Childhood, Best Friends, and BLUE BIRDS by Caroline Starr Rose

Today begins a special Pre-Order & Gift week for the upcoming release of Caroline Starr Rose’s BLUE BIRDS (Putnam, March 10, 2014)!!

Caroline’s gorgeous new novel, BLUE BIRDS, is a historical written in verse is about a girl named Alis in 1587, fresh off the boat from England in the new and strange land of America in Virginia. As the only girl in the colony, Alis is lonely and missing her friend back home, but she's fascinated by this beautiful new world so different from cold, dirty London. While exploring the woods, she meets Kimi, a girl from the Roanoke tribe. Together they slowly forge a friendship, but that friendship is forbidden and fraught with potential sorrow.

So today I'm talking about the powerful blessing friendship can be.

I met my first best friend in Kindergarten. Her name was Starr and we instantly hit it off. (Caroline Starr Rose is the second Starr I've ever known in my life and she and I instantly hit it off, too.) 

Childhood friend, Starr, and I spent practically every waking moment together. We were inseparable.

One of the things we both had a passion for was a love of books. We both read ferociously. In fact, the first picture taken of us in Kindergarten is the two of us sitting together, our heads bent over a book. (I wish I knew what book it was, but alas, the picture keeps this little tidbit a secret).

Starr and I shared books with each other, went to the library together, and laughed and cried over books for the next 8 years. Every afternoon we were either at my house or her house (although we had to learn how to cross a very busy street), and we spent a great deal of our time together bringing stories alive by dressing up and creating adventures and characters from the worlds of the books we’d read. (Kind of like dramatic fan fiction loooong before fan-fiction was a term.)

We especially loved The Little House books and pretended we were living in the Olden Days. During Friday night sleep-overs we talked endlessly, ate brownie dough raw, squealed when our big brothers teased us and made fun of our “characters”—while Starr’s father (who was a professional musician) listened to classical music in the living room and her mother (who was a Kindergarten teacher) created awesomely cool boards for her classroom

By age 10 we began to create our own stories. My first official "novel" was authored by the two of us. My favorite books were historicals, contemporary, and magical realism stories, but for some reason Starr and I wrote a science fiction book about two girls kidnapped by aliens and taken to the misty world of Venus far across space. It was full of danger and daring as we hijacked the spacecraft to get back to Earth.

Whenever Starr and I were writing stories we used pen names; our middle names of Elizabeth and Anne respectively. Of course. Because we loved our middle names more than our first names, and they sounded so much more lush and grown-up.

I’ll never forget the power that reading Harriet the Spy had on me. Starr and I read that book several times and for many wonderful summer afternoons Starr and I armed ourselves with our notebooks and proceeded to spy on her family. She had a wonderful, large backyard with a big weeping willow tree, a play house, and a big tree-house with a fire station type sliding pole for quick getaways when *enemies* AKA brothers and sisters came lurking. These various locales - so close to the safety of the back door of the house! - were perfect for surreptitious eavesdropping.

What followed were many happy years of reading voraciously and pounding out stories and “novels” on my father’s typewriter in his garage office.

High school brought lots of changes and, unfortunately, Starr and I never once had a class together or activity. We drifted apart due to extracurricular activities and making new friends through our different churches.

College and marriage took me out of state from where I grew up in the Bay Area. I haven’t seen or corresponded with Starr in over 30 years. I attended my 20th high school reunion hoping to reunite with her there, but she did not attend and nobody seemed to know how to contact her. But I fondly remember the power of our friendship, our closeness, our loyalty—and the power of books and writing that welded us together.

I’ve had close friendships since my childhood days, but none that have been as close or as strong (not counting my husband!) as the one with Starr. Would I be the writer I am today without our live-action fan fiction, story-writing and endless imagining? 

I think I would be a writer because the desire to create my own published work was borne deep within me at a very early age. But I think Starr gave me the courage to begin, to not hold back, to try. With Starr, I believed that the magic was real. Because it was so much less scary and overwhelming to dream together, to brainstorm together, and to put those ideas down on paper together. It was a true gift of our friendship.  

