07/31/2014

Haute Cuisine at the Hylton Center for the Arts

Who’d a thunk?! Little Ivy’s recipes have been chosen as part of the Fall for the Book event on September, 18th, 2014 by the Prince William, Virginia Arts Council!!! I mean, who’d a thunk??? I am so excited, and so is Phillip!

So, in the back of each book, from “Winterfrost“ and “The Ragworts,” to beyond, there are and will be recipes that have been shared by the gnomes and sprites, fairies and elves! And yes, they have been written exactly as they have been told to me, but I have managed to translate them into real recipes for us humans. Made a few twists and changes, but basically, just like magic, voila! No, Razorsnoot did not contribute. Ugh!

Well, the ever so kind people at the Prince William Arts Council, chose those recipes (1 is Ivy’s, 1 is Phillip’s and 1 is Violette’s from “Above the Stars“) to showcase at their event. Cool, huh?

Unfortunately, the gnomes are way to shy to show up, but I’ll be there–with a friend or two and a few books and recipe cards! Oh! and FOOD! As Edward would say, “Nuts ‘n’ acorns lot’s of food!” There’ll be “Ivy’s Tater Dumplings,” “Phillip’s Mater Sauce with Hazelnuts,” and well, Violette (the snow sprite) is not ready to tell us what her recipe is (but I think it’s cookies).

The gnomes and sprites are, as I type, gathering up all of their supplies to cook for you so don’t disappoint. Boot’s and britches, it’s sure to be fun! Mark the date on your calendars: Sept.18, 2014 at the Hylton Center for the Arts!

(And, don’t forget the Kickstarter Campaign, beginning on Sept. 1, 2014 thru the 3oth where you can pre-order Phillip’s Quest newest book, “Above the Stars.” Or, you can go to my “Buy…” page and do it right now! Those are the only two places, besides this event that you can get a signed, first edition. And only until Sept. 30.)

07/19/2014

Please Give “Above the Stars” a Good “Kick”

Available in November, 2014

I am getting ready for a Kickstarter Campaign to launch the newest in the Phillip’s Quest series, Book II:Above the Stars. As any of you who have ever published a book can attest to, unless you are published by a brick and mortar publisher, it can be very expensive. Nowdays, with the onset of self-publishing and the decline of publishing houses, bookstores and libraries, if you want to get your work out there, first you publish yourself and then you hope it’s picked up. And, after you’re published, it’s marketing, marketing, marketing, to sell your book. All of this is costly.
Some of the tangible costs incurred by an author are the copyright registration fee, the ISBN fee, the printing fee, the illustrators fee, the editor’s fee, the distribution fee, marketing fees–cost of signings, launchings, travel to book fairs–anywhere to get your book sold.

“Above the Stars“ is definitely a labor of love. It is, as you can imagine, the continuing story of my dear Phillip,the gnome; Edward, the squirrel and Stinky, the dinosaur after they leave Azur’s castle, in search of Winterfrost. New adventures, new challenges,and new creatures befall these three friends as they learn the lessons bestowed upon them by the wizard, Azur and a new wizard named Chaspère. Each must face their strengths and their weaknesses as they travel the new lands that they encounter. From the cold tundra and mountains of Ice Cave Canyon to the warm sands of the Carnelian Sea, Phillip and his friends will learn to survive outside the peacefulness and security of Twistedoak or Azur’s stable. Stories will be told, battles will be fought. good and evil will collide. The Red Witch and her hoard of Goblins are never far behind.

Written influenced by the the genre of Tolkien, Lewis, Carroll and Baum, Above the Stars, The Phillip’s Quest series second installment has something for everyone, young and old. It is due to be on the shelves before Christmas, 2014 and this time I will be publishing and distributing it with the help of the wonderful people of Booklogix and The Artist’s Partner. Booklogix are the folks who did such a wonderful job of producing Winterfrost.

