Review: A Strage Sound from the Attic by Nancy S. Rippy

A Strange Sound from the Attic is a lovely short tale of friendship and imagination. Young Amy hears a sound coming from her attic. Eager to catch what or who is making that sound, she places her cell phone by the attic door...the next morning, her cell phone is gone! And not only that, but it appears in her next door neighbor's attic!
The title might sound spooky to some young children, but the story really isn't. On the contrary, it's sweet and encourages the use of imagination.

Although the description recommends the book for readers five and up, I would recommend it for kids seven and above, who may be able to understand the story better.

What I'd really like to rave about though, are the illustrations. They are adorable and have a pleasant,  ethereal quality in them. I'm sure children are going to be fascinated, specially with the girls' pictures. Mrs. Rippy is, without doubt, a talented illustrator.

I look forward to more stories from this author. Hopefully we'll hear more from this fantastic world she's created.

Author Nancy S. Rippy is originally from Taiwan.  When she was a young girl she started writing down her dreams, that's when she realized she was a writer. She now lives in California with her husband.
*I received a FREE PDF copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.
*This blog is an Amazon Affiliate Program's associate.

At the Candy Shop with Author Aviva Gittle

On this edition of Candy Shop we have a special promotion (Only today 9-5-2013)!! FREE EBOOKS! Make sure to check out the links at the end of the interview!

Tristan Wolf, our imaginative hero is eight years old when his adventure begins. He is as dreamy and clever as only a child can be. We were all Tristan once in our life and maybe now, we have one in it. My guests- smart, creative and inspiring personalities- have accepted the challenge to go back to those years, to go back to when they were around eight or ten to answer some questions about the world around them.

Let me introduce you to author Aviva Gittle, when she was ten. 
 

Mariana: Hi, Aviva, it’s very nice meeting you. Where do you live? And who do you live with?

Aviva: 6 Cliftwood Place, Kings Park, NY. My mom, my stepdad Bob, my sister, our collie dogs, Kimmy and Laddie and our Siamese cat, Muffin. Kimmy and Muffin are smart. Laddie’s pretty dumb. But he’s really cute. He eats melon. What kind of dog eats melon?

Mariana: What’s your sister’s name? Do you two get along?

Aviva: My sister, Barbara, is 4 years older.  I hate her. She’s bigger and taller and mean. Every April Fool’s Day she leaves me notes that say I’m going to win a big prize. I go all over the house reading these stupid notes and the last one always says, “April Fools!” No prize. Nothing. I fall for it every year. Why do I trust her? I’m Charlie Brown; she’s Lucy.

Mariana: What school do you go to? What do you like about it?

Aviva: Parkview Elementary School. I like playing on the monkey bars. I like gym class. Well, I did like gym class. Every year I climb the ropes to the top and touch the ceiling. When you do that you get to be in the Monkey Club. This year I fell. Two stories down onto hard wrestling mats. Hurt my back bad. I don’t get to play in gym anymore. I have a cast that starts at my chest and goes down past my hips.

Mariana: And the worst about school?

Aviva: Most of the other kids. In Kindergarten and first grade, I wet my pants a few times. The first time was on the playground. I’m in 5^th grade now, but I still remember the kids making fun of me. I was sick, but the doctors told Mom there was nothing wrong with me. Dr. Waterhouse yelled at the other doctors ‘cause all they had to do was a simple test. I had a really bad infection.

Jenn and Bev are my best friends, but they’re not in my homeroom, so I have no friends. I’m an easy target. My parents are divorced, my hair’s frizzy, I’m not pretty and everyone makes me nervous. I told Mom the kids were all making fun of me, but she just told me to ignore them. It’s not working.

Mariana: Tell me more about your best friends!

Aviva: Jenn and Bev are both my best friends. Jenn can draw really well and Bev…is just Bev. She’s smart and she puts up with me. I’m different with them. A leader. I’m always coming up with creative projects. Like the time we made these little dolls out of yarn and sold them door-to-door. We record radio shows on my little cassette recorder. I write the scripts and they act them out with me.

Mariana: What is the food that you absolutely dislike eating?

Aviva: I didn’t know tongue really came from a cow’s tongue! I thought they just called it that. It used to taste great until I knew that. And I thought those were grapes on Grandma Pearl’s table. They were olives! Ew; so bitter. I’ll never eat an olive again for as long as I live.

Mariana: Do you have pets?

Aviva: Kimmy and Laddie, like I said. They’re a bit smelly, but I let them lick my face. Muffin, my cat, sleeps with me. He takes up half the bed!

Mariana: Are you scared of the dark?

Aviva: Very scared. When I walk home in the dark from my friend Bev’s house, I sing John Denver songs to keep me calm. Rocky Mountain High…

Mariana: Do you daydream?

Aviva: I daydream so deeply I forget where I am. Sometimes I’m walking home and day dreaming and I realize I’m talking out loud. When I was younger, the school called my parents because all I did was daydream in class. The counselor at the school told them to tell me that Santa Claus wasn’t real. They had my sister tell me. Bet she loved doing that. She’s so mean.

