Tag Archives: Middle Grade

The Remarkables by A.D.Elliott-a review

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THE REMARKABLES (Owen Johnson and the Remarkables #1) by A.D.Elliott-a review

The Remarkables

Order link: Amazon.com / Amazon.ca/

ABOUT THE BOOK: Released April 10, 2013

Owen Johnson’s day was progressing just like it did for most other teenagers. By lunchtime he had climbed a tall building using abilities usually reserved for superheroes; he’d flirted with the girl he had secretly adored for years; he’d come home to find his dad had been kidnapped and a mysterious stranger standing in his living room; and finally he’d been rescued by the elderly woman next door who had suddenly revealed that she had the power to launch people through the air.

“The Remarkables” introduces Owen Johnson to the world of The Remarkables, a group of seemingly ageless war heroes, each possessing unique gifts that had been used to fight evil. Now they must help Owen find his dad, and uncover a new threat to our way of life. Along their journey Owen slowly starts to learn the secrets of his past, and uncovers surprising truths about himself and those that he thought he knew: some of which he is glad to learn, some he may wish he hadn’t.

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REVIEW: THE REMARKABLES is the first storyline in A.D.Elliott’s YA sci-fi/fantasy series focusing on sixteen year old Owen Johnson and a group of gifted men and women who call themselves The Remarkables. Not quite the X-men or Marvel Comic heroes, The Remarkables have certain abilities that allow them to pull their powers from the elements such as wind, fire and water. Owen Johnson is about to learn what it really means to be special.

The Remarkables is a super hero storyline but not one that involves costumes or over-the-top abilities. Many are gifted with psychic powers while others have the ability to pull their strengths and gifts from other worlds. The group has been hunted for decades but with Owen’s full potential about to be revealed, they can no longer hide in plain sight as Owen has become the number one Remarkable on the hit list of super heroes. On the run, Owen and the others will find themselves pulled into a struggle of good vs evil.

The storyline reads more like a middle grade novel rather than young adult. This is an adventure storyline where the young hero must use his powers to save the people that he knows and loves, but in true super hero storylines, it is never that easy.

Many secondary characters are introduced whose backstory and history were only hinted at or alluded to. There are many unexplained scenarios about The Remarkables that have yet to be answered and this left me with some issues of coherency and cohesion. I kept asking myself-How and Why -but apparently The Remarkables is the first book in a series (by virtue of the ending) and hopefully many of the questions and unknowns will be answered in the next book.

Overall, THE REMARKABLES is a cute adventure storyline but one that I believe will be of interest to a select audience-perhaps young boys and girls who dream that they too will one day be able to fly and walk through walls. If you have a tween who likes to read stories of adventure, science fiction and super heroes with magical abilities then The Remarkables is the perfect summer read.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

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THE LEGION OF NOTHING: Rebirth by Jim Zoetewey-a review and giveaway

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THE LEGION OF NOTHING:  Rebirth by Jim Zoetewey- a review

 

The end of summer vacation for North America and our final look at another middle grade/YA novel.

THE LEAGUE OF NOTHING: Rebirth by Jim Zoetewey

THE LEAGUE OF NOTHING is the first storyline in Jim Zoetewey’s series focusing on a league of super hero teens in and around the Grand Lake, Chicago area. As part of the FBI National Hero Program (Super Human Affairs Branch) the original league disbanded in 1983. With the resurgence of evil villains, the new crop of super heroes, are the grandchildren of the original league members. The New Heroes League, as the media has named them, will face off against a group of villains, with connections to former league members, dead villains and political rivals. As the grandchildren and progeny of the original League, each of our Heroes and villains manifests the same power and qualities of their grandparent’s line. From a town where everyone has a connection to a super hero or villain, League of Nothing reads like a comic book story. If you are a fan of the latest super-hero comic book action movies, you may want to take a look.

We are introduced to Nick Klein and his fellow League members and friends who have taken on the persona and identity of their forebearers: Nick is the Rocket (and story narrator) who has inherited the mantle, power, equipment, headquarters and testing lab from his grandfather: Cassie is Captain Commando and one of the few females on the team: Daniel Cohen (aka the Mystic) has inherited telepathic powers. With his ability to read minds, he can also sense the future and change directions during a fight or pursuit: Travis and Haley are children of Nightwolf with the ability to blend in the shadows and shape shift: the speedy Jaclyn: Marcus (the Shift) with a combination of two super hero powers: and Vaughn aka Storm King (descendent of Red Lightning) with the ability to control the weather and electricity. Born without any powers, Vaughn has continued in his grandfather’s footsteps using a power elixir and a power impregnator to gain super power and strength. But Red Lightning was not a hero.

