Discovering an Author (Kathy J. Perry)

Are you looking for books that are like Little House on the Prairie?

I learned of a historical fiction series by Kathy J. Perry: the Emeline series. They’re for tweens and teens, and they feature a teenager surviving the wilderness and an economic recession during the 1890s.

Want to get your feet wet before delving into these series? Sign up for Perry’s newsletter, and you’ll get the first ebook in the series for FREE. Click on the following link, and scroll to the bottom to find the sign-up form.

The Emeline Series

Perry has written books for younger kids too: the Bandana Acres series and the Oakwoods series. They all teach children virtues that’ll help them through life . . . and introduce them to special animal friends. Click on the links below to learn more.

Bandana Acres Series

Oakwoods Series

The Day I Fell into a Fairy Tale: a Book Review

You may have seen that I have fairy tales on my mind, so why not indulge a little further by reviewing a fairy tale-themed book? The Day I Fell into a Fairy Tale by Ben Miller is fit for kids grades fourth through seventh. It’s both an original story and a retelling of five fairy tales: Sleeping Beauty, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Swan Lake, and Brother and Sister.

Lana and her mother visit a supermarket that seemed to come out of nowhere. She meets a strange little man who knows a thing or two about selling stuff, and she and her mother buy a book of fairy tales. Readers will revisit the timeless Sleeping Beauty tale, only this version has twists (e.g. Sleeping Beauty’s mother takes up swimming.).

Lana returns to the supermarket, and she meets the funny little man again. Only this time, he shoves her into a candy bucket, and she finds herself in the Sleeping Beauty story. When she enters another candy bucket, she returns to the fairy tale. Later, she convinces Harrison, her way-too-serious brother, to join her on her fairy tale adventure, and they help a prince find Sleeping Beauty. The prince wakes the princess with a kiss, but not on the lips, respecting that she might have boundaries. Instead, he kisses her hand like a gentleman.

What about the other fairy tales I mentioned earlier? How do they come into play? As Lana sleeps, she receives a vision about Sleeping Beauty being in danger again, and Harrison and Lana read in the book that the princess’ children are Hansel and Gretel. The fairy who had cursed Sleeping Beauty has taken Hansel and Gretel captive. When Lana and Harrison re-enter the world, they find that Sleeping Beauty has turned into a swan. When the two are held captive, Lana tells a story that’s similar to Brother and Sister. But you have to read the book to see it for yourself.

Harrison learns that it’s okay to have fun and not be serious all the time. However, the book doesn’t put down people who have a more serious nature. Because Harrison is studious, he’s a help when he and Lana face obstacles (e.g. He refers to his knowledge of oxbow lakes when they try to cross the river.).

There’s a few incidents of lying (in Chapters One and Four) that parents may need to be aware of. Otherwise, this is a fun story that allows a fresh look at classic tales. If you’re looking for an adventure, give The Day I Fell into a Fairy Tale a shot.

New Website Look

Hi, all.

Notice anything different? That’s right. I changed the look of my website banner.

Why the change? The original forest-y picture was an Unsplash photo (FYI: Unsplash is a site where they offer royalty-free photos for people to download and use for their newsletters and other marketing tools.). However, I felt like I needed a more distinctive look. So, with a little magic of Canva, I edited a different Unsplash photo (Thanks Rita Görtz for capturing the original photo and sharing it with us.). I added more purple tints to it, and I think it gives it a cool, mysterious feel.

I hope you enjoy it!

[The original Unsplash picture by Rita Görtz]

Let Me Introduce My Fellow Authors

How’s my Little Red Riding Hood retelling going? It’s still in the works, and I’ve had some input from critique group partners along the way. But I will myself to get my story submitted in January.

In the meantime, let me share with you a couple of books my Beyond the Bookery teammates have written.

Do you love girl detectives? Then check out Emma Donovan’s book The Vanishing Body. It’s on pre-order now, but it will be available December 2.

Blurb from Amazon:

The village gossips have had plenty to share lately with the local prodigal son returning home to a less than welcome reception and his elder brother caught in the snares of a conniving stranger. That was before the body was discovered – and then vanished.

Nurse Elizabeth Carruthers never lacks curiosity about her patients, and this occasion is no exception. With her wits at the ready, she sets out to investigate the prime suspects: none other than the village’s leading family. But then, who else could it be? As she investigates, she is drawn ever deeper into scandal, intrigue, and murder, all in the best English tradition.

The more he investigates, the deeper he’s drawn into a web of illusions, secrets, and madness. If he can’t sort the truth from the lies soon, more than one life might be lost.

The Vanishing Body Pre-order on Amazon

Do you have an obsession with chickens? Beyond the Bookery offers a poultry-themed fairy tale retelling. It’s The Chicken Pox: A Feathery Retelling of Hansel and Gretel by Jordan Elise Durbin.

