"Rohan combines all the elements of basic fantasy -- a young hero, mentors, villains, something to be saved, special powers and, of course, magical creatures -- with great storytelling that appeals to a wide audience." KIRKUS REVIEWS


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

My second visit to Sherbrooke Elementary!

I had another wonderful day talking to students at Sherbrooke Elementary on Dec. 14, 2012. Thanks to Mrs. Anne Lawton who organized my visit, I spoke to two grade 6 classes. Because it was my last visit to a school before Christmas I held a contest for each class and gave away books to the winners. As usual, the students asked lots of challenging and interesting questions and we all had a lot of fun.

Sherbrooke Elementary 6L
Sherbrooke Elementary 6B

CBC.ca | Breakaway | The Weaverworld of the Eastern Townships#.UNCuARcA52Y.facebook

CBC.ca | Breakaway | The Weaverworld of the Eastern Townships#.UNCuARcA52Y.facebook

My visit to St. John's School

Had an absolutely fantastic day at St. John's School in St. Jean sur Richelieu on Dec. 10, 2012. I did three presentations to four classes who listened and asked lots of great questions. As usual I talked about my writing process, which seems to be a really intriguing subject for many students. Thanks to teacher Faye Clarke for inviting me, and to all the students who lined up to ask for my autograph at the end! I hope those of you who purchased the book enjoy it.

 
 

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

A teacher's review of the "Weaverworld" school presentation

"My students have been talking about your visit with us, and those with the book have been devouring it. I have already had to warn one of my students not to let slip any of the details for the rest of us. As well, it was very helpful for my students to hear about how you saw the book in your head as if it were a movie, and you were simply writing it down on paper. We discussed the next day about how difficult it can be sometimes to get what they see out onto the paper. My colleagues and I want to thank you again for coming in, and if it is possible, we would gladly welcome you back to do a writers' workshop with some of our students whenever you are ready to do so."
L. Bates, Heroes' Memorial

Monday, November 19, 2012

A warm welcome from Heroes' Memorial Elementary!


I visited Heroe's Memorial Elementary on November 13, 2012 and had a wonderful time meeting the students there and telling them about "Weaverworld".
 
Heroes' Grades 5 and 5/6


As with previous presentations, I began by telling them a little bit about myself and how I came to write the "Weaverworld" series. The students were especially interested in knowing what inspired me to write the books and how long it took (9 years, so far!).

Heroes' Grades 6 and 7

Many thanks to Lisa Bates and the other teachers for welcoming me to the school. And of course, thanks to all the students for listening so attentively and asking such great questions.
 
P.S. For those who are still looking for copies of the book, they are available at Brome Lake Books in Knowlton and at Libraire le livre d'or in Sutton. For those who don't live in Brome Missisquoi, you may order a copy from your local bookstore, or purchase copies online at all online retailers (Amazon, Chapters/Indigo, etc.)
 


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

My visit to Sherbrooke Elementary School

My apologies to the students at Sherbrooke Elementary for taking so long with this post. Since I visited the school on October 17/12 I moved to a new house and have been busy unpacking and getting organized. However, I'm finally ready to update my blog and want to begin by telling everyone what a wonderful time I had at Sherbrooke Elementary!

Everyone was very friendly and welcoming, and the kids were amazing! Attentive and interested, they asked some fantastic questions. Then, after my visit, several of them ordered their own copies of "Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge" which I was happy to sign.

Hopefully Book Two in the Weaverworld series will be out next spring, so maybe I'll come back to tell you about that one. Meanwhile, good luck to all of you with your own writing!
Best wishes,
Julia K. Rohan


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

My visit to Knowlton Academy

On October 5, 2012 I had the opportunity to meet the students of Suzanne Garneau and Ann Stairs of Knowlton Academy. I spoke to two classes of 11 and 12 year-old students who were attentive, eager and full of wonderful challenging questions about how I wrote "Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge", about writing in general, and about getting published. Here are a few photos from the day. Thank you to Suzanne for organizing the event!



