Thirteen year-old Pia has never known his real father. But Kamaka, a family friend, has taught him how to work, explore, and take on physical challenges.Pia believes Kamaka is fearless. He never suspects that a time will come when Kamaka could actually be afraid of him. Neither does he expect his own body to betray him, or his government to tear him from his family and send him into exile.
When Pia finds himself abandoned on Molokai, Hawaii's leprosy settlement, he turns to the skills he learned from Kamaka to help him survive. But the conditions are harsh. Pia discovers he must choose between anger and aloha, revenge and forgiveness, his own wilfulness and the example of someone worthy of being like a father.
This fictional account was inspired by the experiences of many Hawaiians who were sent to Molokai's isolated Kalaupapa Peninsula, starting in 1866 and by the life of Father Damien deVeuster, who chose to live and work there in the late 1800s.
Here's the trailer.
Meanwhile, over at Joan Edwards' blog, someone else won a copy of Healing Water!
I met Rosi a few years ago at a Highlights writer's retreat with Editor, Carolyn Yoder. At the time she was writing a fascinating story about Queen Elizabeth which eventually published in March 2013 issue of Highlights Magazine (cover feature even!)
During our brief meeting I learned she can do an awesome Carolyn Yoder editorial voice! (Carolyn groupies will appreciate this.) Since then, I observed her work at THE WRITE STUFF blog on which she consistently offers great book reviews and giveaways. Which leads me to wonder when she has time to write her own historical fiction, poetry, and picture book projects. If you follow her link you'll see that she has 2 reviews and a giveaway over there right now.
And not only that, she plans to read and review SEEING RED and then give it away. So if you're a little bit jealous of Rosi for winning, you've got yet another chance. Rosi's blog is for following, folks! Go sign up. Thanks to you, Rosi,for joining this giveaway and for being such a generous member of the writing community.
In keeping with World Leprosy Week, I'd like to call your attention to the former leprosy hospital in Carville, Louisiana. It's closed now but in previous decades, if you lived in mainland, USA and contracted leprosy, you could be sent there to live. Today, the former hospital houses a museum that commemorates those years and that offers information about leprosy. Just in case you cannot hop in the car and head to Louisiana, consider one of thesevirtual tours.
I have this lovely, immensely informative book about Carville. It not only clears up some of the confusion about leprosy but also shares stories of people who were hospitalized and their heartwarming interactions with the Carville community.
As James Carville says in the book's Forward, "...our little town in southern Louisiana became a model for the world, a place of hope, progress, and tolerance."
Sounds much like Kalaupapa, Hawaii where my Healing Water takes place.
And BTW - this week, Linda Andersen is giving away a copy of Healing Water over at AWriter's Playground.
Linda Andersen, at A Writer's Playground, knows this is World Leprosy Week so she invited me to post a Q & A on the topics of leprosy and my book, Healing Water So I did. We're giving away a copy of the book over there so click on through and leave a comment if you're interested in winning.
But first my character wants to introduce his story.
Shhhhhh! - this is a sneak attack. The victim is Becky Levine.
I stole this image from Becky's FB page. I did not ask permission to post it here so I hope she loves this pic as much as I do. I want her hair!
Becky knows I have a copy of her fabulous writing manual to give away. After all, I won it at her blog. I won two in a fact. But I'm keeping one.
The other is for giveaway. She knows that too. But she doesn't know (yet) that I'm giving it via this post AND at Writermorphosis. That's Janelle Bitikofer's blog and over there I'm celebrating the gift that Becky has been to me.
You see, Janelle has this "Each One, Teach One" series in which she focuses on writers reaching out to other writers. (Terrific idea, Janelle!)
This week, Janelle interviewed me. So when asked to reflect on a writer who reached out to me - well, I knew it had to be Becky Levine. Becky came into my world quite awhile after I began writing. Click over to Janelle's blog to find out how we connected.
As a result of that connection I've gotten some truly helpful insights that have shaped and reshaped my novel. I was a little gob-smacked this week when I read back over my email correspondence with Becky - astonished to see how much time and energy she gave me and how utterly smart she is. Subscribe to her blog for awhile and you'll get what I mean.
But now, back to Becky's book. The title is quite auspicious don't you think?
