little did I know when I started posting about my publication journey that it would be 18 years before I could announce my book is up for preorder! In two weeks I’m launching HALF-TRUTHS at Park Road Books and I am super busy! Here’s a peek into what’s been happening in my neck of the woods.
VISIT MY BLOG TOUR! Leave comments! Enter giveaways!NOTE: Go to the blog on the date mentioned; some of the links won’t be live until that day.
March 22. Gretchen Griffith’s Catch of the Day blog.
March 24. Write2Ignite and an interview with Kathryn Dover
March 25. I’m a guest on Sandy Quandt’s blog.
March 26. I’m being hosted by Cathy Ogren.
March 26. Tonja Drecker at Book Worm for Kids is reviewing HALF-TRUTHS.
March 27. Penny Reeve, my Australian friend, is sharing HALF-TRUTHS down under.
March 27. Sue Uhlig reviews HALF-TRUTHS on her blog.
March 28. Marci Whitehurst is sharing HALF-TRUTHS on substack.
March 29. Valinora Troy, my Irish friend, is talking about HALF-TRUTHS on the other side of the pond.
March 29. My faithful friend, Joan Edwards, is celebrating HALF-TRUTHS on her blog.
April 2. Kay DiBianca is sharing her thoughts about HALF-TRUTHS on her blog.
It’s a BIG day when an author receives her books!This week I received my book trailer created by the amazing Stephanie D. Cotta!
I was interviewed THREE times this past week! You’ll see the first one on the Write2Ignite blog. The second, an audio recording with Rose Cushing, is still in production. Here is the third podcast with Herb White, executive editor of THE CHARLOTTE POST. This picture was taken fifteen years ago at the Second Ward Alumni House. Vermelle Diamond Ely has been an amazing expert and faithful friend. Although she is blind, she was one of the first to read my book. She had her phone read it to her!
If you preorder HALF-TRUTHS at Park Road Books, Barnes & Noble, or Amazon, and send the receipt to carol@carolbaldwinbooks.com, I’ll send you swag as soon as it is ready!
Finally, thank you to so many of you who have left marvelous reviews on Goodreads. Reviews and preorders help authors more than you can imagine–and I can’t wait to read your review!
P.S. This was a tremendous suprise last night!
The post Discover ‘Half-Truths’: My 18-Year Journey to Publication first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Teacher, Speaker .
March 15, 2025
Why ‘The Potion Experiment’ Is a Must-Read for Kids
I “met” Isabelle when I saw her interview with Irish children’s fantasy author, Valinora Troy and read her review on Greg Pattridge’s MMGM blog. I was so impressed with her maturity and love for books, that I asked if she would be interested in sharing her reviews on my blog as well. About the same time I received a book review request from Australian author Elle McFadzean, I thought this was a book for Isabelle who happens to also live overseas.
REVIEWI loved this book. I will just say that straight away. I loved it so much that I just could not put it down, and I finished it at breakfast a few days ago!! And then went back to re-read!
The Potion Experiment is a middle-grade fantasy about two girls. Well… it’s complicated. But it starts with thirteen-year-old scientist, Ange, who is whisked from her home into a magical forest and then suddenly starts hearing Eva’s voice in her head, talking about all kinds of stuff like spells and potions gone wrong. It turns out that because of that ‘potion-gone-wrong’, Ange is now stuck in Eva’s body, in a world of magic where no one’s heard of physics and all that other scientific stuff, and Eva is in Ange’s world. Now they need to find a way to swap back before they’re found out.
This is definitely one of the best middle-grade fantasy books I’ve ever read!!! It’s fun, fast-paced, and humorous, and I am so glad I got an free copy of it. I loved everything about it – the characters, the world, the plot, and the writing!! They’re all just so fun!
The writing for this book was definitely amazing. As I’ve said, it was fast-paced, humorous, and exciting, and I could not put the book down. It really brought me straight into the world and straight into the characters minds, and I got to see the world through their eyes! The plot itself is super exciting and there were always so many twists and turns that made the book super enjoyable!!
I also loved the fun characters and it’s super fun to see their relationships grow and change. And since Eve and Ange can talk to each other in their minds… it makes for incredibly humourous bickering!
Another thing I loved was seeing how those two girls navigated their different worlds. As I’ve said, Ange is a scientist, but now all of a sudden, she’s placed in this different world full of magic, where no one’s heard of physics, the laws of science, and all that. Meanwhile, Eva comes from a world full of magic and spells, and now she’s suddenly placed into this modern world where, at school, you’re taught really different things. The scene where Eva had to ride in the car was pretty interesting too. Cars don’t really exist in her world. So I’m sure you can imagine all the shock.