Thank you, Starr, wherever you are.

***This post is part of a week-long celebration in honor of the book, Blue Birds. Author Caroline Starr Rose is giving away a downloadable PDF of this beautiful Blue Birds quote (created by Annie Barnett of Be Small Studios) for anyone who pre-orders the book from January 12-19. Simply click through to order from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books A Million, IndieBound, or Powell's, then email a copy of your receipt to caroline@carolinestarrrose.com by Monday, January 19. 
PDFs will be sent out January 20.***

Isn't this quote beautiful all framed? 

"How ordinary life is without a bit of fancy--without a pinch of daring to fill our days."

Caroline Starr Rose

Quote from BLUE BIRDS

Tell us about your childhood friendships, adult friendships (oh, where would I be without my writer friends around the country?!) and pre-order BLUE BIRDS this week! 

xo,

Kimberley

Caroline's Classroom Connections: Historical Fiction

April 22, 2013 Caroline's Classroom Connections: A VOICE FOR KANZAS A VOICE FOR KANZAS - Debra McArthur middle-grade historical fiction (ages 8-12) study guide Authenticity supported by her previous juvenile nonfiction works, McArthur has created a believable and fast-paced tale of life in the Kansas Territory.  - Kirkus Reviews Although the book is intended for young readers, it's not hard to imagine folks of all ages will enjoy the thrilling yet accurate historical events told in A VOICE FOR KANZAS.  - The Landmark Newpaper   Please tell us about your book. A VOICE FOR KANZAS tells the story of Lucy Catherine Thomkins, a thirteen-year-old poet from Pennsylvania whose father takes the family to Kansas Territory in 1855. Although her father is driven by his desire to vote in the territorial elections and make Kansas a free state, Lucy doesn't understand the importance of that, and she is miserable in her new home, where they are constantly threatened by Border Ruffians from Missouri who want to ensure that Kansas will become another slave state. When Lucy learns that her best friend's family is secretly helping slaves escape, she makes a decision that could have dangerous consequences for herself and her family. She struggles to find her place-and her voice-in Kansas. What inspired you to write this story? I learned a little about Kansas history and the struggle for statehood when I taught high school in Leavenworth, Kansas. I found the story fascinating, and I thought about how difficult daily life must have been for the early settlers. In 2001, I wrote a nonfiction book about territorial Kansas, and my research rekindled my interest in the era. A few years later, I began to imagine the story from a young girl's viewpoint, and I decided to use 1855 Lawrence as the setting for a novel. A Voice for Kanzas Could you share with readers how you conducted your research or share a few interesting tidbits you learned while researching? I knew most of the important events of the period from my previous research on the nonfiction book, but I really needed to know more about the daily life of the people in Lawrence. Through the Kansas State Historical Society I obtained the weekly newspapers from Lawrence in 1855. I found articles about neighbors, church dinners, weddings, funerals, band concerts, and all the wonderful tidbits of small-town life that really bring a place to life. That really helped me build a whole world for Lucy. One day I ran across the 1855 brochure Information for Kanzas Immigrants published by the New England Emigrant Aid Company. The description of "Kanzas" in the brochure was intended to draw Easterners to the territory, and made it sound much more settled and civilized than it actually was. Many settlers were pretty unhappy when they