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Merry Christmas to all of the Olivia Brophie fans! |

Christopher Tozier is the author of Olivia Brophie and the Pearl of Tagelus, the award-winning, middle-grade fantasy series set in the wilds of central Florida and published by Pineapple Press. He was selected as a 2011 State of Florida Artist Fellowship recipient and his poetry has appeared widely.
Friday, December 19, 2014
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Award winning fantasy series from Florida
The book stickers arrived today for the USA Best Book Award. Combined with the President's Award, both books in the Olivia Brophie series now have their own award stickers! I'm so blessed and honored.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Olivia Brophie and the Sky Island wins an award!
I was super happy today when I found out that Olivia Brophie and the Sky Island is a USA Best Book Award Finalist! This is the fourth award that the Olivia Brophie Series has won. I'm feeling very honored tonight!
http://www.oliviabrophie.blogspot.com/p/reviews.html
http://www.oliviabrophie.blogspot.com/p/reviews.html
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Monday, August 11, 2014
A Visit with DLF School in Sahibabad India
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Armadillos in Florida
Three young armadillos live in my front yard this summer. When they are foraging, they are fearless and you can walk right up to them. A lot of people try to get rid of armadillos because of the damage they do to their lawns. I have always left them alone and eventually, they leave.
There are no armadillos in either of my books. Maybe because they aren't scary enough?
There are no armadillos in either of my books. Maybe because they aren't scary enough?
Monday, June 16, 2014
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Florida Wildflower Field - Meadow Beauties (Rhexia sp.)
Meadow Beauties (Rhexia) |
More Florida Wildflower Fields
Friday, May 30, 2014
Fan art and letters from young readers
I received an awesome package of fan art and letters today from a classroom that read the Pearl of Tagelus. I love it when they make pop-ups in their cards!
Olivia Brophie and the Pearl of Tagelus |
Tardigrade, coral snake, gopher tortoise, and bobwhite |
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I love the colors and detail of this one |
Children's Adventure and Fantasy fan |
Central Florida Children's Author School Visit
Here is a visit I had with a fourth grade class that read both the Pearl of Tagelus and the Sky Island in class. They went crazy! A few of those girls are VERY angry about Thunder's fate in the Pearl of Tagelus though.
Florida author Skypes with readers in India
Here are some photos of a Skype visit I did with some Olivia Brophie fans in India. We had a great time!
Monday, May 26, 2014
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings by Sandra Wallus Sammons
by Sandra Wallus Sammons
Pineapple
Press Biography Series 2010
Intended for
ages 9 - 12
I have long
been interested in Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. We both graduated from the
University of Wisconsin – Madison English Department, although eighty years
apart. We both found our way to the wild scrub of central Florida and made our
homes here. Our writing was fundamentally influenced by the Florida scrub. For
whatever spiritual simplicity that desert or arctic landscapes bring to those
that travel there, the Florida scrub has a unique harshness that speaks to some
people. I always appreciated the parallels in our lives and somehow imagine
that we might have been friends.
I picked up
Sammons’ biography on Rawlings because I had read many of her other
biographies. Her approach is straightforward, simple, and clear. I came to
appreciate the lack of poetic device that so often crowds biographical writing.
Instead, her prose allows the reader to connect easily to the story. Only fifty pages long, this brisk book covers
the entirety of Rawlings’ life, from her birth in Washington DC to her legacy
after her death at the age of fifty-seven. Each chapter describes a particular
phase in her life.
As a writer,
I could relate to Rawlings’ early struggles with her writing career. As someone who has moved a lot, I could feel
the tension between being a strange newcomer and finding a place to call home.
Rawlings’ life was one of wild variance. She felt most at home among the
glowing oranges of her grove, but also was an honored guest at the White House
and won the Pulitzer. She felt incredibly connected to the local people but
ended up with a defamation suit in court.
Sammons
rightfully doesn’t try to make philosophical conclusions about these
dichotomies. She doesn’t overplay their importance in Rawlings’ life either. The historic photographs add wonderful visual details. I
definitely recommend this book as a great introduction to an important Florida
literary figure, especially for its young intended audience.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Florida Black Bear Cub
Here are some photos of a Florida black bear cub that was born this spring. She (or he) was up in the pine tree because an unleashed dog chased her. Last year's bears got in trouble because people were hand-feeding them and they became accustomed to people. Now the mother is dead and the cubs are relocated. Please do not feed bears!
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Florida Black Bear Cub - Look at that face! |
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Florida Black Bear Cub |
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Paw Paw and Blueberry in the Florida Scrub
Lions of Florence
Lions were the symbol of the Medici. There are lions everywhere in Florence, Italy. At night, they seem to come alive.
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Florida author speaks to schools
Here are some photos published in the Orlando Sentinel of me speaking to the Umatilla Public Library teen group.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Some Florida Spring Flowers
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