Stone Soup contributor and 20-21 intern Anya Geist, 14, talks to Liam Hancock, 12, about inspiration, persevering after rejection, and the Writing Workshop. 0:19 – How were you introduced to Stone Soup? 0:32 – What is your favorite thing about writing? 1:00 – How did you decide to submit to Stone Soup? 1:21 – How did it feel to have your story accepted? 1:46 – Was the accepted story, “Slaying Monsters,” one of the first stories you’d written? 2:14 – How did it feel when you were rejected the first time? 2:42 – Have you submitted anything else after your first acceptance? 3:00 – What was it like to write a book two years in a row? 3:39 – Do you feel like you grew as a writer between submissions? 2:54 – What inspired you to write “Slaying Monsters”? 4:35 – What is your favorite part about the Writing Workshop? 4:56 – Do you find that the writing you do for fun is different from the writing you do for school? 5:56 – Is there anything else you want to talk about? 6:10 – Do you have any writing advice for your peers? 6:47 – If you could tell somebody about Stone Soup, what would you say?
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
A Day in the Life of a Sixth Grader
7:15 am- When my alarm goes off, I always wonder if I could just throw it on the ground, then go back to sleep. Well, I can’t do that, actually, because my dad is my alarm and I would be in trouble trying to throw him at the ground. 7:15 is the worst part of the day. After the alarm goes off, the quiet, peaceful house starts to wake up: my dad yelling at us to wake up, my little sister screaming at me to give her clothes (which I don’t have), my mom going through her makeup desk wondering which mascara she should put on, and me trying to find my favorite hoodie. 7:30 am- My hair is all sticky and oily and my mom screams at me to take a quick shower. I know not to argue because if I do, I have to look sticky, smelly, ugly, and oily when I go to school. When I’m in the shower, I instantly regret it because it’s soooo cold. But you can’t just get out of shower when you’re already wet. So I just stay in there for five minutes and then get out and runnnn to my room for warmth. 7:45 am- What you are probably imagining is a lovely and fancy breakfast full of warmth and happiness. Well, if that’s what you are thinking, you are wrong. My breakfast goes like this: my little sister complaining that she has way too much food, me arguing with my sister, my mom telling my sister to just eat, and my dad screaming at us to be quiet. That’s how my breakfast goes. And because of my sister, I don’t think I can eat properly with my eardrums half missing. 7:50 am- I do a quick double check just in case I forgot my iPad. And if I do have my iPad, I check if I have my science folder. If I don’t have it, you never want to know what my science teacher would say! She would say: “Honey, remembering your folder and your homework is part of your responsibility. You will get a zero if you forget. Don’t be sad because this is your fault, not mine.” And then I make sure I have my pencil case because you never know if anyone’s going to lend you a pencil. 7th period- SPANISH TIME! I love Spanish. Not because I can speak it very well. But I enjoy the class because my Spanish teacher is so kind. She rarely gives any homework and lets us play a fun game on Fridays! I also do extra Spanish on Tuesdays, which is awesome! I also have a friend in both Spanish classes, and he is interesting and funny. When we were learning the Spanish word “cero,” which is “zero” in English, he said, “Zero. The meaning of life.” It was hilarious. I think that he is one reason why I can survive 7th period! 9th period- Have you ever had a nightmare? Well, I bet you do. Let me tell you my nightmare: gym. Gym drives me crazy. I really wish that they made gym optional. Gym makes me wish I was invisible for 80 minutes. Yes, I have some friends who make going to the gym easier. But you can never get away from my gym teacher’s yelling: “Get away from your friend, Lauren!” or “Put your mask on before I send you to the office!” or “Lauren, do the jumping jacks! They are not that hard!” Following all those instructions drives me crazy! 10th period- If you had a nightmare, there are always good things too, right? And my good part of the day is woodworking! Woodworking is so much fun. You get to cut, paint, polish, sand, and file. First, you choose what you want to do. Then you cut, file, and sand. You make sure the wood is pretty and smooth. Then it’s the best part! You paint your wood. There are millions and millions of different colors. Salmon pink, light blue, purple, orange, cream yellow. There are so many of them! And you lastly, do your polishing. That makes your project extra shiny. Tutoring- I do a lot of online tutoring. Some of them are not that bad. But others are horrible. You have to sit in front of the computers forever! The teachers give a bunch of homework. There is not much to describe about my tutoring except the word boring. Homework time- You always have to do homework, right? Well, about 7:00-9:00 p.m., I have to do my homework. I always don’t do it for two hours. Sometimes I have a little homework and sometimes I have a massive amount of homework. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. Rest/Bedtime- Finally! After the stress of going through the whole day, why not treat myself a little? This time of the day, I call my friends, watch TV, or play with my sister. It’s my free time and my bedtime too. I cross my fingers in hopes that I don’t have a lot of homework for this time. Then I go to sleep crossing my fingers (again) that my dad wouldn’t come too early and scream at me to wake up all over again!
