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Four Literary Ways to Beat Time Change yucks

3/9/2018

6 Comments

 

​Ah, springtime!  Chirping robins. Tender blossoms, AND ... cue the collective moan ... spring ahead clocks one hour. 
 
This weekend signals the annual time shift (in the US).  An inescapable event.  Like needing a root canal.  When possible, I take vacation on the Monday following the switch.  Cannot face springing ahead to the office minus 60 minutes of sleep.
 
To ease your transition, read on to find four literary and entertainment classics that will help you feel more kindly about time.

Four Literary Ways to Beat Time Change Yucks - catmichaelswriter.com


​For Middle-Grade, YA Readers
 
A Wrinkle in Time
By Madeleine L’Engle

Four Literary Ways to Beat Time Change Yucks - catmichaelswriter.com
Timey-Wimey
Three supernatural beings transport teen Meg Murry and friends through the universe by tessering or folding back the universe to create a  wrinkle in time and space.
 
About the Book
​The first of four books about Meg and friends, this children’s sy-fy classic published in 1963 immerses readers in brilliant adventures and imaginative worlds. 
 
Meg, a bright high-schooler, struggles at school and doesn’t fit in with the crowd. Her brother, Charles Wallace, has the same challenges. Everyone thinks Charles Wallace is dumb, but he’s actually a genius with the unique gift of reading people’s minds.  He befriends three aliens, Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which, who whisk away the siblings and Meg’s friend, Calvin O’Keefe, to new worlds. 
 
This is more than a jolly jaunt. The children are on a mission to save Meg’s gifted scientist father held captive by aliens on a distant planet.  They must also find a way to destroy the Dark Thing, an evil force threatening to take over the universe. 

What You'll Love About Wrinkle in Time
This book cemented my love of fantasy and science-fiction when I read it as a teen. But there was a depth to this tale Teen Cat didn’t realize.

Like Meg, I didn’t fit with the high school crowd.  My adolescences felt lonely and unhappy. Engle delivers subtle messages I now recognize about inclusivity, courage and friendship.  Her writing shows that everyone deserves to be loved; everyone can find courage to break from the pack and embrace his or her unique path.  The author crafts gems like:
​
"If you aren’t unhappy sometimes you don’t know how to be happy."
​
"I’m different, and I like being different."

"There’s nothing the matter with his mind. 
​He just does things in his own way and his own time."


​When Ava Duverny’s film, starring Oprah Winfrey, Mindy Kaling and Reese Witherspoon as the three Misses, opens in March 2018, a new generation of young readers will find their wrinkle in time. And you'll be lining up at the Cineplex alongside them to rediscover L’Engle’s wonders.



​The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick 
Four Literary Ways to Beat Time Change Yucks - catmichaelswriter.com
Timey-Wimey
Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lovingly tends to 27 clocks in the great Paris train station of 1931. Author Brian Selznick also turns clocks back metaphorically in a charming scene about the early days of the cinema and one of the first motion pictures made, Georges Méliès’ A Trip to the Moon.   
 
About the Book
Hugo lives hidden in the walls of the busy train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world collides with an eccentric bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the station, Hugo's undercover life and his most precious secret are in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, treasured notebook, stolen key, mechanical man, and hidden message from Hugo's dead father drive this intricate and tender mystery.
 
What You'll Love About Hugo
The book’s 500 pages won’t put kids off because text is padded with drop-dead illustrations that earned the author/artist a 2008 Caldecott Medal.  Hugo is more like a graphic novel, and that’s a kid magnet right there, especially for reluctant readers, who use drawings for content clues.  Hey, you'll be dazzled by Selznick's glorious illustrations, too.

Like Wrinkle in Time, 2011's charming film retelling of this tale will have you and the kids wanting a closer look at the book. 