The villains (or anti-heroes) were amassing and their connections led to the possible death of businessman Martin Magnus and a former associate in his office. When Nick recognized an Egyptian hieroglyphic marking similar to the Red Lightning insignia, Nick informed the FBI as to a possible connection between the two. And the FBI found a connection to the power elixir and Magnus. The mayor’s office was somehow involved and little did Nick realize that the mayor was not without some power of his own. The mayor’s accusations and media campaign to smear the heroes was in full swing. And it wasn’t only the New Super Hero League looking to take down the mayor. There were other-older- heroes looking for payback and revenge. The New Super Hero League has made a few enemies and bad press, and the FBI is refusing to back up or offer support. But a call from Magnus proved anything but reassuring to Nick. The mayor would prove to be a worthy opponent, but someone else was pulling the strings. An attack against the young heroes would prove if they worked together as a team, nothing could defeat them except for some negative media propaganda and that would be something that would eventually become the Rocket’s responsibility

There are many other characters, both friendly and villainous that at one point I thought I needed a power point to keep everyone aligned. Mindstryke as Daniel’s father: Man-Machine a villain from the old League days: Nick’s Uncle Larry aka The Rhino and Jason Swan as the Gray Giant: Dark Cloak, Vengeance, Tomahawk, Red Bolt, Future Knight and the Elementals. To be honest there are many more heroes (past and present) to list, but it would take another paragraph or two to list them all.

The author uses many references to current day television and media including late night TV, board games and video gaming phenomenon. With the popularity of many of the current super hero movies, THE LEGION OF NOTHING reminds me of a comic book filled with action and adventure, that my younger brothers would have read into the late hours of the night.

But a couple of complaints: the copious number of costumed heroes and their names. It may be difficult for some younger readers to keep everyone organized, labeled and named without a spreadsheet. And like many premier storylines, there is a vast amount of information and back-story to digest. The final chapter of the book is a flashback to 1953 and the Birth of the Heroes League. Legion of Nothing: Rebirth is an interesting story ala comic-book style including fight scenes, bad guys and super hero moves.

LINK TO ORDER
Amazon Kindle

Copy supplied by publisher.

Reviewed by Sandy

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Jim Zoetewey grew up in Holland, Michigan, near where L Frank Baum wrote The Wizard of Oz and other books in that series. Admittedly, Baum moved away more than sixty years before Jim was even born, but it’s still kind of cool. He’s a web developer, a religion and sociology major, and the author of the superhero series The Legion of Nothing. He’s also not sure why he’s writing this in the third person, but he’s never seen an author bio written in first person and doesn’t want to rock the boat.

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E.G.Foley-Interview and Giveaway with the Author

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E.G.Foley-Interview and Giveaway with the Author.

 

The writing team of E.G. Foley has released a brand new middle grade series-THE GRYPHON CHRONICLES with their first installment THE LOST HEIR. The Reading Cafe would like to welcome Eric and Gaelen Foley.

TRC: Hi Eric and Gaelen, and welcome to The Reading Cafe. We would like to start with some background information. Would you please tell us something about yourselves?

E&G: First of all, thanks for inviting us today! This is our first official blog visit and we are delighted to be here!

So, ok, getting started, we are a husband-and-wife writing team, writing together as E.G. Foley, and our first book just came out! THE LOST HEIR launches The Gryphon Chronicles, a magical adventure series (with a hint of steampunk!) that takes place in Victorian England. Though this is officially a “Middle Grade” novel, it is written to appeal to a broad readership, including adults.

G. of E.G. Foley also writes as Gaelen Foley, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of eighteen historical romance novels set in Regency England (Jane Austen’s era!). Gaelen’s books for grownups, published by Ballantine/Random House and Avon/HarperCollins, have been translated into fifteen languages and have won many genre awards. Romance fans can find out more at gaelenfoley.com. (I have a story in a brand new anthology out this month called Royal Bridesmaids, and my next full length romance, My Scandalous Viscount, hitting the shelves in October.)

