STEAM Ahead! DIY For Kids by Sumita Mukherjee is ON SALE for only $1.99 during December. It makes the perfect gift for the budding scientist in your life. This book is currently on tour with Reading Addiction Virtual Book Tours. The tour stops here today for my review, an excerpt, and a giveaway. Please be sure to visit the other tour stops as well.
Description
STEAM Ahead! DIY For Kids is an easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction book for parents and children. It introduces kids between the ages of four and ten to the magic of electronics, game and toy designing, printing, understanding basic scientific principles and most importantly, they’ll have a blast making them. Inside this book you will find projects on LED cards, dance pads, handmade soaps, bubble blowers, Play-Doh circuits, cloud lanterns, scribbling bots and more!
Created by NASA STEM certified leader, Sumita Mukherjee, this book is jam packed with projects that will engage any bored child. The hands-on projects are broken into areas of practical implementation: Party, Build, Toys and Art. They have also been sorted according to levels of difficultly and STEAM relevance. Adding one or two experiments per week can get your child excited about science, inventions, science fair projects and overall classroom performance.
There is also a BONUS material list for STEAM Ahead! DIY For Kids, to make it easier for parents to plan and prepare in advance.
Book Video
Check out this video of the Shoebox Projector activity from the book.
Excerpt
[Want more? Click below to see a longer excerpt.]
Praise for the Book
"This is a fantastic book not just for kids but adults too who will read it with kids. Really stimulates creativity and inquisitiveness." ~ Buyer 52001
"Sumita Mukherjee, author of the book Steam Ahead, offers a great book for creative children interested in working on projects that are not only interesting but also practical. Student projects have run the gamut from hypothesis testing to expanding imagination and creativity today. Sumita provides a step-by-step guide in her book. The material list will save parents a great deal of time accumulating the necessary material for each experiment. This is a must-have book for children that need to create an award winning project for school or any competition. I strongly recommend this book." ~ Docprov
"Wonderful book with fun and science activities. STEAM AHEAD is easy to understand and has got lot of interesting activities for the kids to explore and innovate more ideas. My 7 year old daughter would love to experiment these projects and she wanted to start with cloud lanterns. This book makes it interesting for both the kids and also the adults assisting them. The experiments in the book has got illustrations which is very useful for the kids to understand and follow each and every step. It is a great buy!" ~ Pen Name
"This book is great for when you want to take the kids away from the t.v. and do something both fun and educational with them. My nieces and nephews are going to love this book." ~ Ellie Bou
"This book introduces simple science experiments to kids. I love the fact that the book is gender neutral. My 5 year old girl would love to try the LED necklace, while my 7 year old son would be thrilled with the lego/reindeer experiment. All the experiments in the book are broken down into simple easy to follow steps with illustrations. Most of the items listed in the experiments are inexpensive items which can easily be found at the dollar store. STEAM AHEAD is a great book." ~ Fariha
STEAM Ahead! is a collection of 20 projects based on the STEAM principles of science, technology, engineering, art, and math. The activities are aimed at children ages 4 to 10 and are rated in difficulty from 1 to 5. The book is divided into four sections: Party, Build, Toys, and Art, and includes a full Material List at the end of the book.
This is a handy resource for parents, teachers, and group leaders. With projects ranging from jewelry to robots, there is something sure to please every child. I'm a Girl Guide Leader and will share these activities with my Unit. My favorite activity from each section: Pop-Up Card, Shoebox Projector, Bubble Blower, and Handmade Soap. Suggestions for the author: label the images with the step numbers; provide hyperlinks to YouTube videos of the projects; for the Material List, group materials according to project or list in alphabetical order.
About the Author
Sumita Mukherjee is a NASA STEM certified leader and children’s book author. She has been fortunate enough to travel around the globe, explore many countries and meet different people. Mysteries and adventures have been captured from there in the form of Keiko and Kenzo’s travel adventure series. These books are to inspire young readers to know and appreciate various countries, develop a love for discovery and learn about the world around them. Her series of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) books encourages kids to invent and explore, to empower themselves and see themselves as world leaders and problem solvers. Her books celebrate diversity, spark curiosity and capture children's imaginations! Sumita currently lives in Toronto with her family.
