Excerpts from Pixies of the Ferns,

PIXIES OF THE FERNS.

M. C. Arvanitis

Pixies of the Ferns is the third of my  mid grade fantasy books. Here is an excerpt of this book I am working on at the present time.  

Fernella's friend, Freddie, has volunteered to fly  Sergeant Farley who, hired by the town council, is to find a new home where the Pixies can be safe from Human progress.  Fernella and her friend, Fanny, town clerk, goes with them.  

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

A white-topped mountain appeared in the distance, the sun shinning down on it’s snow covered top. “The Mortals call that Mount Hood,”  Sergeant Farley  informed them, “I scouted the base of the mountain a few years ago. The land is rugged, covered with massive rocks. Not the kind Mortals can farm. Even the loggers work in lower elevations. And there’s water. The Imps don’t make their homes near water.”

“Do you think we could find a place to relocate there?” Freddie inquired.

“Probably on the upper elevation around the foot hills.”

Freddie turned the flyer toward the mountain. The higher he flew the stronger the wind whipped the machine. It dipped nose down. He pulled it up with all his strength. “Hold on,” he shouted above the roar of the wind. “I’ll restart the engine. Give us more power.”

Fernella held tightly to the front panel. Fanny squealed, and squeezed against Farley. Putting his arms around her, he shouted in her ear, “Hold on, little darlin’.”

Freddie zoomed the flyer downward until it leveled out over the tops of the trees. He breathed a sign of relief. “I have it in control now. Just needed to start the engine.” They flew toward the mountain. In the sky above them large, black spots came toward them. “What are those?“ Fernella asked.

Before Freddie could answer, flocks of crows attacked the plane, their caws deafening. Fanny screamed.

“Crows.” Farley yelled. “They think we are in their territory.”

Hang on. We’ll get lower and lose them.” Freddie put the flyer into a dive. Seeing a tree straight ahead he desperately pulled the nose up. Too late! The last thing Fernella remembered was an ear-splitting noise.

Fernella's Magic

PIXIES OF THE FERNS

The beginning of my Mid Grade Fantasy # three

Fernella’s Magic

M. C. Arvanitis

On her way to collect leaves from the cinnamon fern that grew by the Sandy water, Fernella Fabrizio skipped along the edge of the Mortals’ Road. Almost twelve inches in height, tall for a Pixie girl, Fernella lived in the forest of North West Oregon. The wide paved road ran past the village of Fernville and through the evergreen forest.

Father had told her to use the path that led into the forest and to stay off the Mortals’ Road. She had ignored him. She did not want to take the chance of running into the winged Forest Fairies who lived in the deepest part of the forest. Pixies and Fairies were enemies. Plus, since the Mortal’s vehicle only traveled the road early in the morning and back again in the evening, she thought she would be safe.

Daydreams of Freddie ran through her thoughts. She had never known someone as talented as he. He spent his time inventing useful things like the cell phone, catching electrons that floated in the air to power them. His wind machine brought electricity to the Fern Folks homes and made life easier for them all. He had even put together a watering system bringing running water from Sandy Water to their houses.

A putrid odor interrupted her thoughts. She fought back a gag. She recognized the smell of the Mortal's vehicle. Its toxic breath could make her deathly sick if she got too close to it. And if she stayed on the road it would run her down, squishing her into a blot on the surface. She knew that to be true. Long ago her Uncle Frank, who had been drinking too much beer, had wandered onto the road. The old timers told the terrible story of how there was nothing left of him but a wet spot.

Fernella had caught a glimpse of the vehicle when it passed her once before. It was  so tall that all she could see was its four black rolling wheels under rusty grey covers. Last year Freddie had first seen it from his perch in his watch-out station at the edge of the village. There had always been talk of Mortals living near by but this was the only sign of them.

She felt the ground shake. Another warning. Then she heard a roar. She rushed off the road and tucked her body under a bright green, arching fern. She held her nose. A red box-like vehicle slowly passed her. Suddenly it stopped. Two Mortals climbed out and looked at the large trees that lined the road.  Fernella gasped. She had never seen a Mortal before, but the rumor was right! They were giants. Terrified, she froze. She knew they couldn’t see her, Pixie’s were invisible to Mortals, but the giants walked toward her!

TO BE CONTINUED

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.)