E. is a Renaissance man of many interests ranging from carpentry to classical guitar to kenpo karate; however, like many of his students today, he tends to get bored quickly. After eight years of seeing patients as a chiropractor, he got itchy for a change of pace and followed the calling to become a teacher. After earning his Masters in Education, he has been happily teaching math and team problem solving skills to 7th and 8th graders (and occasionally stopping food-fights in the school cafeteria). His philosophy as a teacher is that you can teach kids anything as long as you make it fun, so he is quite experienced at designing material that keeps young people engaged and entertained. He is famous among his students for word problems involving topics like how fast alien space ships can travel, and how many pints of blood vampires need to drink to stay undead. (Hey, whatever it takes!) Although he has been G’s first reader and critique partner for years, THE LOST HEIR is E’s first official foray into writing.

TRC: Many authors and artists are perfectionists, and at times, the process can be frustrating and anxiety ridden. How do the two of you handle the pressure of a deadline?

E&G: It can occasionally get intense, but we keep each other laughing along the way, which helps to keep it FUN. Early on in the process we realized that no part of creating a book was going to be perfect, which is another way we stay sane. Perfectionism is counter-productive anyway. It stops you from any making progress at all, so we try not to go there.

Just like everything else in life, we learned we just have to do our very best you can and keep moving forward. However, when the frustration level runs high, we find that ice-cream helps!!

TRC: How do you handle the pressure of conflicting ideas?

E: With conflicting ideas, I state my opinion, and wait a few minutes. If G disagrees, I give in. Works out well that way! (Hint, Gentleman: it’s the secret to a happy marriage 😉 )

G: He is such an intelligent man, isn’t he?? Ha, ha. Very funny, E. Two words are the key: “Yes, dear.” Just kidding—in reality, he sometimes convinces me he’s right and sometimes I convince him I’m right. It’s a give and take, and we just put our heads together to arrive at the best solutions we can find to any problem.

TRC: Writer’s Block is a very real phenomenon for many authors. How do you handle the anxiety and stress of writer’s block?

G: I don’t really have a problem with writers block anymore, knock on wood. I had one HUGE bout of that in 2001 and got over it and I’m happy to say, I learned my lesson and haven’t allowed it to happen again since. The trick is to spend some time each week “refilling the well” of creativity with activities that make you happy. It’s important not to overdo it or your enthusiasm and ideas for the writing will run dry.

E: The thing that stops me sometimes on a smaller scale is “life’s little dramas”. Assorted minor aggravations dealing with everyday life. This is why I get up early and get my end of the creative work done before anything else. No radio, TV, telephone calls, or even deep conversations with G to get me off track. Once I’m off track, it’s really hard to get back in creative mode.

TRC: What was the defining moment that led the two of you to co-write this particular series? Is this your first attempt at writing together as a team?

G: Eric is a big reader and in fact has been my first reader and critique partner since I started writing. I can definitely say I would never have made it onto the New York Times list or anywhere near the success I’ve been able to achieve so far without his constant incredible supportiveness. He reads all my stuff as many times as I need to rewrite it, bless the man, and has been helping me work out scenes and twists in my romances for years. (Also helping me with the male point of view.) But this is the first time we built the story idea together from the ground up. I think it’s brought us even closer together.

E: The idea to write together had been in my head for a long time. As a middle school teacher, I’ve read a ton of middle grade books and always felt that G’s writing voice would work perfectly for the genre. So we combined my years of experience working with and understanding this age group with G’s years of experience writing. We are really proud of the finished product.

G: Regarding a “Defining Moment”—I also wanted to add that I knew this project was going to be fun from the first day we started brainstorming the series concept, but I was hesitant because I knew how much work it was going to be. Then I went to a writers’ conference at Disneyworld, and let me tell you, it’s not just the happiest place on earth, I would suggest that there’s no place more inspiring for a children’s author! Going on the Haunted Mansion ride pushed me over the edge to commit to the project. It perfectly captured the mood of what I wanted us to create in this book. After my trip to Disney, I couldn’t WAIT to get home and start working on The Gryphon Chronicles!

TRC: Did you face any challenges working together to co-write the series?

