Sherry Ellis: Bubba & Squirt's Mayan Adventure

Join me today for author Sherry Ellis’ MC Book Tour for her latest release, BUBBA AND SQUIRT’S MAYAN ADVENTURE.

This is a delightful juvenile fiction story that readers of all ages will enjoy.

◊ Genre: Juvenile Fiction
◊ Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press (Sept. 7, 2020)
◊ Print & eBooks
◊ Paperback: 96 pages
◊ ISBN-10: 1939844703
◊ ISBN-13: 978-1939844705

An ancient Mayan civilization!     

That's what Bubba and Squirt find when they travel through the mysterious vortex for another wild adventure. There they meet archeologists who are unearthing priceless artifacts.

But someone is stealing them. And an encounter with the Tate Duende awakens magic within Bubba. Throw in the mysterious Alux and a new discovery and things get sticky.

Will Bubba and Squirt solve the mystery, or will they be stuck forever in the jungles of Belize?

Bubba and Squirt available at 

AMAZON US   *   APPLE BOOKS   *   DANCING LEMUR PRESS   *   BARNES & NOBLE  *  BAM   *   KOBO

Meet the Author

Sherry Ellis is an award-winning author and professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano. 

When she is not writing or engaged in musical activities, she can be found doing household chores, hiking, or exploring the world. Ellis and her family live in Atlanta, Georgia.

For more information on Sherry and her writing, connect with her on: Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads * Blog * Website * Amazon Author Page

GIVEAWAY

The author is sponsoring a tour-wide giveaway. She is giving away ten (10) autographed print copies of the book open to all. Be sure to enter below on the Rafflecopter widget. If the widget doesn’t appear, click HERE to enter the giveaway. The giveaway ends at midnight on Oct. 17^th.

You can also follow Sherry’s tour for more information and chances to enter by visiting the following sites:

Monday, Sept. 14 - Write With Fey - Guest Post
Alex J. Cavanaugh - Guest Post
Tuesday, Sept. 15 - Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews - Interview
Wednesday, Sept. 16 - The Story of a Writer - Review
Thursday, Sept. 17 - Book Reviews by Pat Garcia - Review
Friday, Sept. 18 - Booked Solid with Virginia C - Feature
Rockin' Book Reviews - Review & Top Ten List
Monday, Sept. 21 - Just Jemi - Review & Interview
Anna del C. Dye Official Page - Excerpt
Tuesday, Sept. 22 - Baroness' Book Trove - Review
Saturday, Sept. 26 - Storeybook Reviews - Excerpt
Monday, Sept. 28 - Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog - Guest Post
Joylene Nowell Butler - Excerpt
Journaling Woman - Feature
Wednesday, Sept. 30 - Nesie's Place - Excerpt
Friday, Oct. 2 - Thoughts in Progress - Review
Monday, Oct. 5 - The Sexy Nerd "Revue" - Excerpt
Wednesday, Oct. 7 - Willow Writes and Reads - Review
Friday, Oct. 9 - Celticlady's Reviews - Excerpt
Monday, Oct. 12 - Literary Rambles - Interview
Wednesday, Oct. 14 - Writer's Gambit - Feature & Top 10 List

Thanks for stopping by today. Do you enjoy all different types of genres and age-related stories?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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I had a few questions for Sherry...

What's a Fun Fact you learned about the Mayan culture?

There’s a reason ancient Mayan carvings and drawings depict people with flattened foreheads.  Flat heads (and stones drilled into teeth) were considered fashionable. The Maya strapped boards to the foreheads of their babies and made them wear them for six years to achieve the look. Aren’t you glad that’s no longer in style?

Yikes!! I'm SO glad that's no longer in style. Wow - cultures always have such different views of what constitutes beauty!

Would you like to be an archeologist?

Yes and no. Yes, because if I found something unusual and valuable, it would be an amazing experience! No, because I don’t think I’d have the patience to squat down in a quadrant all day, sifting through dirt and carefully brushing debris off of whatever I found. Putting pieces and parts of things together would also try my patience. I think I’ll stick with writing and music.

You're a musician, do you think Bubba and Squirt might ever visit one of the famous composers?

That would be an interesting idea, but as of today, there are no plans for Bubba and Squirt to meet a famous composer, living or dead. I have five books of Bubba and Squirt adventures planned. The next three will be a trilogy. I don’t think the Bubba and Squirt adventures will continue after that, but who knows? Never say never!

