Sometimes You Just Need To Laugh

With all that's going on in the world right now, I think we all need a good laugh. So here's some fun YouTube videos. Enjoy!

Carrie Mouse Cover Reveal Scavenger Hunt

It's cover reveal time! I'm so excited about this. It's going to be awesome and you're going to love it. I'm telling you, my sister is one talented person.

We're going to do a scavenger hunt. The cover has been cut into nine different pieces and scattered across the blogosphere. Collect them all, piece them together (you can use something like PiZap.com if you don't have a collage creator handy), and email it to me at hunekeauthor(at)gmail(dot)com to be entered in an extra special giveaway: A book signed by both the author and the illustrator and a handmade Carrie Mouse doll to be shipped upon publication of the book. All entries must be submitted by midnight EDT on Thursday, September 20. The winner will be announced Friday, September 21 right here on my blog. Giveaway open to U.S. residents only.

Here's piece number one to get you started. Links to the other pieces will be down below.

The Music of a Story

GeorgiaPolitics

Resting Life

Writings, Ramblings, and Reflections
Knitted By God's Plan

Unicorn Quester

Living Life With a High Destination

Shire Reviews

About the Book

Martha Squirrel made her journey down the big hill seem like a grand adventure. But what happens when Carrie Mouse disobeys her mama and explores the giant garage?

Inspired by a true story, Carrie Mouse and the Giant Garage tells the story of a young mouse who gets trapped in the garage of the human house at the bottom of the hill. Beautifully illustrated with clay sculptures, this is a book you won’t want to miss!

Coming October 22!

About the Illustrator

Rebekah Huneke is a homeschool graduate who lives in Georgia with her parents, sisters, and yellow Labrador named Sophie. She has been working with Sculpey since age nine, and sells her creations in the Klay Kottage Etsy shop. She also creates and sells stuffed animals and knitted goods. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, and playing cello and piano. Carrie Mouse and the Giant Garage is her first book.

To learn more about Rebekah and her work, visit:

www.etsy.com/shop/klaykottage

or

follow @klaykottage on Instagram

Carrie Mouse Cover Reveal Sign-Up

It's almost cover reveal time! I'm really excited about sharing the Carrie Mouse cover with y'all. The book has received very positive feedback from everyone who's seen it so far, and I have to say, Rebekah did a fabulous job with all the illustrations. This book is going to be terrific! Saying the book is amazing isn't patting myself on the back, by the way. I may have written it, but it's all about the illustrations. So I'm bragging on my very awesome, unbelievably talented sister. :) You guys are going to be so impressed.

So we need help sharing the cover. We're going to do this as a scavenger hunt, so we need plenty of people to post pieces of the cover. Collect all the pieces, send it in, and be entered to win a copy of the book and a Carrie Mouse doll. And if you post a piece of the cover, you're still eligible to enter the contest. Go ahead, sign up, and we'll get this show on the road!

The Liebster Award Again

So the Liebster Award is going around again, and Shantelle tagged me in it. It's been awhile since I've done a tag, so I'm going for it. Thanks, Shantelle!

The Rules:

Thank the person who nominated you

Answer the 11 questions they gave you

Name 11 facts about you

Nominate 11 bloggers to do this tag, and let them know

Give them 11 questions to answer

Shantelle's Questions

1. What did you eat for your last meal?

As of writing, a hard boiled egg and milk. I'm not big into breakfast. I mean, I like breakfast food, but I'm not usually particularly hungry until later in the day.

2. What's the best part of your average week?

Sunday morning. Even though it's the day I have to get up the earliest, I love getting to church early, practicing music with my friends on the worship team, spending the morning worshiping and learning about God, and getting a hug (or several) from my seven-year-old "bestie." I always hate when Sunday is over and can't wait for it to come again.

3. Where is the most amazing place you've been?

That one's tough. Really tough. I'm torn between Disney World and Mount Vernon. I guess one for my Disney geek side, and one for my history nerd side. Disney is so much fun (though I am kinda annoyed they got rid of some of my favorite attractions at Hollywood Studios, even though Galaxy's Edge sounds beyond amazing, especially after riding Flight of Passage). And then there's George Washington's beyond beautiful plantation that I loved so much. I totally understand why he was always wanting to go home. I want to live somewhere like that.

