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Book Details:
Book Title: Caroline & Mordecai the Gand by Jeff Gunhus
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction (Ages 8-12), 186 pages
Genre: Fantasy, Literary
Publisher: Seven Guns Press
Release date: March 31, 2021
Content Rating: PG:
The language is G. There is one scene with the main character punches a
bully resulting in a bloody nose. The emotional treatment of grief and
the death of a loved one can be somewhat intense.
"Readers of all ages who look for ethereal, haunting stories of recovery and courage will find Caroline & Mordecai the Gand may hold the trappings of a fantasy adventure; but inside there is so much more. Make the right decision, to read this!" - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review
"Caroline’s story is profoundly sad, and yet hopeful, magical, and yet rooted in reality. There is magic, mystery, and daring adventure."- BooksCoffee
Book Description:This novella was written by USA Today bestselling author Jeff Gunhus after he received a devastating diagnosis of state 3 cancer. The story is a message to his five children on how to deal with grief and a plea for them to grasp onto joy and love even in the darkest of times.
Caroline loses her spark. It takes a great adventure for her to find it again. Caroline loses her father in a car accident for which she feels responsible. Consumed by grief, she has a difficult time readjusting to a world that has changed so dramatically for her. On the anniversary of her father’s death, a strange window opens in the middle of the small lake behind her house. She climbs up an old oak to peer inside, but falls out of the tree and discovers that the window also serves as a door into a different world.
Enter Mordecai the Gand, a mysterious traveler who befriends Caroline and promises to help her find a way back home since the window she fell through has disappeared. The two set out on a series of adventures that include visiting a tree village populated by a tribe known for eating travelers, running into a witch under a spell of her own making, hiding in a cave with a dragon encased in a wall of ice (prone to melting by campfire), all the while being pursued by a mysterious entity call the Creach which promises to devour Caroline and trap her in an eternity of despair.
As they navigate these adventures and this new world, Caroline slowly discovers that she is meant to help each of the characters she meets. As she battles internally whether to stay or return home to the sadness and grief waiting for her there, she must regain perspective and open her heart to the act of caring and to the joy of love itself. In the end, she must demonstrate great courage, loyalty, and caring as the plot unfolds, becoming the active hero of her own story.
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I really enjoyed this middle grade book by Jeff Gunhus, <span;>Caroline and Mordecai the Gand. I think it is so sweet that he wrote this for his children after a diagnosis of cancer. Caroline is the main character in this book and she is struggling with the loss of her father. Walking the woods one fine day she accidentally stumbles on a window, a window she walks through that has those who want to hurt her, including a dragon and she also finds so much grief. But she meets a mysterious traveler call Mordecai the Gand who promises to help her find home again. <span;>I usually don't read fantasy book but this one is so different than others I have attempted to read. The characters are so wonderfully created and I enjoyed their development throughout the story. There is a lot going on in this book, too much to tell but I encourage you to try this one. It's special in that Gunhus writes this for his children after his diagnosis of stage 3 cancer, just in case he didn't survive. He makes sure his children, as well as any child that looses someone they love, will find peace and help in those dark times in their life. And the ending was a Wow moment for me. I love how Jeff Gunhus weaves everything together and comes up with this special ending. This book is a Five Stars for me. And it deserves more! A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
What made you write a book about grief and loss?
I received a cancer diagnosis five years ago. I was only given a small chance of surviving beyond two years. I wanted to write something specifically for my kids on how to deal with grief and loss in case things didn’t work out. I started writing personal letters to them but found it too hard to do. I decided to write this story as my way of conveying to them how I believe joy and love should supersede sadness and grief, no matter what the circumstance.
What advice would you give budding writers?
I have three pieces of advice I give to new writers. The first is to purchase Stephen King's book On Writing. It's a great look at writing life but also very pragmatic in its advice. Second, allow yourself to be terrible. First draft work is the fertilizer draft -- the piece of crap out of which good things will come. Get the first draft done because you can't edit a blank page. The third piece of advice is that writers write. Nothing happens when you think about writing, you need to put your behind in the chair and get to work. Start small, even 15 minutes a day, but be consistent. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish over a long period of time.
How long have you been writing?
I was one of those kids in grade school where the teacher would assign a 2 page creative writing assignment and I would turn in 20 pages. I've always enjoyed it and always thought I would become an author. I took a dramatic detour into the business world and got a little busy having five kids, but I always found time to write. Is really just been since 2012 when I first released the Jack Templar series that I've put my work out into the world. It's been hell of a ride.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?
I'm not sure exactly what writers block is. The closest thing that I come to it is paralysis on choosing the next project. Like most authors I have a pile of ideas, too many to ever get through in one lifetime. And the pile keeps getting taller. Making a final decision on which idea to pursue is a year or two of commitment. Sometimes that can be a challenge to decide. My solution has always been to write the first 50-60 pages of an idea and then gauge whether I'm waking up early to work on it or if I'm needing the alarm clock to get me up. If it feels like work, then I think it's not the right idea. Other than that, I'm always ready to bang on the keyboard.
What is your next project?
I have a few I'm considering. One that has my attention is a fantasy novel about a world where disease has killed everyone under the age of 18. The pestilence is still active so people die on their 18th birthday. A small group races against time as they near their birthday to find a cure. It's called Kingdom of the Young and I think it would be pretty awesome.
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