THE WRITING AND CRITIQUE GROUP SURVIVAL GUIDE: HOW TO GIVE AND RECEIVE FEEDBACK, SELF-EDIT, AND MAKE REVISIONS
I kind of hate typing it because it's sooooooo long and yet it all deserves to be there. I LOVE this book because it covers so much territory that is pertinent to writing. Becky opens with the logistics of participating in a critique group and moves from there into the particulars of critiquing. And does she ever get into it! This book covers critiquing for various genres and for the various elements of story - plot, character, point-of-view, dialogue and more. Not to mention critiquing for submission and sharing info about marketing.
So, see - this really is a SURVIVAL GUIDE! And whether you're floundering or whether you're not (and who isn't at some point or the other?) you might want to holler
"HELP! I NEED THE SURVIVAL GUIDE!"
Do that now. Write "Help! I need the Survival Guide" in the comments for a chance to win a signed copy of Becky's book. Do it again over at Janelle Bitikofer's blog and you'll have double the chances of winning. Not to mention, you'll get to meet the lovely Janelle (I want her hair too!) and all the tremendous authors she's interviewed over there.
Contest ends next Wednesday night, June 6th. Janelle and I will both announce the winner at our blogs on Thursday, the 7th!
Thank you Becky Levine AND Janelle Bitikofer for reaching out to me!
My friend, Augusta Scattergood, just posted a terrific interview with Caroline Starr Rose, author of May B.
I found this both fascinating and informative since I'm also writing a novel in free verse. I loved hearing how organic Caroline is being with the writing. I suspect this is necessary because poetry is such an organic thing anyway.
As I dig back into my work-in-progress I realize my earlier attempts were stiff because they grew out of my concern for plot. This time I am focusing more on the characters - digging into their souls and letting them speak from deep longing, profound joy, and whatever other emotions bubble up.
Imagine the emotions in this story...
I haven't read May B. Yet. But reading the interview and seeing this trailer makes me want to. So, Kansas prairie - here I come...
Do head on over to Augusta's blog to read the interview with Caroline! Leave a comment and you could win a copy of the book! Wish I could win but I'm not entering because I just won another book at Augusta's blog and well, it's your turn!.
Augusta Scattergood is the author of Glory Be. (Interesting title parallels going on here, eh?)
I'm about to introduce you to a few good books that you'll want to win for your school, library, or your bookshelf at home..
For starters:
A book of poems about 3 famous mother daughter duos. (Starred reviews by School Library Journal and Booklist!)
Jeannine Atkins just published BORROWED NAMES. She sent me a copy but I don't get to keep it. I'm she's giving it away here. You or your school could be the winner. But you have to beg for it in order to get you name in the hat. Do so by sending me an email or commenting on any of my blogposts. Just tell me you want the book.
Jeannine also sent me Anne Hutchinson's Way which I blogged about here. I vaguely rememer learning about Anne Hutchinson back in elementary school during a unit on the Puritans but I had forgotten. So I loved this book. It's a picture book for elementary students. You have to beg for that too.
I will be interviewing Jeannine here soon - like next week. So come back and meet her!
And have you noticed the copy of Captain Mac in the sidebar? Top right hand corner.Yep, there it is. I interviewed Author, Mary Morton Cowan here. I'm Mary Morton Cowan is giving that away. This is non-fiction, about an Arctic explorer. A fabulous addition to any school, homeschool, or library!. Ask for it. I'll enter you in the contest. The deadline is April 1.
And one more thing - A DVD. This is a short reenactment of a historical event - think D-Day from the perspective of a French girl who suddenly finds her yard swarming with Allied soldiers. It's a short movie produced for a museum. I'm Professor Eric Groce is giving it away. (His research and writing led to this movie.)
Times are tight. Budgets are being cut. But you can get a book for free. Here's how I know. I entered a contest for Riding Invisible by Sandra Akonzo. I won. It arrived yesterday. And a little over a year ago, I won Tracking Daddy Down by Mary Beth Kelsey. That's two books in less than two years. Not bad for someone who doesn't actually enter that many contests!
Someone's got to win - it might as well be you. Leave a comment. (A separate one for each book.)
Deadlines are as follows - I'll announce the winners on these dates.
Captain Mac - April 1
Borrowed Names - April 14
Anne Hutchinson's Way - April 14
DVD - Papa said, "We should never forget." April 21
Becky will be giving her book away here at The 3 R's on Groundhogs Day! Since this is such a great informative book I don't want you to forget about the contest. So I'm tossing out a few more questions in order for you to hear what Becky is thinking about writing, research and critiquing.
