Book Giveaway: ZADIE AND THE WITCH’S TEA by Gayle Krause

Gayle Krause has a new picture book, ZADIE AND THE WITCH’S TEA, illustrated by Kate Talbot and published by Trowbridge Books is coming out on September 1st. Gayle has agreed to send a signed copy of the book to one lucky winner living in the United States, along with some Zadie swag.

All you have to do to get in the running is leave a comment. Reblog, tweet, or talk about it on Facebook with a link and you will get additional chances to win. Just let me know other things you do to share the good news, so I can put the right amount of tickets in my basket for you.

Sharing on social media really helps spread the word for a new book. So, thanks for helping Gayle and Kate and their little witch.

If you have signed up to follow my blog and it is delivered to you everyday, please let me know when you leave a comment and I will give you an extra ticket. Thanks!

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

When a little witch’s two older sisters dash her hope of attending the biggest event of the Halloween season because she has no “witchy” magic, her determination and a surprising Fairy Godspider enchantment sends her as a special guest. The adult witches try to outdo each other to become the assistant to the most powerful witch in the land, The Grand Witch. But a kind gesture from the little witch wins the night and the title, and her sisters learn that kindness proves stronger than any magic they possess.

BOOK JOURNEY:

Zadie has been with me for most of my life. As the oldest of three sisters and the oldest girl in the neighborhood growing up, I always organized fun activities for us to do – circuses, talent shows, and a tea party. (picture)

Jump ahead to adult years and my sisters and I tease each other about our “witchy” powers. (when one calls, the other already has the phone in her hand) So to celebrate our sisterhood and our sibling t

hought waves, we gather every summer for fun, food, wine, and of course, ‘dress-up.’ We call it our Witchy Weekend. (pictures)

Add to that my love of fairytales, which I absolutely adored, as a child. My teaching career, training prospective educators for the Pre-K and Elementary classrooms. (I taught Children’s Literature at the secondary and post-secondary levels). And my Fairytale Seminar – BEYOND THE FAIRYTALE – which teaches prospective children’s writers how to reimagine a traditional fairytale and make it their own, and ZADIE AND THE WITCH’S TEA was born. (cover)

A retelling of Cinderella with a little witch and no prince, it tells the story of a young witch who dreams of attending The Grand Witch’s Tea on Halloween, but her sisters say she can’t go because she doesn’t have any “witchy” magic. Devastated, Zadie wishes with all her heart to attend, and her wish is granted by her Hairy Fairy Godspider.

Once there, she witnesses the other witches competing with their spells, chants, and potions to become the Grand Witch’s assistant. While watching, Zadie makes herself some bubble tea and offers it to two elderly witches, who are also observing the contest. The next day, the Grand Witch knocks on the Witch sister’s door, Zadie’s lost hat in hand, and offers her the coveted position saying Zadie’s magic is her kindness. (inside pages)

Zadie’s path to publication took many turns. First written in 2016, it followed the Cinderella tale closely, but had too many words. So, I revised to make the words less and submitted it to my then agent. She, in turn, submitted it to several publishing houses. The responses came back mixed. Most loved the idea but asked me to rewrite it in prose.

What?

For picture books, I think in rhyme. I write in rhyme and I’m aware of good rhyme vs. bad. I belonged to The Poets’ Garage for six years, was the assistant poetry editor for Beneath The Juniper Tree and served on Angie Karcher’s Rhyme Revolution Committee for four years, helping to write the rhyme rubric and selecting the “BEST” Rhyming picture book in the U.S. for four years. And they wanted me to write it in prose!

After weeks of resistance, I did. My agent loved it, except again, it was too long. If I cut out the repetitive parts that made it Cinderella-y, it was dull and boring. So, I took a break and used my creative time to design and sew Zadie, her sisters, and the Grand Witch. (picture)

During my time at the agency, Kate Talbot and I were agency sisters, in fact, we shared the same agent. (since then the agent left the business and Kate and I left the agency). But I love her whimsical illustration style and she was the perfect illustrator to bring Zadie’s story to life. (pictures) Kate has a passion for quirky stories, especially when told in rhyme. She lives in New Zealand, loves being outdoors, and cannot resist a good tea party.

ZADIE AND THE WITCH’S TEA is , a small, independent, traditional publishing house. www.trowbridgebooks.com

GAYLE’S BIO:

Gayle Krause is a published children’s author. She writes rhyming picture books and short poems for children, as well as MG and YA fantasy and contemporary darker focusednnovels for older children.

Gayle is a former teacher educator, who has trained well over 1,000 elementary and pre-school teachers in the past thirty years and has served as Director of a laboratory Pre-K in conjunction with my Early Childhood/Elementary team leader position. She also possess an editing certificate from Sussex Community College and am seeking freelance writing and/or editing assignments for children’s stories.

Gayle lives with her husband in Matamoras, Pennsylvania. You can visit her at:  www.gayleckrause.com

KATE’S BIO:

Kate is a Children’s Book Author and Illustrator who has a passion for quirky stories, especially when told in rhyme. Her first ever children’s picture book (written at age 8) was a reinterpretation of Little Red Riding Hood, which promptly landed her in detention for its cheeky nature.

​Since then she has focused her talents on bringing a smile to her two sons’ faces, through mischievous characters and vibrant illustrations. She has a degree in filmmaking and spent several years as a Film Producer (the highlight of her career was spilling an entire tray of drinks in Russell Crowe’s lap before falling butt-first into a fountain).

In 2011, she made the shift to children’s writing and illustration, when she moved to Germany with her Spanish husband. Until recently she lived there with her family, but has now relocated to New Zealand.

 

Gayle, thank you for sharing your book and journey with us. This is such a fun book. Kids love witches and parents will love their children learning that the power of kindness is stronger than any magic. I love the play on Cindrella with three sisters receiving an invitation to the Grand Witch’s Tea at midnight on Halloween in her haunted mansion where she will pick an assistant. So cute to have a bat deliver the Grand Witch’s request. Sadie’s sisters tell her she can’t go, since she doesn’t even know how to cast a spell. They jump on thier brooms and leave her behind. Then her Hairy Godspider shows up and tells her her sisters were wrong to say she couldn’t go, her magic was her kindness and the Grand Witch should know. The Godspider spun her a gown of spidery lace. Gave her a plumed hat with pearls and a glittery face. As Zadie flies away on her broom, Hairy God spider yells, “The spell will wear off when the cuckoo chimes three.”

During the tea, the Grand witch sees Zadie’s many acts of kindness, but before the Grand Witch can annouce her choice for her assistant, the clock starts to chime and Zadie has to zoom off on her broom, losing her hat in her haste. Like in Cinderella, Zadie; sisters are flabbergasted that the Grand Witch shows up at their house the next morning, hat in hand, and wants Zadie to be her assistant and future Grand Witch.

Katie did a great job creating the colorful, fun illustrations, which are perfect for this fun witchy tale. This is a book little girls will want to keep into their adulthood. Good luck with the book.

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy