Book Review: Pops! by Balaji Venkataramanan

Title: Pops!

Author: Balaji Venkataramanan

Publisher: Duckbill Books and Publications Pvt Ltd

Balaji Venkataramanan’s ‘Pops!’ is the story of seven-year-old Arun, who is going to meet his father for the very first time due to a series of events which led to this unusual situation. We see the events unfolding through Arun’s eyes over a period of one year during which time he gets to know and appreciate his father in the visiting centre of a family court where parents separated from each other come to meet their children.

Arun is a recognizable, three-dimensional boy who comes from a broken yet happy family. He is precocious but likable. Very little of the actual reasons for Arun’s parents divorcing is revealed in the story. This doesn’t deter the flow of the story. If anything, this only strengthens the protagonist’s voice as children can hardly comprehend the complexities that adults around them seem to keep adding in their lives.

The second important character in the book is that of The Man – Arun’s nameless father. He is reckless and acts like a clown. He’s an entertainer, constantly performing for an audience no matter where he is. Whatever his faults, he loves Arun and goes to great lengths to get his son like him.

While there’s some unhappiness and insecurity in the lives of the adults around Arun, his world is dictated by the innocence of childhood. The emotional beats are believable with characters well-enough developed that readers can empathize.

Venkataramanan’s writing is rich in observations. His use of language is absolutely straightforward and simple. His style is accommodating. The tiny illustrations at the bottom of every page, which give a quick glimpse into what’s going on the page in the story at the moment, are quite endearing.

Though the narrative is by a mere boy of 7, this is a book that can be read by people of all age groups.

 

This sweet, emotionally perceptive book, which talks about transition of sorts, is peppered with just the right amount of slapstick humour.

Like most middle-class boys, Balaji Venkataramanan completed his engineering, joined the IT bandwagon, went onsite and started paying EMIs. Then the bubble burst and Flat Track Bullies happened. A native of Chennai, he’s mighty proud that he comes from the land of idli-sambar, Rajinikanth and the CSK.

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I'd like to thank the publisher for letting me review the book. I do hope you end up liking the book when you read it. Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading!

* I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

** Picture courtesy: Amazon.in, Google

Book Review: Goodbye, Perfect by Sara Barnard

Title: Goodbye, Perfect
Author: Sara Barnard
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Sara Barnard’s ‘Goodbye, Perfect’ is the story of best friends Eden and Bonnie, two teenagers who are just days away from taking their GCSEs. While Eden is the ‘rebel,’ Bonnie is the ‘good’ girl and ‘Head Prefect’ who plays the flute, lives for exams, and is a model student. Poles apart, the two understand each other and are BFFs.

The story begins when one fine Saturday morning Bonnie runs away with her secret boyfriend, Jack, and the police arrives at Eden’s doorstep to question her. For the latter it’s a bit of a surprise as she discovers that the secret boyfriend is their music teacher, Mr Cohn. Eden suddenly finds herself facing the toughest situation of her life. Though she denies knowledge of her best friend’s whereabouts, it’s not true. Bonnie has been in touch with her through her texts. Eden’s dilemma only surmounts as she is sworn to secrecy and bound by loyalty to her friend. She knows she won’t betray her friend for Bonnie was the one who made Eden feel at home in a new school when she was placed with a new foster family. Until Bonnie, Eden hadn't had a proper friend. She wants to do right by her. But what is right — being silent or speaking up?

Sara Barnard tackles some serious issues in this novel and she does so with tremendous empathy. While Eden’s dilemmas are clearly visible, it is Bonnie whose problems don’t seem like much on the surface. Under pressure to be the perfect student, always achieving good grades, and never misbehaving — is it any wonder Bonnie finds her life stifling and falls for the one man who appears to understand her? There are multiple layers of intricate relationships and tensions throughout the story.

Barnard has beautifully captured the voice and experience of teenagers. The issues that she raises hit home with a silent thud. Readers will likely relate to Eden and Bonnie’s struggle to navigate the treacherous teen waters rife with unhealthy relationships, temptations, and self-doubt. It is definitely an amazing story about friendship, family, and loyalty. 

A realistic, worthwhile look at dating violence and unhealthy relationships in teenage years.  

