Willy's Magic
by J M Naszady
Price: $4.99 USD. 35250 words.
Published on January 28, 2012. Fiction.
Willy turns thirteen, and resorts to magical thinking when life at home and school gets complicated: "Everything will be different at the end of the summer." But Willy knows that different doesn't always mean better, and discovers the magic of playing a ukulele in Kai's band. They create a world of music and friendship, searching for a common path toward the future with trust, hope, and love.
Location: United States
Member Since: Dec. 11, 2011
J M Naszady
Biography
J. M. Naszady is a native Californian. She was born in the San Gabriel Valley of Southern California, and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. After beginning her undergraduate education at the University of California Santa Barbara campus, she decided that biology wasn't exactly what she had in mind, although going to school at the beach was pretty cool!
She transferred to UC Berkeley, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry with an emphasis in Wildlife Management. Then she had a series of adventures during which she cruised timber, searched for rare plants, trapped and banded Scrub jays, and rode a dirt bike while doing a songbird survey. She encountered such hazards as poison oak, ground hornets, and lightning. But there is nothing like the awe of standing in a pine forest with the pungent odor prickling your nose and the sun warming your face, watching a Pileated woodpecker crawl into its nest cavity, or catching a glimpse of a mountain lion crossing the road (from the safety of a moving vehicle!)
Then she drove herself to Arizona to work for the U. S. Forest Service, because it sounded like a good idea. She met her husband, and after spending a couple of years in Colorado working for the National Park Service, they settled in northern California and raised three children.
The next series of adventures included diapers, Sesame Street, trips to the beach, teaching Kindergarten, camping in a tent, and sharing a house with teenagers. The hazards included fevers, temper tantrums, and general mayhem. But there is nothing like the joy of holding your newborn infant for the first time, watching your child play a musical instrument, hit a home run, perform on a stage, or wear a cap and gown to accept a diploma!
Her next adventure turned out to be teaching Middle School. She never saw that coming, but it was surprisingly fun for her, and only occasionally traumatic for her students. The hazards included frustrated students, frustrated parents, and lots of paper-grading. But there is nothing like the thrill of facing thirty expectant faces, all wondering what's next, or witnessing a young person achieve what they didn't think was possible!
After decades of writing stories and shoving them in a drawer, a novel magically appeared. Motivation for this most recent adventure was provided by National Novel Writing Month, sponsored by the Office of Letters and Light in Berkeley, California. The hazards of writing include eyestrain, sore muscles, writer's block, and wondering if you are spending all your time on something no one but you will read. But there is nothing like the satisfaction of creating characters that you care about, and seeing your hard work completed. A sequel to Willy's Magic is coming soon!
She transferred to UC Berkeley, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry with an emphasis in Wildlife Management. Then she had a series of adventures during which she cruised timber, searched for rare plants, trapped and banded Scrub jays, and rode a dirt bike while doing a songbird survey. She encountered such hazards as poison oak, ground hornets, and lightning. But there is nothing like the awe of standing in a pine forest with the pungent odor prickling your nose and the sun warming your face, watching a Pileated woodpecker crawl into its nest cavity, or catching a glimpse of a mountain lion crossing the road (from the safety of a moving vehicle!)
Then she drove herself to Arizona to work for the U. S. Forest Service, because it sounded like a good idea. She met her husband, and after spending a couple of years in Colorado working for the National Park Service, they settled in northern California and raised three children.
The next series of adventures included diapers, Sesame Street, trips to the beach, teaching Kindergarten, camping in a tent, and sharing a house with teenagers. The hazards included fevers, temper tantrums, and general mayhem. But there is nothing like the joy of holding your newborn infant for the first time, watching your child play a musical instrument, hit a home run, perform on a stage, or wear a cap and gown to accept a diploma!
Her next adventure turned out to be teaching Middle School. She never saw that coming, but it was surprisingly fun for her, and only occasionally traumatic for her students. The hazards included frustrated students, frustrated parents, and lots of paper-grading. But there is nothing like the thrill of facing thirty expectant faces, all wondering what's next, or witnessing a young person achieve what they didn't think was possible!
After decades of writing stories and shoving them in a drawer, a novel magically appeared. Motivation for this most recent adventure was provided by National Novel Writing Month, sponsored by the Office of Letters and Light in Berkeley, California. The hazards of writing include eyestrain, sore muscles, writer's block, and wondering if you are spending all your time on something no one but you will read. But there is nothing like the satisfaction of creating characters that you care about, and seeing your hard work completed. A sequel to Willy's Magic is coming soon!