Her website WizKids.Club was created with a vision to raise the next generation of creative leaders. WizKids.Club offers highly engaging kids activities, educational books, experiments, hands-on projects, DIYs, travel stories and engineering books perfect for children 4-12 years to spark creativity and scientific learning.
Giveaway
Enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card or a paperback copy of Sunken Treasure Hunt Singapore by Sumita Mukherjee (US/Canada only).
A man, his mother, his sister, his granny, his niece, and his nephew make a trip to Memphis Tennessee for a family reunion. During the course of the trip, the family encounter a series of circumstances that mold the trip into an unforgettable experience. Through the arguing and internal bickering within the group, they come together and strengthen the blood bond they share with each other. Reflecting on each and every situation encountered, the man realizes the trip is an overall social, emotional, and educational journey.
Book Video
Excerpt
Chapter 1
The idea of a family trip started, when my mom devised a plan to take my granny on a weekend trip. This was difficult because my granny was on a weekly dialysis schedule, so my mom had to come up with a way to keep her schedule and transport her from one city to the next without any problems. My grandma had been on dialysis for the past 2 ½ years, and with her increasing age and decreasing health she needed more attention from care givers and family members.
The living arrangement in my mom’s house was setup like this. My mom, my sister Brandi, and my granny all lived there constantly. My other sister Crissy and her children did not live there, but they would visit often. I myself would visit quite often also. My job was 2 miles from my mom’s house so it was nothing for me to visit on my lunch break or when I got off work. My granny anticipated me coming over many times, so she would cook a meal for me, and place my name on the plate. It was not the perfect living arrangement, but it definitely had a strong family feel tied into it.
My granny kept close tabs on what my mom and sister was always doing, because that is just who she was. She still liked to get out the house ever once in a while. Her favorite pastime was people watching. If there was one thing that she enjoyed, it was talking about other people. This is a trait that has been handed down from generation to generation, and I myself am guilty of doing it also. Discussing people in a humorous light that downgrades their physical appearance or personality is second nature to me now. I can easily do it without any effort or stress. The thoughts just come to my head, and I let the mild form of slander flow. I have never been embarrassed of this, and like me, my granny was neither.
Seeing that my granny did not like to be left out on a traveling experience, my mom knew that if she was to try to go anywhere out of town, she had to bring her. If my mom left without my granny, then my grandma would shun her for not including her on the trip. One time my mom did sneak out of town. She left with her best friend to plan the funeral of her friend’s brother. My mom knew it was going to be a problem with my granny, so she did not tell her until she was already on the road. When my granny found out my mom left her, she threw a fit and started crying. My sister Brandi tried to explain to her that the trip was for business and not pleasure, but my granny did not care. She just knew that my mom was out on an adventure without her.
Knowing all of this information, my mom knew the next time she left town that my granny was coming no matter what. She called the dialysis center and my grandma was scheduled for dialysis the day before they left for the trip, and the day after they returned home from the trip. My mom was not sure how everything was going to work out, but solidifying my granny’s dialysis schedule was the most important thing. Once that was done, then the trip as a whole was a green light.
One day while I was stopping by my mom’s house after I got off work, my mom asked me if I wanted to go with her to a family reunion in Memphis Tennessee. I had never been to Memphis, so I agreed to it just for a new experience. My mom told me that it would be $25 to attend the reunion and that my transportation and housing would be taken care of. In my mind, I saw it as me having a free trip. I had absolutely no worries.
My mother and I had the conversation about the family reunion in late May. I asked my mom what weekend I needed to take off of my job. She told me the weekend after the 4th of July, so I requested the days off and had it set in my mind that I would be visiting Memphis at some point in time in July. When the month of July was very close I decided to look at my job schedule to see if I had the right days off.