Thank you for having me as a guest!

Thanks for the great answers!

Now to my review:

This is SUCH a fun book! I adored Bubba and Squirt. They're interesting characters who have different personalities. This brother and sister team love each other and respect each other, even when they drive each other a little batty!

I loved the visit to an archeological dig and a look at the Mayan culture as well as the current Belize culture. The interesting characters and a plot that keeps spinning in interesting directions will be loved by both kids and adults alike. I'm also looking forward to trying the chicken tortilla soup with the recipe.

A great read for everyone!

How about you? Any budding/wannabe archeologists or musicians out there? Anyone else want to travel through that vortex or check out Mayan artifacts?

Tara Tyler's Beast World

Tara Tyler is a great Twitter friend and the host of the weekly #WedWrant chat for writers. (Wednesdays at 7:30 pm EST if you're interested in joining us!)

Taking Back Beast World, Phase 2. Disney/Pixar's Onward comes out Mar 6 with a setting eerily close to BEAST WORLD, and it's time to speak out again—in a positive way! And in coordination with BROKEN BRANCH FALLS just republished and CRADLE ROCK soon to follow.

Tara Tyler has some big ideas with awesome friends from the fantastic writing community backing her up. She's scheduled a month and a half of posts, interviews, reviews, and social send-outs. It's sure to be a Beastly Blast! Here's the schedule:

Heather Gardner	2/5	Adventure - Inside-Out
Elizabeth Seckman	2/12	HS Hi-jinks & Teens Fessing Up
Patricia Lynne	2/17	the Beasts (& Survey)
Jemi Fraser	2/24	Reviews
L. Diane Wolfe	2/24	Nothing New Under the Sun
Alex J. Cavanaugh	3/4	Books into Movies - So many ways to watch
C. Lee McKenzie	3/4	Cliques & Bullies--It's hard to be a teen, no matter when
Sherry Ellis	3/9	Bullies Presentations & a Review
Christine Rains	3/9	Review
Heather Holden	3/23	Books Come Alive with Art!

Hope you can stop by!


My reviews

Broken Branch Falls

Goblins and Ogres and Pixies, Oh my!
This is a fabulous MG adventure with wonderful world-building that immerses you right into the story. Gabe, the main character, or should I say the main goblin, gets himself into trouble after a prank gone terribly wrong. That mistake starts Gabe on a series of adventures with companions from many of the other beasts populating his world.
Gabe and his friends don't agree with the adults who dictate who they should befriend and what activities they should enjoy. They're on a mission to change their world and they get a whole lot more than they bargained for.
The underlying theme of the story echoes the theme of many of our current young activists. We need change and we need to listen to our kids who often see the future more clearly than we do.
A fantastic story for all!

Cradle Rock

And the fun continues!!
This is an action-packed adventure story that keeps you turning the pages. The beast buddies from the 1st book are back and onto new adventures. When Ona, the ogress, gets lost on Spring Break, Gabe (goblin) and Rove (werewolf) head off to the rescue. What they find is a whole lot more than they expect - or want to believe. The adventure takes on a dangerous turn when the beasts meet mythology come to life.
This book should appeal to anyone in middle school or older. A fantastic read with heart!!

How about you? Do you enjoy fantasy books? Adventure? Anyone else ready to make friends with the beasts?

Charles Suddeth & The Mind Of A Child

Please welcome fellow Dancing Lemur Press author Charles Suddeth to the blog today!

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Know your reader, know your age group—getting into a child’s mind 

I am a substitute teacher for the Louisville schools. I sub for anything from pre-school to high school. I also host a monthly Louisville SCBWI Social where newer writers ask about age groups. Here are the age guidelines I use.

Picture Books: Ages 3 to 8. These children cling to me in class. They are Searching for Security. Even while playing, they need to know an authority figure is present to give them love and protection. They enjoy tattling on other classmates—perhaps to reinforce their security. Happy endings are a must for security’s sake.

Middle Reader’s: Ages 8 to 13. These children are sometimes described as crazy. They are not certain who they are or what their abilities are. They do things in groups to obtain peer approval, because they lack self-confidence and self-identity. They are Searching for Identity. Peer pressure is strong, and they never tattle on other students. They love books in series and books about kids in groups to help them find identity. 

