Posts Tagged Adventure Series

Interview with Author Laurie J. Edwards, Author of UNICORNS OF THE SECRET STABLE Series, Plus BOOK GIVEAWAY!

It’s wonderful to have Laurie J. Edwards on today talking about her newest book series, UNICORNS OF THE SECRET STABLE! Laurie and I met at my very first writer’s conference many years ago and our paths continue to cross—especially when it comes to writing unicorn stories. But Laurie doesn’t have just one new book out but FOUR. Yes, four books releasing at once for unicorn fans young and old to gobble up!

Here are the books in order:
Book 1: Unicorns to the Rescue

Book 2: Lucky and the Dragon

Book 3: Magical Unicorn Horns

Book 4: Mermaid Magic

Laurie is also giving away a copy of book one, UNICORNS TO THE RESCUE. Just enter the contest at the end of this post. U.S. residents only please.

What’s UNICORNS OF THE SECRET STABLE about?

There are unicorns behind Magic Moon Stable, but no one except Iris and Ruby knows they exist. As Unicorn Guardians, it is the sisters’ job to protect the unicorns and use their magic to keep them safe from the outside world.

Like their mother before them, Iris and her younger sister Ruby have been charged with hiding and protecting the unicorn world hidden on their ranch. The rest of the world sees only a stable with an old, tired horse, but when the girls turn the magic key to the paddock, they enter a lush land filled with forests, magical landscapes and creatures, & their beloved unicorns.

Interview with Laurie:

Donna: The idea of a hidden realm within our own is magical and mysterious. What inspired the idea for this realm and the series?

Laurie: For me, the line between reality and fantasy is easily crossed. As a child, I lived more in my imagination than in the everyday world. I caught raindrops in my upside-down umbrella while I watched fairies play in the rainbow-colored oil slicks on a rainy road. When I wandered home, drenched and dripping, my mother despaired of my dreaminess. But I was so caught up in spending time with otherworldly friends, I never noticed—or cared–that I was soaked.

When I was asked to take over this existing series, I jumped at the chance to expand the Enchanted Realm. Some of the world-building had already been done, but I had to come up with new places for the sisters to go, and I enjoyed imagining the possibilities for new adventures, new unicorns, new magical creatures, and new landscapes for each book. I got to dream up the world as I went along, which let me play out my childhood fantasies in the pages of a book.

 

Donna: Throughout the series, we get the stories told from multiple points of view from the sisters, Ruby and Iris. Why did you decide to give them both a chance to tell their story in separate books?

Laurie: I seem to be drawn to sisters who have opposite personalities. One is usually quieter, more serious, and plans ahead; the other is impulsive and spirited. Bet you can’t guess which one is me. 😊 Actually, most people see my quieter, shyer side, but the truth is: the wilder sister is closer to the inner me. I guess I feel the need to show life from different viewpoints. I did the same thing with the Second Chance Ranch series, which featured two twins with different personalities. It makes for some great conflicts as one sister rushes into things, and the other tries to keep her sibling out of danger. I also think it’s fun to see situations from different viewpoints. I try to choose adventures that will fit each sister and always ask myself which sister would be the most challenged by the situation. That’s the one who tells the story. I like each of my characters to face situations that will help them grow and change.

 

Donna: Your series not only has unicorns in it but other enchanting creatures like mermaids and dragons. What other magical creatures are you drawn to writing about and can we expect to see them in future stories?

Laurie: I love all magical creatures. In fact, a sneak peek into another middle-grade series I’m working on, The Birch Tree Chronicles, centers around a spell-challenged fairy and features gargoyles, so I’m sure some of those elements will find their way into the unicorn series. But overall, I like the softer, gentler magical creatures, and I have some ideas for combining several creatures to create some unique ones all my own.

 

Donna: You’ve written many books about ranches, what led to you to make the leap from writing about horses to unicorns?

Laurie: For me it wasn’t much of a leap, because unicorns are horses with one horn. 😊 I’ve always been a horse lover from the time I was young, and I’ve already mentioned how drawn I am to the fantasy world, so unicorns seemed like the perfect combination.

 

Donna: The final book in the series, MERMAID MAGIC, has Ruby exploring more of the Enchanted Realm leaving readers to wonder if future adventures await Ruby—and Iris—after this. Can we expect more stories in the series to come?

Laurie: I’m in the planning stages for more unicorn stories. Because the girls visit an underwater kingdom in the fourth book, I’d like some of the next books to center around mythical creatures who dwell in the sea. I also have ideas for quite a few more adventures. As the girls explore their secret realm, they’ll travel to many unusual settings and add new unicorns with different magical powers in each book.

Donna: Your legacy of stories includes a range of contemporary, magical, westerns, and non-fiction for all ages. What is it that you love about writing for the middle grade audience?