Sara Barnard lives in Brighton and does all her best writing on trains. She loves books, book people and book things. She has been writing ever since she was too small to reach the 'on' switch on the family's Amstrad computer. She gets her love of words from her dad, who made sure she always had books to read and introduced her to the wonders of second-hand bookshops at a young age. 

Sara is trying to visit every country in Europe, and has managed to reach thirteen with her best friend. She has also lived in Canada and worked in India. An important voice in contemporary YA, she is the author of the bestselling, Zoella Book Club choice Beautiful Broken Things, and A Quiet Kind of Thunder.

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I'd like to thank the publisher for letting me review the book. I do hope you end up liking the book when you read it. Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading! 

* I received a review copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

** Picture courtesy: Amazon.in, Goodreads.com

Author Interview: Mark Morrison, Author of TwoSpells

Mark was born number seven of eight children in a small town in Ohio. His family moved to Florida where he grew up, met an incredible women, got married and raised four fantastic children, three boys and a girl.

Many years later an empty nest left him to his true calling, storytelling. His first remarkable story is about a heroin whose courage and unrestrained personality, like his daughters, breathes passion and fervor into this adrenaline packed fantastical story.

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/a storyteller?

Probably somewhere around the age of ten. I think that's when I was becoming self-aware. Before that I can only remember being in a shroud of fog, oblivious to my surroundings, not much was getting through my thick skull before that age.

What motivates you to write and where does your inspiration come from?

I don't seem to need motivating. I have the gift of gab so if I'm not talking I'm channeling my thoughts onto paper. My wife and family have heard most of my stories many many times, so who else can I tell them to, the rest of the world.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story? 

One of my daughters-in-law is a librarian whom I love like my own daughter. So I thought I’d create a story about a library. The story actually started out as a mid-grade fantasy adventure about the internal battle waging between the electronic word of books and the written word within the library. But within a week or so it morphed and turned a whole different direction, not resembling anything of the sort.

What question do you wish that someone would ask about your book(s), but nobody has? Write it out here, and then answer it.

Will there be more of them? Of course I've roughed out a few more of the TwoSpells series already and have almost completed a mid-grade novelette tiled Corky which is also a series.

What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine or do you have any weird, funny, or unusual habits while writing and what are they?

I wake between 2:30 and 3;00 every day, my body clock was set many years ago. I exercise then begin writing while the house is quiet and peaceful. That last until I have to ready myself for work at 6:30. When I'm through work I begin again, usually around 3:30 to 4:00, after I ride my bicycle ten miles (I ride approximately 30-50 miles a week. But on my half day Saturday and off day Sunday I have a ton of time to write if I'm not playing golf.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

Never. My worst fear though is that I'll not live long enough to write all the partially written stories I've concocted and are pinned up in my office or sitting in heaps, strewn about.

What are your current/future projects?

My awesome fantasy adventure children's story Corky which I wrote to entertain children the way these books entertained me; Charlotte's Web, Huckleberry Finn, The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries, and Dr. Seuss. And of course the second in the TwoSpells series is in the works already.

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more than one, how do you balance them?

I fortunately didn't choose it, it chose me. Besides the fantasy world is so much more exciting, there are absolutely no restrictions to hinder creativity.

Are you traditional or self-published, and what process did you go through to get your book published?

Self-published for a few reasons. Most of the successful work I've done in my lifetime was purely performance based. If it's meant to be it's up to me. That gives me full control of my own destiny. Fortunately my oldest son, my mentor and tutor understands the process and has guided me the entire way.

What opportunities have being an author presented you with and share those memories? (i.e. travel, friends, events, speaking, etc...)

The first and most important one is the ability to share my fantasies with the world, hoping they read it of course, and another is interviews like this where I can speak openly about myself and my thoughts.

What field or genre would you classify your book(s) and what attracted you to write in that field or genre?

Fantasy adventure. Like I stated before, there are no training wheels on my creative processes in a fantasy world.

What do you do if inspiration strikes in an inconvenient place like (car, restaurant, bathroom/shower, etc..) and how do you capture that moment before it gets away from you?

It doesn't usually because I carry a pen and notepad everywhere. My wife bought me an electronic voice activated recording device for Christmas a few years ago but I left it sitting on top the old VCR with the flashing time that I couldn't figure out how to set up either.

