The Origami Nun by Lori Olding

Children's novella The Origami Nun by Lori Olding is now available at Amazon for only 99p!

Seven-year old Ruth can't speak, but that doesn't mean she can't think. She knows her birthday is going to be good as her beloved great-aunt has exciting plans for her. What she doesn't expect is a magical paper nun, an encounter with a bully who may not be what she seems or a school day to remember. Because, before her special day is over, Ruth is in for some very big surprises.

Reviews:

"What a delightfully written book! This is one I plan to share with my daughter at some point because I think she would like it, too! I love the fact that the author featured a mute heroine, and magic is infused in such a wonderful way. In addition to that, it deals with a subject with which our youth are very familiar - bullying! … I connected with the character, the story, and I enjoyed the magical nature of the story … I hope the author writes several sequels!" [From a 5-star review at My Devotional Thoughts]

"I really enjoyed reading this shorter story. The author portrayed the characters well and had a great story line … This is a terrifically inspirational and uplifting story for children and adults alike." [From a review at The Cover Books]

"This is the most touching children's book I have read. I absolutely LOVED it … I highly recommend this book to children in the age range of 8+. However, I think adults would like this book too." [From a 5-star review at Goodreads]

"There is a wonderful life lesson in the story and I have read it to my own grandchildren with great enthusiasm. They adored it!" [From a 5-star review at Goodreads]

"Magic is in the air. Come see how Ruth and others learn the importance of respect for each other even though they are different and that each person has a different story or reason for being different. I recommend this book for ages 6 and up." [From a 4.5 star review at Fire and Ice Reviews]

Lori Olding Children's Author

Sprinkle a little magic into your life with The Origami Nun!

Magical children's book, The Origami Nun, is published today! You can find it for only 77p or starting at 99c at Amazon US, Amazon UK and at Omnilit Books and at a variety of other ebook retailers too.

Seven-year old Ruth can't speak, but that doesn't mean she can't think. She knows her birthday is going to be good as her beloved great-aunt has exciting plans for her. What she doesn't expect is a magical paper nun, an encounter with a bully who may not be what she seems or a school day to remember. Because, before her special day is over, Ruth is in for some very big surprises.




Reviews:

"What a delightfully written book! This is one I plan to share with my daughter at some point because I think she would like it, too! I love the fact that the author featured a mute heroine, and magic is infused in such a wonderful way. In addition to that, it deals with a subject with which our youth are very familiar - bullying! … I connected with the character, the story, and I enjoyed the magical nature of the story … I hope the author writes several sequels!" [From a 5-star review at My Devotional Thoughts]

"I really enjoyed reading this shorter story. The author portrayed the characters well and had a great story line … This is a terrifically inspirational and uplifting story for children and adults alike." [From a review at The Cover Books]

"Magic is in the air. Come see how Ruth and others learn the importance of respect for each other even though they are different and that each person has a different story or reason for being different. I recommend this book for ages 6 and up." [From a 4.5 star review at Fire and Ice Reviews]

Happy reading!

Lori Olding Children's Books

The Origami Nun: now available for pre-order!

I'm happy to announce that children's book The Origami Nun will be published by Untreed Reads on 8 September and is now available for pre-order at Omnilit Books.

Seven-year old Ruth can't speak, but that doesn't mean she can't think. She knows her birthday is going to be good as her beloved great-aunt has exciting plans for her. What she doesn't expect is a magical paper nun, an encounter with a bully who may not be what she seems or a school day to remember. Because, before her special day is over, Ruth is in for some very big surprises.

Here are some early reviews:

"What a delightfully written book! This is one I plan to share with my daughter at some point because I think she would like it, too! I love the fact that the author featured a mute heroine, and magic is infused in such a wonderful way. In addition to that, it deals with a subject with which our youth are very familiar - bullying! … I connected with the character, the story, and I enjoyed the magical nature of the story … I hope the author writes several sequels!" [From a 5-star review at My Devotional Thoughts]

"I really enjoyed reading this shorter story. The author portrayed the characters well and had a great story line … This is a terrifically inspirational and uplifting story for children and adults alike." [From a review at The Cover Books]

"Magic is in the air. Come see how Ruth and others learn the importance of respect for each other even though they are different and that each person has a different story or reason for being different. I recommend this book for ages 6 and up." [From a 4.5 star review at Fire and Ice Reviews]

All best!

Lori Olding Books

A magical way of beating the bullies and it's FREE!

Great news! Children's book The Origami Nun is FREE on Amazon UK and Amazon US from today until Monday 6 August.

Here's the blurb:

Seven-year old Ruth can't speak, but that doesn't mean she can't think. She knows her birthday is going to be good as her beloved great-aunt has exciting plans for her. What she doesn't expect is a magical paper nun, an encounter with a bully who may not be what she seems or a school day to remember. Because, before her special day is over, Ruth is in for some very big surprises.



Here's a couple of recent reviews to whet your appetite:

"This is the most touching children's book I have read. I absolutely LOVED it ... I highly recommend this book to children in the age range of 8+. However, I think adults would like this book too."

"There is a wonderful life lesson in the story and I have read it to my own grandchildren with great enthusiasm. They adored it!"

Both these 5-star reviews can be found at Goodreads where you can also read more about what the reviewers thought.

So if you'd like a weekend filled with magic, the ups and downs of family life from a child's perspective and an unexpected friendship, pop over to Amazon UK or Amazon US to download your FREE copy!

Happy reading!

Lori Olding

Wedding snaps, holy libraries and scary school photos

We’ve decided to have a bit of a girlie day at the office today and have brought in our wedding piccies to coo over. There’s nothing like a white frock and a vol-au-vent memory to raise those essential oestrogen levels, you know. And there was much amusement at my very 80s Charles I hairstyle. Well, I’ve always been at the cutting (ho ho) edge of fashion, after all …

And here’s this morning’s meditation poem:

Meditation 53

Outside the city,
it’s cold,

the desert
a carpet of desolation

but it’s where
you’re headed,

blood-spattered, guilty.
If only

you could walk
facing the sun,

the sky above
might warm you.


I’ve also been fiddling around with the Personal Tutors’ Handbook again – honestly, if we ever manage to get it to the print stage in my lifetime, I swear I’m going to miss the beast. It’s taken up such a large proportion of my office hours over the last few months that I think we might be engaged. And I’ve also been trying to sort out staffing for this year’s open days again. The Central Team all know what we’re doing now, hurrah, but I just have to see what the other services come up with.

I popped into the Cathedral library at lunchtime (goodness, how very holy I am) to pick up three books that Lord H wanted. I had his card and the list of required texts and had to look as if I was (a) serious-minded, (b) an upright citizen of the parish, and (c) my husband. It’s amazing they let me in at all. Was it the haircut?... And stepping into the library is like going back twenty years. As I wrote in the book what I’d taken out, I felt quite overcome with nostalgia. No quill pen though, shame on them …

Talking of nostalgia, for today’s scary moment, my old school is 100 years old this year and they have our class photo on the front page of their website as “missing people”! You can have a good laugh here though you’ll need to scroll down to see it. It's Number 53 in the 100 years archive list if the front picture is on a rolling schedule. I think it’s about 1979/1980 when we were all 15 or 16 but I could be wrong about that. I’m no good with numbers. I’m the one on the far right at the back row. Can you tell?? We were standing on boxes – we’re honestly not that tall. Groan …

Tonight there’s nothing on TV – again!! Doesn’t the BBC ever get my letters with my programming requests?? It’s quite shocking, Carruthers … – but Lord H and I are going to make a concerted effort to book our March holiday instead. We’re hoping for Istanbul but, failing that, Assisi. Now there’s a strange religious mix to play with.

Today’s nice things:

1. Wedding pictures
2. Poetry
3. Libraries where you have to write down your borrowings
4. School nostalgia
5. Thinking about holidays.

Anne Brooke
Anne's website - she hasn't changed a bit, you know ...

Lunch with strangers and Radio 4 photos

Did more to the work website today and eked (eeked?!) out the time. It's been puzzling me recently that I've changed my earring routine (I think I have earrings on the brain at the moment). I usually change them each day and go for the dangly ones, but lately I've been going for studs 'n' pearls. And more lately still just keeping in the same old boring gold hoops I've had since I was 16. Hmm. Is this laziness, old age or depression? Or is it just that I can't be arsed? It's a mystery. Perhaps in the end I'll give up wearing them at all - much like I gave up wearing mascara last year - and my ears will heal over. This will please Lord H who had a Baptist upbringing and thinks any body piercing is the work of the devil.

Anyway, I had lunch with strangers - one of the gals in the Registry got wind of the fact that I used to work (many, many years ago) for Guildford College and organised a get-together for ex-Guildford College survivors at the University. However, I've been stressing for days that I don't actually know any of the names on the list and I would have to walk into the restaurant (packed full of curious students) and look lost and lonely. How I hate walking into anywhere on my own - it reminds me of always being picked last for whatever sport we happened to be doing in the games lesson at school. Hey, look, Billy-No-Mates - honestly, I should have it emblazoned on my t-shirt. Anyway, in the event, I recognised one of my lunch people after all and we had quite a good time. I do so like my social events to be small (there were only 6 of us) and time-constrained (a lunch-hour only). That constitutes my social inclusion fill for the week. Possibly the month.

This afternoon, I took part in the Radio 4 "PM" Window on Your World project - which involved taking a photo of whatever you happened to be looking at at 5pm and sending it to Radio 4 for collation. For me, this was my work collection of fluffy pens (hell, I have to have my soft side somewhere ...) and my Wuthering Heights mug. Hmm. Maybe I need to get a life? Though, actually, I thought the end result was quite charming and does indeed give a snapshot view into my psyche at 5pm on a work day. Swinging somewhere between ditzy and psychotic. Lovely.

Tonight, it's Guildford Writers (http://www.guildfordwriters.net) and I'm going to be brave and take something to read out this time. Probably. Oh God. Which means I'll need to go to the loo twice before the meeting starts and will feel sick until my part is over. If anyone out there has a confidence pill, please send a year's supply.

Today's nice things:

1. Lunch (surprisingly)
2. Taking my photo (sadly)
3. Guildford Writers (hopefully).

Anne Brooke
http://www.annebrooke.com
http://www.goldenford.co.uk