Apr. 20, 2009 - WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA - Emerging fantasy author, Rae Bridgman is now tracking THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS which have been released into the wilds of North America. Rae Bridgman’s books are available in all of the usual places, but this time she has chosen to place her young adult fantasy series in cities throughout North America and around the world...on park benches, in coffee shops, hair salons, airports...or a library, anywhere someone might pick up a book and wish to read.
Where are they now? Rae Bridgman has heard from readers in Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Gimli, Toronto, Ottawa, Fredericton, Calgary, Frankfurt, Cairo, Reykjavik, Glasgow, Minnesota, New York, Los Angeles, Johannesburg (South Africa), London, Sydney (Australia), Rome.
Rae Bridgman has released ONE HUNDRED COPIES of The MiddleGate Books during the month of February 2009, inspired by the time-honoured concept of bookcrossing. The series has been distributed in order, beginning with the first in the series The Serpent’s Spell (copies 1 - 50), followed by Amber Ambrosia (copies 51 - 75) and Fish & Sphinx (copies 76 - 100).
Why send books into the wild? Books take on a life of their own and travel the world looking for new readers. A book is left on a park bench, in a restaurant, or at an airport, laundromat or library. Perhaps one friend gives it to another. The idea of leaving a book for someone else to find and read combines serendipity, adventure, altruism and literature in a unique mix that true bibliophiles find irresistible. With its similarity to releasing messages in a bottle or notes in helium balloons, bookcrossing hearkens back to fond childhood memories. It''s an ideal activity for parents and teachers to encourage children to read and share, and an excellent way to encourage literacy and learning.
Rae Bridgman believes passionately in helping to promote the love of books, the love of reading and literacy, along with the love of fantasy books for kids. “This began as an opportunity to celebrate February as I Love to Read Month and Freedom to Read Week (the last week in February)and now we realize that it''s taken on a life of its own. Why not read a good fantasy book today? Go to www.raebridgman.ca for a list of more than 100 authors writing fantasy books for kids.”
In The Serpents’ Spell, Rae Bridgman’s first novel of her young adult fantasy series, the secret city of MiddleGate has been rocked by the slaughter of hundreds of snakes in nearby Narcisse. In their quest to solve the mystery, two young mages - Sophie and Wil - discover that Wil’s medallion once belonged to an ancient secret society. The second book in the series, Amber Ambrosia, finds the ten-year-old cousins fighting to save MiddleGate’s magical honeybees and in the third, Fish & Sphinx, Sophie and Will uncover a dastardly plot by the Serpent’s Chain - an ancient secret society - to seize Manitoba’s Legislative Building (or the Palace of the Blazing Star, as it is known in the magical city of MiddleGate).
“Snakes aren''t the only victims in Bridgman''s superb page-turning flight of fancy....[and] there is a lot of fun to be enjoyed before the serpicide mystery is solved. There is also a good deal of useful information about snakes, their habits and habitats. Finally Bridgman''s spellbinding story has sentence after sentence of melodiously evocative language....If it''s exquisitely told spells you''re after, The Serpent''s Spell has more than enough for even the most discriminating and insatiable reader.”
- M. Wayne Cunningham, Books in Canada
“People like to read about strange things. They like to read about aliens in Star Wars or dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. This was like that but even stranger. With writing that brings crystal balls and tea leaves together with snakes and criminals and items that boggle that mind, Amber Ambrosia had me interested from the start. It''s amazing how much I read about bees, dragonflies, and honey in this book. I liked it a lot. That is this author''s strength; to write about things that not many people would write about in an adventure story.” - Dylan James (age 12), Reader Views, reviews by kids, for kids.