How do you think you have evolved as a person/author because of your writing and do you believe your writing has helped others, how/why?

This is my first written word; I'll need more time to figure that out. But I can only hope my stories bring a smile to their face, a slight gasp of oxygen and a mumbled, 'that was an outstanding story!'

Do you believe there is value in a review? Do you believe they are under rated, over rated, or don’t matter at all?

Perceived value is what my entire career was built on. I've been extremely successful at what I've done. Isn't that one of the great things that the internet has brought the world, the ability to see what the experts of any given field think or feel first before a commitment is made? I would always trust an expert reviewer more so than a layman who merely dabbles.

What is your biggest fear about having a book published?

The acronym fear means; False Expectations, Appearing, Real. I have no fear what so ever. Win, lose or draw my story was told.

Give us a fun fact about your book(s)?

The cover was masterfully created by a remarkable Ukrainian artist, whom before I wrote this book, I wouldn't have believed could be done by me, from this side of the world.

If you had the chance to get one message out there to reach readers all over the world, what would that message be?

If you'd like to read an action packed fantasy adventure with wonderful and creative characters that'll capture your affections, and is like no other novel before, then read TwoSpells.

What makes a good story, why?

A story folks will remember because it felt like they'd experienced the story with the characters themselves.

Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?

With seven billion people on this planet a whole bunch of them will hate my story potentially but a whole bunch more will love it. I'm certainly not going to be the answer for everyone's taste.

Were your characters based off real life people/events or did you make it all up?

Some of them were modeled after people I've met for sure. But aren't all experiences used in some fashion in our writing?

What is your most/least favorite part of the writing process, why?

Editing! Boring and tedious. I just want it done for folks to read.

Did any of your characters inherit some of your own quirks?

All of them did. I'm their only genetic parent.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

Please give TwoSpells a go!

Sarah and her twin brother Jon are heirs to an ancient magical realm and its most valuable treasure, an enchanted library. The library endows readers with the supernatural means of crossing into the uncharted inner-sanctum of the second dimension, inhabited with peculiar and sometimes perilous creatures.

The children are emboldened with a wondrous mystical gift that no other being has ever possessed. But fate intervenes and triggers a disastrous inter-dimensional war that disrupts the fabric of time and space spanning multiple universes, tearing destiny a new and savage pathway.

The two must rescue their world from a phantom hybrid alien race controlled by a demented dark-wizard, Jeremy Sermack. They will either assimilate or be exterminated.

Will they be the saviors the prophets spoke of, or will they retreat to the perceived safety of their distant homeland?

Amazon

Thank you for this amazing interview! I wish you success for all your future works. Keep writing!

Author Spotlight: C. Kindler

                                           *☆*´¨`☽.*´♡                                                   ♡´*.☽°´¨`*☆*

              ( ☆      AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT ON C. KINDLER      ☆)

                                           ´`★.¸¸,. •°´♡     Hosted by Words Turn Me On       ♡´*•,.¸¸,..★´`

         

A little about C. Kindler

I have lived in Wisconsin for 23 years. I was born and raised in Arlington Hts., Illinois. I am a single mother of three children. I spent most of my life working and caring for my children. After, the youngest one graduated from school, I gave thought to writing a book. I was always told that I had a wild imagination, so, I decided to put it to good use. I absolutely love to read, and surround myself with books. I especially love to read adventure thrillers.

C. Kindler has authored three children’s books, The Adventures of Biker Frog and Lady White Bear: New Beginnings, The Adventures of Biker Frog and Lady White Bear: The Hermit and The Adventures of Biker Frog and Lady White Bear: Revenge of the Widow. Books 1 and 2 each won second place in the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards.

Genre: Children's

When Biker Frog rides up to the pond he calls home on his self-built solar-powered motorcycle, he has no idea that his life is about to change forever. After showing the motorcycle off to his friends at the pond, he takes off on a new journey. Shortly, into the journey, he sees a magnificent, black deer with glistening gold antlers and hooves blocking the road. He serves to miss the deer causing him to lose control and crash. When he wakes up, he finds himself in a magical land of different times. There he meets the brave Lady White Bear, who has mistaken him for a powerful warrior. His motorcycle is believed to be a magical beast created by a spell. Soon, Biker Frog will find himself in the adventures of a lifetime, along with Lady White Bear. There is magic, danger, and new adventures throughout the land, and the two will gather friends from all parts of the land.

