My Roller Coaster Journey

Tags

adventure, Cedar Point Amusement Park, childhood memories, fun, Peoria Illinois, roller coasters, smiles, summer fun, The Heart of Illinois Fair

Tomorrow, my kids, my sister (who is driving here today!!!! EEEEKK!), and I will be at Cedar Point Amusement Park RIDING ROLLER COASTERS ALL DAY!

All. Day.

We love them. Up, down, sideways, upside down, and super fast.

I have always loved roller coasters, since my dad took me on very first one. Yup. My dad has influenced many parts of me from being a take-it-in-stride non-panicker, to loving horror, to being a little goofy, to enjoying camping and hiking, and to riding thrill rides.

I don’t remember exactly how old I was when I rode the little clickety-clackety coaster at the fair, but that’s where it started.

The Heart of Illinois Fair in Peoria, Illinois.

As I get ready to thrust my hands in the air and whoop in joy all day tomorrow, I can’t help but remember that long ago annual summer fun.

The Heart of Illinois Fair appeared every July at Expo Gardens. We’d pass that big lot on our way to church every Sunday and it was so exciting to watch the rides go up and see the plastic triangle flags wave in the breeze. Our noses loved the smell of fried foods and hot asphalt. Commercials would pop up on TV…I can still sing the jingle…come to the faiiiiiirrrrrrr, the Heart of Illinois, everything’s therererere…

The fair was so close to our house that we could hear people on the loud speaker and the music of the rides from our front yard. Every year we went as a family to wander around, to see the exhibits of people’s sewing, art, and photography. We checked out the vendor stalls with jewelry and one year bought my dad a belt buckle for his birthday. We loved the tractor pulls and, my favorite, the demolition derby. We saw a couple of shows at the grandstand. But mostly I loved walking around with my family. Dad would buy a humongous soda and we would all share, though my sisters and I kept an eye on each other to make sure no one got a longer sip out of that cup. I remember the clown that would hand out balloons twisted into fabulous shapes, the medicine man show, and the stalls selling invisible dogs (basically leashes with an empty collar permanently shaped to look like there was a dog in it) and foam pet lizards on wires so it looked like he was alive (I bought myself one of those one year, I loved him). I loved the smells of butterfly pork chops, elephant ears, and sweaty people. The sounds of laughter and screaming as people rode rides, the musical melody always playing in the background. So much to see, the twinkling lights, sunburned people, the dancing fountain, and spinning rides.

My dad was a member of the Peoria Camera Club and he always had at least one shift manning the photography exhibit. We got to go hang out with him. I loved looking at all the photos and seeing which ones won ribbons and voting for the one I wanted to win the people’s choice award. My dad always had at least one picture entered, and one year, with Dad’s help, I entered a couple. I was allowed to sit in the judging and watch…I won second place.

And one day during the fair, Mom would take us to ride the rides. There was always an arm-band day, where for one price we could ride all day long. And we did. And it was glorious fun. Mom, the non-rider, wandered around in the hot sun so we could ride. She pushed a stroller around, first carrying my little sister and later a jug of water and cups, so we could find her and have a drink when we needed.

We moved in 1989, so I haven’t been there since that final summer, but I googled it and it’s still there. Which makes me happy. So many things of childhood get swallowed by the past, leaving memories. Luckily people are still enjoying the fair in Peoria.

From that first little coaster, Dad took us on bigger ones…and bigger ones. The Matterhorn and Space Mountain in Disneyland, CA. The Corkscrew in Valley Fair in Minnesota. Space Mountain and Everest at Disney World, FL. The Screaming Eagle and Mr. Freeze in Six Flags. The Hulk and Dueling Dragons at Universal Studios. We (Mom, Dad, my two sisters and their husbands, and me and mine) went to Cedar Point for the first time about 16 years ago. We stopped on our way out to visit family in Massachusetts. My dad and I went back about 9 years ago. Two years ago, my dad went with me and my kids. This year my sister is joining the fun. She hasn’t been there since we went 16 years ago..oh, the new coasters she will get to ride!

Going to amusement parks is one of my favorite childhood memories. Some of the best times with my family were had in the hot sun, when we were sweaty and tired, but full of smiles and laughter. The Heart of Illinois Fair was the beginning.

And the adventure and fun continues.

So, tomorrow, if you want me here are a few pics of where you can find me.

Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio. Roller Coaster lover heaven.

