Books with author Holly Schindler

~Christmas at Ruby's inspired an ongoing holiday series. I Remember You and Sentimental Journey, additional Ruby’s Place books, are available now.~ Welcome to Ruby’s, where the Christmas spirit is alive and well.Ruby’s Place (the classy family-friendly nightspot that once lit the night sky in the tiny fictional town of Sullivan, Missouri) is no more—closed for decades—but that doesn’t keep those who once shared an eggnog or plate of homemade marshmallows from remembering the tinsel-wrapped moments Ruby’s supplied come Christmas.On a snowy holiday evening, feeling a bit down on her luck, a middle-aged Angela finds herself back at Ruby’s, staring through its foggy, grimy window to remember the Christmases she spent there with her favorite aunt as a child. Could the best Christmas present of all simply be spending one last moment with that special loved one, in a place where memories were born?At Ruby’s, it seems, the “spirits” are not confined to just the dusty liquors behind the bar, and such a Christmas wish might not be made in vain.~Ruby's Place books in order:Christmas at Ruby'sI Remember YouSentimental Journey

Create a brand-new superhero with never-before-seen powers and the perfect arch-enemy. Learn to tell an exciting story!Award-winning author Holly Schindler turns her attention to helping young writers learn the craft of storytelling. This activity book guides users through creating a new superhero character, but it also uses brainstorming prompts to take young authors through the process of constructing a story with solid characters, plenty of pulse-pounding conflict, and a satisfying ending.This deluxe edition also includes an original superhero story by Schindler. The Adventures of Super Susan features a hero who insists kindness is a superpower. By reading the story and answering the included supplemental questions, young authors can see firsthand how the brainstorming prompts can become a fully-formed superhero tale.Great for individual or classroom use. Suggested grades: 3-8.

Journey with me to tiny Sullivan, Missouri and unwrap an unexpected gift…Welcome to Christmas Eve at Ruby’s Place, a nightspot where memories of yesterday come alive. Where one night a year, the past and the present bump headlong into the future. Where beginnings and endings circulate through mystery and the magic of love. Meet the establishment’s current owner, Angela, its first owner, Frankie, and Ruby herself. Get to know the happy hour regulars whose presence is the stuff of quiet speculation. Revisit the Christmas within yourself.From its mystifying beginning, The Ruby’s Place Christmas Collection builds, leaving still more unanswered questions. This single download includes all three books in the series to date: Christmas at Ruby’s, I Remember You, and Sentimental Journey.

Fifteen-year-old Aura Ambrose has been hiding a secret. Her mother, a talented artist and art teacher, is slowly being consumed by schizophrenia, and Aura has been her sole caretaker ever since Aura's dad left them. Convinced that "creative" equals crazy, Aura shuns her own artistic talent. But as her mother sinks deeper into the darkness of mental illness, the hunger for a creative outlet draws Aura toward the depths of her imagination. Just as desperation threatens to swallow her whole, Aura discovers that art, love, and family are profoundly linked—and together may offer an escape from her fears. "Breathtakingly, gut-wrenchingly authentic...A haunting, realistic view of the melding of art, creativity, and mental illness and their collective impact on a young person’s life."—BOOKLIST"Any story about mental illness will not be an easy read, but a very good one will reward those who stick with it. A Blue So Dark definitely falls in that category, so powerful is the empathy the author has built for her main character."—SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL "An excellent first novel—a definite must-read. Schindler's debut novel is a lyrical tapestry...a work of poetry."—VOYA"This story provides a realistic viewpoint of a teen living with a schizophrenic parent. Schindler shows how one teen copes with her ill mother, while trying to juggle the demands of school."—ALAN ONLINE "A Blue So Dark is one of those rare books: It never shies away from the darkness yet still manages to find the light. A truly real, emotional, and honest read."—Catherine Ryan Hyde, author of Pay it Forward and Love in the Present Tense “Schindler’s lyrical debut explores the nightmare of mental illness in a voice that is sharp and funny and all her own. This is as real as teen fiction gets. A must-read."—Crissa-Jean Chappell, author of Total Constant Order "A Blue So Dark is a raw, compelling and eloquent portrayal of art and madness, and the freeing, healing gift of creativity. Schindler's voice is brilliant and true."—Carrie Jones, New York Times bestselling author of Need and Captivate GOLD MEDAL WINNER: IPPY Awards 2010 (Juvenile/Young Adult Fiction) SILVER MEDAL WINNER: ForeWord Book of the Year Awards 2010 (Young Adult Fiction)

Create a brand-new superhero with never-before-seen powers and the perfect arch-enemy. Learn to tell an exciting story!Psst: And it’s fun, too!~Award-winning author Holly Schindler turns her attention to helping young writers learn the craft of storytelling. Yes, this activity book will guide users through creating a new superhero character, but it also uses brainstorming prompts to take young authors through the process of constructing a story with solid characters, plenty of pulse-pounding conflict, and a satisfying ending. Great for individual or classroom use. Suggested grades: 3-8.

