NEWS FROM ISLANDPORT PRESS

Crustacean Vacation book release party set for June 2
 Join us for a full day of fun at the Children's Museum of NH in Dover

Feeling a bit crabby? Then be a little shellfish and join author Brian Benoit and illustrator Marty Kelley to celebrate the release of their new picture book, Crustacean Vacation, on Saturday, June 2, 2 to 4 p.m. at the Children's Museum of New Hampshire, 6 Washington Street in Dover.

Special programs, at 2:00 and 2:45, will include a reading of Crustacean Vacation by the author, art activities led by the illustrator, a question and answer period, book signing, and more. There will even be a chance to take a photograph of yourself as an octopus lifeguard, one of the characters from the book. Admission to the museum is $9, free for members.

In addition, a "Crab Walk to a Cure" event will take place at 1 p.m. at the Henry Law Park, in front of the museum. Participants are invited to make a pledge and do a 100-yard crab walk. All proceeds benefit the Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber Cancer Institute. Crab walkers will receive certificates, buttons, coupons and more. Participants also receive $1 off the museum admission price.

In Crustacean Vacation, a curious family of crabs venture on land to picnic on the beach, play games in a boardwalk arcade, and slide in a water park. This is no ordinary boardwalk. Here, a seagull runs the candy store, a shark manages the tattoo parlor, a seahorse hawks prizes, and yes, the lifeguard is an octopus. Young readers will delight in the clever rhyming verses paired with wacky and wonderful illustrations from the imagination of acclaimed New Hampshire artist Marty Kelley.

Kelley is the author and illustrator of several children's books, including Fall Is Not Easy, The Rules, Winter Woes, Summer Stinks, Spring Goes Squish, The Messiest Desk, and Twelve Terrible Things. He has been a second grade teacher, a baker, a cartoonist, a newspaper art director, a drummer in a heavy metal band, a balloon delivery guy, and an animator. Now he visits lots of schools to show students how he creates his books.

Originally from Somersworth, New Hampshire, author Brian Benoit now listens for the roar of the surf deep in the woods of Cavendish, Vermont. His sea creatures were originally conjured up to entertain his brother during family trips on the Maine coast, but have since proven popular with his own children. He shares his life with his wife, Jennifer; daughter, Emery; and son, Liam. Crustacean Vacation is his first children's book.

The not-for-profit Children's Museum of New Hampshire is located in the center of Dover and offers two floors of hands-on, interactive exhibits for children from newborn to age 12. Visitors can explore a wide range of interests, from dinosaurs, music and aeronautics to world cultures, art and natural history. Open year-round, the Silver LEED-certified museum specializes in creating memorable family learning experiences and works closely with schools, social service agencies and educators. The museum also hosts a variety of live performances, workshops, classes and special events. For more information, and directions to the museum, please visit www.childrens-museum.org.




Crustacean Vacation Nights at the Weathervane Seafood Restaurants
 Restaurant to have special programs with children's book author and illustrator in June

Islandport Press will team with Weathervane Seafood Restaurants this June to celebrate the release of Crustacean Vacation, a new children's picture book which follows a crab family's fun-filled summer visit to a local amusement park.

In the book, written by Vermont author Brian Benoit, a curious family of crabs venture on land to picnic on the beach, play games in a boardwalk arcade, and slide and glide in a water park. But this is no ordinary boardwalk. Here, a seagull runs the candy store, a shark manages the tattoo parlor, a seahorse hawks prizes, and the lifeguard is an octopus. Young readers will delight in Benoit's clever rhyming verses paired with wacky and wonderful illustrations straight from the imagination of acclaimed New Hampshire artist Marty Kelley.

To introduce New Englanders and vacationers to the book, Benoit and Kelley will visit all thirteen Weathervane restaurants in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts during the month of June. On a specially scheduled "Crustacean Vacation" night at each location, the author or illustrator will read the book, books will be available for sale and signing, diners will receive family-friendly activity sheets, and the restaurant will raffle off a signed copy of the book. In some locations, Islandport and Weathervane will also team with a local bookseller.

Mark these dates!

Wednesday, June 6:
Marty Kelley will appear at the West Bedford, NH, Weathervane, 393 Route 101, West Bedford
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 6:
Brian Benoit will appear at the West Lebanon, NH, Weathervane, 263 Plainville Road (Route 12A), West Lebanon
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 10:
Brian Benoit will appear at the Sanford, ME, Weathervane, 1601 Main Street, Sanford
5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Monday, June 11:
Brian Benoit will appear at the South Portland, ME, Weathervane, 380 Gorham Rd., South Portland
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 12:
Brian Benoit will appear at the Waterville, ME, Weathervane, 470 Kennedy Memorial Dr., Waterville
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 13:
Brian Benoit will appear at Beyond the Sea, 74 Main Street, Belfast, in this companion event, with story-telling, music, activities and more.
1:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 13:
Brian Benoit will appear at the Belfast, ME, Weathervane, 3 Main St., Public Landing, Belfast
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 13:
Marty Kelley will appear at the Nashua Weathervane, Levitz Plaza, 174 Daniel Webster Highway, Nashua
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 14:
Brian Benoit will appear at the Brewer, ME, Weathervane, 710 Wilson St., Brewer
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 14:
Marty Kelley will appear at the Kittery, ME, Weathervane, 306 US Route 1, Kittery
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 20:
Marty Kelley will appear at the Salem, NH, Weathervane, 41 S. Broadway, Salem
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 21:
Marty Kelley will appear at the Dover, NH, Weathervane, 2 Dover Point Road, Dover
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 27:
Marty Kelley will appear at the Chichester, NH, Weathervane, 329 Dover Road (Route 4), Chichester
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, June 28:
Marty Kelley will appear at the Leominster, MA, Weathervane, 1290 Main St., Leominster
5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Originally from Somersworth, New Hampshire, author Brian Benoit now listens for the roar of the surf deep in the woods of Cavendish, Vermont. His sea creatures were originally conjured up to entertain his brother during family trips on the Maine coast, but have since proven popular with his own children. He shares his life with his wife, Jennifer; daughter, Emery; and son, Liam. Crustacean Vacation is his first children's book.

 

Kelley is the author and illustrator of several children's books, including Fall Is Not Easy, The Rules, Winter Woes, Summer Stinks, Spring Goes Squish, The Messiest Desk, and Twelve Terrible Things. His career as an artist started when he began drawing historically accurate pictures of spaceships dropping bombs on dinosaurs. He has, in the past, been a second grade teacher, a baker, a cartoonist, a newspaper art director, a drummer in a heavy metal band, a balloon delivery guy, and an animator. Now he visits lots and lots of schools to show students how he creates his books. He is also a juried member of the New Hampshire State Council for the Arts Visiting Artist Roster.

Printer-friendly schedule of Crustacean Vacation Nights



back to top


 Tales from Misery Ridge named Best Outdoor Book of 2011
 New England Outdoor Writers honor book by former Maine Guide

Tales from Misery Ridge: One Man's Adventures in the Great Outdoors, a book by former Maine Guide and accomplished outdoorsman Paul J. Fournier, has been named Best Outdoor Book of 2011 by the New England Outdoor Writers Association.

Tales from Misery Ridge was released by Islandport Press in the fall of 2011, and is the first book by Fournier, who has not only worked as a Maine Guide, but has also been a bush pilot, sporting camp owner, nature photographer and videographer, television producer, and a longtime official with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

"To receive such a prestigious award from so distinguished a group of professional writers is a high honor indeed, one which I will treasure," Fournier said. V. Paul Reynolds, editor of The Northwoods Sporting Journal, accepted the award on Fournier's behalf. The award was announced March 31 at the organization's annual Excellence in Craft ceremonies, held this year at the Singletary Rod & Gun Club in Oxford, Massachusetts. The organization also bestowed awards for newspaper and magazine writing and photographs. Reynolds also picked up a first-place award for the Best Opinion, Magazine category.

In Tales from Misery Ridge, Fournier writes about his experiences and adventures in Maine's Great North Woods, and beyond. He takes readers soaring on his first solo flight in a Piper Cub, describes how a master canoe builder makes his dream canoe a reality, and introduces them to brave flying wardens on rescue calls. Fournier also tells of some spectacularly large salmon, lust-addled moose, leaping trout, adopted eagle eggs, pesky black bears, and a historic mission to transplant caribou from Newfoundland to Maine. Each of these stories reflects special places and times in the Pine Tree State that few have been fortunate enough to experience firsthand.

NEOWA was established in 1942 by a group of dedicated outdoor writers concerned about natural resources, conservation, and our outdoor heritage. NEOWA is the oldest regional outdoor writers organization in America, and is a nonprofit, professional, and educational organization. Learn more at www.neowa.org.



back to top


 Suddenly, The Cider Didn't Taste So Good!
 Front line stories energize book from former game warden, John Ford Sr.

Retired Maine sheriff and game warden John Ford Sr. has been shot at by desperate prison escapees, outwitted wily trappers, and rescued scores of animals. He's also a great storyteller. Ford brings all of his adventures – both serious and funny – wonderfully to life in his new book, Suddenly, The Cider Didn't Taste So Good, which will be officially released by Islandport Press on April 20.

Ford's book is a collection of true stories direct from the front lines of law enforcement, whether they be heartwarming tales of rescuing hurt animals or exciting accounts of run-ins with hardened criminals. As a dedicated game warden, Ford was willing to do whatever was necessary to nab violators of the state's fish and game laws. At the same time, he wasn't a heartless, go-by-the-book enforcer; he understood the true nature of many local characters, and was always ready with a good quip when he slipped the handcuffs on a violator. Nor was he above accepting a lesson learned as sufficient penalty for breaking the law.

"John Ford's stories from his long career as a Maine game warden are offered with humility and good humor, and demonstrate an abiding affection for the land, creatures, and quirky characters of Maine," said Kate Braestrup, author of the New York Times bestselling memoir, Here if You Need Me. "Ford is an appealing character, a great storyteller, and he's FUNNY."