“Rae Bridgman is a fantastic author and Fish and Sphinx is a fantastic book. If you like mystery novels about magic, myths, and ancient Egypt then Fish and Sphinx is the perfect book for you to enjoy.” - Allison Witzel (age 13), WhatIf? Magazine
“Fish and Sphinx is a fun-filled tale of magic, myths, ancient Egypt, and mystery that people of all ages can enjoy. One of my favourite things about the series is that the author doesn’t “talk down” to the audience she writes for - each chapter begins with a made-up poetic quote in Latin that is then translated into English, which tells something important about the chapter ahead...I thought that this might be the final book in the MiddleGate series, but the good news is that it’s going to continue for at least one more book, because Wil, Sophie, and Aunts Violet and Rue - whom they live with, since they are both orphans - win a trip to Iceland. Fish & Sphinx can be enjoyed as a stand-alone book without having read the first two books in the series. No matter in what order you read them, you’ll eventually want to read them all, though - they are an imaginative and well-written series of books and are highly recommended.” - Douglas R. Cobb, Curled Up with a Good Kid''s Book
About the author
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada writer, artist and anthropologist Rae Bridgman grew up on a farm in Maple, Ontario. She studied Latin, completed a degree in music, created masks and studied mime and clown before embarking on a PhD in anthropology. Rae has written several books about homelessness in Toronto, received numerous awards for her academic work, exhibited her art and realized a passion for writing for children. Rae’s pen and ink drawings grace THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS. Rae and her family (1 husband, 6 children, 3 dogs, 1 cat, 1 guinea pig, and no more fish) live in Winnipeg, where she teaches at the University of Manitoba in the Faculty of Architecture. She is the author and illustrator of THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS which include: The Serpent’s Spell (2006), Amber Ambrosia (2007) and Fish & Sphinx (2008). To learn more about Rae Bridgman and THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS, visit her website at: www.raebridgman.ca
About THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS
Published in December 2006 by Great Plains Publications, THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS are now available in soft cover at all major online bookstores, including Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and Powells.com. THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS are also available through distributors University of Toronto Press and Ingram Book Group. The retail price is $14.95 - 16.95. The Serpent’s Spell: ISBN #1-894283-67-8; Amber Ambrosia: ISBN #978-1-894283-731; Fish & Sphinx #978-1-894283-81-6. Rae Bridgman is available for appearances and interviews.
About Great Plains Publications
Great Plains Publications Ltd. (www.greatplains.mb.ca) is an independent publisher based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and committed to publishing the very best books from the Prairies - a region they believe has an abundance of exceptionally talented writers. Great Plains Publications also publishes fiction from authors across the country through their new imprints, Enfield & Wizenty and Great Plains Teen Fiction. Great Plains Publications has an impressive track record with a successful and intriguing mix of award-winning literary fiction and commercial non-fiction.
###
Contact Information:
Ellen MacDonald
The Perfect Publicist
Voice: 204-296-2447 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 204-296-2447 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
ellen@theperfectpublicist.com
info@raebridgman.ca
www.raebridgman.ca
Where are they now? Rae Bridgman has heard from readers in Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Gimli, Toronto, Ottawa, Fredericton, Calgary, Frankfurt, Cairo, Reykjavik, Glasgow, Minnesota, New York, Los Angeles, Johannesburg (South Africa), London, Sydney (Australia), Rome.
Rae Bridgman has released ONE HUNDRED COPIES of The MiddleGate Books during the month of February 2009, inspired by the time-honoured concept of bookcrossing. The series has been distributed in order, beginning with the first in the series The Serpent’s Spell (copies 1 - 50), followed by Amber Ambrosia (copies 51 - 75) and Fish & Sphinx (copies 76 - 100).
Why send books into the wild? Books take on a life of their own and travel the world looking for new readers. A book is left on a park bench, in a restaurant, or at an airport, laundromat or library. Perhaps one friend gives it to another. The idea of leaving a book for someone else to find and read combines serendipity, adventure, altruism and literature in a unique mix that true bibliophiles find irresistible. With its similarity to releasing messages in a bottle or notes in helium balloons, bookcrossing hearkens back to fond childhood memories. It''s an ideal activity for parents and teachers to encourage children to read and share, and an excellent way to encourage literacy and learning.
Rae Bridgman believes passionately in helping to promote the love of books, the love of reading and literacy, along with the love of fantasy books for kids. “This began as an opportunity to celebrate February as I Love to Read Month and Freedom to Read Week (the last week in February)and now we realize that it''s taken on a life of its own. Why not read a good fantasy book today? Go to www.raebridgman.ca for a list of more than 100 authors writing fantasy books for kids.”
In The Serpents’ Spell, Rae Bridgman’s first novel of her young adult fantasy series, the secret city of MiddleGate has been rocked by the slaughter of hundreds of snakes in nearby Narcisse. In their quest to solve the mystery, two young mages - Sophie and Wil - discover that Wil’s medallion once belonged to an ancient secret society. The second book in the series, Amber Ambrosia, finds the ten-year-old cousins fighting to save MiddleGate’s magical honeybees and in the third, Fish & Sphinx, Sophie and Will uncover a dastardly plot by the Serpent’s Chain - an ancient secret society - to seize Manitoba’s Legislative Building (or the Palace of the Blazing Star, as it is known in the magical city of MiddleGate).
