Tag Archives: books for kids

Great new review! “This book really gave me goose bumps..An awesome read!”

Raventsone cover

 

Many thanks to Susan Hampson of “Books From Dawn Till Dusk” for her great review!

 


REVIEW EXCERPT:

“Diane Solomon and Mark Carey have made a formidable team creating a very original story line that links together very well. The use of a mirror and twins is very clever but also do check out the twins names and see if you can find anything unusual about them.  It is this attention, the going that extra mile, that makes this book very special. The detail of what life would be like in the past is super, with  writing that is very appropriate for middle grade readers. There are times in the book that will give an adrenaline rush but won’t leave the young readers frightened. This book really gave me goose bumps  which I have got again just writing about it. An awesome read!”

READ ON!

Wonderful intelligent book review from Quills and Roses!

quills-roses-twitterMark and I received a Christmas present today: a wonderful review from Quills and Roses.

Please forgive me if I toot a horn or two:

“…for the middle-grade category, this novel is up there with the greats.”

“The world is really interesting and well thought-out, and every leaf and branch is there, on the page.”

“The world is described so well that the magic practically jumps off the page and feels real. It’s absolutely wonderful.”

Thank you Sally of Quills and Roses!

 

Book Review Excerpt

“This novel kind of reminds me of those Magic Tree House books I used to love (anyone remember those? Or am I too old?). Except, with more sophisticated plotting and writing.

“There was a lot of suspense and mystery. The bad guys were terrifyingly bad and the good guys were cute and smart and good. Older readers may find that a bit too simple, but for the middle-grade category, this novel is up there with the greats.

“Conclusion: If you’ve ever wanted to go on a magical time travelling adventure with a pair of smart, inquisitive twins (or are doing some Christmas shopping for young, avid readers) be sure to check The Ravenstone out!”

Read book review here:  Quills and Roses Review of The Ravenstone 

Creativity is its Own Reward!  Guest post for Linda’s Book Bag

lindas-book-bag-icon         Diane Solomon’s guest post for Linda’s Book Bag

 

Here’s an excerpt:

Being creative is often a calling. Are you compelled to create, be it art, music, poetry, fiction? Then you must do it. You must do it to fulfill your passion in life.  Without it you may feel dead, unfulfilled, trudging through the three-foot mudslog of life, day by day, without experiencing the joy of your own heart.

But, I hear you ask:“Will someone else like my artistic endeavor?” My answer: Who cares? Seriously. WHO CARES?

A few tips for artists and writers everywhere:

1) Dare to Suck (or Dare to Fail, for those of you appalled by the vulgarity.) As a singer/songwriter, I learned early (after an ego struggle) to trust the creative process and dive deeply into it. You have to dare to be criticized, dare to be silly, dare to be crazy, to be wild. You have to Dare to Suck.

READ The entire guest blog at Linda’s Book Bag

 

Check out our middle-grade fantasy/mystery entitled, The Ravenstone: The Secret of Ninham Mountain.
   Raventsone Homeschooling Book Cover

About Diane Solomon
EloquentRascals.com 

 

Book Links for The Ravenstone

AMAZON:  Kindle or paperback
SMASHWORDS eBook
GOODREADS
TWITTER
NETGALLEY

BARNES AND NOBLE Nook & Paperback

About the book: Imagine a raven appearing out of thin air and guiding you to an exquisitely carved icon that glows with ancient light and pulses with shamanic power.  This is how the adventure begins for Nadia and Aidan Shaw, 13-year-old twins, who live in idyllic Cold Spring, New York. Armed with the power of the Ravenstone and their own special gifts, they embark on a harrowing quest across centuries, at the bidding of a mysterious old shaman. They must depend on their courage, their faith in their friends, and luck… or is it destiny?

If they succeed, what they bring back could change the course of human existence.


REVIEW:

Many thanks to Dii Bylo, a Top 1% Goodreads Reviewer for her 5-Star review

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NETGALLEY REVIEW INVITE

The Ravenstone

 

Author Interview on Chat About Books!

Chat About Books:
Author Interview with Diane Solomon and Mark Carey
Diane Solomon Chat About Books interview

 

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

Diane & Mark: For the pure logistics, we are outliners. We use a large board, into which we stick pushpins to hold up postcard-sized cards with scenes, sections, or individual pieces of the story (or sections if non-fiction). Then we can physically see the jigsaw puzzle and move things around until they feel right.

Character is vital: We spend a long time on character development, and each day before either of us writes, at least at the beginning, we tend to read through all the notes and reacquaint ourselves with the character.

Diane: Yes, if I am beginning to live and breathe the character – if I am in the protagonist’s head, and she is in mine – she will write her own actions and words.

But, I want to bring up something else, something required for the writing process for me. It’s hard to define, but essential. My writing seems to stem from what my husband calls my “extreme heart.” My writing process only works well if heart is involved….

Continue : READ MORE ON CHAT ABOUT BOOKS

Raventsone Homeschooling Book Cover

Check out Diane and Mark’s new middle grade novel  

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Diane Solomon’s Author interview on BookGoodies

bookgoodies Diane Solomon interview

EXCERPT:

What inspires you to write?
The joy of creativity, of being creative, drives me. It always has! As a singer/songwriter, I learned to trust the creative process and dive deeply into it. You have to dare to be criticized, dare to be silly, to be crazy, to be wild. There are moments during writing where you forget yourself entirely. You lose track of time. The writing seems to have taken over. Sometimes you look down and are surprised by what you read, as if you didn’t, in fact, write it! I can only describe this experience as somehow verging on transcendent, in that it feels beyond the limits of experience, or independent of this world. It is exciting, inspiring, and rewarding.

As for ideas for books, they stem from my life (and I have had a very strange but interesting life), and from my imagination. And from the “What if?” game!

READ MORE ON BOOKGOODIES