Back to Kickstarter! On September 1, 2014, I will be starting a campaign, through Kickstarter, the crowd funding organization, to help defray the cost of the publication of “Above the Stars.” I will be offering different rewards for different pledges to include free books, a Tuber family dinner, jewelry from the Phillip’s Quest line, a piece of Dean Kuhta’s original art, prints and free signed copies of the books. My goal is to raise $3000.00 which will help publish this book. If you don’t know how Kickstarter works, it’s ALL or NOTHING! I raise the set goal of $3000.00, or I get nothing. It’s up to you to make this happen! I need your help. You can also help out by pre-ordering “Above the Stars,” right from the Kickstarter campaign.

If you are already signed up for my August “Winterfrost Gnome Gnews Letter”, you will receive a reminder of this event and a detailed preview of the rewards that will be offered. There will also be a page on this website for the pre-order of the signed, First Edition Copy. If you do not receive “Phillip’s Gnome Gnews” from Winterfrost, please sign up! Thank you and may you always achieve anything you reach for, above the stars!

07/15/2014

Winterfrost’s Gone International!

Hello, Brazil, Italy, Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, England, Wales! Wow! All of you have visited the land of Winterfrost and have met my friends Phillip Tuber and Rawlink Ragwort! Have any of you bought a book for your children, or for yourself? Please let me know. I would love to hear from you!

: Phillip Tuber

: Winterfrost Castle

: Poppa Ragwort

: Wait to read in October, 2014

Just go to my Buy Phillip’s Quest and The Ragworts page to purchase!

06/27/2014

Now, he’s pretty!

Meet Razorsnoot! You’ve read about his before in Phillip’s Quest, Book 1: Winterfrost. You know, the goblin with digestive issues–probably from eating small rodents–and henchman for the Red Queen, well, here he is again. In living–sort of–color!

Such a pretty fellow! And now, the poor guy has competition. It was bad enough when Jet set his butt on fire in Phillip’s Quest, Book 1:Winterfrost, but now he’s dealing with the Queen’s favorite chiroptera bat, Bael! But, he still has to learn how to deal with Jet!

He rode to the top and approached the witch, head bowed. His

spider slinked up the knoll, ever so quietly. Razorsnoot was

dumbfounded by the Red Witch’s transformation. Where was that

hideous dragon of hers? He peered at the huge, black horse with his

one purple eye. He hated the dragon, but a horse? He decided he

could handle a horse, until he saw its eyes. They were red! The horse

watched Razorsnoot as he approached on the spider.

“Your report, Razorsnoot,” said the witch as she peered down at

the skulking figures.

“Yesssssss, ma’am,” hissed the goblin. “Market destroyed, jusssssst

as you commanded.”

“And the bodies?” she responded.

“We captured a bunch of the little runtssssss and locked them in

the wagonsssss. The resssst are lying dead in the market.”

“Very well!” replied the witch. “Run and fetch me that little

gnome, Phillip, and his wife Ivy and our business shall be complete.”

Razorsnoot picked at a large wart on his nose and looked around.

He had a tendency to pass wind when he was nervous.

“Umm…Phillip and hissss wife Ivy, ma’am? I don’t recall (fart, fart)

their whereaboutssssss (fart).”

“You don’t recall their whereabouts?” responded the Red Witch

with a raised and dreadful tone. “One of your very simple instructions,

goblin, was to capture OR kill two VERY specific gnomes. You were

provided descriptions. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU VILE

CREATURE. GO BACK DOWN THERE AND BRING ME THEIR BODIES!

NOW!”

“(FART, fart, FART, fart) Yes ma’am! (fart),” cried Razorsnnot.

Jet’s eyes glared at the mumbling and frantic goblin. The steed

had become agitated and his nostrils began to smoke.

As Razorsnoot reared his spider around to go back down the hill

to the wagons, he started to fart uncontrollably. The other goblins

103

could even here his farts from the bottom of the hill and they began to

snicker and giggle.

Jet’s nostril’s opened up. He shot a flaming hot blast of fire right

at the goblin’s backside.

“AYYYYEEEEEEEEEEE!” screamed Razorsnoot.