Young Adult: Ages 14 to 18. Teenagers are famous for rebellion, sometimes called “attitude.” They are Searching for Independence. Psychologists describe this as psychological efforts to separate themselves from their families to become adults. Teens seldom tattle on students in class, but they will do so if other kids are not watching. They like books about loners or kids fighting the system as in many dystopian novels—independence is the key.

My favorite writing rule is: Take your reader where they are not expecting to go. Once you know your audience you can take them to destinations unknown and even undreamed of. 

Bio and Links:

 

Charles Suddeth has published poetry, picture books, middle reader’s books, young adult thrillers, and adult mysteries in English, Cherokee, and Turkish. He is active with Green River Writers and leads a monthly SCBWI Social. He lives in Louisville and teaches for the Jefferson County Schools. 

Website     Twitter      Facebook     Pinterest:      Tumblr

Find Stone Man: And the Trail of Tears at:

Amazon      ITunes      Kobo      Barnes & Noble      Goodreads 

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Thanks Charles!

Love that writing rule! 

As another teacher, I agree with your breakdown. It's important to know the needs of the age-groups we are writing for.

How about you? Have you ever written for children? Can you relate to those stages? Do you like when a book takes you in unexpected directions?

S.A. Larsen & Motley Education

Please welcome the lovely SA Larsen to the blog!
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It’s finally here!

New cover. Completely rebranded. Same corpse-raising middle grade adventure.

MOTLEY EDUCATION: The Urd Saga, book I

by S. A. Larsen

Ages: 8-12

Pages: 354

Ellysian Press, September 10, 2019; Second Edition

"A deftly crafted ... and entertaining read!"

Midwest Book Reviews - Children's Watch 2017

​

Motley Junior High: School for the Psychically and Celestially Gifted Terms of Enrollment

Signed: Ebony Charmed

Ebony should be excited about entering sixth grade to further develop her skills. And she would be. If only her lame abilities let her see more than three ghosts.

Struggling to live up to her gifted family, Ebony is horrified when she is branded a Seeker: someone who is neither Sensory nor Luminary. To top it off, her Deadly Creatures and Relics project – transforming a measly stick – seems destined for failure.

But there are doors to other worlds where creatures have been watching her. And when the truth emerges that her project is more than a stick, she knows she must act. Along with her best friend Fleishman and his pet lizard, Ebony finds herself wedged between prophecies and quests. Oh, and saving the entire spirit world from annihilation.

Ebony is not ready to be a hero. But a dark presence has already stolen more than one local kid. And this time, her failure is not an option.

*FIRST PLACE WINNER, CHILDREN'S CATEGORY, 2016 NEW ENGLAND BOOK FESTIVAL!*

*Bronze Award Winner, 2017 Feathered Quill Book Awards for Best Juvenile/YA Fiction*

*Winner - Purple Dragonfly Awards 2017, Honorable Mention; ebook*

*Gold Medal Award Winner - Literary Classics Book Awards 2017, Grade School Fantasy*

*Gold Medal Winner - 2017 Readers' Favorite International Book Awards, Children's Fantasy/Sci-Fi

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | Smashwords

Order signed books from The Children’s Book Cellar via message.

ATTENTION all US teachers & librarians, follow this link to enter a Twitter contest with amazing prizes! 

https://twitter.com/SA_Larsen/status/1173919715053490176 

About the Author

S.A. Larsen is an award-winning author, childhood apraxia of speech advocate, and Maine-iac ice hockey fan, who has watched more hockey games than she could ever count. She also has a soft spot for the strange and misunderstood, which might explain her love for dipping plain chips in ketchup. Her favorite stories push the boundaries of our world and open harbored emotions to inspire and challenge the heart. She's the author of Motley Education: The URD Saga Book I (Ellysian Press, 2019; second edition), a fantasy-adventure for middle grade readers and Marked Beauty-her debut young adult fantasy-romance (Ellysian Press, 2017). When she's not chasing her characters around a cemetery or antagonizing them with the wonders of young love, she lives in the land of lobsters and snowy winters with her husband and four children. Visit her cyber home at salarsenbooks.com, find her on Twitter @SA_Larsen and Instagram sa.larsen, or on spookymiddlegrade.com, where she does most of her spookiness brewing up all sorts of creepy ideas with a group of #SpookyMG authors. Stop by for a visit . . . if you dare.

Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Goodreads

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Thanks Sheri - wishing you all the very best with the book!
Love the new cover!!

Shelley Sly - MG vs Romance

Please welcome Shelley Sly to the blog today!

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Thank you so much for having me on your blog today, Jemi!

So, I love middle grade. There’s something thrilling about writing for kids, and the conversations I’ve had with young readers have been the best part of my job as a writer. But I didn’t start out writing MG.

I started out writing romance.

I’ve written short stories of all different genres, but when I decided to get serious about being a

writer, I was set on writing romance novels with college-aged protagonists. (I guess today it would be classified as New Adult Romance, but back when I wrote my first few novels, it didn’t have such a clear genre.)

Here’s what I loved about romance:

• The moment when the hero and heroine meet. I love introducing two important characters and seeing how they react to each other!
• Showing the sweet side of the hero. My favorite heroes are the ones who are just so loving and thoughtful… even if they try to be a tough guy on the outside!
• The ups and downs of the relationship. I enjoyed putting my hero and heroine through some challenging, heartbreaking times, as long as it ended in a happily ever after!

I didn’t even plan on switching gears and writing for children. But working in an elementary school and being around kids every day inspired me to write for them. It’s not the same as writing romance, but there are things I love about middle grade, too:

• Even though there’s no romantic love, I still have fun introducing two important characters, such as two soon-to-be best friends, or two long-lost relatives.
• There might not be a swoon-worthy hero, but I like showing the depth of young characters, too. Maybe the carefree class clown has a very sensitive side, or the rough and tough tomboy secretly loves pretending to be a princess.
• Other relationships, such as family or friendships, can have ups and downs just like a romance. I enjoy making my characters argue and stop speaking to each other, only to be good friends again later.

Two totally different genres, and yet, they’re more similar than you’d think! I’m pretty attached to MG right now, but I do look forward to returning to romance sometime in the future.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about writing in multiple genres!

Shelley Sly lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with her husband and their chocolate lab mix. She writes middle grade novels about friendship, family, and figuring out where you fit in. Shelley is the author of WISHING FOR WASHINGTON, and her brand new release, ONE HUNDRED THIRTY STARS. You can find her online at www.shelleysly.com.

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Thanks Shelley! I adored Wishing for Washington and can't wait to read One Hundred Thirty Stars!

I love reading in so many genres (obviously MG is on that list) & I've dabbled in writing multiple genres too. I can totally see me branching out into other genres & age categories once I've got myself some more time!

How about you? Do you write in multiple genres? Want to?

Put Downs or Build Ups?

There often seems to someone on the attack lately. I've been teaching for a lot of years and I've seen lots of attacks on books as well as attacks on people who choose to read certain books.

To me, the attacks are usually a waste of time & energy ... and just a little bit nuts.

Some people become absolutely inflamed because of what they think is in a book.

Whenever a new fuss pops up I think back to a student I'll call Amanda. She was in my split grade 6/7 classroom for 2 years. During our first reading conference of her Grade 6 year, Amanda admitted she'd never actually read a book on her own. Reading was very tough for her and by the time she finished sounding out words she'd almost always lost the meaning of the sentence.

She thought she might like some of the Goosebumps books everyone was talking about. There was a lot of fuss at the time from people who wanted to ban Stine's series from classrooms and libraries. There were people who claimed teachers were 'evil' for allowing kids to be exposed to them. (I question if any of those people actually read any of the books!!)

Being me, I had over 30 Goosebumps books to choose from. She selected 2 and I read them into tapes. She tried to read along with my voice during reading time.

Then she read one on her own.

Then another.

By the time she finished Grade 6, Amanda had read 17 Goosebumps books on her own.

17.

Over the summer and during her Grade 7 year, she moved on to Stine's Fear Street series. And Christopher Pike. And Caroline B. Cooney. Then Lois Lowry and JK Rowling. And many, many more.

Her grade 8 teacher was shocked she'd been a non-reader 2 years before.

Ridiculing anyone for their choice of reading material is yet another kind of put down. The world has enough of those.

I'd rather see the build ups. I'd rather celebrate the Amandas of the world who demonstrate perseverance and are willing to admit to a difficulty and take the risks involved in becoming stronger.

If I only stocked my classroom with my favourite books, it would still be a very large library, but it wouldn't rival the 5000+ books I stock today. The more variety I have available, the easier it is to find those Home Run books for kids and turn them into avid readers. Do I have to personally like the books they choose? Nope. Do I have to support their right to like them.

Absolutely.

How do you feel about the folks who want to dictate what we read or judge us based on the ones we choose?

Wishing for Washington!

One of my favourite blog buddies has a book out!

The lovely Shelley Sly's debut novel Wishing for Washington is out and about and it is AWESOME!! Tallia is an awesome character and I LOVE Shelley's MG voice - fantastic! The kids never stop aiming for their goals no matter what happens - lots of fun in this story. And lots of heart as well! One of my favourite things about the book is the relationships the kids have with the adults - varied, fun and realistic. I really enjoyed this story and know my students will too!

As punishment for playing doorbell ditch, twelve-year-old Tallia Thompson and her goofball brother Isaiah are shipped off to their grandparents’ house for half the summer. There’s nothing fun about being stuck in Maryland, a.k.a. Snore-a-land, except for one thing: the close proximity to Washington, D.C.

Tallia would do anything for Isaiah, and what he wants most is to meet the President of the United States. So together, they formulate a plan to get to the White House—a plan that involves spending a bit of money and concocting a bunch of lies. And, ultimately, a plan that ends up changing Tallia’s perception of her family forever.

Completely awesome!! So, where can you pick up your e-copy? Try these...

Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Goodreads     

If you're waiting for the print version, it should be ready on July 2nd, so not long to wait!

What do you think? How far would you go to meet the president (or prime minister or any of your heroes!)?

Congrats Shelley!

Are You in There?

I'm over at From the Write Angle today talking about the Non-Autobiographical You. Sounds weird, I know, but if you pop on over, you'll see what I'm talking about!

I've never used a real event from my life in my writing and I doubt I ever will. So far I haven't even taken a real event and twisted it.

My life isn't great fodder for fiction. Thankfully! I don't want or need to live a life where I suffer like Main Characters always seem to do!

But if I had to take one event and use it, it might be my tendency to use swing sets a little differently as a kid. Sure I liked to swing and jump off like everyone else, but I also liked to shinny up the poles and hang upside down from my knees off the top bar. The most fun though was shinnying up to the top and then walking along the top bar as if it was a beam.

Might be a fun scene if I ever decide to write one of those MG ideas spinning around in my head!

How about you - what's something you've done that would make a great scene in a novel?

JL Campbell with a Giveaway!

The always lovely JL Campbell has some exciting things going on! She's releasing her first MG novel today!

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Howdy. I’m glad you’ve stopped in. My name is Christine and although I’m only eleven, I’m what some adults might call precocious. A lot has happened in my life, some of it bad, but like my dad used to say, good things can result from the bad stuff that happens to us.

To help me celebrate overcoming my challenges, a great gang of authors have teamed up and will be giving away copies of their books. Sweet, yes?

For a chance to win a pair of the books listed, you can do anything included on the Rafflecopter below or on Facebook. However, for those who’d like to win a $10.00 Amazon Gift Voucher, hop on over to the Jamaican Kid Lit Blog to enter for that.

Anyway, I tend to talk a lot, so before I carried away, here’s my story:

Raised in a hotbed of arguments and fights, eleven-year-old Christine Simms is the victim of her mother's cruelty. A domestic dispute ends in tragedy, sending the family into a tailspin.

A shocking discovery sends Christine on a quest to find the stranger who left her behind in Jamaica. Determined to unravel the mystery of her birth, Christine uses every tool at her disposal and treads with courage where no child should.

Thanks so much for dropping in! I hope you win the novels of your choice. I should tell you that you get to choose books based on how the Rafflecopter does the drawing of the winners. So, if your name comes up first, you get to say which pack you want.

Available in ebook format at AmazonUS

J.L. Campbell is a proud Jamaican, who is always on the hunt for story-making material. She writes romantic suspense, women's fiction and young adult novels. She is the also the author of Contraband, Dissolution, Distraction, Don't Get Mad...Get Even, Giving up the Dream, Retribution and Hardware (written under the pen name Jayda McTyson).

Visit her on the web at http://www.joylcampbell.com

The Rafflecopter giveaway

 

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Congrats JL! Good luck to everyone on the draw!!

PAPfest ... really!