Ford, a native Mainer, was sworn in as a Maine game warden shortly after finishing up a four-year stint in the U.S. Air Force. He spent all of his twenty-year warden career in Waldo County, in central Maine. Upon his retirement in 1990, he was elected as county sheriff, and reelected in 1994. He has written a local newspaper column since 2002, and is a regular contributor to the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He lives with his wife in Brooks, Maine.



back to top


 "Crustacean Vacation" starts soon at a restaurant near you
 Islandport Press partners with Weathervane Seafood Restaurants for release of new children's book

Islandport Press will team with Weathervane Seafood Restaurants this June to celebrate the release of Crustacean Vacation, a new children's picture book which follows a crab family's fun-filled summer visit to a local amusement park.

In the book, written by Vermont author Brian Benoit, a curious family of crabs venture on land to picnic on the beach, play games in a boardwalk arcade, and slide and glide in a water park. But this is no ordinary boardwalk. Here, a seagull runs the candy store, a shark manages the tattoo parlor, a seahorse hawks prizes, and the lifeguard is an octopus. Young readers will delight in Benoit's clever rhyming verses paired with wacky and wonderful illustrations straight from the imagination of acclaimed New Hampshire artist Marty Kelley.

To introduce New Englanders and vacationers to the book, Benoit and Kelley will visit all thirteen Weathervane restaurants in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts during the month of June. On a specially scheduled "Crustacean Vacation" night at each location, the author or illustrator will read the book, books will be available for sale and signing, diners will receive family-friendly activity sheets, and the restaurant will raffle off a signed copy of the book. In some locations, Islandport and Weathervane will also team with a local bookseller.

Meg Cloud, Marketing Director of Weathervane Seafood Restaurants said "We support education and literacy in many ways, including scholarships and support for local summer reading programs. Partnering with Islandport Press to bring this exciting new book into our own restaurants is a perfect opportunity to show children how much fun reading can be."

"The Weathervane is a family-oriented New England institution and we are delighted to be working with them," said Dean L. Lunt, publisher at Islandport Press. "As the book industry continues to change, we think it is critical to find new and fun ways to reach readers and promote literacy, to continue exploring ways to engage people who lead very busy lives and have many, many entertainment and reading options. Teaming with the Weathervane and some local booksellers gives us that opportunity, and is a way to increase exposure for the very talented Brian Benoit and Marty Kelly."

Weathervane was opened in 1969 by Ray and Bea Gagner. It started as a simple take-out stand in the small town of Kittery, Maine, and it was just a summer place that folks traveled to for fresh seafood, tasty chowder, lobster and other yummy treats prepared from old family recipes. Although times have changed, the tradition carries on. Today, the Weathervane Seafood Restaurants, headquartered in Kittery, operates thirteen restaurants in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.



back to top


 Islandport Press signs Transatlantic Literary Agency to handle foreign rights
 The Canadian agency, renowned for its foreign rights experience, will represent Islandport at global book fairs this year

Islandport Press, Inc., has reached an agreement with Toronto-based Transatlantic Literary Agency to represent Islandport titles in Europe and Asia, as part of Islandport's plan to expand its reach internationally.

Transatlantic will present Islandport Press book titles to foreign publishers who are interested in publishing foreign language versions of Islandport books or seeking to acquire the right to sell English language versions in their countries.

"As the publishing business continues to undergo seismic and irreversible change," says Islandport Publisher Dean L. Lunt, "it is critical that we aggressively explore new markets for our titles. Even though we are a regional publisher, we believe that some of our titles will be very appealing to European and Asian readers. We have been impressed with the work done by Transatlantic and believe the agency is well-positioned to help us expand into these areas."

Previously, Islandport Press reached an agreement with Nimbus Publishing of Halifax, Nova Scotia, to distribute select Islandport titles across the Canadian provinces.

Transatlantic will present Islandport Press's foreign rights catalog to subagents at the annual Bologna Book Fair taking place later this month in Italy. The book fair is the leading international rights fair for children's publishing. Transatlantic will also represent Islandport's adult titles at the London Book Fair in April.

"I was impressed by the universal quality of Islandport's books and look forward to attracting international interest in them," says Transatlantic senior agent, Lynn Bennett.

Transatlantic has been selling rights to literary properties into the Canadian, UK, US and European markets since 1993. Established as a community of creative people with many years experience in book publishing, Transatlantic is a company of professional literary agents based in Canada and the United States.



back to top


 Connecticut artist to illustrate new children's book
 "There are No Moose on this Island" scheduled for 2013 release

Is the sun in his eyes? Are there ants in his pants? What's keeping Jake's dad from spotting the moose, grazing in the woods? In There are No Moose on this Island, that's the question that both Jake, a helpful moose, and artist Jennifer Thermes will help readers answer. Islandport Press is pleased to announce that it has signed the Connecticut artist to illustrate acclaimed author Stephanie Calmenson's new picture book, due out in 2013.

In lively rhymes — and helpful comments from a playful moose — the book tells the story of Jake and his dad, who take a ferry ride one day to explore a coastal island. Though his dad insists there are no moose on this island, Jake sees one. While he tries to convince his dad that the moose exists, his dad teaches Jake about sea life, woodland animals, birds, and insects. But in the end, it's Jake who shows his dad the value of putting aside the guide book and ferry schedule to truly experience the outdoors.

"We're delighted to be working with Jennifer again," says Islandport children's book editor Melissa Kim, who signed Thermes to her second book with Islandport. "Jennifer's gentle, whimsical watercolors make this a unique wildlife hide and seek book, as well as a charming departure from the ubiquitous cartoon moose. Children will love to spot the moose and learn about other wildlife along the way."

Thermes is a veteran illustrator whose first children's book for Islandport Press, The Iciest, Diciest, Scariest Sled Ride Ever by Rebecca Rule, will be released this fall. She has also illustrated Maggie & Oliver, or A Bone of One's Own, a middle-grade novel by Valerie Hobbs, and is the author and illustrator of Sam Bennett's New Shoes and When I Was Built. In addition to being an avid reader, an obsessed gardener, and an adorer of cats, Thermes also creates illustrated maps for publishing and magazine clients. She lives in an old farmhouse in Newtown, Conn., with her family, two cats, one dog, and countless mice.

Stephanie Calmenson is the author of more than one hundred books for children, including Dinner at the Panda Palace, A PBS StoryTime Book; The Principal's New Clothes; Jazzmatazz; Late for School; Welcome, Baby! Baby Rhymes for Baby Times; and Good for You! Toddler Rhymes for Toddler Times. Her fiction and poetry have been called "hilarious" and "lyrical" (School Library Journal), "marvelous" (Publishers Weekly), "funny, sweet, and right on the mark" (Booklist). She is also known for her highly acclaimed books about dogs, including Rosie, A Visiting Dog's Story, which Smithsonian called "one of the outstanding nonfiction titles of the year," and May I Pet Your Dog? The How-to Guide for KIDS Meeting DOGS (and DOGS Meeting KIDS), a Horn Book Fanfare selection and an ALA Notable Children's Video. Stephanie lives in New York City and vacations in Down East Maine.


back to top


 Q and A with Crustacean Vacation author Brian Benoit
The children's book is scheduled for a June 2012 release

Q: Where you did get the inspiration for this book?
I used to entertain my younger brother on car trips with sea creature hand-animals, and introduced them to my children thirty years later. My brother related to the Lobster, which was inspired by a skit on Saturday Night Live, but my kids both respond most enthusiastically to the Crabs, Snappy and Happy, so they've become my alter ego and they have wild adventures. In my own childhood, when we went to the beach, it was usually York Beach, sometimes Old Orchard, both in Maine, and both had arcades, boardwalks and an active street scene, so it seemed natural that the Crab family would choose such a destination for Crustacean Vacation.

Q: What were your favorite books as a child? What do you remember reading?
I love T.S. Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, and have most of it memorized. I recall Ogden Nash's limericks, the Alice books, and my third-grade teacher reading the Narnia books to us each day in school. For a different take on another classic from my childhood, I think the Masterpiece Theatre version of The Wind in the Willows is extraordinary and worth seeking out.

Q: What are your hobbies? What do you like to do when you are not writing books?
I ski, bicycle back and forth to work (in Vermont, 17 miles, no stop lights!), play guitar and piano. When I have time I might be found with a fly rod in my hand. I like to do science projects with my kids – model rockets, laser pointers. And of course, we're always playing with words.

Q: What are you working on right now?
I have several other Crustacean books going, an epic fish-tale, and a sea-creature themed rock 'n roll album that I need to spend some time recording soon.

Q: If you could be an animal, which animal would it be?
I'd love to be a leopard!


back to top

 Islandport Press to publish mystery by UNE teacher, writer
Joshua Pahigian's "Strangers on the Beach" planned for Fall 2012 release
Just as the tourist season is beginning, a famed billionaire adventurer gets stranded in the vacation mecca of Old Orchard Beach after an incident at sea. Despite mounting evidence to the contrary and an investigation by local police, the adventurer, while holing up in one of the town's grand hotels, refuses to admit foul play was involved in his mishap.

As the tourists — including two intriguing strangers — arrive, a troubled local teenager inadvertently uncovers evidence that presents him with the opportunity to change his lot. In Joshua Pahigian's Strangers on the Beach, a mystery/suspense novel to be published this fall by Islandport Press, the teenager, adventurer, and a host of townspeople will be forced to make decisions that will define them forever.