I also really loved how you see that these two different worlds might not be as different as you thought. Because the way magic works in this book, you can also really see that it’s not that different from science – there are a lot of similarities, like wavelengths and all that. Which was very interesting and it really gives you a different perspective on the world and how things work. I think lots of kids will love it!
My favorite scene in this book….. Ohhhh my goodness, how can I pick??! I suppose I don’t have a favorite scene exactly. But I do have a favorite part of the book – all of Ange and Eva’s conversations. It’s just so much fun to read their conversations, especially when they’re bickering!!!
The only thing I didn’t like about this book… Well, to be honest, I didn’t exactly not like anything, and it’s nothing against the book. It’s just the potion-collecting. Because apparently, they also need a toad for the potion. And so, Ange must head to the swamps to catch one. And it’s not that I don’t like it. It’s just… TOADS!!! Eeep! Get away from me! So uh… yeah. But it waaaas kind of funny to see Ange trying to catch the toads.
But yeah! Overall, I absolutely LOVED this book! It’s a fun, thrilling, middle-grade fantasy full of magic, friendship, and humor. An excellent debut novel! Five stars out of five! I definitely recommend this book to any middle-grader who’s in for a magical, humorous read, and I also think that this book will also appeal to those reluctant readers – how could it not, with all the humor, fun writing, and magic?! A must-read for fans of Harry Potter and Katrina Kahler’s fantasy novels.
About Our Guest BloggerHere is Isabelle’s bio from her Amazon page:
Hi, my name is Isabelle Knight, and I’m the middle grade fantasy author of the Enchantria series and many more books to come! I absolutely LOVE writing and started the Enchantria series when I was ten years old. I also love cats, crystals, reading, and any bookstore/library that will let me read the books all day without kicking me out! I also love pandas, unicorns, fairies, mermaids lots of magic, and make a huge effort to include all those in my stories! In my books, you’ll usually find stars, magic, hope, courage, and friendship! I am very excited to publish the rest of my books and write MANY more to come!. FYI–Isabelle just turned twelve. Watch out for this writing prodigy! Her review of THE POTION EXPERIMENT first appeared on her blog.
GIVEAWAYElle is providing a copy of The Potion Experiment to one fortunate reader. To enter, leave a comment by March 19. Follow Elle on Instagram or on other social media platforms.
You’ll find other great middle-grade books to read on Greg Pattridge’s MMGM blog.
The post Why ‘The Potion Experiment’ Is a Must-Read for Kids first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Teacher, Speaker .
March 8, 2025
Bowers and Shady: A Middle-Grade Book Review by Kathryn Dover
Bowers and Shady by Margaret Dardess is an entertaining and thought-provoking historical adventure. In the aftermath of the Civil War, times are hard for everyone. Thirteen-year-old Bowers Jamison embarks on a trip from Iowa to Colorado to track down his uncle, who stole his father’s magical pocket watch. The watch is believed to bring good luck to the owner unless it falls into the wrong hands, and Bowers’ family has had nothing but bad luck since it was stolen. As he begins his journey, Bowers meets ten-year-old Shady O’Toole, an orphan from Ireland surviving as a pickpocket for her cruel master, Old Scratch. Shady accompanies Bowers on his journey. Neither knows what adventures await them.
REVIEWBowers and Shady is told from Bowers’ point of view, and the author does a good job of foreshadowing while still keeping the reader in suspense. The opening sentence draws the reader into the story:
“I promised Ma I’d stay clear of trouble on my way out West, but I learned soon enough that trouble had a way of finding me.”
I enjoyed both Bowers and Shady’s characters. Bowers has a strong moral conscience, and readers can learn a lot from him. For example, when Shady breaks her promise to him, Bowers is angry, but he decides to honor his promise to her anyway. Earlier in the story, Bowers states that he has been taught that pickpocketing is wrong and can’t imagine himself resorting to thievery. Yet as the story progresses, Bowers admits that he has never gone hungry and does not know how he would respond in that situation. He wrestles with what he knows is right and the reality of everyone’s circumstances, and I found his struggles to be very relatable.
Shady’s character also develops greatly over the journey. She realizes the importance of helping others and of friends and family. By the end of the story, both characters are much wiser than they were at the onset of their journey.
I recommend Bowers and Shady to middle grade readers ages ten and up and think readers will learn from the story’s example of true friendship.
Bowers and Shady is releasing in September from Cushing Publishing. Leave a comment by March 12 and I’ll pick a winner now and you will receive the book later. U.S. addreses only.
