Watch for the release of a new book by Amy Hale Auker, author of Winter of Beauty and Rightful Place

It’s always a delight to learn that a favorite author will be releasing a new book soon and I'm looking forward to getting a copy. That author is Amy Hale Auker and I've written about her other books in the past right here.

I stopped by her website when I learned about the new release. Seems it’s about an old cowboy, old letters, loves, losses and a crime. Sounds like a winner.

This author has a knack for bringing together a melody of words.

The book will be released by Pen-L Publishing this fall and Steve Atkinson who I am not familiar with has done the cover and I must admit it's quite appealing. According to Ms Auker's Facebook page, Steven Atkinson is a "photographer, designer, and western artist extraordinaire. (And a pretty cool friend, too.)"

The author will be taking advance orders starting October 1, 2014. Stop by her website to learn more.

Lost in the Zoo: A Children's Short Story

My inner urge to write will always have me creating and re-creating, whether or not I am ever published anywhere else but on this personal blog.

The following is based upon a prompt to write a story that a 5th-grade reader could comprehend. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

Children's Book:

Lost in the Zoo

Have you ever been lost? I was!

Being lost can be scary but it can also be lots of fun. I was excited to go to the Zoo with my Dad and older sister. We had gotten up pretty early, dressed as fast as we could, and hurried downstairs to where my Dad had breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast waiting for us. My Dad made the best breakfasts. We ate, and then we were off to the Zoo. All I could think about was seeing the elephants. My mom had just read me a book about elephants, and I thought they were the best.

My Dad parked the car, and we headed inside. It was amazing! We walked along looking for all the animals in their homes; we saw Tigers and a Lion sleeping on a rock. We saw all different kinds of birds and giraffes that looked like they were hugging each other. My sister spotted a sign pointing to where the monkeys were, and we headed there along with many other families who wanted to see the monkeys. That's when I lost my sister and my Dad.

I felt like I was going to be sick because I was so afraid that I wouldn't find them again. I kept walking and walking and still never saw them. Suddenly, the Zoo wasn't much fun, and I started to cry. A policeman saw me crying and asked me where my family was. And I told him I couldn't find my Dad and my sister, and all the while, I just kept crying. The policeman wiped my eyes with a tissue and told me he would help me find them. He held my hand, and we walked together. He was such a nice policeman and he asked me about all the animals I had seen and wanted to know my favorite. I told him about the book my mom read to me and that elephants were my favorite. He laughed and said they were his, too. He stopped and asked me what my favorite flavor of ice cream was, and I said, "Chocolate, of course." Then he sat me on a bench next to a man with a cart and bought me a chocolate ice cream cone. As I ate my ice cream, we kept walking, and then I saw the elephants. So did the policeman because that's where we headed. He pointed out the mommy elephant and her baby. They were so cute, just like in my book. The baby was following the mommy around and was making baby elephant noises.

Just then, I heard my name, and the policeman turned me around. I saw my Dad and my sister hurrying through all the people. When my Dad reached us, I called him, and he cried out that he was so happy to find me and bent down to hug me. The policeman looked at my Dad and said, "We knew you'd show up near the elephants because they're your daughter's favorite animal." My Dad shook the policeman's hand and thanked him a million times, and then we walked off waving to the policeman, who was waving back.

It was the best day of all!

My Summer Silhouette (500 word challenge for ReadWave)

I entered This new post on ReadWave for their 500-word challenge with the prompt "A Summer You'll Never Forget."

My Summer Silhouette

There wasn't anything better than watching the sun set behind the trees. I loved those moments when I had already showered and dressed for the night out with friends, and I'd sit on the porch to watch the sun slowly go down and the colors shift until the blue of the night started to creep in on me. Then, I'd listen for the night sounds and the cars coming down the road. Jen would pick me up, and we'd head out for an evening of friends, cold beer, and dancing to music that poured out of cars and trucks all parked along the grassy area down the road. The dark was sometimes moonlit and other times lit by a small bonfire. I'd watch to see if his truck was there or if I recognized his silhouette or deep laugh. When we met, he always smiled happily and had a kind word and a wink for me. What I wouldn't do for a date with him. But he was older by two years, and although we said "Hi" each time we saw each other, I couldn't shake the feeling he thought I was just a kid. Two years is a huge difference when you're a teenager. Still, my excitement grew each time, and just a wink or a smile was good enough for me. Jen would mercilessly tease me, asking if I had gotten my smile. She had her own silhouette she followed on those dark nights, hoping for her own dream boy.

During the day, we swam, tanned, and drank lemonade while dreaming of someday having a date with our dream boys. We only saw the boys a little during the day. They were off fixing their trucks, working part-time, or just playing sports and hanging out with each other. Almost midway through the summer, on a hot, steamy day, I hung on to the side of the pool with my eyes closed, enjoying the cool water and the sun on my face when a shadow blocked the sun. I opened my eyes and squinted to see that familiar silhouette above me. As my eyes adjusted, I saw his big smile and heard him say, "Mind if I join you?" Stunned, I stumbled over my words, saying, "of course," but that didn't make sense, and I apologized, feeling like I made a fool of myself. My face burned, but not because of the sun. He sat at the edge of the pool, slipped in smoothly, and swam to the other side. I just watched him as he swam, and then he came up right beside me, his green eyes glistening from the water, and he smiled. He said, "I'm glad I came by here today. I get to see you." Not knowing what to say, I just smiled, and he said, "it's okay that you're shy, I still want to take you out tonight. Will you come to see a movie with me?" My dream had come true, and I was a nervous nut. I blurted louder than needed, "Yes, I'll go with you." He laughed because he knew he was making me nervous. Then I laughed, too, and we swam off across the pool.

www.mrwallpaper.com

500-word challenge … a summer you'll never forget.