E: Ha! Funny! Try every step of the way. It’s not easy. We sacrificed a lot to bring THE LOST HEIR to life. We spent two years getting to this point without any guarantees that it was going to work. It definitely takes a lot of drive and determination to be successful in this business. Overall, we would say, the biggest challenge has been juggling the two writing careers of Gaelen Foley and E.G. Foley. There is a lot of writing, of course, but there are also a lot of little and not-so-little things that come up that must be done NOW, some things that are not writing at all. And so we get pulled in many directions. There is never enough time in the day.

G: Yes, but having two of us helps because we can divide up the work. Writing can be a lonely business, so having a writing partner is a whole new world for me. 😉

TRC: Gaelen-As a writer of historical romance novels, was it difficult to get into the mindset to write an action/adventure for middle grade versus scandalous romance in historical London?

G: Actually, I welcome the variety in switching back and forth. It’s refreshing to my creativity. When I get stuck in one, I just switch gears and focus on the other! That means I don’t have to waste time spinning my wheels when I hit a wall.

TRC: Many authors bounce ideas with other author, or family and friends. With whom did you bounce ideas?

G: Actually, I have a friend whom I’ve known since our first year published, who is now a #1 NYT Bestseller. We had lunch and I told her about this idea, and she was SO excited for me and said, “This sounds perfect for you!” So I was extremely encouraged, because she’s always been someone who gets my voice.

Family was also extremely encouraging, especially the kids in our clan, and it was great to have them cheering us on.

TRC: What was the process involved with writing THE LOST HEIR, when you were both so highly committed to the same project?

E&G: First, we had many brainstorming sessions out on our patio in the summer of 2010 while Eric was on summer break. During these sessions we did our “world-building” and created the characters, layer by layer. When the cast and settings were starting to gel, then we moved on to outlining the plot. This when through several drafts, then it was time to lay down the first draft, which was G’s job, all the while handing chapters off to E for the second draft. Our method is simply that we just keep passing it back and forth the manuscript went until it’s as good as we can possibly make it.

TRC: THE LOST HEIR is the first book in The Gryphon Chronicles. Would you please tell us about the premise?

E&G: We think the back cover copy says it best:

Strange new talents…

Jake is a scrappy orphaned pickpocket living by his wits on the streets of Victorian London. Lately he’s started seeing ghosts, and discovers he can move solid objects with his mind! He has no idea why. Next thing he knows, a Sinister Gentleman and his minions come hunting him. On the run for his life, Jake is plunged headlong into a mysterious world full of magic and deadly peril. A world that holds the secret to who he really is: the long-lost heir of an aristocratic family—with magical powers! But with treacherous enemies closing in, it will take all of his wily street instincts and the help of his friends—both human and magical— to solve the mystery of what happened to his parents, and defeat the foes who never wanted the Lost Heir of Griffon to be found . . .

TRC: The storyline has a similar feel to the Harry Potter novels with the assortment of mythological creatures and wizardry. Who is the creative mind behind the original series premise?

E&G: Well, Harry is definitely the king of the children’s Fantasy Adventure genre, which is where THE LOST HEIR also falls. This wonderful genre features larger than life action and fantasy creatures, along with a dose of magic and fantasy, and a struggle of good versus evil. We combined this with ghosts and the historical setting of Victorian London, along with some steampunk flavor for a unique new flavor within the genre.

TRC: JAKE AND THE GIANT is the second instalment. Would you please tell us about the premise? Do you have an anticipated release date?

E&G: Jake’s second adventure involves giants, shapeshifters, fierce Viking ghosts, and diverse elements from Norse mythology. It also gives us a chance to explore the wonders of (fictional!) steampunk technology, as it begins at a Victorian science convention where all the great inventors of the 19th century have gathered. Some of them start to go missing and Jake and his pals have to get to the bottom of it—Big Trouble! 😉 We are aiming for February 2013 to release Jake & the Giant, but that could change, give or take a month.

TRC: At the present, you have 3 books scheduled for the series. Do you have any plans to go beyond the original three, or take one of the other characters and write a spin-off?

