Tuesday, September 13, 2016

BACK TO SCHOOL BOOKS with AUTHOR JOYCE MOYER HOSTETTER + #GIVEAWAY

Dear Friends,

Thanks for all the great support for the Back To School Book Giveaway! I'm delighted to share  insights of another good friend, the talented Joyce Moyer Hostetter, who talks about school days in the context of her middle grade historical fiction.

Joyce has generously donated a copy of her new book, AIM, and will personalize it for the winner of the comment contest! All you have to do for a chance to win a copy of Joyce's new book, AIM, is to leave a comment below. The winner will be announced in one week.

AUTHOR JOYCE MOYER HOSTETTER
PLEASE WELCOME AUTHOR JOYCE MOYER HOSTETTER

Joyce Moyer Hostetter lives right where many of her characters do –in rural North Carolina. In fact she’s always on the lookout—hoping to bump into them. In the absence of a time machine that could take her to the 1940’s she immerses herself in research to discover what her characters’ world was like. 
Her book, BLUE won the International Reading Association Award, The NC Juvenile Literature Award, and Parent’s Choice Silver Honor.  It is used widely in North Carolina schools. AIM is a prequel to BLUE.  COMFORT is a sequel. HEALING WATER, set in Hawaii’s leprosy settlement is available via E-book.
www.joycemoyerhostetter.com
www.joycemoyerhostetter.blogspot.com (The 3 R’s:  Reading ‘Riting and Research)
https://www.facebook.com/joycemoyerhostetter
https://twitter.com/moyergirl
 

In my first book, Best Friends Forever, Rhoda Landis faces a classroom full of unfamiliar students. Her grandmother hands Rhoda’s birth certificate to the teacher while Rhoda takes in the shiny floors, the strange children, and the sound of the school bell. Everything is new and Rhoda feels weird and set apart.

Exchange the grandmother for mother and fifth grade for first and that memory becomes mine. Perhaps, at some level, it is every child’s memory of a first day at any school.

This leads me to a bit of wisdom I learned at my first writer’s conference. “The more personally you write,” said Editor Katie Funk Weibe, “the more universal it will be.” And what is more universal than the classroom? After all, school is a child’s occupation. In fact, it’s difficult to write a middle grade novel that doesn’t take place partially at school. I, however, have managed to do so twice. In both cases, my characters had extended illnesses.

However, when a character’s father dies, an excuse written by mom will not exempt him from a whole year of school. Such is the case in my forthcoming historical novel, AIM. Junior Bledsoe’s father dies unexpectedly, leaving Junior with extra responsibilities, a cantankerous grandfather, and a swirl of confusing emotions. One of the last things Pop tells Junior is to quit school and get a job. Junior argues but, after Pop’s death, his advice makes as much sense as anything else in Junior’s world. Momma, however, insists he must go on to high school. Junior, arriving with a busload of conflicted feelings, finds 9th grade to be more challenging than any previous year. There’s his teacher who is also his neighbor, the pretty girl who sits just ahead of him, Dudley Walker who snickers at him from the back of the room, and the announcement of war at a school assembly after Pearl Harbor is attacked.

That announcement is reminiscent of an event in my own life—that moment in 6th grade when I stood in line at a school water fountain and learned that JFK had been shot. At school, a child learns just how harsh the world really is. His home life may or may not be secure but come kindergarten, he will encounter new challenges—a difficult teacher, a jealous classmate, or a breaking bit of world news. Thank goodness our schools have libraries and wonderful media specialists who provide books for students in crisis. My friend, Kerry O’Malley Cerra has compiled this amazing resource for teachers and librarians— a list of more than 160 books that tackle tough topics. Here's the link: http://www.kerryomalleycerra.com/mggetsreal/

Other books I’ve published include BLUE, (protagonist has polio/does not go to school) COMFORT, (protagonist goes to school with a disability) and HEALING WATER, (protagonist has leprosy/does not go to school).
And I am currently working on a book that involves twins finding their individuality in the context of a brand new consolidated high school. That is a fun one to write. 

Meanwhile I’m thrilled about AIM’s release on October 4. I’ll be blogging about that at The 3 R’s:  Reading ‘Riting and Research--find it here--www.joycemoyerhostetter.blogspot.com, and posting lots of woohoos at Facebook and Twitter. (See the links above to follow Joyce on FB and Twitter)

Thanks so much, Clara, for hosting me here at your blog. Always a pleasure, Joyce!
3 Friends: Leslie, Joyce, and Me! 



So that's it for now, dear readers. Please stop by to leave a comment! You know how much we love to hear from you!

I'll be back next week to announce the winner, share a little more about AIM, and what's coming next!







27 comments:

  1. So glad to hear AIM is coming soon. After meeting Junior Bledsoe in BLUE and seeing him again COMFORT, I am eager to see him as the protagonist. His unflagging support of Ann Faye made him such a likeable character, and I want to see a bit of what made him that person.

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    1. Kathy, Thank you so much for your thoughtful and insightful details about Joyce's series: Blue, Comfort, and now AIM!

      Your name is entered for a chance to win a copy of AIM!

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    2. Kathy, that is what I wanted to know also. What were the factors that made Junior so solid and dependable? And you know, Carolyn Yoder forced me to dig for the answers!

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  2. No need to enter me, because obviously I know how wonderful this book is. But I LOVE the advice about writing personally, to find a universal truth. Ah, Joyce, I've been around you so much, and I don't think I ever heard that one!

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    1. Uh, oh! I failed to mention this important truth? He really has helped me as I write. Hope it's useful for you, also, Carol!

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  3. AIM sounds like a wonderful book, as does the series. Pulling out the emotions from our own memories is one way to tap into the universality of humanity. I too remember the day I learned JFK had been assassinated. It was very unsettling.

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    1. It is a wonderful book, Bish! Thanks for stopping by. Your name is entered for a chance to win a copy of AIM.

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    2. Hi Bish, Thanks for reading and participating!

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  4. Thanks so much for stopping by, Carol, and for narrowing in on Joyce's wonderful advice.

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  5. AIM is a beautifully written, moving story. I can "hear" Junior's North Carolinian voice as he deals with loss and change. Joyce Hostetter makes the era come alive. Good Reading! Leslie Widener

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    1. Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Leslie! Sounds as if you've already enjoyed reading AIM.

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    2. Thanks, Leslie! I so appreciate your encouragement!

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  6. Great guest post from Joyce Hostetter! It makes me want to go right out and get all her books!

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    1. It's a moving story, Marileta! Thanks for stopping by to leave a comment for Joyce.

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    2. It's great to hear from you, Marileta! Thanks for your kind words.

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  7. Thanks for the interview. Great advice: The most personal you write, the more universal it will be. No need to enter me in the contest, though, my grandchildren are already young adults.

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    1. Hi Donna, Thanks so much for stopping by. Joyce's advice is hitting home with quite a few of us. It's a good quote to post on our desks.

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    2. Donna, I do appreciate you taking time to read the post!

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  8. Hi, I enjoyed the post and the good advice on writing. One of my manuscripts started from a tiny memory I had from when I was a child. I love historical fiction.

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    1. Hi Janet, Thanks for stopping by! It's always great to hear from a fellow lover of historical fiction.

      Your name is entered for a chance to win a copy of AIM!

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    2. Janet, I hope your writing is going well!

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  9. I AIM to enter this contest for a chance to win this great book by fantastic author Joyce Hostetter. If selected AIM will be shared with grandchildren.

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    1. Gail, bless you and your grandchildren. There will be more giveaways if you don't win this one.

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  10. Love your upbeat attitude, Gail! Thanks for stopping by and thanks for your thoughtful comment!

    Your name is entered for a chance to win a copy of AIM.

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  11. Just linked to this for my writing class. I want them to think about how you mined your life, Joyce!

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