PIXIES OF THE FERN series

FERNELLA'S MAGIC

M.C. Arvanitis

Be careful where you tread my child

When you walk near woods so green.

Keep your feet upon the path.

They say Pixies can’t be seen.

But If you listen you may hear.

Laughter that makes your heart feel free.

While walking in the woods, believe,

And a Pixie you may see.

(M. C. Arvanitis)

This week (June 25, 2012) I began my third mid grade fantasy book, 'Fernella's  Magic. The first, 'The Legend of ELPanda Paws,' of Elves and a panda cub, has been published as an e-book. The second book, 'Forbidden Wings,'  tells the story of a Mermaid who wants wings, soon to be published.  


'Pixies of the Fern' - Fernella's Magic', brings Pixies to life. Keep tuned to read more as it develops.  

GEORGE'S KARMA, a short story.

Writing Short Stories are exercise for the mind .. An outlet for the written word, and and a great way to get your name out there.  Another of my short stories, 'George's Karma' has been published in the latest Literary Underground group of short stories about Time. Free to download at Smashwords. You can read my story on page 79 by clicking on the link below. Jump to the top to read all the other great stories submitted by some of the best Indie writers.


 GEORGE'S KARMA (short story) by M. C. Arvanitis

My interview

--TO MY FANS--

As author of my latest e-book "The Legend of ELPanda Paws”, I had the honor of being in the "Author Spotlight" on The Book Rack.

Crystal Schall, creator of BOOK RACK shares book reviews and author interviews. 

You can read my interview at the link below.  Be sure to comment after reading. (And as always welcome to any blogger, a "like" would be good. That helps her get the word of new writers out and helps me reach out too.)   

Thanks, Margaret Arvanitis.

http://thebookrack.weebly.com/3/post/2012/03/author-spotlight-m-c-avaranitis.html

FORBIDDEN WINGS 

by 

M.C. Arvanitis

Soon to be published on Amazon.com

and other e-platforms 

 Nadeea's parents have been captured by the terrible Sea Lions and she and the other young Mers are left to be raised by the nannies in hiding.  Worse yet she is different than the other Mermaids, and being different isn't cool.

When Nadeea meets her fairy friends, Cassandra and Alex, and sees their beautiful wings, she longs for wings too.  Sir Cecil, the Hobbit Snerg, promises to help her find wings, but they must take a long dangerous journey to the home of the Damselflies who might know where Nadeea can get wings.

I have snergs, fairies, selkies, Squarettes, sea-trows and hill-trows, and other imaginary visions on my mind. How will they discourage or help a mermaid find her way to gaining wings and save her family from the slave caves? 

What's a Squarette? you might ask.  Susie Squarette is new to fantasy fiction. I guess you will have to read my book to find out about her.  ; )   

The Legend ofF ELPanda Paws

IT's HERE!!  KINDLE readers .. My first book,The Legend of ELPanda Paws is now on Amazon.com. This is a fantasy, adventure. A Mid Grade Chapter book but adults who have already read it enjoyed it too. (Be the first to comment on the site. AND DON'T FORGET to tell YOUR friends. Thanks a Million : )
Click on title to find link to Amazon.

Click on the side link to find on Barnes & Noble:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Legend-ELPanda-Paws-ebook/dp/B007JEWTR2/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337295916&sr=1-1

HANK OF TWIN RIVERS Series.

1855 History of a Pioneer Boy on the Wilderness Trails

HANK OF TWIN RIVERS Series

PREVIEWS 

Hank of Twin Rivers is the story of a pioneer boy’s journey from a shy, withdrawn boy to a self-made young man; of his adventures on the Oregon Trail from north Iowa to western Nebraska. It tells of his often-dangerous life on the Midwest plains, and of growing from boy to manhood on the Chisholm Trail with the horse wranglers. Each book is a stand alone story.  

Cover Art for Hank Of Twin Rivers

Book One

Journey of Change 

Cover Artist: Dori Murnieks

Book one: Journey of Change, Thirteen-year-old Hank loses his adored mother from cholera. He conflicts with his father who believes that punishment will make a man out of a boy. His Irish Uncle Mac brings humor into his life and serves as a cushion between the two. His love for his pet cow, Clementine, makes life easier. When Hank’s pa decides to leave their Iowa homestead to find free land in the Platte Valley Hank is forced to go with him even if he has to walk all the way. He finds travel mates in Rusty, a southern dandy and the “pain in the neck“ tease, seven year old Nora. He tangles with the thieving Butler Brothers, rattlesnakes, buffalo stampedes, and flash floods, gets acquainted with a black tracker along the Platte, and discovers the preacher's daughter, a tomboy who doesn't like boys.

