Book Tour- The Diamond of Darkhold, The Author

On this site, you can read a bit about the author, Jeanne DuPrau, some great quotes, her garden, her dog, her books, and even a little about what is coming up next.
In this series, DuPrau has also written:
The City of Ember
The People of Sparks
and
The Prophet of Yonwood

another book is:
Car Trouble


Other Bloggers:
01 Charger, the 160acrewoods, A Childhood of Dreams, A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Children’s Books, And Another Book Read, Becky’s Book Reviews, Book Review Maniac, Cafe of Dreams, Comox Valley Kids, Dolce Bellezza, Homeschool Buzz, Hyperbole, Looking Glass Reviews, Never Jam Today

Book Tour- The Diamond of Darkhold, review

Jeanne DuPrau's book is very interesting. It seems to continue at a very good pace through out the book- until the end. I felt as if the the last chapter or so was rushed- as if DuPrau wanted to wrap up everything as fast as she could. I liked how everything ended, but it felt a bit crammed together.

The Diamond of Darkhold is the fourth book in the Ember series. It is set after The Disaster, and after the Emberites merge with the Sparks. Times are difficult, but at least everyone is trying to get along now. Yet, food is still short, as are supplies, and Doon feels the urge to help is people again, but he is not sure how to go about it. And then the roamer comes. She ends up selling something to Lina and Doon that will either help them or get them into a lot of trouble. They pack up and leave without telling anyone, but where are they headed?

other blogs participating in the tour:
01 Charger, the 160acrewoods, A Childhood of Dreams, A Christian Worldview of Fiction, All About Childrens Books, And Another Book Read, Beckys Book Reviews, Book Review Maniac, Cafe of Dreams, Comox Valley Kids, Dolce Bellezza, Homeschool Buzz, Hyperbole, Looking Glass Reviews, Never Jam Today

Music Monday

The Truth

Watch this video on youtube. Just remember to watch the whole thing, or it will not be accurate.

SYATP

See You At The Pole is Wednesday. At seven o'clock in the morning, get together with other students at your school around the flagpole, and pray for your friends, your school, your town, your country, and your world. Watch this video from youtube.

Good-O-Meter

Watch 'The Good-O-Meter' on youtube.

Do Hard Things

Doing hard things is... hard.
And that is the point.
According to Alex and Brett Harris (and just about every other teen out there who are not doing hard things...)), teens are not expected to do much. These low expectations are called 'the myth of adolescence.' That means we don't have to accept it. We can get out there and do things, and turn the myth into something of the past. We do not have to sit around and do nothing- we can make a difference. This book had gotten me pumped up, and I am ready to Do Hard Things.

Life

Life has officially gotten out of control chaotic.

I have tons of homework, lots of studying for Teen Bible Quizzing, college research, college visits, ACT prep (again...), and a room that needs to stay at least reasonably clean.

... and yet somehow I have found time for all of it, and more! I have been reading at a realistic pace, been trying to blog, and even squeeze in a little 'Rummy Roots' games with my younger sisters (who knew Latin and Greek roots could be so fun?!?).

It is interesting how everything seems to fall into place...

Music Monday

This song is from the credits from 'The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe.'

Third Drafts

Well, Saturday was a momentous day for me. After about six years of working on a book, I finally finished the third draft of 'The Silver Flower'. Those six years were not six straight years, but six years ago is when the idea first was put into my head.

It all started with a map drawn by a cousin. From there the story evolved. At first I kept it in a notebook, writing whenever I could-- or when I remembered to.

I remember that pages kept falling out, and getting lost. I changed types of notebooks to a spiral bound. At one point I lost the notebook (: --that probably accounts for a year in itself...

When it was found again, I decided it should be typed, so that it could not be lost again. Thankfully the computer never deleted my story!

When I finally finished the first draft, it was about 65 pages long. The climax was around page thirty. I had loved my characters so much I had not wanted it to end...

In my second draft I added a prologue, and took out about thirty pages. Many of the circumstances remained, but their length had shortened. I had gotten rid of the banal scenes, and changed a few of the others.

Then, about a year ago, I decided it was time to revise. Again. I took out most of the scenes, and condensed the rest. Of course, I still have a copy of all of them-- I cold never COMPLETELY delete them!

Saturday I finally transferred my written editions onto an electronic copy. It rests at twenty pages, with the climax on the second to last one.

It is time to put it in a drawer again until I can bring myself to take it out again-- with a large red pen at hand. : D

Savvy

Just about everybody has a know-how. They are really good at something, like making strawberry jam, or planting corn at the right time, or they can do puzzles really fast, or play music better than anyone is supposed to, or they can recite pi, or they are ALWAYS late. The Beaumonts have a know-how of a different sort called Savvies. Some can move the land, some can catch radio waves out of the air, or create electricity, or cause hurricanes, or do everything perfect, or go back in time, or open any lock. Mibs is hoping for for a good one. She is only two days away from getting her Savvy- everyone in her family gets their Savvy when they turn 13. But, her Poppa got in a really bad accident, and is now in a hospital in Salina, in a coma.

Everyone forgets about her birthday, the most important one in her life. Mibs is really scared for her Poppa, just like everyone else in her family. Rocket, her oldest brother, had caused all the light bulbs to break, another brother, Fish, made it rain out side, Grandpa made the ground rumble... Good thing Samson and Gypsy did not have Savvies yet! Mibs is now hoping for a savvy that will save her Poppa. The next morning bright and early Momma and Rocket leave for Salina. Miss Rosemary takes it upon herself to care for Mibs and her siblings while their Momma was gone. She brings Bobbie, Will Junior, and Mib's party plans with her. The birthday girl leaves the party she never wanted and stows away on a pink bus that is headed for Salina. Will Junior, Fish, and Bobbie all end up following her onto the bus where they find Mib's youngest brother, Samson. They know they are in big trouble when the bus heads in the opposite direction of Salina.

Savvy was written very vividly, many parts jump out at you, having you grip the cover harder as if it will make you read faster.

Every paragraph seems necessary to the plot. Nothing seems out of place, or like extra information.

Savvy was very fun to read. A younger sister of mind is reading it now, and she loves it.

music monday