Somehow I managed to take off the wrong weekend. I noticed this mistake exactly 2 weeks before the departure date. I immediately told my boss about my mistake and she and I scrambled to get my shifts covered for the correct dates. Between the both of us we were able to get the right shifts covered, and I did not have to lose the shift I had originally taken off a month previously. I only had to take off one shift to make the trip, but that one shift was enough to throw me for a spin.
After fixing my requested time off I decided to take the trip more seriously. I asked my mom how we were going to get to Memphis and who all was going. She told me we would be driving in her Nissan Murano that was a 5 passenger SUV. She then told me the passengers of the vehicle would include her, my granny, my sister Crissy, and her 2 children. One of Crissy’s children was 8 years old and the other was 6 years old. I immediately counted the number of people attending the trip on my fingers. After I was done counting I noticed 6 people including myself would be riding in my mom’s SUV. I was confused seeing that her SUV comfortably holds 5 people, and we were fitting 6 people into it. I asked my mom about the travel arrangements, and she got a whole attitude with me. She asked me if I wanted to drive my car, and that I was welcome to spend my money on gas if I wanted to. This made me mad, because I did not sign up for this. We lived in North County in St. Louis Missouri. The trip to Memphis was going to take us 4 ½ to 5 hours to reach our destination. I asked my mom how she thought that piling 6 people into her SUV was a good idea. My mom told me that she had fit 6 people into her SUV before, and that my nephew Chaz does not take up that much space. I asked her where she went with the 6 people in her car. She told me that she went to Outback Steakhouse. The Outback Steakhouse was at most 15 minutes from her house. She looked at me in my face and compared a 15 minute car ride to a 5 hour road trip. Now at this point I was no longer mad I was angry. I could not see how this comparison was valid, but somehow it made perfect sense to her. I told my mom I would look into getting a Mega Bus ticket, and I would get back with her on if I would be riding with them to Memphis. After that statement I decided to leave it alone, because no matter how much I argued with my mom there was no way of showing her the error of her logic.
I just bided my time until it was the day of the actual trip. I did not successfully find a Mega Bus ticket because I did not look. I had all intensions of looking for a Mega Bus ticket, it just did not happen. Now I was stuck in the crowded car full of people. I could not complain because it was my fault. I still gave my mom a hard time about the full car of people all the way up until the trip. Every time she heard me complain she would rebuttal by saying that I could drive if I wanted the leg room that the driver seat had. She knew I would decline, but I would entertain her request every once in a while. I knew there was no escaping the long and gruesome tip to Memphis that I was about to take.
On the actual day of departure my mom told me to meet at her house at 12:00 noon. I was told Crissy had to work that day, and we were going to pick her up from her job downtown. After we got her, we would leave immediately from her job and head towards Memphis. This sounded perfect to me. I got a good night sleep, and packed my bag that morning. I was accustomed to packing, so the process of double checking my bag was effortless. The most important thing about packing is making sure you have a complete toiletry kit and one more pair of underwear and socks than you actually need for the trip. I always carry at least one pair of long pants and one pair of shorts. I then make sure I have a jacket or a hooded sweatshirt. You can look at the weather forecast all you want, but there is no guarantee the weather will be like the forecast predicted upon arrival.
I dressed in some basketball shorts and a t-shirt. I also put on one of my most comfortable pair of shoes. I dressed like this because I am a firm believer that while traveling you should travel as comfortable as possible. I made sure my phone was fully charged, and that I had a pair of good headphones with me. There was no way I was going to be caught in an overcrowded vehicle without my headphones. That was not an option for me. I grabbed my bag and shoe box, then left my apartment and headed over to my mom’s house.
I had not gone on a family trip in years. It was mostly because I had gotten older and grown into adulthood. I just wanted to travel with my friends more than with my family. Another reason was because my dad died of colon cancer 7 years previously, so the trips I use to enjoy as a child could not be relived without him being there physically. My mom, dad, Brandi, myself and whoever else wanted to tag along would go on a family trip once a year. We went to all types of places even Canada. Once I became a teenager I started going on 2 week long hiking trips with my dad through the Boy Scouts of America. This took the place of the traditional family trips, but I was still with my dad. When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, all the focus went to him beating the disease. Once he died, we mourned as a family and found a way to piece our lives back together. One of the ways of doing this was learning to enjoy ourselves without him being around.
My mom, Brandi, and I lived in the house for a year adjusting to our new life then I left for college. While I was at college my mom told me she was getting rid of my room and my grandma was moving in. My granny was a widow also, so the loneliness both of them had could be subsided by each other and the company of their children. For my granny it was my mom, and for my mom it was Brandi. Before my granny had kidney failure and had to go on dialysis, my mom, Brandi, and granny went on a trip to the Bahamas without me. They did not tell me until 2 days before they left. My mom wanted to make sure the dogs were fed, and that I let them out to use the bathroom when they needed to go. This sucked because I wanted to go, but I was more concerned about making money at my job then spending time with my family in the islands. It was a decision I made, but I got over it. I assumed there would be more trips, but my granny got sick and the whole idea of going on another family trip just vanished.
Now that my mom found a way to work around my granny’s sickness, I was headed to my mom’s house trying to embark on a trip to Memphis. When I turned down my mom’s street I noticed something that would set the tone for the entire trip. My mom lives at the bottom of a long street that ends in a cul-de- sac. Her house and about 5 other homes form the cul-de-sac. As I drove down the street, I see my granny joy riding on her scooter around the cul-de-sac. I had to dodge her on the scooter in order to pull into the driveway. The garage door was already up, so I hoped out of my car and put my luggage in the back of my mom’s SUV. I then walked in the house to see what was going on.
I was confused. My grandma was in the cul-de-sac riding her motorized scooter for fun, and my mom was trying to make sure everyone’s luggage was properly packed into the back of her SUV. My mom started sewing a couple of months prior as a hobby. She was really not all that good at being a seamstress, but she was rapidly improving at her craft. She made an outfit for my 8 year old niece Bria to wear, but it did not fit her right. Bria was modeling the outfit for my mom and Brandi when I walked in the house. They were trying to figure out how they could fix the outfit, so she could wear it on the trip. After deliberation between the both of them, they decided to go to K-Mart and buy Bria an outfit to replace the outfit my mom had sewn together.
Once this decision was made my mom looked at me and said, “You and I are going to go to the store!” She said we are going to get what we need, then come back home immediately. I agreed because I did not have a choice. My mom and I then walked to my car in the driveway. When we got to my car my granny pulled up on her scooter. The garage door was still up, and my granny told my mom that she wanted to take the scooter with her on the trip. My mom said, “Huh?” My granny repeated that she wanted to take the scooter with her on the trip. My mom then looked at me, so I took that as a clue to unpack the SUV and repack it with the scooter in the back of it. I broke down my granny’s scooter and took everything out the back of the SUV. Good thing Crissy had already dropped her and the kid’s luggage off at my mom’s house the night before, so I knew how much stuff actually had to go in the back of the vehicle. I packed everything back into the SUV with the scooter at the bottom, and it surprisingly fit.
When I was done my mom told me lets go before we run out of time. We still had to pick up Crissy from work, and my mom did not want to be late. When my Granny heard my mom say let’s go, she asked where we going. My mom said to the store. Then my granny asked if she could come. I immediately said no. Every time my granny goes somewhere with us it makes a 20 minute trip into an hour long trip. I knew this was going to happen, so I tried to avoid it. My mom told me that I could not tell my grandma no. She then told my granny to come on, and we all loaded into my car. I shook my head because I knew what was about to happen.