About The Reviewer
Kathryn Dover lives in South Carolina with her family including five cats, a dog, three fish, and many house plants. She recently graduated from Presbyterian College with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and was a valedictorian of the Class of 2024. She’s not sure what she wants to do as a career, only that she wants to write, but is trusting that God has a plan for her life to use her in a powerful way. In her free time, she enjoys reading, photography, playing with her pets, and growing plants.
The post Bowers and Shady: A Middle-Grade Book Review by Kathryn Dover first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Teacher, Speaker .
March 1, 2025
Heartsmith–A Dynamic Steampunk Fantasy, an Author Interview, and a Great Giveaway
I don’t think I’ve every posted two reviews of the same book on my blog, but I’m making an exception this time. The first review of Heartsmith by Stephanie Cotta was by Kate Lundeen. Since then, I read it and wanted to share with all of you why I loved it.
REVIEWI confess. I wasn’t a steampunk fantasy fan. But now, that’s in the past. After reading Heartsmith, Book 1 In the Heartsmith series, I have a new perspective on this genre. A YA book that teens will love, Heartsmithconvinced me that a futuristic dystopian—yet Victorian world is not only possible, but intriguing and able to keep my interest for 250+ pages.
Part adventure, part romance, part gothic horror, Cotta paints a picture of a world in which the villain snatches dead children and recreates them as his minions. The evil doctor’s goal? To find a way to achieve immorality—power over life and death.
The book starts innocently enough. Sixteen-year-old Aaren Lockett, travels to the metropolis of Rexanburg to start a new life. A tinker by trade with dreams of being an inventor, he’s excited to be in a city known for being the hub of industry and innovation. But by the second chapter he’s stumbled into a firefight, is shot at, left for dead, and is resurrected by a woman with lavender skin—his new Heartspirit whose name is Aida. All that in 15 pages.
Aaren’s new world has sky ships that skirmish in the skies above and yet is paved with cobblestone streets where carriages and motor cars whiz by. He meets an attractive young newspaper woman and the two of them band together to uncover the mysteries of where her dead brother’s body disappeared to. This leads them to a seedy neighborhood, and eventually to the skies themselves—and Aaren’s villainous antagonist.
Although the book is written for a general audience, there is Christian symbolism throughout. When Aaren is brought back to after being mortally wounded, Aida tells him that she is a Contract and her people can heal any affliction. “We absorb that affliction, nursing the pain inside our own bodies so our masters may be free of any ill effects. Though mortal wounds come at the cost of our own lives.”
That theme continues as Aida insists Aaren must be healed of his deep wounds from his troubled childhood. After healing sessions with her, he sees a blue light in his veins. Aida says, “This is the FLOW of your Heartspirit. Now that you have unburdened your heart, its Spirit Energy can be used to enter another. This is how we repair afflictions, even Heartspirits.” From then on, Aaren possesses the same power to heal physical pain that Aida has—often at a great cost to himself.
The climax—when Aaren faces the mad doctor who wants to kill him so he can gain Aaren’s power—is both frightening and beautiful. But most of all, it’s an amazing cliffhanger so that every reader will be anxious for Book 2- Heartwrecked.
AUTHOR INTERVIEWCAROL: Do you start with the characters, world, or plot first?
STEPHANIE: For every book I’ve written, the main character always came first, then I shaped the world around them. With The Conjurer’s Curse, the story came about because I asked the question: What if a teenage boy had an invisible life-draining curse that killed everyone around him? Rowan was created right away from that thought. I didn’t know where his curse came from, who cursed him, or any of those details—I would discover them as Rowan does.
It was the same with Aaren Lockett from Heartsmith. I wanted to write a Steampunk story set in a Dickens-style world. It wasn’t until I considered it would be fun to center the story around a 16-yr-old orphan (like Oliver Twist) who wanted to have a fresh start as a tinker in an industrial metropolis that the plot details poured in from there.
CAROL: I am fascinated by your world building. How do you do it? Any tricks of the trade for other fantasy writers?
STEPHANIE: Start by asking yourself this basic question: what makes your world unique? From that question you can break it down into multiple segments. For Heartsmith, I knew I wanted a blend of German and English influences revolving around the Industrial Revolution time period. From there, I added in the steampunk elements: airships, timepieces, gears, steam trains, automatons etc. The Frankenstein gothic vibes came a little later. I set the story aside for a season, and then after brainstorming with family, we came up with the idea of a mad scientist experimenting with reanimating the dead. That helped me get “unstuck” with my plot, and took the story into a new direction I never had planned.
