Guardian Updates and Guest Blogging + Butterfly News and Ferret Picture
Lots of news!
Oh my goodness. How did it get to be almost a month since I last shared with you all? But I’ve been hard at work getting Guardian ready!
The time went “poof” and suddenly warm days arrived and the massive amounts of South Dakota snow are finally gone. I swear the weather thinks spring isn’t a thing any more.
Guardian News
Preorder + Giveaway
Guardian’s release is sneaking up fast! It’s available for preorder in eBook format. Paperback preorder is coming soon! Find all the stores with preorder here on this book link page.
As a reward for preordering Guardian, I’m offering a raffle of souvenirs I brought back from Japan. Just visit the link and fill out the form after preordering. Proof of purchase is required. (Feel free to mark out any personal details - as I just need to know you bought the book. I need your address also, as I will ship the gift for the winner.)
So what juicy tidbits are in the raffle pack?
- Tenugui towel with a famous Ukiyo-e design. The dye technique is called "naniwa" and it's a special way to dye the threads on both the front and the back of the fabric. (Tenugui towels are super popular because they can be used for most anything from a dew rag to a wrapping cloth to a drying towel. Ukiyo-e is a traditional block printing style with many color layers.) Purchased in Aoyama, Tokyo.
- Fish charm from Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto that says it will bring you good luck for a year.
- Gatchapon collectable stone lantern toy. This was from Nijo Castle in Kyoto. (Gatchapon--aka gatcha gatcha--is like a gumball machine, but with cool little toys. We got sucked into buying many of these!)
- Mini Kokuyo Soft Ring Notebook (105 x 76 mm) with dot-line grid paper. This brand of notebook is one of my favorites. The paper is so smooth, the dot grids are great, and the squishy rings never hurt your hands. (Purchased from Smiths, E-Cute in Shinagawa Station, Tokyo, a stationery store on my must visit list.)
- Realistic Crane 3D Paper Puzzle made with yuzen washi paper (quality paper that was silkscreened in vibrant colors). Purchased from the Kokura Castle gift shop in Kitakyushu.
And yes, I will ship worldwide.
If you don’t win the raffle, you’ll at least get a spiffy badge!
Trailer and Book Sample
If you’d like to know more about Guardian, check out the downloadable 3 chapter sample via Bookfunnel, 4 chapter sample on World Anvil for online reading, or the book trailer on YouTube (1 min 53 sec long). I had so much fun creating that trailer!
Book Blitz
Are you interested in helping to share about Guardian’s release? We’ll have social media images to share soon. Another way is if you have a blog or Instagram account where you’d like to share, please consider signing up for my book blitz through Xpresso Book Tours.
Guest Blog Post
One last authorly tidbit, Writers In The Storm asked me to write for April and May. So we’ll start a journey to explore what it means to be respectful when writing minorities and cultures, and how to see if your work ventures into cultural appropriation. In May we’ll chat about what we can do to ensure we write respectfully.
Catch the first installment at Writers in the Storm on April 12.
Swallowtail Butterfly Update
(Fair warning - butterfly chrysalis picture coming up. If this is too buggy for you, skip to the next section with the ferrets.)
In the fall, we found a swallowtail caterpillar just as the warm season was ending and we released the last of the monarch butterflies we raised. My daughter, of course, wanted to raise this one too, though we were concerned that the little guy was born so late.
Lo-and-behold, swallowtails can overwinter in a chrysalis, even in the bitter cold of a South Dakota winter. So once the little guy made his chrysalis, we put him in the garage to keep him safe from predators.
The weather looks like it will stay warmer, so we brought him into the house so we can monitor him. When his chrysalis turns black, he’ll be ready to hatch. Meet Punkin. (My hubs named him. So, it’s a silly name.) When he (or she) hatches, we’ll see a beautiful swallowtail butterfly. We can’t wait!
And now for the cuteness…
Obligatory Ferret Picture
Before it warmed up, it was harder to keep the ferrets entertained and ensure they had enough stimulation. But I found these swimming turtle bath toys. They were a hit. Pocky and Mochi both jumped into the water to catch them. And little Vetti, he was curious, too. Though the water did not interest him. In the picture below, Pocky is venturing in, while Mochi watches intently.
As I sign off, I’ll remind you to…
Be the Difference. Be extraordinary.
All the best,
Amy