G: We are hoping to make this into a long series, exact number of books “to be determined.” Readers can expect magical adventures of all kinds, including spooky Halloween stories, occasional Christmas stories as time goes on, and big summer splash adventures on the high seas (mermaids, pirates, anyone?). All four kid characters (Jake, Dani, Archie, and Isabelle) will be a part of all the stories to come. And Teddy the dog, too. *smiles* You will definitely see characters like the fairy Gladwin, the tough guy Guardian Derek Stone, and of course Queen Victoria again.

We have quite a few stories loosely plotted out already, with villains, creatures, magic, and lessons to be learned. However, there are also big overarching struggles built in that our characters must overcome through several books. E is telling me to stop right now! He doesn’t want me to give away too much information so early on in the series. “Zip it” he says!

TRC: Young adult storylines are not just for teens as we see many adults reading the same series. It appears that many of the new middle-grade releases are just as popular with adults as they are with the young teens. What would you like to say to the adult readers who may be interested or wondering about The Gryphon Chronicles?

E&G: If you like to laugh, if you like “family movie” type stories with lots of fantasy and adventure, humor, high stakes, and a big sweeping canvas, if you like accurately done historical settings, and you like to feel a bit like a kid again, give it a try! (The ebook is very affordable, too, at only $4.99. Trade paperback of $14.99 will also be available on August 1.) There are interesting adult characters with a role to play in our story as well as the kid characters, so really there’s something for everyone.

Specifically, I think this story would appeal to adults who enjoyed reading the Harry Potters (though THE LOST HEIR is nowhere near as dark as the later Harry books) as well as textured tales like Inkheart by Cornelia Funke or the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan.

TRC: On what are you currently working?

E&G: We are currently passing JAKE AND THE GIANT back and forth – editing, revising, and polishing – and planning the book to come after that (our Halloween 2013 release).

TRC: Would you like to add anything else?

E&G:Thank you so much for having us! If your readers would like to come and check out our sample chapters or view our book trailer video, they are welcome to visit us at egfoley.com

Also, for what it’s worth, THE LOST HEIR has been in the Top 5 Bestsellers in Middle Grade for the Nook on Barnes and Noble since its early release there in June. It went as high as #2 for a couple of weeks, which was amazing for us, since it’s only our debut book. Hope you’ll check it out!

TRC:  Congratulations!!

LINKS TO ORDER:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Paper Books
B&N Nook and Paper Books

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

LIGHTNING ROUND
Favorite Food –
E: Steak & Potatoes
G: Mom’s Meatloaf

Favorite Dessert –
E: Ice cream (BIG SURPRISE!)
G: Chocolate cake!

Favorite TV Show –
E&G: Psych (Sean & Gus crack us up!)

Favorite Movie –
E: Lord of the Rings Trilogy – extended edition
G: Bowfinger with Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy (“Welcome to Mindhead…”)

Last Movie you saw –
E&G: Disney’s “Brave”

Dark or Milk Chocolate –
E: All Chocolate
G: Dark!

Do you have any pets? –
E&G: Bingley, our spoiled Bichon Frise, named after Jane Austen’s Mr. Bingley in Pride & Prejudice, of course! Mr. Darcy’s cheerful sidekick.

TRC: We would like to thank you for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish you all the best with The Gryphon Chronicles and your writing
careers. We are looking forward to Jake and the Giant.

E&G:Thank You, Sandy! We enjoyed it. Thanks for your time, everyone!

E.G.Foley has graciously offered a giveaway copy of THE LOST HEIR to one lucky member at The Reading Cafe.

1. You must be a member at The Reading Cafe. If you are NOT a member, please register using the log-in at the top of the page, or by using one of the social log-ins.

2. If you are using Twitter or Google etc, please include  your email address with your comment. Twitter does not allow for an email address, and that is the only way we are able to contact the potential winner.

3. Contest open to continental USA and Canada only.

4. Contest runs from August 8 to August 11, 2012

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THE LOST HEIR by E.G. Foley- a review

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The Lost Heir (The Gryphon Chronicles #1)  by E.G. Foley -a review

Today we offer another novel in our middle-grade series of reviews for the young and the young -at -heart to help take away the summer boredom.

THE LOST HEIR (The Gryphon Chronicles, Book 1) by E.G.Foley

THE LOST HEIR is the first book (July 22, 2012 release) in husband-wife writing team E.G.Foley’s new middle grade historical fantasy series The Gryphon Chronicles.

