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I took one look at Unleashed and was smitten. How could I resist that cute cover? It’s like the dog is forcing his human companions into close quarters, because he knows what’s best for them. I envy a dog’s view of the world; everything is better with company, there is never a time when play isn’t appropriate, and there is nothing to bring contentment like a cuddle and a hug. If humans acted more like dogs, methinks the world would be a much happier place.
Matt and Cara are both stuck in neutral. Cara, a cancer survivor, is waiting for the 10 year anniversary of her remission. Until she hits that milestone, she is afraid to live. She’s working as a nanny, as well as volunteering at the local animal shelter, just biding her time. She refuses to even consider a serious relationship, because what happens if her cancer comes back? She only fosters dogs, never adopting one permanently, because what would happen to it if she fell ill again?
Matt has made plans to sell his place and move back home to be with his mom. She’s not doing too well on her own, and he wants to help his younger brother take care of her. He doesn’t have time to look for romance, because he’ll be leaving town soon. But when his path collides with Cara’s, they both have some serious thinking to do. What if this is the love of their lives, but the timing is all wrong for falling in love?
I loved this book. Cara’s foster dogs play a huge part in the plot, and Matt is a great guy. After their initial misunderstanding, when he accuses her of fighting her dogs (they aren’t even pit bulls, and I was getting geared up to dislike Matt because he was acting like a self-righteous ass), they start to develop feelings for each other. They were attracted to each other immediately, but it was the shift from lust to like that resonated with me. There wasn’t much about Unleashed that didn’t work for me. Sure, there were little annoyances with Cara, but knowing her medical history and how fearful she was of falling ill again, her behavior made perfect sense to me. There is even a little mystery for Matt to solve; he’s a PI, and his latest case is causing him all kinds of grief.
Unleashed is a fun, refreshing read, and I’m so looking forward to the next book in the series.
Grade: B+
Review copy provided by publisher
From Amazon:
What happens when you find the right one at the wrong time? Cara Medlen has a serious case of animal attraction. And it’s not because of all the foster dogs she’s rescued. She’s got it bad for her incredibly sexy neighbor. Her one rule: Don’t get attached. It’s served her well with the dogs she’s given to good homes and the children she’s nannied. Yet the temptation of Matt’s sexy smile might just convince her that some rules are made to be broken.
Matt Dumont doesn’t need his skills as a private investigator to detect disaster on the horizon. Cara is everything he thought he’d never find-gorgeous, funny, and caring. But there’s no way he can start a relationship just as he’s about to move to another state. Talk about bad timing. As their attraction sizzles too hot to deny, they’ll have to make a decision: forget the consequences and let loose, or forget each other and let go…
It is Fall 1942 and the Nazis have been occupying Holland since Spring 1940. Beatrix, 6, and her mother are Jews who have been running and hiding from the Nazis for that long. But now it is time to hid Beatrix in a safer more stable place.
Sitting on the tram, on their way to meet the woman who would take Beatrix to safety, her mother is suddenly taken away by the Nazis who regularly board and search the trams looking for Jews. Beatrix is left sitting on the tram by herself.
Brothers Lars, 63, and Hans Gorter, 65, both life-long bachelors, work together on a tram - Hans driving it while Lars collects tickets. When it looked like the Nazis were also going to take Beatrix away, Lars suddenly told them that she was his niece. The war and all the rumors they had heard about Nazi treatment of Jews suddenly became real for the brothers.
Now, these kind, well-meaning though naive brothers must learn how to care for a little girl, who has been traumatized by the loss of her mother and who must become someone different than who she really is - if only for the duration of the Nazi occupation. Luckily, Hans and Lars have help from their elderly neighbor Mrs. Vos, 80, and from a new, younger neighbor, Lieve van der Meer, 30, who husband is rumored to have escaped Holland and is flying for the RAF.
Why would two older men who have made it a point to always live quietly and keep a low profile, suddenly risk everything, including their lives, for a little girl they know nothing about? That is the question at the heart of The End of the Line and Canadian author Sharon McKay answers it eloquently as the story of Beatrix and her new uncles unfolds.
There are lots of books about Jewish children who were rescued by people during the Holocaust and who did what they did simply because they believed it was the right thing to do. But these stories are generally written from the point of view of the child. What makes The End of the Line stand out is that it is written from the point of view of the two brothers. and yet it is a thoroughly appealing, totally engaging book for young readers accustomed to reading about protagonists their own age.
Living under Nazi occupation meant living under a daily shroud of fear and anxiety, never knowing if you were going to be singled out at any given moment. There are plenty of these moments portrayed in the story of Hans, Lars and Beatrix, like the time Beatrix whispers Geb Achting, Yiddish for be careful, to a young Nazi soldier. However, the story offers more insight into what it was like for the brothers in order to survive the war and the occupation of Holland, from dressing Beatrix as she grows, managing to find food when there is almost none to be had, even to buying her a doll to cuddle and comfort herself with may be new experiences for Hans and Lars, but keeping her safe from the Nazis turns out to be instinctual for these kind brothers.
The End of the Line is an interesting supplement to Holocaust literature written for young readers by an author who is part of the Canadian War Artist Program and has already written books about child soldiers in Uganda, young girls caught in the war in Afghanistan and short stories dealing with the Holocaust with Kathy Kacer, another Canadian artist who also writes books for young readers about the Holocaust. This should be a welcome addition to any library.
