Book Lists

Welcome to DAY PISCES of 13 Days of THE 13^TH SIGN Preorder Contest! PISCES is traditionally considered to be the twelfth sign of the zodiac. PISCES characteristics include: intuitive, adaptable, romantic, self-pitying, illogical, and vivacious.

(Want to learn more about your 12-sign horoscope, your 13-sign horoscope, and which horoscope sign you ACT like? Take THE 13^TH SIGN quiz!)

From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors is happy to host Day Thirteen of this contest! The Grande Finale!

But before we get to the contest, we must introduce our guest, Kristin Tubb!  What better way to introduce her than with an interview!

Me:  What inspires you most when you write?  A nice slice of chocolate cake to get the creative juices flowing or a mountain lion chasing you to get your adrenaline pumping?

Kristin:  Ha! Coffee plays a very large role in my writing process, and I love looking at paintings and photographs and maps for inspiration. (Pinterest is my latest time-suck, but at least I’m pinning with a goal! Here’s THE 13^TH SIGN board: http://pinterest.com/kristintubb/the-13th-sign/)  But when it comes to hammering out a scene, I have to get moving. Some of my best ideas come while on a hike or blowing bubbles for my dogs (yes, you read that right J). The voice recorder on my phone is full of scene and story ideas so I can get to work right away when back at a keyboard.

Me: Oh man. I LOVE Pinterest.  Talk about a time suck….try a black hole!  Where do you do your writing?  A desk? A cafe? A smelly slimy bog? A beautiful ice castle?

Kristin:  It differs book to book and with each season of this ever-changing life. When my kids were younger, I wrote mostly in libraries. I write at home, now, unless I have a pressing deadline, and then it’s offsite I go (and away from laundry/dishes/pet messes/ringing phones).  I sure would love one of those ice castles, though. Without internet, please. WITH an espresso machine, please.

Me:  I’m so glad I’m not alone in that.  House chores constantly call to me when I’m writing. What is your most favoritest book of all time?

Kristin:  A Wrinkle In Time. In sixth grade, I interviewed Madeline L’Engle by telephone. (I KNOW, RIGHT?!) She told me I, too, could be a writer if I just kept reading. So Wrinkle is my favorite book for many, many reasons.

Me:  No. Way.  Me too!  Well, everything except the interview part….and the career in writing….and the….so yeah, I read the book.  It was my favorite.  Do you have any writing rituals?

Kristin:  I wish I had some tried-and-true rituals! I’ve found that these differ from story to story as well. The one thing I’ve done for every book is to keep a vocabulary list – a list of words that “sound” like that story to me. So for THE 13^TH SIGN, the list included words like “vibrate” and “plipped” and “feisty.” For some reason, doing this really seems to help me find the tone and voice of the story.

Me:  What a cool technique!  I’ll have to try that!  Thanks for suffering through my questions, Kristin!

Kristin:  Thank you, Amie, and all the Mixed-Up Files Authors!

Now….on to the part you’ve all been waiting for!

So. What is this contest all about?

If you preorder a copy of THE 13^TH SIGN by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, you will be entered into a contest! Where you can WIN THINGS! And there are new prizes every day!

And. EVERY preorder will be *matched* by a $1.00 donation to RIF, a literacy program committed to placing books in the hands of kids who need them most.

About the book:

What if there was a 13th zodiac sign?

You’re no longer Sagittarius, but Ophiuchus, the healer, the 13th sign.

Your personality has changed. So has your mom’s and your best friend’s.

What about the rest of the world?

What if you were the one who accidentally unlocked the 13th sign, causing this world-altering change, and infuriating the other 12 signs?

Jalen did it, and now she must use every ounce of her strength and cunning to send the signs back where they belong. Lives, including her own, depend upon it.

What can I win TODAY?

If you preorder THE 13^TH SIGN today, Wednesday, December 5, you could win:

-zodiac charm – sign of your choice

-signed THE 13^TH SIGN swag

-glow-in-the-dark star stickers

-signed paperback of AUTUMN WINIFRED OLIVER DOES THINGS DIFFERENT by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb

-a 13^th SIGN tshirt

How do I enter?

Preorder THE 13^TH SIGN! You can preorder it through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, or through your local independent bookstore. Then email your receipt TO KRISTIN at ktubb@comcast.net. You will be entered into that day’s drawing, the grand prize drawing, and your purchase will be *matched* by a $1.00 donation to RIF!

Are there other ways to enter the contest?

Yep!  You can be entered into the daily prize drawings by doing one or more of the following:

-Each preorder of THE 13^TH SIGN = 10 entries into grand prize drawing and 10 entries into that day’s drawing

– Each person who blogs about the contest = 10 entries into that day’s drawing

-Each person who changes Twitter or Facebook avatar to cover = 5 entries into that day’s drawing (for each day it is present)

-Each Tweet or Facebook status mention of the book and contest = 2 entries for that day’s drawing (must include hashtag #the13thsign)

-Each RT of book and/or contest = 1 entry for that day’s drawing

BUT. You have to preorder THE 13^TH SIGN to enter to win the grand prize and to have your purchase matched with a RIF donation.

ALSO. To make sure you get the correct amount of entries, please let Kristin know if you’ve done any of the above! You can email her at ktubb@comcast.net with everything you’ve done to enter.

What is the grand prize?

A Nexus 7 ereader! BOOM. The grand prize winner will be announced on Kristin’s blog on Friday, December 7. 

How long does the preorder contest last?

13 days total! You can visit these other blogs for each day’s prizes:

DAY ARIES: The Book Vortex

DAY TAURUS:  The Housework Can Wait

DAY GEMINI:  Magnet 4 Books

DAY CANCER:  Abby the Librarian

DAY LEO:  Mother Daughter Book Club

DAY VIRGO: S. R. Johannes/Market My Words

DAY LIBRA: Elizabeth O. Dulemba

DAY SCORPIO:  Citrus Reads

DAY OPHIUCHUS: Young Adult Books Central

DAY SAGITTARIUS: Bloggers [heart] Books

DAY CAPRICORN: – Middle Grade Mafioso

DAY AQUARIUS: Smack Dab in the Middle

DAY PISCES: From the Mixed-Up Files of Middle Grade Authors

Good luck! And don’t forget to take THE 13^TH SIGN quiz!

 

WOW! Talk about awesomeness!  So what are you still doing here??!  Go.  Enter!

Whether you’re roasting chestnuts on an open fire or skiing in Colorado, there’s always room for reading during the holiday season. So grab a chair and treat yourself to one of these sweet December releases!

The Bully Book: A Novel (HarperCollins) – Eric Kahn Gale. When the author was eleven, he was bullied. This book is loosely based on incidents that happened to him in sixth grade. Eric Haskins, the new sixth-grade bully target, is searching for answers. And unlike many of us who experienced something awful growing up, he finds them. Though they may not be what he expected. Originally self-published as an ebook by a member of Team Starkid, The Bully Book is now available in print and ebook editions. A Top Ten Indie Next List pick of 2013.

Case File 13: Zombie Kid (HarperCollins) – J. Scott Savage. The dark adventures of Nick, Carter, and Angelo, three boys who possess an unhealthy obsession with monsters. In this volume, look for voodoo queens, graveyards, and even the dreaded Zombie King himself. Kirkus Reviews describes this book as “striking the perfect balance between rib-tickling humor and bone-chilling adventure.”