Blurb from Amazon:

Once, chickens were monotone.
Then, came the pox.

A washed-up bar maid-hen, a twisted and wicked step-chicken, and a mischievous pair of chicks swirl through a medieval world of chickenry in this charming retelling of ‘Hansel and Gretel’. Blanche is a middle-aged tavern owner running out of hope that Prince Charming might walk through her door. When a wealthy guest is stricken with a mysterious illness, Blanche’s livelihood is destroyed. But she wasn’t hatched yesterday and seizes an opportunity for the domestic life she’s always dreamed of. Unfortunately, it comes with a pair of chicks that are far more demanding than Blanche had ever dreamed.

Henrietta and Grittel are determined to brighten Blanche’s dull world. But when they follow their step-chicken to a tasty cabin deep in the woods, the chicks discover secrets darker than any they could imagine.

Admirers of folk-lore, poultry, and fairy tales will adore this hilarious twist on the classic children’s story.

The Chicken Pox on Amazon

On that note, have fun reading!

Animal Books for World Animal Month?

Hi, friends.

You’ve probably gotten a clue that I love animals. Well, October is World Animal Month, as well as a plethora of other days dedicated to God’s creatures.

I wrote reviews for Story Warren on the three animal-themed books pictured here:

Version 1.0.0

In the reviews, I take a look at the treatment of the animal characters and content that parents need to be aware of. I also note the voices Helen Moss and Anna Sewell used when recounting the stories of Balto, Togo, and Black Beauty. Moss and Sewell’s books are targeted for a middle grade audience, and Gayle C. Shirley’s book on famous Montana animals is for grades fifth through twelfth.

Thank you, Story Warren, for allowing me to partner with you in finding the right books for growing kids and teens.

Selections for World Animal Month

Yes, It’s Another Fairy Tale Anthology!

Another anthology from Beyond the Bookery is here! This one is Of Beauty & Bravery, featuring authors Deigan Marie, Dawn E. Dagger, and S.M. Shigemitsu.

Click on the link below to learn more:

Of Beauty & Bravery Amazon Link

A Beauty and the Beast Collection

To all you fairy tale lovers out there…

There’s another fairy tale anthology from Beyond the Bookery’s Fairy Tale Frenzy. It’s a collection of Beauty and the Beast retellings by Tabitha Bouldin, Megan Charlie, and Heather Flynn.

What’s the title? Evermore. Very appropriate, right?

Here are the blurbs from Amazon:

Falling for the Beast by Tabitha Bouldin
Belle never asked to inherit a curse that stripped her of magic. Mordred never expected to be cast from his realm, trapped in a body of gears and wood. Bound by fate and desperate bargains, the two must risk trust—and their hearts—to survive Castle Graymoore’s secrets. But when betrayal and sacrifice collide, will love be enough to shatter the curse before it consumes them both?

Dust Clothes and Dumbbells by Megan Charlie
Bernie has been a maid in a cursed household for nearly 20 years. If the Beast/prince can’t find love soon, everyone on the estate will die.
Nothing is working out as it should and Bernie’s growing feelings threaten to jeopardize everything. How can one maid save a cursed prince?

Beauty in the Shadows by Heather Flynn
A shepherd, who is more than he appears to be, is injured in an accident. In desperation he finds himself at the mysterious Langley Manor, a subject of many rumors in the village of Enulmoor. There he meets a woman who hides herself in shadows, loaded down with guilt of the past. Together they must take on the challenges that bring her face to face with her past, while he must face his destiny.

To order your own Kindle or paperback copy, here’s the link:

Evermore on Amazon

Two Fairy Tale Books Have Been Released!

Have you heard? Two anthologies from Fairy Tale Frenzy have been released. They’re both collections of historical retellings of classic tales. Think The Ugly Duckling, Beauty and the Beast, The Snow Queen, Cinderella, and Snow White.

Below are the links to the books on Amazon. And they’ve added blurbs, too.

This I Know Amazon Link
Worthy Love Amazon Link

A Book Review of The Blue Bird of Happiness

Hi, all.

I have another book review published on Jennifer Hallmark’s blog. It’s on The Blue Bird of Happiness by S.M. Shigemitsu, a retelling of Maurice Maeterlinck’s play “The Blue Bird.” I share the differences and similarities between the play and Shigemitsu’s version.

Fun fact: Shigemitsu is part of the Fairy Tale Frenzy series, just as I am. Only she’s in a different book from me, i.e. Of Beauty and Bravery. It will be released September 23 for Kindle.

The Blue Bird of Happiness Book Review

Of Beauty and Bravery Pre-order