This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was received as an E-ARC from NetGalley
You can find more information and a very useful lesson plan for The End of the Line from the publisher HERE
0 Comments on The End of the Line by Sharon E. McKay as of 8/29/2014 11:17:00 AM
It's 1943 and Denmark has been occupied by the Nazis since 1940. One morning, when young Anett comes downstairs, her mother tells her that there are 'new friends' in the basement. Anett isn't the least bit surprised to hear this and simply goes downstairs to the secret room to bring breakfast to young Carl and his mother, Danish Jews waiting for a fishing boat that will take them to the safety of Sweden.
The nights are foggy and cloudy, and the new friends can't leave right away. Each day, Anett stops to pick up things they need - extra bread from the bakery, extra eggs from the farmer, extra books from the library for Carl to read. And at each stop, Anett whispers to the baker, the farmer, the librarian that there are new friends who need these extras.
But each day, on her way home, Anett sees the Nazi soldiers knocking on doors, looking for hidden Jews and with orders to arrest everyone in the house if any are found. Then one day, Anett sees the Nazi soldiers heading for her house. She hurries around to the back door, but when she enters, the house is empty.
When the Nazi soldiers knock, Anett tells them there are no Jews in the house, and though they go away, the solders do so with threats. Later, it becomes clear to her parents that they can't wait any longer. But how to get Carl and his mother to the harbor in a dark, cloudy, foggy night?
Well, young Anett has a solution. That night, as Carl and his mother leave the hidden room in the basement, all over the village there are whispers of "This way."
Jennifer Elvgren's simple depiction of this dangerous, yet heroic rescue makes this story all the more poignant. There is no sentimentality, but this gentle story shows ordinary people just doing what needs to be done to keep other people safe from Nazi hands. But it will no doubt elicit questions from curious young readers and is probably best read with an adult who can answer them age appropriately.
Fabio Santomauro used sparse, dark cartoonish illustrations that seem to work very well with the simplicity of the text and he has chosen a palette of the dark foreboding black, blues and grays broken up with bits of reds, yellows and khaki dialogue against an almost white background. The dialogue is done in word bubbles. This style may attract young readers and make them feel comfortable, but there is nothing cartoonish or funny about the story.
By now, most of us are familiar with the story of how Danish Jews were smuggled out of Denmark by Danes who refused to support and collaborate with their Nazi occupiers. In fact, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Danes were the "only occupied country that actively resisted the Nazi regime's attempts to deport its Jewish citizens."
So it is no surprise that the best resistance, rescue and escape stories set in Denmark always come from real life. In her Author's Note, Elvgren writes that The Whispering Town is based on one of the true stories from the fishing village of Gilleieje. And if Gilleieje sounds familiar to you, you may remember it from Number the Stars by Lois Lowery. Elvgren writes, 1,700 Jews escaped from this small fishing village. In fact, Danes managed to evacuate 7,220 out of 7800 Danish Jews, 668 of their non-Jewish spouses.
Gilleieje is the uppermost town in Denmark
If you are looking for a way to introduce young readers to the Holocaust, The Whispering Town will definitely help you do that.
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was purchased for my personal library
0 Comments on The Whispering Town by Jennifer Elvgren, illustrated by Fabio Santomauro as of 5/6/2014 9:23:00 AM
Today started out as a typical day in the office, but by mid-morning we were in rescue mode.
On Wednesday mamma mallard and ten baby ducklings were wandering around the grass outside the Sylvan Dell office building. With a small pond nearby and a downpour of rain the day before it is not uncommon to see waterfowl outside our windows on occasion. Baby ducklings however, were too cute in a line behind their mother that we couldn’t help but watch as they waddled around.
When our editor and Buddy the office dog went outside this morning, she found that mamma duck was no longer with her babies and there were only four still quacking, six were no longer living. Stuck in the landscaping, and unable to get out of the well around a tree, the staff decided to help.
Mamma duck was quacking away in the nearby pond and so we tried a ramp, but they were afraid and the ramp was steep. Next we worked together to herd the babies into a box so that we could deliver them to safety. After several tries and many strategies the three of us were able to get three of the babies into the box and one baby was actually able to make it out of the well and ran all the way to the pond to quickly jump in. Mom swam over to her ducklings as they all hopped into the water.
It was a successful reuniting, and we were very happy to bring the family back together. We must thank Jennifer Keats Curtis for writing the books Baby Owl’s Rescue, and Animal Helpers: Wildlife Rehabilitators, she gave us the inspiration and knowledge to save these babies from harm.
1 Comments on A Ducky Rescue, last added: 5/28/2013
So glad you were able to save the remainder ducklings. A rescue like that can really take a large chunk from your day. Way to go for being willing to stop your regular hustle and bustle for those sweet ducklings. As a kid, I spent many hours with my father herding our baby goats back inside their fenced home. It taught me patience and compassion. Thank you for sharing your story.
Louise Borden author of His Name was Raoul Wallenberg
Today I am very pleased and honored to welcome Louise Borden to Randomly Reading and The Children's War. Louise and her book His Name was Raoul Wallenberg have been named winner of the 2013 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Older Readers by the Association of Jewish Libraries. The Sydney Taylor Book Awards are given annually to those outstanding works that authentically portray the Jewish experience.
First, may I say congratulations on being given this award for writing such a fine biography of a real World War II hero.
Louise, can you tell us what being awarded the 2013 Sydney Taylor Book Award means to you?
It's quite an honor and was totally unexpected. But I'm thrilled to think that other felt that my research and writing about Raoul was worthy of this wonderful award. Awards are not my focus when I'm alone at my desk typing away but I think this one means that those on the committee believe in me and in the importance of Raoul Wallenberg's life story. It is quite affirming and something I will carry into the future on the touch days when I'm staring down at a blank page. Winning this award will not make writing easier but I'll think of my encouragers, and of Sydney Taylor, cheering me on.