Cake: Love, chickens, and a taste of peculiar (Zondervan) – Joyce Magnin. More than frosting filled those cakes… Wilma Sue seems destined to go from one foster home to the next—until she is sent to live with sisters and missionaries, Ruth and Naomi. Do they really care about Wilma Sue, or are they just looking for a Cinderella-style farmhand to help raise chickens and bake cakes? As Wilma Sue adjusts to her new surroundings and helps deliver ‘special’ cakes, Wilma Sue realizes there’s something strange going on. She starts looking for secret ingredients, and along the way she makes a new friend, Penny. When Penny and her mother hit a rough patch, Naomi decides to make her own version of cake—with disastrous results. Then tragedy strikes the chickens, and all fingers point to Wilma Sue—just when she was starting to believe she could at last find a permanent home with Ruth and Naomi. Will the sisters turn her out, or will she discover what it feels like to be truly loved?

I Funny: A Middle School Story (Little, Brown) – James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein. Jamie Grimm is a middle schooler on a mission: he wants to become the world’s greatest standup comedian–even if he doesn’t have a lot to laugh about these days. He’s new in town and stuck living with his aunt, uncle, and their evil son Stevie, a bully who doesn’t let Jamie’s wheelchair stop him from messing with Jamie as much as possible. But Jamie doesn’t let his situation get him down. He practices the craft of stand-up every day on friends, family, and the willing customers at his Uncle Frankie’s diner. When Uncle Frankie mentions a contest called The Planet’s Funniest Kid Comic, Jamie knows he has to enter. But are the judges only rewarding him out of pity because of his wheelchair, like Stevie suggests? Will Jamie ever share the secret of his troubled past instead of hiding behind his comedy act?

Magicalamity (Delacorte) – Kate Saunders. Tom is in shock. He’s just discovered that his dad is an escaped fairy on the run. And that he must trust his life to three dangerous fairy godmothers he’s never met. Two of them are hardened criminals, and one falls out of the window when she tries to fly. Will their mad magic be enough to help Tom rescue his dad from the clutches of some killer fairies?

Moment of Truth (Saranormal) (Simon Spotlight) – Phoebe Rivers. Sara now understands who she really is—why she has paranormal powers, why she’s living in Stellamar, and why it’s important to have Lady Azura in her life. What she doesn’t understand is how her best friend, Lily Randazzo, can have a crush on a boy who’s not alive. Kyle and his family died in a car accident while visiting Stellamar over the holidays, but Kyle isn’t aware of his sudden death and can still walk around like he’s alive. Only Sara knows he’s really a spirit, and if she doesn’t say something to Lily, there could be traumatizing consequences. Lady Azura firmly warns Sara against interfering, saying that this sort of spirit phenomena is a recipe for disaster. But Sara knows she has no choice…she has to protect her best friend and help Kyle learn the truth. Can she do so without hurting Lily in the process?

Pandora the Curious (Goddess Girls) (Aladdin) – Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams. Pandora is one of the few mortals at Mount Olympus Academy—and probably the most curious of all the students in school. Her quizzical nature is famous—not that she thinks there is anything wrong with being curious, of course! When a godboy named Epimetheus brings a mysterious and fantastical box to school, Pandora’s curiosity is piqued. And when it unexpectedly lands in her lap—literally—she can’t help but take a look at what’s inside. What could be the harm in that? But little does she know that opening the box will open up more trouble than she thought….

The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers, Book 5 (Scholastic) – Linda Sue Park. When seven members of their family were kidnapped, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, got ready for the fight of their lives. But their enemy, a terrifying group known as the Vespers, remained frustratingly elusive. They stay in the shadows, picking off Cahills one by one. And now the Vespers have landed their most serious blow yet – a blow that strikes at the very heart of the Cahill family. Because Amy and Dan discover that there’s a Vesper mole in their innermost circle. Amy and Dan need to smoke out the traitor before the next hostage dies. They have just days to discover who has their back . . . and who wants to sink a knife into it.

