Monday, July 24, 2017

5...4...3...2...1...!

I'm giving away 5 copies of Evolution Revolution: Book 3, Simple Lessons starting today! The books are in stock, so I'm ready to give some away!



Here's a little teaser:

Evolution Revolution, Book 3:
Simple Lessons
By Charlotte Bennardo
Chapter 1
Over The Hill
Jack the squirrel looked at the picture his human friend, Collin, held up. Rolling anything round he understood. He used rolling to move the nuts closer to his tree and rocks to stop construction machine wheels. Wagons he understood. Collin built one for him.
But Collin wasn’t showing him anything new. Jack hopped closer to Collin, his tail flicking expectantly, his black eyes wide with curiosity.
“I don’t understand what he’s trying to show me,” said Jack.
Rat wiggled his few whiskers. “Too bad we don’t have Bird.”
“Rat,” said Jack, “Bird can only repeat human words she knows. She can’t ask Collin why.”
“Not yet,” said Rat, going over to a small table with a soft cloth in a heap, perfect for a sleep. “Wake me when you learn whatever Collin teaches you.” He closed his eyes.
“No sleeping, Rat! Now that you’re here, you’re going to learn too, so I don’t have to be the only one teaching the others.”
Rat grumbled and mumbled a bit, but moved closer.
“Jack,” said Collin, bringing the squirrel’s attention back to the picture. Collin propped the picture against the wall and dragged a long shallow plastic box closer.
Jack stepped over, sniffing it. Dirt. Then he looked back at Collin, waiting.
Collin leaned over the box. Using his hands, he scooped some dirt onto the table. Slowly a pile rose. Collin smoothed it into a hill, then patted it firmly down, like beaver did with mud on his dam.
Jack looked at him.
“Inclined plane,” said Collin.
Jack looked at the hill.
“Inclined plane,” repeated Collin.
Jack blinked. And stood there.
Collin pulled out a new wagon, exactly like one that Jack stole.
Is this Rat’s wagon?  
Making a little finger man, Collin pulled the wagon up the hill with a string harness.
Up, thought Jack. I know what up is. I want to learn something new.
Getting bored, Jack checked his fur for fluffiness. And bugs.
Collin put the wagon back at the bottom of the hill and held up the harness for Jack. Jack leapt over to the wagon and stepped into the harness. Collin put a chunk of banana, covered in creamy nut mud, at the end of the table.
No nut chunks? chattered Jack, disappointed. Collin always used nut mud with chunks. He refused to eat.  
Collin held it out to Jack.
Jack ignored him.
Looking at the banana, Collin smiled. “Sorry, Jack, no more chunky peanut butter left. It’s this or nothing.”
Jack heard the soft tone in Collin’s voice, but he was still annoyed. It was his favorite treat. But not today. No nuts!
“Are you going to eat that tasty bit, or can I have it?” asked Rat, hungrily eyeing the banana.
Jack twittered. Better something than nothing. “I’ll share,” he offered grudgingly. Dragging the wagon, Jack went around the hill toward the snack. When he came to a stick lying in his way, he stepped over. Jack stopped when the wagon refused to roll forward, and looked back. He waited for Collin to move the stick.
“Easy, Jack,” said Collin as he picked up both Jack and wagon, and set them on the base of the hill he made over the other end of the stick. “Up, Jack, up,” said Collin, giving the wagon a gentle push. Understanding the up motion of Collin’s hand, Jack pulled- and he and the wagon went over the hill, over the stick. Jack turned around, forgetting the banana. The wagon went over the hill which was over the stick...

Find out how Jack's story started with Evolution Revolution: Book 1, Simple Machinescontinues with Evolution Revolution: Book 2, Simple Plans, and winds up (for now...) with Simple Lessons.


Please leave a review or mark it as To Read on Goodreads, maybe share the love by reading it with a kid, recommend it to someone. Jack wants to meet more good people! 
Now it's back to  writing, revising, and querying. Poolside. But it won't all be chill; I have words to chop, characters to pester, and agents to email. 
As Jack would say, it's back to whuck! 
Char