book reviews |
book reviews |
(Wayfinder Girls Novel Book 1)Debut author, Mark Snoad introduces us to the first book in the Wayfinder Girls series, “Maggie and the Mountain of Light”: A respected organization, a hidden purpose, a world-ending threat. 12-year-old Maggie Thatcher longs to be a courageous Wayfinder Girl. But that's not very likely; she is barely coping with life as it is, relying on her asthma inhaler, epi-pen, and the support of her best friend, Anahira Waititi. Maggie and Anahira attend a Wayfinder 'apocalypse training' camp in London. Despite it being just for fun, the sight of a green-skinned person with other-worldly eyes sends Maggie into a panic, especially as it's a person that only Maggie can see. And then Maggie learns of a dangerous secret that the Wayfinder Girls have kept hidden from the world. Anahira wants in on the secret. Maggie must decide whether to join her friend, even if she has no idea what that decision will ultimately cost. Will Maggie face her fears and journey into the unknown? A Wayfinder Girls adventure filled with mystery, magic, and mayhem. I enjoyed this story quite a bit. I was so intrigued by Wayfinder Girls I thought it might be a real organization. Maggie is a girl full of fears and always on the edge of survival. I would be too if many foods were trying to kill me. She doesn't realize how brave and resourceful she is. I loved the multi-layered plot and how real many of the characters became. Five stars from me! You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Mountain-Light-Wayfinder-Girls https://www.goodreads.com/-maggie-and-the-mountain-of-light https://www.barnesandnoble.com/maggie-and-the-mountain-of-light You can connect with the author: https://twitter.com/SnoadMark https://wayfindergirls.org https://www.facebook.com/mark.snoad1 https://www.instagram.com/mark.snoad.writer https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-snoad-writer Copyright © 2024 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction
64 Comments
4/28/2024 07:28:30 pm
Kia ora Mark and thank you for your review. I'm thrilled that you liked my debut novel and pleased that the Wayfinder Girls felt like a real organization - that was my intention, and I'm pleased that it worked. I loved writing in that space between the real and the fantastical, especially with the jewel known as the Mountain of Light, which has a very rich and scary history.
Reply
Mark Schultz
4/28/2024 07:53:13 pm
Thank you for the Maori greeting. Thanks also for reminding me the Maori are the indigenous population of New Zealand, where you live. New Zealand is 16 hours ahead of Florida. While it's Sunday evening for me, it's nearly noon on Monday for you. We will proceed ahead.
Reply
4/28/2024 08:27:31 pm
Yes, I'm speaking with you from the future! So pleased to hear you were a boy scout, I was one too. And my daughter, Mikayla, who was a big part of my inspiration for my novel, received the Queen's Guide award a few years. I am very grateful for the opportunities and experiences that Girl Guiding (Girl Scouts) gave to my food-allergic and anxious daughter.
Reply
Rocco Spanò
4/29/2024 05:25:17 am
Would you like to read my book?
Mark Schultz
4/28/2024 08:23:27 pm
Scout brothers, very nice.
Reply
4/28/2024 08:40:38 pm
Scout brothers, I like that! And yes, my daughter's experiences were crucial in getting the story right. I needed to accurately capture the thoughts and feelings of a food-allergic and anxious 12-year-old girl. I think I managed to do so successfully. When writing the novel, I used to read a chapter at a time to my family at dinner time. On at least three occasions, after reading an action sequence, Mikayla commented on the action. I'd then read the next sentence, which was Maggie's internal thinking, and each time it was word-for-word what Mikayla had just said. She couldn't believe I knew what was going on inside her head. They were some proud Dad moments!
Reply
Mark Schultz
4/28/2024 08:53:50 pm
You know your daughter well! I love that. You are close to her. We have three adult children and five grandchildren. We are closest to our youngest daughter and her three girls. It helps a lot that they live only a dozen miles from us.
Reply
4/29/2024 05:41:25 am
Nice to hear about your family, there is such a special bond between grandparents and grandchildren. I wonder if one or more of your granddaughters would like reading Maggie and the Mountain of Light.