The Daring Escape of the Misfit Menagerie (Razorbill) – Jacqueline Resnick. Smalls the sun bear and his friends are an unusual bunch. That’s why they’re known as the Misfit Menagerie. The four oddball animals live on Mr. Mumford’s farm, where they play games and do tricks for neighborhood children. It’s an idyllic existence–until a cruel circus owner named Claude Magnificence comes to town, and life as they know it ends. The Menagerie is snatched away to a traveling circus, where Claude and his buffoonish sidekicks force them to perform death-defying tricks. At the circus, Smalls and his friends only have slop to eat. They live in filthy, cramped cages. And they’re bullied by a rough band of trained animals called the Lifers. It’s worse than awful–it’s despicable! But then young Bertie Magnificence comes along, and he and Smalls form the kind of friendship that inspires hope. They decide that something needs to change…and fast. With the help of an acrobat named Susan, Smalls and Bertie set in motion a heroic plan.

The Marble Queen (Amazon Children’s Publishing) – Stephanie J. Blake. Freedom Jane McKenzie isn’t good at following the rules. She doesn’t like any of the things that girls are supposed to like. She’s good at fishing, getting into trouble—and playing marbles. All she wants is to enter the marble competition at the Autumn Jubilee and show the boys in the neighborhood that she’s the best player. If she can’t be the Marble King, then she’ll be the Marble Queen. First, Freedom has to convince her mother to let her enter. But there’s a new baby on the way, Freedom’s daddy is drinking too much, her little brother is a handful, and her mother is even more difficult than usual. Freedom learns that when it comes to love, friendship, and family, sometimes there are no rules. Set in 1959, The Marble Queen is a timeless story about growing up.

The Poet Upstairs (Pinata Books) – Judith Ortiz Cofer. Juliana is too sick to go to school one cold, winter day. So she stays at home in bed and looks out her bedroom window. She watches as a tall lady in a red coat and hat carries her boxes of books and papers upstairs. Her mother has heard that the mysterious woman is a poet writing a book. Juliana loves books and can’t wait to meet the poet upstairs. Juliana listens to the poet’s typewriter clicking and clacking all day long, while outside the snow falls and people rush by bundled up in their coats. She dreams of a tiny tropical island “sitting on the ocean like a green button on a blue dress,” the island home that her mother and the poet share. She dreams of red hibiscus flowers and beaches of white sand. The next day, she receives an invitation from the poet to come upstairs. Invoking Puerto Rican poet Julia de Burgos’ famous poem about the Loiza River, Ortiz Cofer’s lyrical text is combined with Oscar Ortiz’s breathtaking illustrations of the natural world and the animals that inhabit it.

I’ve met a lot of reluctant middle-grade writers over the years, but few can resist plunging into these fun exercises. All you need is a stack of old magazines!

Create a character! 

Snip out dozens of photos of people doing interesting things & include a few non-humans for those MG animal lovers. I usually divide the photos into a girl stack and a boy stack, knowing that a lot of boys wouldn’t want to get stuck with a frilly prom queen–especially in a classroom setting. Pass out the photos (sometimes I let kids draw a photo from the envelope).

While the kids paste their photos into their notebooks with glue stick, I write a few ideas on the board. Where does your character live? Where is your character going? Who are your character’s friends? Describe your character.

Some kids plunge into stories, but other students work on writing great descriptions.

Focus on the Problem! 

Middle-grade writers are good at coming up with crazy characters (like zombie prom queens), but sometimes they struggle with creating strong conflicts. Using advice columns immediately gets young writers focused on writing about a problem. For more advanced writers, using the advice column exercise is a good way to teach kids how to write a scene by adding dialogue, description, and inner thoughts.

Embarrassing Moments! 

Nothing makes kids giggle like the Embarrassing Moments page in a magazine. Find a great embarrassing moment anecdote and ask students to write what led up to the embarrassing moment or what happened right after the embarrassing moment. Kids love showing off their humorous side, but I love showing them that the same idea will lead to wildly different stories (so they never need to worry about having their ideas stolen).

Middle-grade writers enjoy these exercise, but those who write for middle-graders might come up with some great ideas too. Give it a try writers!

Sydney Salter is currently an Author-In-Residence at Utah’s Endeavor Hall charter school where the above writing exercises have turned into truly imaginative stories!