Posts Tagged: Joy Preble

Photography Friday- Joy Preble TKE Signing

01 Apr, 2011 by in Heather Gardner Photography Leave a comment

Author Joy Preble made a stop near us at the King’s English bookstore in Salt Lake City and we were able to finally meet her. She is just as nice in person as she is online. I love her books because they explore the Romanov family and Russian folklore, plus they have matyroshka dolls in the storyline! We found out last night that she is working on book #3 in the Dreaming Anastasia series which is so exciting. Local YA author Sydney Salter was there as well as Catie S from BookBound. If you want another chance to see Joy in person, come to Barnes and Noble in Layton at 6:30 PM. Special thanks to Joy for her kindness and the signed bookmark being auctioned for JAPAN below. And to King’s English for always putting on wonderful events. All photos copyright Heather Zahn Gardner

Books For JAPAN #3-Signed Joy Preble Book

01 Apr, 2011 by in Uncategorized 4 comments

Our Books for JAPAN auction #3 is a pack of signed swag from bestselling author young adult author Joy Preble.

You are bidding on:

1) a signed paperback copy of Haunted,

“Anne is trying her best to live a normal life, but she’s still got some power sparking inside her. She’s hearing and seeing things that she tries her best to ignore-like being haunted by a Russian sea nymph that claims the princess Anastasia is still alive. That’s when Ethan Kozninsky-he of the stunning blue eyes, thick brown hair, and former immortal status-returns. Anne soon realizes that everything she’s been trying to forget might be impossible to bury.”

2) one author signed bookmark

Place your bid by commenting below with your email address and the amount you are willing to donate for all three items together. 100% of the proceeds go directly to Japan tsunami victims humanitarian aide. Auction ends April 11, 2011 at 8 pm MST.

Baba Yaga Redo Notebook Giveaway

11 Feb, 2011 by in Uncategorized 42 comments


Our second ETSY giveaway for the book Haunted by Joy Preble was graciously donated by shop owner StudioMME… “I’m a girl from the frigid land of North Dakota who just moved to sunny San Jose. I play with pens and lots of ink. I like ice cream, chocolate, and just about every type of cereal. The Grimms and Edward Gorey were my bedtime stories when I was a kid and it’s safe to say that they influenced me quite a bit.

You can follow my newest project updates at:
http://studiomme.blogspot.com/

My artistic portfolio can be found at:
http://www.studiomme.com/

My quirky little shop contains prints of my original illustrations, canvas bookmarks, note cards, and a few notebooks.

Description: This little ‘redo’ notebooks features my illustration, “Baba Yaga“. All of us wish life were full of redos, and that’s exactly what I’ve given these prints. Occasionally my printer decides to spit out a stray drop of ink, making a print unacceptable for a buyer to purchase. Over time these ‘marred’ prints began to build up until one day I had the idea to give them a redo. Now these prints are back and better than ever as mini notebooks. Made with lightweight cardboard and lined with black pastel paper, these little notebooks feature 20 pages of Strathmore 400 drawing paper. Excellent for note-taking or small sketches. The notebook measures roughly 4.5″ x 6″.

To Enter To Win: a Baba Yaga redo notebook simply leave a comment below
additional optional entries
+1 for adding her etsy shop to your favorites

+1 for liking her Facebook fan page: www.facebook.com/studiomme
+1 for following Studio MME on twitter www.twitter.com/studiomme
+1 for our blog followers
+1 for our Facebook fans
+1 for our twitter followers @fireicephotos
+2 for Tumblr followers http://heatherzahng.tumblr.com/
+3 for each retweet of this giveaway @fireicephotos
+1 fo visiting our Baba Yaga photo gallery and commenting http://www.flickr.com/photos/heatherzahngardner/galleries/72157623345868050/
+5 for posting it on your blog or FB profile

*Add up your entries and leave the total with the links in your comment*

Contest ends March 11, 2011 and is open internationally

Book Breview- Haunted

11 Feb, 2011 by in new YA fiction Leave a comment

Haunted
by Joy Preble
Paperback, 320 pages
Published February 1st 2011
by Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN 1402244681
series Dreaming Anastasia #2

3.5 stars

Anne is trying her best to live a normal life, but she’s still got some power sparking inside her. She’s hearing and seeing things that she tries her best to ignore-like being haunted by a Russian sea nymph that claims the princess Anastasia is still alive.

