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I was recently invited by
Preservation Maryland
to participate in a podcast. Their group does fantastic work, but I hesitated.
The interview took place last week, and I needn't have worried. Our conversation centered largely on the importance of place and the power of storytelling, which are two topics dear to my heart.
Whether I'm writing fiction or nonfiction, for adults or young readers, I hope to create a strong sense of place and tell an engaging story.
I'll always be grateful to my parents for fostering my passion for people, places, and the past.
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At Mystic Seaport, CT.
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They shared their love of reading, and took my sisters and I to many living history sites and museums.
I hope your summer plans will include visiting a site or two, and some good reads as well!
Speaking of trips...
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Do you enjoy audiobooks? I rarely go on a trip without one. Imagine my joy at being able to announce that (drum roll) the first Chloe Ellefson mystery audiobook is now shipping!
Click below to eavesdrop on the scene from Old World Murder where Chloe and Roelke first meet.
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3-minute sample by Elise Arsenault
Ⓒ Tantor Audio.
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This is the first of three unabridged Chloe audiobooks coming from Tantor Audio. N
arrated by talented voice artist Elise Arsenault, each comes in audiobook CD and MP3 CD formats.
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Ⓒ 2017 Tantor Audio,
Recorded Books, Inc.
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The
Old World Murder
audiobook is available from indie bookstores, Amazon, Audible, Books-A-Million,
Barnes & Noble, and others
.
Why not recommend them to your local library? That way you'll be able to listen to Chloe's adventures on your summer trips.
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Last year a young interpreter at Colonial Williamsburg wrote a blog post called "
We Are The Felicity Generation
." It was a moving testimonial to the impact that Felicity -- one of the beloved American Girl characters created by Valerie Tripp -- had on a generation of girls, some of whom now work at Williamsburg or other historic sites.
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Yes, that's me, age six. I was so proud of that hat! |
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As a young child I visited Colonial Williamsburg a number of times, so I was especially delighted when American Girl invited me to write about Felicity, who lived there during the American Revolution.
As an adult it was great fun to revisit this very special historic site while researching my Felicity book.
Gunpowder and Tea Cakes was released in February and has now been ranked in the Top 1% of US Print Book Sales for over 50 days.
It's the first new Felicity book to be published since the character was temporarily retired a decade ago. It's also her first time-travel, choose-your-own-adventure story.
Last month I participated in a Tea Party for American Girl fans hosted by a local public library.
Many of the girls and their dolls came dressed in their finest attire.
It's a privilege to spend time with young people who are so excited about reading, history, and writing
!
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One of my intentions in writing the Chloe Ellefson mysteries was to entice readers to visit the historic places where those stories are set. These include destinations as diverse as a remote lighthouse, an urban flour mill museum, and Laura Ingalls Wilder's homes.
And Old World Wisconsin and the Village of Eagle, of course.
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Map for The Light Keeper's Legacy. |
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To facilitate self-guided visits, my husband Scott (AKA "Mr. Ernst") created custom Google maps for each book, with photos and descriptions of where the key scenes are set.
In some instances he has also written book-specific location
guides you can print and/or download to yo
ur mobile device to take with you.
All this and more is available to you on
my website
.
(And now you can even enjoy a Chloe audiobook enroute.)
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Whether your idea of a wonderful trip involves a cross-country journey or a stroll in your yard or local park, we wish you all the best. Please stay in touch, and happy reading!
Warm regards,
P.S. -- Visit my Calendar to see where I'll be this Summer.
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Bestselling author Kathleen Ernst writes award-winning mysteries, and historical fiction and non-fiction for adults and young readers.
Over the years her work has earned numerous honors, including an Emmy, a LOVEY, and Edgar and Agatha mystery award nominations.
To date 1.7M audio, ebook and printed copies of her 35 published books have been purchased. For more about Kathleen, click
HERE
.
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American Girl is a
(®
) of American Girl, LLC.
Midnight Ink is a
(®
) of Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
Tantor Audio is a
(
®
)
of Recorded Books, Inc.
Publicity photo by Imagine Designs by K.
This email is
© 2017 Kathleen Ernst, LLC.
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