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The Intra-Earth Chronicles
The Two Sisters follows two sisters who are torn apart and embark on a perilous quest to reunite. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The idea of civilizations existing within the earth has always fascinated me, especially after an experience in my early 20s, when I skeptically joined a bus tour departing from Las Vegas. The bus tour took us to a park outside of Reno, NV, where there were intricate stone circles, like magnificent wheels, atop of the ground. Under these stone circles they believed that the inner earth beings were close to the surface. It’s hard to describe, but something changed in me that day, and I really felt that inner earth beings could be real!
In writing The Intra-Earth Chronicles, I set out with the intention of writing a fun fantasy adventure story for kids that takes place in these civilizations within the earth. Though it may sound ridiculous, (though probably not as far-out as the idea of advanced civilizations existing within the earth 😊) that’s as far as the preliminary setup went for me. The rest came automatically as I sat in front of my computer with the intention to write. I only received a chapter at a time. So, I didn’t know at the onset what was going to transpire in the rest of the story. It was quite exciting to experience!
Sasha and Adrianne are fascinating and well developed characters. What were some driving ideals behind their character’s development?
I needed to create two strong, young women who were equally powerful, yet, very different. Strength can manifest in many different ways.
Pictured above is Sasha. She is the intuitive older sister (15 years old) with a red diamond-shaped birthmark on her forehead. Sasha’s diamond-shaped birthmark tingles before she receives a premonition. This picture, created by Brendan Kulp–a phenomenal illustrator, is included in black-and-white in the book.
Adrianne is the younger of the two sisters (11 years old) and is the fierce girl depicted on the cover with the tiger. She wears a brass hair clip in her crimson hair that conceals a tiny, sharp knife.
The initial inspiration for Adrianne was, actually, a real person! Adrianne was inspired by my childhood friend, Bria Gehringer. (I first realized this when I crudely attempted to draw a sketch of each character, and surprisingly, I drew my childhood friend, who I haven’t seen in 20 + years!) Bria was an only child who lived down the rural Wisconsin highway from me. She was charismatic, free-spirited, fearless, and harbored a deep connection to the animal kingdom–she had a ton of pets: dogs, cats, birds, ferrets, rats, and an iguana, whom she called siblings, and I remember her dying her hair bright red at least once. She saved me from ultimate loneliness as a kid as I accompanied her on many childhood adventures.
The rest of the characters in this story have been completely conjured from my imagination, or, my subconsciousness. 😊
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Hope
A key theme in The Two Sisters is that there is always hope for a better tomorrow even though outer circumstances appear grim.
Sasha clings to the hope that Adrianne is still alive and living inside the ravine, which drives her to set off on this adventure across the desert.
Adrianne hopes that she can commandeer a nuclear machine from the intraterrestrials and revive a dying civilization on the surface.
Adventure
This is a grand adventure story that spans the inner and outer earth.
As Sasha traverses across the unforgiving desert terrain on the surface, she must withstand extreme thirst, exhaustion, sandstorms, and marauding war parties.
On Adrianne’s simultaneous quest within the earth, she too battles exhaustion as she carries the heavy machine, but also dodges attacking satellites shooting laser-blasts!
Sisterhood
The strong bond between family members is integral to the story!
The powerful bond between the two noble sisters, Sasha and Adrianne, is clear, but the boundaries of family are also stretched in the story to incorporate the greater human family.
The sisters will learn more about their heritage and true blood lineages as the series progresses; so many whom they have loved and have believed to be bound by blood, were in actuality, not.
Faith in a Higher Benevolent Power
The two sisters have faith in a Great One that aids them on their quests.
Sasha remembered her younger sister’s words as she set out on the perilous journey across the desert; the following is an excerpt from page 14.
“‘The Great One will provide.’ Adrianne’s voice echoed in her head. I sure hope so, baby sis. Sasha touched her heart in gratitude that the Great One had indeed provided shelter last night. Was her sister still alive? And living inside the ravine? Sasha held onto the hope, no matter how farfetched, as she proceeded in the direction of the rising sun.”
This is book one in The Intra-Earth Chronicles series. What can readers expect in book two?
Book Two of The Intra-Earth Chronicles, The Wayward Warrior, takes off right where the first book ended. The two noble sisters, Adrianne & Sasha, the tiger, and Satellite 151 journey through the subterranean jungle to the entrances leading above, hoping to deliver the great nuclear machine to the surface.
In the year 2444, the surface of the earth went black after the fall-out from the great nuclear machines, and then the warring clans took over. With the recovered nuclear machine, the two sisters believe that they can revive both technology and civility on the surface.
What they do not know is that the power-starved tyrant, Tartarus, remains within the intra-earth and is plotting to steal the nuclear machine and become venerated savior of the surface.
The rest of the story. . .I am in the process of discovering.
