Featured Novelist: L. Ann Price, the Author of a Trio of Fantastical Stories

Dragons! Pirates! Princesses! ...Libraries!? Author L. Ann Price shows readers of many ages that adventure awaits at every corner, whether you are a brave boy, a wandering traveler, or a bunch of adorable guinea pig brothers! 

 

The Escapades of Augie Atwell is a story of a boy who encounters dragons, talking animals, a princess, a witch, and other fantastical creatures as he tries to save the village of Rumbletwoza from danger and doom. It is a classic scenario where a boy must face things that he once thought impossible, but entertaining character interactions, strong plot growth, and fluid language breathe new life into the genre. The characters and settings are rich in detail and imagery while the fantasy elements playful and plenty. The reader cannot help but root for Artie as he tries his best to save a troubled kingdom. 

The recently-published follow-up book, The Escapades of Augie Atwell & The Prince of Pirates, continues the story as Augie finds himself in the middle of a sibling rivalry over a kingdom and crown. Who doesn't love a story about pirates and claiming birthrights? 

The Guinea Pig Brothers & The Library Adventure is a whimsical tale of four brothers who have an adventure of their own when they go to the library. And yes, as you've guessed from the title, they are cute little guinea pigs! The get into mischief and fun as they explore the shelves and learn a valuable lesson from the librarian and their mother. I was humored in the fact that the librarian was a turtle, as generally turtles are a symbol of wisdom and long life.    

Ms. Price isn't just the author of these stories, but also the illustrator. Her artwork is featured as the book covers and various pictures presented in the books. Her characters are detailed, colorful, full of life, and full of expression. Readers can tell that each picture was crafted with care and love, enchanting them and delighting them. In The Guinea Pig Brothers & The Library Adventure, every other page is a charming illustration of the playful animals and will definitely entertain young readers (or children having the story read to them, of course).  

I would recommend these books to young children, but adults can enjoy the simple but strong story-telling skills as well. The Guinea Pig Brothers & The Library Adventure is perfect for toddlers and young children, as its rhyming scheme, colorful illustrations, and awesome message that the library is a fun place is wonderful for that particular age group. It was a fun story and reminded me of when I was a child exploring the different sections of my local library. All three books would make an excellent holiday gift to give to young readers looking for fun fantasy adventures. Parents can definitely enjoy these stories with their children. Anyone who is young at heart and longs for adventure can have fun with these stories as well.  

You can find L.Ann Price on Facebook and on her personal Wix website. Her books can be purchased there, on Amazon.com, and BarnesAndNoble.com (The links are for her first novel, but please check out her others as well!). Her books are also available in local bookstores in the Bucks County, Pennsylvania area. She will be featured at a local authors book signing at the Newtown Bookshop on October 20, 2013.

Series Review: The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook

Don't you just hate it when you find yourself face to face with an alligator, wondering just how the hell you're going to fight it? Have you ever been trapped in a walk-in industrial freezer and prayed for a way to keep yourself alive until someone found you? Even as your car plummets off of a bridge (which, if it is doing that right now, you should probably put your phone down and brace yourself. But hey, thanks for reading!) your panicked mind will try to find a way to save you. How prepared are you? You'll cry, 'If only there was a book that could have helped me prepare for this!". Well, look no further, disaster-stricken friend!

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook, written by Joshua Piven, David Borgenicht, and various authors, is a series of books that aim to help people prepare for any situation that the world can throw at them. Although often presented in a humorous manner, the information presented in the handbook is thoroughly researched and agreed upon by survival experts. Scenarios can be simple and include situations such as getting locked out of a car, fixing a flat tire, and treating a wound. Other scenarios are extreme (but completely realistic), including how to escape quicksand, how to negotiate with a terrorist or bank robber, and how to deliver a baby anywhere other than a hospital. My personal favorite is "how to escape from a submerged car", because you never know when your car will end up in a lake, right? The writing is simple and mostly presented in a list format, essentially giving a step-by-step guide to handle an event. There are numerous illustrations and diagrams to further explain solutions, tips, and tricks. 

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook started out as a entertaining guide to..well...worst case scenarios. With the book's success, the authors created more handbooks, focusing on specific topics, such as college, dating, the outdoors, "man stuff", life in general, and even the paranormal (my favorite edition). All are meant to entertain but also educate. The survival tips are genuine and can actually be useful. I once had to recall knowledge from the book when I was stuck in a walk-in freezer after the safety anti-lock knob ironically broke. I used the information on the book to make a makeshift safety knob using a torn up box and a thermometer. Had I not had read the book, I would have had to wait for someone from the outside to open the door. And no, I couldn't just yell for someone to let me out. Most modern freezers are soundproof because of the loud sounds the motors and what not can make (I learned that afterwards. Strange, right?) Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that while often silly, the information in the series of books can actually be helpful when a situation presents itself.

I would recommend these books to anyone who is a trivia fan, survival enthusiasts (I'm talking to you, Bear Grylls!) or maybe even a doomsday prepper. Kids can enjoy some of these books as well, although I wouldn't suggest anyone younger than 12 or so reading it, as some of the scenarios presented are potentially nightmare-inducing to a child's mind, or adult in nature, as is the case for the dating and college handbooks.

You can purchase the original The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook and any of its companion handbooks on Amazon.com, BarnesAndNoble.com, and major retail booksellers.