First, may I say congratulations on being given this award for writing such a fine biography of a real World War II hero.
You have written on a variety of subjects, but you keep returning to stories about World War II in both fiction and non-fiction - The Little Ships, Across the Blue Pacific, The Greatest Skating Race, The Journey that Saved Curious George, and now His Name was Raoul Wallenberg. Can you tell us what inspired you to write about Raoul Wallenberg?
I'd never heard of Raoul Wallenberg even though I studied history in college. It wasn't until the 1980s that I read about him, and the mystery of his disappearance. I was drawn to his character, his moral compass, his Swedish background, and his American education in architecture. I'm not Jewish but I've read about the Holocaust and care deeply that we must always remember those who were lost and educate future generations. I didn't know much about the events in Hungary until I started on my long path of research. I hope that young readers will find Raoul Wallenberg's story and his actions (and those of other brave diplomats in Budapest) as compelling as I did. Raoul and his colleagues are my life heroes. What if they had stood by and done nothing during those dark days?
I know you have written books in free verse before, and it seems to be a form that is becoming more and more popular in both fiction and non-fiction. Yet, when I read Raoul Wallenberg's story I was amazed at how much information you were able to convey without resorting to prose. Can you tell us what prompted you to chose this form over prose?
All of my books are written in this style. Sea Clocks and The Journey that Saved Curious George were subjects that also involved gathering a lot of complicated information and then making events and places and people accessible to today's young readers. It took me two years to write the text about Raoul Wallenberg, shaping the structure and doing constant revision. I wanted the power of his story to shine through and not have my readers get lost in dense paragraphs of dry writing.
I know historical fiction and non-fiction require a lot of research. Could you tell us a little about the research process you used and any challenges you faced while writing His Name was Raoul Wallenberg?
His life is a complex story with an unknown ending, clouded by contradictions. First I had to immerse myself in reading deeply and widely, sifting through inaccuracies that have been stated in various books over the years. I tried to use primary sources whenever possible. Meeting with his family was very important, hearing their voices and recollections. I went to Stockholm three times and Budapest twice - on my own nickel and perseverance. That was a financial challenge! The Wallenberg story was my "beautiful obsession". You have to have a deep commitment to last through years of research. I had three editors...so the book's structure changed and evolved. I began these steps before Google was such a helpful presence to researchers. Attending a Raoul Wallenberg Symposium in Budapest was also very helpful. Andy Nagy helped me translate sections of some Hungarian books. Gathering the photos was a challenge. I think that this book contains more photos than any other book about Raoul Wallenberg. I wanted kids to know that the players in the story looked like, and what the places looked like. To them, World War II was lived in black and white...I want them to know that it was lived in color.
After reading His Name was Raoul Wallenberg, the thing that struck me the most was how you presented him as a real person and not just another distant historical figure. For example, I love that you included information about Raoul's childhood and teen years. The class picture you open with is priceless, as is the invitation to readers to also become a storyteller of his life. As storytellers, what do you hope your young readers will take away from this book?
When I saw the school photo (that had never before appeared in a book). I knew that it was the key to finding the right place to begin such a complicated story. Finding the right voice is always my quest. I hoped that this photo )and that signature) would bring kinds immediately into Raoul's life. I try to choose the most essential details - the ones that will connect with kids. I gathered these from interviews regarding his childhood and teen years. I'm 63 years old. Young readers have much longer lives ahead of them. I want them to be inspired by this man and by his character and actions. I want kids to know that they too can make a positive difference in the world. I want them to find their own heroes. And I want readers to remember Raoul Wallenberg and to carry his story into their own futures. We are all storytellers - kids will remember a great story and I hope they will tell others and use its power for good in their own lives.
Raoul Wallenberg's Class Picture @1921
One of the topics of WW2 that I have always hoped to see a kids book about are the Jewish Partisans, like the Bielski Partisans. That being said, what particular ideas set the writing process in motion for you? Do you have a current writing project and is there any future project of a historical nature that you would like to write about?
I've had about 26 books published. More are fiction than nonfiction. But in most I tend to focus on ordinary characters who do extraordinary things. Courage, friendship, helping others, heroes, changing the world in a wonderful way - you will find these in the pages of my books. I write about people who inspire me.
The Greatest Skating Race was entirely fictional but rooted in an authentic setting. I wanted to write about that part of the world in wartime. I wrote the fictional The Little Ships because I found the event of the Dunkirk rescue so dramatic. When a person or place or event calls to me in a deep way, that is when I embark on writing about it - either fictionally or via nonfiction. Along the way, I have met amazing people, and through my books I have made lifelong friends in other countries. I've just finished a fictional book set in Italy during WW2. And I went to France last September to see some places I've been researching for two years - another WW2 story. Both of these books are, again, about the courage of ordinary people. Long ago in college my senior research project focused on the European Response to Hitler/Resistance movements in WW2 in France, Holland, Denmark and Germany. I'm sure your interest in the Bielski Partisans is founded in part on their extraordinary courage. World War 2 affected millions upon millions. Each had their own individual story. Perhaps that is why you and I both find this tragic time so compelling.
When I finish my work-in-progress French story, I have yet another idea I am pursuing via research. I gather books, etc and they sit on the back of my writing stove. Then when I'm ready, I start a project. I intersperse my WW2 books with books for younger kids. Kindergarten Luck is such a book, that will be published by Chronicle. Baseball is...will be published by S&S next year.