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2FIq4ws

Biker Frog is happy about his decision to stay at the castle. He and his solar-powered motorcycle, the Beast, are ready to help Lady White Bear in any way they can. As a royal knight, it is Biker Frog’s duty. As Lady White Bear’s friend, it is an honor to help.

Despite the peace in the land, Biker Frog and Lady White Bear stumble upon a big mystery when they find King Tae captured in a web in the Crooked Tree Forest. Samoen, a fifteen-foot-tall black widow spider, has imprisoned him. To stop Samoen’s rampage and save the kingdom, Biker Frog and Lady White Bear will have to find a sorceress and raise an army!

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2FtnmvB

Biker Frog is a long way from his old frog pond. In his previous adventures, he has traveled to the land of Notellis and met the brave Lady White Bear and her father, King Dannis. Biker Frog and Lady White Bear have saved Notellis twice from danger and disaster. Their latest adventure will take them out of Castle Bearmor and into the Witchlok Mountains.

Biker Frog, now Sir Biker Frog, thanks to King Dannis, has taken Lady White Bear and their friends Gomer and Henry to shop in a local village. It is there that they first hear the legend of a mysterious hermit. It immediately captures Lady White Bear’s imagination, and she insists that the group venture into the mountains to find the hermit’s cave.

Biker Frog realizes that Lady White Bear wants to trick King Dannis so he won’t worry about her. He reluctantly goes along with the plan, but both will find out that their quest is a lot more dangerous than they had imagined. Will the four friends get out of the mountains alive, or will the hermit prove to be too strong a foe?

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2GeIUck

https://wtmowordsturnmeon.blogspot.com/p/wtmo-promotional-services.html

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Promotion Tour: Julia Donaldson, Author of The Gruffalo And Friends

About the Author

Julia Donaldson is the outrageously talented, prize-winning author of some of the world's best-loved children's books, including modern classics The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child, which together have sold over 17 million copies worldwide, and the hugely successful What the Ladybird Heard adventures. Julia also writes fiction, including the Princess Mirror-Belle books illustrated by Lydia Monks, as well as poems, plays and songs - and her brilliant live shows are always in demand. She was Childrens Laureate 2011-13 and has been honoured with an MBE for Services to Literature. Julia and her husband Malcolm divide their time between West Sussex and Edinburgh.

About the Book

This is a rhyming story of a mouse and a monster. Little mouse goes for a walk in a dangerous forest. To scare off his enemies he invents tales of a fantastical creature called the Gruffalo. So imagine his surprise when he meets the real Gruffalo.

Forthcoming Events

Join Julia Donaldson, the number one bestselling author, for an enjoyable and lively hour of songs, stories and audience participation based on her much-loved picture books. Creator of some of the world’s most lovable children's books such as The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child, Room on the Broom, What the Ladybird Heard, A Squash and a Squeeze, Monkey Puzzle....,

Watch Julia bring them live on the stage.

Julia Donaldson will be joined by The Gruffalo!!

For more information please visit: www.gruffalo.com/events

Author Interview: Mayra Calvani, Author of Mamá Graciela’s Secret

About the Book

Mamá Graciela’s TENDER, CRUNCHY, SPICY bacalaítosfritos are the best in town... 

Local customers (including stray cats!) come from all over the island to enjoy her secret recipe. But when the Inspector discovers that Mamá secretly caters to so many cats and he threatens to close her tiny restaurant, Mamá must come up with a plan to save it—and all of the animals she loves. 

About the Author

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her children's picture book, Frederico the Mouse Violinist was a finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards; her anthology Latina Authors and Their Muses was a First Place winner at the 2016 International Latino Book Awards; her nonfiction book, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, was a Foreword Best Book of the Year winner. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications like The Writer, Writer's Journal, Multicultural Review, Bloomsbury Review, and others. 