Yup - it's a PAPfest! Three of my buddies from over at AgentQueryConnect & From the Write Angle are hosting the Pitch-a-Partner Festival! (Don't you feel better now you know what it stands for??)

Even reading the instructions (along with the awesome illustrations) made me laugh. If you write MG or YA, you really HAVE to check it out. You pitch your crit partner's MS in order to get a request for YOUR story. Agents are involved and will be looking at the queries and first 200 words of the finalists!

Details are available at any of the blogs of the 3 brilliant minds behind this contest. Pop on over and check it out!

Mindy McGinnis - Writer, Writer, Pants on Fire
RC Lewis - Crossing the Helix
MarcyKate Connolly

Good luck to everyone who decides to enter!!

So, do you/have you entered a lot of writing contests?

Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays: Nerd Camp

Shannon Whitney Messenger created Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays to bring attention to some fabulous books. I'm playing along this week! :)

Nerd Camp by Elissa Brent Weissman

What a fun story!! You're going to love Gabe. He's a very bright kid who is super excited to be going to sleepaway camp - at the Summer Center for Gifted Enrichment. The twist comes when he meets his soon-to-be-step-brother Zack - who is cool - and who doesn't even like to read and thinks nerds are 'weird' ... 'You can't be on a math team and be cool!'

Gabe starts to wonder if he is 'just' a nerd - if that's all he is. He also wants to hide his true self from Zack. The camp is 6 weeks long and Gabe meets some great new friends and has all kinds of fun and adventures. He keeps track of his acitvities in a chart - trying to discover if he is 'a nerd who only has nerdy adventures'. His wry comments and insights will crack you up!

Another thing I really liked with this story was the relationship between the kids and their adults - positive relationships all around. Awesome! :)

You're going to love going on this journey of discovery and fun with Gabe - he's a great kid!

I only did one week of overnight camp - & I hated pretty much every minute. My friend got sick and couldn't go. No fun being the lonely shy kid! How about you? Did you like overnight camps?

Jayden's Story

Natalie Bahm is here today. As you're about to see, Natalie is one of the sweetest people I know!

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A Book to Help a Baby

A few years ago, I wrote a middle grade adventure called The Secret Underground. It’s about a group of kids who dig a tunnel to an abandoned steel mill.  There’s danger and fun and friendship and a few scary bank robbers (think Goonies).  It’s always been really special to me because it was the first book I finished that I was really proud of.

A little over a week ago, The Secret Underground was finally released. All of the profits will go to a sick baby named Jayden and his family.

Jayden is a sweet two-year-old with major health problems. He's the same age as my youngest child, but he’s only half his size.  Jayden struggles to put on weight and is constantly in the hospital because he has no reserves when he gets sick.  He’s been near death more than once, but has shown that he’ll fight to hang on.

His family has been through so much.  Along with the stress and anxiety of dealing with Jayden's condition, they're also struggling financially, due to the massive burden of caring for a chronically ill child.

Jayden’s grandmother is my critique partner.  When she told me about the trials that Jayden and his family were facing, I knew I needed to do something to help. I called up agent, Sara Megibow, and asked if we could do a book for him.  She thought it was wonderful idea, so with the support of Nelson Literary Agency, we published The Secret Underground. 

You can read more about the project and Jayden here. The paperback version of The Secret Underground is available on Amazon.  The eBook can be purchased just about anywhere eBooks are sold.  The audiobook is available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes.  The paperback will be in more online bookstores soon.

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See! Told you Natalie was a sweetie!! Hope you're inspired to pick up a copy of the book! :)

The Alligators are Here!

We've got a treat today! C. Lee McKenzie is here today to share about her awesome new book Alligators Upstairs.

Thanks for letting me talk about my book on your blog, Jemi. I appreciate this opportunity a lot.

Here’s what the book is about.

Alligators, witches and a spooky mansion aren't your average neighbors unless you live at the edge of the Ornofree swamp in the backwater town of Hadleyville. The town's bad boy, Pete Riley, may only be twelve, but he's up to his eyeballs in big trouble, and this time he isn't the cause. This time the trouble arrives when a legendary hundred-year-old mansion materializes next door and the Ornofree alligators declare war to save their swamp from bulldozers. Things only get worse when Pete's guardian aunt and several of her close friends vanish while trying to restore order using outdated witchcraft. Now Pete must find the witches and stop the war. He might stand a chance if his one friend, Weasel, sticks with him, but even then, they may not have what it takes.