Thank you so much, Louise, for taking the time to visit Randomly Reading and for all the insights you have given us into your writing process. I wish you all the best in the future.
Please be sure to visit these other stops on the 2013 Sydney Taylor Book Award blog tour:
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2013
Ann Redisch Stampler, author of The Wooden Sword Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category At Shelf-Employed
Carol Liddiment, illustrator of The Wooden Sword Sydney Taylor Honor Award winner in the Older Readers Category At Ann Koffsky’s Blog
Doreen Rappaport, author of Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust Sydney Taylor Honor Award in the Teen Readers Category At Bildungsroman
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013
Linda Glaser, author of Hannah’s Way Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Younger Readers Category At This Messy Life
Adam Gustavson, illustrator of Hannah’s Way Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Younger ReadersCategory At Here in HP
Louise Borden, author of His Name was Raoul Wallenberg Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Older Readers Category At Randomly Reading
Deborah Heiligman, author of Intentions Sydney Taylor Book Award winner in the Teen Readers Category At The Fourth Musketeer
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2013
Sheri Sinykin, author of Zayde Comes to Live Sydney Taylor Honor Award in the Younger Readers Category At Read, Write, Repeat
Kristina Swarner, illustrator of Zayde Comes to Live Sydney Taylor Honor Award in the Younger Readers Category At Reading and Writing
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2013
Linda Leopold Strauss, author of The Elijah Door Sydney Taylor Honor Award in the Younger Readers Category At Pen and Pros
"You have to have a deep commitment to last through years of research."
Yes indeed! And I loved reading your research story, Louise. I think travel and making friends via research are some of the most enriching life experiences I've had.
I thought of you all the way through this interview. I know your experiences are so similar to Louise's. And you both make me realize it is time to shift through my research and start working on my (most likely never to be published) WW2 story.
Alex, what is this with the "most likely never to be published" talk? Stop that right now. Someone as knowledgeable and literary savvy as you are, can certainly bring a book to publication.
Get going! And if I can encourage you or give manuscript feedback, do let me know.
In January, I was very pleased to learn that Louise Borden and her book His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg had been named winner of the 2013 Sydney Taylor Book Award for Older Readers by the Association of Jewish Libraries. The Sydney Taylor Book Awards are given annually to those outstanding works that authentically portray the Jewish experience.
Born into a relatively well-to-do family of bankers in Stockholm, Sweden in 1912, Raoul Wallenberg was always excited and curious about everything and his endeavors were encouraged and supported by his family. At age 11, he traveled alone from Sweden to Turkey on the Orient Express to visit his grandfather, Gustaf Wallenberg, Sweden's minister to Turkey. And at age 19, he left Sweden to attend college at the University of Michigan, majoring in Engineering. When he returned to Europe, Raoul spent time travelling and as he did, he began to hear stories from Jews who has escaped Hitler's Germany, stories about new laws, beatings and even murder inflicted on Jews by the Nazi government.
Raoul had taken a job and was an excellent salesman, helped by his ability to speak different languages. But pretty soon the world was at war. As he watched country after country fall to Nazi occupation, he worried about Sweden's neutrality. Denmark and Norway, close neighbor, had already fallen to the Nazis. When roundups and deportations were announced in Denmark in 1943, Sweden gave permission for Danish Jews to enter the country, saved by the many Danish fisherman willing to sail them there. Swedish freedom and neutrality remained intact.
Hungary was also a country with a large Jewish population, but it was not a neutral and in 1944, it, too, became a Nazi occupied country. Roundups and deportations of Hungarian Jews began and many went to the Swedish embassy seeking visas to Sweden. But the War Refugee Board in America wanted a neutral Swede to organize some relief for the Jews in Hungary. Raoul Wallenberg, with his many languages and skill as a salesman, was just the person they needed.
Wallenberg devised a legal looking Protection Pass or Schutzpass that were like Swedish passports and protected the bearer from deportation. Wallenberg even created a single Schutzpass that protected whole families. But the Schutzpass, which probably saved around 20,000 people, was only one way Wallenberg worked to help Hungarian Jews.
Ironically, the man who worked tirelessly to save Jews, was picked up by the Soviet military in Hungary and on January 17, 1945, he was last seen being driven away in a Soviet car, and was never to be heard from again.
The details of Wallenberg's life and the work he did saving Jews in Hungary are all nicely detailed in-depth in Borden's free verse biography of this incredible man. His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg is beautifully put together, divided into 15 sections, each one chronicling a period of Wallenberg's life with a wealth of supporting photographs and other documents that give a comprehensive picture of his life as he grows and changes and even goes beyond his disappearance up to the present. As you will discover when you read the Author's Note at the back, Borden had the privilege of working closely with his family over many years and so had much more personal insight into the real child and man that was Raoul Wallenberg than biographers are generally privy to. And that shows throughout the book.
But His Name Was Raoul Wallenberg is more than just a biography, it is a shining example of one man who rose to the challenge at a very bleak time in history and who made a difference in the world, saving so many Hungarian Jews from certain death. Borden has written a book that is a fine addition to the whole body of Holocaust literature and anyone interested in the Jewish experience at that time.
Raoul Wallenberg was named Righteous Among The Nations by Yad Vashem in 1963 in Israel.
Come back tomorrow for an interview with Louise Borden.
This book is recommended for readers age 12+
This book was purchased for my personal library
You can find more information about Raoul Wallenberg at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, here
You can find more on Raoul Wallenberg and the plight of Hungarian Jews at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum here
I have not heard of this one. My ancestors were Swedish and Norwegian and I haven't read about many people from either country. This book sounds fascinating. I look forward to reading it. Thanks for sharing. :)
You won't be disappointed, Stephanie And if you want to read a great novel about immigrants from Norway, there's an old book called Giants in the Earth. I loved it as a teen.
