LOTSA ANNOUNCEMENTS

Well (takes a deep breath), there is a lot to report on today. And if you’re a regular reader of this blog, you might wonder if anything here is the exciting thing I can’t mention yet. The answer is:

BUT, there is some cool stuff. So…

#1 CLUBHOUSE CHAT TONIGHT (Tues Apr 27)

If you’re on Clubhouse, feel free to join me for an interview about RESCUE, or whatever we end up talking about. It’s at 6 pm Mtn Time or 8 pm Eastern Time. The link to join is HERE.

#2 NEW RELEASE ANNOUNCEMENT

Well, to be fair, this isn’t a new release. In fact, it’s a book that’s been around for some time, but it has a new cover, and a really awesome new cover at that, and is for the first time available in paperback. 

THE SCOURGE tells the story of Ani Mells who lives in a land where a disease known as the Scourge has impacted society. Anyone with the disease is sent away from their family and friends to a scourge colony where they will live out the rest of their life. However, Ani is never one to stay out of trouble for long, and even in these desperate circumstances, that natural curiosity leads her to discover something far more dangerous than the disease itself.

I know, you’re thinking of COVID. There are natural comparisons, but isn’t a COVID story, AND it was written several years ago, long before this current pandemic.

However, it is a story I hope you will want to check out and read, and if you do, I very much hope you will enjoy it!

#3 RESISTANCE AWARDED

Thank you to young Minnesota readers! RESISTANCE has won the Maud Hart Lovelace award in Division II (Grades 6-8). This is a tremendous gift and honor, and I am so thrilled. Every book in that category was of superior quality and any of them deserved the win, but this is especially exciting because of what that book represents to me.

The teenagers of Akiva, who fought against the Nazis, didn’t fight to win – they knew they never would. They didn’t fight to survive – they knew their odds weren’t good. So their only purpose was to earn their three lines of history. Three lines in a history book to remember who they were and what they tried to do.

Young Minnesota readers, you gave them a piece of that noble goal with this award. Thank you.

#4 WORDS ON FIRE AWARDED

Also of great excitement to me is that WORDS ON FIRE received an Honorable Mention for the Lectio Book Awards. This award seeks to honor high quality books for young readers, and is voted on by students at participating schools all over the country. 

My warmest thanks to the committee for nominating WORDS ON FIRE, and to all those who voted for it.

And….that’s it, for now. Phew – that was a lot!