Welcome, Guest Author Penny Estelle!!!

I am happy to welcome Penny Estelle to my blog. Penny writes MG novels and she is here to share her books and her unusual experience with teaching. 

Hi Penny. I am looking forward to reading about your teaching experience. Most of my readers must know by now that I was a teacher for over 17 years, but I substituted so long that I got credit for 3 more years of teaching!! Being a substitute teacher is not an easy job as you will see in Penny's story. I never asked her if it was true or not. Maybe some of you might comment and ask her that question.:) Penny is giving away a free book to the lucky commenter who wins the drawing. Remember you've got to be in it to win it!!

The Day I Subbed For Miss Wickware

I was substituting the other day at Langdon Middle School.  Miss Wickware, the 7/8^th grade history teacher was sick and I was called to cover her class.  It was a weird experience for me.  I had never subbed for the older kids, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  Some of the students, during the morning classes, started talking about strange things that have happened in all of Miss Wickware’s classes.  Though I got everybody on task, deep down, I wanted to know what they were talking about.

According to Miss Wickware’s instructions, I had a lunchtime duty on the playground.

It was there I overheard two boys talking.  “Dude, I’m sacked out at home, in my own bed, and the next thing I know, I’m dressed in these weird clothes and am in the back of an old brown cart, being driven by a man that was at least eighty years old.  Lucky he was still breathing!”  The boy leaned in so nobody could overhear.  Of course, I took a step closer to hear what he was saying.  “This old guy says my mom has paid him to bring me to my uncle’s house.  I look around and have never seen anyplace like this. Green rolling hills as far as the eye can see. I’m starting to freak out and he says that my aunt and uncle live in the house that he is pointing at.  Are you ready for this?  It was the house of William Tell.  Dude, William Tell lived in the fourteenth century!”

“That’s pretty freaky, but I can beat that one.  Old lady Wickware made me stay after school.  Man, it was my first day and all ready in trouble.  Anyway, she gives me a bunch of crap about how my attitude better change in her class.  Here’s the weird part.  Her skinny, old hand was holding my arm and I couldn’t budge.  No joke!  It wouldn’t move!  When she finally let go I run out of the classroom and I’m in a forest.  There is no school, no buildings anywhere!  I meet this girl and her name is Sybil Ludington.  I had just drawn her name in class to do a report on.”

Both of the boys were a pale color and their eyes were wide with disbelief.  One said to the other, “Have you told anybody?

“No way!  You?”

“Nope and never will!”

The bell rang and the boys were up and running to their next class.  I just laughed, shaking it off.  Boys say the strangest things!

Okay, Penny. I have to admit I never had an experience like this when I was subbing. 

So I see you have some books you have written. You have published your latest book with MuseItUp Publishing and I am happy you are part of the Muse. Let's learn about your books and about you.

Bio:

I am a retired school secretary.  In my twenty-one years working for an elementary school, I heard excuses of every kind as to why Kindergarten through eigth grade students were sent to see the principal. Everything from, “It wasn’t me. It was my evil twin!” to “I went to take an aspirin and I took my mom’s medication by mistake! It’s made me crazy!” I enjoyed working with children of all ages, which got me started on writing short stories.

I now live on a 54 acre ranch in VERY RURAL, NW Arizona, with my wonderful husband.  It is a constant work in progress. We live on solar and wind, which has been a real adjustment! On any given evening, the stars are an awesome sight and can be seen as far as the eye can see!

Blurb:

Billy Cooper’s seventh grade class has been given a last minute, weekend assignment.  An oral book report, due Monday, on some stupid historical figure, he draws from a box.

Billy’s weekend is way too full to worry about some legend – that is, until he meets him face to face!

Excerpt:

Billy turned to William, “Dude, it’s a hat….a stupid hat. Really? Go to jail? You don’t even have to bow all the way,” he whispered, “just bend a little and call the guy a jerk under your breath.”

“I am a free man. I will not bow to a hat!” William stated loudly.

A booming voice rang out behind them. “Your disrespect for me will not be tolerated and you will be punished!”

William turned to see the Governor and several guardsmen behind them. “We do not live in Altdorf. I knew nothing of your proclamation. Still, you expect people to bow down to an empty hat?”

“Oh crap,” Billy muttered.

“What is your name?” Gessler asked.

“William Tell.”

“I have heard of you, Tell,” Gessler said, looking down from his horse. “Your skill as an archer is known far and wide.”

Tell did not respond, but Walter was quick to pipe up. “That is true. My father is the very best archer in all the lands!”

“Bro, ix-nay on the alk-tay,” Billy whispered.

“I am not an unreasonable man,” Gessler sneered. “I will make you a proposition, Tell. At fifty paces, your son will have an apple placed on his head. If you shoot if off successfully, you may go. If you miss, or you refuse, you both die!”

Wow, Penny! You can't leave us like this!! I know MG kids will love this book!

Blurb:

Ten-year old Andy Thompson disobeys his mother and sneaks into the basement of an old abandoned house that’s due for demolition. He stumbles upon a mysterious box under an old cabinet. And his troubles begin when he looks inside. The Crew brothers, twelve-year old Jason, and ten-year old Danny, also find their way to the basement. New to town, Jason has established himself as the school bully. A struggle ensues between Andy and Jason and the bully ends up as a toad. Somehow, the boys must reverse the magical spell. And that means hiking up the dread mountain: fast pace, fast action and just a few scares and surprises on the way! The lives of all three boys seem destined to change forever, if they survive…

Blurb:

Twelve-year old Pam Simpson gets dumped on when her mother is called into work. She has to babysit her brother and his friend, and entertain her prissy cousin, Candy, whom she doesn't even like. They are going to the public pool and floating down the canal to get there, much to Candy's frantic dismay. Pam's day goes from horrible to the best day of her life, thanks to A Float Down the Canal.

I know you have one more book that is a short story, At What Price. Here are the links for all of Penny's books, her website and her blog:

http://www.pennystales.com/
http://pennyestelle.blogspot.com/
Hike Up Devil's Mountain
http://store.solsticepublishing.com/hike-up-devils-mountain/

A Float Down the Canal

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/140005

Billy Cooper's Awesome Nightmare

http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=501&category_id=10&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1&vmcchk=1&Itemid=1%20At What Price

http://store.solsticepublishing.com/at-what-price/

Penny, so happy to have you on my blog today. Summer is the perfect time for reading and mothers and fathers who are looking for exciting page turner stories for your children, why not get one of these books? 

Until the next time, it's only about a week until my operation and I can't wait. I've been icing my knees for a couple of days now and the result is truly amazing. I can't say I have less pain or that I am walking better, but my ankles have shrunk back to their normal size. The nurse said to use frozen vegetables, so I  have been doing that, but I put writing on one of them to make sure no one uses it for food! I'm switching off between four packages so if they get defrosted and then frozen again that wouldn't be healthy.:)

I'm planning to go to the pool soon before my operation, but my legs look awful. I need that cellulite cream to make them look halfway decent and I don't think it works in a day.LOL. What I can't wait to do is workout again. Since I can't bend my knee I haven't been able to do anything. I can't even do the stationary bike. Not sure if I'll have rehab or not after the surgery. Not sure about anything except there will be pain.:) 

Still waiting for my daughter's take on the last draft of my manuscript to send it in. Can't wait to sub this already.:)

Enjoy the good weather if you have it and buy lots of books. My novel, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor is a great idea for beach reading for both you and your children ages 10 and up. Don't take my word for it. This is the feedback I have gotten from past readers. Click on the cover on the sidebar. Or go here:

https://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=203&category_id=10&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1