Stranded on Castaway Island
by Amy Laundrie
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GENRE: middle grade-young adult
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BLURB:
On a remote island with only a herd of wild horses for company, two ex-best friends struggle to survive but soon realize they’re not alone.
After a sudden storm turned what should have been a quick boat ride into a nightmare, Annie is shipwrecked on a remote island near Nova Scotia with her ex-best friend Mirra. Learning to survive together would have been easier if they could get along–not possible after the hurtful words neither can forget. Annie and Mirra’s only company is a herd of wild horses–or that’s what the 14-year-old girls think at first. But when they discover still warm embers from a campfire and man-sized footprints, they know they’re not alone.
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EXCERPT
When my arm slashed towards the shark’s eye, it was unbelievably strong and dead-on. I pierced that eye, hearing a popping sound a millisecond before I realized my mistake. The angry shark thrashed its tail so hard it launched the flimsy raft out of the water. Airborne, we spun, landing hard, half the raft dipping into the water, ocean slurping in.
“Bail!” I called to Mirra.
She cupped her hands and frantically flung water. Still clutching the knife, I searched for the shark. A swirl and . . . Whoosh! The shark’s tail slapped at the raft sending us spinning again. One more slap, seeming like a desperate last attempt. I held my breath and, Yes! The dorsal fin darted away.
Mirra’s gasping breaths and her eyes, wide and swimming with terror, made me realize this wasn’t a scene from a movie. This had really happened. My whole body shook. I tried to keep watching in case the shark returned, but I knew I was too shaky to do anything if it did.
As the raft rocked like a baby’s cradle, I longed to have my father’s strong arms around me. But I didn’t have his arms. I only had mine.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
Amy writes about nature and animals and spends way too much time imagining what it would be like to survive on a remote island. STRANDED ON CASTAWAY ISLAND, for middle grade and young adults, is her 11th books. She also has picture books, middle-grade chapter books, and an adult memoir. She’s a columnist and her memoir, LAUGH, CRY, REFLECT: STORIES FROM A JOYFUL HEART is a compilation of her favorite pieces.
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Hi Susan,
Yes, there isn’t anything objectionalble and it’s a page-turner.
How scary to be stranded at an island so young, sounds very interesting!!
It would be scary, and I needed to get into Annie’s head and live the terror in order to make it seem real. I was happy to include some lighter and funnier scenes to give myself a break. 😊
The book sounds very intriguing. Love the cover.
I, too, admire the cover since it hints at a third figure watching the girls. Thank you for your interest. It’s readers like you that make me love what I do.
Looks like a good book – have to get it for my granddaughter,,,
My granddaughter read it and called it a page-turner. It’s for ages 10 and up.
Great excerpt and giveaway. 🙂
Thank you. I hope you check it out.
I like that this is a cleanbook for teenagers to be able to read and enjoy-thank you
Thank you for your interest in STRANDED ON CASTAWAY ISLAND, the book of my heart. The idea for it first came to me 30 years ago after I read a “National Geographic” article about scientists finding a boy’s skeleton on Sable Island off of Nova Scotia. I based Castaway Island off Sable Island and the scene where the characters find a skeleton is one of my favorites. Readers tell me they also like the end of part one, when we’re about to find out who has been watching the girls.
Thank you for hosting!