Reply
Mark
4/29/2024 09:19:12 am
We love our kids but if we had known how much grandkids were we might have had them first. ;-)
Reply
4/29/2024 03:15:16 pm
Having grandchildren first, now there's a idea!
Reply
Mark Schultz
4/29/2024 04:46:17 pm
I would have loved to be a fly on the wall when the Inklings met. Amazing writing that has endured for generations now.
Reply
4/29/2024 05:22:28 pm
It would have been amazing to have observed an Inklings meeting. The interactions between J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis would have been remarkable, such powerful and enduring writing. So good!
Reply
Mark Schultz
4/29/2024 06:01:41 pm
It is hard to find a good publisher at any level. There are so many scammers out there, it takes a lot of work to confirm you are talking to the real deal.
Reply
4/29/2024 06:39:58 pm
It's extra tough for writers. They write what's on their heart. Take a risk and send their work out to agents. Maybe they pay for critiques. Edit and re-edit. Get rejected. Get rejected some more. And then they get an offer from someone not in the mainstream publishing world. It might be the only offer they ever get. So you can see how writers end up getting caught out by scammers.
Reply
Mark
4/29/2024 07:23:05 pm
Your scenario, not very fictional, makes perfect sense to me. It also makes sense to the predatory agents and publishers. The not-so-evil ones are content to empty an author's wallet or purse. Those that are truly evil also steal the intellectual property rights of an author.
Reply
4/29/2024 08:06:07 pm
Thanks, Mark! I agree with you about Sam, and Sean Austin's performance. Love the line "There's good in this world worth fighting for" and the line "I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you." Beautiful. Such a strong sense of loyalty, courage, dedication, and selfless bravery. So good!!
Reply
Mark Schultz
4/30/2024 08:49:46 am
My sisters have told me we saw a UFO when we were children. But I have no memory of that experience. Maybe I was abducted. ;-) As a young adult, I was very interested in UFOs and recall that there was supposed to be a UFO hotspot in New Zealand. There was also speculation that UFOs came from a hollow part of the earth.
Reply
4/30/2024 03:43:28 pm
Wow, that would have been some experience. It was fascinating when the US airforce released footage of the UAPs they had encountered. Mysterious indeed!
Reply
Mark Schultz
4/30/2024 04:24:47 pm
Good editing! I would never have known about the interest in shoes.
Reply
4/30/2024 05:24:09 pm
Yes, shoes, who knew? Well, Dr. Jen Lowry at Monarch knew :)
Reply
Mark Schultz
4/30/2024 05:54:41 pm
I wondered if you were going to name the scurvy pair in the background. Haha.
Reply
4/30/2024 06:43:34 pm
I thought I'd leave the names of that scurvy pair in the background for readers to discover. I can say that quite a few readers have found the pair to be their favourite characters :)
Reply
Mark
4/30/2024 09:21:50 pm
I love the story behind the names! Iron Lady sure fit because Maggie always found a way to get past her fears when it mattered. She kept moving forward.
Reply
5/1/2024 05:04:07 am
Thanks! It can be fun creating names, and sometimes the names just seem to fit perfectly.
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/1/2024 01:02:43 pm
Baby shoes for sale, never used. Another story with a lot of punch in only six words. That is not original with me, BTW.
Reply
5/1/2024 03:43:32 pm
It is amazing what powerful emotions can be elicited from only a few words, and it is an excellent writing exercise to write short stories. It can only help strengthen writing craft. I'll have to write some more and submit them to contests. Thanks for your info and link about Beware Bogus Writing Contests, I'll check it out.
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/1/2024 04:34:22 pm
Anne Allen is one of my favorite bloggers, I have links to quite a few of her blogs in the last few years.
Reply
5/1/2024 05:17:42 pm
Thanks! I think 'fun' is the right word to use to describe the intention for my writing. And that's why readers are often surprised by the real-world issues and real-world history they discover in my fantastical book.