Laurie: I love spending time with middle graders. I taught in the early elementary grades and worked as a children’s librarian, so middle-graders are my favorite people. I love their imaginations and creativity, their eagerness to learn, and their enthusiasm for life. I sometimes think I’m still a middle-grader at heart. There’s a part deep inside of me that, like Peter Pan, never wants to grow up. And that part of me still believes in magic. Magic I hope spills onto the pages of my books.

 

Donna: Can you share what kind of story you’re working on now?

Laurie: I’m always writing several books at once. In addition to several adult novels and three picture books, I’m working on The Birch Tree Chronicles with a friend. In this four-book, middle-grade series, Birch Lockhart has no idea she has fairy powers. But after her parents disappear, she and her two younger siblings must learn to survive on their own while they fight the evil seeping their town with the help of an inept, absent-minded fairy.

I’m also doing final edits on a middle-grade fantasy, The Crystal Amulet, about a girl abandoned in the woods because of an ancient prophecy. She becomes the leader of a ragtag band of misfits who uncover a plot to destroy their village, and she must choose whether or not to risk her life to warn the people who cast her out of her village that they are in danger.

And I have one more middle-grade in the works, Silent Lies, historical fiction set during the Jewish pogroms in the Ukraine in the early 1900s.

 

About Laurie:

USA Today bestselling author Laurie J. Edwards has always loved books. In school, she got in trouble for reading during class. When she grew up, she chose jobs that let her spend time with books. First, she became a librarian and then an author. Now she not only reads, but she also creates stories for others to read. Laurie is also a freelance editor and illustrator. In addition to having more than 2300 magazine and educational articles published, she is the author of 60+ books for children and adults in print or forthcoming under several pen names. Visit Laurie at her website for more information.

 

Enter to win a copy of UNICORNS TO THE RESCUE!

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National Geographic Welcomes MG Explorers Back for Another Thrilling Adventure

Join Cruz Coronado and his friends at The Explorer Academy as they travel around the globe training to be the next generation of explorers and uncovering Cruz’s family’s dangerous past. This is the second adventure in which Cruz and his teammates use real-world science and technology to solve mysteries and outwit their enemies. The first in the series is The Nebula Secret.

 

Welcome Back to the Explorer Academy!

Welcome to Day #5 of the Explorer Academy: The Falcon’s Feather Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of Explorer Academy: The Falcon’s Feather by Trudi Trueit on March 19th, blogs across the web are featuring special content from Trudi and the Explorer Academy team, as well as 5 chances to win an Explorer Academy DRONE Prize Pack!

Ten Terrible Titles for Explorer Academy Book 3

The rules of the game are: “Scroll through the manuscript and stop on a random place. Whatever you land on becomes one of ten terrible titles.”

1. Guess It Wasn’t Such a Brilliant Idea After All

2. Is the Spot in the Corner a Pit or Not?

3. The Eye of the Birsh!

4. Photo 51: It’s Only the Most Important Photograph Ever Taken

5. It Could Be a Temple, or a Tomb

6. A Drawer! It Had to Be a Secret Drawer!

7. Nature Was Random

8. Most Certainly the Mummy Inside

9. After All, We Are Trespassing

10. Your Life is…Complicated

Of course, the real title for Explorer Academy #3, the sequel to The Falcon’s Feather, is…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Available September 3rd, 2019!

Blog Tour Schedule:

March 18th – BookTrib

March 19th – Big Shiny Robot

March 20th – Always in the Middle

March 21st Novel Novice

March 22ndFrom the Mixed Up Files

A fun, exciting and action-packed ride that kids will love.”

J.J. Abrams, director of Star Trek, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Lost and Alias

Explorer Academy is sure to awaken readers’ inner adventurer and curiosity about the world around them.”

LeVar Burton, host of “Reading Rainbow”and “LeVar Burton Reads”

 

Buy: National Geographic | Amazon | Indiebound

Add on Goodreads

Visit the Explorer Academy Official Site

Educator Guide

 

 

 

 

Follow Trudi: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Youtube

Follow National Geographic Kids: Website | Twitter | Books Twitter | Facebook | Youtube

It’s an adventure of a lifetime when Cruz Coronado sets sail for the shores of Iceland and Norway aboard the Explorer Academy ship to continue his studies at sea. But, things take a turn while exploring the icy north, when he embarks on a dangerous mission to uncover the first piece of an important puzzle his mother left behind.

In the exciting follow-up to The Nebula Secret in the 7-book Explorer Academy series, Cruz, Sailor, and Emmett, along with their new ally Bryndis, embark on their first globe-trotting mission aboard the ship Orion. Cruz jumps right back into school and starts using the latest technology in submersible underwater dives, but is soon reminded of the dangers of exploration when his equipment fails and he almost drowns. Determined to keep his eyes on the prize, Cruz sneaks away to try to find answers, but unknowingly lures his friends into bigger trouble. When a friend of Cruz’s mom meets an untimely end, Cruz’s luck really seems about to run out and the questions multiply. What does the message mean? Where will it lead? Who is following him? And why?

This captivating book is the sequel every Explorer Academy fan is waiting to read!