During the drive to K-Mart we passed the liquor store. My granny pointed to it and said, “Stop! I got to get me some tickets.” My granny was addicted to scratch off tickets. She would win sometimes, but she mainly did it for recreation. She claimed every 2 months that she was going quit, but then she would get the itch and had to play her scratch off tickets. My mom told her no and that we would drop her off at the grocery store to get her some tickets. Her plan was for us to drop her off at the Shop N Save, and we would get what we needed from K-Mart. Then we would pick my granny up from Shop N Save. This plan made sense because the Shop N Save was in the same plaza as the K-Mart. This enabled us to kill two birds with one stone. I told my mom it was a scratch off machine in K-Mart, but she insisted it was not. I did not argue with her because I was not 100 percent sure myself. I dropped my Granny off at the Shop N Save then my mom and I went to the K-Mart.
When we entered the K-Mart my mom went to the clothing department to find some clothes for Bria. I went to the outdoor section to find some bug spray. Apparently when my mom went to Memphis 10 years ago, the place where we were having the barbecue had a really bad tick problem. Brandi told me I needed to find a bug spray with a higher than regular percentage of deet in it. I searched the outdoor section of K- Mart for about 10 minutes before I found the bug spray. I called Brandi to confirm I was getting the correct bug spray then I set out to find my mom in the clothing department. When I found my mom she was already in the checkout line. She did not text or call to me to tell me she was done. She just hopped in line and waited on me to find her.
I joined my mom in line, and put the bug spray with the items she was purchasing. When we made it to the cashier, the cashier informed my mom that she had $50 in reward points. My mom started talking with me how Crissy could use the money on school supplies for my niece and nephew. I listened to her to be courteous, but I did not really care. I was ready to pick my granny up and get the road trip started. My mom made her purchases then we started to leave the store. While we were nearing the door I saw a scratch off machine for the Missouri lottery. I told my mom I knew K-Mart had a scratch off machine, and my mom looked at the machine and laughed. She then stated my Granny would not have liked the tickets in it anyway. I looked at the tickets inside the machine and I reluctantly agreed with her.
My mom and I got back to my car and drove up to the Shop N Save. My granny was sitting on the bench outside the store waiting on us to pick her up. She had already scratched off all the tickets she purchased. She threw away the losers and put the winners in her handbag. After I helped my grandma get into the SUV we went back to the house. We were gone for about 50 minutes. It was not quite an hour, but it was pretty close. I did not complain. I just rolled with the blows and kept on moving.
Upon arriving at the house we double checked we had everything we needed for the trip. After everything was checked my mom told everyone to get in the SUV. Chaz was eating some ice cream out of a cup when my mom said this. Because he was eating some ice cream, Bria wanted to eat some ice cream. Chaz was nearly done eating so Brandi told Bria no. She told her she had to leave with us, and there was no time for her to eat any ice cream. My mom did not allow Bria or Chaz to eat in her SUV, so if Bria did not already have the ice cream then she was not going to get it. This conversation between Brandi and Bria happened in the garage next to my mom’s SUV. Shortly after Brandi told Bria no, my granny walked out the house with a plate of ice cream eating it. My mom and Brandi looked at her with the same look. It was the look that she knew better than to be eating ice cream in the SUV also. My mom saw my granny then said, “Dang! We got to wait for her to finish her ice cream.” She told Bria she could go get some ice cream, and we waited for everyone to finish their helpings. When everyone finished their ice cream we set out on the road to pick up Crissy from work.
Brandi decided not to go with us on the trip. She told me she was going to have the house to herself, and have plenty of alone time. Brandi was happy she did not have to watch Chaz, Bria, or my granny. I asked her before we left if she could wash my car. She actually agreed without any extra incentive, and I thanked her in advance. I personally hate when people make plans for me on my off days, so I know Brandi being my sister is the same way. Brandi did not work or go to school. She was strictly a caregiver for my grandmother. Crissy would use Brandi to babysit and help with Chaz and Bria when it was convenient for both of them. Between all this babysitting and being a caregiver, this trip provided a nice vacation from responsibilities for her. All Brandi had to worry about was having the house clean when my mom returned home, and now making sure my car was washed.
