C.K. Volnek's Tween/YA Books

Today we have with us, author C.K. Volnek. She has recently published two tween/ya books, Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island and A Horse Called Trouble, and her third tween book, The Secret of the Stones, is due out in April. Hi CK, thanks for joining us today!

Hi Marva. Thank you so much for having me.

So tell us, how did you begin to write for middle grade and young adults?

I have always loved writing for children. After reading Black Beauty, I wanted to be the next Anna Sewell. Life took me the long route to attain my dream, but I never gave up on writing for the younger market. I’ve heard it said, you write what you enjoy reading and I have to admit most of my favorite books are still stories I read from my younger years. My Side of the Mountain, Follow My Leader, and The Secret Garden still make a presence in my personal library. But I also write mg/ya because I enjoy this age so very much. Children are great. They are curious and open, full of questions on all kinds of subjects. They love to learn, if you can hold their interest. To me it was a challenge-to create a story to keep their interest while offering something they would enjoy as well as learn from, whether it be history, geography or learning a little bit about themselves.

Can you tell us a little bit about your new books and what you hope your readers to take away from them?

Thanks for asking. In my tween horse story, A Horse Called Trouble, I hope my readers will take away the message that we are all important and worthy of life, love and happiness. One must find a dream and believe in it, then follow that dream to find your life’s passion.

In A Horse Called Trouble, my main character, 13-year-old Tara, must overcome her abusive past to save the defiant horse who taught her to love and trust again. It is a story of growing up to learn you are not what others believe you to be, but what YOU believe you are. Don’t let the traps of society rule you. You may only be one person, but to one person, you may be the world.

And though it is cliché, I also hope my readers learn to not judge a book by its cover. Judging others before you really get to know them not only affects the person you are judging, but also can put you in a position you might not intend to be in. For example, Alissa, my main antagonist, is pretty, wealthy, and popular. But she is also very mean. On the other hand, Tara feels she is a misfit; looked down upon, scoffed at, and mistreated because she doesn’t belong anywhere. But she is really smart and kind beneath her introverted mask. Which person would you really want as a friend?

A Horse Called Trouble

Abandoned by her mother at a young age, Tara Cummings has been passed from foster home to foster home; not wanted anywhere by anyone. At thirteen she’s skeptic and suspicious, with no family, and no friends.

Horse therapy “will teach trust, perseverance, respect, and the value of teamwork,” or so says the program’s instructor. Tara is unconvinced. Trust only broke her heart, perseverance meant more failures, and no one respects or wants to team up with the misfit foster kid.

At the farm, Tara meets Trouble, an angry and defiant horse, bent on destroying everything and everyone around him. Tara is frightened of the enraged horse, until she realizes Trouble is as misunderstood and untrusting as she is. Pushing aside her fear, a special bond is formed, much to the surprise of everyone at the farm. Trouble trusts Tara, and Tara in turn finds hope and acceptance as well as the will to love and trust again herself.

But, Tara’s confidence is shaken as an even greater challenge looms ahead. Trouble’s mean and manipulative owner is the one and only Alissa, Tara’s nemesis. Can Tara overcome her own limitations and fight to save the horse who freed her heart and gave her life value and meaning? Or will Alissa destroy them both?

Where did you get the idea for your book?

I have always loved horses. Such marvelous creatures they are. Proud, elegant, powerful yet gentle and compassionate. I was fortunate enough to be able to call several of these magnificent animals my friend and confidant as I grew up.

I knew I wanted to immortalize some of my treasured equine friends but I never expected to write the story of Trouble in such a fashion as I did. It was after visiting a horse farm that also entertained a horse therapy program for troubled youth that the story sky-rocketed. Tara came to life and shared her entire sad story with me and I couldn’t help but oblige and put it down on paper. And Trouble? He’s a mix of several of the horses I knew. Full of spunk, spirit, trust and devotion. It’s a horse story, full of conflict, with antagonists you’ll love seeing get what they deserve.