From the website: Jake is a scrappy orphaned pickpocket living by his wits on the streets of Victorian London. Lately he’s started seeing ghosts, and discovers he can move solid objects with his mind! He has no idea why.

Next thing he knows, a Sinister Gentleman and his minions come hunting him. On the run for his life, Jake is plunged headlong into a mysterious world full of magic and deadly peril. A world that holds the secret to who he really is: the long-lost heir of an aristocratic family—with magical powers!

But with treacherous enemies closing in, it will take all of his wily street instincts and the help of his friends—both human and magical— to solve the mystery of what happened to his parents, and defeat the foes who never wanted the Lost Heir of Griffon to be found . . .

The Gryphon Chronicles takes the reader on an imaginary adventure that every child and many adults daydream about. With his best friend Dani, Jake struggles to survive the fetid streets and alleys of Victorian England.

Jake is a 12 year orphan, who is slowly coming into some powers that are very handy when one is starving and hungry. But seeing and talking to ghosts wasn’t an ideal talent until the day he lands in prison.

As a Guardian and a member of The Order of the Yew Tree, Derek Stone has been looking for his lost charge for over 11 years. When his parents were murdered, young Jacob Everton (the 7th Earl of Griffon) went missing and presumed dead, until the day a water nymph spied Jake in the Thames River. With his power to ‘see’, Derek will soon locate and rescue young Jake, only to find them both in prison for murder and contempt. But it will be Jake’s powers of telekinesis and his ability to communicate with ghosts that will eventually free them from their cells to continue a journey towards another adventure.

There are many characters that weave their way and cross paths with Jake and Dani, including an assortment of mythical creatures, assorted frogs, a royal fairy messenger and a talking spider. Jake will find he has some very powerful allies and friends, including a magical family that he never knew existed. But the villain in the story is Jake’s Uncle Waldrick Everton. For the same 11 years, Waldrick had been hoping to locate Jake and make sure that the boy is once and for all, truly dead. Hoping to secure the position of the 7th Earl of Griffon and all of its’ wealth, Waldrick embarks on a series of mystical travel, magical potions and befriending an unlikely ally in a siren turned hag-witch named Fionnula.

And like many fairy tale adventures, Jake will discover the true meaning of friendship and family. Finding a kindred spirit trapped in the cells under his uncle’s mansion, will push the young boy into a struggle for life and death, and beyond his own imagination.

THE LOST HEIR is a wonderful novel along the same vein as the Harry Potter novels. A young boy struggling to survive the poverty of the streets will find himself in a battle to reclaim his identity while trying to avoid the pitfalls of misplaced anger and powerful enemies. A magical storyline with non-stop action and fairy-tale creatures blended with the reality that was Queen Victoria’s England.

Copy supplied by the author.

Reviewed by Sandy

LINKS TO ORDER:
Amazon Kindle
Amazon Paper Books
B&N Nook and Paper Books

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Katie W. Stewart-Interview with the Author

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Katie W. Stewart-Interview with the author and illustrator

Today we welcome Katie W. Stewart-the author of the middle grade fantasy novel The Dragon Box.

 

TRC: Hi Katie and thank you for answering some of our questions at The Reading Café. It is always great to meet the author behind the books.  We would like to start with some bio information.


NAME:  Katie W Stewart
MARITAL STATUS:  Married
CHILDREN:  3
RESIDENCE:  Western Australia
FORMAL EDUCATION: B.A.(Hons); Grad.Dip.Ed

 

TRC:  Would you please tell us about yourself?

 

Katie:  I’m an English-born Australian, wife of a farmer, mother of three lovely children and I work in the library at a small private school. I love art, music and history as well as writing and reading, of course. I’ve worked as an archaeologist, ethnohistorian and teacher, but I enjoy what I’m doing now most of all. To relax, I’m teaching myself to play the celtic harp.

 

TRC:  As a child, were you always interested in writing/illustrating?

 

Katie:  I came from a large family and we were always encouraged to entertain ourselves. I took up art because it was one thing my clever older sisters didn’t spend a lot of time doing (though they were good at it, too.) It gave me a label for people to use when they didn’t know my name – ‘the artistic one’. I liked it better than ‘the fat one’. It was a great pastime to have. Writing was something I did at school to start with, but as I got older I found I really enjoyed it. I wrote my first horrendous novel when I was 16. What I really wanted to do, though, was to write and illustrate books. I’d still love to publish my own picture book.

