Blog Tour: The Emerald Ring by Dorine White

The Emerald Ring by Dorine White, 2013, 192p
Middle-Grade Fiction, Rating=4 stars
Source: Provided review copy from the author for an honest review

Ordinary tween life turns upside down when Ancient Egypt intrudes on modern middle school life. Twelve year old Sara Guadalupe Bogus reads about adventures, but unexpectedly is drawn into one when a mystical emerald ring that once belonged to Cleopatra becomes stuck on her finger.

A series of burglaries spook Sara’s small Ohio hometown. Concluding that the root of all the crimes is the emerald ring, Sara realizes it’s up to her and her friends, Heidi and African exchange student Kainu, to save the town and protect Cleopatra’s legacy. Filled with magic, the ring thrusts Sara into a world filled with nightmares, allows her to shape shift into an Egyptian cat and battle assassins.(Goodreads)

I really enjoyed this book! Sara finds her grandmother's emerald ring in the attic and when she puts it on her finger, she feels an electric shock and then the ring won't come off. She starts having strange dreams and with her BFF Heidi and the new African exchange student Kainu, they set out to figure out what's going on. 

There was quite a bit of action and I was nervous about the situations that Sara found herself in, which is what made it fun to read--to see how she would survive. It was interesting to see how the story unfolded and how they took on the thief who was in town to steal the ring. I laughed when Sara and Heidi dressed each other up for the "Halloween at the Mall" party and that's where things really start heating up with their thief. I liked the ending and thought White did a great job setting up the next story in the series. I know this is a book my young daughter will enjoy but it's a fun read no matter how old you are!

When a new book comes out, I always wonder if there will be more books and how soon they will be released. I was fortunate to be able to interview the author and get my questions answered and I'm looking forward to reading more in this series!

Author Interview

When did you first consider yourself a writer? 

I have always considered myself a writer. From the time I could pick up a pencil, I was writing little stories. Considering myself an author, well that is a different story. It wasn’t until I signed that contract with Cedar Fort that I finally felt I could call myself an author.

What inspired you to write The Emerald Ring? 
I love fantasy books. When I decided to write something for children, there was no question it would be fantasy. Add to that a love for history, and voila, The Emerald Ring. My story combines magic with history from Ancient Egypt. 

Is The Emerald Ring a stand alone book or part of a series? 
The Emerald Ring is the first book in the Cleopatra’s Legacy series. However, each book stands alone and has a different main character. The overall theme of protecting Cleopatra’s magic jewels from an evil Roman cult is what links all the books. And of course, in the fifth book, all the main characters get together for the final showdown. 

If part of a series, how many books are you planning to write and when is the next one scheduled to be released? 

This is a five book series. The second one, The Ruby Pendant, will hopefully be released in one year.

What are some of your favorite books and what book are you reading now? 

Growing up I loved Mary Poppins, the Narnia books and Nancy Drew. When I hit high school I was reading mostly fantasy, such as, The Dragonlance books, The Forgotten realms and the Pern series. Now, I read so much to keep up with my blog, it is hard to say. I love the Rick Riordan books, and can’t wait for the last in that series to come out.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing? 

Nap. Yep, whenever I can squeeze one in. Otherwise I’m taking care of kids. I also like to find time to read.

If you couldn’t be an author, what would your ideal career be? 

I would be a Humanities teacher. That is actually what I got my degree in from BYU.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? 

Yes, have patience. The publication process takes so long. Often writers think it is just the writing that takes years, but after you have the completed manuscript, you have to send it out to agents and publishers. Those queries also can take years, especially with editors. Then, if you get a contract, the editing takes time. Plus, the book release date is like having a baby. You can’t wait for those “9 months” to be over, and by 8 months you’re raring to go.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans? 

Yes, please come along on this journey with me. The Emerald Ring is my debut novel and I expect that as I grow as an author my writing will also improve and my books will amaze. The Emerald Ring is just my first step down that path.

Dorine White graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Humanities and Art History. She began writing at a young age, proudly producing picture books for her parents. Now, her writing has turned into a passion for children's books. Currently she lives in the beautiful yet rainy Northwest, with her husband and six children.

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