(Tucson, AZ) The Library's Biblio Lotus Team will be hosting Karen Chow, author of Miracle, at Oro Valley Public Library on Wednesday, October 4 from 4 to 5 pm. This event is for ages 8 to 14, but teens and adults are welcome! Registration is required. There will be a book sale and author signing after the presentation.
In this engaging author talk, Karen Chow will share how learning music influenced her middle-grade novel, Miracle. She will share how she became an author, what inspired her to write the book, and give a brief introduction into music theory, which is threaded throughout the chapters.
In a review from Booklist, "Miracle is a moving, musical interlude on grief, Chow’s debut novel wraps readers in the moments Amie shares with her ba-ba, who has cancer... Well-paced and serious without being overly heavy, Chow’s debut is a great pick for anyone with a love of music or with a cloud of grief lingering over them. Hand to fans of Lynne Kelly (Song for a Whale), Christine Day (We Still Belong), and Paul Acampora (In Honor of Broken Things).
In addition to her book presentation, Karen will host a workshop, It's All About Character, on Monday, October 16 from 10:30 am to noon at Himmel Park Library. In this writing workshop, Karen will guide writers in developing interesting characters, creating active goals for them, and getting into their heads, so readers will want to know more.
About the book
When her father dies, Amie's ability to play music dies, too. Nothing short of a miracle can bring back what she has lost. Amie has spent her life perfectly in tune with Ba-ba, her father plays the violin, his favorite instrument; she loves all his favorite foods, even if he can't eat them during his cancer treatments; and they talk about books, including Amie's favorite series, Harry Potter. But after Ba-ba dies, Amie feels distanced from everyone close to her, like her mother and her best friends, Rio and Bella. More devastating still, she loses her ability to play the violin; the notes that used to flow freely are now stilted and sharp. Will Amie ever find her way back to the music she once loved? With hope and harmony lighting the way and with help from the people who care about her most, Amie must find the strength to carry on. In the end, she'll learn that healing, while painful, can be its own miraculous song.
About the author
Karen S. Chow is a Taiwanese-American author. She started writing novels as a college sophomore at Arizona State University, while earning a degree in electrical engineering. Miracle is a heart story that combines her love for music (she’s a band geek!), Harry Potter (she’s a Slytherin!), and adds her experiences witnessing her father passing away from cancer. She wrote it during NaNoWriMo 2016. She lives in Gilbert, AZ, with her family. Visit Karen at kchowrites.com.