 


Sunday, September 23, 2012

My "Meet the Author" Event at Chapters

All set up and ready to go, at Chapters Pointe-Claire
on September 22, 2012.
It didn't take long for people to start coming by...
The very happy author!

Lots of people stopped by to learn about "Weaverworld",
to ask for a signed copy of the book or to just share their
own stories and their wonderful questions about writing.

 

Friday, September 14, 2012

A 12-year old's review of Weaverworld

Kira Nichols
Weaverworld:
A Twelve Year-Old’s Opinion On A Spectacular Book
by Kira Nichols

I recently read Weaverworld by Julia K. Rohan. It was a very exciting book with well-developed characters - each with personalities so deep that it was as if I knew them personally. It was very descriptive, which was good considering that it is a fantasy novel, as it helps you visualize the character’s surroundings.

There was one brief point in the book where it seemed repetitive, speaking about the daily life of the characters. This was important, but could have been spiced up a little, although it didn’t last long and soon resumed the plot.

I find this book would be very well suited for fans of Harry potter, Pendragon, and similar books. I would recommend it to anyone ten and up, eight if you're an advanced reader.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Now here's someone I wish could star in a Weaverworld movie!

Alan Rickman did such a wonderful job in the Harry Potter movies, I've often wished he could play Lester Grandiflore in a Weaverworld film...if one ever gets made! I found this photo on the Pinterest page...

Friday, July 27, 2012

The Weaverworld review for today

"This book reminded me of several of my favorites I read growing up... The Chronicles of Narnia, Alice in Wonderland, A Wrinkle in Time, and of course, Harry Potter. It was amusing that the book even paid homage to them in brief mention, which I thought was nice. Fantasy, young children, magic and danger are always a winning combination for me, and this book was no different. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish and would recommend it to anyone who wants a nice, clean read."  (5 Stars) Karen Matthews (GoodReads, Barnes&Noble, LibraryThing)

Saturday, July 14, 2012

The Weaverworld review for today

"A well-written and creative tale that children will go wild for. Fans of Harry Potter do not want to miss this one, and adults will certainly enjoy it as well." (5 stars)  Stacy Decker (GoodReads, Barnes&Noble, LibraryThing)

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

The "777" Challenge

I have been challenged by @TheWriteGroup on Twitter to post 7 lines from the 7th page of the book I'm currently working on. As it happens these few words do convey quite a bit about the plot of the sequel to "Grimsnipe's Revenge":

           “I’ve got it!” said the voice on the other end.

            It was Simon. For a moment Jack actually thought his friend might be referring to the lost amulet but then realized that was impossible. Simon didn’t even know his grandmother’s necklace was missing.

            “Got what?” asked Jack.

            “The answer to the riddle. About how to get back to Weaverworld.”

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Today's review

"Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge" is an enchanting and magical read that will appeal to adults and children alike. While the concept itself is not necessarily a new one, it is presented in a fresh way that makes the story unpredictable and interesting. Recommended for fans of fantasy and for ages 12 and up. Five stars!"  Book Princess Sophia (GoodReads, LibraryThing, Barnes&Noble)

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

And the winner of the "Weaverworld" draw is...

We added a little extra fun to the annual award ceremony for the Brome Bright Lights Short Story contest this year. The names of each of the winners, runners-up and honourable mentions' were entered in a draw to win a signed copy of "Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge".
The names were written on slips of paper and placed in a black top hat. Our Grand Prize winner Madison Edwards drew the winning name which was...Gabriel Deyette!



Gabriel assured me that he loves "this kind of book". I look forward to his comments!

JKR

Short story contest winners announced


For the past six years, my husband and I have hosted a children's writing contest in our area. The Brome Bright Lights Short Story Contest invites children in English elementary schools in the Brome-Missisquoi region of Quebec to submit stories for a chance to win cash prizes. A group of six judges picks one winner from each grade category and then an overall winner to receive the Grand Prize. Our top winner (among 103 contestants) this year was Madison Edwards, a grade 3 student at Knowlton Academy.

For a complete photographic list of the winners and runners-up, please go to our page at www.facebook.com/bromebrightlights.