 

TRC:  Will you please tell us about some of the covers that you have illustrated?  Which one is your personal favorite?

 

Katie:  I’ve done illustrations, including covers for a number of children’s books, including the ‘Scoot, Scoot, Bandicoot’ series by Karen Treanor. The covers were all done as Karen wanted them. I loved doing those as I really love drawing animals. More recently I’ve been doing covers for ebooks. I don’t think I have a favourite. I just love doing then and I always really like the one I’ve just finished (and as far as I’m concerned, if I don’t love it – it’s not finished).

 

TRC:  As an illustrator, what type of formal education/training did you enlist?  Did your talent come naturally as an illustrator?

 

Katie:  I don’t have any formal training beyond Year 12 Art, so yes, I suppose it’s something that comes naturally. I learned to illustrate by copying other people’s work, experimenting to find out how they created effects. I wouldn’t have been a good art student. I hate people telling me what to do. I’d much rather work things out for myself.

 

TRC:  Were you the illustrator for each of your novel covers? 

 

Katie:  Yes, I designed all my own covers for my novels and short story. I tend to use my own drawings and photographs and Photoshop them until I get to something I like. I think it’s sad to see the same royalty free photos used again and again by different authors. I’m a great fan of Photoshop (though I’m by no means an expert). It fascinates me what effects you can get. Take the tree design on the cover of  ‘Treespeaker’, for example. I was really happy the way it came out from what was originally a very simple black and white pen design.

 

TRC:  Your first published novel (as an author) was Treespeaker.  Would you please tell us something about the premise of Treespeaker?

 

Katie:  Treespeaker tells the story of Jakan, a seer and healer in a small forest village. The forest protects itself from the outside world, but one day a stranger breaks in. The villagers believe that the forest has let him in and are soon under his mind-bending power, but Jakan knows otherwise. He is forced to go on a journey outside the forest, where the environment has suffered from overuse of resources. So it’s a book about environmentalism, but also about faith and what it can do.

 

TRC:  Did you have to do any research to uncover aboriginal lore and stories to aid in writing Treespeaker?

 

Katie:  Treespeaker is actually set in temperate forest, in a sort of Late Mesolithic society, but entirely in a different world than ours. Having studied archaeology and written a major essay on Late Mesolithic Britain (and I have to admit to enjoying European archaeology a lot more than Australian), I had a fair bit of prior knowledge. But there were still some things I had to research, like how to use a sling and herbal remedies.

 

TRC:   The Dragon Box was your second release–a middle-grade storyline that would fascinate children of all ages.  Would you tell us about the premise?

 

Katie:  James is new to town and a victim of bullies on the football field. He’s befriended by his next door neighbour, a rather eccentric inventor, who gives him an electronic game he has built. When James turns it on, he’s taken physically into the game and finds himself in a fantasy world where a witch is threatening to take over the kingdom. He’s sent on a quest to get a crystal that will help the Queen’s champion, a wingless dragon, to rid the kingdom of the witch. In the process, he becomes a lot more self-confident and self-reliant and learns to deal with the bullies, who appear in the game as two rather pesky goblins.

 

TRC:  Have you considered writing a series of adventures with Mack and James, around The Dragon Box?

 

Katie:  Along with umpteen other books, yes, I have! I’m interested in doing something with the story Mack mentions in the book about the music box he gave to James’s mother when she was young. There’s a very sad story behind it that I think would help children who are grieving. I did originally tell the story briefly in The Dragon Box, but it was cut when I went to tighten the writing.

 

TRC:  Mark of the Dragon Queen involves Kira and the use of magic (as does The Dragon Box).  Would you please tell us about Mark of the Dragon Queen?

 

Katie: All my books contain magic in one form or another. Kira’s father has been banned from using magic, after he was found guilty of using it to kill a man. When he uses it to save a child’s life, he is sentenced to spend the rest of his days in a cruel prison. Kira overhears one of his students talking about going to the prison and presumes he is going to save her father, so she follows him. But she has a lot to learn about the student, her father and herself.

 

TRC:  Do you have plans for a series involving Kira and the dragons?