I always think the same thing but then I stop and just hope I would do the right thing in any circumstances. A free verse biography is interesting. Free verse has become so popular not.
Cat Writers' Association Muse Medallion Winner
World's Best Litter-ary Award Winner
Nebraska Golden Sower Award list 2012-13
Illinois Monarch K-3 Readers' Choice Award list 2012-13
NY State Charlotte Award list 2011-12
Delaware Diamond Award list 2011-12
Storytelling World Award Honor Title 2011
Bank Street Best Books for Children 2011
Wanda Gág Best Read Aloud Book Award 2011 Honor Book
Society of School Librarians International Honor Book 2010
Smithsonian Notable Books for Children 2010
NSW Premier Reading Challenge Book (Australia)
1st grade Read-Aloud Choice, 25th Annual Read-Aloud Day, Bridgeport, CT
4.5 Stars From Inside Jacket: Ellie believes she will live in her little village on the coast of Scotia for always. But when her father gets a job on Sable Island, she must say farewell to her beloved home and her mother’s final resting place. Not even the idea of seeing wild horses that roam [...]
Danielle Kirrane Author of The Fish Who Swam Too Far . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 978-1-61777-937-4 Hi, Dianelle. Your children’s book The Fish Who Swam Too Far was recently reviewed here at Kid Lit Reviews and some thought Harry, the main character, looked like Nemo, the [...]
Today I have author Mel Comley talking about her charity book It’s A Dog’s Life, something close to her heart.
~ *~
I’ve released a novellette in ebook format, with the intention of sending all the royalties to a Dog Rescue Charity that is close to my heart.
About a year before we left England, we met a wonderful lady called Sheila Tremellen. We’d just come back from a holiday in Florida and discovered one of our dogs, ‘Lady’ had died in the boarding kennels.
Devastated, and needing to find another companion for our other dog ‘Angel’ I bought the local paper and saw Sheila’s number being advertised.
When I rang her we clicked immediately, she invited me to her beautiful old cottage, which had a small kennel attached at the side, where she cared for the abandoned dogs she rescued.
Sheila showed us a litter of border collies that had been found abandoned in a box. I was immediately drawn to the runt of the litter, the only male in the pack, who was picked on by his sisters. We named him Henry and he now features prominently in my books.
Almost ten months later we moved to France, but we’ve never lost contact with Sheila. Every Christmas she sends a lengthy newsletter to the people who’ve adopted one of her dogs, highlighting the dogs she has saved and re-homed during the current year.
I was so proud of her achievements when, in 2002 Sheila won a BBC UK Animal Award for her charity work. Then in 2006, her work got the recognition it deserves when she was awarded an MBE by the Queen.
Over the years Sheila has saved a staggering 1040 dogs.
From the minute I met Sheila, I knew I had to help out in some way, but donating a small amount to her charity at Christmas wasn’t enough for me. Unlike other charities out there, I know that every penny donated goes to the dogs in Sheila’s care.
Therefore, I have decided that all the royalties I make from selling my story about the plight of ex-racing greyhounds, will be winging its way to PUPS charity in Worcester.
But if you’d like to make further donations to this worthy cause please contact me at my email address: impjust AT orange DOT fr and I’ll put you in touch with Sheila.
We know how important it is to make our characters realistic. We spend a lot of time with them, get inside their heads, and well - love them. So it stands to reason we feel a little maternal (or paternal) toward them. Protective. We wouldn't hurt our children, so how can we possibly hurt our characters?
It's for their own good. You know it. Putting them through the absolute worst situations you can imagine not only makes for good story telling, it is often the catalyst for the change necessary for them to grow.
Okay, you agree? Good, except that making mistakes isn't enough. Having bad things happen isn't enough. It's DEALING with it that makes the character and the story rich. You might think you've put your MC in danger, tortured her, etc. When in truth you've sent in a "rescuer" to prevent her from actually suffering. Do any of these sound familiar?
The love interest swoops in and saves the day. Enter Edward Cullen - maybe we should deem this the "Edward Interference"? My but the MC had a fright! It's a good thing our mysterious, brooding hero who may or may not be immortal was around to save the day. No! No! No! None of that please. What kind of character arc does your MC have if Mr. Macho is always preventing things form happening?
It was all a misunderstanding. *shakes head* Life isn't fair. If the MC gets to let it roll off her back and skip through the sunshine and rose petals it won't make for a very good story. Trust me. No coincidences. No "but it really wasn't what she thought so no harm done" situations please!
Something bad happens, but it's immediately remedied. Okay I hurt her - quick where's the bandage? Tension friends. Let the ramifications sink in. Let 'em wallow in it. Don't stick her in quicksand when there's a strong, handy branch waiting inches away. Where's the character building there? Where's the excitement for the reader? Draw it out.
It all comes down to the same thing. LET THE MC SUFFER.
You're soooo right, and it's hard to put your MC through devastating, horrible situations because all you want to do is make every honky-dory for them. But, as you said, honky-dory, sunshine and rainbows do NOT make a thrilling, page-turning, too-good-to-sleep, heartbreaking, come-out-the-other-end-stronger story. :)
I'm reading Janice Hardy's Blue Fire (second book in the Healing Wars Trilogy) and she's soooooo good at being mean to her protagonist. It's heartbreaking and frustrating and full of moral decisions that damage the character. Delicious and very strong writing.