This story also revolves around a unique program…Horse Therapy. It was so incredible to spend time at Take Flight Farm and witness their Horse Therapy program for troubled youths. The magnificent horses in this program teach kids the value of respect, teamwork and trust. I know from personal experience how a horse can turn an irritable, scowling teenager into a calm, caring softie. And who can’t use a good dose of self-confidence. Horses can build that confidence.

You also had another book come out last September called Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island. Can you tell us a little bit about this book?

Yes, Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island is a tween ghost story with a twist of Native American folklore and based on the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island. It is also a story about growing up and realizing you are stronger than you ever realize, though the ghost story plays lead in this book and history is very instrumental in solving the mystery. I hope my readers will look up the facts I have included in Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island and realize that everything that happens yesterday has an effect on what happens today.

Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island

In 1587, 117 colonists disappeared from Roanoke Island without a trace, leaving behind not only unanswered questions, but a terrifying evil.

Now it’s up to twelve year-old Jack Dahlgren to unravel the age-old mystery and save his family from the hateful beast that haunts the island.

With the help of newfound friend, Manny, a Native American shaman, and an elusive Giant Mastiff, Jack must piece together the clues of the Lost Colony to discover what really happened. Shrouded in ancient Native American folklore, it's up to Jack to uncover what the evil is and why it haunts his island. But can he destroy it...before it destroys him?

Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island is now available in both e-book and print on Amazon as well as other fine book locations.

So what is your next book about?

The Secret of the Stones is more of a fun read. It is also the first book of a series titled The Lost Diaries of Northumberland and revolves around the legend of Merlin the Magician and the wicked Vivienne. It was created mostly to entertain and encourage my readers to read.

Based in present day, young Alex Ramsey is thrust into magic mayhem when the gift he’s been entrusted to protect turns out to be the enchanted object detailed in a mysterious prophecy.

The Secret of the Stones

Trading places with a squirrel outside his window is the last thing twelve year-old Alex expect to happen. Could the gift Aunt Norma gave him be magic? The Merlin’s magic he’d read about in the ancient diary? After he unexpectedly trades places with his sister’s guinea pig, Alex realizes he must discover how the magic works…and fast. How had the trickery transformed him with the animals-and-how did it turn him back to himself?

As Alex struggles to understand the how and why of his enchanted gift, he becomes painfully aware there is more to it than he first thought. Within the magic there is a great power, a power to control, a power so strong that there is another who is willing to do almost anything to get it. Can Alex protect the gift while solving the secrets to how the magic works? And can he make sense of the riddles in the diary, the riddles surrounding the prophecy of Merlin’s return?

Which authors have most influenced your own writing?

I love to read. And I take away something from every book I read. So it is hard to pick just a few authors who have really impressed me but two come to mind right away. Jane Yolen and Jay Asher. The book 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher still haunts my thoughts and I adore the rich prose of Jane Yolen. Her book, Briar Rose remains one of my favorites

What do you do for fun other than writing?

I dabble in a variety of things other than writing…spending time with my family is a priority but I also love to dabble with flower gardening, jewelry making, hiking, and taking long walks with my Papillon pups… I am officially known as the ‘dog woman’ around our small town. Lol.

Do you have any favorite place where you feel your Muse is more apt to come and play while you write? Or perhaps you listen to music? If so, what do you listen to?

I’m a night-owl. And I have a laptop. So most of my writing is done sitting in my most comfortable chair in the front room with at least two pups sitting by me or on the ottoman. I have my I-pod, loaded with Yanni, and a Diet Coke at hand and I’m ready to write, write, write.

What advice would you like to give to young people who want to write?

There are two important elements I would like to stress to young writers…

One - Believe in yourself. We are our own worst enemy. I still find times where I will doubt myself. I’ll read a really great book, one so good I can’t imagine my stories ever comparing. But that’s when my characters jump in and give me a good kick in the behind and remind me of one of my favorite quotes … To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world. Your story might be the saving grace to one person out there. YOU have a story to tell and no one else can tell it for you. If you don’t write it, it won’t get written.

Two – Never give up! No matter what. Write, write, write and write some more. Put one story to bed and move onto another. Don’t let your muse shrivel up. She can cause you great distress if you don’t let her out to play and she will starve if you don’t feed her.

Where can readers find you?

Thanks so much for having me today. I’d love to have your readers contact me at ckvolnek (at) yahoo (dot) com.

They can join me on my web page: www.ckvolnek.com, or visit me at my blog: www.ckvolnek.com/blog.html

They can also find me on Facebook (C.K. Volnek) or Twitter (CKVolnek), Good Reads and Jacket Flap.

My book trailers are on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbJEF9TjZzo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyJ1J9wESEY

My books are available at the MuseItUp Book Store.

A Horse Called Trouble

Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island
as well as Amazon:

A Horse Called Trouble
Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island

and many other fine book locations on-line.

Thanks so much for having me here today.

C.K. Volnek

Charlotte Volnek - Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island

GHOST DOG OF ROANOKE ISLAND
by C.K. Volnek

Twelve year-old Jack Dahlgren must face his fears to save his family from the ancient evil curse haunting Roanoke Island.

(Q) Thank you for joining us today. Before we begin, please tell our readers where they can find you.

Thanks so much for hosting me today, Marva. Readers can find me in a multitude of places on-line.

Website: http://www.ckvolnek.com/
Blog: www.ckvolnek.com/blog.html
e-mail: ckvolnek at yahoo.com
Muse Author Page
Facebook: C.K. Volnek
Twitter: CKVolnek
YouTube: CK Volnek

I’m also on GoodReads and JacketFlap.

Buy links will be coming soon! Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island will be available on Amazon, MuseItUp book store, and many other e-book store sites on September 1, 2011.

Before we get too far, I’d also like to tell everyone I’m offering a FREE copy of my new book, Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island to one lucky reader who leaves me a comment. So just say hi and you might win!

Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island buy link (September 26th Release)
Amazon Buy Link (now available)

(Q) Tell everyone a bit about your books.

Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island is a Tween book revolving around the true story of the mysterious disappearance of 117 colonists from Roanoke Island, NC. Add to the mix, a twist of Native American folklore, a terrifying monster and a hurricane and you have a fast-paced story full of action and adventure, along with a lesson of tolerance and forgiveness.

(Q) Where did the concept for the book (or books) come about?

Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island came about as I was reading a news article about how divers thought they might have found a relic of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island. The mystery intrigued me. Whatever did happen to the lost colonists? My main character, Jack Dahlgren, popped into my head and decided we should come up with our own version of what happened to them. I let Jack have the reins and the story flowed from my fingers.

(Q) How long did it take you to finish, from concept to final product?

I’m not an extremely fast writer. Unfortunately, I have a wicked self-editor in my head that likes to have things tidied up. I battle with her constantly. Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island took me about two years before it was polished enough to pass around to publishers.

(Q) Which authors have most influenced your own writing?

There are so many great authors. It’s hard to even pick a handful of whom I enjoy the most. Every book I read, I am gleaning not only the story but the writer’s style, picking out what I like and don’t like, hoping to better my writing. I can only hope someday someone will glean ‘good’ writing style tips from my books.

(Q) What do you do for fun other than writing?

When I’m not tethered to my laptop I love to spend time with my family and friends, travel, watch movies, hike, make jewelry or take long walks with my four Papillons.

(Q) Do you have any favorite place where you feel your Muse is more apt to come and play while you write? Or perhaps you listen to music? If so, what do you listen to?

My muse pops in in the most unusual of places. I try to keep notebooks in almost every room in the house because I never know when she is going to demand me to take a note or two. I’m a night owl, so most times my muse will find me sitting in my comfortable chair in the living room. But she will also visit me when I travel or go other places. Luckily my laptop goes just about anywhere with me. As for music, I love to listen to Yanni while I write. Intoxicating, invigorating and inspirational.

