Adventurous Elvia Hill is fed up with her overly cautious parents, who lost her older sister, Jane, to cancer.
Welcome to one of the May 11th stops on the blog tour for Elvia and the Gift of Passion by Ruthy Ballard with Goddess Fish Promotions. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for spotlights, reviews, and a giveaway! More on that at the end of this post.
Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means there is no additional cost to you if you shop using my links, but I will earn a small percentage in commission. A program-specific disclaimer is at the bottom of this post.
About the Book
Elvia and the Gift of Passion
Tales by Moons-Light
by Ruthy Ballard
Published 3 April 2023
WhipSmart Books
Genre: Middle Grade Science Fantasy
Page Count: 374
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
Adventurous ten-year-old Elvia is sick of her dull-as-dishwater existence, suffocating under the stifling watch her overprotective parents. She longs for a different life, with more freedom and fun. But she gets more than she bargains for when she discovers an alarming family secret and is swept away on an adventure 64,000 light years from Earth. Tanzanian witch doctors, child-eating lions, and submarine exploration on a two-mooned planet enliven this science fiction fantasy adventure, the third in Ballard’s award-winning Tales by Moons-light series.
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Excerpt
“What will you call her?” the woman asked, whipping the doll from Elvia’s hands, and, in one liquid motion, wrapping it up in a colorful scarf. “I’ll throw in this beautiful kanga for free so you can carry your baby on your back, like women do here.”
Sally raised an eyebrow in annoyance. The pushy woman was a skilled salesperson. No doubt she’d sold many of her wares in such an underhanded way. Still, she withdrew her wallet. She couldn’t very well deny Elvia the doll now.
Elvia considered her options. She briefly thought of calling the doll Mary or Ann, but she immediately decided against it. Lots of girls had dolls with common names. Instead, hoping for something more exotic, she probed the shopkeeper for suggestions.
“What’s a good Tanzanian name?” she asked eagerly. “She’s a local doll, so she should have a local name.”
The woman cocked her head to one side, deliberating. Several seconds ticked by as she appraised the little American girl who stood before her. The little red-haired American girl, who wanted a Tanzanian name for her new doll.
A lizard scurried across the floor and up one wall. A caged cockatoo, in a corner, let out a screech. Elvia waited, her face alight with anticipation. Sally thought, “Fifty dollars for a cloth doll that looks like it won’t last a week!” She wondered, “Was it really crafted by a Tanzanian woman who needs the cash to feed her family? Or was it imported from overseas?” The doll had been made in China and shipped to Tanzania on a huge container ship. She was suddenly sure of it.
“Mchawi,” the woman finally said, with a resolute nod, helping Elvia situate the doll between her shoulder blades, snug within the kanga. “Yes, I think that is a very good name, young one. A perfect name, in fact.”
Elvia repeated the strange name several times (“Mmm-Chah-Wee… Mmm-Chah-Wee… Mmm-ChahWee”). It was the kind of name a Zulu child might have! She loved it.
Sally, now fully resigned to spending the money, agreed that it was a fine name. As she completed the transaction and headed for the door, she gave herself a little pep talk. “It’s a lot to pay,” she told herself. “But I did the right thing. I know I did.”
What Sally didn’t know—and would have been horrified if she had—was that “mchawi” was the Swahili word for witch, and how important that would become, later on, when Elvia vanished and they tried to get her back
About the Author
Children’s book author Dr. Ruth (Ruthy) Ballard is a scientist by trade who never thought she’d be one. Intimidated by science as a kid, she almost gave up on pursuing it as a career though she found it fascinating. Fortunately, a mentor stepped in and showed her the way. Now, she’s passionate about doing the same for the next generation of science shy, but creative, smart and capable kids. Her award-winning science fantasy adventures lure children in with compelling characters and entertaining, twisty plots that incorporate science in fun, accessible ways.
When Ruthy isn’t writing, she is “Dr. Ruth Ballard,” a forensic DNA consultant and a professor at Sacramento State, where she runs a forensic biology research and training program while consulting with attorneys across the country on criminal cases involving DNA evidence. She’s also a folk artist who loves to draw, illustrates her own books, and enjoys hiking and camping with her husband and their four dogs near their home on the Oregon coast.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads
Giveaway Alert!
The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon B&N gift card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
a Rafflecopter giveaway| May 15 | Long and Short Reviews | May 16 | Andi’s Middle Grade and Chapter Books |
| May 17 | Westveil Publishing | May 18 | Momma Says To Read or Not to Read |
| May 19 | Literary Gold | May 22 | Sybrina’s Book Blog |
| May 23 | Kit ‘n Kabookle | May 23 | Books in the Hall |
| May 24 | All the Ups and Downs | May 25 | Sandra’s Book Club |
| May 26 | The Avid Reader | May 26 | The Pen and Muse Book Reviews |
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
My preteen loves to read, so I know she will love this book.
Thanks for hosting!
Sounds like a good read.
Fascinating premise!
Thanks for hosting my book today. I’m excited to get more eyes on it! 🙂
The book sounds very interesting. Fantastic cover.
I love the cover art, synopsis and excerpt, Elvia and the Gift of Passion sounds like a must read for my teen-aged granddaughters and I. Are there more Tales by Moons-Light stories to come?
Hi Bea, Elvia and the Gift of Passion is the third in my Tales by Moons-light series. The first two are Frankie and the Gift of Fantasy and Tales by Moons-light: Stories from before the Great Melt. Each book is a stand-alone read, though. You can read them in any order. 🙂
I like the title and cover. Looks great. Sounds like a good read.
I enjoyed the excerpt the book sounds like an excellent read.
For those of you commenting on the cover, I use The Book Designers in Fairfax, CA. Alan and Ian have created the covers for all three of my books and they tied them together so it’s obvious, when you look at them side-by-side, that the books are in the same series. I highly recommend them. Their turnaround time is always quick and they’re incredibly creative!
This sounds like a terrific book.
Very nice cover
Thanks so much for all the comments and feedback. If you decide to purchase and read it, please consider posting a review on Amazon. Reviews there are incredibly important for fledgling authors 🙂 The ebook is a steal right now at 99 cents!