Pahigian is the author of seven books, including The Seventh Inning Stretch, 101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out and The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip. He also writes for ESPN.com. He is an adjunct professor at the University of New England, teaching composition, American Literature, and British Literature, and serves as faculty adviser to The Nor'easter News. Pahigian is a graduate of The College of the Holy Cross and has an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Emerson College. He lives in Buxton with his wife and son. Strangers on the Beach is his first novel.


back to top


 Online Literary Auction Planned to Help Fight Hunger
 Islandport Press to coordinate week-long auction of books to raise money for food

Some of Maine's and the nation's top literary and artistic talent will join the fight against hunger in the Pine Tree State this holiday season as part of the inaugural Islandport Press Online Literary Auction to Fight Hunger.

Islandport Press, a Yarmouth-based book publisher, will use Facebook and other social media to auction signed copies of books by talented authors, illustrators, and photographers including Dahlov Ipcar, Richard Russo, Colin Woodard, Tess Gerritsen, Cathie Pelletier, Sarah Thomson, and many more. This year, all money raised via the week-long online auction will benefit the Maine Credit Unions' Campaign for Ending Hunger. Islandport's goal is to raise enough money during the week to buy $10,000 worth of food.

"Unfortunately, hunger is a sad reality in our wonderful state and a problem that is only increasing given the poor economy,"said Dean Lunt, publisher, Islandport Press. "Maine Credit Unions have done a tremendous job in helping both to raise money to buy food and to bring awareness to the very real, but sometimes hidden issue. We are honored to join with them and to do what we can this holiday season to buy food for those in need."

The auction will take place around-the-clock from Monday, Nov. 28, to Friday, Dec. 2, and will be conducted primarily via the Islandport Press Facebook page. Information on silent auction items will also be available at on the Islandport Web site's Online Auction to Fight Hunger page. Islandport editors will disseminate auction information via Twitter accounts and the company's e-newsletters. All books or sets of books will have a minimum bid of at least $15, which translates into about $225 worth of food. To ensure that 100 percent of the money raised benefits the anti-hunger campaign, Lunt & Lunt Lobster Company of Frenchboro has agreed to cover the cost of shipping books to winning bidders.

Jon Paradise of the Maine Credit Union League called the "event a 'novel' idea, no pun intended. We appreciate the support of Islandport Press and the participating authors in helping to raise additional funds for the Maine Credit Unions' Campaign for Ending Hunger. We are excited at having our Campaign selected as the recipient of this endeavor. This is another example of Maine people helping Maine people, which is what credit unions are all about."

Hunger in Maine is becoming an ever more critical issue. According to the Credit Union League, more than 40 percent of Maine kids under the age of 12 show some evidence of hunger, 19,375 Maine children are hungry, and an additional 64,087 children are at risk for hunger. In total, data shows that 12 percent of Maine households, representing 161,000 people, experience food insecurity. The Maine Credit Unions' Campaign for Ending Hunger started in 1990 and since that time has raised nearly $4 million, with all of the money raised distributed to hunger organizations and food pantries throughout Maine. Each $1 donated will buy $14 to $16 worth of food.

Other authors and illustrators whose signed books will be part of the auction include: Paul Doiron, Gerry Boyle, John McDonald, Brian Vanden Brink, Charlotte Agell, Lily King, Kate Krukowski Gooding, Dana Moos, Ardeana Hamlin, Paul Fournier, Fred J. Field, Jessica Kinney, Astrid Sheckels, Jeannie Brett, Rebecca Rule, Glenna Johnson Smith, Kate Shaffer and Randy Spencer. Others may be announced prior to the auction. Special items to be auctioned include a complete signed set of 2011 Maine Literary Award winners donated by Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, a hand-crafted pillow with a scene from Dahlov Ipcar's "The Cat at Night" by Classic Rug Collection, and an original painting by Page O'Rourke.

back to top


 Questions and Answers with Paul J. Fournier
The author of Tales from Misery Ridge talks about his experiences, favorite stories and more

Q. What do you miss most about Brassua Lake?
A: My youth! My sense of freedom. So many things: The great fishing; the wonderful people we met – neighbors and customers; the flying and enjoying the gorgeous northern Maine scenery; the time spent just exploring the woods and studying nature ... and much more.

Q: What advice would you give today to a young Maine outdoorsman?
A: If that's your dream, go for it!

Q: What's your favorite story in the book, and why?
A: I guess the "Return of the Caribou." It was such a great adventure, involving so many fine and dedicated people who had a vision of restoring this magnificent creature back to the Maine wilderness. Despite the critics' attacks, I'm convinced the motive was pure – if perhaps misguided and with a tragic end. It's a tossup between that and "Foster Eagle," – in which Maine played such a vital role in restoring our national symbol.

Q: Have you ever gotten lost in the woods?
A: I've been "turned around" a few times for a short period; but always made it out on my own.

Q: Guiding, flying, camping, fishing, hunting and filming. Preferred activity?
A: All of the above! Plus wildlife observation, which perhaps tops all.

Q: What are you most proud of from your long career?
A: My years at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. It provided many opportunities to spend time with woods professionals – wardens, pilots, biologists – and to pursue some of the activities I love, including filming wildlife, providing information and education in the form of press releases, films, etc., to the general public.

Q: How do you fulfill your love of the outdoors these days?
A: During the warm months we live on a beautiful lake, and I take daily walks through a "tree farm" forest of 100-year-old pines and mixed hardwoods. I occasionally see deer, etc.

Q: What book or books are you reading now?
A: I'm currently reading one of Stuart Woods'. I enjoy his writing style, plus the fact that he's a pilot and incorporates flying in his stories, some of which are based in Maine and near the area in Florida where I now winter. The best book I've read (and re-read) in recent years: Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth.

back to top


 Islandport to publish children's book by acclaimed author Stephanie Calmenson

Moose on an island? Could it be? Yes, it could, at least according to the imagination of children's book author Stephanie Calmenson. Islandport Press is pleased to announce that it will publish Calmenson's next picture book, There are No Moose on this Island, in 2013.

In lively rhymes – and helpful comments from a playful moose – the book tells the story of Jake and his dad, who take a ferry ride one day to explore a coastal island. Though his dad insists there are no moose on this island, Jake sees one. While he tries to convince his dad that the moose exists, his dad teaches Jake about sea life, woodland animals, birds and insects. But in the end, it's Jake who shows his dad the value of putting aside the guide book and ferry schedule to truly experience the outdoors.

"This is a moose book like no other," says Islandport children's book editor Melissa Kim, who signed Calmenson. "It's fun and funny, but it's also a real nature walk that parents, teachers and librarians will appreciate. Stephanie has a great knack for being playful but also sneaking in a lot of information along the way. We are delighted to be working with her."

Stephanie Calmenson is the author of more than one hundred books for children, including Dinner at the Panda Palace, A PBS StoryTime Book; The Principal's New Clothes; Jazzmatazz; Late for School; Welcome, Baby! Baby Rhymes for Baby Times; and Good for You! Toddler Rhymes for Toddler Times. Her fiction and poetry have been called "hilarious" and "lyrical" (School Library Journal), "marvelous" (Publishers Weekly), "funny, sweet, and right on the mark" (Booklist). She is also known for her highly acclaimed books about dogs, including Rosie, A Visiting Dog's Story, which Smithsonian called "one of the outstanding nonfiction titles of the year," and May I Pet Your Dog? The How-to Guide for KIDS Meeting DOGS (and DOGS Meeting KIDS), a Horn Book Fanfare selection and an ALA Notable Children's Video. Stephanie lives in New York City and vacations in Down East Maine.

back to top


 Maine-based book publisher wins three Moonbeam Awards

Maine-based Islandport Press has been honored with three Moonbeam Awards for its books, continuing a strong run of industry recognition for the regional publisher dedicated to producing quality printed books with a New England flavor.

Given nods in the 2011 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards announced last week were: Dahlov Ipcar's Farmyard Alphabet, which earned a bronze medal in the Best Board Book category; My Cat, Coon Cat, by Sandy Fuller and Jeannie Brett, which won a silver medal in the Best Picture Book, Ages 4-8, category; and Mercy: The Last New England Vampire, by Sarah L. Thomson, which earned a silver medal award in the Best Young Adult Fiction -- Horror/Mystery category. Last year, The Fish House Door, written by Robert Baldwin and illustrated by Astrid Sheckels, received the gold medal award in the Picture Book, All Ages, category.

The Moonbeam Children's Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children's books and their creators, and to celebrate children's books and lifelong reading. "This year's Moonbeam award winners confirm that books can change children's lives," says Moonbeam Awards founder Jerrold Jenkins. "They've already had a big impact on the judges and the kids that read them, so we know these books were created to enrich children's lives."

Earlier this year, Where Cool Waters Flow by Randy Spencer was named Best Outdoor Book by the New England Outdoor Writers Association; Dahlov Ipcar's Farmyard Alphabet, was named a finalist for the 2011 Maine Literary Award for Best Children's Book; and The Fish House Door, won the 2011 Maine Literary Award for Best Children's Book.

Dean L. Lunt, publisher of Islandport Press, congratulated all the winners and said their awards help highlight the emphasis Islandport places on producing great books.

"We strongly believe that the printed book is not dead or doomed," Lunt said. "It is critical to publish quality books that tell good stories, and that are well edited, well designed, and beautifully illustrated. We have a great team dedicated to finding and producing these types of books, and these types of books will find readers."

back to top


 Portland author wins Moonbeam Award for YA novel

A young adult novel inspired by the true story of a teen accused of being a vampire in 1890s Rhode Island has earned the silver medal award in the Young Adult Fiction - Horror/Mystery category of the 2011 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards.

Mercy: The Last New England Vampire, by Sarah L. Thomson, is a contemporary story told through the eyes of 14-year-old Haley Brown. As Haley traces her family's history for a school project, she stumbles across eerie signs and ghostly messages from the past. Ultimately, Haley must learn to overcome her fears, cope with loss, and find her own strength to save herself and her family.

