historical fiction

“Your work should be in praise of what you love.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

The best cooks know that sometimes it’s those intangible ingredients that can make or break a recipe.

A certain slant of light, a sprinkling of happy anticipation, a generous cup of love. Two people can prepare the same dish with notably different results. That’s because cooking is a transformative process — part magic, part spiritual, part meditative. Every cook brings his or her own je ne sais quoi to the table.

In Mr. Emerson’s Cook by Judith Byron Schachner (Dutton, 1998), we see what happens when Irish cook Annie Burns finally discovers what special ingredient she must use to help employer Ralph Waldo Emerson regain his appetite.

Emerson lived at “Bush House” from 1835-1880. Here, he raised his family, wrote his most important works, and entertained leading transcendentalists like Thoreau, the Alcotts, and Elizabeth Peabody.

Fact and fiction are interwoven in this beautifully written gem of a story, which takes place at Emerson’s home in Concord, Massachusetts, where he lived with his second wife Lidian and their three children.

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Five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . . one . . . Ignition —

LIFT OFF!!!

Houston, we have a winner! *deafening cheers*

The sky’s the limit today, because we’re celebrating the official release of the young adult novel, Winnie’s War, by Live Journal’s very own Jenny Moss!!

WINNIE’S WAR by Jenny Moss (Walker, 2009),
Young Adult Historical Fiction, 192 pp.

A first book is a very special cause for celebration. For an author, this particular milestone, of seeing your work in tangible form for the first time, finally launched into the world, is surreal, nerve-wracking, and exhilirating all at the same time. I’m proud of and thrilled for Jenny, and can’t wait to read her book!

Publisher blurb:

Life in Winnie’s sleepy town of Coward Creek, Texas, is just fine for her. Although her troubled mother’s distant behavior has always worried Winnie, she’s plenty busy caring for her younger sisters, going to school, playing chess with Mr. Levy, and avoiding her testy grandmother. Plus, her sweetheart Nolan is always there to make her smile when she’s feeling low. But when the Spanish Influenza claims its first victim, lives are suddenly at stake, and Winnie has never felt so helpless. She must find a way to save the people she loves most, even if doing so means putting her own life at risk.

So far, Winnie’s War has received glowing reviews praising its lyrical prose and strong characterizations. Kirkus said, "the first person narrative beautifully captures Winnie’s voice," and Publisher’s Weekly said, "First-novelist Moss brings poetic language to this story, skillfully mirroring the internal pains and afflictions of influenza in the landscape of Texas."

Jenny, who lives in Clear Lake, Texas, says she enjoyed researching how the Spanish Flu Epidemic impacted the area, and imagining what life was like back in 1918. I’m especially anxious to get to know Winnie, to see how she handles loss and hardship, and meets the many challenges set before her, especially when she cannot rely on her parents and must sort out who her real allies are.

Now, please join me in slurping your congratulations to Jenny on a striking debut. Today, we’re serving a fortified, anti-influenza soup, scientifically maintained at an optimal temperature. It will keep you especially robust while you read this book. Just open your mouth and say, "Ah, Jenny!"

Today’s Special: Germ-free Gumbo (a couple spoonfuls will prepare you for anything).

For more about Jenny, visit her brand new website and Live Journal blog.

There’s also a good interview with Cynthea Liu at Writing for Children and Teens, and an article from the Bay Area Citizen, which includes interesting personal details — such as Jenny’s background as a NASA flight design engineer and what prompted her to pursue writing.