Posts Tagged: middle grade fiction

The Author Reads – Book Review of ‘Legacy of an Immigrant: Four Generations of Flying,’ by Maria Vezzetti Matson

Posted October 24, 2022 | Christy Hoss
Maria Vezzetti Matson

I have the privilege of reviewing a soon-to-be-published book. I hope it gets you curious enough to follow the author for more good reads and tracking its publishing date.

My Thoughts

Grieving the loss of a loved one is hard, especially when you are young and don’t know how to deal with your feelings. Maria Vezzetti Matson addresses this subject with grace in her upcoming novel, Legacy of an Immigrant: Four Generations of Flying.

Memories are often the best gift to help heal the burden of grief and Matson uses story to assist in the grieving process.

Maria Vezzetti Matson

Matson is a gifted historical fiction writer, using her family experiences and locations to make this story come to life. Middle grade readers, teachers and adults will enjoy getting to know the characters as they jump to life from the pages. Matson is an author to keep your eyes on for more exciting adventures in children’s fiction.

While I had planned to review this book before its publication, I did not plan for its author to be the grand prize winner in my email blast giveaway. There were 150 entries, and my non-biased person pulled Maria’s ticket out of the box. Maria had so much fun opening the box that she made a YouTube video.

About Maria V. Matson

Matson is an educator, a Yooper (a native inhabitant of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan), and the author of Alone to America and Journey into the Land of Hues: A Physics Fiction Tale of Colors and Discovery.

Contact her at mariavezzettimatsonauthor.com, mariavmatson@gmail.com or visit her YouTube channel, The ZiaMia, or her Facebook Page, The Lucchesi Story.

‘The Rubber Band Slingshot Summer’ – It’s Here!

Posted June 6, 2022 | Christy Hoss

Rubber Band roadies, Kevin and Christy Hoss.

As I write this, Kevin and I are attending our first writer’s conference together, the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference.

While here, The Rubber Band Slingshot Summer (book three in the Rubber Band series) was officially birthed.

Childbirth is hard, but so is publishing a book. The fun part is writing; the hard part is refining, editing, communicating, cover art, and many other things that a reader may not realize happens before they hold the hard copy in their hands and turn the first page.

Most authors must do all the marketing themselves. I recently enjoyed marketing by sharing a booth with a family friend at a local fair.

I loved talking to interested readers and making connections which I hope will turn into speaking engagements.

The Rocky-as-Elvis prop drew interest, and I had a few posers.

One had to show off her Elvis tattoo.

Yes, It’s hard work to be a writer, but I love my dream career. No matter what pains I must go through, I am going to keep bringing my writing babies into the world.

‘The Rubber Band Slingshot Summer’ – Hot Off the Press

Posted May 30, 2022 | Christy Hoss

If you have ever been to summer camp, I guarantee you will enjoy the Rubber Band’s newest adventure. I couldn’t resist writing this light-hearted, fun-filled, nonstop adventure for the band (but not without its serious message that I am hoping will encourage strength in my readers).

One week at Bible camp was always the highlight of my summer, giving me something to look forward to.

I’m on the far right, in the smiley-face t-shirt.

The week always ended too soon for me. Fresh out of high school, I flew to Southern California and worked as a counselor for inner-city kids at a Salvation Army camp in Malibu.

Me with campers, circa 1987.

It was so much fun that I worked three more summers at various camps on the East Coast and then two more back in Malibu. It was inevitable I would write about the experiences.

Although this is a fictional story, some of it is based on reality. Bearskin Meadow Diabetes Camp does exist and some of the names I used are real people who have given me permission to honor them and what they do. Becca’s exaggerated outdoor adventure camp is, however, purely non-existent and based only on my imagination.

I have many fun and crazy stories of my camp experiences, and I’d love to hear your stories of summer camp.

Let’s have a contest!

Email me your favorite camp memory and I will enter you in a drawing to win a signed copy of The Rubber Band Slingshot Summer and a $25 Amazon gift card.

Entries due by June 30, 2022. Winner will be announced in my July newsletter.

P.S. If you don’t already subscribe to my newsletter, you can subscribe from any page on my website. Simply scroll down near the bottom of the page and you’ll see a large form that says “Free Stuff.”