Reply
Mark
5/1/2024 07:38:37 pm
AI isn't going away anytime soon, not if our secret robot overlords have anything to do with it. ;-)
Reply
5/1/2024 08:05:43 pm
All good points raised about AI, especially regarding human creativity and humor. There is something distinctly human about telling a joke and making people laugh. It's all about the human experience, which AI can't understand. Although I do get your point about our secret robot overlords, many sci-fi writers over the years have tried to warn us, but will we listen ;) I can't help but reference Skynet or the Matrix when I read some news stories. Or the warnings from Battlestar Galatica about having everything interconnected!
Reply
Mark
5/1/2024 08:32:32 pm
No question, reviews are an important currency for authors. Many have been afflicted by the dreaded trolls. Aside from that, many authors have only a handful of reviews and they do perseverate on the bad ones. To those legions of authors, I say be glad you got a poor review because it proves that the good reviews are not a product of your mother's bridge club or yoga class. People are smart enough to realize that trolls are just that and nothing they say needs to be taken seriously.
Reply
5/2/2024 05:45:04 am
So true. Fair, balanced, and honest reviews are so valuable, even if we, as writers, might prefer 5-star reviews. I'm certainly trying to show my gratefulness for all reviews.
Reply
Mark
5/2/2024 01:04:10 pm
Advertising circulars door to door. I have done something like that, delivering Yellow Pages phone books. Those were big, I could only carry a dozen or so at a time to apartment buildings.
Reply
5/2/2024 03:45:35 pm
Scout brothers, delivery boys, and both had parents divorce when we were young - we do have a lot in common! It's so good to hear how you have overcome your stammering and fears, well done, it's not easy. The YFC National Director (of that community youth organisation I worked for) also had severe stammer when he was young. He was a compelling and inspirational speaker who encouraged thousands of young people.
Reply
Mark
5/2/2024 04:33:59 pm
Writer uncles! Fabulous. Did Peter travel with a guy named Gus?
Reply
5/2/2024 05:18:51 pm
Yes, having writer uncles is cool. I'm not sure about Gus, but there can't be that many people who have travelled from England to New Zealand mostly by Land Rover :)
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/2/2024 05:34:43 pm
I worked for 20 years in construction as a sheet metal worker and had an apprentice much of the time. I enjoyed sharing my knowledge with others. I suspect you will have more opportunities to do the same.
Reply
5/2/2024 05:48:08 pm
It's a special thing, sharing knowledge and supporting another person. I'm pleased that you had that opportunity in your career. And here you are now, supporting, equipping and encouraging writers. Thank you!!
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/2/2024 07:05:02 pm
Very good. I am glad to hear that query tracker worked for you. I have not used it.
Reply
5/2/2024 07:21:07 pm
It did :)
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/2/2024 08:01:44 pm
It's nice to hear they are doing more than a listing on their website.
Reply
5/3/2024 06:08:55 am
It's a privilege to be part of the Monarch family if writers!
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/3/2024 09:56:50 am
Most indie books compare pretty well with books published by major publishers. One exception is when an author makes their own cover or hires someone who is really cheap for the cover. Sometimes the quality is glaring and obvious. The cover is not the place to skimp.
Reply
5/3/2024 04:07:53 pm
I agree. The cover is the window into the book. Not the place to skimp.
Reply
Mark
5/3/2024 05:10:38 pm
I have two sisters, one recently passed last fall. I was the first born. There is also a half-brother sired by our stepdad, a wonderful man.
Reply
5/3/2024 06:15:54 pm
First born son and eldest brother, those are some pretty tough roles to fill, especially when you were so young when your parents divorced. I was the second born, the middle child of three, but the only boy. So we both had two sisters, and then a half-sibling. Another connection :)
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/3/2024 06:41:03 pm
LOTR is an amazing story on multiple levels. I love it and read it three times before graduating from high school. I haven't read it since and would like to.
