Beta Readers Help Prince Lander Along and a Book Recommendation from Sam’s Daughter

Howdy Friends,

It’s getting close. Christmas is coming! It BEGINS on December 25th and ends Jan 6. Have you tried celebrating all twelve days? It’s pretty fun, though the last few can be a little challenging. (We have to build our celebratory endurance up!) I love the Advent season. I love the minor keys in songs and the focus on preparation and anticipation. It’s like fasting before a feast, or cleaning the house in preparation for guests coming for a party. However you practice these seasons, I pray it’s a time when you find Christ at the center of your anticipation and celebration. He is the author and hero of the story.

Also, watching Elf should probably be part of the Christian calendar.

via GIPHY

Beta Readers Help Prince Lander Along

The TENTH Green Ember book, Prince Lander and Dragon War is moving along in the editing process. It’s now with a clever bunch of beta readers who will help the book with clarity and (hopefully) catch some mistakes! Believe it or not, there are always lots to catch!

Zach Franzen is hard at work on the internal illustrations. They are looking fantastic! Zach is an incredible artist. We can’t wait to show you what he’s done!

We are excited to share the whole thing with you—words and art—in the SPRING!

If you are looking for something not bound by the laws of time and shipping, consider gifting The Green Writer to that aspiring author in your life.

Try 3 FREE sessions here!

Green Ember Fan Art

We have the pleasure of enjoying some pretty rad Green Ember inspired art that fans share with us via social media & snail mail.

I’m pretty sure there are large numbers of kids who know these stories better than I do. I regularly hear from kids who have read The Green Ember series multiple times, some in the tens and twenties.

I’m honored, of course. But I’d advise moving on to other books. The Green Ember is a good gate, but not the best destination. Onwards and upwards!

Check out this recommendation from my daughter Anne…

Anne-Girl Reviews: Bud, Not Buddy

“If a Adult Tells You Not to Worry, and You Weren’t Worried Before, You Better Hurry Up and Start ‘Cause You’re Already Running Late.”

That’s one of “Bud Caldwell’s Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life and Making a Better Liar Out of Yourself.” These things come in handy when you’re all alone in the world, but Bud has it figured out. He’s ten years old and been in foster homes since his momma died four years ago. Now it’s 1936 and the Great Depression is in full swing. Times are hard, and Bud is all alone in the world. But he has a plan. Inside his suitcase full of his worldly possessions are three flyers, all with the name Herman E. Calloway on them. Bud is sure that this man is his father, and he sets out to find him.

Heart, humor, historical fiction—Bud, Not Buddy has it all. It’s a sweet, touching story that has you laughing one minute and crying the next. Christopher Paul Curtis’s books are all heartfelt and touching, but Bud, Not Buddy is my favorite. Bud’s thought process is genuine, clear, clever, and funny. It paints a clear picture of the Great Depression era through the eyes of Bud and those around him. I love this book! The age range is children’s/middle grade, but as usual, everyone can enjoy it.

—Aletha Anne Smith

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That’s all for now!

We’re on your side.

Sam