Really? Now you are confusing me...that's what I've been doing in real life, and writing my fiction with butterflies and rainbows because it's fiction. Have I got it backwards? You mean my reality here is about happiness and sunshine and my fiction has tension, danger, sorrow, pain and maybe some recovery? Wow, have I got a lot to learn! *finding therapists phone number...dialing quickly* Note to self...apologize to wife and kids when I get home. I've confused fiction and reality again!!!!
Absolutely agree. But can't resist playing devil's advocate too: you could argue that because Edward was always there for her in the first book, that his desertion in the second book made her suffering even worse. :) :)
It's true, our characters need to suffer in order to keep the story moving along. In The White Queen, which I'm currently reading, Elizabeth is madly in love with the king and despite how we as the readers want them to admit their feelings for each other we also are able to respect Elizabeth for wanting to keep her honor.
Hurting our characters can be difficult, but it is through their suffering and struggles that our readers can develop feelings for them. In real life nothing is perfect, Mr. Darcy doesn't exist, and what happens doesn't just dissolve.
Have your character take the pain, find someone who can give them hope, and most importantly keep them alive. Make them feel real.
I'm getting a kick out of your timing with this because my first 20 pages got workshopped yesterday here in Iowa, and two of my classmates kept begging me to save my hero from pretty much ANY distress! It was so funny--they are both moms and were basically mothering her. It made me feel like, at least, I'd created a character that people cared about.
Spoken from the mistress of torture herself! You've caught me on a couple of these points, at least. The coincidence, and wrapping up too quickly. Yep, I'm still a work in progress!
This is awesome. It also helps us see our own suffering as an oppotunity to grow.
I think the hardest part in writing this is not the difficulty of putting our characters through suffering, but thinking of a way for them to really rise up to the challenge of overcoming it.
Yep. I've been protecting my MC. But now that I've thrown her out to fend for herself -- it's quite interesting! You'll be surprised what your MC can do when left to her own devices. :)
What torture - you Lisa? How uncharacteristic of your happily ever after self. Kidding. I can always count on you to mess with your MC in a diabolical way.
Thanks for this wise advice, Lisa. It's something that's very much on my mind these days as I throw my protagonist into difficult situations. It's hard to wean her, but she must learn to stand on her own two feet (what a horrible mixed metaphor). Anyway, you know what I mean.
I read this before and realized I didn't leave a comment - how strange! Anyway, I love this making-the-MC-suffer thing. I strive to do it, but really? There can never be too much (as long as it ends well). :)
Such excellent points. And why can't the heroine save the day every once in a while?? It's the "suffering" part that creates the tension and suspense. SO much more fun that way.
Yep. Gotta drag out the pain and suffering or the reader starts yawning. It always pleases me when my readers tell me they cried for my characters. YES! That's exactly what I wanted.
True of writing . . . and also of parenting. Granted, the levels of suffering a writer permits her MC and her toddler to experience should probably not be similar! ;)
This is Guadalupe A.K.A: Guada, Lupe, Lupi, Loopy Loop, Guada-Loopy-Loop. She is my housemate´s kitty, Lupi was rescued from an office building parking lot, where she lived under cars. She was really skinny and malnourished. After a month with us she was a happy kittie, but… something was wrong, we took her to the vet and longer story short, the vet rescue her from dying. Two months go by and… THIS sunday, she got spooked by a big male cat and climbed up a tree, she couldn´t get down, we called the fire department and they rescued her, after 3 hours! she´s at the vet right now and will get some stitches in the palate.
This week´s topic was… exhausting.
Esta es Guadalupe también conocida como: Guada, Lupe, Lupi, Loopy Loop, Guada-Loopy-Loop. Es la gatica de una de mis compañeras de casa, Lupi fue rescatada de un parqueadero de oficinas, donde vivía debajo de carros. Estaba muy flaca y desnutrida. Después de un mes con nosotras era una gatita feliz, pero… algo andaba mal, la llevamos al veterinario y para no volver esta historia mas larga, el veterniario la salvo de una muerte segura. Dos meses despues… ESTE domingo, un gato macho la espantó y se subió a un árbol, no se podía bajar, llamamos a los bomberos y la rescataron, después de 3 horas! en este momento está en el veterinario, donde le van a poner puntos en el paladar.
El tema de esta semana fue… agotador.
This is great, what an eventful life little Loopy had so far.
I absolutely love the textures you used, may I asked how you achieved them?
Liz said, on 3/31/2010 5:31:00 AM
Very cute!
Hannah M said, on 3/31/2010 11:53:00 AM
Love this – very cute! Great textures and colours.
Moira Millman said, on 3/31/2010 11:56:00 AM
great pic! poor guadalupe, glad she was rescued and wish her a speedy recovery – lucky she’s got 9 lives!!
Joy Steuerwald said, on 3/31/2010 12:12:00 PM
OMGosh, what a story! Your poster of Guadalupe A.K.A: Guada, Lupe, Lupi, Loopy Loop, Guada-Loopy-Loop is super cute! What a lucky cat.
danielfairbairn said, on 3/31/2010 3:10:00 PM
I love this soooooooo much, the colours are great, and the pink nose tops it off beautifully.
Rob Smith, Jr. said, on 3/31/2010 4:22:00 PM
Very nice! Great use of color and design!
shell said, on 3/31/2010 4:58:00 PM
Love it!!! Would be a great poster!
nicky linzey said, on 4/1/2010 7:36:00 AM
I love this, the touch of pink with the other colours and textures just works so well. I really enjoyed your story too – she sounds like a lovely but naughty kitty!