That’s when Ethan Kozninsky-he of the stunning blue eyes, thick brown hair, and former immortal status-returns. Anne soon realizes that everything she’s been trying to forget might be impossible to bury.

Haunted starts off where the first book in the Dreaming Anastasia series left off, only Ethan is on his own and Anne has a new lifeguard boyfriend, Ben. I have to say I was a little disappointed that Anne found someone new in between book one and two. But Ethan comes back into the picture just in time. Strange things are happening in Anne’s world…visions of the old crone Baba, increasing paranormal power Yaga plus the added appearance of a rusalka-mermaid who seems desperate. At first she is merely an apparition but then her motives become deadly and dangerous.

We learn more Russian mythology and see a completely different slant on sirens of the sea. I savored every minute of the time between Anne and Ethan…sure hope there is a book three coming so we can see what the two of them can accomplish together. There is some swearing and references to sex so I would recommend Haunted to readers age 14 and older as a fairytale with a dose of darkness and a dash of magic. Stay up to date with all the latest Dreaming Anastasia and Haunted happenings at Joy Preble’s website.

Book Review-Baba Yaga The Flying Witch

04 Feb, 2010 by in book review, usborne 1 comment

Published February 29th 2008

by Usborne Publishing Ltd (first published January 2008)

details Hardcover, 48 pages

isbn 0746085605

4 stars

Story summary from the back cover


In this fantastic Russian folktale, Baba Yaga zooms through the forest on her flying pot. Her hair is greasy, her hands are arty. Her nose reaches down to her chin. And poor Tasha has been sent into the forest to find her…

First of all, let me say that Usborne Books are my very favorite in the whole world. Their editions are sturdy and withstand my children’s manhandling, chewing and reading. This one I picked up from the library. It has a cushioned hard cover and a ribbon inside to hold your place. I was interested in the subject because of the YA fiction book “Dreaming Anastasia” by Joy Preble. The folk tale of Baba Yaga was introduced within the story and I wanted to learn more.
The Usborne version is easy to read with beautiful illustrations and my children have all passed it around.  They are picky readers, so any book that holds their interest is impressive for me!  I can’t wait to pick up the other fairy tale book in the Usborne Easy Reader series.
To see images of Baba Yaga and the matryoska doll on Flickr see the photo galleries here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/heatherzahngardner/galleries/

Dreaming Anastasia

26 Jan, 2010 by in review, Sourcebook Jabberwocky, YA historicla fiction 1 comment


published September 1st 2009 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

details Paperback, 310 pages

isbn 1402218176

Summary from Goodreads “Anastasia Romanov thought she would never feel more alone than when the gunfire started and her family began to fall around her. Surely the bullets would come for her next. But they didn’t. Instead, two gnarled old hands reached for her. When she wakes up she discovers that she is in the ancient hut of the witch Baba Yaga, and that some things are worse than being dead.

In modern-day Chicago, Anne doesn’t know much about Russian history. She is more concerned about getting into a good college—until the dreams start. She is somewhere else. She is someone else. And she is sharing a small room with a very old woman. The vivid dreams startle her, but not until a handsome stranger offers to explain them does she realize her life is going to change forever. She is the only one who can save Anastasia. But, Anastasia is having her own dreams…

The premise of this book is fascinating and deeply rooted in Russian history and folklore. What really happened to Anastasia Romanov the day her family was shot and killed during the Russian Revolution? Who is Baba Yaga the mystical witch who haunts Anne’s modern day dreams and why is she keeping the Princess captive?
I must say reading this book got me fascinated in the facts behind the fiction. It also had elements which I love…the talking matroyshka doll, dance, family roots and the story of brave Vasilisa plus an old woman in the forest, much like our Hansel and Gretel.

Images from Wikipedia.

Ethan was a great hero. I am not myself drawn to Marlboro smoking, vodka drinking, stand offish men…but I think he captured the essence of his pre-cold war Russian ancestors. And he does have that mystique, the beautiful blue eyes and the pull of Anne’s dreams which drew me in. I was a little disappointed by the peripheral sexual talk. In my opinion it really did not add to the plot in any way and could have just been left out.

Other than that, though, “Dreaming Anastasia” adds a very interesting twist to history that made me want to learn more. And I can’t wait to make some new stuff to go with it! I would give it three stars.