Reply
5/4/2024 06:11:09 am
I'll always be a fan of LOTR. The original. And the best. And yes, I really recommend both Robert Jordan and Terry Pratchett. Fantastic writers.
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/4/2024 08:32:21 am
I purposely didn't specify non-fiction over fiction. I allow you to choose. Perhaps I should specify non-fiction. What do you think?
Reply
5/4/2024 02:55:10 pm
I think it is fine not to specify fiction or non-fiction, letting the interviewee choose. it was an interesting question.
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/4/2024 03:53:23 pm
Thank you. Sometimes I wonder.
Reply
5/4/2024 04:33:03 pm
Having a food-allergic kid is scary, and not just for the kid! We had a saying when Mikayla was young - be careful, not fearful. But it was the extended family and wider friend group we had to be most careful of, many of whom thought it wasn't a big deal. It also meant that Mikayla was not invited to many birthday parties - too much hassle for the family hosting the party. So we made sure the birthday parties we hosted were as amazing as they could be. There are photos and inspirational ideas for parties on my website for those interested.
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/4/2024 05:00:51 pm
We have many things in common, it seems. My son doesn't eat eggs either.
Reply
5/4/2024 05:27:06 pm
Thanks! Some fantastic information there. And yes, I'm aware of the Kon-Tiki expedition. I think, in the past, there was some doubt expressed about the possibility of people navigating the pacific that many years ago. I'm so pleased that the navigational skills, innovation, and seafaring skills of these early pacific explorers have been accepted and celebrated. Incredible achievement.
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/4/2024 06:59:12 pm
I read The Kon-Tiki Expedition in a Readers Digest condensed books collection. My mother had a subscription and I read a few of the condensed stories. It was quite an exciting read even condensed.
Reply
5/5/2024 06:25:34 am
Yes, keep writing, that's the goal, challenge, and joy all wrapped up in one.
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/5/2024 08:47:45 am
Some authors write the story to see how it turns out. Others make an outline and plan the story at some level. The former are known as pantsers, because they are writing by the seat of their pants. The others are known as plotters, because they are plotting the different events and scenes in their story in advance.
Reply
5/5/2024 03:37:34 pm
I'm a bit of both to be honest. I have an outline of the story, but how I get from beginning to end is sometimes a mystery. I'll probably develop a more robust system as I continue writing. I guess you do whatever works best for you :)
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/5/2024 03:56:06 pm
I think most writers are the same, at least many of them confess to being willing to follow the muse if it leaves their plan. Most have said they are happy with the results doing that.
Reply
5/5/2024 04:46:06 pm
Hmm, interesting. I'm a fan of Bear Grylls and his wilderness survival reality shows. If I had to choose, then I'd like to be on one of his shows. Probably not one of his more extreme survival shows, but one of the more, ahem, survivable ones :)
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/5/2024 05:44:05 pm
That is a fabulous choice. I enjoyed his shows also. His show would be my second pick, Forged In Fire would be my first pick. As a sheet metal apprentice, I built a portable, propane-fired forge as an annual project. It was fun to build, though I never used it to make a knife or armor.
Reply
5/5/2024 05:58:36 pm
Forged in Fire is a very cool show (or should I say hot show), but one I think would be way beyond my skills (or lack thereof). Much respect to you for building a portable, propane-fired forge - that is impressive!!
Reply
Mark Schultz
5/5/2024 06:31:19 pm
Well said. Many writers are on the other side of the fence. Some are enamored with their words on the page and they struggle with paring descriptions.
Reply
5/5/2024 06:40:29 pm
Thanks! I appreciate your feedback and encouragement.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Who am I?An avid reader, typobuster, and the Hyper-Speller. I am a husband, father, and grandfather. Archives
May 2024
Categories |
|
"I'm very pleased with all your efforts. Twitter promotion and proofreading were beyond what I expected with a book review. Your suggestions throughout the process of refining both books helped me immensely. I look forward to working with you again." A.E.H Veenman “Dial QR for Murder” and “Prepped for the Kill”
|