He lept off the spider and rolled down the hill. His rear was on

fire.

“Help me!”–Phillip’s Quest, Book 1: Winterfrost

05/22/2014

So, how d’ya like me now?!

As you can see, my busy bee buzzed away. Good bye busy bee! In its place, “Winterfrost!” Quite frankly, the bee was driving me crazy, buzzing from one thing to another and the Red Witch was about to turn her into a snaggletoothed possum from Vandersnatch Swamp. Maleficent has nothing over on the Red Witch! And the old girl (RW) was getting her ice cubes in a bunch because she wasn’t getting enough press time. So, here it is! A website dedicated to Winterfrost and all the goings on between there and Twistedoak! There are so many:

1. A monthly newsletter will be launched. “Gnome Gnews” direct from Winterfrost Castle is just days away. This will be great for the kids, so let me know if you want it delivered to their inbox.

2. “Winterfrost” will be out in Kindle and ebook format. Look for that early June!

3. The Ragwort Chronicles, The Beginning: The Ragworts of Brokenfell
is live in both ebook and soft cover. It is a shorter book for 3rd graders and up. And, although it is for sale at any bookseller, I have a limited number of signed First Editions for sale, incl. shipping, for $21.95. A bonus gift will be included.
Go to my “Buy…” page and let me know.

4. Above the Stars, the 2nd book in the Phillip’s Quest Series is in illustration right now! Dean Kuhta is doing the wonderful illustrations. Look for a September Kickstarter Campaign.

5. Across the Elusive Sea,Book III, is almost half-way done!

Remember to let me know if you would like a colorful and fun newsletter sent to your child’s inbox!

The Busy Bee has been really busy, after all!

04/30/2014

Phillip’s Quest, Book II: Above the Stars

Above the Stars, the continuation of Phillip’s Quest for Winterfrost begins as the three companions arrive in the land of Winterfrost, a land of “unbelievable beauty and incredible cold.” A book as beautiful as WInterfrost, this book is filled with new and old characters alike. Meet Phillip’s new friends, Llemura and Llamont; new enemies, Bael and a new wizard and the unicorn, Chaspère and Unilda. Find out what happens to the companions and their beloved Twistedoak as they continue their epic saga. Will they get through this challenging journey together?

Above the Stars is written by Belinda MIller and has the beautiful illustrations of Dean Kuhta. A fantasy of words and pictures.

Above the Stars will be available for sale in book and ebook format, late October, 2014 through Amazon.com.

04/17/2014

How to Find a Gnome

I look at the writings of my collegues and remark at the careful and, I’m sure, sometimes tedious research that they perform to authenticate their writing. I admire them and sometimes feel guilty because my writing requires nothing but my imagination! Even though I had Dean Kuhta’s wonderful illustrations to follow and knew the kind of characters I needed to create, I knew little about gnomes. I mean, what did you need to know? Short and stocky? Yup. Bearded? Sure. Conical hats? Mostly. I mean, just look at the annoying Travelocity gnome (my cousin started that company, so I hope I won’t get in trouble). Voila, a gnome! Then, after the third book, I decided maybe I should do some research.

Did you gnow that there is a whole gnome culture out there! First of all, I went nuts on Pinterest. Too much fun. Beautiful illustrations of gnome and their habitats. Artists have put together mini-gnome habitats. Too cute — so I went wild “pinning” all these pictures to my Phillip’s Quest page. Talented people. A bit weird, but talented. Yeah, right, look who’s talking! I’m obsessed.

So, of course, I must gnow MORE! Low and behold, I remember some of these illustrations and remember, from somewhere, the book called Gnomes. Immediately, I’m on Amazon and there it is, by Wil Huygen and RienPoortvelt. Two Dutchmen who put wrote and illustrated the iconic guide to all things gnome-ish. The illustrations are amazing! But, what’s more amazing is that I did okay with Phillip.

