Jun 26, 2012

Sapphire Sun (The Lost Magic, Book Three)

I am SO excited about my new book, Sapphire Sun, coming out this Winter 2012/2013 through Central Avenue Publishing! In case you missed it, here is a sneak peak of the cover:




I will share the exact release date as soon as it has been finalized but until then, here's another little teaser from Sapphire Sun, the sequel to Silver Dew and the third book in The Lost Magic series:


You can't escape the past. You can try to forget but it never truly leaves you. It is a part of
who are you are; it has shaped you, it will shape your future. It is the shadow behind you.
You can't outrun it, you can't hide from it or deny it - the past will always exist. Who you
once were is still a part of who you are today. This, I now understand.
My name is Gracelynn Stevenson. I tried to destroy The Lost Magic. I tried to erase the
past. I tried to make things go back to the way that they once were. I failed. And now all
the happiness I thought I had found, has been lost to the shadows...


Suzi

Jun 10, 2012

Adventures in Kindergarten: Rubber Boots & Elf Shoes

This week I thought I would feature a fun and unique blog by a colleague (and friend!) of mine that shares the adventures, learning, creativity and fun from her Kindergarten classroom. Rubber Boots and Elf Shoes is a fantastic blog by Sandi (or Mrs. Sandi), friend and teacher to many a charming munchkin, brilliant educator and Masters degree holder, and wearer of both rubber boots and elf shoes (I have also seen her in the classroom dressed as a pirate, an 1880's school ma'am and a "west-coast" Cinderella, to name a few!).


Sandi describes her blog as...
"Kindergarten adventures: inside, outside, creating, exploring, building, imagining, growing, usually messy, rarely quiet, always fun."



Sandi's classroom is a fun and welcoming place full of learning and exploration. What I love about her blog is the huge variety of posts in such a friendly, fun and accessible format. Not only does Sandi share her classroom's adventures, activities and creations through photos and short, entertaining posts but she also offers free printables, shares videos, introduces us to new books to find and new blogs to follow, and a ton of great craft and activity ideas (that fellow educators and parents will both love). Not to mention the occasional giveaway and guest blog posts! At Rubber Boots and Elf Shoes you will not only share in the joy, spontaneity and creativity of a Kindergarten classroom, you will also learn new things and might even make some new friends - and isn't that what Kindergarten is all about?



Go check out Rubber Boots and Elf Shoes HERE and please "like" this fantastic blog on Facebook HERE.

Thanks!
More fun features yet to come.

Suzi

Jun 1, 2012

Family, Photography, Music and Mommyhood: Jodie Gallant Photography

The next blog I've chosen to feature is from Jodie Gallant Photography.

Jodie is a friend of mine who has two young sons, is a very talented artist and musician, teaches music, and is also a professional (and successful!) photographer. Jodie's blog documents her photo sessions (both formal sessions with clients and her informal adventures in photography), keeps people informed about her recent artshowings and publications, and showcases her current works.



You can see from Jodie's blog the amazing and fun balance she has found between raising two little boys, being a mother and wife, working hard, expressing herself artistically and living a music-filled and inspired life. She goes to awesome outdoor locations all over Vancouver Island, photographs kick-ass bands and musicians, captures breath-taking nature stills and stunning candid shots, not to mention the high-quality and professionalism of her more formal studio sessions. There is a fresh and expressive edginess to her artistic style that is reflective of the music, art and joy in her life. I find all of Jodie's photos to be bright and beautiful - there is just a really good energy to all of her shots that isn't filtered out by the lens. Some people take photographs, Jodie captures moments (wow, that sounded cheesy - but I stand behind it!).



As soon as Jodie picked up her first DSLR camera (in just 2008!) and started learning more about photography, she knew this was something she wanted to pursue as a career. And it's a good thing she listened to her heart as she is pretty darn talented and has already found success and recognition for her skills. Her photos have been recently published in magazines such as The Fernie Fix and showcased at events such as The 2012 Coconut Bangers Ball. Jodie has expanded her business to offer a huge range of sessions to her clients, from weddings, to business/corporate shoots, to pets and family photos, to bands and musicians (see the full list here)!



Go check out Jodie's website and blog. And "like" Jodie Gallant Photography on Facebook to stay up-to-date with her recent events, specials and the occasional giveaway!

I'll end this featurette with a quote of a quote from Jodie's website that is definitely well-said:

"Like a kick in the butt, the force of events wakes slumberous talents..." 
Edward Hoagland


Still more features to come! Thanks for reading.


Suzi





May 30, 2012

Book Three of The Lost Magic

do-do-do-doooo! (Imagine trumpets sounding! Ok, maybe that's too dramatic.)

So anyway, here's my announcement:
Book Three of The Lost Magic will be published by Central Avenue Publishing, Winter 2012/13 (the exact date hasn't been set as of yet but I'll let you know as soon as I can).

Want to know what Book Three is about? View the Central Avenue Publishing Summer Catalogue for a synopsis, available July 1st, 2012 from their website. Don't worry, I'll remind you.

And what is the third book in the series going to be called? (I am SO happy to have chosen a title - it is such a grueling process for me! So here it is...)

SAPPHIRE SUN

Choosing a title is always a tricky process for me (I find it easier to write the whole book than to actually title it!) and involves a lot of thought, consideration, and emails and text messages with my close family, friends and my publisher. I am very happy with the final result! In case you're interested, this is how I got there...