​For Grown-ups


The Time Keeper
By Mitch Albom
Four Literary Ways to Beat Time Change Yucks - catmichaelswriter.com
​
Timey-Wimey
In this short fable, the first man on earth to count hours on a clock morphs into Father Time.
 
About the Book
The inventor of the world's first clock is punished for trying to measure God's greatest gift, time. The mortal is banished to a cave for centuries and forced to listen to the voices of all who come after him seeking more days, more years, more TIME.

Eventually, with his soul nearly broken, Father Time is granted his freedom, along with a magical hourglass and a chance to redeem himself IF he can teach two earthly people the true meaning of time.
 
What You’ll Love about The Time Keeper
In the mood for a gentle, quick read? This one nails it.  Like his Tuesdays with Morrie and Five People You Meet in Heaven, Albom crafts another feel-good read
 
The plot unfolds between three main characters: Father Time, a dying elderly businessman, and a heart-broken teenage girl.  Though the author’s non-linear plot shifts between time periods (think moving from the Tower of Babel to 21st-century iPhones) and from multiple perspective of its diverse trio of protagonists, Albom ties the pieces together perfectly.  Best, he delivers that happy ending.

Four Literary Ways to Beat Time Change Yucks - catmichaelswriter.com
From "The Timekeeper"

For Geeks and Sci-Fi Fans Ages 9 and Up

Blink
Doctor Who
Season 3, Episode 10


Timey-Wimey
From the Doctor himself: Best. Description. Ever!
People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly ... time-y wimey ... stuff.

About Blink
Blink is one of my all-time fave Dr. Who episodes.  Featuring David Tennant’s Doctor #10 and a young Carey Mulligan as heroine Sally Sparrow, the Doctor travels across time to save the world from the demonic Weeping Angels.

These creepy statues remain rooted in place and look innocent ... until you blink.  Then they stalk you, coming nearer with each closed eyelid, and turn you to stone. Super-scary!  First time I saw this episode, I covered my eyes with a pillow in every shot where the Angels menaced and tried not to blink.
 
In a now-classic scene, Sally Sparrow plays a recorded message the Doctor made in the future for her.  He offers Sally a brilliant explanation of time travel, so that she will believe him and take necessary action to ward off Weeping Angels in her time. Here’s the priceless 15-second snippet:
​


​What You’ll Love About The Weeping Angels
Director Stephen Moffat excels at making ordinary things scary.  You will never look at a statue the same way again!  Delightfully frightful, but not gory or sensationalized, Blink is a perfect boo-fest for kids 9 years and older.

Your Turn
​I hope these four gems help lessen your time change chaos.  What do you do to cope with losing an hour or traveling across time zones?  Or are you among the lucky ones not bothered by time shifts?  Please share your thoughts in the comment section.   

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Kid Lit Preview, Blog Tour: Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper

3/3/2018

4 Comments

 
I love meeting authors and learning about new books. That's why I'm pleased to partner with BeachBoundBooks on our Blog Tour for a new children's middle grade adventure, "Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper," by Fiona Ingram.  Fiona pens a crackling tale of treasure, ghosts, and mystery in this third book from her "The Chronicles of the Stone" series. 

Read on to ...
  • learn about the book
  • meet the author
  • watch a video preview
  • read an excerpt

And before you go, please scroll to the end to enter for your chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card/PayPal cash in a Rafflecopter giveaway (must enter by 19 March!)​​

About the Book



Title: The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper (The Chronicles of the Stone, Book 3) | Author: Fiona Ingram | Publisher: Bublish, Inc | Publication Date: November 17, 2017| Genre: Children's Adventure | Number of Pages: 318


Description: Continuing the adventure that ended in Britain just a short while ago, cousins Adam and Justin Sinclair, with their friend Kim Maleka, are now hunting for the third Stone of Power, one of seven mysterious stones lost centuries ago. The third stone might be located in an ancient city, hidden in the depths of the Mexican jungle. When their small plane crashes in the jungle, Adam, Justin, Kim, and James are rescued by an uncontacted tribe. James, who is wounded, must stay behind as the kids, with only their young guide, Tukum, make their way through the dangerous jungle to find the city. River rafting on a crocodile-infested river and evading predators are just part of this hazardous task.