Excerpt: A low rumbling interrupted his thoughts. He noticed a dark cloud behind them. He ran toward the wagons. “Dust storm coming.” he hollered. Uncle Mac, shading his eyes, looked back at the dust. A look of horror came to his face. “Saints preserve us! They be buffalo!” he shouted, “Square up the wagons, J B!” He galloped toward Hank, calling, “Laddie run!”

The ground shook under Hank’s feet. The roar of thousands of buffalo deafened him as he raced toward Uncle Mac. He glanced behind. The huge animals were about to run him down!

~~~~~~~~~

Cover Art for Hank Of Twin Rivers

Book Two

Journey of Change 

Cover Artist: Dori Murnieks

Book two: VIEW FROM THE EAGLES NEST: Hank views the growth of Pa's trading post from his perch in a tall tree along the river. He had the honor of naming his new home, Twin Rivers, near where the North and South Platte merged. He helps deliver Clementine's bull calf and interacts with a hard-drinking city boy, makes friends with Ta Ha Zouka, a Pawnee youth, and falls for Becca, the preacher’s daughter. Here he  faces the River Valley ghost, saves a family of escaped slaves from slave catchers, deals with Pa's domineering new wife who wants to send him up north to school, and becomes lost in a blizzard. 

Excerpt: Another drawn-out moan filled the air, floating from the willows. The eerie sound sent a chill through Hank’s body. The moan came again. It sounded almost like a human cry. Whatever it was he didn’t want to tangle with it. He saw movement near the willows. “There it is,” he whispered.

A hunched back creature hobbled toward them, waving its arms and dragging one foot. Fur covered its body and wild white hair stood out from its head. It made a high pleading moan and reached its furry arms toward them. Becca grabbed Hank’s arm. “What if it climbs the tree?” she whispered.

~~~~~~~~~

Book Three: HANK AND THE WRANGLERS: 

Cover not yet created.

Becca's father thinks Hank and his family are heathenish and takes her away from Twin Rivers. Hank joins up with Hoss Smith and his Wranglers who follow the Chisholm Trail through Kansas and Oklahoma into Texas. His search for Becca takes him through the Ozarks where his wounds from a bear attack is healed by an Ozark witch, he witnesses a battle of the Civil War, and finds Becca working as a nurse near the battlefield.

Excerpt: As Hank reached the opening of the cave he heard a growl. He looked behind him. A humongous bear moved toward him. Hank ran toward the cave but a pair of cubs blocked his way. The bear lunged across the pond and went for him. Hank felt terrible pain as its paws wrack him across his thigh knocking him down. He screamed. The bear was on top of him before he could get up raking its claws over his chest, arms, and throat. He screamed again and rolled over covering his face. The bear dug its claws into his back.

He heard a gun shot. The bear raised its head. Another shot. The bear roared in pain and limped toward her cubs herding them into the cave.

“Wasape got you good, son. Don’t you know not to tangle with a mama bear?” An exceptionally tall man stood over him looking down with narrow eyes. His face was dark and winkled. He had two parallel lines tattooed across his cheek and nose. “An Osage Indian,” Hank thought. Amos had told him about them.

 ~~~~~~~~~

 The fourth book of the series, BECCA'S STORY will be launched in 2014. 

 ~~~~~~~~~

THE THROW AWAY HEARTS

FREE TO COPY 

February's Free contribution. Especially for teachers. Your students will become very involved in this fun story and will wonder why the hearts are sad after Valentines Day. Don't tell them. Make note of the hearts each day during February. 

You will need three fairly large red hearts. Draw happy faces on one side, frowny faces on the other side. Post the three happy hearts on board where children will notice them. Turn the hearts over to their sad faces the day after you have your valentines’ party.

On the last school day of February tell the story of the Throw Away Hearts. Exchange the red hearts for the green hearts. shaped into a shamrock as you tell the story. see picture below. Draw happy faces on the green hearts that make up the shamrock.)(Story can possibly be told on flannel board at the last day of February. Tack small squared of flannel on each heart.)

