Which of these books do you want to read? I want to read Fortress of Snow by Melanie Dickerson, and I would try out the adventure in The Architect by Jonathan Starrett. If you’ve visited my other blog posts, you may have seen me post Allen’s review on Starrett’s story.
A Unique Prayer Activity
Here’s a prayer activity that’s great for any Christian, young and old. You write prayer requests on cards, complete with photos of people and things you’re praying for. Keep them in a box, then pull the cards out as reminders on who or what needs prayer.
Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse Magazine has the directions on how to make these artistic cards. Check it out here:
My Children’s Book-in-progress
Hi, all. I hope you are all enjoying 2024 so far.
Throughout this year, I’m giving sneak peeks of my story-in-progress. It’s a middle grade novel called The Galdur Snow Dog, and the main character is—that’s right—a dog. Only this dog has golden sparkles in her fur, can sneeze colors into snow, and run across water.
The dog’s name is Joy. She starts out as a puppy on the island Galdur, then gets taken by humans who sell her to a human family on the island Brinnacla. The family owns a tailoring business, and they need Snow Dogs to pull their sled for transporting tailored clothes. Joy can talk, though her words are garbled at first (if you’re familiar with how huskies and Malamutes vocalize, you would have an idea what that sounds like). But when the family sprays Velvet Maple Sap at her, she speaks human (though she starts out talking with a toddler’s lisp).
This video I found captures how I’d imagine her speech sounding like before the Velvet Maple Sap. Video is from the channel Floofin Fools.
What is Joy’s personality like? Her passion in life is to have fun and eat yummy treats. She’s a go-getter when she wants to be, and as long as she gets rewarded with a toy or a treat, she’ll do what you ask her. However, she is expressive about her dislikes, and the following video is how I’d like to picture Joy the puppy when she’s having a fit (though she uses more words than this video’s puppy, ha-ha). Thank you, Dylan Anderson, for the laughs.
If you’re bored this January, there’s still time to beta read a copy of The Galdur Snow Dog. Click on the link to learn more. The deadline for sharing your input is January 31.
Happy New Year!
Hi, friends.
I wish you all a happy and blessed 2024.
Before the holidays are officially over, here’s one last Christmas video. Remember Cheryl’s stories about Luna the beagle (if you’ve been following this blog)? Here’s the last chapter of her story.
And here’s the button that leads to the page containing the other Luna stories. See you in the new year!
Merry Early Christmas!
I hope you will all have a happy Christmas starting tomorrow.
If you would like a Christmas tale, here are a series of stories from the YouTube channel “Cheryl’s Stories.” They’re about a Beagle puppy named Luna, who experiences many Christmas festivities. She and her friends model helpfulness, giving, and remembering the true meaning of Christmas.
These short tales are perfect for preschool children, and each subsequent story builds on the events of the previous story. Cheryl tells of Luna’s happenings to the camera, and each tale ends with a cliffhanger. If your child has trouble sitting still for a story, you can act out the stories together using puppets or wearing costumes to play the characters.
Disclaimer: So far, Cheryl has posted three stories, and the last one ends with a MAJOR cliffhanger. We shall hope she continues. 🙂
The Dog in Wolf’s Clothing: A Review
Hi, friends. Here’s a book that’s fitting for winter, especially if you’re a fan of huskies and malamutes. It’s The Dog in Wolf’s Clothing by Pam Atherstone.
It’s about a little girl who’s terrified of wolves. Her uncle stops by with his sled dogs, and one of them has a cut paw. She’s scared of the dog at first, as he looks like a wolf. However, after interacting with him, she sees him as a gentle creature.
Kindergarteners through first graders can easily follow the story, and the illustrations are vibrant and welcoming to both a child and an animal-lover. In one picture, where the girl and the dog hang out in the snow, the dog’s smile is a little human with its curved-up corners, yet it’s cute.
You can get your copy through these stores:
And don’t forget my dog-sled tale for middle graders: The Galdur Snow Dog. You can learn more here:
Christmas Tales for Your Delight
Looking for Christmas stories to read during this season? Why not beta read my middle grade novel The Galdur Snow Dog? 🙂 I know, I have to mention that again, but it’s nice to have a little reminder, right?
It’s a story full of sled dogs, fae, and Christmas traditions. Not to mention it includes the Northern Lights!
[This isn’t a picture from my book. It was downloaded from Unsplash for inspiration.]