Mariana: Who do you look like, your mom or dad?

Aviva: Wherever we go people always say to my mom, “That one definitely belongs to you.” I think it makes my sister mad. Good.

Mariana: Who is your favorite star?

Aviva: Barbra Streisand. I sing her songs all the time. People, people who need people, are the luckiest…

Mariana: What is the best book you’ve ever read?

Aviva: The Phantom Tollbooth. Once I read that book my mom didn’t have to pay me to read anymore. She used to give me 35 cents a book!

Mariana: Do you think you’ll ever get married or have kids?

Aviva: Of course. Isn’t that what everybody does? I’ll have a house, and a white picket fence, and some kind of a job. It will all be really good.

Mariana: What do you want to be when you grow up?

Aviva: A veterinarian. I love animals.

Mariana: Thanks for sharing with me Aviva. I hope we can be friends for a long time!

And this is Aviva Gittle now:

I live in San Diego, CA with my partner of 16 years,

David. I’m still in touch with both of my best friends, Bev and Jen. I’m a grandma. Which, honestly, beats the heck out of being a parent. I’m older, wiser, calmer and I have more time to give.
In January of this year, I decided to self-publish two children’s stories I had written many years ago. I’ve had an entrepreneurial spirit since childhood, so I decided to be a publisher, too. In a fit of inspiration, I wrote a whole series (7 books) called “Kitten and Friends.” Kitten, who is irresistibly fluffy and cute, makes a new friend in each book. A butterfly, a snake, a koi, a squirrel, a monkey, a litter of kittens and a boy. I’ve written (or co-written) 6 other books. All will be offered in English, Spanish and “Spanish Immersion” (bilingual) versions. By mid-2014 I will have 42 eBooks in the Amazon Kindle library. Several more are actively in development. I’m also starting an animation project called “Blue Guy and Fly” with a young, talented Columbian artist. You can find a list of my published books here: amazon.com/author/avivagittle. Or just search Amazon.com for “Aviva Gittle.” There’s not too many of us. J
Aviva Gittle's free Ebooks, ONLY 9/5/2013...Please leave a review if you enjoyed her stories:

The boy who bounced the moon

 

 

In nana arms

 

 

When I was eight I used to daydream, I played pretend and I loved to write. I still remember my eighth birthday present and the feeling of joy it gave me. What was it? A journal, covered in beige leather, with a writing pad of white satin pages and a black fountain pen that attached to the inside of my elegant and beaming new friend. Oh, yes! A world of words and stories was waiting for me...

 

At the Candy Shop with Author Jo Ann V. Glim

Tristan Wolf, our imaginative hero is eight years old when his adventure begins. He is as dreamy and clever as only a child can be. We were all Tristan once in our life and maybe now, we have one in it. My guests- smart, creative and inspiring personalities- have accepted the challenge to go back to those years, to go back to when they were around eight or ten to answer some questions about the world around them. 

Let me introduce you to author Jo Ann V. Glim, when she was eight.

Hi, Jo Ann, it’s very nice meeting you.  Where does Joanie live?

Thank you so much for this opportunity.  I’m looking forward to doing this interview and introducing you to Joanie.

Joanie grew up in a 3-room, cedar-shingled house that occupied ¾ of an acre of rich farmland in a little town called Anacortes on the Island of Fidalgo in the Pacific Northwest (90-miles north of Seattle).  The house was definitely a fixer-upper.  Dad added an indoor bathroom shortly before his tour of duty in Japan in 1948.  He was career Navy.  He also converted the wood-fueled kitchen stove to oil after Mom put the axe through her shin while splitting logs.

After Dad left, times were difficult!  To help make ends meet, my mother’s aging parents left all they knew in Chicago (including their younger daughter and her family) and moved in with us.  Our home was tiny and furnished only with the bare necessities.

Joanie was raised as an only child.  Her sister, born the year before her, died 3 days after birth; and her brother died in-utero in the 7^th month of pregnancy.  You asked if she had any brothers or sisters…  Let’s see what she has to say about that…

“I wish I did!”  Joanie said as she blew her bangs out of her eyes.  “Mom won’t let me go play with my friends on Sundays.  She says that’s family day.”  Joanie crossed her arms and pursed her lips.  “On Saturday, I have to wait for Carolyn to finish her accordion lesson.  She’s my best friend, you know.”

“Carolyn and I have a secret.  Do you want to know what it is?” Joanie asked as an impish grin settled on her face.  But before Mariana can say anything, the little girl blurted it out, “Carolyn practices outside.  She lives down there,” Joanie added as she pointed over her shoulder.  “Her mom says that noise box is too loud for a house but this is our secret… she plays ‘Lady of Spain’ last, so I know when we can go play.”

What School do you go to?

