The Howling Vowels: Volume 1 - Tapa blanda

“Look! Five vowels, all howling!” Welcome to Sundog, Minnesota! When homeschooled, Norse-myth-obsessed Alexa Stevens moves from New York City, she doesn’t know what to expect. What is a small town like? Explore a new landscape with Alexa as she observes wolves in the wild and forms a close pack of friends. Meet A, Alexa: a lover of words and questions, quirky and sprightly, she wants to know everything so she can know the whole story; Meet E, Eduardo: tall and mysterious, with a streak of sadness, he speaks Alexa’s language and has a few tricks up his sleeve; Meet I, Isabelle: quiet and tiny, with big eyes that take everything in, she is good with her hands and good to confide in; Meet O, Otto: always in motion, with laughing eyes, he dances his way into Alexa’s heart; Meet U, Ursula: strong and headstrong, Ursula has a lot on her shoulders as she dreams of adventure and making her own way in life. Join city girl Alexa as she tastes unfamiliar seasons, comes to know her friends, really sees herself, and discovers her own way to make her mark on the world.

Leslie Schultz is a lifelong artist intrigued by subtle connections between stories and images. She likes exploring how to tell stories not only with words but with photographs. Leslie began writing stories and poetry in third grade. Today, she has published poetry, fiction, essays, interviews, and book reviews, and she makes her living as a writer helping non-profit organizations. In addition, Leslie carries her camera everywhere, and she exhibits and sells her photographs. As a child, Leslie moved extensively with her family, living in many states and overseas. Consequently, she always longed for roots. Now, Minnesota is her home. Here, along with her husband, Tim, and daughter, Julia, she revels in the turn of the seasons, the connections with neighbors, and the ongoing adventure of homeschooling. At first, homeschooling seemed a daunting prospect, but she knew that what Julia needed couldn’t happened in a school setting, and so Leslie decided to take a leap of faith. Now, Julia has a tailor-made program of stimulating academics balanced by fun with friends and time to dream and create. The Howling Vowels grows out of this experience of homeschooling in a small Minnesota town. As Julia began reading, she couldn’t find any books about other children who were homeschooled. Leslie began writing the book for Julia, and Julia encouraged her to publish it. Learn more about Leslie by visiting: www.winonamedia.net