Bertrice
Bertrice is a realistic middle grade coming of age story about a young girl dealing with social difficulties as well as a death in the family.
Bertrice is available now to order from the Blurb Bookstore. Click here to view more information and make your purchase!
The Story
Bertrice is a modern middle grade novel about a young girl struggling to deal with her own maturation, relationships between diverse friends, the death of her grandmother, and ultimately her nuclear family’s emotional reactions to the death of her grandmother. Bertrice (the protagonist) is ten years old and Unschooled. This is a coming of age story about a young girl maturing and discovering her own passion for writing.
My Hopes and Publication
After sending this book to two publishers and quickly getting quite impatient with the slow process - I have decided to self publish. Bertrice has been released on the Blurb bookstore for anyone and everyone to enjoy (details on purchasing are above).
As far as my hopes for the impact of this book, my wish is that kids will see themselves in the story. By writing about an Unschooler, I am helping to fill a large gap in children's literature. I think that this is an important story that needs to be told, and I hope that others will agree!
How it all Started
I wrote my first chapter book at the age of nine; Willy Orland and the World of Magic. This was followed by a few more over the years, but there was always one major issue that made me never complete the projects. I would write the final chapter and begin to edit - only to realise that my writing had changed SO drastically over the process that it just couldn't flow. I never wanted to re-write anything, so I always just moved on.
When I decided to start writing Bertrice, I finally felt that my writing had come to a stable point. Of course I am always learning more, but it was consistent enough that I wanted to attempt writing another novel. This time (to my great relief) I finished it. It may have taken me over two years, but I am so glad I did it.
Praise for Bertrice
"...the language is rich and impressive. I think you have a great feeling for what lives in other peoples' mind and especially in yours." -Marianne