She lives in Belgium with her husband of 30+ years, two wonderful kids, and her three beloved pets. When she's not writing, editing, reading or reviewing, she enjoys walking with her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family. www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com

About the Illustrator

Born in Queens, New York and living in Los Angeles since 1987, Sheila Fein has always been inspired by the changing world around her. Earning her BA in Design from Buffalo State College of New York, her concentration was on drawing, painting, printmaking, and photography. Sheila's education as an artist has taken her everywhere from Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia to Bath University in England. Today, Sheila Fein runs two figurative workshops, Imaginings Sketch in LA and People Sketchers in Thousand Oaks. She has been featured in numerous collections, magazines, books, solo and group exhibitions. Her paintings and drawings reside in public and private collections. Sheila loves to make the imagination of others a reality and has done so through her commissioned Fein Fantasy Portraits and Interactive Paintings. In addition to being a fine artist Sheila works as an illustrator. She just completed the book "Mama Graciela's Secret" for Maclaren-Cochrane Publishing.

Buy Link

Amazon

Author Interview

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

I started writing stories when I was about 12 years old and have never stopped since then. Writing is such a part of me that it isn’t what I do, it’s who I am. At that time, I was voraciously reading Agatha Christie’s mysteries, so I think that was definitely an influence. I was also a quiet and very introspective child. I could role play for hours at a time, so writing stories became a natural, organic extension of that. 

What motivates you to write and where does your inspiration come from?

I get ideas while writing. As I work on a novel, there are always wonderful surprises. I also get my ideas while doing routine, automatic activities such as walking, driving, washing the dishes, vacuuming, taking a shower, etc. Also, while listening to classical music and movie soundtracks. The music of James Newton Howard inspires me. I often write while listening to his movie scores.

Another thing that inspires me is reading the works of authors I admire: Anne Rice, Donna Tartt, Joyce Carol Oates, especially when I listen to the audiobooks. There’s something about audiobooks that make me want to rush to the computer and write.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

Mama Graciela’s Secret is based on my grandmother! She was an avid dog lover and at one time had close to 30 dogs she had saved from the streets of Ponce, Puerto Rico. She was a deeply compassionate and giving person. I dedicated the book to her. Initially the story was about dogs but I later changed it to cats after an editor suggested it. 

What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine or do you have any weird, funny, or unusual habits while writing and what are they?

It may start with an image, a character, a name, a title. There are no rules, and it’s never the same with every book. Sometimes a single image simmers in my mind for years before it becomes the spark for a story.

Then I mentally play with ideas and the thing that was just an image begins to expand into a web. Simple at first. Then more intricate as I spend more time thinking about it. And I think about it. A lot. While driving, walking, taking a shower, doing housework, etc–routine, monotone activities, which are great for creativity. Once I can’t stop thinking about it, once I become obsessed, that’s when I know I’m ready to start jotting down words and sketching a rough plot.

Often I begin ‘discovering’ the story using Alan Watt’s “Unlock the Story Within” techniques. Once I have a more solid idea of the characters and where I want to go with them, my plotting gets tighter and more detailed, but never at the expense of staying flexible and open to change. In fact, what I love most about the writing process are those surprises that I never saw coming. For plotting, I like Alexandra Sokoloff’s method and Carol Hughes’ Deep Story method, though I don’t always use them for every book. 

Then, after some anxious procrastination, I put my ego aside and sit down and face the blank page. That is never easy. In fact, it is terrifying. Every time. But the need and passion to create is greater, I guess, because finally I just do it.

The plot keeps evolving as I write. I adjust and change things as needed.

Rituals and habits work for me. I write best in the mornings. Unless life gets in the way, I’m at my desk Monday-Friday from 9:30 am to noon. I put my timer and go, with breaks in between. There’s something about using the timer that really works for me. Sometimes I put my headphones and listen to a movie soundtrack, other times I need complete silence. Mostly I write at home in my office, but often with a writing partner at a café. 

Slow but steady. This pretty much describes my progress. I would love to be one of those writers who can cough up a whole novel in four months, but I’m not–not yet, anyway! At the moment, my goal is to increase my writing stamina so I can complete books faster. 

Once I finish the first draft, I spend an agonizing amount of time editing and polishing. My SCBWI critique partners are awesome at pointing out things that I can’t see. Also, I always hire at least two professional editors before I send my manuscript to an agent or publisher, or before I self-publish. I think a professional editor is a writer’s best investment. 