Friday, June 8, 2012

How I learned Archery

In Weaverworld children are taught riding, archery and falconry. To write about these things I used my own experiences in combination with research. Archery was an easy one because I actually spent several years doing Kyudo, a Zen bow-and-arrow practice. This beautiful blend of art, meditation and exercise is taught at a school called a dojo, and in Montreal the dojo is called "Suiko Kyudojo".

For information, or to enroll in classes at Suiko, please click on this link:
http://www.kyudoquebec.org/en/dojo.html


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Today's progress on Book Two

I managed to finish knitting together the new beginning with the existing story, but must now continue to pick up threads and weave them through the fabric of the remaining few hundred pages. Hence the name: Weaverworld!

What is a Morpheoso? A shape-shifter...someone who can assume the physical identity of another. The Morpheosi were an ancient sect of Weavers who specialized in this skill until it was outlawed because of the danger that it be used for criminal intent. This is what Jack learned today...

Monday, June 4, 2012

Book Two in the works

I am surprised at how many people ask me when book two of the Weaverworld books will be coming out. They may be worried that if they read "Grimsnipe's Revenge" they'll be left hanging for a long time. Let me assure you that the first book has an ending that will satisfy you, albeit temporarily, and that book two is in the works and if all goes well should be available by this time next year.

Book two will take you much further into Weaverworld where you will meet many more of the natives. The danger factor gets amped up too, as there is more at stake the second time around. I don't want to say too much but suffice it to say that the book already exists in draft form. My job at the moment (when I get a moment!) is to rewrite it and get it into shape for publishing.

So if you're holding off from reading "Grimsnipe's Revenge", please remember that we struggling authors need encouragement. Buy the book and if you like it, talk about it to your friends and review it online at http://tinyurl.com/d2vkjj6.
Thank you very much,
JKR

Monday, May 28, 2012

And the winners are...!


Before the launch I held a contest on my Facebook author page (www.facebook.com/juliakrohan) offering a free copy of "Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge" to someone who wrote a well-worded reason for wanting to read the book. As it turns out there were two winners: Tammy Hadlock of Cowansville and Jody Murray Meacher, a teacher from Granby.

Tammy was unable to make it to the launch, but Jody was there to receive her signed book. She has invited me to come to her school in Granby to speak to her students about the writing process...which I will be thrilled to do because I love talking! (as my husband can attest...)

Thank you again to everyone who attended the launch!


Jody Murray Meacher is a Grade 4 teacher in Granby, QC

Weaverworld now in local school librairies

One of my goals as a writer is to encourage young people to love books and reading. To this end, I'm making "Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge" available to the elementary schools in the Brome-Missisquoi area where I live so that every child, regardless of circumstances, will be able to read it.

Lisa Bates receives her copy of the book
on behalf of Heroes' Memorial in Cowansville

Amber Edgington (centre) and her reading coach
Claire Kerrigan from Knowlton Academy

Rebecca Enright from Farnham Elementary

Photos from the Weaverworld launch, May 26, 2012


Weaverworld's official launch took place at Brome Lake Books in Knowlton, QC.I was so excited to see friends and new faces there to share in the 'birth' of my 'baby'.Here are a few photos from the event...

Danny McAuley, co-owner of Brome Lake Books,
introduces Frances Gallagher
An attentive audience...
Frances Gallagher, who gave me
invaluable editing advice






....as I read an excerpt from the book...

A very happy newly-hatched author

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The first Weaverworld game: Match the actors to the characters!

Weaverworld has several characters who came alive for me during the writing process when I began picturing them as famous actors. The names of the characters and actors are listed below. Read the book and see if you can figure out who plays who in my imaginary movie. Then use the Comment button below to post your answer. The one who posts the first correct answer will receive a prize (to be announced). If you'd like to post your own ideas for character-actor matches, feel free. All sincere suggestions welcome!