“Snakes aren''t the only victims in Bridgman''s superb page-turning flight of fancy....[and] there is a lot of fun to be enjoyed before the serpicide mystery is solved. There is also a good deal of useful information about snakes, their habits and habitats. Finally Bridgman''s spellbinding story has sentence after sentence of melodiously evocative language....If it''s exquisitely told spells you''re after, The Serpent''s Spell has more than enough for even the most discriminating and insatiable reader.”
- M. Wayne Cunningham, Books in Canada
“People like to read about strange things. They like to read about aliens in Star Wars or dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. This was like that but even stranger. With writing that brings crystal balls and tea leaves together with snakes and criminals and items that boggle that mind, Amber Ambrosia had me interested from the start. It''s amazing how much I read about bees, dragonflies, and honey in this book. I liked it a lot. That is this author''s strength; to write about things that not many people would write about in an adventure story.” - Dylan James (age 12), Reader Views, reviews by kids, for kids.
“Rae Bridgman is a fantastic author and Fish and Sphinx is a fantastic book. If you like mystery novels about magic, myths, and ancient Egypt then Fish and Sphinx is the perfect book for you to enjoy.” - Allison Witzel (age 13), WhatIf? Magazine
“Fish and Sphinx is a fun-filled tale of magic, myths, ancient Egypt, and mystery that people of all ages can enjoy. One of my favourite things about the series is that the author doesn’t “talk down” to the audience she writes for - each chapter begins with a made-up poetic quote in Latin that is then translated into English, which tells something important about the chapter ahead...I thought that this might be the final book in the MiddleGate series, but the good news is that it’s going to continue for at least one more book, because Wil, Sophie, and Aunts Violet and Rue - whom they live with, since they are both orphans - win a trip to Iceland. Fish & Sphinx can be enjoyed as a stand-alone book without having read the first two books in the series. No matter in what order you read them, you’ll eventually want to read them all, though - they are an imaginative and well-written series of books and are highly recommended.” - Douglas R. Cobb, Curled Up with a Good Kid''s Book
About the author
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada writer, artist and anthropologist Rae Bridgman grew up on a farm in Maple, Ontario. She studied Latin, completed a degree in music, created masks and studied mime and clown before embarking on a PhD in anthropology. Rae has written several books about homelessness in Toronto, received numerous awards for her academic work, exhibited her art and realized a passion for writing for children. Rae’s pen and ink drawings grace THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS. Rae and her family (1 husband, 6 children, 3 dogs, 1 cat, 1 guinea pig, and no more fish) live in Winnipeg, where she teaches at the University of Manitoba in the Faculty of Architecture. She is the author and illustrator of THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS which include: The Serpent’s Spell (2006), Amber Ambrosia (2007) and Fish & Sphinx (2008). To learn more about Rae Bridgman and THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS, visit her website at: www.raebridgman.ca
About THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS
Published in December 2006 by Great Plains Publications, THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS are now available in soft cover at all major online bookstores, including Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and Powells.com. THE MIDDLEGATE BOOKS are also available through distributors University of Toronto Press and Ingram Book Group. The retail price is $14.95 - 16.95. The Serpent’s Spell: ISBN #1-894283-67-8; Amber Ambrosia: ISBN #978-1-894283-731; Fish & Sphinx #978-1-894283-81-6. Rae Bridgman is available for appearances and interviews.
About Great Plains Publications
Great Plains Publications Ltd. (www.greatplains.mb.ca) is an independent publisher based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and committed to publishing the very best books from the Prairies - a region they believe has an abundance of exceptionally talented writers. Great Plains Publications also publishes fiction from authors across the country through their new imprints, Enfield & Wizenty and Great Plains Teen Fiction. Great Plains Publications has an impressive track record with a successful and intriguing mix of award-winning literary fiction and commercial non-fiction.
###
Contact Information:
Ellen MacDonald
The Perfect Publicist
Voice: 204-296-2447 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 204-296-2447 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
ellen@theperfectpublicist.com
info@raebridgman.ca
www.raebridgman.ca