File this under "Emotional Rescue" my submission for Illustration Friday's "rescue" theme is a colour pencil drawing I made for Babs in 1989. I am diggin deep my peep, peep, peeps :D
25 Comments on Illustration Friday: rescue, last added: 3/30/2010
I have an huge smile watching this picture. The snugness of the houses together and their expressions. The love flowers. The special birds. The sunset...
This is beautiful. I love the colors and all the heart flowers. I also admire your technique with colored pencils. Those birds have a wonderful whimsy about them. A really FUN piece!
Such rich, beautiful colors! I know that can be difficult to achieve with colored pencil. Love the lawn of hearts! I could move right in to such a cozy place.
It is a joy to come and visit again. It seem a long while that I have been on the blogs and visited you. Your emotional rescue has resuscitated me. A garden full of hearts with such a curious colourful town of houses. I must not leave it so long again. Today I am motivated. thank you.
Hey Val I'm so glad you 'rescued' this little gem from the past! Hahaha! So charming and colorful and I always love those little hearts you sneak into your work! Hey get out those colored pencils again so Amalia and me can have another pencil sister!
Wanted you to know that I have bestowed upon you the Renee Award on my blog. You have been a wonderfully supportive new friend to me and I so appreciate it. I definitely count you in as one of my sturdy oaks - enjoy! xoxo Susan
For this week's Challenge I chose three of the frames from my original online story of Winston the Wonderhound. The real Winston was our loveable rescued beagle and he became the subject of an ongoing online story. In these two frames he has become trapped in a castle moat and is hanging on for dear life at the edge. Just when it looks like he will never make it up on to dry land, several friendly fish come along and bump bump bump him right up over the edge.
Once on land he finds a distressed castle cook and after hearing her sad tale, decides to be her hero with the help of his little hedgehog friend Roxxanne.
If you want to see how he got into this predicament in the first place I have a blog of his adventures ( which I have to get back to) at Adventures of Winston the Wonderhound. That link will take you to a page where you may have to scroll to the bottom to get to this point. In a few weeks I should have time to update the story and post it in another form that is easier to follow.
12 Comments on ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY ~ RESCUE, last added: 3/29/2010
Hey Ginger. I'm heading over to check out Winston's adventures right now. Are you going to publish this story? The artwork, characters and idea are phenomenal. Love your work Ginger. Amazing stuff!
WOW! amazing work, really really impressive! the image where he is trying to lift himself is stunning and the last one is so touching. Splendid work :D
I had this dream last night. A young woman actor I knew was in a film that was nearing completion, she thought it was finished, so she dove into it (don't ask -- it was a dream!) and I was watching the film, enjoying it so much, couldn't wait to see the end, when the film stuttered, and words came up, that I couldn't quite read, then we skipped a scene and she was back, exciting! The film went on, but then -- without warning -- words came up again. Sorry, no ending. We're waiting for the writer to finish the script. Yikes! my friend was stuck inside the film! I had to get to the office, talk to the writer. I drove to the building and went to the door, but it was sealed off. I ran to another door and made my way in, but everything had changed in my absence. I was directed further and further into the building. I didn't know my place any more. And where was the writer? The asshole. He was gone. Could I use his office? Maybe I could finish the script and rescue my friend. I got inside his office, I set myself up at his desk, and I thought I heard my grandson call me from downstairs "Mom?" He doesn't call me Mom. What the? I woke up. Did I really have this transparent dream? Yes, I did. Will I finish the script in time? I don't know. But obviously I have to try!
I'd been preparing a Christmas package for my cousin's 9-year old son (and 13-year old daughter) and came across NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society by Michael Buckley. I can't wait to hear what 9-year old Luis thinks of this book!
Fifth grader Jackson Jones of Arlington, Virginia was very, very, very, very, very, very very, very popular at Nathan Hale Elementary School. Head of his PeeWee football team and with a catchy touchdown dance, Jackson was so popular that his fellow students copied his every move. Jackson and his friends had a particular game - catching and tormenting the many nerds that populate Nathan Hale Elementary School. Jackson orchestrated and executed spitwad attacks, "purple nurples, blistering pink bellies, cruel charley horses, nasty noogies" and atomic wedgies - just for fun.
But when Jackson's visit to the dentist leads to major braces, his life changes dramatically. He's soon a nerd himself. His old friends pick on him. And the nerds he'd picked on want nothing to do with him. Lonely, Jackson passes the time trying to uncover the many secrets at Nathan Hale Elementary School.
His greatest discovery is the existence of NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue and Defense Society, a secret government agency composed of the most elite and successful secret agents. Billions of dollars in research and scientific support have given these elite agent amazing physical and techonological powers. For NERDS, the government has recruited the only group not afraid of technology - children. The team is made up of the same nerds and geeks that Jackson had enjoyed tormenting during his popular days!
The NERDS are made up of: Matilda with the inhalers that can be used as rockets or a blow torch. Melinda turns out to be a gifted killer who can use any household item as a deadly weapons. Bucktooth Heathcliff can use his front teeth to hypnotize anyone and force them to obey his commands. Junkfood addict Flinch has superhuman strength, partly linked to his huge consumption of candy and sugar. Ruby with the rashes and hives turns out to be highly sensitive to falsehood - she is a human lie detector. Duncan, the paste-eater, who can stick to walls and trap enemies with his special glue. Jackson's braces are upgraded with billions of dollars of nanotechnology - so that they work like transformers and can do anything that he can picture in his mind! The NERDS travel on the "School bus" a super rocket.