(Q) Answer the following personal questions:

- Plotter or pantser? – I’ve found I’m a bit of both, though most times the pantser comes out. If my characters aren’t talking to me, it doesn’t matter how much plotting I’ve done, the story is not going to go anywhere. I can’t force my muse.

- What are your writing strengths? Weaknesses?

I believe my writing strength is my imaginative muse. I have more stories to work on than I can count. But my strength is also my greatest weakness. I need to learn how to lasso my muse and make her finish one story before she jumps on to the next.

- Coffee or tea?

Diet Coke actually. Never liked coffee after tasting it when I was 7. I do like a nice glass of sweet tea on a hot summer day, but would still prefer my diet coke. I think the coke has a bigger punch of caffeine to get me motivated.

(Q) Do you have any new projects that you are working on? If so, what are they? (optional if you don't have a WIP to talk about)

I have three distinct projects I’m working on. The Secret of the Wood is the second book to series titled The Lost Diaries of Northumberland. The first book, The Secret of the Stones, comes out in April 2012. It’s a MG series centering around magic and mayhem, a Harry Potter meets Merlin kind of story.

Then I’m also working on two YA books. One is titled the Sleepers and is a paranormal romance. The other is called The Three O’Clock Hour and is a fictional story based on the true story of the school bus accident from my home town that claimed three students and one parent. That one is extremely hard to write. But there were so many miracles that came from it, the story needs to be shared, even if it has a fiction undertone.

…See what I mean about lassoing my muse in to finish just one story?

(Q) What do you do to market your work? How did you start and where do you learn to market?

I’ve found Marketing to be a wild and crazy beast. I’m taking baby-steps each and every day. I built my web page and introduced myself, my characters and my stories. I created a blog page and post weekly to it. I’ve also branched out to build my face book and twitter platforms. I’ve joined countless groups. I’m anxious and excited to meet many new writer and reader friends and have been lucky to be hosted on many blogs. But I’m learning more and more each and every new day.

(Q) If you'd like to add anything, please do so.

I’d like to say thank you so much for hosting me today. I have learned an even greater lesson to life as I’ve embarked on my marketing adventure…that one cannot have enough friends, and that life is 80 percent doing for others and 20 percent doing for yourself. At first I struggled with that notion. I’m too busy to do so much for everyone else, am I not? But it is oh so necessary and the 80 percent of doing for others is even more fulfilling to me than the 20 percent doing for myself. I’m humbled to have gained so many great new friends, just like you Marva.

(Q) How about an excerpt to tantalize the readers?

Here is an excerpt from chapter one of Ghost Dog of Roanoke Island:

Jack rushed to the front door and reached for the doorknob. His hand stopped in midair as the door shuddered violently, shaking on its hinges. A deafening howl roared on the other side. The boards covering the windows shook, the nails screeching as though giant hands were trying to rip them from the house. The lights flickered and went out, leaving the house pitch dark.

Sweat broke out on Jack’s forehead. His heart drummed in his ears. Turning, he fumbled with the dials of the battery-operated radio on the end table. The announcer’s voice sputtered between static crackles. “Hurricane Da...earlier than expec...winds reaching...residents on Roanoke Island…take cover immediately. Stay…”

Jack leaned against the door, his mind whirling. Regret twisted inside as the argument with his dad hammered in his head…

* * * *

“Why can’t I stay home? I don’t need—”

Dad rushed around the front room, putting on his rubber boots and black slicker. “No. Get your coat on. I can’t trust—”

“Come on, Dad. I’ll be fine. It wasn’t my fault Kimmy—”

“Enough! Don’t argue with me, Jackie.”

Jack stiffened at the name. “I’m not a baby anymore. I’m almost thirteen, you know.”