4. One question you'd ask your favorite author?

Oh, dear. What would I ask? I'd be asking C. S. Lewis... But I'm having a hard time thinking of a good question. I'd probably end up thanking him for writing my all time favorite fiction series and telling him what an impact it made on my life. Though I might ask him why Digory and Polly didn't get married and if Jill and Eustace would have if they'd lived longer. Yes, I totally ship them.

5. What's your favorite thing to do in the summer?

I like being able to go outside. Not that I can't in the winter, but I'm a wimp about cold (even Georgia cold), so I don't. I do the heat a little better. I like being able to sit out on the porch to read and write, and I also like going for hikes and riding my bike.

6. Last new author you tried out? (Did you like the book?)

I'm going to discount the random nonfiction books that came across the desk at the library and I decided to take home, and go with the most recent fiction author: R.J. Palacio. I loved Wonder. It was so good. And I got the book and movie for my birthday, so yay!

7. What's the craziest thing you've done?

Probably gagging myself for story research. Yeah... I did that.

8. What's a character trait you admire in others?

Patience. I'm learning a lot about patience these days, though I often quote the Doctor: "Patience is for wimps." I also admire people who can get up early in the morning even when they don't have to be somewhere.

9. What's your favorite genre (to read)? What draws you to it?

That's another hard one. I like lots of genres, and it really depends on my mood. But as my top favorite books are fantasy, I'll go with that.

10. What's one book that you wish more people knew about?

Scrolling through my Goodreads... The first one to stand out is The Jefferson Lies by David Barton. There are so many lies people believe about Thomas Jefferson, and I wish more people would read this book as it does such a good job debunking them.

11. Do you like to cook/bake?

Cook, yes. Bake, no. I'm no good at yeast, and baking is more precise, so "throw a bunch of stuff together and hope it tastes good" doesn't really work. But I really enjoy cooking. Especially casseroles.

11 Random Facts About Me

1. I asked for and was excited to get new bike tires and a darning egg for my birthday. I know I'm weird. But hey, I asked for a broom and a mop for my eighth birthday, so it's not unprecedented.

2. It's hard to teach vibrato when it's been four/five years since you learned it yourself and you have to focus on your student's recital piece instead.

3. I hate glitter. With a vengeance. I recently made my sister a Belle dress using glitter organza and there was glitter all. over. the. house. I couldn't stand it. Especially when mopping didn't get rid of nearly all of it.

4. I'm better at imitating Pauline Baynes than John Tenniel. I recently discovered this while drawing a sign for a classics display at the library.

5. Vivaldi is my favorite composer. And The Four Seasons is the best.

6. I arranged a Star Wars medley duet for one of my piano students. It's awesome and I can't wait to play it with him at the recital next month.

7. I write better in a notebook than on the computer. I feel the words better when I'm using a pencil, and I love little notebooks.

8. I can't spell staccato without autocorrect. I'm good at English spelling, but I feel so sabotaged by the fact that music terms are in Italian. 

9. I've taught an impromptu ballet lesson in the last month and a half. What can I say? If a little girl is trying to do ballet, I like to jump in and teach her the real thing.

10. I love listening to audiobooks. I've recently listened to several Series of Unfortunate Events and finished my reread of Catching Fire on audio, while sewing, doing dishes, while sorting laundry, while ironing, while driving to and from piano. Eaudiobooks are the best, and so is Overdrive/Libby. I'm glad my library seems to be adding some more titles I'm actually interested in (in the juvenile department...yes, I still love juvenile fiction).

11. My favorite part of my job at the library is sending people home with great books I loved. Like Misty of Chincoteague and Encyclopedia Brown and Chocolate Fever and Trixie Belden and Something Upstairs and The BFG. It's especially great when people come back telling me how much they loved the book, like both people I've talked to about The Scarlet Pimpernel did. I just wish we'd get a copy of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe at my branch.

I'm going to just leave this tag open for anyone who wants it. If you do it, leave a link in the comments so I can see your post.