Jackson wants to be one of the NERDS so badly. He doesn't understand the antagonism - his fellow agents seem to dislike him no matter what he does. When Jackson recognizes how he'd been a jerk to the NERDS, he tries to make it up to them as they work together to figure out the sudden spate of kidnappings and natural disasters.
Further complicating things for Jackson is the appearance of the former child beauty pagent winner and professional assassin, Mindy (a.k.a. the "Hyena").
NERDS: National Espionage, Rescue, and Defense Society is witty and action-packed. The description of the elementary school social hierarchy and taunts was particularly well done. It's sure to be a huge hit with young readers - whether they're girls or boys!
Publisher: Amulet Books; 1 edition (September 1, 2009), 336 pages. Review copy provided by the publisher.
She is so adorable and with all the great character around. I really love her strong emotion engagement through her eyes. Very well done as always. Excellent Lolo!
Haha!!! love this one! What an awesome painting of your dog! I love the white with her name in it with all the swirls, well all of it is lovely! So beautifully and done with love!
I had a good night sleep and feel much better again. Glad to be back home.
have a lovely Sunday! love >M<
Anonymous said, on 5/3/2009 2:04:00 AM
emma, i will show you how to start a fanclub for lololo if you want. you can make money to buy things like cookies, salmon, and mashed potatoes.
This is Lololo. Emma doesn't use the computer. Although I think she's the smartest dog on the planet, she doesn't type and she doesn't need to try to earn money for her favorite things. If I did have a fan club I believe Emma would be my only member because she follows me loyally ;) She does not follow my blog however. Remember, she doesn't use the computer.
I'm afraid Mim may be right. Emma might want a piece of you. Please be careful if you ever meet her. I'd hate for anything to happen to that cute fluffy tail of yours!
Thanks for stopping by. Please give your mom 17 hugs today!! xoxo Lololo
Really like the patterns involved in this...I know that may seem strange but I often like the accent detail work that occurs in such a manner that it adds to but doesn't overtake the work...
Oh my GOODNESS! This is absolutely gorgeous! Emma is adorable, and so much personality and spunk. You've captured it all so well. I really love your delicate scroll with her name there, too. She sounds just like my human Emma -- little boss indeed! :)
oh my what a little beauty she is! The portrait that you have lovingly painted is a treasure my friend as well as your charming companion :) There is a little rat terrier that lives one street over and he is the cutest little dude, his name is Theo :)
eeek! i could put her in my hoodie pocket...mistake her for a sock, in the boy's laundry! eeek! she's so so cute! lovely portrait, lollie! love the wallpaper!
What an exquisitely, wonderful portrait of the Emster! You sure can tell the painter loved the subject, hee hee! Tickle her under her chin for me, won't you?
On good days I say Greta is tenacious. On bad days, it's feels more like "relentless".
She does like other people besides me-that's a big deal in a formerly abused dog, but I am her person and she makes no bones about it. I wish everyone could experience such unwavering devotion.
Carolyn Dunford and Ann Lally from the University of Washington outline their creative project in DLib this month. They registered as Wikipedia users and created content [links or articles] that supported or used the UW’s digital collections as source material. One of my favorite things about this idea is that, thanks to the way Wikipedia works, you can both read the article and see a list of every change they made to Wikipedia via their registered handle.
There was a similar discussion on the Archives list a few months ago, vis-a-vis archivists adding links to finding aids to Wikipedia entries. If Digital Libraries folks are adding links to digital content, this gives Wikipeida the potential to be a really valuable tool for researchers. Because despite some huge efforts in the past few years from diglib and archives folks (OAI, Archive Grid), there really isn’t a comprehensive way to search for archives materials, much less their digital surrogates.
Elizabeth Thomsen said, on 5/28/2007 2:56:00 PM
I was interested in Carolyn Dunford and Ann Lally’s careful report on their ventures into Wikipedia, but I’d advise librarians to think twice about adding external links to articles as a way of driving traffic to their websites.
Adding such links violates this guideline:
“Due to the rising profile of Wikipedia and the amount of extra traffic it can bring a site, there is a great temptation to use Wikipedia to advertise or promote sites. This includes both commercial and non-commercial sites. You should avoid linking to a website that you own, maintain or represent, even if the guidelines otherwise imply that it should be linked.”
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:External_links)
Issues of conflict of interest are taken seriously in the Wikipedia community, as we’ve seen in some difficult, high-profile cases involving Jimmy Wales and Adam Curry, among others.
Many people have violated these principles by editing articles, adding links, etc., based on their personal and professional affiliations — it’s often the first thing new members do. The more deeply involved people become, however, the more careful they tend to become about these issues. I know this was true in my case. When I look at my earliest contributions, I see that I did things then that I wouldn’t do now, or that I’d do differently.
I do think there’s a difference between just adding links and adding interesting, relevant content to Wikipedia, as Dunford and Lally did by writing an article about Seattle journalist/historian James Willis Sayre.
I also appreciate the fact that Dunford and Lally worked in an honest and open manner, with an University of Washington Digital Initiatives Program account, rather than avoid the conflict of interest issue with user names that hide the affiliation. This sort of honest participation is very much in the community spirit that defines both Wikipedia and librarianship!
Moore - Wilson Family History » Blog Archiv said, on 6/2/2007 10:57:00 AM
[…] Using wikipedia to drive traffic to a library websitelibrarian.net […]
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So glad you were able to save the remainder ducklings. A rescue like that can really take a large chunk from your day. Way to go for being willing to stop your regular hustle and bustle for those sweet ducklings. As a kid, I spent many hours with my father herding our baby goats back inside their fenced home. It taught me patience and compassion. Thank you for sharing your story.