I was drawn to the word "sapphire" right from the start. I have described Grace's eyes as "sapphire blue" several times in my books and I also love the sound of "fire" in "sapphire". There is a new ferocity and strength to Grace that I wanted to be reflected in the title (this is also one of the reasons I wanted to use the word "sun") and I feel that "sapphire" conveys both beauty and strength. I did some research on sapphires and what sold me was an article I found on the International Coloured Gemstone Association site (article HERE). Basically, it says that sapphires come in many different colours including blue, yellow, pink, orange, green and even red (rubies are actually red sapphires). This article also describes sapphires as "gems of the sky" and states how for hundreds of years, all over the world they have been considered symbols of love, loyalty, longing and "indestructible trust". "Sapphire" was the perfect choice.

And as for the "Sun" part? I actually began the title-brainstorming proces by writing a descriptive paragraph about the transition of frost at dawn (Amber Frost) warming and transforming into dew (Silver Dew) as the sun rises higher in the sky (and that's also how I got to Sapphire Sun). This progression makes sense to me anyway and it is symbolic of the journey that Grace's character has undergone through out the series.

So this winter, look out for SAPPHIRE SUN: Book Three in The Lost Magic series.

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. I hope you love the title as much as I do! And, by the way, I have really enjoyed reading your guesses up until this point.

Suzi

May 29, 2012

Baby Bloggin' with Cara and Thorin

I just love things that rhyme.

So my second featured blog is Thorin's First Year ! This is an adorable blog written by Thorin's mommy, Cara. When I asked Cara to describe what her blog is all about, she said...

"My blog is basically my journal - a way to document all Thorin's milestones and achievements over his first year, I don't want to forget anything!"



I look forward to reading Cara's posts each month for several reasons. The most obvious reason is because Thorin was born just days after my second son. It's fun to read about what Thorin's up to as I can DEFINITELY relate and I'm sure other moms can too. And I love personal blogs that give their readers a glimpse into the writer's life - I find it fascinating (I'm a reality-TV fan, can you tell?). Thorin is Cara's first child and her obvious enthusiasm and pride in all that he does is both heartwarming and inspiring. Cara's posts remind me to appreciate and acknowledge how much our little ones change and grow each day. And, of course, to cherish every minute.

Cara is also a talented amateur photographer and her beautiful photos document Thorin's adventures and compliment her posts perfectly. He is such an adorable little guy; it's pretty hard not to smile back at the screen! Here are just a few of Cara's photos - you'll find lots more on her blog.






I think all parents can enjoy and appreciate this blog, along with Cara's family and friends. I hope you'll check it out! And just in case you missed the link - go HERE.




Stay tuned for the next feature and a new blog post with an exciting announcement, coming soon! :)


Suzi

May 23, 2012

Sewing, Cooking, Crafting and Being Awesome: Lil Duckie Arts

Woo-hoo! Welcome to the first feature on my blog! I thought I'd start off this "feature series" with Lil Duckie Arts, a fun blog by my friend Shauna, that has a lil' something for everyone (haha, see what I did there? Sorry, I'll stop.).

Shauna describes Lil Duckie Arts as:
"...where I share my adventures and ideas in paper crafting, sewing, and cooking, with a dash of life sprinkled on top."


I love reading Shauna's blog. I am jealous of her mad sewing skills (because I have none!) and inspired by her delicious recipes and creative projects. Shauna is also a new mom and you'll notice there's a bit of a baby theme to her projects lately - from sewing your own sling, creating beautiful cards and gift boxes, a fabulous nursing wrap design (aka. a "hooter-hider"), to recipes for yummy treats and desserts, these are just a few of her recent posts. You'll see why I love Lil Duckie Arts - be prepared to be impressed (and maybe a tad envious).

Shauna also has a store on Etsy and runs classes out of her home - check her site for a schedule. And if you like Twitter and Facebook (like I do!) you can follow Lil Duckie Arts on Twitter here. Let's all harass Shauna about creating a Facebook page because obviously she is just sitting at home doing nothing. Come on lady! Time to get on that. (I really hope you know I'm joking! I'm in awe of how much you're able to accomplish.).

So go check out Lil Duckie Arts and stayed tuned for more featured blogs (coming soon: sharks, crafts, photography, music, and life experiences!).

Suzi

May 18, 2012

What's New

Oh, my badly-neglected blog. I'm so sorry I've been ignoring you! This blog is where I first started "sharing" my writing. It began as a way to get my writing out into the world and to search for an audience - and to get feedback. I love blogging. I haven't had much time for it lately though. In the past three years I've had two children, two books published, we sold our home and moved into a new one, and then there's also my "day-job" with the school district that I've worked in between babies! Life has been busy. I'm not complaining - I've been loving every minute of it, but I have been struggling to find time to write. Which leads me to my first announcement...

BOOK THREE in THE LOST MAGIC SERIES will be released by Central Avenue Publishing sometime in late 2012/early 2013!! It depends on a few variables and I will share the exact release date with you as soon as it's decided upon. But the third book is in the works! Title and synopsis will be announced soon - look for it in the Central Avenue summer catalogue (available July 1, 2012).

And my second announcement, that I'm quite excited about :) I've decided to restart my blog and to run a short series of "features" to connect with and support other artists, writers, musicians, etc. in my community. I'm lucky enough to know quite a few talented individuals and to live in a supportive and close-knit community. I thought running these features would be a neat way to show people what I'm into, the unique businesses in my community and the creative and talented people I know. So stay tuned...

Suzi