 

 
Katie:  I’m very fond of the character of Kira’s father, so I feel obliged to write a sequel, having left the poor man in a bit of a sad way at the end of Mark of the Dragon Queen. So yes, I do I plan to write a sequel. I have most of it planned in my head.
TRC: Are all of your novels only available in ebook format?

 

 
Katie:  At the moment, yes. I’ve been trying to do this with as little cost to myself as possible. With ebooks I can do that pretty well. I Would like to go into print, though. I’m not sure how somewhere like Createspace works for someone in Australia, so if I go down that road, it will probably be with a local printer.

 

TRC:  Have you ever written or considered writing any adult storylines?  If not, why?

 

 
Katie:  Treespeaker is actually written for adults, but it reads like a Young Adult novel because that’s how I write. I’m not really interested in including ‘adult’ themes. I like to keep things simple!

 

TRC:  Many authors bounce ideas and information between friends and family.  Who do you plot and strategize ideas (with)?

 

 
Katie:  I belong to a site called Critique Circle where I can get chapters critiqued by other writers and brainstorm ideas. I’ve been there for about six years and I’ve learned a lot about the art of getting a novel together from there. I also belong to a local writers’ group who help and encourage me a lot.

 

TRC:  What are you working on today?

 

 
Katie:  At the moment I’m working on the sequel to Treespeaker, which is called ‘Song of the Jikhoshi’. It’s coming along rather slowly because I keep getting sidetracked, but I’m hoping to have it finished in the not too distant future.

 

TRC:  Would you like to add anything else?
 

 

Katie:  Thank you for inviting me to talk to you. If anyone would like any more information, they can have a look at any of the following links –

 

LIGHTNING ROUND

 

FAVORITE FOOD Bulgogi (Korean barbecued beef)

 

FAVORITE DESSERT Pavlova

 

FAVORITE MOVIE To Kill A Mockingbird – an oldie but a goodie.

 

FAVORITE TV SHOW I don’t watch TV often, but two series I like are ‘Doc Martin’ and ‘Kingdom’

 

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW  ‘Tintin’ with my children

 

DARK OR MILK CHOCOLATE Milk

 

RED OR PINK ROSES  Red

 

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS My family has four dogs (1 pet, 3 working), 2 cats, a budgie and a duck.

 

TRC:  Thank you Katie for taking the time to answer our questions.  We wish you the best of luck with all of your work.  Let us know about any upcoming releases.
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THE DRAGON BOX by Katie W. Stewart- a review

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The Dragon Box by Katie W Stewart-a review

The Dragon Box by Katie W. Stewart

The summer holidays in North America have begun. The kids are underfoot and already crying about being bored. So every once in awhile, The Reading Cafe will post a review of a book we think your child(ren) would like to read. Today, we are offering THE DRAGON BOX by Katie W Stewart.

THE DRAGON BOX is a middle-grade novel recommended for ages 8-12 years. Focusing on the imagination of a child, Katie W Stewart takes us into a world of science fiction and fantasy, where every boy dreams of fighting with dragons, witches, ogres and goblins.

Like many children his age, 11 year old James, doesn’t want to participate in his weekly scheduled footy ball games, so he fakes an injury. Knowing her son isn’t happy, James’s mother asks him to retrieve a book from old man Mack’s house next door and against his better judgment James reluctantly heads over to the ‘crazy’ professor’s house. But one quick look into the house and James is in awe. There are gadgets and machines of all sorts, waiting for someone to play. But it isn’t until Mack gives James a ‘dragon box’ does the real adventure begin.

Something similar to “Dungeons and Dragons’ or perhaps a computer game, the Dragon Box takes James and Mack through a game-like scenario where James controls the events. Mack has designed the ‘Dragon Box’, and the characters within are all representations of the people in James and Mack’s life.

As the game unfolds, Mack must teach James to use the magic that is his to control. And as each level is successfully completed, a new and more dangerous level presents. Throughout the storyline, James must use his imagination and strategize about his next move. But not until his final move, does real life interject. Praying against all odds, that everyone he knows and loves is alive, James crosses between worlds, hoping to see the one person he knows, that could very well change his life.

THE DRAGON BOX is a wonderful story. And like many Young Adult storylines, The Dragon Box is not just for the young, but also the young at heart. There is adventure, science-fiction and fantasy all rolled into a storyline that is sure to put a smile on your face.

Reviewed by Sandy

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