Top Thrill Dragster. It’s fast. Straight up and straight down

Corkscrew…an oldie, but a goodie.

Gatekeeper…a pretty new one, smooth and fabulous!

Iron Dragon… not high, not super fast, but a really nice ride.

The Maverick…Dude. Just… dude. Pretty new and the line is usually pretty long.

Millennium Force. One of my very favorite coasters. Tall, fast, smooth…fabulous.

The Raptor… Always a fun ride.

The Valraven…the newest coaster. I haven’t been on it yet, so I’ll let you know.

Tomorrow…think of me and smile.

Winell Road Blog Tour!

Tags

adventure, aliens, Goodreads giveaway, Kate Foster, MG book, Winell Road

Happy Christmas from Kate and Winell Road!

 When Winell Road: Beneath the Surface was released back in April, Kate didn’t embark on a great deal of promotion. Because of a lot of ‘things’. So, to make up for that and to kick off the festivities for her favourite time of year – Christmas! – she’s taken Winell Road on a little tour, hoping to spread the word and introduce lots of new young readers to, what she believes is, a great big dollop of sci-fi fun and adventure. Here’s a little info…

BLURB! Twelve-year old Jack Mills lives at 5 Winell Road and has probably the world’s weirdest neighbours. Like freakishly weird. And to top it off, he lives with Mum: nosy, interfering, a hideous cook, and Dad: unsuccessful inventor of the Camera Belt and Self-Closing Window. All in all, it’s a boring, embarrassing, dead-end place to live. So when Jack arrives home from school one day, a close shave with a UFO is the last thing he expects. But the fact it doesn’t abduct him, and that no one else, not even Mum, sees the gigantic flying saucer hovering over the street, adds a whole new layer of strange.

Soon after, an alien encounter threatens Jack’s life and he becomes embroiled in a galaxy-saving mission. With the assistance of his new neighbour, frighteningly tall Roxy Fox, he discovers Winell Road is hiding secrets—secrets Jack might wish he’d never uncovered. REVIEWS! If you’re still not sure, here’s a couple of reviews… ‘Winell Road: Beneath the Surface is a fast-paced middle-grade adventure story with the feel of Men in Black. Jack is a smart, resourceful boy with more abilities than he’s ever dreamed off, and he finds out that the world is a far stranger place than he imagined. The action is non-stop and will keep readers riveted.’ examiner.com ‘This book will work wonderfully read aloud in class. There are enough cliff-hanger chapter endings to keep them begging for more. It will also promote discussion about making snap judgments while providing plenty of scope for related art projects.’ Buzz Words Magazine  Go to Goodreads to see a few more.

ABOUT KATE!

Kate is an Englishwoman on the Gold Coast in Australia. A middle grade writer, freelance editor, the editorial director at Lakewater Press and all around lover of the written word, she is ruled by her three sons, husband and spoodle pup. Not one to have a quiet day, she spends her free time mentoring new writers in contests like Nest Pitch and Pitch Wars, judging writing contests and helping out at Writers Activation on the Gold Coast. Other than that, she likes laying in bed or by the pool with a book!

GIVEAWAY! It would make a great stocking filler for children. BUT, if you’re feeling particularly lucky, she’s giving away three signed copies just in time for Christmas! Yippee! Click here to enter! GO BUY IT! If you don’t win, then the book is available all over the virtual world. Amazon UK    Amazon.com    Booktopia    Jet Black Publishing
Thanks for stopping by. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

There is a giveaway, and I would appreciate it if no one entered… BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO READ THIS ONE AND I HAVEN’T BOUGHT IT YET (shame on me) AND I HAVE ENTERED, AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO WIN! Mmmkay? Thanks!

Oh…okay, enter.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Winell Road

by Kate Foster

Giveaway ends December 01, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/widget/163539

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… Part 5 “Krull”

Tags

adventure, Black Fortress, childhood movies, fantasy, Krull, love, memories, prophecy, The Beast, weapon

Another movie from my childhood. One I watched A LOT! One I haven’t seen in a long time because I own it on VHS tape and we no longer have a working VCR.

I shall have to fix this soon. Moving on!

TA-DA…

Krull directed by Peter Yates and released by Columbia Pictures in 1983.

A girl of ancient name shall become queen and choose a king. Together they will rule their world, and their son shall rule the galaxy.

A prophecy. A hero. A fabled weapon. A powerful evil. A great love. And of course rescuing the princess.

Seriously, Kathy? Well… yup.