About the author:

C. Lee is writer who captures the pulse of adolescent confusion in her Young Adult fiction, Sliding on the Edge and The Princess of Las Pulgas. She admits to revealing a lot of her Old Adult confusion while doing that. Alligators Overhead is her first Middle Grade novel. She lives in California with her husband and assorted animals at the edge of a redwood forest. Lee blogs at The Write Game and she’d love a visit at her WEBSITE.

So many people ask me "So why alligators?" I used to answer, “Why not?” But lately, I've been besieged by cats demanding that I rewrite the book, replacing the alligators with them as the witch familiars. They've gone so far as to threaten book banning!

You may have seen some of the NEWS ARTICLES. Fortunately, the cats have some sort of conference this week so I have a little time to prepare my arguments. This has been very upsetting. The cover is out. The trailer is out. The book is out! I'm hoping these cats will come to their senses and let the book and me alone. In the meantime, I'm looking for suggestions about how to deal with the situation, so if you or any of your readers can come up with a solution or a great negotiating point I'm giving that person a free eBook--any format. I'd also appreciate if they'd stop in and give my new page a like. The alligators need to know they're not losing this popularity contest to the cats.

Leave your suggestions in the comments and I'll choose a winning entry.

Thanks again for letting me visit, Jemi.


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You're very welcome Lee. I LOVED the book! It's a fabulous MG adventure story and I know my students are going to love it!

You can find the book:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Paperback
B&N
Smashwords

You can find Lee:
Blog
Website
Facebook
Twitter @cleemckenzie
Amazon Author Page
Goodreads

So, what hints and ideas do you have to help Lee out with those pesky cats?

Choices!

I finished the first draft of my wip the other day. I want to put it aside and let it simmer and marinate for a while before I look at it again. It's always better for me to look again with fresh eyes.

As soon as I closed the file, my brain pretty much exploded with ideas and plans.

I've got a shiny new idea that is quite involved and has potential for 4 interconnected stories. Kind of a cosy romantic mystery/suspense series. Sort of. With a few twists and turns. And humour. Not sure I can pull it off - but I can't wait to try!

I've got an older ms that's been marinating for a while that is calling loudly as well. It's been over a year since I've looked at it, so I'm itching to dig back in and live in that world again.

I want to try my hand at writing some short stories too. It's such a great way to improve writing skills - packing so much into such a short space. I haven't done this before, but I think it would be fun.

A nonficiton idea has been tickling the back of my brain too. Educational stuff which I'm pretty experienced in, but have zero platform for. *sigh* It would require a lot of platform building (in another name seeing as I write romance...) and I don't feel up for that at the moment, but doing research for the idea is very, very tempting.

Another story idea keeps nudging me too. It's MG and would be a fun adventurous science fiction story. Totally different from what I'm doing now.

So, my brain is barely able to contain itself these days. And I'm loving every second of it!

How do you feel when you put aside one project and get to decide which one becomes your next priority?

MMGM: A Scary Good Book

Shannon Whitney Messenger created Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays to bring attention to some fabulous books. I'm playing along this week! :)

Anita Laydon Miller has done it again. Her first book, Earthling Hero, was a big hit with the students in my class last year. I haven't read A Scary Good Book to my class (yet), but I know they're going to love it!

In this story, Hannah finds the words Help Me underlined in a library book. When she finds other clues, she starts to wonder if the words are a serious cry for help. As a 12 year old, it's hard to get adults to treat your suspicions seriously, and Hannah continues to investigate on her own, and then with her best friend Ollie.

Hannah's a fabulous character - lots of layers and interesting angles inside her. One of her greatest traits is her courage.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, but this book has it all: mystery, adventure, humour, action, suspense and even a bit of realistic 12-year-old romance. Loved it!

I also love cover of this one. Anita & her hubby did it together!

I haven't made a cover yet, but I'm looking forward to giving it a shot one day! Have you attempted doing any cover work yourself?

Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays: Shug

Shannon Whitney Messenger created Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays to bring attention to some fabulous books. I'm playing along this week! :)

Shug by Jenny Han

This is a charming book. I loved the main character, Shug - short for Sugar. Being 12 is pretty tough for Shug - she`s too tall and has too many freckles, and she`s not developing like some of the other girls. She`s starting to feel differently about her best friend Mark, and she doesn`t have a clue how to handle it.

