|
|
 |
|
Pennsylvania resident, Michelle Weisen writes with the delicate sensibilities of a Victorian mistress/dowager and the strident/clear convictions of a contemporary feminist.
|
|
|
Background
Information
|
|
Weisen earned her master’s in English from Florida International University in Miami where she taught writing and, after moving to Pennsylvania four years ago, she has taught as an adjunct professor at the University of Delaware. Her graduate work focused on American and British “domestic fiction,” a genre popular between 1850 and 1880.
“I love all things Victorian,” she said, especially the early best-sellers written by well-educated women who couldn’t work but were gifted, if unpaid, novelists. They wrote about their lives and families, often featuring plucky young heroines who had a strong moral compass and a penchant for adventure. Lavinia’s Window fits that model but incorporates updated themes of empowerment, self-reliance, and independence.
|
|
Birth Place
|
|
St Peter, MN usa
|
|
Accomplishments
|
|
Masters in English Literature
PennDragon Award 2007
|
|
Additional Information
|
|
As a person who cares deeply about kids and the environment, Weisen donates a portion of the proceeds from each book to nonprofit organizations benefiting children. Her Pennsylvania-based publishing company, Words of Mercy, promotes literature that gives children a positive outlook on the world and shows them tangible ways to make the world a better place. “Our books focus on the importance of caring for one another and preserving the earth, providing children and their families with enriched reading experiences,” she says.
|
|
Favorite Links
|
|
Lavinia's Window
The year is 1883 and Lavinia Spencer Rexford, a motherless 12 year old girl, resides with her maternal grandmother and great uncle at Millstone Manor in Chaddsford, Pennsylvania. On Lavinia’s 12th birthday, her grandmother presents her with a journal, and instructs her to focus on the seven heavenly virtues in the upcoming year, “The virtues represent values that we are not born with, but must strive to achieve for ourselves. God gives us the gift of choice, and the ability to differentiate between what is good and what is not.” Lavinia is instructed to learn and absorb the values of truth, love, courage, wisdom, creativity, tolerance, and freedom, and to use them in pursuit of a grand adventure to celebrate her passage from childhood to adolescence.
Lavinia observes the actions and antics of her eclectic group of family and friends to arrive at her own moral compass. These external forces shape Lavinia’s perspective, but it is the internalization of lessons learned through love, friendship, sorrow and pain that prepares Lavinia for the greatest confrontation of her life. As the year draws to a close, Lavinia’s father, who abandoned her at birth, threatens the sanctity of her home and only Lavinia can prevent the destruction of her family.
In My Own World
This book describes the journey of an autistic child . “In My Own World” is joyful and inspirational, visually beautiful and emotionally deep. This book raises the possibility of “what if” and carries the potential to become “what can be” for autistic children and their families. Its purpose is to educate the public, creating an awareness of the disease and tolerance toward children who exhibit signs of atypical public behavior.
Wildlife Rescue Rangers: A Kid's Guide to Wildlife Rehabilitation
This book educates young readers about how a wildlife rehabilitation facility operates, and celebrates the dedicated individuals who donate their time and services. This guide teaches young people (and their parents) what to do if they find injured or abandoned wildlife and gives kids ideas on how they can help.
|
|
Bookmarks
Share
Save
[