The Characters:
Dr. Penelope Neith
Peter Bellamy
Aladdeus Gaelblade
Lily Windhover
Lester Grandiflore (Grimsnipe)

The Actors:
Sean Connery
Johnny Depp
Judy Dench
Penelope Cruz
Orlando Bloom


Sunday, May 20, 2012

SADD makes me happy

Last night it was my privilege and honour to be invited as a 'special guest' to the annual "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" event organized by the marvellous Mable Hastings of the Mansonville Youth Centre. Mable had seen the article about Weaverworld in one of the local papers and was sure that the kids would be interested in knowing more about it and about how one goes about writing a book.

During dinner the young people, aged 12 to 27, peppered me with questions. The older ones belong to FYI, a dedicated group of alumni who return to Mansonville from time to time to coach and mentor the younger kids in SADD. One girl at our table named Starr is currently working on her Phd in Chemistry, while the youngest, Kayla, is in Grade 7. Also at our table was Julia (a nurse), Tom (a budding artist), Jessie (whose leadership skills have yet to find a permanent home) and Simeon (who likes trucks and motorcycles). Like intrepid interviewers they wanted to know it all and I can't remember when I've had so much fun. Mind you, I'm pretty passionate about Weaverworld and its characters so it's not hard for me to talk about!

After dinner we (my husband Ted joined me for the evening) were treated to four amazingly clever and well-thought out presentations. The young people talked about the issues that concern them: drunk driving, drugs, unprotected sex, eating disorders, bullying, suicide and so on. They made us laugh and sometimes they moved us close to tears. When it was done we were treated to a video (with popcorn!) that showed photo clips of events and people involved with the SADD and FYI groups in Mansonville over the years. Many of the older ones have been involved with the group for over 20 years and keep coming back because they consider it their second family.

We want to thank Mable and all the wonderful kids who welcomed us so warmly and we hope to see them all again soon. These programs are always in need of financial support. For information please go to http://www.cabmn.org/about-cab.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Weaverworld deals with bullying

In "Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge" the main character Jack, who's 11 years old, starts out by envying a boy who is a bully. Even though he doubtless knows better, Jack is attracted to this boy because he comes from a wealthy family and seems 'untouchable'. But when Jack puts his faith in this relationship it instantly goes sour.

Even the parallel universe called Weaverworld is not immune. When Grimsnipe works his way through the barrier between the worlds, bullying starts showing up there too. Fortunately Jack has already begun to see bullying for what it is: an inhumane act where the weak (or should we say 'gentle'?) are preyed upon by the strong (or should we say 'lacking a conscience'?)

The video below is the trailer for a movie called "Bully" which in my opinion should be compulsory viewing for elementary school kids everywhere. This isn't just a kids' issue because unchecked, bullies may grow up to be even more dangerous...

BULLY (Official Trailer) Playing Everywhere

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Win-a-Book Contest for Kids - Deadline May 24

Want to win a signed copy of "Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge"? All you have to do is write a note on the Julia K. Rohan author page telling me why you want to read the book...in 25 words or less. I'm calling this a contest for kids since the book is primarily for kids in the 9 to 12 age group but if you're the parent of a kid, or the guardian, or the aunt or uncle, or even just a kid at heart...well, your entry will be considered too!

The deadline is May 24, 2012 and the winner will be announced on the 25th. The winner must be willing to send me a mailing address so I can get it to them by Canada Post...

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Official Launch and Signing date and time set

Here are the details for the official book launch and signing for "Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge":

Where: Brome Lake Books, 264 E. Knowlton Road, Knowlton
When: Saturday May 26, 2012
Time: 3 pm

Refreshments will be served.

To reserve your signed copy of the book, please contact the bookstore at 450-242-2242.

In my hands at last, and looking great!

I started "Grimsnipe's Revenge" nine years ago and now my dream has been realized. Funny thing is, it still seems like a dream!

Not only is the book a good read (I hope you'll agree), but it's a good-looking book too. Kudos to the folks at iUniverse.com for doing such a wonderful job during the production process. My contact in that department was very patient with me and responded quickly to all my demands regarding the cover art and fonts, and even the arrangement of the interior. I've seen bestsellers that didn't look this good!