This marks the second straight year an Islandport Press children's book has won a Moonbeam Award and is one of three earned this year. Also in 2011, Dahlov Ipcar's Farmyard Alphabet earned a bronze medal in the Board Book category and My Cat, Coon Cat was awarded a silver medal in the Picture Book, Ages 4-8 category. Last year, The Fish House Door, written by Robert Baldwin and illustrated by Astrid Sheckels, received the gold medal award in the Picture Book, All Ages category.

The Moonbeam Children's Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children's books and their creators, and to celebrate children's books and lifelong reading. "This year's Moonbeam award winners confirm that books can change children's lives," says Moonbeam Awards founder Jerrold Jenkins. "They've already had a big impact on the judges and the kids that read them, so we know these books were created to enrich children's lives."

Award-winning author Sarah L. Thomson has published more than 25 books for young readers. Her young adult titles include Dragon's Egg (Junior Literary Guild Premier Selection and Maine Lupine Award winner, 2007),The Dragon's Son, which Booklist called "a spellbinding tale of love, intrigue, and betrayal," The Manny ("worthy of Jane Austen," according to The Washington Post), The Secret of the Rose, and The Young Reader's Edition of Three Cups of Tea (a New York Times bestseller). A former children's book editor for HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, she now lives and writes in Portland, Maine.

back to top


 Dahlov Ipcar's Farmyard Alphabet wins Moonbeam Award

The first ever board book by legendary Maine artist Dahlov Ipcar has been honored with a bronze medal in the Board Book category of the 2011 Moonbeam Children's Book Awards.

Dahlov Ipcar's Farmyard Alphabet pairs fresh, original verses with timeless illustrations from eleven of the artist's previous books, many of which are now out of print. From apples and barns to vegetables and wood stoves, both the unique text and bold, bright artwork celebrate farm life in Ipcar's inimitable style. The book also received honorary mention for best children's book in the 2011 Maine Literary Awards.

This marks the second straight year an Islandport Press children's book has won a Moonbeam Award. Last year, The Fish House Door, written by Robert Baldwin and illustrated by Astrid Sheckels, received the gold medal award in the Picture Book category.

The Moonbeam Children's Book Awards are intended to bring increased recognition to exemplary children's books and their creators, and to celebrate children's books and lifelong reading. "This year's Moonbeam award winners confirm that books can change children's lives," says Moonbeam Awards founder Jerrold Jenkins. "They've already had a big impact on the judges and the kids that read them, so we know these books were created to enrich children's lives."

Ipcar was born in Vermont and raised in New York City. She moved to a farm in Maine in 1937 and has lived and worked there ever since. She has written and illustrated more than 30 children's books, including The Little Fisherman (written by Margaret Wise Brown), The Cat at Night, My Wonderful Christmas Tree, and One Horse Farm. In 2010, she created Dahlov Ipcar's Farmyard Alphabet, her first children's book in more than 20 years. Her second board book, Dahlov Ipcar's Wild Animal Alphabet, will be released in November, and her third, "Dahlov Ipcar's Maine Alphabet," which will complete the set, will come out in 2012.

Her previous book-related awards include the prestigious Kerlan Award in Children's Literature in 1998; the Katahdin Award from the Maine Library Association in 2001; and the New England Independent Booksellers Association President's Award in 2010.

back to top


 Islandport to publish Maine Game Warden's book
 John Ford's collection of stories due out next spring

Retired Maine Game Warden John Ford Sr. has seen it all. He's been shot at by desperate prison escapees, has outwitted wily trappers, and rescued scores of animals. As a tenacious warden, he was always willing to spend the time needed to nab violators of the state's fish and game laws. At the same time, though, he wasn't a heartless, go-by-the-book enforcer; he usually had a good quip ready when he slipped the handcuffs on a violator, and he wasn't above accepting a lesson learned as sufficient penalty for breaking the law.

Ford is also a very gifted storyteller, and Islandport Press is pleased to announce it will be publishing his first book, Suddenly the Cider Didn't Taste So Good, in the spring of 2012. The book is a collection of true tales, both humorous and serious, from the trenches of law enforcement that also include heartwarming accounts of his rescue of hurt or abandoned animals, and his run-ins with some sketchy, yet delightful local characters.

Ford, a native Mainer, was sworn in as a Maine Game Warden shortly after finishing up a four-year stint in the U.S. Air Force. He spent all of his twenty-year warden career in Waldo County in central Maine. Upon his retirement in 1990, he was elected as county sheriff and re-elected in 1994. He has written a local newspaper column since 2002 and is a regular contributor to the Northwoods Sporting Journal. He lives with his wife in Brooks, Maine.

back to top


 Q and A with Jessica Kinney
 The author of "The Pig Scramble" talks about her inspiration and tools for writing

Q: Where you did get the inspiration for The Pig Scramble?
A: This book is based on a true story that happened to my husband when he was a child. Growing up on a farm in rural Maine afforded certain experiences to which most kids have limited (if any) access these days, mine included (though in Maine, we have more of these opportunities than in other places, if we want to seek them out). This story in particular always struck me as perfect for a children's book.

Q: What were your favorite books as a child? What do you remember reading?
A: I was fortunate to have parents who constantly fed my book appetite, whether through giving me books to read based on my interests, or through dropping me off at the local library and letting me roam for hours on my own. I can remember devouring whatever I could get my hands on, reading some books three or four times (A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle is one I can remember finishing and immediately turning right back to the beginning to read again). I also went through a Greek mythology phase, where I carried an old paperback copy of Gods, Demigods & Demons: An Encyclopedia of Greek Mythology by Bernard Evslin everywhere and read it at every possible moment, even during class time in elementary school (it was the perfect size to open in my desk and read without my teacher seeing). I still have it, though it's held together with a rubber band.

Q: What is the most useful thing you have done in your past to prepare you to write this book?
A: The most critical thing I have done in the past (and present) to prepare me to be a writer has been to read as much as I can, as often as I can. An effective writer is also an effective reader, one who seeks out a variety of styles and voices.

Q: How did you get started as a writer? How did you know that's what you wanted to do?

 A: I always loved writing, especially letters, but didn't think I could write a book until I'd grown up a bit, lived in several different places, and enjoyed a variety of life experiences. Most readers I know ask themselves, "could I write this?", as they're reading most anything. I'm no exception – and while I gave a lot of thought to being a writer, it took quite some time before I found my voice. My husband's encouragement helped a great deal, too, and his gentle prodding to express myself through writing was, and is, invaluable.

Q: What is the most important tool you use in writing or illustrating? The one thing you can't work without?
A: Steaming hot, black coffee – the most important tool I use in writing, and everything else that I do. I can't work without it.

Q: What books are on your bedside table right now?
What Matters? Economics for a Renewed Commonwealth by Wendell Berry; The Wave by Susan Casey; John the Revelator by Peter Murphy; The Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor.

Q: What is your favorite word?
A: For some reason, I've always liked the look of the word "juxtaposition." There's something about the "j" and "x" together that I find interesting.

Q: What do you like to do when you are not writing?
 A: Reading, obviously. Also cooking, for four reasons. It's:
1. tangible
2. creative
3. requires my hands
4. necessary

Q: Do any people or pets from your real life appear in, or serve as inspiration for, your books?
A: This is my first book, and while my husband and his family have served as the inspiration for this particular story, several artistic/practical liberties were taken with some of the details. Overall, though, when I am writing, I am inspired by the thought of at least one person reading it, and that person feeling glad that I wrote it.

Q: What is your next project? I'm working on two children's books. The first is another book with Clarence and Uncle Leon, which I hope to complete soon. The other is about an important historical figure from Maine.

Q: If you could be an animal, which animal would it be? Would it be a pig?
A: My two oldest sons would have me say, in my best Napoleon Dynamite voice, "A liger ... it's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed ... bred for its skills in magic."

back to top



 Bert and I ... The Book, Breaking Ground now available as ebooks
 Maine-based book publisher adds to its growing list of ebook titles

Ayuh, Bert and I has gone digital.

Award-winning publisher Islandport Press has released two new ebooks, Bert and I ... The Book by Marshall Dodge and Robert Bryan, and Breaking Ground, by William D. Andrews. The ebooks are available in all major ereader formats, including for the Kindle, Nook and Apple iPad. Traditional trade paperback versions of the books were released earlier this summer.

Bert and I ... The Book features the text of more than sixty classic Bert and I stories. The book also includes the first complete "Bert and I" discography, including original album art and liner notes, as well as an introduction by Rebecca Rule, author of Live Free and Eat Pie! and Headin' for the Rhubarb!

Breaking Ground is a mystery set in the western mountains of Maine and is the follow-up to Andrews' Stealing History. This time, a well-known benefactor is murdered on the morning of the ceremony to celebrate construction of an important new building. Julie Williamson, the historical society's puzzle-loving director, can't help but want to solve the murder, much to the dismay of those around her.

The ebook releases come on the heels of Maine-based Islandport's initial foray into the rapidly growing ebook format with the release of Ardeana Hamlin's historical novel Abbott's Reach and, earlier, the Kindle-only release of Randy Spencer's Where Cool Waters Flow: Four Seasons with a Master Maine Guide.

Islandport Press, while remaining firmly committed to the printed book, plans to make nearly all of its new adult trade paperback releases available as ebooks at the same time as the printed versions are released. The company will also release Mercy: The Last New England Vampire a young adult novel by Portland's Sarah Thomson as an ebook on Sept. 16 and the non-fiction outdoor book, Tales from Misery Ridge: One man's adventures in the great outdoors by Paul Fournier in October. The company does not expect to release any children's picture books in an electronic format before 2012 or 2013.

Islandport Press is a dynamic, regional publisher dedicated to stories rooted in the essence and sensibilities of New England. For information about Islandport's books, please call 207-846-3344, visit www.islandportpress.com or e-mail info@islandportpress.com.

back to top



 Book launch party to take place in Brunswick
 Pig scrambles, both literary and live, scheduled for October 1

Pigs, pig scrambles, and county fairs all make for good stories and great memories. On Saturday, Oct. 1, children will have a chance to experience all of the above.