Dad spun around, eyes flashing. “Then why don’t you act like it?” He let out a long breath. “Fine. Stay here. But don’t do anything stupid. I’ll be back before the storm—”

Jack bristled, his jaw twitching. “I’m not stupid.”

“That’s not what I meant—”

Jack didn’t let him finish. “Just leave! And I hope you never come back!” He stomped to his bedroom, slamming his door behind him.

* * * *

Jack swallowed. But, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get the beach ball-sized lump out of his throat. “I didn’t mean it, Dad.”

Something banged against the porch, scraping along the boards. Jack jumped and listened. Was someone calling for help? Yanking the front door open, he stepped outside.

“Dad?” His voice was lost in the storm.

He strained to hear, something—anything. The boards of the long walkway leading into the water creaked and groaned. Someone was on the dock.

“Dad!”

Ducking back inside the door, he grabbed his yellow slicker off the hook, slipped it on, and charged down the steps. A gust of wind shoved him back. Clenching his teeth with determination, he leaned against it, forcing his eyes to stay focused on the wild ocean. Dad would need his help getting the boat secured in this storm.

Jack staggered down the sloppy trail leading to the dock. The storm howled in his ears. A heavy sheet of rain tore loose from the sky. Dime-sized raindrops pelted his body, plastering his hair against his scalp. He pulled his hood up over his head and clutched it tight with one hand, but the wind tore it off again.

Bracing himself on one leg, Jack leaned over the railing and stared down the long wooden walkway bouncing on the water. Dad’s green runabout was nowhere to be seen. He scanned the choppy waves beyond the pier. Nothing. No one.

Jack shuddered and gazed back at the house; the run-down beach house they’d moved into two months ago.

Had it only been two months? It felt like two years.

Dad spent every free minute cleaning and fixing it up, even drafting Jack to help paint it, though Jack couldn’t seem to do anything right by his standards. Slowly, it had started looking like a normal house. Now, boarded up it looked haunted…like Tyler Johnson said it was.

Jack huffed, a sour taste filling his mouth. That was stupid. Tyler was stupid.

Jack closed his eyes. For a moment he was back in Ohio. In Ohio he had friends. He was on the baseball team, lead archer in boy scouts, and point leader in math wars at school. Here, there was no math wars, no boy scouts, and no teammates. No one wanted to be his friend. Tyler had made sure of that. No one wanted to get close to the kid who lived in the creepy old Ellis place.

The sound of splintering wood crashed behind him. Jack jolted and turned around. Waves heaved the wooden pier upward; smashing it into a hundred pieces.

Something moved alongside the detached garage at the far edge of the yard, sliding past the darkened yard-light. The light’s rusted frame hung in a half salute, a dejected soldier of metal. Jack blinked against the rain as a light-brown figure crept slowly, deliberately following the slope that led to the bluff at the back of the building. It stopped and opened it black mouth, a sad howl drifting on the wind. It was a dog. A Mastiff. Like the one he’d seen at the baseball field in Ohio last summer.

Jack stared. What was a dog doing out in the hurricane? He glanced around the large yard, expecting the dog’s master to appear. But, there was no one.

How could anyone leave a dog out in this?

The Mastiff turned and loped up a trail leading to the top of the bluff, his v-shaped ears flopping, long tan tail swinging.

Where was the dog going?

Jack gazed up at the vine-covered ridge and swiped at the water smearing his face. The bluff wasn’t really that high. Not a mile high cliff or anything. Why was Dad so worked up over it? Jack bit his lip. He knew why.

The Mastiff stopped midway up and looked back, his black eyes drilling into Jack’s. With a quick shake, the dog charged again to the top.

Jack felt dwarfed by the ridge. At the top a massive dead oak towered into the sky. A white sentry; its brittle, leafless branches reached so high they seemed to spear the dark clouds. Since Kimmy’s fall, Dad had forbidden him from ever going up there again. His stomach knotted. He had to save the Mastiff.