0 Countryside The Book of the Wise

I am thrilled to host author, J.T. Cope, at Big Hair and Books today!  J.T. is the author of the middle grade fantasy, Countryside The Book of the Wise.  I recently read this book and loved it.  It is a book that appeals to a slightly younger set of fans than Harry Potter, but offers the same feel of mystery, magic, and suspense.  I would say it is ideal for kids aged 7-11--dependent on their reading level, of course.

About the Author

J.T. Cope is a homegrown Texas boy, growing up in the small town of Wheelock. He's a graduate of both Centenary College of Louisiana and the University of Texas in Arlington and a proud member of United State Marine Corps.    J.T. and his wife, Katie, live in Fort Worth, Texas.

When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
      About eight years ago I suppose, about the time I started writing Countryside.  I hadn’t really thought about writing much since I was in elementary school; I used to love it then.  Writing hadn’t been something over the years that I felt I had to do or even wanted to do.  Then, one night as I was in the last months of my active Marine Corps service, the urge just dropped in on me.  I was sitting in a Starbucks in Kailua reading a book by Raymond E. Feist, and I just stopped reading.  I thought, I can do this.  I walked across the parking lot to a local grocery store, bought some spiral notebooks and some pencils, and I’ve been at it, more or less, ever since.

What's the first thing you remember writing?

Honestly, this is a bit embarrassing, but I remember writing a (horrible) “story” about getting locked in a closet with a young friend of mine.  The story was true, and it really was awful writing, but I remember my teacher telling me what a great job I did and how proud she was of me.  Teachers comments like that stick with you a while I think; at least they did for me.

 What's the story of your path to publishing?

Whew.  Painful, exhausting, grueling … I know that’s not the picture perfect story of sitting in a coffee shop sipping on a latte, and then inspiration and an agent just dropping out of the sky, but it’s the truth.  It’s been late nights, working through the tail end of the Marines, grad school, (brief) joblessness, jobs as a barista and a geologist, having a publisher (and then not having one), not to mention marriage, and three kids in five years.  The team at The Editorial Department (TED) has been a blessing, and both sets of my parents are ever encouraging, but more than anything my wife (and a LOT of prayer) kept me sane and moving forward until the book was out.

Can you tell us about how you went through the process without an agent and if you have things you would have done differently.

Mostly TED has guided me through the process over the years.  They helped with design, illustration, editing (and more editing!), production and everything.  I’ve had a few tidbits from past English teachers, family friends, and an occasional author here and there.  There are quite a few things I would do differently from the writing to the publication, and that I am trying to now with the sequel, but overall I think the process has worked out for me the way it had to and needed to.

What was the inspiration for Countryside?

As a young teen I loved science fiction/fantasy.  As an adult looking back, I didn’t feel there were many series out there that a parent would feel comfortable with a younger kid picking up and reading.  I wanted to give those kids that liked that genre something they could really get into, and something their parents would be glad to have them reading.

As far as the story itself goes, just a mixed up pile of half thought out day dreams, memories of places I traveled in my mind or in reality growing up, and a few nightmares thrown in because, well, because they’re actually out there in real life.

What are you working on currently?  Can you give us any teasers?

The second volume of Countryside.  Ha!  Well I can tell you that Luke has been spending his summer at the beach, and having a great time, but there is something not very nice coming to look for him.

 I love the sibling relationships in Countryside.  Do you have a special memory of your sibling(s)?

You’re probably not going to believe this, but I’m an only child, as is my lovely wife, which caused people at our wedding to raise their eyebrows and make quite a few comments about “adjustments” coming.  I did however grow up around 12 cousins, most of whom I saw at least once a week, and often more than that.  I’ve been overwhelmingly blessed with my family, and I do have quite a few special memories of them, more than I can count honestly, summer swimming in tanks, tennis trips, every holiday imaginable, camping, fishing … a lot of memories.

Countryside The Book of the Wise
by J.T. Cope IV
published by Tiner Publishers

The Blurb

"You have a power within you, one that is within everyone...It's the same power that fills that building, that keeps that tree alive...and the same power that has attracted your attention...I know it's all a bit strange to you, but I assure you it is quite real..." Eleven-year-old Luke Rayburn has never seen a skyline without skyscrapers or fallen asleep to anything but the sound of traffic. But his life is about to change in ways he never imagined. When his father leaves for a year of military service, Luke and the rest of his family move into their grandparents' home in the remote town of Countryside, a place like no other. Reachable only by a mysterious traveling tunnel and horse-drawn carriage, centaurs roam the landscape and shadowy wraiths slip among the trees. There, Luke will be drawn into a centuries-old quest for an almost-forgotten book whose secrets will determine the fate of the world. He will have to reach deep to discover the power within him as he battles the forces of darkness and an alliance of sinister men who seek to destroy any who get in their way. Luke's only hope is to find the book before they do, but to do so he'll need help from someone he never expected as the forces of evil come to bear on the magical world of Countryside.

The Book Trailer

Countryside: The Book of the Wise by J.T. Cope IV - Book Trailer from Four Thirds Creative on Vimeo.

The Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive an autographed copy of Countryside Book of the Wise!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Detail: Countryside The Book of the Wise

0 The 8 most amazing quotes from Evil Librarian

Evil Librarian
by Michelle Knudsen
published by Candlewick Press

Available September 9, 2014

The Blurb
When Cynthia Rothschild’s best friend, Annie, falls head over heels for the new high-school librarian, Cyn can totally see why. He’s really young and super cute and thinks Annie would make an excellent library monitor. But after meeting Mr. Gabriel, Cyn realizes something isn’t quite right. Maybe it’s the creepy look in the librarian’s eyes, or the weird feeling Cyn gets whenever she’s around him. Before long Cyn realizes that Mr. Gabriel is, in fact . . . a demon. Now, in addition to saving the school musical from technical disaster and trying not to make a fool of herself with her own hopeless crush, Cyn has to save her best friend from the clutches of the evil librarian, who also seems to be slowly sucking the life force out of the entire student body! From best-selling author Michelle Knudsen, here is the perfect novel for teens who like their horror served up with a bit of romance, plenty of humor, and some pretty hot guys (of both the good and evil variety).

"I don't want to be that girl, the girl who thinks all she needs to be happy is a boyfriend.  And I'm not, not really.  I have friends, I have fun, I have varied interests and above-average intelligence and...rarely spend a weekend night at home if I don't want to.  I am far from lonely and miserable.  But it sure would be nice.  To have someone."

"That's one of the things I've always loved most about musical theater.  The way it makes anything, even the most unlikely turn of events, seem absolutely possible."

"Anything really is possible in musical theater.  Even if the music at the moment is only playing in my head."

"But that's the nice thing about fantasies; everything can be completely and nonsensically rearranged to suit the fantasist.  It is why I often prefer them to real life."

"I like people to be who they are and stay that way and not become different people all of a sudden."

"Teenagers have more fire than anyone.  Their souls are burning with life and youth and hormones and desire and all the things they want and need and hate and love."

"But that is part of the magic of musical theater...That it can be awesome when everything else is awful, that it can make you feel better when life kicks you in the face and then stomps on your head while you're lying there on the ground whimpering and then makes out with your boyfriend while making you watch, when there seems to be no hope and you have trouble seeing the possibility of happiness or a future or anything else.  Musical theater can save you, even if only for two or three hours at a time."

"The awfulness isn't going anywhere.  It will be there waiting for us all next week.  And so for now, I am listening to my favorite songs and dreaming impossible dreams and ignoring the reality of the swiftly approaching future as much as I possibly can."

Detail: The 8 most amazing quotes from Evil Librarian

0 Bluebonnet Book Club #2

Rump
by Liesl Shurtliff
published by Alfred A. Knopf

The Blurb

This funny fractured fairy tale goes behind the scenes of Rumpelstiltskin. "A most magical feat," writes Newbery Honor-winner Kirby Larson, "Liesl Shurtliff spins words into gold."

In a magic kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse.

To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.

A Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection, Rump is perfect for fans of Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted or Adam Gidwitz's A Tale Dark and Grimm.

"Lighthearted and inventive, Rump amusingly expands a classic tale." —Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Fablehaven.

My Two Cents

This book was an absolute delight.  I read it in one sitting--I couldn't put it down!  Shurtliff's creative and wonderful take on this well known fairy tale is nothing short of magical!  I love Rump's personality, which spills out of each page.

The whole premise of the story-which is obvious to all who know the classic tale-is finding out what Rump's name really is.

"My name couldn't be changed or taken back, because in The Kingdom your name isn't just what people call you.  Your name is full of meaning and power.  Your name is your destiny."

It wasn't just the obvious things that made me fall in love with this book though.  There are many themes going on in the book and each leads to great conversation:  Names, Greed, Places, Friendship, Secrets, and, of course, Destiny!  

One of my favorite passages in the whole book was this one:  

"...But sometimes places feel alive.  Sometimes they feel powerful, like they could have a destiny, just like people...They feel alive."

Rump reminds me a bit of Ella Enchanted, which I love.  The diction is playful, but full of meaning...and the characters are fantastic!  All I can tell you is that this isn't a great kids' book, it isn't a great adult book, it's just a great book.  I have recommended it to folks of all ages.  You will love it, trust me.

About the Author

Liesl Shurtliff was born and raised in Salt Lake City, UT with the mountains for her playground. She is the author of RUMP: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin, a Texas Bluebonnet Master List Selection, and awarded the International Reading Association Children's and Young Adult Book Award. Coming soon are JACK: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk, and RED: The True Story of Red Riding Hood.

Liesl lives in Chicago, IL with her husband, three kids, and a cat named Felix. She loves paradoxes, puns, and pink pigs. Not really the pink pigs. She just really likes alliteration.

Visit Liesl on her website or on Twitter!

Book Club

This book is really amazing, which is why it was chosen to be a Texas Bluebonnet Book this year.  As you know, we formed a Bluebonnet Book Club earlier this summer.  I was absolutely thrilled to read Rump with my daughter and her friends from school.  

The highlight of book club was that we got to Skype with Liesl Shurtliff and chat about Rump!!!  The girls were super excited, and maybe a bit star-struck!  I was so proud of them and not only their understanding of the novel, but their great questions for Liesl.

Liesl was wonderfully patient with them, taking time to answer each of their questions.  She was awesome with them, and I would highly recommend her to all librarians and educators for appearances!  

Here's a photo of our book club with Liesl Shurtliff front and center on the screen:

And this wasn't everyone!  Most of the girls had a sibling with them who had read the book too!  So we had a house full of Rump fans!  

Thank you, Liesl, for a wonderful book and a  fabulous visit!  We can't wait to read Jack in 2015!

Detail: Bluebonnet Book Club #2