Up until now, it has taken me about two years to fully complete a full-length novel (about 90,000 words) that is ready for submission. As I said, I’m currently “training” myself to increase the length of my writing sessions. 

What are your current/future projects?

My agent is shopping around another picture book of mine. I’m also working on book 2 of my YA Egyptian mythological fantasy series that I write under my pen name Zoe Kalo (www.ZoeKalo.com) and which I hope will be released next spring. Besides these main ones, I always have various projects in different types of development going on, as well as ideas for other books simmering in my mind. People often ask authors how they get their ideas, but the question should be how they handle all the ideas they get. J One of my fears is that I won’t have the time to write them all. 

What do you do if inspiration strikes in an inconvenient place like (car, restaurant, bathroom/shower, etc..) and how do you capture that moment before it gets away from you?

I absolutely must write my ideas down because chances are I’ll forget them. If I have my phone handy, I’ll use the recording app. Otherwise pen and paper or the notes app on my phone. 

What is your biggest fear about having a book published?

That people won’t read it.

What are some events you have attended or participated in that has been a positive experience/influence on/for your writing?

Not events but my travels and upbringing have immensely influenced my writing. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Then I went to college in the States. Then I lived in Istanbul and Ankara for four years, and I’m now settled in Brussels. All these different countries and cultures have colored my writing. My supernatural thriller, Dark Lullaby, is set in Turkey and is based on Turkish folklore. My YA supernatural thriller Chameleon (under my pen name Zoe Kalo) is set in a convent in El Yunque, the Puerto Rican rain forest. My YA fantasy/mystery, The Luthier’s Apprentice, is set in Brussels. And, of course, Mama Graciela’s Secret is set in Puerto Rico. 

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style? 

I’m a bookworm! My favorite authors are Anne Rice, Donna Tartt and Joyce Carol Oates. Thanks to Rice I became enamored with the supernatural, from Tartt I learned about deep characterization and language, and from Oates I learned about form and structure. 

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

“A writer who waits for the ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word to paper.” –E.B. White

I have another favorite: “Beware of advice—even this.” –Carl Sandburg

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Protect your dream/vision and don’t let anybody or anything detract you from it. Do what you have to do to accomplish it. You can’t simply be interested in writing. You have to commit to it. Learn the craft, take courses and/or workshops if you have to, join writer organizations and a critique group. Interact with like souls who actually understand the creative spirit. Above all, read a lot and write a lot, as often as you can. Usually, the longer you stay away from writing, the harder it is to get back to it. And the more you write, the better you get at it.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

Books make great educational gifts for children during the holidays. Mama Graciela’s Secret is a fun and whimsical story with a beautiful message. The story teaches kids (ages 3-7) about compassion for animals, sacrifice, problem solving, and ethnicity. It is available in dyslexic font and there’s an accompanying reading guide for it which is downloadable from my website at www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com. 

I’d also like to invite readers to follow me on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/mayra.calvani. 

Author Interview: Sybrina Durant, Author of 'The Blue Unicorn’s Journey To Osm'

About the Book:

“The metal horned unicorns are doomed!” That’s what Lauda Lead Horn wailed when she first saw the tribe’s new savior. OK, so his horn was not metal. . .and he did not have a magic power. . .and he was really a puny little runt. But doomed? Were things really that bad? 

Well, things were pretty bad in the land of MarBryn. Magh, an evil sorcerer utilized unicorn horns and hooves to create his magical potions and spells. Those he used, to increase his power and to conquer everyone in his path. All of the unicorns from the Tribe of the Metal Horn were now gone . . . except for twelve survivors. 

Before the blue unicorn was born, Numen told Alumna, the aluminum-horned oracle, that he had a plan to bring the tribe back home to Unimaise. His prophecy was, “Only the blue unicorn can join with the Moon-Star. Until then, no new unicorns will be born.” Blue was the last unicorn born. Twenty years later, his horn was still covered with a plain blue colored hide. There was not a glint of metal to be seen on it or his hooves. And he still didn’t have any magic. But he was no longer scrawny and he had his wits. Though no one else in the tribe thought he had a chance, Blue felt ready to make Magh pay for his evil deeds. And he went off to do it alone. That was Blue’s first mistake. If the entire tribe was not standing horn-tip to horn-tip at the proper time and the exact place to help usher the Moon-Star Spirit into Blue’s horn, he would die. Then, the rest of the tribe would really be doomed. 