**** Brainstorm worldbuilding and plot ideas with friends, family, and critique partners.
CAROL: What has influenced you in creating your fantasy worlds?
STEPHANIE: I was drawn to fantasy stories at an early age when I started reading Star Wars and The Chronicles of Narnia. And after the Lord of the Rings movies came out, I became a true fantasy nerd! Authors who influenced my writing and inspired me to create my own fantasy worlds are J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Brandon Sanderson, and Timothy Zahn.
CAROL: You are also an artist. How much is art a part of your writing or does one inspire the other?
STEPHANIE: I’ve been an artist longer than I’ve been a writer, so yes, art is very much a part of my writing. I love painting scenes with my words. I often remark that if I didn’t paint a picture for the reader to visualize and be immersed in the scene, then I didn’t do my job correctly. When I start writing a scene, it’s often from a small blip of dialogue. I call this the “skeleton” stage because when I learned to first draw the human figure, I had to start with the basic skeletal structure. Then I add on the muscle. In a scene, this means weaving in character actions, setting cues, the five senses, etc. Next comes the flesh, and that’s the polishing round: smoothing out the prose, and removing any excess that may slow the pacing.
So, this is how my artist/writing brain works! In Heartsmith, I had a wonderful time visualizing my characters through paintings, which are included in the interior of the book. Here’s Jazzy, a fan favorite from Heartsmith.
CAROL: I assume you consciously were inserting a Christian theme, although it doesn’t dominate the book. Can you talk about that?
STEPHANIE: When I first started brainstorming about this story, the title Heartsmith came right at the inception. So I had to ask myself, “What does a Heartsmith do?” Naturally, that would be healing hearts. But I wanted to go deeper with the concept. In Galatians 6:2, it says, “Bear one another’s burdens…” This helped me create the cost associated with Aaren healing others: he bears the pain burdens for others—kinda like Jesus does.
So, if my main character, Aaren Lockett, was going to be a Heartsmith, then his own heart needed mending—and not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. In his “heart sessions” with Aida—his new Heartspirit, much like the Holy Spirit—represents an inner guide for Aaren, as he visits trauma from his past. It’s only once Aaren has received his own healing that he can then help others. He now has the strength and compassion to bear burdens for others.
CAROL: How do you write several series at the same time?
I’ll say that it isn’t easy. It can be tricky jumping from a steampunk gothic world to a medieval fantasy. But there were days that I needed a break from the high stakes drama in The Iron Kingdom Series (YA Fantasy), so I would switch to Heartsmith and find myself immersed again. One thing that helps me “shift gears” is the right music playlist. I have an Epic Fantasy Playlist, and one specifically for the Heartsmith series. Listening to them while driving, working out, hiking, helps center my mind back to the characters and world for each story.
CAROL: Do you dream in fantasy?
STEPHANIE! My dreams have been the inspiration behind a few of my fantasy stories. My sleeping hours often become my brainstorming sessions too. I’ve visualized countless scenes this way. I’ve always had a very active imagination, and there’ve been plenty of times that I’ve woken up to a character talking in my head, so I had to quickly write down what they said in my notes app so I didn’t lose it.
For me, when I’m at “rest” in bed, my mind relaxes and becomes more creative. I’ve fixed quite a number of plot holes while daydreaming before bed.
CAROL: Do you know you’re going to be writing a series when you start out, or does it evolve? Do you plot out the series ahead of time or work on each book as you get to it?
I don’t usually know if I’m writing a series or not until I get near the end of writing the first draft. With The Conjurer’s Curse, I had planned for it to be a standalone—an offshoot from my Adult Epic Fantasy Series. But my publisher Jen Lowry of Monarch Press saw series potential with it. So I adjusted the ending slightly, and it is now a series, with the 3rd book, The Ghost’s Gambit, releasing fall 2025.
With Heartsmith, I didn’t plot it out to be a series either, because again, I’m not a plotter. I just tagged along with Aaren and Sasha and when I realized things couldn’t be wrapped up with one book, I then went into the final act with that in mind. And that’s why I left a killer cliffhanger at the end of this book!
GIVEAWAYI am giving away my gently read copy of Heartsmith along with the swag which Stephanie sent me when I preordered the book. The giveaway ends on March 5. If you are a teenager reading this blog, or plan to give this book to a teen, I’ll put your name in twice. U.S. addresses only.
The post Heartsmith–A Dynamic Steampunk Fantasy, an Author Interview, and a Great Giveaway first appeared on Carol Baldwin - Author, Teacher, Speaker .