Join Jessica Kinney, author of the forthcoming children's picture book, The Pig Scramble, at a release party for the book from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Frontier Cafe in Brunswick. She will read from the book, sign books, and answer questions. Light refreshments will be served. The Frontier Cafe is located at 14 Maine Street in the Fort Andross Mill in Brunswick.

If you are a Cumberland County resident between the ages of 8 and 10, there's even more in store. You can apply to be in the Cumberland County Fair Pig Scramble and have a chance to win not just a pig, but a copy of The Pig Scramble. To enter, you must fill out an application at the fair office (197 Blanchard Rd., Cumberland) before 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29. Twenty children will be chosen from all the applicants to take part in the Pig Scramble; names will be drawn just before the scramble at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1. All participants will receive a signed copy of the book; all other applicants will get bookmarks and discount coupons for the book.

The Pig Scramble, a hardcover children's picture book published by Islandport Press, is written by Jessica Kinney and illustrated by Sarah Brannen. It tells the story of Clarence, a young boy who feels very small compared to his two big brothers. He just can't seem to find his place on the family farm. But advice from his inventive uncle helps him win the county fair's pig scramble and gain some self-confidence along the way. Accompanied by illustrations of an adorable pig every kid will want to take home, The Pig Scramble is perfect for read-aloud storytimes or for newly independent readers. County fair fans will appreciate Kinney's detailed depiction of this beloved New England tradition.

Jessica Kinney is a Maine native and mother of six who lives and writes on the coast of Maine. A Bowdoin College graduate and former middle- and high-school English teacher, Kinney says The Pig Scramble was inspired by a true story about her husband, who grew up as the youngest child on a Maine dairy farm and really did win a pig at a local fair.

Sarah S. Brannen is the author and illustrator of Uncle Bobby's Wedding. She also illustrated Digging for Troy: From Homer to Hisarlik; Mathias Franey, Powder Monkey; and The ABC Book of American Homes. Forthcoming books include The Ugly Duckling and Tooth Truth.

Islandport Press is a dynamic, award-winning publisher dedicated to stories rooted in the essence and sensibilities of New England. For information about the event, contact the Frontier Cafe at 207-725-5222. For more information about the book, please call 207-846-3344, visit www.islandportpress.com or e-mail info@islandportpress.com.

back to top



 Celebrate Mercy's release at the Eastern Cemetery
 Book launch party scheduled for Saturday, October 1

What better place to celebrate the book launch of Mercy: The Last New England Vampire than in a cemetery? Join award-winning author Sarah L. Thomson to celebrate the release of her new young adult novel on Saturday, October 1, from 2 to 4 p.m., at the Eastern Cemetery, 224 Congress Street, Portland.

Take a "Dead Girl" tour of the cemetery, led by cemetery caretakers Spirits Alive; get your own ghoulish photo taken at a photo booth; and look for sightings of Mercy Brown's ghost wandering the graveyard. Thomson will also sign copies and read from the book, and all visitors will leave with a memento of Mercy.

Mercy breaks new ground in the genre of young adult vampire stories in that it is inspired by a true story. Mercy Brown and her family lived in Exeter, R.I., in the late 1890s, when the New England vampire tradition held powerful sway. When Mercy's family members began to die, fear struck deep in the hearts of the small community. Following Mercy's death, when her brother took sick, villagers convinced Mercy's father to have the corpse exhumed. They dug out her heart, burned it, and fed it to her brother. He too died – as Mercy had – from tuberculosis.

Middle-grade and young adult readers will easily identify with the modern-day narrator, Haley Brown, a 14-year-old girl who's struggling to cope with a new stepmom and baby brother, a terminally ill cousin, and falling grades. When Haley digs deep into her family history for a school project, she uncovers a disturbing New England tradition and a ghostly past. Haley must overcome doubts and confront a vampire in order to save herself and her family. Thomson's gifts as a storyteller make Mercy an exciting coming of age story about loss and family.

Thomson has published more than 25 books for young readers. A versatile writer, her books include Dragon's Egg, an adventure about two friends who rescue a dragon's egg (winner of the 2007 Maine Lupine Award), a picture book biography of Abraham Lincoln, and the young readers' version of the bestselling title Three Cups of Tea. A former children's book editor at HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, Thomson now lives in Portland.

The event is co-sponsored by Islandport Press, the Portland Public Library, and Curious City. In the event of rain, the event will be held at the Teen Room at Portland Public Library, 5 Monument Square. Islandport Press is a dynamic, award-winning publisher dedicated to stories rooted in the essence and sensibilities of New England. For information about the event, contact Curious City at 207-420-1126. For more information about the book, please call 207-846-3344, visit www.islandportpress.com or e-mail books@islandportpress.com.

back to top



 Q and A with Sarah Thomson
 The author of "Mercy: The Last New England Vampire" talks about her inspiration and how she became a writer

Q: Where you did get the inspiration for Mercy?
 A: Mercy was one of those books that popped into my head as the result of a bit of recreational research. I was wandering about on the web, idly searching for vampire legends from different cultures. Weren't there any Asian vampires, or African vampires? Was the eastern European tradition, the one that gave us Dracula and his spawn, all there was? What I ended up stumbling across was not folklore, but a startling historical fact: in 1892 in Exeter, Rhode Island, the corpse of an eighteen-year-old girl named Mercy Brown was disinterred and mutilated because her family and friends were convinced she was a vampire. I was surprised and intrigued to find a vampire legend so close to hand and so modern – chewing gum had been patented, bicycles were becoming popular, and the first professional baseball team was playing at the time Mercy's community was taking steps to rid itself of the vampire in its midst. Mercy and her family became the basis for my young adult novel.

Q: What were your favorite books as a child? What do you remember reading?
A: I remember constantly stealing my brother's copy of Lord of the Rings, and learning to move the books on either side of it in a little bit, so as not to leave a gap on the shelf that he would notice. I remember the Hardy Boys series too (with their bright blue spines) and the Tintin graphic novels. The Little Princess was another, such a comforting book – the lush descriptions were a sensual delight.

Q: What is the most useful thing you have done in your past to prepare you to write this book?
A: Learning to read attentively and critically is my best habit as a writer. The minute I read something I like, or something that scares me, or something that makes me cry, I'm picking it apart to see how the writer did it. How did he/she connect with my emotions, catch my attention, shock or astonish me? Paying attention to the structure of other books helps me no end when it comes to writing my own.

Q: How did you get started as a writer? How did you know that's what you wanted to do?
A: Well, nobody would pay me to read, so I had to figure something else out. And anyway, I have to admit that reading all day, every day, wouldn't quite satisfy me – because I have this quirk. No matter how much I like a book (or a movie, or a TV show, for that matter) some part of my brain is always re-writing it – changing the ending, giving a minor character more prominence, making sure my favorite people don't get killed off. I just can't keep my sticky little fingers off narrative; I always want to do it my way. Writing books is the only way I know to be in complete control of the story, to let it all come out exactly as I want it to.

Q: What books are on your bedside table right now?
A: Mary Poppins Comes Back by P.L. Travers (for comfort) and The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith (to scare me to death)

Q: What are you working on right now?
A: My next project is a lullaby picture book, Around the Neighborhood. I wrote it for my daughter, now almost three years old. She used to burst into tears any time I tried to sing it to her.

back to top



 The Fish House Door named best Maine children's book
 The picture book earns top honors at 2011 Maine Literary Awards

Islandport Press is pleased to announce that The Fish House Door, a picture book written by Robert F. Baldwin and illustrated by Astrid Sheckels, received the Children's Book Award for the 2011 Maine Literary Awards from the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance. The awards were announced at a ceremony in Portland on July 14. The Fish House Door also received the Gold Medal Award at the 2010 Moonbeam Awards for Best Picture Book (all ages).

The Fish House Door is set on an island off the coast of Maine and tells a classic story of the value of tradition and history. Shawn comes from a long line of island lobstermen. His father, grandfather, and great-grandfather have all hauled traps, painted buoys, and cleaned their brushes on the door of the same fish house for decades. To Shawn, the door is just a weathered old piece of wood with broken hinges. But when an art dealer comes to visit, he gives Shawn a new perspective on the fish house door, giving him a fresh look at the people and traditions that have shaped his past and will chart his future.

"We are honored to have The Fish House Door recognized," said Islandport Press children's book editor Melissa Kim. "It's a storybook that tells a meaningful and authentic story, and we're sorry that Robert Baldwin is not here to receive this award. Astrid has brought his story to life with her timeless illustrations, so we hope generations of children will enjoy the book."

Baldwin, who died in 2007, was a modern day troubadour, singing, playing the banjo, and collecting and telling stories wherever he went. His articles and stories appeared in Sea Frontiers, Down East, Offshore, Maine Boats and Harbors and Yankee. His children's books include New England Whaler, This is the Sea That Feeds Us and Cities Through Time: Beijing. After living in Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Iowa, Baldwin and his wife Annabelle settled in Newcastle, Maine, where he first heard the story of the fish house door.

Sheckels was born and raised in the farming town of Hatfield, Massachusetts. Her detailed illustrations give every story more depth and dimension. The scenes and faces in The Fish House Door are based on location photo shoots and real New Englanders. Sheckels' first children's book, The Scallop Christmas, written by Jane Freeberg and published by Islandport Press, won a 2009 Maine Lupine Honor Award, given annually to a picture book of outstanding merit, and was an Honorable Mention book in the 2010 Maine Literary Awards. Sheckels lives and works in Greenfield, Mass.

back to top



 Islandport signs illustrator for new children's book
 The Iciest, Diciest, Scariest Sled Ride Ever! pushes off in Fall 2012

Some days, there is nothing more thrilling than a good sled ride – the faster, the better. So, on a cold winter day when "the world was ice and we were skaters without skates," seven children set out an a sledding adventure that soon soars to epic proportions when Lizzie and her friends convince Grampa Bud to let them use his custom-built runner sled – a sled built for speed. This magical day comes to life in The Iciest, Diciest, Scariest Sled Ride Ever!, a children's book set for release in November 2012.