Readers will follow along two journey paths in this book. Blue is joined in his travels by his mentor Gaiso, the Stag and his friend, Girasol the Firebird as they try to find their way across a danger-filled MarBryn to Muzika Woods. The rest of Blue’s tribe is forced to follow another route due to Nix Nickle Horn’s unfortunate incident with a Manticore. Nix, the great unicorn defender must safely lead the way for Ghel, the Golden-Horned unicorn; Silubhra Silver Horn; Cornum the Brass-Horned unicorn; Steel Horned Style; Cuprum the Copper-Horned unicorn; Tin-Horned Tinam; Dr. Zinko; Iown the Iron-Horned unicorn and the others in an action packed adventure to their destination in Muzika Woods. Both journey paths converge there in the Nebulium Circle.

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

I'm Sybrina. . .. . .Just one of millions of wannabe author/singer/songwriters out there but I hope, after reading or hearing my books and songs, you'll think my contributions to the world have as much value as any other famous artist out there today.

Fame is all in being in the right place at the right time but at least with the internet and venues like this, all of us have opportunities to share our creativity with the world. I'm so happy that I am able to share my works with you. That is awesome!

The books I’ve written span a wide range between illustrated picture books, coloring books and YA novels to technical and how-to books. If you’re so inclined you can read a little bit about the inspiration for each one below.

My latest effort is “The Blue Unicorn’s Journey ToOsm. It is a book I started writing 30 something years ago and never finished. At the time, it was meant to be an epic fantasy along the lines of novels written by Tolkien, Piers Anthony, Ursula K. Le Guin and other amazing fantasy writers. I’ve pulled out my notes, dusted off the outline and began rewriting and expanding upon the 50 pages I had began. This story is now available as an Illustrated Book for teens and older readers in full color and in black and white, too. The black and white version is a "Read and Color" book. Read a chapter, then color the following pages. How fun is that? There is also a picture book for pre-schoolers called Unicorns FromUnimaise - The Magical Metal-Horn Trobe. A longer version of the chapter book will soon be available as an Illustrated Novel with a companion glossary called, The Marbryn Compendium. All of the fantastic fantasy illustrations are by Dasguptarts. There is also a companion coloring/character description book, edited by Calyie Martin. It will introduce potential readers to the myriad of characters, places and things in the story.

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Interview

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/storyteller?

I’ve wanted to be a storyteller ever since I learned to read. 

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

I came up with the idea for my current story nearly 40 years ago.  I had read some fantasy books about centaurs and fairies and unicorns and wanted to write one of my own.  I was also very interested in the science of things.  I started researching metals and different things about them.  What color would the flame be when a certain metal burned?  What medical or other industrial properties might the metal have?  I started cataloguing the information and decided to write a book about metal horned unicorns with magical powers related to the metals of their horns.  There would be 12 in all but one would have no metal and no magic.  The story would be his quest to find his power and to save his tribe from extinction.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

I think everyone has writer’s block from time to time. Re-reading what I’ve written helps me move forward with my writing. New ideas jump out at me and before long I find myself writing for hours without realizing the time has passed so quickly. Also, if I’m having a really hard time trying to figure out what should happen next in a story, I’ll sleep on it. I’ll make a conscious decision to dream about the book and will wake up with fresh ideas.

What are your current/future projects?

My current and several future projects all revolve around The Blue Unicorn. I think I must be crazy because I’ve never heard of another writer going to the extremes I have with this story.  It actually started out as a fantasy novel for adults. I had already written most of that novel but after being introduced to the incredible artwork of Sudipta Dasgupta, I put it aside and decided to create this illustrated version of the book for a younger audience. I re-wrote the text so that it would fit into the confines of 2 pages of text for every 2 page illustrated spread.  This book ended up with over 40 magnificent illustrations. The amount of illustrations brought on a unique problem that I had not anticipated. It made the cost of the printed book exorbitant. That was very disappointing for me because although the book is available in ebook and audio book formats - print is definitely the best medium for something so lavishly illustrated.  I didn’t want to split the book up into 2 or more volumes, so I came up with a less costly solution for print – a black and white illustrated version of the book.  It turned out an added bonus of black and white printing is that the book can function as a coloring book, too.  I call this version a “Read and Color” book. Read a chapter and color the following illustration.  How fun is that?  In a couple of weeks, I’ll be publishing a picture book to introduce little children to the Blue Unicorn called Unicorns From Unimaise – The Magical Metal-Horn Tribe. Then, next year, I’ll finally publish that original novel. In fact, the glossary for it is so long that I’ll be publishing it separately. It will be called the MarBryn Compendium.   

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more than one, how do you balance them?

I absolutely love fantasy books so I wanted to try my hand at writing one to see where my imagination might take me.  But I also love to categorize information so I write technical documents and instructional books, too.  Writing in such opposite extremes actually helps balance your brain.  Although this book is fantasy, I’ve done a lot of research on a vast variety of subjects and categorized it in the best way possible to pull, thread, knit the story into the form it is today.

Are you traditional or self-published, and what process did you go through to get your book published?

I am self-published.  That is the most assured way for an author to get their books out to the public these days.  Oh sure, I’d love for some big publishing or film  company to discover my books and offer me a contract for the next great life-like animated movie but while I’m waiting I’m going to do as much as possible myself.  Along with being self-published I also get to decide how to promote and market the book and any book bling that I might come up with.  So far, I’ve got trading cards, mugs, t-shirts and more which are all available online.

How do you think you have evolved as a person/author because of your writing and do you believe your writing has helped others, how/why?

A long time ago, I went to a psychic who told me that I would help a lot of people with my writing.  I wasn’t even writing then so I wondered why she would say such a thing.  Years later, I wrote and self-published a very helpful illustrated book called “Learn To Tie A Tie With The Rabbit And The Fox”.  Her words came back to me and I wondered, “Is this the book she meant that I would help others with?”  Learning to tie a tie is something that most people have no interest in any longer so that’s probably not what she was referring to.   Whether her words will ever turn out to be true or not, I have written several other books since then and have always tried to keep the thought in mind that I’m supposed to be helping others some way with my writing.  It’s a good motivation for me.

Do you believe there is value in a review? Do you believe they are under rated, over rated, or don’t matter at all?

I believe there is great value in a review that has been written with great thought and consideration.  As a writer, I want to know what a reader really thinks about my work.  We live in an amazing time where, a book (well a self-published book anyway) never has to be in its absolute final state of publication.  If the words of a reviewer are truly valid or profound enough to inspire change, it could be the catalyst to do some rewriting to republish a better version of the story.  

What is your biggest fear about having a book published?

That no one will ever know that it exists.  Of course, that fear is alleviated to a great extent because of people like you who guide readers to new books.  Writers of book blogs are amazing and inspiring and can have a great impact on the reading lists of their followers.  But more than that they can literally guide them to books that might possibly be impactful enough to change their lives.

What is the intended audience for you book?

Teens and older readers are the intended audience for The Blue Unicorn’s Journey To Osm Illustrated Book.  I grew up devouring illustrated books like Brother’s Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.  The words of those stories drew me in but the illustrations took me places that my imagination had not yet conceived.  I wanted to offer that kind of experience to teens and anyone else who loves to drink in the imagery of an artist’s imagination.  

Give us a fun fact about your book(s)?  

I offer free coloring pages from the fantastic book illustrations to anyone who wants them.  All you need to do is ask and I’ll send you a link to download them.  And I’d love to display your work on the book’s Facebook page.  Just send an email to Sybrina at Sybrina dot com with the subject line “Free Coloring Pages”. 

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Do it!  Start now! There is absolutely no reason not to.  For better or worse, today anyone can write and self-publish a book.  You can instantly place it on mediums where readers might potentially find it and you can do this for free.  Because of the tools we have available now and because of the internet, nothing could be easier.  But don’t think that just because your book is available for sale somewhere on the world wide web that others will find it on their own.  The competition for attention is immense.  In the US alone, literally hundreds of new books are offered for sale on online book stores every single day.  That is a mind boggling fact of the writing world.  It will be up to you to make it known.  From there - who knows how far it might travel.  The main thing is – if you have a story to tell and you want to share it – don’t let anything stop you from trying.  Anything can happen.