Written in Starlight, Reviewed by April, 12
“If the jungle wants you, it will have you.” Hidden deep in the magical Inkasisa kingdom, there lies a lost city named Paititi. For decades, Paititi has aroused legends of warrior people, exotic foods, and high concentrations of gold. But it’s never been found. Paititi is protected by the Yanu Jungle: a land alive with colors, plants, and imminent danger. Each flower holds poison. Jaguars and other carnivorous animals roam the stretches of green. Rivers fester with humongous creatures and dangerous currents. Why, then, would anyone venture into this nightmarish land? For Catalina Quiroga, the answer is easy: revenge. Written in Starlight by Isabel Ibañez, the highly-awaited sequel to Woven in Moonlight, is a story that follows ex-countess Catalina’s many trials in the Yanu Jungle. Catalina was supposed to be the new queen of Inkasisa, but her best friend Ximena seemingly betrayed her by choosing a princess named Tamaya to be the queen instead. Wounded, proud, and unaware of the danger in store, Catalina rejected Tamaya’s queenship and was consequently banished to the Yanu Jungle. Now, all Catalina can do is try to find the lost city of Paititi, hoping that she’ll be able to persuade their leader to ally with her, in turn gaining the army necessary in dethroning Tamaya. But Catalina’s always lived a sheltered life. Despite being born with the ability to interpret messages written in the stars, she can’t seem to use her ability correctly; therefore, is unable to see what dangers lie in her future. Catalina nearly dies in the jungle several times—until she unexpectedly bumps into Manuel, her former guard and love interest, who helps her find shelter and food. Fueled by Catalina’s thirst for revenge, they continue. But when Catalina’s old feelings toward Manuel are rekindled, ultimatums are wielded, and Catalina’s emotions become as plentiful as the stars above her, she must decide what the fate of Inkasisa will be: another war, or peace. I love this book. I actually went out of town to get the first book in the series, Woven in Moonlight, and it was definitely worth it. I immediately fell head over heels for Ibañez’s writing: the description and metaphors were so real and heartbreaking. I was no less blown away by Written in Starlight. Usually, I find that sequels don’t live up to their predecessors, but this book broke the mold. I loved how the narrator (Catalina) was different from the narrator of the first book (Ximena) because it really extended the world of Inkasisa. I was able to see how torn apart the kingdom was through Catalina’s eyes. The Latin influences in this book are also invaluable and make the novel all the more fascinating. The foods mentioned, such as paiche (marinated freshwater fish that is cooked over a fire) and fried yuca (a crispy, creamy version of fried potatoes) made my mouth water. It was very interesting to see the cultural influences that shaped the kingdom of Inkasisa. Even the word “Inkasisa” is from a different language—it’s Quechua for “royal flower,” which made me think of Inkasisa as an even richer, more fascinating place! The fact that Ibañez was able to incorporate her heritage into her writing was beautiful. The overall theme of Written in Starlight was very important as well. Catalina, though at first furious and vying for the throne, begins to realize that she might not want the crown so much as the story goes on; she starts looking into paths that are more appealing. This novel teaches you to find yourself instead of being subservient and passive just because you think it is your duty. All in all, I thought this book was a gorgeous and memorable read. I would recommend Written in Starlight to anyone looking for a good YA novel! It has a little bit of everything so everyone can enjoy reading it: fantasy, mystery, adventure, romance, drama, action, and suspense. This book made me fall in love with Isabel Ibañez’s writing even more, and can’t wait for a potential third book in this series to be released! Written in Starlight by Isabel Ibañez. Page Street Kids, 2021. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process!
