Hello, Friend!
I’d like you to take your right hand, throw it over your shoulder and pat yourself on the back. You made it through the toughest month of the year! Now the January Blues are a thing of the past, and 2018 is positively sparkling with promise!
But hopefully, you’ve not merely survived January. Hopefully, you’ve thrived through it (or is it thriven?) January can feel a bit like my country walk with Hugo this morning – a right slog in the mud. But even as we slog along, a thousand beauties present themselves when we take a moment to raise our eyes from the gloop and take in the wondrous world around us.
And with that thought in mind, I’d love to share some of my January adventures with you!
Reading Adventures
Confession: I am a very slow reader. But I’ve managed to fly pretty swiftly through Michelle Harrison’s The Thirteen Treasures. It’s got so many of my favourite ingredients: fairies, mystery, old houses with secret passages, spooky forests… you get the idea. But I also love Michelle’s classic style. As a lover of “the classics”, I often lament the loss of beautiful language in modern books for kids (or adults, for that matter), so reading Michelle’s deft command of the glorious English language made my heart skip beats repeatedly. I recommend it heartily! *(little word of warning for sensitive readers: subject matter can get a bit dark (murder, missing children & the like), hence I’d classify this book as older middle-grade.)
Of course, I’ve also been knee-deep in Research Reading for Katie Watson II. You can read more about those adventures in my last post here. But suffice it to say, this book has given me an excuse to revisit one of my primary school FAVOURITES: The Mandie Series by Lois Glady’s Leppard. I gobbled up these historical mysteries as a kid, and do you know, they are just as good now! I’ll have to write a full review of this wonderful collection, but I wholeheartedly believe these books deserve a place among the classics on any family’s bookshelf. They definitely deliver on Adventure, and the lessons I learned with Mandie have stayed with me for life.
Also, whilst not strictly a “reading adventure,” I did watch the new BBC adaptation of Little Women (a literary adventure at least!) and loved it! I’m a tough audience when it comes to remakes of either 1) wonderful books or 2) wonderful films. This was both, and the jury was very much out about it. But after the first episode,
I was hooked! I laughed, cried, wanted to tear Amy’s hair out when she burnt Joe’s entire hand-written manuscript… (too close to home!). If “the classics” are your thing, I suggest you go and watch it. Great, wholesome entertainment for the whole family (plus a peek into Civil War Era life in New England!).
Writing Adventures
The end of 2017 was all about the launch of Katie Watson and the Painter’s Plot. Hence January has been a busy old month for the writing — time to get those creative gears oiled up and churning!
While Katie Watson II is still in the research/ planning phase, the ideas are already simmering away. I feel good about announcing an October release date (Huzzah!).
But I’ve got a couple of other projects stewing that I’m thrilled to let out of the box for the first time:
- Katie Watson and the Painter’s Plot Workbook — I’m excited to announce that I’m just putting the finishing touches on a scheme of work designed to accompany the novel in the classroom! The lesson activities are based on learning objectives for children 9-12 years old, and I drew from my past years as a children’s worker and private tutor. ** I’m on the lookout for teachers to pilot the workbook, so if you or someone you know would like to try it out for Free, contact me Re. “Katie Watson Workbook” & I’ll get you sorted!
- Book Tour + Interactive Presentation — Piggybacking on the workbook, I’m also busy booking my Spring book tour! Again, if you or someone you know is a teacher, librarian, bookseller, equestrian centre worker, or runs a book club in the UK or Southeast USA, get in touch here Re. “Book tour” for details.
Even MORE Adventures
Last week, I had the pleasure of seeing a true author + adventurer, Abi Elphinstone at Waterstones in North London. For those who don’t know Abi, she is the author of the Dreamsnatcher series as well as a brand new Arctic adventure, Sky Song.
Abi is also a downright lovely person. She has been something of a mentor to me on my journey as an author, and her positive attitude and passion for life and books always inspire me. I can’t wait to report back next month once I’ve read Sky Song (especially now it’s ‘officially’ signed by the author!).
Something to Share:
Ever dreamed of owning your own chocolate factory? Here’s something to enjoy watching with the whole family — a real-life, young Willy Wonka who makes chocolate that tastes of OLD BOOKS?!
Over to you!
What literary adventures did you set out on in January? Send me a picture at mez@riverotterbooks.com and I’ll share it here in February!
NOW ONWARD, READERS!
A new month of wonder awaits…
Mez