We meet Prince Colwyn and Princess Lyssa on their wedding day. They will unite to bring together the kingdoms of the world of Krull and form a stronger force to defeat The Beast, who has invaded with his army of Slayers.

The fun begins when the wedding is interrupted by the Slayers, who devastate the castle, kill the Kings, and kidnap the princess.

Corwyn survives, saved by the Old One Ynyr. Poor Princey… there is crying. My home! My father! AND LYYYYYSSSSAAAAA!

Until Ynyr tells him to suck it up. They can save Lyssa and defeat The Beast.

How?

There is a weapon. The Glaive.

Up the mountain he goes in his spandex pants… ew… to find this weapon.

In a cave, he sees a shape. He thrusts his hand into molten lava (which doesn’t hurt HIM because *cough*chosen one *cough*!) and pulls out a black five pointed star.

The blackened crust falls away revealing a shiny star and with a flick of the wrist… or a thought… or something, who knows…

Blam-O

The Glaive.

Triumphant he skips down the rocky slopes, returning to Ynyr, who gives him the bad news.

The Beast’s lair the Black Fortress isn’t easy to find for each day at sunrise it transports itself to a different location.

Perhaps Ynyr knows who can help them.

Let the journey begin! Along the way they meet Ergo “the Magnificent” an inept magician, who just wants a gooseberry pie.

But ends up turning himself into a goose…

Sensing that maybe they could use his powers, and because he has nowhere else to go, Ergo joins them. They also meet a band of fugitives.

Colwyn asks for their help to defeat The Beast. Why would they help him? Because he can grant them freedom, a pardon. But only the King can do that!

“I am the King,” Corwyn says. So they decide to accompany him on his quest.

They travel to the blind Emerald Seer. His aide, a boy named Titch, ushers Colwyn and Ynyr to see the Seer and ask him to discover where the Fortress will appear next, but The Beast is powerful. As the blind Seer’s emerald spins, a clawed hand crushes the stone.

But don’t give up hope! They can go to the swamp where the Seer’s power will be stronger than The Beast’s. But the Slayers attack (seriously, people, I love these guys, they’re so cool!).

Losing a couple of their number to the attack and the swamp, the group drives the Slayers back, then stop for a rest. The Beast takes another’s form and tries to tempt Colwyn to give up the quest, and, when that fails, kills the Seer, takes his form and attempts to kill the Prince.

But before The Beast can complete his task, the form he possesses is struck and killed by a Cyclops Rell, who has been following our band of misfits. And without the Seer poor Titch has no one, so they take him too.

But with no Seer how will they find out where the Fortress will be?

Ynyr has a plan and sneaks off to visit the Widow of the Web. A woman with the power to see kept locked away in a giant web for her crime of killing her child (her and Ynyr’s child).

She helps them, because her name is Lyssa the same as the princess imprisoned by The Beast. She looks into the future and tells him where the Fortress will appear.

But Ynyr will never be able to leave and give the Prince the information. The spiders who guard the web will kill him. So the Widow gives him the sands of her hourglass, the sand of her life, so he can escape the web. Leaving her to die.

Speaking of Lyssa, she’s not having much fun. Inside The Fortress is crazy. One of my favorite things was the weirdness she encounters as running through the halls, or whatever they are.

The Beast asks her to stay with him, but she holds onto her love for Corwyn. He will save her.

Back to our troop. Because now they know where the Fortress will appear. But it’s really far away. They’ll never make it.

Yes, they will.

Rell suggests they capture the Fire Mares, horses that can run at great speeds. I love these animals! They run so fast that fire blazes under their feet and they don’t need ground when they run on flames! They can travel leagues in a day. Getting a rope around these fabulous creatures’ necks proves interesting, a bit of comic relief, but they succeed.

And make it to the Black Fortress. Where our group gets smaller again when Slayers fire at them as they scramble to climb inside the Fortress before it moves again. Rell gives his life to hold the door open just long enough before it crushes him.

*sniff* It’s okay, he knew he would die. Cyclops are born knowing when their lives will end. Crazy.

Now our questers try to navigate the strange Fortress, getting split into a few different groups. The boy Titch and Ergo end up facing Slayers, where Ergo turns into a tiger to save the boy. A few of our fugitives become trapped in a room where giant spikes come out of the walls, growing closer and closer.

But Colwyn finds Lyssa.

And The Beast.

Meaning it’s time for that fabled weapon he’s been carrying.

He throws The Glaive. Over and over it strikes the Beast, bouncing off the walls, always returning to Colwyn. Finally, he sets the spinning blades to hover before The Beast and attacks. The Glaive hits the creature, and will not return.

Now what?

Lyssa has the answer. Together they can use their love to destroy it. She calls the flame from the wedding ritual that had been left incomplete.

Colwyn hold the fire their hands, sending it to burn the evil that has invaded their world.

As soon as The Beast is gone, all the people trapped in the Fortress are freed and the few who remain run from the structure as it trembles and falls to pieces.

From a field they watch as the Black Fortress is sucked into the sky.

Together they ride off. And we are reminded of the prophecy that a girl with an ancient name will become queen, choose a king, and together they will rule their world, and their son will rule the galaxy.

Okay, I know. The story isn’t anything fabulous. A prophecy. A hero that in all honesty is a bit whiny and cocky. A princess, who I thought was a much stronger character, but our prince needed a brisk slap across the face to give him humility. We had a rag-tag bunch on a quest, and, of course, most of them die.

But the music by James Horner was fantastic!

And I was a huge high fantasy fan. And this gave me all the stuff I loved. A creepy evil with a cool army. Fights with swords. Magic (Ergo turns into a goose, puppy, pig, and tiger). In the end, the good wins. The hero learns about sacrifice and he’s not as awesome as he thinks he is. The princess doesn’t sit in a corner and cry, waiting to be rescued. She faces The Beast, searches for a way out, always sure she would win.

Overall, this movie took me somewhere far away. It made me laugh and gasp in awe of the neat images. It left me smiling. It set my mind spinning with otherworldly ideas. Sometimes that’s enough.

A few movies left to do. What could they be? Will you know them? Have you known the ones I have shared?

 

 

 

 

 

Rediscovering Childhood Joy… part 1 “Labyrinth”

Tags

adventure, goblins, Jim Henson, Labyrinth, magic, movie, wishes

My Twitter header picture is a bunch of goblins, from a movie I love, yet a movie I don’t expect a lot of people to know. When a few people commented on it, saying they love that movie too, my little heart leapt with joy.

People DO know this movie, but what of my other childhood favorites? So I tweeted pictures from those.

Lo and behold, people not only know them, they love them. So I want to share three movies that forever changed my life in a blog series. Three movies that I owned on VHS and now own on DVD. Three movies that I discovered have touched others’ lives as well.

Movie magic, people. Magic.

Today, I want to share…

Labyrinth (Jim Henson and George Lucas… 1986)

Fifteen-year-old Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) wants to live in a fairytale, where no one can tell her what to do, where to go, or who she has to be.

She desires adventure, but the only excitement her life holds is babysitting her little brother, who won’t stop crying. So she makes a wish, that’s all it takes. The goblins scamper into the room and take Toby.

But Sarah isn’t exactly happy. I mean, who really thinks the Goblin King’s minions will actually grant a wish? Jareth, the Goblin King, (the fabulous David Bowie) comes to her… expecting gratitude, he saved her after all, but she demands her brother back.

Okay, sure. No problem. All she has to do is solve a labyrinth by a certain time… and she can have her brother back. *gulp*

So Sarah journeys into the maze to get her brother, solving riddles and meeting friends. Jim Henson’s genius shines in this movie. The puppets. The characters.

Sir Didymus on his trusty steed Ambrosius, Sarah, Ludo, and Hoggle. Aren’t they great?

Well, there is a bit of creepy weirdness. The Fireys… well, scare me.

As Sarah battles her way to the center of the labyrinth, Toby is having a grand time with Jareth and the Goblins.

And, of course, there is music… hello, David Bowie. I own the soundtrack. *hums*

But Jareth worries… what if Sarah can solve the riddles and make it to the center of the maze? So he tries to throw her off, trapping her in an oubliette, making her think she is home, and luring her into a ball.

But, in the end…

She finds herself at the center, facing Jareth, finally deciding what her life will be, what is important. To get her brother back. To save her family. Even though the Goblin King tried to help her, to give her what she desired, she won’t give up her brother’s life, his choices, for her own selfish wish.

Sarah takes control of her life, stops blaming the outside world for all her troubles. Something we all do now and then.

If only the Universe would stop being cruel…

If only so-and-so would get their act together…

If only…

There are things in life we can’t control. But one HUGE thing we can… ourselves, how we react, how we push forward.