Thank you for reading!
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
The ground splits open and Adrianne is thrown from her horse, plummeting into the ravine. Spurned on by the hope that Adrianne lives, Sasha embarks on a journey through the desert to face the ravine that claimed her only sister. Meanwhile, deep within the earth, Adrianne is running for her life. She took something that did not belong to her.
In The Intra-Earth Chronicles; Book I: The Two Sisters by Kara Jacobson we experience a fast-paced fantasy adventure woven within the earth, and the unshakeable bond between two sisters.
Peeps in Bloom
Isaac is in a new school, making new friends, and carrying an old secret. As he is trying to settle into his role as the boy trying to get noticed on the first day, he makes a couple of discoveries. First, there could actually be a witch living in his new neighborhood, second, he just might have made friends with the school activist. Meg, intent on saving the school’s courtyard, has enlisted the help of her friends, including Issac, and is determined to preserve her favorite part of their school environment. Isaac, willing to help but fighting his own battle, must figure out what is going on with himself before he can help anyone else.
Peeps in Bloom, by J.D. Suhre, is the story of two friends both facing their own very different obstacles but simultaneously solving their own little mystery. Suhre has included several parallel plot lines to capture young readers’ attention and keep them guessing throughout the book. Told in chapters that alternate between the first-person points of view of the two main characters, Suhre’s story offers two unique perspectives of the same plot.
Isaac’s problem is a tricky one. While it is difficult as a parent to watch him face his own health issue virtually alone, I am sure this is a dilemma experienced by many children daily, especially at this upper elementary/middle school age. In fact, his apprehension in telling anyone about his strange episodes reminds me of the story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. There is a great lesson to be learned from both stories, and Suhre touches on a hard reality with Isaac’s storyline.
I was pleasantly surprised at the turn the story takes when it comes to rumors of the witch in the neighborhood. There are so many ways a plot like this one can take; it was refreshing to see the way Suhre incorporated Mrs. Peekers into Meg and Isaac’s stories. As an adult reader, if I had an aha moment, young readers are sure to experience a thrill when they realize the truth.
Peeps in Bloom is a short creative novel geared for upper elementary and tweens. It carries within its pages some difficult lessons and wonderful examples of what strength, determination, and courage can do. Young readers will benefit from taking this journey with Issac and Meg.
Pages: 126 | ASIN : B09R1ZDN46
Siggy the Soccer Dog
Sigmund, the dachshund, lives in Somerset with his family, the Barker’s. Sigmund goes by the name Siggy. One morning he was sleeping and having an amazing dream that he was playing in the FA Cup Final. The crowd sings his praise, they cheer him on, and he makes his way out on the field. Siggy races down the field, ready to score the winning goal when he is hit from the side. The team must regroup and try again to win the game. Injured Siggy still plays and encourages his team and spreads his message of kindness to all.
Siggy the Soccer Dog by author Brian Frederick is a heartwarming picture book about Siggy the dachshund who looks for ways to share his message of kindness in everything he does. This imaginative book teaches children about soccer, going over some of the rules and explaining the gameplay. Siggy focuses on teamwork. There are a lot of mentions of the team working together to try and score a goal. While Siggy is the star of the game in his dream, he never lets that go to his head. He shares the success with his team.
My favorite parts in this entertaining children’s book were the two chants that are sung for Siggy. Using the tune of Chim chim cher-ee and Happy, children can easily identify the rhythm and sing right along with the characters in the book.
When reading through this story, the illustrations by Vivien Sárkány jump off the page with the excitement of the characters playing on the field. The whimsical artwork integrates well with the words on the page. They are not separate entities; instead, they flow together, creating a well-composed image that will captivate and keep young readers engaged.
Siggy the Soccer Dog is a beautifully written picture book that shares the message of kindness with young children. This joyful book is perfect for preschool, kindergarten, and young elementary readers. I can easily see a teacher reading this in front of their class, entertaining and educating students.
Pages: 27 | ISBN : 978-1-7399064-9-8
Wondering Is A Fun Place
Gertie Saves the Day is about a groundhog competition to be the next Groundhog Day celebration groundhog. What was the inspiration for your story?
I have always loved Groundhog Day. I always found it fascinating that animals were able to indicate to farmers whether or not they should begin planting their spring crops. As a child I was always hoping for an early spring!
It bothered me that only male groundhogs were selected to celebrate Groundhog Day. I began to wonder what it might be like to have a female groundhog celebrate this special day. What would the selection process look like? How would the selection be made? Wondering is a fun place when writing children’s books.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with the illustrator Daniela Massironi?
The art collaboration process with my illustrator, Daniela Massironi, was amazing. Daniela is a talented illustrator who captured my attention with her portfolio of cute animals with beautiful facial expressions. For me, facial expressions are important when telling a children’s story. We worked together as a team. Daniela first concentrated on the main characters, then she moved on to the page illustrations. Daniela made some great suggestions along the way and was open to my suggestions. It truly was a team effort. I may have written the story, but Daniela’s illustrations made the story come to life!
