I have a number of books on my “to-read” list for 2016. One book that I have been eager to read is D.G. Driver’s CRY OF THE SEA. It is a YA novel that has mermaids and deals with the environment. You probably know by this point that watery settings inspire much of my writing, so CRY OF THE SEA is waiting patiently for me on my kindle. I was excited to learn that book 2 in the Juniper Sawfeather series has recently come out. That’s right, another YA fantasy to add to my (and your) “to read” list: WHISPER OF THE WOODS (Fire & Ice YA, November 21, 2015). D.G. Driver joins me here today to share a little bit about the book, and a yummy trail mix recipe!
Who is your main character? Tell me about her.
Juniper Sawfeather is the 17-year-old daughter of environmental activists. She has been raised to be protective of the natural world and appreciative of her American Indian heritage. Her parents’ causes (and the mermaid scandal from book one: CRY OF THE SEA) have made her very unpopular at school, but she is smart, independent, and strong-willed in spite of the hatred that comes her way.
What would Juniper choose for her last meal?
I think Juniper would enjoy a good hamburger, followed by a shake and a large soda. Her parents are vegetarians, but she likes to sneak in her junk food when they don’t know about it.
How about you? What would you choose for your last meal?
A really great eggplant parmesan over pasta with shrimp scampi on the side. I think a tall glass of merlot as well. No one in my immediate family likes eggplant parmesan, so I hardly ever get to eat it. When it’s done right, it is my favorite Italian food, and Italian food is my favorite food. I think going out with a bunch of butter and garlic on my breath would be all right.
Why should someone bit into WHISPER OF THE WOODS?
WHISPER OF THE WOODS was just released a month ago. It is the sequel to CRY OF THE SEA. You could read it without reading the first book, but I don’t recommend it. I don’t spend much time reintroducing everyone. In each of the Juniper Sawfeather books, while helping her parents protest an environmental issue, she encounters a mythical creature. In this book, they are protesting the logging of Old Growth red cedar trees. These trees aren’t just ancient, though. One of them contains a mystical spirit that might be good – or might be evil.
Do you have a recipe you’d like to share?
In WHISPER OF THE WOODS, Juniper finds herself trapped 150 feet up in one of the tallest trees in North America without anything to eat. Her father manages to figure out how to get a bucket of supplies up to her, and they can raise and lower it throughout the time she’s stuck. Mostly what she gets to eat are granola bars and apples. So, here is a little granola recipe that you can serve up as a trail mix type of snack or heat for a morning breakfast.
Juniper’s Granola Trail Mix
Ingredients:
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup slivered almonds
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Dried apples
- Chocolate chips (if you want, but I’m sure Juniper would)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 250 degrees
- Mix oats, nuts, syrup, sugar, oil and salt together in a bowl.
- Spread out evenly on cookie sheet.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Check every 20 minutes to make sure it’s browning evenly.
- Chop the dried apples into small pieces. When the granola is cool, mix the apples (and chocolate chips) evenly into it. Eat by the handful.
- To serve as hot cereal, put in a bowl with ½ cup milk. Heat in the microwave for 1 ½ minutes. Stir and eat. Yum.
Thank you so much! I really enjoy hiking, so this trail mix would come in handy. Um… and it would come in handy for when I am not hiking too! And just for the record, I love eggplant parmesan (although sadly, I am allergic to shrimp). I can’t wait to read WHISPER OF THE WOODS…although I do plan to take your recommendation and start with CRY OF THE SEA.
You can find out more about D.G. Driver on her website: www.dgdriver.com. You can also find WHISPER OF THE WOODS in both print and as an ebook on Amazon and Smashwords. You can also read the first chapter on the Fire & Ice YA website.