Connecticut illustrator Jennifer Thermes' vivid watercolors animate the winsome characters and joyous winter action. The children slip, slide, crawl, and scramble their way up an icy slope to finally fly down the highest, mightiest, iciest sledding hill on Old Mountain Road. The children's book, written by New Hampshire storyteller and author Rebecca Rule, will be published by award-winning publisher Islandport Press.

"We're thrilled to be working with Jennifer. Her artwork conveys such a strong sense of motion that makes it such a perfect fit for this book," says Melissa Kim, children's book editor at Islandport Press. "She also brings a lovely sense of humor and authenticity to the seven children; everyone will recognize or identify with someone in the story."

Thermes is a veteran illustrator who most recently finished illustrations for Maggie & Oliver, or A Bone of One's Own, a middle-grade novel by Valerie Hobbs, to be released by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers in October 2011. She is also the author and illustrator of Sam Bennett's New Shoes and When I Was Built. In addition to being an avid reader, an obsessed gardener, and an adorer of cats, Thermes also creates illustrated maps for publishing and magazine clients. She lives in an old farmhouse in Connecticut with her family, two cats, one dog, and countless mice.

Rule is the author of Live Free and Eat Pie! and Headin' for the Rhubarb: A New Hampshire Dictionary (well, kinda). She is the author of three short story collections about New Hampshire, including "The Best Revenge," named Outstanding Work of Fiction by the New Hampshire Writer's Project. Her blog, "Travels with Becky," can be found at www.livefreeandeatpie.com.

back to top



Vermont author, N.H. artist team to create "crabtastic" children's book
 Islandport Press plans release of "Crustacean Vacation" in 2012

Where do crabs go when they just need a break? To the seashore, of course! Follow a family of crabs as they embark on a fantastic Crustacean Vacation in a children's book written by Brian Benoit and illustrated by Marty Kelley, due out in the spring of 2012 from Maine-based Islandport Press.

On their grand day out, Mom, Dad, two crablets and Grannie venture on land to picnic on the beach (yum, peanut butter and jellyfish!), play games in a boardwalk arcade (not even a crab can win at The Claw), and slide and glide in a water park. This is no ordinary boardwalk. Here, a seagull runs the candy store, a shark manages the tattoo parlor, a seahorse hawks prizes, and the lifeguard is an octopus. Young readers will delight in the clever rhyming verses paired with wacky and wonderful illustrations from the imagination of acclaimed New Hampshire artist Marty Kelley.

"Brian's whole premise for Crustacean Vacation was so silly and funny and unusual, it was impossible not to love it," says Islandport children's book editor Melissa Kim. "And when Marty agreed to illustrate it, I knew we had a winner. He really sees the world through the eyes of a 6-year-old and brings that world to life with his art."

Kelley is the author and illustrator of several children's books, including Fall Is Not Easy, The Rules, Winter Woes, Summer Stinks, Spring Goes Squish, The Messiest Desk, and Twelve Terrible Things. His career as an artist started when he began drawing historically accurate pictures of spaceships dropping bombs on dinosaurs. He has, in the past, been a second grade teacher, a baker, a cartoonist, a newspaper art director, a drummer in a heavy metal band, a balloon delivery guy, and an animator. Now he visits lots and lots of schools to show students how he creates his books. He is also a juried member of the New Hampshire State Council for the Arts Visiting Artist Roster.

 

Originally from Somersworth, N.H., author Brian Benoit now listens for the roar of the surf deep in the woods of Cavendish, Vt. His sea creatures were originally conjured up to entertain his brother during family trips on the Maine coast, but have since proven popular with his own children. Influenced by the poetry of Ogden Nash, Shel Silverstein, T.S. Eliot, Edward Lear and Lewis Carroll, he currently indexes historical government documents for NewsBank/Readex. He lives in Vermont with his wife, Jennifer; daughter, Emery; son, Liam; a border collie; three Practical Cats; a host of chickens; and numerous tropical fish. Crustacean Vacation is his first children's book.

back to top



 Q and A with Sandy Ferguson Fuller
 The author of My Cat Coon Cat talks about her inspirations and hobbies

Q: Where you did get the inspiration for My Cat, Coon Cat?
 A: My family adopted a young Maine coon cat (Tiger) and we enjoyed his company for almost twenty years. I didn't know that he was a coon, at first, but his exceptional personality and behavior captured my curiosity and admiration. He was the perfect cat for a canine lover, because he acted so much like a dog! When I discovered his true identity, I was smitten with my kitten and his special breed! I decided to share his antics with kids and coon cat lovers of all ages.

Q: What were your favorite books as a child? What do you remember reading?
 A: Two standouts for me, and I still love them both: Winnie the Pooh and The Secret Garden. An unknown entitled Timothy Tattercoat ranks a close third, but it's long out-of-print now.

Q: How did you get started as a writer and illustrator? How did you know that's what you wanted to do?

 A: Thanks and kudos for that will always go to Maurice Sendak, whose personal mentoring at Yale inspired me to do both. I had retired my childhood picture books to the bedroom shelf long ago, but Maurice rekindled a love for the magic of this unique genre. I still think Robert Lawson's words best reflect my passion and reasons for pursuing a career in children's book publishing... "It is difficult, if not impossible, to know which of the myriad of children's books will penetrate a given child's own magic circle of existence and strike the clarion note of pure truth. No one can possibly tell what tiny detail of a drawing or what seemingly trivial phrase in a story will be the spark that sets off a great flash in the mind of some child, a flash that will leave a glow there until the day he or she dies."

Q: What are your hobbies? What do you like to do when you are not writing and illustrating books?

A:I love music, especially playing guitar and piano. Favorite outdoor sports include skiing, hiking, snowshoeing, kayaking and loon watching in Maine. Another favorite? Romping with my golden retriever, Riva. The older I get (in years, at least), the more I crave peaceful, easy, quiet times, and sharing with my grown children, other family, and special friends.

Q: What are you working on right now?
A: Several picture book ideas are competing for the front burner and my creative energy! I'm also a literary agent, polishing several manuscript concepts with a few of our published authors. Of course, as co-author, I'm excited about the continuing travels of the BLUES, our intrepid little birdwatchers who travel the world and share their adventures with kids in their picture book series.

Q: If you could be an animal, which animal would it be?
A: Either a wolf, or a wild horse, as long as humans would let me be free to live my life as it should be.

Q: What books are on your bedside table right now?
A: Keeper (by Kathi Appelt), The Elegance of the Hedgehog and The Daily Coyote remain there, because I love and want to revisit before shelving. Currently I'm finishing up Moon over Manifest (wonderful Newbery Winner) and waiting for me next is The Year of the Hare.

back to top



 Historical novel "Abbott's Reach" released as ebook
 Release marks foray of Islandport Press into electronic book formats

YARMOUTH, MAINE (May 13, 2011) — Ardeana Hamlin's latest novel, Abbott's Reach, has been released as an ebook in all major formats, marking the initial widespread foray by Maine-based Islandport Press into the rapidly developing book format.

A traditional trade paperback version of Hamlin's historical novel was released in April, with ebook versions, including those for the Kindle, Nook and Apple iPad, released May 13.

"We remained firmly committed to the printed book," said Dean L. Lunt, editor-in-chief and publisher of Islandport Press. "But given the rapidly developing ebook technology and changing reading habits, all publishers, even small and regional presses, must begin developing and implementing an ebook strategy if they hope to survive."

Lunt said Islandport will begin making nearly all of its new adult trade paperback releases available as ebooks and will begin releasing select backlist books in ebook format by late 2011 or 2012. "We believe the ebook is still developing and changing, so we will remain very flexible and somewhat conservative in our approach to the format," Lunt said. "But there is no question that ebooks are here to stay in a big way and we need to be in that market."

The company is still formulating its plans to create ebook versions of children's books, and does not expect to release any picture books in an electronic format before 2012 or 2013, though it will release a young adult title, Mercy: The Last New England Vampire as an ebook this fall.

Melissa Kim, senior editor of children's books, said, "We're not going to do it just because we can; we want to make sure we do it in the right way and for the right reasons. We are working with extremely talented illustrators and authors and are committed to showcasing their work in the highest quality and best possible format, in a way that promotes reading and childhood literacy."

Islandport's first widespread ebook release, Abbott's Reach, by Bangor native Ardeana Hamlin, tells the story of a headstrong and emotional young woman setting sail on her honeymoon voyage with her sea captain husband during the nineteenth century. Their travels around Cape Horn to Hawaii and back home again, are rife with excitement, romance, adventure and family strife. This gripping novel is the sequel to the author's now-classic Pink Chimneys, set around a notorious Bangor brothel.

back to top



 Q and A with William Andrews
 The author of "Breaking Ground" talks about his research and inspiration

Q: Has your main character, Julie Williamson, changed at all since your first book, Stealing History, and if so, how?
A: Julie's gotten more self-confident, more sure of herself, more willing to lead. This makes her a stronger director and more able to deal with the trustees and other Ryland people. But it has some implications for her relationship with Rich O'Brian that are touched on a bit in Breaking Ground and will become more apparent in the third book of the series.

Q: If Julie wasn't the director of a historical society what would she be?
A: A cop. She'd probably deny that and claim she's really an historian, but I think she's too interested in people to spend her time doing research about the past.

Q: Why/how did you decide to make old land deeds and property disputes the focus of this mystery?
A: As a student of colonial America, I've always been struck by the fact that much of our country's early life revolved around land and the effort, by both individuals and the government, to get more of it. That led to disputes and controversies since the first European settlers landed. So the role of land in Breaking Ground is really very typically American, and I like playing with that theme in the context of a contemporary murder mystery.