Praise for the Book
"Great read! Laugh out loud funny. I could not put the book down once I started reading it!" ~ Adam
"This book was absolutely hilarious!!!!! I laughed through the whole book!" ~ Brandbrand
About the Author
Phillip Cornell is a college graduate. He gained his degree in Biological Sciences, and currently works at a local pharmacy. He is the only son of Harron and Connie Cornell, and the youngest of three children. In 2006 his father passed away due to colon cancer, and his mom became an inspiration to him and his family in the way she supported everyone. He has a passion for all types of competitive activity, with sports being the favorite. Overall he lives for different experiences to stimulate the mind, and firmly believes that life is something that has to be lived, read about, and dissected. His biggest weakness is beautiful women, and the thought of being a failure. Firmly believing everyone deserves their moment no matter how long or short it is, Phillip listens to anyone who has something to say. The more he writes. The more he realizes what he creates, is something that needs to be shared with someone other than himself.
Kaitlin Mayer is on the run from the father of her baby – a vampire who wants her to join him in deadly eternity. Terrified for her young son, she seeks sanctuary with the Hunters Guild. Yet they have their own plans for her son, and her hopes of safety are soon shattered.
When she runs into Matthew Blair, an old nemesis with an agenda of his own, she dares to hope for a new escape. But Matthew is a telepath, and Kaitlin's past is full of dark secrets she never intended to reveal.
Kaitlin rocked her one-year-old son back and forth, trying to convince him to go down for a nap, but Jay wasn’t having it. He was teething, and it seemed to hurt him worse when he lay in a horizontal position. He was so tired that Kaitlin swore she’d hold him upright for eight hours if he’d just fall asleep, but he seemed, paradoxically, too tired to sleep.
Jason’s intrusion wasn’t helping. Jay turned his head and reached his arms out for his father – or the vampire who had once been his father – instinctively begging for the love that should have been his by right. But Jason had never taken an interest in his son; he could barely stand to look at him. In fact, if anything had finally convinced Kaitlin that Jason was dead, it was the fact that the real Jason had died for his son. This thing now inhabiting his body didn’t even seem to care.
“Did you hear me?” Jason asked, his voice unusually sharp.
Jay cried harder. Kaitlin shushed him and rocked more furiously, pretending she hadn’t heard. Pretending she could delay the inevitable a few more days. But she’d known this day was coming for a while now. Had sensed it would be soon. It was why she had e-mailed her best friend in the world two days ago, begging for help, prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of her son. But Cassie had not responded, and Sara, the nanny who had agreed to transport Jay, had disappeared.
“Answer me, Kaitlin,” Jason said in a voice that at one time would have compelled obedience. It no longer did, even though Jason continued to feed from her daily, simultaneously injecting her body with a venom that should have kept her in thrall. She wasn’t sure why the thrall had gradually dissipated over the past few months, but her new clarity of mind had bigger problems to work out – like the fact that Jason wanted to make her just like him.
Jason took another step into the nursery, his form now illuminated by the soft glow of the night light. He looked the same as he had in life – tall, broad, muscular and very, very large. He rarely ventured inside these hallowed walls, but Kaitlin had spent more and more time there of late, requiring him to come inside if he wanted her.
“Can’t you make him shut up?” Jason asked.
“I’m trying! Can’t we talk about this later?”
“Can we? You never leave this room.”
And he never came in. Would Kaitlin come in after she turned? Or would she forget Jay’s existence, the way Jason had? Her nightmare was that of Jay screaming for his mother, but she never came. Eventually, he would stop crying. Then after a few days, when no one came to feed him, he would stop doing everything else.
“Please, just let me get Jay down for his nap. Then we can talk.”