Publication information for ordering from your bookstore


Please support your local bookseller! Order your copy of Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge in-store by supplying the following publication information:

Publisher: iUniverse Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive,
Bloomington, IN 47403

ISBN: 978-1-4697-0032-8 (softcover)   ISBN 978-1-4697-0031-1 (hardcover)
Publication date: April 2012

Price: Softcover $21.95, Hardcover $31.95 (prices in U.S.)

Friday, April 20, 2012

Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge - Prologue

Interview on CIDI Radio airs May 4

My first radio interview for "Weaverworld" will be aired Friday May 4/12 at 5 pm on CIDI Radio 99.1 FM in Knowlton. The multi-talented Kate Wisdom will pose the questions, but if there's anything you'd like to ask about the book let me know by commenting on this blog.

Incidentally, Kate has asked me to bring my guitar along and sing a tune from my latest (as yet unreleased) CD...

Monday, April 16, 2012

My approval copies are on their way!

I just found out my publisher has mailed my approval copies, so they're likely to show up at my door at any moment. Am I excited? You bet.

Before I fix a date for the official launch of Weaverworld, iUniverse is sending me a sample copy of each version (the hardcover and the softcover) for my approval. Even though I went over every word of the text with a fine-toothed comb, there's always a chance errors were made during the printing process. For example, there is a map at the beginning of the book (by yours truly) and it's designed to span two pages. If it's not in the right place it could be very disorientating!

As soon as I have the books in hand and am able to give them my blessing, I'll make sure Brome Lake Books in Knowlton gets some in stock as soon as possible. Remember, you can pre-order your signed copy by contacting the store and asking them to set aside a copy for you when they come in. For those of you who don't live near Knowlton (Quebec) go to your local bookstore and ask them to order you a copy. I'll put the publication data in a separate post so you can easily locate it and pass it on to them...

Friday, April 13, 2012

Read this Kirkus Review of Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge!

The people at Kirkus Reviews in New York call themselves "The World's Toughest Book Critics". That's why I wanted them to read and review my book. As an independent author I was willing to pay for this service, because I knew how important a good review could be. But don't think I bought a good review! Sending my book to them was like spinning the roulette wheel because they warn authors that they may want to bury their manuscripts after they get their reviews. That's why I was so thrilled when they sent me this...

“Rohan combines all the elements of basic fantasy―a young hero, mentors, villains, something to be saved, special powers and, of course, magical creatures―with great storytelling that appeals to a wide audience. The book’s combination of action, political intrigue with corruption, a love story (or stories), a bit of nostalgia and an endearing dog will certainly appeal to both boys and girls. The alternate world mingles quasi-historical fiction with fantasy and cleverly parallels our contemporary world in notions such as terror and readily presenting one’s identification―a trend indeed of both reality and the genre. The number of characters and their qualities is significant but never the overwhelming amount characteristic of some stories in the genre, and humour is also judicious and subtle. Rohan weaves an engaging, imaginative tapestry.”

To learn more about Kirkus Reviews, go to www.kirkusreviews.com

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Order your copy of Weaverworld here...

Click on the link below and you'll be transferred to the website for iUniverse. Here you'll be able to purchase the book in hardcover, paperback or in e-book form for your Kindle or other reader.

Weaverworld - Julia K. Rohan : IUniverse

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Welcome to the Weaverworld blog. This is my first official posting and I'm looking forward to keeping in touch with readers who may be interested in knowing more about the author of Grimsnipe's Revenge.

The book is a fantasy-mystery novel featuring an 11-year old boy named Jack Fisher. As the story begins, Jack is going through a particularly rebellious stage in his life and this rebellion leads him into a perilous adventure no-one could have forseen. Suddenly catapulted into a parallel universe called Weaverworld, Jack must face difficult challenges while adjusting to life outside the 'Realworld'. Eventually he is forced to accept that an evil force named Grimsnipe is targeting him, bent on revenge for events hidden deep in the the Fisher family's past.

Weaverworld: Grimsnipe's Revenge, published by iUniverse, is due out within the next six weeks. It will be available in hardcover, paperback and e-book form on iUniverse, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Indigo Canada, among others. When the books are available there will be a launch and signing session at Brome Lake Books in Knowlton, Quebec and at other venues by request.

Julia K. Rohan
April 10, 2012