Of course, their old adversary Dr. Khalid is close behind as the kids press on. But he is not the worst of their problems. This time Adam will clash with a terrible enemy who adopts the persona of an evil Aztec god, Tezcatlipoca, and is keen to revive ancient tradition of human sacrifice. Adam, Justin, and Tukum must play a dreadful game of life and death. Will they survive? Will Dr. Khalid find the third Stone of Power before they do?

Watch the Book Video


About the Author

I am a children’s author, but up until a few years ago, I was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked my new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with my mother and two young nephews. We had a great time and I thought I’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, I had changed careers. I have now published Book 3 (The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper) in my MG adventure series Chronicles of the Stone, with many awards for the first book, The Secret of the Sacred Scarab, and a few for Book 2, The Search for the Stone of Excalibur, and one already for Book 3! I also teach online novel writing for aspiring authors and I find that very satisfying. Relaxation time finds me enjoying something creative or artistic, music, books, theatre or ballet. I love doing research for my book series. I love animals and have written two animal rescue stories. I have two adorable (naughty) little dogs called Chloe and Pumpkin, and a beautiful black cat called Bertie.

Facebook ~ Book Website ~ Twitter ~ Author Website ~ Blog
Google+ ~ Amazon ~Goodreads


Enjoy an Excerpt
 The Temple of the Crystal Timekeeper
by Fiona Ingram

​
They squelched through the soggy undergrowth, following Tukum as he headed away from the river. Hours seemed to pass as they wound their way back into the hot, green, endless tunnel that was the jungle. Just trees, ferns, more trees and more ferns, more insects buzzing and hovering, more birds screeching and monkeys constantly screaming as they leaped from branch to branch. Adam grew tired of the racket. Who would have thought the jungle was so noisy?

One good thing about the disgusting dye they wore was that it kept the insects away, even after their dunking in the river. Adam swatted the air in front of his face to chase away the occasional gnat, but no mosquitos had attacked. Back home, the “mozzies,” as they called mosquitoes, seemed to go for Adam. Gran always said they must like the taste of his blood.

Perspiration beaded on his forehead and trickled down his face. His feet felt like lead, making his legs ache as he mechanically lifted each foot and plonked it down in front of the other. The scarab in his pocket knocked against his leg each time he moved. It also seemed to weigh a ton now, but just having it was reassuring. Sweat coated his body, and his tunic, still damp from being in the river, felt coarse and scratchy. He wasn’t alone. Even Justin appeared to be tiring, his usual bold stride slackening with every step. Adam could hear him panting. Kim stumbled along next to Adam, looking exhausted. Once, she almost fell. When he reached out to help her, Kim shook her head.

“I’m okay. I must keep up. I’ve got to do this by myself.”

Only Tukum maintained the grueling pace without any signs of fatigue. He sped ahead, a slim shadow dodging through the trees and undergrowth. At one point, Adam imagined that Tukum had disappeared altogether. Panic rose inside him and he almost threw up out of sheer terror—the terror of now being so far off any beaten track, with no hope of rescue. Then Tukum reappeared. Kim and Justin, plodding along with lowered heads, didn’t even notice he had been gone from view for those few moments. Tukum waved to them.

Adam waved back and tried to move faster, but every step was agony. A cramp stabbed in his side and his lungs were on fire as each breath came with a huge, burning gasp.


Blog Tour Giveaway

Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card or $25 PayPal cash prize, winner's choice Giveaway ends: March 19, 11:59 pm, 2018 Open to: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Fiona Ingram and is hosted and managed by Stacie from BeachBoundBooks. If you have any additional questions feel free to send an email to [email protected].

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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