A sweet, short holiday tale about opening yourself up to magical possibilities. Natalie is new to town, and feels invisible and painfully alone...until a mysterious stranger in a cemetery changes everything.Come December is the first installment of Forever Finley, a collection of stand-alone episodes or short stories that released once a month throughout 2016. Subsequent releases include: January Thaw, Forget February, Dearest March…, April’s Promise, Mayday Mayday Mayday, Chasing June, A Hundred Julys, Under the August Moon, Song for September, October Omen, and the Forever Finley Finale (Pale November / December Bells). Stories can be purchased individually, or readers can purchase all installments in Forever Finley: An Episodic Novel.

~If you enjoy I Remember You, you’ll love Christmas at Ruby’s and Sentimental Journey, two books also set in Ruby’s Place~Welcome to the Grand Reopening of Ruby’s PlaceRob & Geena 4Ever 1987 – words carved into a sidewalk square in Sullivan, Missouri. Today, Rob and Geena have become little more than hazily remembered small-town gossip, a sweet story of first love between the high school bad boy and the smartest girl in the class. At least, until Professor Geena Barister returns home after her father’s heart attack. Now, with so much time and distance having passed between them, it will take nothing short of a miracle to get the two to even speak again. As luck would have it, though, Ruby’s Place is about to reopen. Ruby’s, where the “spirits” are more than the dusty liquors in bottles behind the bar, and reunions of the heart are encouraged—no charge. For Rob and Geena (and anyone in Sullivan who enters the bar on its wintry opening night), love promises to be the specialty served on the house, while the endearing refrain of “I Remember You” plays on…~Each of the Ruby’s Place books stands on its own. The series doesn't have to be read in any particular sequence. But for those who would like the books in order:Christmas at Ruby'sI Remember YouSentimental Journey

~If you enjoy Sentimental Journey, you’ll love Christmas at Ruby’s and I Remember You, two books also set in Ruby’s Place~This Christmas Eve, Ruby’s Place is in danger. Can the ghosts of Christmases past save the old supper club, paving the way for a long-awaited love reunion? Will it take more than mistletoe and memories of a speakeasy?Will it take a touch of holiday magic?~Each of the Ruby’s Place books stands on its own. The series doesn’t have to be read in any particular sequence. But for those who would like the books in order:Christmas at Ruby’sI Remember YouSentimental Journey

Star basketball player Chelsea "Nitro" Keyes had the promise of a full ride to college—and everyone's admiration in her hometown. But everything changed senior year, when she took a horrible fall during a game. Now a metal plate holds her together and she feels like a stranger in her own family. As a graduation present, Chelsea's dad springs for a three-week summer "boot camp" program at a northern Minnesota lake resort. There, she's immediately drawn to her trainer, Clint, a nineteen-year-old ex-hockey player who's haunted by his own traumatic past. As they grow close, Chelsea is torn between her feelings for Clint and her loyalty to her devoted boyfriend back home. Will an unexpected romance just end up causing Chelsea and Clint more pain—or finally heal their heartbreak?"PLAYING HURT is a delicious, tantalizing love story that will captivate you until the final, satisfying sigh."—Kristin Walker, author of A MATCH MADE IN HIGH SCHOOL

Do all roads really lead us home?Twenty years ago, Louisa’s twin disappeared. Twenty years ago, Jesse entered the foster care system under a mysterious set of circumstances.Just days before Thanksgiving, the two cross paths, both claiming to own the same dog. Questions and strange coincidences quickly begin to mount.Is Jesse just another scam artist out to prey on a family’s long-held hopes?Is Louisa so overly suspicious that she can’t see a miracle staring her in the face?They’ll never guess who holds the key to it all...

Is the magic of Christmas Eve enough to change Mallory’s mind and heart?Mallory Stewart is an on-the-rise young editor certain she’s about to land a position at one of the “Big Five” publishing houses. All she has to do to clinch the deal is attend her prospective boss’s Christmas Eve party. But Graham Kendall, the charismatic author of a bestselling book on fate, insists her plans are about to be thwarted. Mallory immediately discounts Dr. Kendall’s warnings. Though she edited his book, the industrious Mallory believes in hard work rather than luck or good fortune. When a series of devastating Christmas Eve misadventures conspire against her, Mallory is forced to reexamine everything—her beliefs, her dreams, her own definition of success. What will Mallory choose? What will she discover—about Graham, about her own destiny, even about…a man’s socks? (Yes, socks.)

"An inspiring story that looks at classism, the true breadth of what is beautiful, and standing up for ourselves that will be a welcome read for kids who may be adjusting to changing friends and attitudes of middle school." - Seira Wilson, Amazon Editor“Beasts of the Southern Wild” meets Because of Winn Dixie in this inspiring story of hope.August “Auggie” Jones lives with her Grandpa Gus, a trash hauler, in a poor part of town. So when her wealthy classmate’s father starts the House Beautification Committee, it’s homes like Auggie’s that are deemed “in violation.” Auggie is determined to prove that she is not as run-down as the outside of her house might suggest. Using the kind of items Gus usually hauls to the scrap heap, a broken toaster becomes a flower; church windows turn into a rainbow walkway; and an old car gets new life as spinning whirligigs. What starts out as a home renovation project becomes much more as Auggie and her grandpa discover a talent they never knew they had—and redefine a whole town’s perception of beauty, one recycled sculpture at a time. Auggie’s talent for creating found art will remind readers that one girl’s trash really is another girl’s treasure.