1. Becky, since I read your blog, I know you’re also writing a historical novel. How does writing, self-editing and receiving feedback on a work of history compare to other writing you’ve done?
I haven’t gotten much feedback on my historical YA yet. I have a need on this book to submit it to my group earlier than I usually would, perhaps because I feel a bit intimidated by it. I did just let my group know that I’d be going light on actual historic details in this first draft, so I could focus on the front story, and I told them I’d be happy if they’d point to places, during their critiques, where they saw a need for some of those details. All the help I can get, I’m thinking!
2. Let’s say you’re helping a middle or high school student with research ideas. What advice would you give? I think I’d point them in two directions—the Internet to get started, to learn the basics. Then I’d send them to their librarian for help hunting down memoirs and diaries to get a real feel for people’s daily lives in that time. I have so many history books on my shelf, and they’re wonderful, but a bit overwhelming. The best book I’ve read so far for my WIP research is I Came a Stranger: The Story of a Hull-House, by Hilda Satt Polacheck. She came to Chicago from Eastern Europe, found Hull-House, and knew Jane Addams personally—and it’s all in her book.
3. I get into schools and also do writing seminars with teachers. So I’m wondering if you have thoughts about how teachers could use this book in the classroom.
I believe that teaching writing, especially beginning writing, in a critique process is a great way to do it. I think, depending on the age of the students, the book could be used as a text (say for community-college classes), or (for younger students) a teacher could pick and choose pieces to show how a group of writers can (respectfully) help each other grow their writing skills and improve their current manuscripts.
4. Do you make school visits or conduct any writing workshops?
I do teach writing workshops, for writing clubs and conferences, and I’d love to visit critique groups or school writing classes as well.
5. Please add anything else you want the world to know.
Over the past year, I’ve heard lots of people talking about their experience with critique groups—good and bad. Everybody I know has a very real horror story of their own, or one they’ve heard about and want to pass on. :) My hope is that this book will help writers get past those stories, past their worries about whether they can share their work, whether they’re “good enough” to critique someone else’s writing. My critique group and critique partners have been the biggest possible gift my writing could have, and I feel like everybody should get their chance to have the same non-horror experience.
Thank you Becky. Your amazing book is a real gift as well.
And to the rest of you - the rules for the book giveaway are in the sidebar. Now go follow them. No kidding!
Ms. Yingling tells me she's giving away free books. 3 of them to be exact.
And just who is Ms. Yingling?
That's what I wondered. So I scampered around on the web a bit until I discovered a quirky middle school librarian from Ohio who reads young adult literature and blogs about it.
At her blog, Ms. Yingling is giving away the highly popular Atherton Trilogy by Patrick Carman. You can enter the contest by simply emailing her a short (very short, please) message about your favorite science fiction or fantasy series.
Do not take a long time to think bout this. As of this writing, you have 7 days.
Deadline is 3:00 pm, Friday, June 5.
Oh, and while you're there, do give Ms. Yingling a shout-out (very short, please) from me to her!
Wisteria is in full bloom around here right now. It's marching to and fro upon the earth - seeing whom it can devour. But it smells so sweet!
1. My second day in a row, at home. I feel like I'm in the lap of luxury. Not that my home is so luxurious but it is home and the weather is fantastic! Mowing and planting make me a happy individual. At the moment, I'm listening to an allergy discussion on NPR's Science Friday. Thankfully, I don't have a significant problem with pollen. But backaches? That's another story.
2. A stage production of BLUE is in the works with rehearsals going on right now and shows for 3 weekends in May. You can learn more here.
3. COMFORT is out. My friend and colleague Carol Baldwin noted that although I'm blogging every day in April I have not announced that Comfort is officially released. I am woefully behind on publicity! But in case you didn't know, COMFORT, the sequel to Blue is out!
4. I'm going to conduct a contest here soon to celebrate. Two of them actually. And I'll give away copies of COMFORT.
5. There is a post-polio conference being held in Warm Springs, GA as we speak. Several hundred people are there to connect with other polios. I never had polio but just looking at the program makes me wish I were there. I'd love to hear and meet some of the speakers who helped me with my research!
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