arrived in the territory and found that it was not at all as it had been advertised. That document led me to the real meaning of the story. What are some special challenges associated with using a historical setting? I thought I had a really good handle on the historical details until I began writing. Every day I had new things to learn: What kind of pen would Lucy use? What kind of shoes would she wear? What kinds of things would be in her father's store? How much would they cost? Each detail I learned led to three more I needed to investigate. I had to do some kind of research every single day as I wrote the first draft. What topics does your book touch upon that would make it a perfect fit for the classroom? The Civil War is a major topic of study in schools, but many people don't know much about the years leading up to the war. In 1855, a newspaper writer predicted "Kansas will probably be the first field of bloody struggle with the slave power," and he was correct. Few people outside the state know the story of "Bleeding Kansas." The book gives readers some idea of the working of pre-Civil War politics, the Underground Railroad, early feminism, and the power of the newspaper to influence events. All of these are topics students may wish to explore more through their own study. You can learn more about Debra and A VOICE FOR KANZAS at her website and blog.      Join Our Mailing List! Meet the Spellbinders Caroline Starr Rose spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chile in the other. She's taught English and social studies to upper elementary and middle-school students in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. Back in New Mexico, Caroline now writes middle-grade novels and picture books full time.  To find teacher's guides, writing activities, and information about author visits, go to her website, stop by her blog, or follow her on Twitter.    Carolee Dean has made numerous appearances as a guest poet/author at schools, libraries, poetry events, and teacher/library conferences. She holds a bachelor's degree in music therapy and a master's degree in communicative disorders, and she has spent over a decade working in the public schools as a speech-language pathologist. Her first novel, Comfort,was nominated as a Best Book for Young Adults, was named the Best YA Novel of 2002 by the Texas Institute of Letters, and was on the TAYSHAS (Texas Library Association) reading list. Take Me There is a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. She conducts teacher trainings on inspiring reluctant writers including "The Secret Language of Stories" and "Random Act of Haiku."             Kimberley Griffiths Little is the recipient of the Southwest Book Award, The Whitney Award for Best Youth Novel of 2010, and the author of the highly acclaimed, The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets, published by Scholastic Press. Look for her books at the Scholastic Book Fairs, as well as two more forthcoming novels in 2012 and 2013.    She lives on a dirt road in a small town by the Rio Grande with her husband, a robotics engineer and their three sons. Kimberley is a favorite speaker at schools around the country, presenting "The Creative Diary", a highly successful writing workshop and has been a speaker at many conferences. Please visit her website to download free Teacher's Guides and Book Club Guides.       Upcoming Events Kimberley Griffiths Little April 27th New Mexico Battle of the Books (Guest Author) WUNM campus Silver City, NM May 3-5  Presenter/Critiquer Niagara Writer's Conference Niagara Falls May 9-11 LDStorymakers Conference Publication Primer The Marriott in Provo, Utah  Caroline Starr Rose July 27 19th Annual Norfolk Public Library Literature Festival, Norfolk, NE

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Caroline's Classroom Connections

March 25, 2013 Caroline's Classroom Connections A BREATH OF EYRE by Eve Marie Mont setting: twenty-first century America and nineteenth-century England age range: young adult Kirkus starred review:  This richly satisfying tale of first and last love transcends its genre -- not another breathless, fan-fiction take on a literary classic but an intertextual love letter.   Please tell us about your book.   A BREATH OF EYRE is about Emma Townsend, a girl who seeks solace in books to help her escape her loneliness at her exclusive prep school. She has few friends and even fewer romantic prospects, unless you count her crush on her English teacher. But escape soon arrives in a leather-bound copy of JANE EYRE. Emma feels a strong sense of kinship with the lonely, headstrong Jane, but when a lightning strike catapults her into Jane's body and her nineteenth-century world, Emma is torn between two vastly different worlds, and two vastly different men.    Moving between her two realities and uncovering secrets in both, Emma must decide whether her destiny lies in the pages of Jane's story, or in the unwritten chapters of her own.   What inspired you to write this story?    Ever since I first read JANE EYRE in eleventh grade, it has remained my favorite book, one I return to again and again and that never loses its fascination for me.    I've never found another story with such a restrained yet passionate romance. And Jane is the ultimate heroine: strong, intelligent, moral, and unafraid to speak her mind. I knew I wanted my protagonist, Emma, to step into her shoes as she awakens to first love and discovers her own strength of character.   Could you share with readers how you conducted your research or share a few interesting tidbits you learned while researching?    As an English teacher, my main research was to read JANE EYRE numerous times -- not really much of a hardship for me!  The most exciting part of this process was recreating scenes of JANE EYRE from a modern girl's perspective, wondering how Emma would respond to Jane's fashion sense, using a chamber pot, being without cell phone or computer or electricity. I also love researching places in my attempt to create a fully realized setting. Emma's contemporary world is a fictional town in eastern Massachusetts, but I based it on a real place that I adore for its quirky New England charm and atmosphere.    A Breath of Eyre Book Trailer   What were some special challenges you faced while writing A BREATH OF EYRE?   JANE EYRE is one of the most beloved books in literature, so the idea that I have tampered with a treasured classic causes me plenty of sleepless nights. Rather than a straight retelling such as April Linder's JANE, A BREATH OF EYRE is more of a mash-up of a contemporary YA with a classic Gothic novel. It was a challenge to balance the scenes that take place in Jane's world with those that take place in protagonist Emma's real world.    While I use some of Brontë's text verbatim, most of the JANE EYRE scenes have been recreated to show a modern girl's reaction to being thrust into a nineteenth-century world. But Emma's own story is just as important as her adventures in JANE EYRE, so two-thirds of the novel takes place in her modern world. Yet in this case, life imitates art, and Emma soon realizes she has far more in common with Jane than she initially thought.     What topics does your book touch upon that would make it a perfect fit for the classroom?   I would hope that my novel might direct young readers to pick up JANE EYRE to see which elements I borrowed, adapted, or omitted, and of course, so they could discover for themselves what an amazing and romantic novel it is.     Beyond any curriculum tie-ins, the book touches on a lot of issues relevant to today's teens -- self-esteem and identity, depression, loss of a parent, gender and women's issues, self-expression, the powers of writing, first love, and most important, finding one's voice.    I think the book would be suitable for middle and high school libraries, English classes, and even mother-daughter book clubs.    Thank you, Eve, for joining us today! If you'd like to learn more about Eve Marie Mont, stop by her website. Eve's next book, A TOUCH OF SCARLET, which leads Emma into the world of Hester Prynne, releases tomorrow.                       Join Our Mailing List! Meet the Spellbinders Caroline Starr Rose spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chile in the other. She's taught English and social studies to upper elementary and middle-school students in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. Back in New Mexico, Caroline now writes middle-grade novels and picture books full time.  To find teacher's guides, writing activities, and information about author visits, go to her website, stop by her blog, or follow her on Twitter.    Carolee Dean has made numerous appearances as a guest poet/author at schools, libraries, poetry events, and teacher/library conferences. She holds a bachelor's degree in music therapy and a master's degree in communicative disorders, and she has spent over a decade working in the public schools as a speech-language pathologist. Her first novel, Comfort,was nominated as a Best Book for Young Adults, was named the Best YA Novel of 2002 by the Texas Institute of Letters, and was on the TAYSHAS (Texas Library Association) reading list. Take Me There is a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. She conducts teacher trainings on inspiring reluctant writers including "The Secret Language of Stories" and "Random Act of Haiku."             Kimberley Griffiths Little is the recipient of the Southwest Book Award, The Whitney Award for Best Youth Novel of 2010, and the author of the highly acclaimed, The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets, published by Scholastic Press. Look for her books at the Scholastic Book Fairs, as well as two more forthcoming novels in 2012 and 2013.    She lives on a dirt road in a small town by the Rio Grande with her husband, a robotics engineer and their three sons. Kimberley is a favorite speaker at schools around the country, presenting "The Creative Diary", a highly successful writing workshop and has been a speaker at many conferences. Please visit her website to download free Teacher's Guides and Book Club Guides.       Upcoming Events Caroline Starr Rose April 19 New Mexico Library Association Youth Luncheon Albuquerque, NM July 27 19th Annual Norfolk Public Library Literature Festival, Norfolk, NE

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