Little Bird Woman: Cover Reveal
Hello again! Welcome back to my blog. Come on in!
I am so thrilled it is finally March! There are crocuses and daffodils popping up in my garden, and my magnolia tree is beginning to bud. The robins are singing at dawn, and the sun is rising earlier every day. The earth is coming back to life where I live in Indiana, and it’s just beautiful.
For this year’s spring equinox, I am doing something extra special to celebrate: Little Bird Woman, my newest book, releases March 21! And today, I get to share its cover art by artist Shelley Wallace.
I am just in awe of the work that Shelley has done. Her piece beautifully captures the essence of my story. The Northern Cardinal high in the bare tree sings out a clear message of hope in uncertain times. Yes, my book is a story of grief and sorrow, but it is ultimately about hope, and following the light in the dark. I am so thankful for Shelley’s stunning artwork. It embodies my book’s message so profoundly.
Little Bird Woman
Nature always lets me be
just how I am.
She is my refuge.
She draws out my grief.
Only wilderness
can restore my peace.
It is a bitter cold February day in 1875 when eleven-year-old Geneva Stratton returns to her old family farm in northern Indiana. Forced recently to move to a nearby town, she misses the peace and beauty of the farm and its surrounding woods and fields. But what she misses most of all is her mother, whose funeral she’s come to attend.
Geneva knows she’ll have to return to town soon. But now, in the depths of grief, she needs the wild desperately. She needs the care only Nature can provide. And so, just for today, into Nature she goes.
Based on the life of author and naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter, Little Bird Woman follows young Gene as she wanders the land she loves and communes with the natural world around her. There she might find peace and comfort, and the hope to carry on.
Little Bird Woman will be available in paperback and ebook on March 21.
I will be at a few local events in April and May with my books, so if you are in the Indianapolis area, please be sure you’re following along for those announcements, and come see me! You can subscribe to my email newsletter and follow me on social media for that news.
My deepest hope for Little Bird Woman is that readers, especially young readers, find in it a sense of comfort and hope in any grief they may be going through. When I was a child, I experienced my own tragic loss, and I drew on this in my writing. This, and of course the life story of Gene Stratton-Porter, who herself lost many loved ones, but who still saw the world with a bright outlook. She always wrote her own books in such a way that uplifted her readers. I couldn’t help but follow her lead.
Be sure to stay tuned for purchase information, as well as where I’ll be with the book. Hope to see you there!
Happy (almost) spring!
Katie
Meet Katie!
Hello there! Welcome to my blog. I’m Katie. Come on in!
This is the place where I’ll share a little bit each month about my writing and my writing journey. You can also subscribe to my monthly newsletter for a closer look behind the scenes, as well as a free short story (and more!).
About Me
Hey, I’m Katie! I’m a lifelong creative– a novelist and poet. I write for the young and young-at-heart. I draw my inspiration mostly from nature and history. I am happily married to my husband of sixteen years, and we have four awesome kids, plus three kitties and two pit bulls. Our family lives in the heart of Indianapolis, Indiana.
I love to hike, camp, garden, paint, draw, and I’m kind of obsessed with Broadway musicals. I especially love Hamilton and Hadestown, and a favorite since middle school is Newsies. Last summer my oldest was in a production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, so that’s a new favorite, too. My favorite movies are Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings, and my favorite book is Jane Eyre. A longtime goal is to hike the entire Appalachian Trail.
About my Writing
I wrote my very first book in Kindergarten– and then ended up writing a whole series about its main characters (who were pretty eccentric). I wrote all throughout my childhood and teenage years, often filling spiral bound notebooks and illustrating my stories. In high school, I created an imaginary planet and set many stories there.
I wrote my first novel, Going over Home, while I was in college, and published it in 2012. Its sequel, Going over Jordan, released in 2015. They were my first books, and will always have a special place in my heart.
In 2017, I published my first picture book, When Mother Read Aloud: The Life Story of Almyra King Holsclaw. The book tells the story of my great-great-great grandmother, an Indiana pioneer woman. It includes a pictorial biography of Almyra, and the story was illustrated by five local high school art students.
Last fall, I published my first book in verse, Wildflowers in Watercolor. The story follows three sisters as they navigate their healing journeys and are taken care of by the fairies who have promised to always watch over their family.
This March, I will be releasing Little Bird Woman, another story in verse based on Indiana author and naturalist Gene Stratton-Porter. The story follows 11-year-old Geneva on the day of her mother’s funeral as she wanders her old family farm and its woods, and communes with her beloved Nature in her grief and sorrow. The book releases at the spring equinox.
You can keep updated on my writing and books by subscribing to my monthly newsletter. When you sign up, you’ll receive a free short story, based on a heartwarming childhood experience of my grandmother. In my newsletter, I’ll share all my book news, plus updates on author visits.
Well, thank you for stopping by my blog! Be sure to subscribe, and I hope to see you soon!
Katie