Except for some “nude-y” gnomes, (I’m not kidding), it would be a great book to show and read to children. One of my favorite parts is about the “other” night beings. One particular troll is called a “snotgurgle.” Must be Razorsnoot’s cousin! Gotta love it. Needless to say, I feel so much less guilty about not doing research. Goes to show you, you can find anything on the internet. Next research project–dragons!

As Phillip would say in his native language, “Slitzweitz!” (“Goodbye!”)

Of course, Phillip’s Quest and Gnomes are available on Amazon!

02/11/2014

Welcome to The Ragworts of Brokenfell

I promised a story, and a story, it is! This is an excerpt from the new book, an interim book, one might say, between “WInterfrost” and “Above the Stars.” For those of you have read “Winterfrost” you have met this family on the way to the Farmer’s Market. For those of you who haven’t met them before, BUY THE BOOK! Actually, it can be a stand alone book about these charming gnomes and they will have an interaction with the gnomes of Twistedoak. So, for now, meet Rawlink Ragwort…

” Rawlink was small, for a gnome; rather boney and slim. He had a short dark beard and the sharpest emerald-green eyes. Sometimes, he wore a cap, rather than the normal, pointed, gnome hat. All of his ways were quiet, he didn’t speak much. Rawlink’s quietness was very useful. He could sneak up on an animal or one of his brothers and they’d never know he was there. Even though he was small, he was quick. That quickness let him run and hide in the woods when he and his brothers would play “chase and hide.” He could lead them on a chase for hours.

From the time he could hold a book, Rawlink read incessantly. He’d just as soon read one of Poppa’s books, or whittle something, than go out and play with his brothers. He read anything he could find about the tales of the warrior dwarves and their weapons. It was told that the dwarves used special weapons during the Blue Azuric Wars, against the Red Witch. Interested by the dwarves bows and arrows, Rawlink spent most of his time carving pictures on the bows and setting stones in the arrows he made. As he got older, his carving became much finer. “That Rawlink whittles just like his Poppa,” his dad would proudly say.

Rawlink loved the legends of the Warrior Dwarves and would make up his own stories about them. He wrote about their riding on giant dragonflies, with purple wings that glowed, even in the dark, and flew faster than an eagle, or of the dinosaurs that they rode into battle and their tails, that with one swipe, could crush a battalion of goblins. The pick axes and sabers the dwarves used would be made of silver and gold and inset with the most precious of gems. They wore armor crafted by the finest metal smiths and it was so polished, that shine would burn the eyes of their enemies. He would later read the stories to his sons.

By the time he was ready to go to school, he already knew how to read and write. The gnome had all his stories written in a little book hidden under the straw mattress of his bed, tightly wrapped in an old shirt of his, so his brothers wouldn’t find it. Rawlink just knew that those dwarves were real. He carved arrows from the twigs he would find in the Dark Forest and arrow heads from smooth, flat stones.”

01/28/2014

Truth or Dare…A Gnome’s Recipe

Is this recipe a fantasy? Maybe, maybe not. It sure sounds good, especially on a very cold Virginia day.

Phillip made this sauce in the Vast Enchanted Forest after he and Edward hadn’t eaten for a whole day. They had just left the Farmer’s Market where Phillip said his “good-bye” to a very unhappy Ivy. What had happened afterwards, Phillip did not know until Azur broke the news.

It was evening when Phillip and Edward entered the Forest and they were exhausted.

There were many Tree Folk in this part of the forest. Groups of them line the curvy path and appeared to be engaged in important conversations with one another. Their twiggy hands pointed and gestured. One of them glanced over and gave Edward a little wink as the travelers walked by.

Phillip’s Quest, Book 1: Winterfrost, “The Staring Statues”

Edward, the squirrel was always hungry and enough was enough. He knew that Phillip could not go much longer without food so,

He jumped from tree to tree, for a good hour, while Phillip looked over his maps (they were lost, at this point). One of the Forest Fathers even helped by shaking his branches and allowing Edward to gather all the fallen nuts! Phillip then made the sauce with some maters he bought from a dwarf at the Farmer’s Market.

Five or six small ripe maters will make enough for one gnome and one hungry squirrel.