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
This book began as an introduction to Groundhog Day and as the story grew there were several childhood themes that developed. Competition and disappointment are themes that children can understand and relate to in their own lives. Sharing how Gertie handled her disappointment let’s children know it’s alright to be disappointed and there are different ways to handle disappointment. The book also has themes of friendship, kindness and teamwork. Each of these themes give parents and teachers the opportunity to have meaningful discussions with children.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am writing a series of books for young children about Kindness/Bullying, Sharing, Diversity/Inclusion and Patience. This series should be available late summer, early fall. My next project will be co-authoring a children’s book about acupuncture.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Instagram | Website
Gertie Saves the Day is more than a book about Groundhog Day. It is a story that explores the excitement of a special event, competition, disappointment and friendship. It is a book that children will want to read over and over again and will make a wonderful addition to any classroom or home library.
I Found Something New And Exciting
Muddied Waters: Coda follows several characters as they explore different paths in life. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
In our previous interview concerning Muddied Waters, I mentioned how it didn’t feel right abandoning Chelsea’s character to the cutting room floor. Now that the novel is finished and I’m beginning to see the feedback, I’m very glad I wrote Coda. She is the most badass female character I could ever concoct and it was mostly to make things right for her, in my mind. Another big inspiration was my research on the Haitian Revolution, which felt like the missing piece I needed to set Coda’s atmosphere. Under no circumstances was I interested in retreading themes from the first book- I’d said all I was going to say about pirate culture. With this important piece of history, I found something new and exciting: musings about motherlands and their colonies, with comparisons to family dynamics, parents and their progeny.
What is one pivotal moment in the story that you think best defines Teague?
Excellent, excellent question! I never fully considered what defines my characters, likely because I’ve never really had that kind of introspection with myself. That being said, I believe a person’s character is defined many small moments, rather than just one or two cataclysmic events. Because Teague had seen and done so much in life, because he couldn’t think of a single thing left to carry on for, he spends the novel trying to find a way to die right, whether it’s by his own power or someone else’s. The terrier scene is directly inspired by a personal experience, so that holds a special place in my heart. I’m quite proud of the gallows scene as well. But when I read or watch movies, my favourite moments always tend to be the ones that at first glance are inconsequential, so I’ll say it’s when Teague throws Viceroy Belo’s destroyed pommel into Puerto Bello’s harbour. It’s the first real step he takes on his journey, and the first step is always the most important.
Were you able to achieve everything you wanted with the characters in the novel?
I believe so. I’m happy with how I wrapped up Teague’s saga, and positively overjoyed that I could present Chelsea to you all! Jonathan began as a sort of last-minute addition, and I hope he rose above the literary tool I initially created him as to better flesh out Chelsea’s arc. I purposely kept Rafael and Bernal bare-bones, to make it feel as if the reader was on the outside, witnessing a conflict that was none of their business. Teo Quintana was the perfect replacement for Ross Stone. The only character that I’m still not sure about is Alger: he seemed removed from the main story, though if I’m honest, he should be, given his circumstances. I had a very difficult time developing his perspective as it related to Saint Domingue; I wanted him to represent the social progress in Europe at the time (ie. powerful white men benefitting from the status quo who also recognize the societal cost), but not so much that he came off as bleeding-heart or…dare I say it…”woke”. Regardless, if I was going to properly conclude Teague’s story, I had no choice but to provide Alger the same service. I did my best to do that.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I have a major project, still in its early stages. It will be my attempt at a fantasy. I also have an experimental novella that explores solitude and paranoia. That one is more of a psychological horror. There is no timeline for their completion and if I do end up finishing them, I don’t see myself coming up with anything else. Never say never, though!
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook
Years after pillaging the Nossa Senhora Do Abismo, ex-pirate Jackson Teague continues to struggle with the costly fallout from the ill-fated galleon’s bounty. Half a world away, a grownup Alger Moore finds equal difficulty in reconciling their shared past. But when a ruthless and diverse crew of bandits begin rampaging across the Caribbean, both will be inexplicably pulled back into a world they thought had been effectively ended by Europe’s perceived social progress. Navigating around a burgeoning culture of independence within the New World’s colonies, both will be afforded the rare opportunity to find closure with each other and themselves.
A Poodle Called Pippin
Pippin Moves to the City continues the story of Pippin’s adventures and presents him with the challenge of making new friends. What was the inspiration for your story?
This story is loosely based on our real life experience of moving back to the city from a country property.
Aside from Pippin, what was your favorite character to write for in this book?
Blossom the possum, Pippin’s first friend in this book.
What is the most difficult part of your writing process?