“There’s no need to wait.” Another man came to stand just inside the doorway, a man who made Kaitlin’s blood turn to ice whenever she saw him. Xavier looked so deceptively ordinary; it was part of his power. Brown hair, brown eyes, medium build, medium height… But she had seen him rip the throat out of men and face an entire heptade of vampire hunters without breaking a sweat.
He wasn’t superhuman, he was inhuman. She couldn’t fathom his purpose, but she suspected his goal was to create an entire new race of vampires under his control. At least, that’s what she assumed happened to the dozens of people who came into their lives for varying lengths of time, most of them nearly catatonic from the vampire’s thrall. She was not permitted to speak to them, and when they left, she never saw them again.
Xavier was over two hundred years old, but he didn’t look at Kaitlin as though she were a child. He looked at her as though she were food. Kaitlin had long sensed that he was no longer human, that he was somehow alien. She had sensed it in him before the thrall had worn off, though she hadn’t cared. The realization had taken much longer with Jason. Perhaps that sense of other increased over time.
Even Jay could sense the evil in Xavier. The boy started bucking and twisting, his tiny face turning red. He might have had his supernatural strength bound so he didn’t accidentally hurt someone, but even without it he was a marvel of physical strength. He had crawled at about two weeks old. Now, at a year old, he could run like a ten-year-old. According to stories Jason’s mom had told her, Jason had grown up the same way. Jason the vampire never talked about his childhood.
“Please, leave us alone!” Kaitlin cried, trying with all her might to cling to the wriggling child.
[Want more? Click below to read a longer excerpt.]
Praise for the Book
"This is one of the most anticipated stories to come out of the Casey Scott universe! For me personally, I have been awaiting this follow up tale since the conception of baby Jay. A mother who will do anything to protect her baby is a fierce and powerful read. Kaitlin's Tale is no exception. [...] Unlikely heroes and a heart-stopping race for safety will keep you on the edge of your seat. One of the best reads to come from Amsden to date. Smart, edgy and full of adrenaline! Oh! And on a side note... I LOVE this cover." ~ T from KT Book Reviews
"If you have not read Kaitlin’s Tale then I would highly recommend you do oh but even though Kaitlin’s Tale can be read as a standalone I would suggest that you read the Cassie Scot novels first that way you will know more about Kaitlin and the other characters and can get a better sense as to what is going on with a little more background on each character. I would recommend reading all of the Cassie Scot novels as well the companion stories too. They are all so aaammmazzzzzing!" ~ Nancy Allen (The Avid Reader)
"Kaitlin’s Tale is yet another enjoyable adventure/romance by Christine Amsden [...]. This book can be read as a stand-a-lone novel but is better read as a part of the series because the cast of characters overlap. I really enjoyed the cameo appearances of Evan and Cassie, but this story definitely centers squarely around Kaitlin. Kaitlin is in serious trouble as the book opens and I became immediately caught up in her difficulties; eagerly reading as more of her history gets revealed. Kaitlin is a likable heroine. I loved her musical, self-deprecating voice as she slowly discovers depths within herself as the full horror of her recent tribulations come back to her. This entertaining novel was easy to read and kept my interest all the way to the end." ~ Laurie
About the Author
Christine Amsden has been writing fantasy and science fiction for as long as she can remember. She loves to write and it is her dream that others will be inspired by this love and by her stories. Speculative fiction is fun, magical, and imaginative but great speculative fiction is about real people defining themselves through extraordinary situations. Christine writes primarily about people and relationships, and it is in this way that she strives to make science fiction and fantasy meaningful for everyone.
At the age of 16, Christine was diagnosed with Stargardt’s Disease, a condition that effects the retina and causes a loss of central vision. She is now legally blind, but has not let this slow her down or get in the way of her dreams.
Christine currently lives in the Kansas City area with her husband, Austin, who has been her biggest fan and the key to her success. They have two beautiful children.
Giveaways and More
Join the Facebook launch party on 16 May for a live reading, Q and A opportunities, games, and a chance to win some great prizes.