The beta read copy will be available until January 31. I’m open to any input you may have on how to improve this wintry adventure. More details are in the following link:
I also wrote a review on another middle grade book called Santa’s Puppy. Click on the link to learn more about Catherine Hapka’s work.
I Wrote a Novel. Looking for Beta Readers.
Hi, all. I have big news: I’ve written a novel.
Well, it’s a beta read copy of my middle grade book, “The Galdur Snow Dog.” It’s a Christmas-y story about a dog named Joy with magical powers, and she and her siblings get kidnapped and sold to a family. The family is nice, but something awful happens, and Joy must rescue her pack.
One-sentence summary: Joy the magical dog and her two human friends must save her siblings’ lives, or they’ll never spend another Winter’s Hope holiday together.
[The following image isn’t from the book; it’s from Pixabay and made by cocoparisienne. Just imagine these dogs like how I would imagine them: some have red-and-white fur with glitter, and the rest have blue-and-silver fur.]
If this sounds like a fun read, you can download the DocSend copy here. I include tips on how to critique the story. After you make your suggestions, you can email the document with the suggestions back to the email address mentioned on page 1. The deadline for this beta read is January 31.
It’s Out!
Newsflash!
Adare Elyse’s middle grade novel On Hidden Wings is officially out. You can order it on Amazon as a paperback or Kindle book.
Why should you buy this book? Well, if you’re a fan of the following tropes, then get your copy.
Here’s Adare’s official blurb:
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First rule: hide your true self.
Becka‘s secret endangers her life. She’s a winged Centaur in a kingdom now systematically hunting all non-Humans to enslave them—or worse. Her one hope is to use her shapeshifting abilities to hide until her father returns to take her family to safety. But when the army closes in on her secret, Becka can’t wait anymore. If she doesn’t find her father now, she may lose him—or her chance to escape—forever. She’ll do anything to reunite her family—even break into the palace archives to discover her father’s fate.
The last thing she expects to find is a potential ally among the enemy. Locked away in his own castle, young Prince Ryandru also has a secret that has left him desperate for a friend. They’ll have to trust each other to discover the truth they both seek. But with traitors grasping for the throne and Becka’s family in jeopardy, revealing their secrets could destroy all they hold dear.
Jump into the adventure of this clean middle grade fantasy featuring forbidden friendship, accepting your unique self, and a world of mythical creatures including Fauns, Griffins, Pegasi, and more! A perfect choice for fans of The Chronicles of Narnia.
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Reminders, Reminders, Reminders
How do you feel about reminders, whether they’re sent via email, text, or voicemail? I at least tolerate them. After all, if I’m super-swamped with the to-dos, it’s nice to have someone remind me of an appointment or opportunity I don’t want to forget.
That said, here’s a reminder of several opportunities. One is the chance for teen readers to beta read Andrea Graham’s The Years Eaten: Changeling Restrainers Book 1. Click on the link to view my post on it.
(These images are for reference only.)
If middle grade books are more your jam, don’t forget the chance to be a book reviewer for Jennifer Hallmark’s blog “Off the Beaten Track.” She’s looking for reviewers of speculative fiction works for young readers.
Last but not least, Adare Elyse’s middle grade novel is coming in one week! Here’s the cover reveal.
Isn’t this cover gorgeous? I’ll send you off with the book’s blurb:
First rule: hide your true self.
Becka’s secret endangers her life. She’s a winged Centaur in a kingdom now systematically hunting all non-Humans to enslave them—or worse. Her one hope is to use her shapeshifting abilities to hide until her father returns to take her family to safety. But when the army closes in on her secret, Becka can’t wait anymore. If she doesn’t find her father now, she may lose him—or her chance to escape—forever. She’ll do anything to reunite her family—even break into the palace archives to discover her father’s fate.
The last thing she expects to find is a potential ally among the enemy. Locked away in his own castle, young Prince Ryandru also has a secret that has left him desperate for a friend. They’ll have to trust each other to discover the truth they both seek. But with traitors grasping for the throne and Becka’s family in jeopardy, revealing their secrets could destroy all they hold dear.
Jump into the adventure of this clean middle grade fantasy featuring forbidden friendship, accepting your unique self, and a world of mythical creatures including Fauns, Griffins, Pegasi, and more! A perfect choice for fans of The Chronicles of Narnia and How to Train Your Dragon.
K.A. Ramstad 