Underneath the adorable story of young love is a deeper level which deals with families (dysfunctional and otherwise) and jealousy and friendships and the real trials of growing up in less than perfect circumstances. Shug will tug on your heart strings and make you care.

Ì really enjoyed this book and so did many of the girls in my classroom.

How was life when you were 12? Did you find it tough fitting in?

Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays: Zach's Lie

Shannon Whitney Messenger created Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays to bring attention to some fabulous books. I'm playing along this week! :)

Zach's Lie by Roland Smith

This is a great, contemporary, action-packed book. One night, people break into Zach's home, tie up him, his sister and his mom. The masked men have guns and knives. When the phone rings, Zach's mom is told to say, "They will kill us if you talk," or the sister will be killed. Hours later, the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) comes to the house and takes away his dad's computer.

When his dad is charged with drug trafficking, the rest of Zach's family is sent into the witness protection program. I think the book takes a very realistic look at what goes through the head of a kid stuck in this situation. A lot of emotions pour through Zach: anger, guilt, hope, worry, excitement.

The kids in my class enjoy the 'what ifs' of the book. What if Zach messes up? What if Zach hates his new life? What if the drug dealers find them? What if...

When they're in the witness protection program, Zach's family is told they have to change their habits. If they always ordered pizza on Fridays, they can't do that anymore. What little habit would you miss most if you were forced into the program?

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Maniac Magee

Shannon Whitney Messenger created Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays to celebrate some fabulous MG books. This week I've decided to play along! :) Check out Shannon's place to see who else is playing.

(Jerry Spinelli's site)

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

This is a fabulous book! On the surface its a light-hearted book about a boy who's trying to find his place. On deeper levels it's about so much more: racism, kindness, friendship, courage, risk-taking, love, the power of books, and the importance of education.

Spinelli is a master at making kids laugh. The situations Maniac gets into are hilarious and daring and plain ol' fun. Maniac is a great kid who wants an address and a family to go with it. He copes with all the traumas and disasters of his life by running. When he runs into a town firmly divided into black and white, he wants to stay. Wants to belong. He doesn't 'see' the colours, doesn't understand the divisions and that helps everyone around him do the same.

My students always love this book when I read it aloud. It's full of fun and adventure. And they LOVE the messages the story contains. We have tons of conversations and they're very thankful that our world doesn't have problems like racism anymore. And yes, I teach in a school with kids from many different cultures! Don't you just love kids??? :)

What other books do you know of that deal successfully with serious topics in a light-hearted manner?

Who Reads YA?

I'm over at From the Write Angle today discussing the YA market.

Around the bloggy-verse lately I've heard some people say they worry about writing YA because they think the market is too narrow.

Pop on over & let me know what you think. I'll give my opinion too!

I've turned off comments here in the hopes you'll visit me there! Hope to see you :)

Bounce

I've been struggling to find time to write in the past few months. I'm in the middle of rewriting my Steampunk to fix a plot problem. I'm nearly done my NaNo novel, but I'm going through it and doing an outline at the same time to make sure I don't have major plot holes like the Steampunk. I don't want to write the climax and resolution until I know it works. So, I've got a pretty full writing plate at the moment.

But... I was jumped by a shiny new idea the other week. It ran around in my head for a while, content to be left on its own to stumble around in my subconscious.

Last night it bounced to the forefront of my brain and demanded some attention. Apparently it knows life is already on overload, but it really doesn't care. :) I'm not going to start writing it yet, but I did cave in and write some mini character bios and a general overview.

My steampunk is YA, my NaNo is an adult romantic mystery. Shiny new idea??? Neither one of these.

MG fantasy adventure with a touch of sci fi. Yup. New age level and new genre. Why should anything be easy? :)

Do your ideas bounce in from all directions, or are they more orderly creatures who know how to form a line and wait their turn? (Someone please tell me I'm not the only one with ideas all over the spectrum!)

PS - Thanks so much to everyone for your incredible support for From the Write Angle. As always, my blog buddies amaze & humble me. You are all totally awesome!! Sending virtual cupcakes to everyone!!

Today, Cat Woods talking about the surprising things she learned at SCBWI - #1 sure surprised me!

Check out Calista Taylor's great post from Monday: Introduction to Steampunk Awesome!