Questions to Answer

1. What is your favorite song?

2. Do you play an instrument? If so, which one, and if not, which one would you like to learn?

3. Which book have you reread the most?

4. What is your favorite day of the week?

5. What is your favorite vacation place?

6. Do you like spending time outside?

7. What household chore do you dread most?

8. Do you like driving? If you don't have your license yet, are you looking forward to getting it?

9. Do you like sweet tea or dirty water (unsweet tea)?

10. Are you registered to vote, or planning to register as soon as you are eligible?

11. What is the saddest movie you have ever seen?

Kendra's Bookshelf Overhaul

My good friend Kendra is getting brand new covers for all her books! They're all very cool and so much better than the original covers. Makes me almost wish I'd waited for the second editions. 

Kendra's also holding a giveaway of not one, not two, but ALL SIX of her books in their shiny new covers. How do you enter? Comment on any of the cover reveal posts or any post on Kendra's blog, post a review, write a fanfic, ask her characters questions... Find out all the details here. 

I'm combining this post with a tag Kendra's doing, so in between covers, I'll be answering some of Kendra's questions.

1. How long have you been following Knitted By God's Plan and how did you find me?

A long time. I can't remember exactly, but I noticed your books through Homeschooled Authors, downloaded The Ankulen for free and read it in an evening in 2014, we derailed GR threads together, and the rest is history.

Tagline: Two twins in a fairy tale world must find their Fairy Godmother before their eighteenth birthday, lest they forever be stuck with the other’s gift.

Paperback ~ FREE ebook

Revision notes: I sent this book to my kindle, tore it to shreds, then retyped the whole thing, making every word fight to stay in the book. I completely rewrote one chapter, and added/expanded several scenes, focusing on character development and pacing, in particular Robin’s character.

2. If you've read any of my books, which? And which are your favorites?

I've read them all, even the short stories, and Lady Dragon, Tela Du is my favorite by far. Though Love and Memory may fight for that position, if you ever finish it.

 

Tagline: A prince’s quest for allies against his misery uncle and a madcap race to get home for a wedding

Revision notes: This book has one added chapter, a few (potentially) added scenes, and a severe edit. Again, focus is going to Robin’s character development. I hadn’t the maturity to completely handle her emotional situation when I wrote this book, and now I intend to fix that.

3. If you could redesign any of my covers, how would it look? Feel free to photoshop something, or just describe it.

WPFP to have more fire and water. Maybe kinda like that one pin on your Pinterest board. Or something like that. I'm not feeling very artistic right now.

 

Tagline: Prince Arthur’s quest to take back his kingdom, and Casperl’s quest to find out how, exactly, he’s a prince.

Revision notes: This book was mostly clean … but it’s getting a part two. AKA, book 3.5, The Quest for a Quince, AKA, Casperl’s story. There will be a edit to part one, though.

4. Of my WIP's, which are you most eager for me to finish and publish?

Love and Memory. Obviously. Who couldn't have guessed that?

5. Which of my Pinterest Storyboards do you find the most intriguing? 

That would probably have to be Rizkaland. Though I have to admit, I haven't looked extensively at any of the others.

The following three books were designed by Alea Harper:

Tagline: Jen knows she had an imagination once – how far will she go to get it back?

Revision notes: Mostly just a thorough edit. I don’t foresee any great changes.

6. Pick a fairy tale and tell me how you would like to rewrite it.

Rumpelstiltskin. Either to involve time travel where Rumple is actually the miller's daughter's firstborn child, or to work it into one of my current WIPs. You know the one.

7. Recommend a book for me to read. 

The Giver. I think that's the one I was most recently shocked you hadn't read yet.

Tagline: When two teens are pulled into another world, fire and water must work together to defeat a dragon.

Revision notes: Again, mostly a thorough edit, but there will be a few continuity fixes, and I’ll be adding a bonus scene to the extra stuff at the end.

8. If you and I were stranded together on a desert island, how long do you think that we would survive?

Probably not very long because Gilligan's Island doesn't really work. I don't have much confidence in my survival skills, despite having read both Robinson Crusoe and Swiss Family Robinson.

 

Tagline: Only the Tela Du stands in Amber’s way for ruling Rizkaland forever. Petra would much rather find her long-lost sisters than fight a Lady Dragon.

 

Revision notes: Edits mostly.

9. What is a project that you're working on that you can't wait to release into the world?

They're all a mess, so I don't know. The Storyless Storyboard Story is one that I'm pretty much always excited about, but it's probably the furthest from being presentable.

10. What is a burning question that you have for me?

 WHO ARE LAURA'S PARENTS????????

And there you have all of Kendra's new covers. What do you think?