Life isn’t easy. Life is work. You don’t get to live a fairytale because you want to, and we can’t blame others if our lives aren’t turning out exactly how we imagined. The life we have is ours… no one else’s.

So look at the world and all the problems it throws you and say…

Until next time, when I will share my love of The Dark Crystal…

May you conquer the labyrinth that is life.

 

 

The Magic of Fiction

Tags

adventure, books, Dr. Who, fiction, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, magic, magic of reading, movies, Narnia, stories, TV

Certain places call me, attract me, well, to be honest … I need them. And it’s not the ultra-cool, local bar. Heck, I’m not sure there is one around here.

There are people, who I long to visit, to follow on adventures, or just plain life. And they’re not my fabulous set of BFFs that live down the street. Yeah … friends? Funny. I’d have to talk to people.

No. I’m talking about fiction. And that might make me a sad hermit with social issues. OR it might make me awesome. Or a bit of both? I can handle that.

Books, movies, TV … stories take us places. That’s why we read and watch!

I workout. It’s an obsession. When I am on my rower or elliptical, there would be nothing sadder than me going nowhere on my machines staring into space. I would read, but I have a fear of falling off said machines and trying to turn the page would probably cause my death. And that would be bad … right?

Anyone? Well, someone would miss me. Probably the kids and hubs when there is no dinner or clean clothes.

Never mind … let’s get back on track.

So I watch movies and TV shows to entertain myself, possibly taking my mind off how tired I am or that I would love to collapse on the couch. Choosing movies to keep my brain occupied, while I burn off the tons of chocolate I ate the day before, is quite the process. Sometimes I know exactly what I want to watch and other times it’s more of a this-will-do scenario. But I have noticed trends, places I have to return to … characters and adventures I miss.

Hogwarts, Narnia, the Enterprise, Serenity (yes, I own the entire TV series on DVD), the Ingalls log house (another entire series I own on DVD), the TARDIS, the Millenium Falcon, Middle Earth, the Black Pearl, Camp Half Blood, and The Overlook Hotel. (A big THANKS to Mr. King for writing a sequel to that one!) TV, books, or movies, I go back to these worlds with a smile, knowing what I will find.

FABULOUSNESS!

I love them all, the magical worlds of fiction waiting to take me on journeys.

The end of the journey causes problems. When the Hogwarts Express arrives to take everyone home for the summer, my heart breaks. When the end credits role, I hum to the music, letting all my joy at the world I was allowed to visit sink into my soul. After flipping the last page and closing the cover, my finger traces the title. My mind lingers on all the emotion at saying good-bye to my friends. How many times have I called out to Kings Peter and Edmund, to Queens Susan and Lucy NOT TO GO IN THERE … THAT WILL TAKE YOU AWAY FROM NARNIA! But they never listen. When they tumble out of the wardrobe, I sigh. It can’t be over.

Can the TARDIS come back now? Doctor?

Beam me up Scotty, I want to explore strange new worlds.

Cap’n Mal? I’d love to help you rob that train.

Frodo, let me carry the Ring. Or better yet, I’ll go slay orcs with Legolas and Aragorn.

The Overlook can’t have exploded. I like it there. It’s creepy. Well, except for those hedge animals … they can burn. *shudder*

I don’t want to leave! *bangs on wardrobe doors* For Narnia!

I’m left wondering when I can return.

And there’s the magic. Not an if … but, when. All my favorite characters, the adventure and fantastical places wait for me on shiny discs, in words written forever in black and white, waiting for my imagination to bring them to life.

Recently I journeyed through the wardrobe to free Narnia, went back through the tunnel to meet Prince Caspian, and traveled through the picture to voyage on the Dawn Treader. At the end of each adventure, I sniffed back a few tears.

Now, after facing Voldemort and saving the Sorcerer’s Stone, after slaying the basilisk, I am ready to face the dementors with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. After watching Harry grow up and save the world, I’ll soon grab those books from their spots on my shelf, so pay attention to my ‘currently reading’ status on Goodreads. How can I stay away?

I CAN’T! Don’t make me.

We never have to leave. It’s hard when the story ends, but we carry pieces of the stories we love with us forever. All my favorite characters make me better, allowing me to view the world differently. The best tales change us, open our eyes. And lucky us, we can go back whenever we want.

Just like magic.

Where do you love to go? Who can’t you wait to visit again and again? I’m getting on the Hogwarts Express … wanna come?