"I go to Central Grade School.  Miss Davis is my teacher.  She’s very nice!  We had to write a story last week.  Anything we wanted.  I was really happy because I’m going to be a writer when I grow up, and a nurse, and an actress and maybe a teacher or a cowgirl… maybe not a writer.  Mom says I have writer’s block.  She said sometimes it’s contagious, so, don’t sit too close.  Anyway, I couldn’t think of a thing to write.  My friend Susan’s story was voted the best!  Mom said it’s my first rejection and writers get a lot of those.  She told me to never stop trying."

Joanie’s small for her age.  When she sits back in a chair, her feet don’t touch the ground.  Instead, her legs swing out in rapid motion, and today stopped only when she tapped the side of Mariana’s chair.  Her mother gave her that look.  Joanie stopped.

“Mom says I have to act like a lady,” she told Mariana as she smoothed her dress.  Grandma says, ‘if I don’t mind my manners, I’ll never dine with the Queen of England…’  Have you met her?  I wonder what Queen’s eat?”

Is there anything you hate about school?

"I hate report cards!  I don’t like math, either.   I like English and I love geography.  I’m going to travel around the world when I grow up!  I get good grades but I always get into trouble because I talk too much.  Red checks… that’s all I ever see.  Do you think I talk too much?  I don’t think I do… well, maybe… sometimes."

Joanie looked past Mariana’s shoulder toward the kitchen.  “Miss Mariana, Grandma wants to know if you’ll stay for lunch.  She’s a really good cook!”

What is the food you absolutely dislike eating?

"The only time I make a fuss about eating is on Christmas Eve when she makes Luté Fisk!  I can’t open my presents until I finish my dinner.  I hide it in my mashed potatoes and swallow really fast!  She says all good Swedes eat Luté Fisk. Even my dog, Boola, won’t eat it.  Why can’t Grandma be Italian?  I love spaghetti!"

Are you scared of the dark?

“Nooooo...  I don’t think I am…  When I go to sleep the lights are still on ‘cause I sleep on the hide-away sofa in the living room and grown-ups stay up late.  Mom lets me bring all my books to bed with me.  She reads me a chapter every night… the ‘Bobbsey Twins’ is one of my favorites.  I also love ‘Little Britches’ but it makes me toss-n-turn trying to figure out the ending, so, she reads that one to me after lunch.  My bestest memory of reading is from the first grade when I could finally read a story to Mom about Dick and Jane and Spot.  I felt so grown up."

Who is your favorite star?

Joanie’s eyes were wide as she reverently said, “The Lone Ranger… him and Tonto.”

“Would you like to see my favorite toys?” Joanie asked as she pulled them from her toy box.  “Here’s Howdy Doody and Clara Bell the clown marionettes.  Clara Bell can’t talk.  He has a horn I honk when he has something to say.  But I can’t find it… it’s been missing for weeks.  I don’t know what happened to it.”  Joanie didn’t notice the faint smile on her mother’s lips.  “Oh, and my doll, Blondie, whose hair is now brown because I gave her a haircut.  When mom sent her to the doll hospital, they were out of blonde wigs.  Now, I have to ask before I use the scissors.  Carolyn has a doll just like Blondie except her name is Nancy and she still has blonde hair.”

Do you think you’ll ever get married and have kids?

Joanie laughed and twirled around.  A muffled voice could be heard through the hands cupped over her face as she responded, “Someday.”

Thanks for sharing with me, Joanie.  I hope we can be friends for a long time!

“You betcha!”

And this is Jo Ann, now, in her own words:

My husband, Bill, and I live on the Sun Coast of Florida on the gulf

side (north of Sarasota and south of Tampa Bay); a far cry from where Joanie spent her childhood.

We both love Scotties and share our home with, Lucy, a sweet, 2-year-old rescue dog that’s nothing but unconditional love on 4 paws.  We’re both retired and spend our time doing what we love: volunteering in the community; serving in our church; and (for me) writing, (for Bill) singing with the church choir.  One of his biggest honors was singing at the Vatican in Rome for Pope John Paul.

Carolyn and I have remained friends all these years.  Carolyn was my maid of honor; Bill and I are god-parents to Carolyn’s younger son.  We may not play dolls anymore but every once in a while, have been known to play a round of Chutes and Ladders.  Now (ohhhh, help us all), we’re learning how to Skype.

I did become a writer.  My career began as a disc jockey/copywriter in Chicago.  I've written one-liners for well-known comedians, verses for Hallmark Cards, and an award-winning weekly column that appeared in 14 papers in the northern Illinois area (as well as hundreds of articles on an assortment of topics).

My book, “BEGOTTEN: With Love,” is gaining in popularity thanks to venues like Goodreads and bloggers like Mariana.  Thank you, Mariana for your support.

Copies are available in print through www.BEGOTTENtheBook.com

 

 

 

 

 
When I was eight I used to daydream. I played pretend and I loved to write. I still remember my 8^th birthday present and the feeling of joy it gave me. What was it? A journal, covered in beige leather, with a writing pad of white satin pages and a black fountain pen that attached to the inside of my elegant and beaming new friend. And this is me, at that age, when all I wanted to do was to tell stories.