Finely chop the maters up into a hollowed out rock or a saucepan that’s been coated with a little oil. Simmer the maters until some of the water cooks out. Put a handful of crushed hazelnuts into the mater sauce with some salt and a bit of black spice (if you have it) and cook until thick.

A perfect meal for day old tater buns and if you’re lost in a vast forest.

…Appendix F: Phillip’s Mater Sauce with Hazelnuts

The Appendices, B-F are recipes that I adapted. Some important ingredients have been omitted and revised to coincide with the story. Still, an experienced cook could improvise and make with his or her child. Actual recipes will be reprinted here or in an upcoming cook book!

By the way, the artwork for The Vast Enchanted Forest is brilliant! Please look at the Twisted Oak Press website: twistedoakpress.com, where you can by beautiful art prints from Phillip’s Quest, as well as other art from my collaborator, Dean Kuhta.

01/25/2014

The Care and Feeding of Gnomes

When writing my first children’s book, Phillip’s Quest, Book 1, Winterfrost, I found it was necessary to spend many hours at the main library in the Village of Twistedoak, to research the species genomos or “earth dweller.” One cannot simply look at the commercialized and sometimes obnoxious “garden gnome” as popularized by a certain travel company and think, “Ugh! Why would you write about those creepy creatures!” Mais, non! To know a gnome, is to love a gnome. And so, my love of Phillip began.

Gnomes are self-sufficient and resilient, by nature. Very easily pleased, their normal psyche is that of loving, caring beings, with huge hearts and a general joie de vivre. Although small in stature, smaller than their dwarf counterparts in height, their hands and feet are disproportionately larger. Requiring very little physical care, the gnome is naturally quite healthy due to its diet, rich in organic fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts and occasional raw dairy and eggs. Even though rarely sad or depressed, a tasty cookie or wiskit, will change the mood of the gnome from sad to glad! Not comfortable with confrontation, the gnome is a master diplomat. One of the favorite gnome mottos is, “Don’t worry, be happy.” (Yes, it originally came from the gnome community and found on Rune stone in 1579 A.D. by Swiss alchemist, Paracelsus.) Since the gnome is not normally equipped for protecting itself, it has many natural predators; goblins, trolls, orcs, snakes, wolves, giant spiders, bats, ice hornets, etc… and evil witches. Their only means of protection comes from the help of a higher being, i.e. humans, blue witches, wizards.

The gnome’s eating habits differ, slightly, from region to region. The gnomes of Twistedoak are vegetarians while other gnomes add dairy, fish and poultry to their diet. The female gnome, given to having a large family, are excellent cooks. They can turn anything into a feast. The gnomes of Twistedoak arrived from their Old Country as mushroom farmers, many millennia ago. They “settled at the edge of the Great Granite Mountains and the Vast Enchanted Forest… They grew the most lovely mushrooms. Some looked like little white pearls. The farmers called them ‘candy ‘shrooms.’ They were as sweet as sugar and the wee ones would steal them as quickly as they popped out of the ground. Their mothers and fathers always knew when they’d eaten too much, because they would come running home, crying, with tummy aches. Some of the mushrooms were golden and big enough to feed a family of four…” However, due to circumstances beyond their control, these resilient gnomes have learned to adapt their diets to the main crops of “taters and onions.”

Not for a lack of recipes, the female gnomes are very sharing, often having recipe trading parties. Before the passing of Ivy, she was kind enough to share some wonderful recipes that she loved, as well as recipes from the Great Granma Polli. A recipe from Oli, the squirrel and a favorite of Phillip’s were also shared for our book. They are:

Ivy’s Tater Buns

Ivy’s Tater Dumplings

Ivy’s Tater and Onion Pancakes

Oli’s Nutty Cakes

Phillip’s Mater Sauce with Hazelnuts

All recipes can be found in Phillip’s Quest, Book 1: Winterfrost. An upcoming cookbook, adapted for human consumption, is in the works!

Winterfrost Publishing

Author, Belinda Miller

gnomes