Creating the initial story line concept.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Book 3 “Pippin’s Night-time Adventure” is now available as a New Release.
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
Izza Rekindled My Passion
Izza’s Tea Party follows a young girl as she goes to her grandmother’s house for a tea party and learns about the stove and hot liquid safety. What was the inspiration for your story?
Years ago, when I became a mother of three adorable boys, my passion for preventing children from injuries matured and grew into motherly love. I realized how much my children depended on my vigilance. A child’s safe upbringing and ability to thrive as a productive community member depends on caregivers. My goal became my passion as research also shows that parents play the most essential role in childhood burn prevention.
This philosophy inspired all my future endeavors from becoming a humanitarian to a loving grandmother and now book author. When I was fighting cancer, my granddaughter Izza rekindled my passion by becoming an inspiration for this book. Izza helped develop the characters using her toys and as I recovered from cancer these characters became alive in “Izza’s Tea Party.”
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Jack Delany?
Serving as a humanitarian for over 25 years, I have seen firsthand how a small risky act can shatter a child’s life in a moment. One moment the child is playing happily at home and then the other moment an unexpected accident happens like a child has scalded himself by spilling a hot cup of tea that the caregiver just put on the coffee table or by trying to grab a lit candle on the counter. It is unfortunate that many caregivers are unaware that such accidents can occur and that they may be dangerous.
As a book author, I am eager to share with readers my passion for promoting a safe home environment. I wanted to educate them about risky behavior that can be modified into precautionary behavior. Prevention is the best cure is my one and only reason for becoming an author.
When I was writing the book, I intended the illustration to be very child-friendly so that every child can relate to the story. The concept of always keeping children five steps away from hot beverages and stoves took a long time to develop. The concept was developed with the collaboration of Dr. Ahmad Shahzad, who works with children with burn injuries on a daily basis at Shalamar Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. The first time I saw the illustration of five colorful semi-circular shapes surrounding the stove with toes pointing away from the stove, tears began to flow down my cheeks as I realized I had finally seen my idea represented in a colorful illustration.
It is extremely impressive to see Izza’s Tea Party artwork. During my battle with cancer, my granddaughter Izza rekindled my passion for this book and contributed to the development of the characters by using her toys. Jack Delany’s creative, and colorful illustrations brought these characters to life.
I appreciate you taking the time to read about Izza’s Tea Party illustration process.
What was the writing process like for this book?
It was a memorable experience for me to write Izza’s Tea Party. During that time, I was battling cancer for my life. As I struggled through this dark time, my only source of light was my grandchildren. They supported, motivated, and inspired me wholeheartedly. Every day, for hours, they reminded me that I wanted to write a book on children’s safety and prevention. Izza, my granddaughter, would then help me develop the book’s characters as she played with her toys. My grandson, Adam, would then read aloud to me.
In a flash of inspiration, it seems like I promised them I would fight this monstrous illness and become a published author just like that.
The diagnosis of cancer and the battle to overcome it were grim for me, but it certainly made my blessings shine brighter in light of it. I am grateful to be a published book author. It is an honor for me to share the light of safety and prevention with children throughout the world.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The second book in the Safety and Prevention Book Series will be entitled “Izza, the Babysitter”. The book is scheduled to be published by Christmas 2022.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Website
Bellerophon and Pegasus
Bellerophon and Pegasus follow the Greek mythological story of Bellerophon, who had the rare gift of connecting with and healing horses, seeks help from Pegasus in a time of need. As the word of her talents spread across the land, she is asked to join the battle against the mythical beast plaguing the people, bringing destruction and death in his path. As a talented healer, she finds herself conflicted about how to help defeat it, and meeting what she perceives as a homeless man, she confides in him her struggles. The man, a light sorcerer, instructs her to sleep outside of Athenas to ask for help to bridle Pegasus to help defeat the beast “Chimera.”
Author Kim Slamka’s writing stands out amongst many other Greek Mythology stories I have read. The author has clearly done her research, and it shines through her flawless storytelling. The character development is one to commend as Bellerophon is a person that many can look up to as she is strong but also noble. I also enjoyed reading a story that contains a strong yet kind female protagonist. This is the significant difference in the retelling from the Greek tale of Bellerophon.
The book contains beautiful illustrations of the scenes taking place, and I was immediately captivated as they tell a story all on their own. The artwork looks like a painting and really gives readers an immersive experience when reading this awe-inspiring work. Even though this is a short read, this is one book you can read over and over while enjoying the marvelous art.
Bellerophon and Pegasus is a captivating read with a twist on Greek mythology. I highly recommend this beautifully written story to those who are looking to escape a few hours of their day to a mythical world. This would make a great introduction to Greek mythology for teachers as well.
Pages: 60 | ASIN : B09KYDQDQV
LITERARY TITAN 