Q: Julie likes puzzles of all kinds. Do you?
A: The only conventional puzzles I try are the ones on NPR's "Car Talk," mainly because I like cars. The puzzle that interests me most is why people do what they do, so in that sense I'm like Julie – and anyone who tries to write fiction.

Q: Do any people you know turn up, or serve as an inspiration for, characters in Breaking Ground?
A: Some of my friends swear either they or someone they know are models for one or another character, but I can honestly say no single character is based on any single individual I know. The characters in Breaking Ground are composites, put together from traits and quirks I notice in various individuals. For example, some people I've worked with are convinced that Mrs. Detweiller, Julie's secretary, is "just like" so-and-so that we used to know, but she's really an amalgamation of characteristics from a number of folks, not all of them secretaries.

Q: Do you prefer reading fiction or nonfiction?
A: I prefer reading to not reading and devour both fiction and nonfiction with no preference for one type over the other. I like to have one fiction book and one nonfiction one going at the same time so I can move back and forth between them.

Q: What are you reading right now?
A: True to my habit of reading nonfiction and fiction at the same time, I've doing two books: Burstein and Isenberg's Madison and Jefferson, a joint biography/history about two major figures in American history I've never liked but feel I should learn more about; and Steve Martin's latest novel, An Object of Beauty, a funny tale about the commercial art world that shows both how interesting and how corrupt dealers are – Julie Williamson might have to look for a stolen painting in a future book.

Q: Who's your favorite mystery author?
A: Not fair! I read any mysteries I can, and even if I end up not liking one I always feel I learn something about how to present and solve mysteries. I especially like mysteries with a strong sense of place. For example, Archer Mayor gets Vermont just right; Lisa Scottoline knows Philadelphia, where I used to live; and Ian Rankin makes me feel I'm in Edinburgh, a favorite city. I hope my mysteries bring small-town Maine to life in a similar way because I think we're all deeply affected by where we live.

Q: Do you currently have any writing projects?
A: The third in the Julie Williamson series is half done, and completing it this year is my goal.

Q: What's your favorite Maine getaway?
A: Since I divide my time between two of the most gorgeous places on the planet – the Mahoosucs and Casco Bay – I don't feel I have to get away to anywhere, but when the urge strikes I'm always happy to head to Mount Desert Island.

back to top



 Becky Rule to write her first children's book
 The New Hampshire storyteller takes kids on a wild sled ride

Rebecca Rule, New Hampshire author, storyteller and humorist, will infuse her first children's book, a delightful wintry tale of a wild sled ride, with her trademark wry sense of humor and authentic New England language.

The as-yet-untitled book to be published by Maine-based Islandport Press follows the adventures of seven children on a cold winter day when "the world was ice and we were skaters without skates." The children try to scramble up and rocket down "the highest, mightiest, iciest sledding hill" using an old-fashioned travis sled. The travis they borrow from Grampa Bud is homemade, two double-runner sleds hitched to a plank seat. The book is slated for release in Fall 2012.

"I am so excited to be doing a picture book," says Rule. "It is a career-long dream. I consider children's picture books high art." Rule is the author of Live Free and Eat Pie! and Headin' for the Rhubarb: A New Hampshire Dictionary (well, kinda). She is also the author of three short story collections about New Hampshire, including "The Best Revenge," named Outstanding Work of Fiction by the New Hampshire Writer's Project.

Rule is best known for her live storytelling events, many sponsored by the New Hampshire Humanities Council. She chronicles many of these events, and her encounters with people and language, in her blog, "Travels with Becky," which can be found at www.livefreeandeatpie.com. A graduate of the University of New Hampshire, she has taught writing classes there for a number of years.

She has lived in New Hampshire all her life (so far). She lives in Northwood with her husband, John Rule – who she calls John Rule – and their wire fox terrier, Bob.

back to top



 "Woman Who Runs With Moose" offers up self-help guide
 Susan Poulin pens her first book as the very funny "Ida LeClair"

Susan Poulin, the creator, performer and creative force behind the character "Ida LeClair" will write her first Ida LeClair book, a "self-help" guide intended to help readers get in touch with their "inner moose."

The as-yet-untitled book to be published by Maine-based Islandport Press will offer advice from Ida, a "certified Maine life guide," on such topics as relationships, physical fitness and housecleaning. Ida lives in the fictional western Maine town of Mahoosuc Mills, where, among other things, she is a cashier at the grocery store and enjoys attending Zumba classes. The book is slated for release in 2012.

"I'm thrilled to be working with Islandport Press. I have been writing plays as Ida since 1996, but a play is just not long enough to contain all Ida has to say. It's wonderful to have this opportunity to take her commonsensical approach to life and put it into book form," says Poulin."And, I'm honored to be joining the likes of such illustrious humorists as Becky Rule, John McDonald, and of course, Bert and I, who are also part of the Islandport family."

Poulin is perhaps best known for her live performances, including the play "Ida: Woman Who Runs with the Moose." She writes about and performs as Ida throughout the region. Her plays, which also include "Ida's Havin' a Yard Sale" and "A Very Ida Christmas," have won numerous awards and have delighted audiences for decades.

Selected by Portland Magazine as one of the "Ten Most Intriguing People in Maine," Poulin has been creating and touring her original theatrical productions since 1992. She has been a featured performer in "The Mirth of Venus" and "The Mirth Canal" at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, The Maine Festival, the Minneapolis Fringe Theater Festival, and Portland, Maine's Cassandra Project. Her work has been supported by the N.H. State Council on the Arts, the Maine Arts Commission and the Maine Humanities Council. Susan is also a popular keynote speaker, and has brought her humor and insight to presentations for groups such as Seacoast Women's Week, the American Cancer Society (New England Division), and the Personal Historians National Conference.

Poulin lives in South Berwick Maine, with her husband, Gordon Carlisle, with whom she runs Poolyle Productions, an original theatrical performance company. Visit their website at www.poolyle.com. For more information about Ida Leclair, visit her Facebook page.

back to top



 "Where Cool Waters Flow" named best book of 2010

Where Cool Waters Flow, Randy Spencer's first person account detailing a year in the life of a Master Maine Guide, has been named the best book of 2010 by the New England Outdoor Writers Association (NEOWA).

Where Cool Waters Flow was published by Maine-based Islandport Press and is the first book by Spencer, a Master Maine Guide. Spencer is based at Grand Lake Stream, a small town in Washington County that sits in the middle of what is widely hailed as a sportsman's paradise. In his book, Spencer puts readers in the seat of his Grand Laker fishing for salmon and takes them out on the trails, lakes, rivers and roads of the region he loves. He also introduces the visitors, the local legends and the residents of the town. His writing reveals a place where people go to decompress, connect with nature, and escape the pressures of modern society.

"Author and master guide Randy Spencer captured the true Maine that we sportsmen and residents of the state love," said Steve Hickoff, an author and one of the NEOWA judges. "He does so with graceful eloquence, and yeah, a more than a little self-deprecating humor. Want to visit here when you can't? Read this book."

The award was announced at NEOWA's annual meeting in Oxford, Mass., on April 2. NEOWA, established in 1942, is the oldest regional outdoor writers organization in the United States. The mission of the nonprofit, professional and educational organization is to encourage excellence and professionalism within the communication media and to promote good sportsmanship, wise conservation practices and prudent use of natural resources.

back to top



 Q and A with Jeannie Brett

We asked Maine artist Jeannie Brett to answer some questions about her work, her inspirations, and her process. Brett has illustrated the new children's book by Sandy Ferguson Fuller, My Cat, Coon Cat, for Islandport Press, due out in May.

Q: Where you did get the inspiration for this book?
A: The inspiration for My Cat, Coon Cat comes from a lifetime of loving cats of all colors, shapes and sizes and specifically from my Maine coon cat, Trout. Trout was the model for the book. He was a birthday gift from my daughter and husband just as I was illustrating My Cat, Coon Cat. A timely gift and not a coincidence!

Q: What were your favorite books as a child? What do you remember reading?
A: Mr. Brown Goes to Boston, by Marion Flood French, illustrated by Lisl Weil and lots of Marguerite Henry Books illustrated by Wesley Dennis. Deneki an Alaskan Moose, written and illustrated by William D. Berry and The Nine Lives of Homer C. Cat by Mary Calhoun, illustrated by Roger Duvoisin. I had a guinea pig named after that book: Homer C. Pig. Oh, and The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White. My parents would give me a new book every Christmas and birthday, so my list goes on and on. I have most of them to this day. I have continued this tradition with my own kids.

Q: What is the most useful thing you have done in your past to prepare you to illustrate this book?
A:Watching, observing, nature, animals and children.

Q: How did you get started as an illustrator? How did you know that's what you wanted to do?
A:I had creative parents so I was always making art as a child. I continued in my teenage years, and went then off to art school. Next I worked in commercial illustration and educational illustration. Three kids came next and about 10 years ago when my children were getting a bit older, I started illustrating picture books. It seemed like a natural progression.

Q: What is the most important tool you use in illustrating? The one thing you can't work without?
A:Solitude and focus is key for me to work. I have learned to be disciplined.

Q: What books are on your bedside table right now?
A: I have stacks of books on my "to be read" pile! Here are a few: The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, The Good Pig, by Sy Montgomery, A Border Passage by Leila Ahmed and When you Reach Me by Rebecca Stead.

Q: What is your favorite color and why?
A: This isn't a good question for me! I don't have one favorite anything. Colors? Primarily blues and greens, but then there is yellow, red, variation of warm grays. I could go on and on. I LOVE color!

Q: What are your hobbies? What do you like to do when you are not writing/illustrating books?
A: I like to read, garden, take long walks, take care of our horse Bailey and generally be outside. Oh, and of course spend time with my grown up kids, husband, my two sisters and two CATS!