About the Author: Author Trudi Trueit is a gifted storyteller for middle-grade audiences. She has written more than 100 books for young readers, both fiction and nonfiction, including The Sister Solution, Stealing Popular and the Secrets of a Lab Rat series. Trueit lives in Everett, Washington.

GIVEAWAY

 

  • One (1) winner will receive SIGNED copies of Explorer Academy books 1 and 2, an ADVANCE copy of Explorer Academy Codebreaking Activity Adventure (not otherwise available to the public until May!), an Explorer Academy pin, baseball cap, t-shirt, and bag, and a Quadcopter DRONE!
  • US/Canada only
  • Ends 3/31 at midnight ET

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Plus! Enter to win a once-in-a-lifetime trip!

One lucky family of four will embark on a spectacular ship-based adventure, just like the students at Explorer Academy. Experience the remarkable beauty of Alaska’s famed Inside Passage on this thrilling 8-day voyage, courtesy of National Geographic Expeditions. Get up close to icebergs and calving glaciers. See orcas and humpback whales, then listen to them with the ship’s hydrophone. Visit Glacier Bay National Park, learn about Alaska’s rich Native American heritage, and pass islands teeming with wildlife, including brown bears, sea lions, sea otters, and perhaps the world’s highest density of nesting bald eagles. Visit natgeoexpeditions.com to see a detailed itinerary for Alaska’s Inside Passage Cruise. Enter here!

Explorer Academy: The Falcon’s Feather Author Tour

Friday, March 22, 2019

Kepler’s Books

1010 El Camino Real

Menlo Park, CA

Event details:

6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.— Public event with talk by author Trudi Trueit and National Geographic Explorer Erika Bergman, followed by book signing. Purchase tickets in advance.

 

 

 

Summer Series for the Adventuring Child

Summer is here, the kids are out of school, and temperatures are rising. Now I know that during the summer we just want to get those adorable little mess-makers out of the house and into the outdoors to explore nature and discover the world around them, but sometimes it just gets too dang hot. Parts of Arizona are going to be 120 degrees this week – and I’m headed there Wednesday for a family reunion! At the moment, northern California is hotter than southern California! (That never happened when I grew up there.)

So, after you’ve had them run around outside for the cooler hours of the morning here is a list of great series to keep their minds adventuring instead of melting crayons into the carpet. (True story, don’t ask.)

How to Train Your Dragon Series, by Cressida Cowell

The series that inspired the beloved movies, the Train Your Dragon series tells the story of Hiccup and his dragon Toothless and their adventures together. Great for those who love the movies and just can’t get enough of Toothless! Bonus points for having a very well-read audio book by none other than David Tennant!

The Heroes Guide Series, by Christopher Healy

A fun quirky series which doesn’t follow the leading ladies of the more popular fairy tales but the leading men, whom after being discredited by lazy bards are out to prove that they are more than just the “Prince Charming” of their stories. A great read with wonderful illustrations to help you know whom is who.

Enchanted Forest Series, by Patricia C. Wrede

So, we all know that when the dragon steals the princess the brave knight has to go rescue her. But what if the princess didn’t get stolen but instead ran away and is having a much better time hanging out with dragons than being a princess? This quirky series has it all.  Smart Princesses, silly knights, and cunning wizards. Forget rescuing the princess, someone should maybe help that poor knight out instead.

The School  for Good and Evil Series, by Soman Chainani

Not another magical school series! I know its summer break and no kid wants to think about school let alone read about one, but this series is worth it. Following the two lead females who seem to have accidentally been placed in the wrong school (see title) the series leads you to question, what makes one good or evil? And can appearances be deceiving?

The Unicorn Chronicles Series, by Bruce Coville

An oldie but goodie. Following a young protagonist who has been dumped into a magical land by her grandmother, Cara must find out how to make it back to her own world and learn what secrets this land may hold about her missing parents. Unicorns and Adventures! Need I say more?

Hopefully that’s enough to get you started and if your kids are anything like mine you’ll need every one of those books just to survive until July! Don’t forget that your local library is always a great place to check for more series and see if they may be hosting a summer reading contest. Nothing gets kids’ reading like the thought that they might win a gift card or something better!

What are some of your favorite adventure series? Share in the comments!

Happy Reading!

~Kimberley

P.S. And if your child likes contemporary stories with adventure and magical realism, you’re always welcome to check out my 4-book MG series set in the mysterious swamps of Louisiana. Gators and danger abound! The Healing Spell, Circle of Secrets, When the Butterflies Came, and The Time of the Fireflies.

Kimberley Griffiths Little is the award-winning author of ten Middle-Grade and Young Adult novels with Scholastic and Harpercollins. She’s been juggling book launch parties, research trips, drafting new proposals, eating too many cookies and wrangling a household that never sleeps . . . On location book trailers and Teacher’s Guides at Kimberley’s website: www.KimberleyGriffithsLittle.com. Friend her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimberleygriffithslittle