Katie's Book Basket - NEST by Esther Ehrlich

It's high time I started blogging again. And what better way than to start with a book? I finished this lovely novel two nights ago. I wish, wish, wish, I wouldn't have read it so fast. Here are some fast facts:

Author - Esther Ehrlich (her first novel, a middle grade)

Setting - Cape Cod

Main Character - Chirp (be ready to fall in love with her)

Chirp's sidekick - Joey (be ready to fall in love with him)

Plot - Chirp's mother is ill, and Joey, Chirp's neighbor, lives in an abusive situation. Together these two tweens navigate difficult times and circumstances, learning the meaning of true friendship along the way.

Why I love this book - Esther's writing is so realistic. It's full of laughter and sadness, both at the same time, just the same as real life. The relationship she develops between Chirp and Joey is perfect. And the relationship between Chirp and her other family members is completely genuine. This is the kind of story you have to keep reading. And once you're done, you just keep thinking about the characters and how the rest of their lives play out.

I'm telling you, this is good, good writing. Thanks, Esther Ehrlich, for a beautiful, touching novel. I look forward to reading your future books!

Thanks for stopping by,

Katie M. 

Highlights Unworkshop Scholarship!

My last post was just over a year ago. If you know me, you know why. Life got a bit crazy for awhile. If you don't know me too well, let's just say life can dramatically change overnight.

But, that doesn't mean I stopped writing! I just didn't have the time to blog about it. Here are some writing updates:

~ In summer 2013, I signed my first book contract with State Standards Publishing. I've written a 4 book series on the geographical regions of Indiana. The books are targeted to a fourth grade level and I'm almost finished with revisions.

~ I took on the position of Assistant Regional Advisor and went to Los Angeles for the annual SCBWI conference.

~ Just last weekend we held our spring Indiana SCBWI conference, which was splendid! No major glitches and I met some wonderfully talented, kind and inspiring faculty and attendees. Here's a selfie I took early the morning I left. I'm never sure where to look when I do a selfie!

~ Perhaps the most exciting writing event happened this week.... My application was selected as the winner for a Highlights Unworkshop Scholarship, offered by an amazingly generous and talented group of writers! You can read about it on Kristy Dempsey's blog http://kristydempsey.wordpress.com/2014/04/15/highlights-unworkshop-scholarship-winner/#comments

My heartfelt thanks to Kristy Dempsey, Loree Griffin Burns, Katy Duffield, Kathy Erskine, Alma Fullerton, Sara Lewis Holmes, Anne Marie Pace, Tanya Goulette Seale, Linda Urban, and Casandra Reigel Whetstone for choosing me to go and believing in my novel!

Thanks for stopping by,
Katie M.