 The wee-folk have returned. But we are surprised to learn they are called vinetropes, not fairies. Uncover the mystery of what vinetropes are and why they have returned in this first book in The Vinetrope Adventures series. Following a young girl, Sara, who has recently lost her mom to cancer, Return of the Vinetropes tells the story of the birth of remarkable fairy-like creature who Sara discovers in her backyard. She is Lucinda Vinetrope, born wise, full grown and all alone, but possessing some astounding powers. In fact, the very blood circulating in her body is a form of clean energy! Lucinda knows the world is different, not at all like she remembers it from her dreams in her growing chamber, but she is born and she must survive. The two protagonists, both lonely and bewildered by loss, instantly bond and begin a quest to see if other vinetropes do exist. Could Lucinda's birth herald the making of a Vinetrope Nation? But if so, it might also mean the return of their ancient, evil counterparts and put humans, vinetropes and all creatures of our earth in danger. With unique and life altering powers, vinetropes have the ability to shape the course of history for the better, but if the bad folk return as well, the future of mankind could be grim. Chocked full of fantastic characters, such as the comical squirrel brothers Ekle and Apkin, the elegant and courageous owl named Owletta, and Jamuna, Sara's human friend who has the gift of prophesy, book one takes the reader on a mystifying journey into an unpredictable future. 
About the Author:Ms. Ross is an editor for the Art Renewal Center, (ARC) www.artrenewal.org, a non-profit art educational website and foundation that offers art scholarships, sponsors an increasingly well-known international art contest and supports and promotes 75 art schools and workshops around the country and the world.. Her husband, Fred Ross, is a founder and the CEO of ARC and is internationally known for his speeches and essays on aesthetics in art and culture. Ms. Ross also has a cookbook, the Sorrell Ridge Cookbook, and a book of poetry to her credit, Seeds of the Pomegranate. She studied with the American poet, David Ignatow, for three semesters at the New York City Y and credits Ignatow with teaching her how to heighten the emotional strength of a poem. Ms. Ross studied art at the Arts Student League in NYC and had a one-person show of her fantasy sculptures many years ago, but has since made writing her creative focus. She has also lectured on poetry and writing to middle school children and adolescents. The Vinetrope Adventures: Book 1, Return of the Vinetropes is her first published novel. Sherry lives with her husband, Fred Ross and their three cats in the middle of the woods, not too far from her daughter Kara Ross, the COO of ARC, her son-in-law Sean Colon and her two wonderful little granddaughters, Anna and Kayleigh, who she hopes to read The Vinetrope Adventures to one day. Sherry believes life is indeed miraculous with many surprising twists and turns along the way.  The Ilustrator: Julie BellJulie Bell was born in Beaumont, Texas. A former nationally ranked competitive body- builder, she applies the same discipline and intensity to her art. Her knowledge of anatomy has allowed her to imbue her figures of humans and animals with grace and strength. At the heart of her work is a deep curiosity, honor, and respect for the human body and the world of emotions. Julie's famous throughout the world in the fantasy and science fiction field and has appeared on hundreds of book covers, comic books, trading cards, and various collectibles. Her work can be seen worldwide in major advertising campaigns, album covers, posters, and collectibles of all kinds. Every year, she and her husband, Boris Vallejo, produce paintings for the highly anticipated Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell Fantasy Calendar published by Workman, now in its 37th year. Julie has won two Chelsea Awards and was the designer of the popular and award-winning Dragons of Destiny series. She has also won several awards from the Art Renewal Center. After having her heart captured by a pack of wolves at Lakota Wolf Preserve in 2001, Julie has also turned her attention to painting wildlife. She has now established her place among the top wildlife and western painters, winning awards and showing her work in exhibits throughout the USA and Europe. Julie shares her life and her studio with Boris and their two dogs, Izze and Stella, in Pennsylvania, USA.
From the author: The Vinetrope Adventures: Return of the Vinetropes, Book One is the fulfillment of a childhood dream. I grew up in a home where writing and art was a daily process. My younger sister Rochelle and I were encouraged to read, write, draw and paint from an early age. Our mom, Marjorie Olson, had written and published 40 or so romance stories in various magazines when we were little and we didn't even know about it! Our dad, Leon Lazarus, who eventually wrote freelance, started out after the II War working for Stan Lee in comics. He told us that he wrote over 800 comic stories during the early days of his career and he had many funny stories to share with us about working with Stan. Dad also wrote several golden books for children and in one he made me and my cousin James the hero and heroine. That was very exciting to us. Our dads brothers, Sidney and Harry Lazarus, were artists and illustrators, illustrating many books, and several were for children, a few of which they both wrote and illustrated. Sidney, who passed in 1972, had a beautiful retrospective of his work this past year at Shepherd W & K galleries in NYC. So writing and art was a natural and daily event for us and the sound of our dad typing at night would often be the last sounds we heard before falling asleep. The apartment was small and our parents were night owls. Yet writing and art was something the adults did and it wasn't till I was 12 and read the novel, At the Back of the North Wind, by the 19th century Scottish author, George MacDonald, that I knew I wanted to write too. That book had such a profound effect on me. I cried at the end when Diamond died and went to the back of the north wind and I carried a lump of grief in my throat for several days, maybe as much for the story being over, that beautifully written story, as for Diamond's passing. This was the book that made me want to write. I felt that if I could move one child half as much as I was moved by MacDonald, I would consider my work a success. It wasn't until later, after reading Tolkiens Lord of the Rings, re-reading the Alice in Wonderland books of Lewis Carroll, and of course C. S. Lewis's Narnia Chronicles that I came to learn that all three of these most beloved fantasy authors were deeply influenced by George MacDonald too. In fact, Lewis Carroll was a close friend of the MacDonald family. It was MacDonald who encouraged him to finish his first Alice in Wonderland book and to get it published. MacDonald tested the story out on his own children and they loved it. C. S. Lewis so loved MacDonald that he credits him with changing the direction of his life, away from the dark and into the light. Lewis wrote that MacDonald is one of the greatest myth makers of all time. And Tolkien is often cited as saying that MacDonald was one of his most beloved authors as a child and that The Princess and the Goblin and The Princess and Curdie were two of his most favorite childhood books. Even Edward Eager, one of my favorite 20th century authors, who wrote The Time Garden and Half Magic, said that he was deeply inspired by George MacDonald. And still later I learned that the poet W H Auden, Madeleine LEngle of The Wrinkle in Time, and E. Nesbit of Five Childern and IT, all claimed MacDonald to have been a meaningful influence and much loved author. So, when 12, I guess I picked the right mentor. I hope I have made MacDonald proud. |
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