THE THROW-AWAY HEARTS

by

M. C. Arvanitis

Once upon a time there were three happy hearts. They lived on the bulletin board in Ms. Millie classroom. A calendar hung beside them. The heading on the calendar read “February”. It had a red X on the number 14.

Ms. Millie showed her class the three happy hearts and then made note of the number 14 on the calendar. “This is Valentines day. On this day we will have our Valentines party,” she told her class.

The three hearts watched Ms. Millie mark off the calendar days one by one. When Valentine’s Day came the children exchanged Valentines. The three Hearts were as excited as the students. 
But after the party Ms. Millie drew Xs over each February day until there was only two days left. The hearts began to worry. “What will happen to us when February is gone?” Heart One wondered.

“They will throw us in the trashcan,” answered Heart Two, “Nobody uses hearts to decorate school rooms after February.”

“Not the trashcan!” cried Heart Three.

“Don’t panic,” Heart One said, “Maybe we can think of a way Ms. Millie can use us next month.”

On the last day of February Heart One asked. “Have you thought of any thing, yet?” 

The other two shook their heads.

Heart Two cried, “We are done for.”

“Crying will not help,” scolded Heart One. He looked at the next calendar page. “The next month is March. In March spring comes and the grass turns green.”

“I have an idea,” shouted Heart Two, “What If we turned green?”

“It is worth a try,” said Heart Three. “Close your eyes and imagine being green.”

When they opened their eyes they had turned green. “Now Ms. Millie won’t throw us in the trash!” shouted Heart Three.

Heart One frowned. “It won’t work. No one needs hearts after February, not even green ones.”

Heart Two started to cry again. “Tomorrow morning Ms. Millie will change the bulletin board. What are we going to do?”

“We can’t give up,” said Heart Three, “Let’s put our heads together and think.”

“That is it!” shouted Heart One.

“What?” asked the others.

“Putting our heads together,” laughed Heart One. “Look at the March calendar. There is a special holiday called St. Patrick’s Day.”

“So?” asked Heart Two.

“It is marked with a shamrock leaf. The leaf looks like three hearts with their sides together.”

“Good idea. We’ll become a shamrock.” laughed Heart Three.

The three hearts moved together, their sides touching. Heart One pulled a green stem from a paper flower on the bulletin board. He placed it on their bottoms. “Now we look like a shamrock leaf!” he exclaimed.

The next morning Ms. Millie came in early to decorate her room for the new month. The Hearts held their breaths as she took down all the hearts around the room. When she started to decorate the bulletin board she saw the green shamrock leaf.

“Where did this shamrock come from?” she asked herself. “It is just what I need for this month.”

The Hearts gave sighs of relief as Ms. Millie marked number 17 on the March calendar. She told her class, "On this day everyone should wear something green and we'll celebrate St. Patricks day." The hearts knew that they would be safe for another month.

____________

Art Activity

Let the children cut out their own green hearts and put them together making their own shamrock. Green of course is celebrated in March and on St. Pat's day my students loved to make and eat green eggs with ham .. after reading Dr. Suess's GREEN EGGS AND HAM.  

T. J. FROG (An adult fairy tale.)

Most of my  writing relates to children, or young Adult readers.  But some of my short stories are written for adult reading.  I entered my short story, T. J. Frog, to  LitU: Unearthed which is an on line anthology that celebrates and brings to the surface some of the best up-and-coming authors in the literary world. This collection of short stories features new and self published authors. , including myself.   


What happens when a beautiful lady kisses a frog?  You can read T.J.Frog by buying the book at https://www.smashwords.com/extreader/read/124502/50/litu-unearthed

(http://clipartmountain.com/linkclips/froglinks.htm)

T. J. Frog (An adult Fairy Tale.) 

   

Four To Get Ready Puppet Dialogue # 5: I Wish I were Never Born.

This is Lindy Leo Lion who was the resident puppet in the Four-To-Get-Ready Preschool for sixteen years. He was designed and made by my daughter, Mary.

FREE TO COPY 

January's Free contribution.  In January many teachers post the children's baby
pictures to celebrate new beginnings.  This dialogue fits in these discussions.

Every preschool/kindergarten classroom should have a

school puppet friend. This puppet is introduced to the

students at the first of the year and only the teacher uses it.

(It is a tool not a toy) Have a puppet story time at a specific

time each day. Teacher should use her actor’s voice .. try to

speak differently when speaking for the puppet. In my dialogues

the puppet is a lion, thus called “Lindy Leo Lion”. You may

want to use another type of puppet. Use the same puppet each

time and be sure you give it a name that will interest the students.

You may want to put on a bit of music that will remind the

Students when it is the Puppet Story time.Please feel free to 

copy off and use. I only ask that you list me as the author and 

that you leave a comment if doing so. It would be nice for me 

to know if these free stories and dialogues are useful to you.   

M.C. Arvanitis 

Four To Get Ready PUPPET DIALOGUE # 1: 

I Wish I Were Never Born.

By M. C. Arvanitis 

 TEACHER:  (Hold puppet’s head down. look over the puppet.) You

 look rather unhappy this morning. Is something wrong?

 LINDY: Everything is wrong! I woke up with a headache.  I didn't 

             have any milk for my breakfast cereal. I. forgot to prepare for this morning’s

             story time. I wish I had never been born.

 TEACHER:  It would be a different world if you hadn’t been born.

 LINDY: Well, no one would miss me.

            TEACHER: You are right. We couldn’t miss you if you hadn't been

            born because we would never have known you. We have to know

            someone in order to miss them. But since you have been born and you

            are our friend we would miss you if you were not here.

LINDY: Would you really miss me?

TEACHER: Of course, we would. I remember the first day we met

you, when I introduced you to our class. Don’t you remember?

LINDY: Yes, I remember. I was so shy of meeting the children.

TEACHER:  Do you remember how the children made you feel better

by singing with you? After that whenever you were around us you

made us all feel good with your songs and stories.

                                   

LINDY: Well, yes, but sometimes I still feel useless. I wonder why I

was born.   (Have puppet bow its head as if sad.  Use a sad voice.)

TEACHER: We all feel that way once in a while, Lindy, but we

have to remember that each of us was born for a reason. We each have

special things that we can do. You were born to share your stories and

songs with us. If you hadn’t been born we wouldn’t be able to hear your

stories and sing your songs.

LINDY: You mean if I had not been born I wouldn’t be able to be here

with you and the children?

TEACHER: That is exactly what I mean. You were born so you

could be here with us and make us laugh and sing.

LINDY: And dance!

TEACHER: (Laughing) Puppets can’t dance. They don’t have legs.

LINDY: I can if you’ll help me.

TEACHER: Do you really want to dance?

LINDY: Oh yes.  I was born to boogie--to twist--to do the hop--to

cut the rug--to trip the light fantastic.  Where’s the music? Where's the

music?

TEACHER: Well, if you think you can dance I have some music

right here.  Come on everyone. Lets dance with Lindy.

            (Play quick stepping CD and dance around the room moving

the puppet to the beat. Encourage children to dance with the music.)

LINDY: (Out of breath.)  That was fun. It made me tingle all over.

It’s so good to be alive. I’m glad we all were born. But now, I’m tired. I

think I’ll take a nap.

TEACHER: I hope you will come back tomorrow because we would

really miss you if you didn’t. 

LINDY: Oh, I’ll be back. I can’t wait until I tell you my next story.

Good-bye everyone.

            (Retire puppet to its place.)

                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE UGHLIES, a preview of "The Legend of ELPanda Paws.

Excerpts from my now published fantasy for middle readers. Chapter Book, "The Legend of ELPanda Paws.
You can now purchase the book at SmashWords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/120937
To get there click on the title.  


Soon to be on Amazon and Barns & Nobel.  

 "When the Panda wakes she finds herself between two creatures. She can tell by their horrible smell and looks that they are not human. Narrow dimmed eyes glare at the cub. One of the creatures pokes her with a stick. She cries out. The creature laughs evilly. “Just what we need to get even with those stuck up ELVanites, right, Ferocious?”

Yeppers, Usser, this one will spread the negative disease for sure.“ The other creature’s laugh is even more evil than the first. He whacks the terrified cub across her rump. Fear and sorrow, mixed together, fill her heart with a terrible ache. She wails for her mother but to no avail. The Panda cub is lost in a strange land and captured by the evil Ughlies. There is no way out.

Illustration by Mariah Matthews