BREAKING NEWS - THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY

Click to pre-order.

THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY - WHAT I FOUND

I'm having a blast on the online tour for THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY!  Some fabulous, really intelligent, thoughtful blog reviews have also gone live.  Check out the Tour Page for links to all the live stops and the reviews.

Some of the most fun I've had is putting together vlogs...Last week, Susan at TheArtofNotGettingPublished observed that Auggie and Gus make art from found objects, and asks what I "found" while writing my books.  Here's my answer:



Be sure to check back in on the Tour Page next week, for links to the latest stops!

CALLING ALL BLOGGERS - COVER REVEAL FOR MY THIRD YA, FERAL

My third YA, FERAL, is set to release this summer...and I'm calling on my fabulous bloggers to help spread the word!  I'm now organizing a cover reveal, which will take place on 2/13.

All you have to do to participate is fill out the form below.  I'll shoot you the image, to be posted on your blog on lucky 13!

If you have trouble with the form, contact me directly at writehollyschindler (at) yahoo (dot) com. 

GREAT REVIEW FOR THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY FROM BCCB

Woo-hoo!  This just came from my editor at Penguin.  Couldn't wait to share this review from THE BULLETIN FOR THE CENTER OF CHILDREN'S BOOK STUDIES:

Auggie Jones desperately wants to discover her shine, because it seems like everybody she knows has a talent: her best friend, Lexie, creates striking hairstyles, neighbor Irma Jean alters rags into stylish clothing, and classmate Weird Harold has a remarkable aptitude for facts and figures. Starting at Dickerson Elementary after her old school closes gives Auggie—named for the grandfather who takes care of her—the perfect chance to discover her own hidden talents. Soon, though, Lexie falls under the spell of resident mean girl Victoria, who makes no attempt to disguise her disdain for Auggie’s masculine name, her grandfather Gus’ work (trash hauling), or Serendipity Place, the neighborhood Auggie has called home all her life. When Victoria and her father, the head of the town’s newly formed House Beautification Committee, target Serendipity Place, residents scurry to meet their requirements as best they can. Determined to save her home, Auggie finds inspiration in the trash hauled by Grampa Gus and in items donated by neighbors, and soon pottery shards, vivid glass, and metal sculptures transform the house’s exterior into a vibrant expression of the love within its walls. In Auggie, Schindler creates a spunky, sympathetic character young readers will engage with and enjoy. Though the voice and even elements of the plot are derivative of DiCamillo’s Because of Winn Dixie, the lively narration is enjoyable, and the diverse cast of characters (Auggie herself is African American, though many in her neighborhood are white) brings meaningful messages of community and self-respect to the fore. Some readers may wish Schindler had provided more detailed descriptions of the sculptures, but aspiring artists and anyone else looking for their shine will appreciate this satisfying portrait of a young girl and her close-knit community. 

THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY 1ST BLOG REVIEW + TOUR + SIGNED SWAG

This is it, folks!  The blog tour for THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY starts tomorrow, over at Inkygirl.  

Also, the very first blog review went live over the weekend, at TheArtofNotGettingPublished.  (I'm so often so impressed with the intelligence and thoughtfulness of blog reviews; this one is fantastic.  If you're a fan of well-written reviews, be sure to follow Susan at her blog.)
 

Speaking of lovely reviews, on Goodreads, Darlene Beck-Jacobson (who is part of the blog tour) had this to say:

“Auggie's voice is as original as the sculptures she and Gus create, shining and radiating with love for the people and things in her world. Fresh prose sparkles and lights up each page. This book makes me want to stand up for injustice, embrace creativity and make something new from something old. This book should be on every middle-grade child's reading list.”

I love that Darlene mentioned Auggie's voice.  To hear more of that voice yourself, check out the following video:

Don't forget to pre-order the book!  Anyone who pre-orders will automatically be entered to win a signed bookplate.  Email writehollyschindler (at) yahoo (dot) com to tell me you've ordered. 

IN MY MAILBOX: THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY!

Guess what arrived in my mailbox last week (just in time for my birthday, no less)?  A finalized copy of THE JUNCTION OF SUNSHINE AND LUCKY!

For more on THE JUNCTION, watch the trailer:



To pre-order, click here.

WARMER SEASONS

By now, it's not news at all that we're having an utterly rotten winter here in the Ozarks.  But I just can't seem to bring myself to take pictures of the massive inches of snow or the icicles hanging off the house.  It's evidence of melting—the sight of the ground poking through the white stuff—that makes me want to break out the camera.

I think I just prefer the look of a good thaw...I like the look of a cold, hard time giving way to a warmer season...