Q: Do any people or pets from your real life appear in, or serve as inspiration for, your books?
A:Yes, my family, pets and friends have appeared in my books. It's fun to share the "inside" story of an illustration.

Q: What is your next project?
A: Right now I am working on a non-fiction picture book about bears around the world. I am writing and illustrating it. It's been a lot of work and a lot of fun! It will be published by Charlesbridge Publishing. I am also working on a series of state board books for Sleeping Bear Press.

Q: If you could be an animal, which animal would it be?
A: Easy. Can you guess? A Maine Coon Cat!

back to top



 Q and A with Ardeana Hamlin

We asked Maine writer Ardeana Hamlin to answer some questions about her work, her inspirations, and her new novel. Hamlin is the author of Abbott's Reach.

Q: Why did you decide to write a sequel to Pink Chimneys?
A: Pink Chimneys readers kept asking me to write one.

Q: That being said, we're sure your fans want to know, what took so long? It's been 24 years since Pink Chimneys was published.
A: It took me so long because after I wrote Pink Chimneys I became interested in writing other things, like A Dream of Paris and my Maine stories. Then life intervened and that included health issues, family tragedy, the need to go back to work full time, and the care of elderly parents. Then, around 2000, it dawned on me that if I didn't make time to write a sequel, there might never be one.

Q: Of the main female characters in the two novels, do you have a favorite? Who and why?
A: I don't have a favorite. I love Maude because she is down-to-earth, practical, and kind. I love Fanny because she is a survivor and has the ability to reinvent herself. I love Elizabeth because she has spunk and carries on even when life deals her a bad hand.

Q: In Abbott's Reach, the history and culture of Hawaii figures prominently. Why were you interested in making this part of the novel?
A: In my research, I learned that Hawaii was a regular port of call for Maine sea captains. I also was interested in the fact that some of the early missionaries to Hawaii had studied at Bangor Theological Seminary.

Q: M loves to be upon the sea. Do you?
A: I love the sea, but I don't like to be upon the sea. I sailed a few times with my son and with friends and was amazed to discover that being on the sea terrified me.

Q: Which do you enjoy most, the research or the actual writing?
A: I much prefer the research. Writing is hard work. It requires discipline, determination, and intense focus. Research is fun. I like collecting material, discovering little nuggets of fact or anecdote, and figuring out how to use it for my purposes.

Q: Where do you do most of your writing?
A: At the kitchen table on a laptop.

Q: What books do you have on your "To Read" pile?
A: The stack is tall – I'll mention the four on the top of the pile: Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson; The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte; The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron; and Threads and Flames (about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire) by Esther Friesner.

back to top



 Islandport signs award-winning Maine author

Islandport Press is pleased to announce that it has signed a contract with award-winning author Sarah L. Thomson to publish her new young adult novel, Mercy: The Last New England Vampire. Mercy will be released in the fall of 2011.

Mercy breaks new ground in the genre of young adult vampire stories in that it is inspired by a true story. Mercy Brown and her family lived in Exeter, R.I., in the late 1890s, when the New England vampire tradition held powerful sway. When Mercy's family members began to die, fear struck deep in the hearts of the small community. Following Mercy's death, when her brother took sick, villagers convinced Mercy's father to exhume her corpse, dig out her heart, burn it and feed it to her brother. He too died – as Mercy had – from tuberculosis.

Middle-grade readers will easily identify with the modern-day narrator, Haley Brown, a 14-year-old girl who's struggling to cope with a new stepmom and baby brother. Distracted by a beloved cousin's terminal illness, her grades start to drop. Then, the boy she has a crush on starts dating her best friend. When Haley digs deep into her family history for a school project, she uncovers a disturbing New England tradition and a ghostly past. Haley must overcome doubts and confront a vampire in order to save herself and her family. Thomson's gifts as a storyteller and writer make Mercy an exciting coming of age story about loss and family.

Thomson has published more than 25 books for young readers. A versatile writer, her books include an adventure about two friends who rescue a dragon's egg, a picture book biography of Abraham Lincoln, and the young readers' version of the bestselling title Three Cups of Tea. The Washington Post said that the plot of Thomson's book, The Manny, is "worthy of Jane Austen," and Booklist called her Arthurian novel, The Dragon's Son, "a spellbinding tale of love, intrigue, and betrayal." Her fantasy novel, Dragon's Egg, was the winner of the 2007 Maine Lupine Award.

A former children's book editor at HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, Thomson now lives in Portland with her young daughter and two cats who help with her writing by lying on the piece of paper she needs most.

back to top



 Maine author celebrates release of Abbott's Reach

Maine writer Ardeana Hamlin will celebrate the launch of her new novel, Abbott's Reach, with a signing and reception at 6 p.m. Monday, April 4, at the Brewer Public Library, 100 S. Main Street, Brewer.

Abbott's Reach is the sequel to Maine-native Hamlin's beloved Pink Chimneys, A Novel of Nineteenth Century Maine. That novel depicts in glorious detail and drama the lives of three strong women during turbulent times in the state's history – Fanny, a Bangor brothel-owner, Maude, a midwife, and Elizabeth, a seamstress and Fanny's estranged daughter.

In the equally captivating Abbott's Reach, Hamlin updates the lives of these characters and introduces Elizabeth's now-grown daughter, the rebellious and melancholy Mercy Maude, or M, as she is known, as she prepares to embark on a honeymoon voyage with her sea captain husband. What unfolds is a gripping tale of adventure and romance that takes readers from coastal Maine around Cape Horn to Hawaii and back home to Maine.

Hamlin grew up in the Kennebec Valley town of Bingham in the 1950s and 1960s, back in the days of river drives, a veneer mill and woods operations. She is the daughter of a registered Maine Guide. She started working in the newspaper business as a freelance writer in 1985 and as a proofreader, copyeditor, reporter, and columnist in 2000. She is now an editor for The Bangor Daily News and lives in Hamden. In addition to Abbott's Reach and Pink Chimneys, she also wrote the novel, A Dream of Paris.

back to top



 Q and A with Sarah S. Brannen

We asked Massachusetts artist Sarah Brannen to answer some questions about her work, her inspirations, and her process. Brannen is illustrating a new children's book by Maine writer Jessica Kinney, The Pig Scramble, for Islandport Press, due out this fall.

Q: What were your favorite books as a child? What do you remember reading?
A: I can't pick just a few - I loved hundreds of books. What do I remember reading? EVERYTHING. I think I did nothing but read from the age of six to about eighteen.

Q: What is the most useful thing you have done in your past to prepare you to illustrate this book?
A: There isn't any one thing. Learning to illustrate just takes about thirty years of hard work. I did visit a couple of local farms to get up close and personal with some pigs, though.

Q: How did you get started as an illustrator? How did you know that's what you wanted to do?
A: I started drawing before I could write. I always saw pictures in my mind when I was reading. I knew it was what I wanted to do because it's the work that makes me happiest.

Q: What is the most important tool you use in illustrating? The one thing you can't work without?
A: Blackwing pencils. I'm addicted to them.

Q: What books are on your bedside table right now?
A: THE WINE-DARK SEA by Patrick O'Brian, SHIP OF THE LINE by C. S. Forester, ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY NOT by David Larochelle, AS MEAT LOVES SALT by Maria McCann.

Q: What is your favorite color and why?
A: I don't have a favorite color. As an artist, you learn that all colors are wonderful.

Q: What are your hobbies? What do you like to do when you are not illustrating books?
A: I am very involved in the wild, wonderful and bedazzled world of figure skating. I skate nearly every day and write a behind-the-scenes column for icenetwork.com. So it's a hobby, but more than that. I'm a trained classical singer; I sang with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for many years. Again, more than a hobby. Between those passions and my work, I don't have time for any other hobbies!

Q: Do any people or pets from your real life appear in, or serve as inspiration for, your books?
A: My sister's dog, a Cairn terrier, is the inspiration for the little pig in THE PIG SCRAMBLE. She races around everywhere.

Q: What is your next project?
A: I'll be illustrating a book for Scholastic Press, TOOTH TRUTH, written by Arthur Levine.

Q: If you could be an animal, which animal would it be?
A: An opera singer ;)

back to top



 Islandport to release new childrens book by Massachusetts illustrator, Maine author

Award-winning book publisher Islandport Press is pleased to announce that it has signed Massachusetts artist Sarah S. Brannen to illustrate The Pig Scramble, set for release in the fall of 2011.

The children's book, written by Jessica Kinney, who lives in Maine, tells the story of Clarence, a young boy who feels very small compared to his two big brothers. He just can't seem to find his place on the family farm. But advice from his inventive uncle helps him win the county fair's pig scramble and gain some self-confidence along the way. Accompanied by illustrations of an adorable pig every kid will want to take home, The Pig Scramble is perfect for read-aloud story times or for newly independent readers. County fair fans will appreciate Kinney's detailed depiction of this beloved New England tradition.

Sarah S. Brannen is the author and illustrator of Uncle Bobby's Wedding. She also illustrated Digging for Troy: From Homer to Hisarlik, Mathias Franey, Powder Monkey and The ABC Book of American Homes. She has illustrated for several children's magazines and is a regular contributor to Skating magazine. Sarah also is a founding member of the children's writing and illustrating web site, yellapalooza.com.

Jessica Kinney is a Maine native and mother of five who lives and writes on the coast of Maine. A Bowdoin College graduate and former middle- and high-school English teacher, Kinney says The Pig Scramble was inspired by a true story about her husband, who grew up as the youngest child on a Maine dairy farm and really did win a pig at a local fair. The Pig Scramble is her first children's book.

back to top

E-mail
info@islandportpress.com

Telephone
207-846-3344

Fax
207-846-3955

U.S. Mail
Islandport Press
P.O. Box 10, Yarmouth, Maine 04096

Download our latest catalog
(alert: Large 12MB PDF file).




Previous News releases