Sherrie Petersen on Wishing on Stars and Giveaway of WISH YOU WEREN'T

Please welcome my dear friend Sherrie Petersen to the blog. Sherrie's middle grade novel WISH YOU WEREN'T just debuted March 17th, and it's a gem of a book. It has a little magic, some cool science, and a whole lotta heart. I think middle grade readers (and their parents) will love the adventure Marten and his friends are thrust on and appreciate the familial overtones.

But enough about what I think! Sherrie is here to tells us a little about the history of wishing on stars and to do a super cool giveaway of her book.

I’ve been fascinated by the stars most of my life and I’m also a firm believer that wishes have power. After taking an astronomy class and watching the Perseids meteor shower for myself, it wasn’t hard to combine those ideas into a story about a boy who wishes his brother away. I’m willing to guess that most people with a brother or sister would have liked to wish them away at some point in time!

Since the beginning of recorded history, people have looked to the stars for answers. Stories about the cosmos find their way into everything from biblical prophesies to the legends of Greek gods.

One of those beliefs that has carried through to modern times is the practice of wishing on a falling star. There are several stories about how that belief was formed. Here are just a few:

• Ancient Greeks thought finding a fallen meteorite would bring you a year of luck.
• Other ancient cultures saw shooting stars as gifts from the gods.
• Hawaiian Japanese believed that if you saw a meteor, you should open your kimono to admit the good luck.

(You can find more of these legends in Cosmic Debris: Meteorites in History by John G. Burke)

During the Perseid meteor shower in August (when Marten makes his wish in Wish You Weren’t) you can see more than 60 shooting stars every hour. People have been observing this annual shower for more than 2000 years, some with more fear than wonder: in some cultures those falling stars were seen as either dying souls or angels gone bad being cast down to earth.

FYI: a meteor is the bright flash of light you see, a meteoroid is the debris in space that burns when it hits our atmosphere and causes the flash of light, and a meteorite is what we call that chunk of debris once it lands on Earth. 

From Greek gods to Disney crickets, countless songs and stories have been inspired by the stars, including mine! 

About WISH YOU WEREN’T: MG sci-fi/fantasy 

Marten doesn't believe in the power of wishes. None of his have ever come true. His parents ignore him, his little brother is a pain and his family is talking about moving to Texas. Not cool. So when he makes an impulsive wish during a meteor shower, he doesn't expect it to make any difference.

Until his annoying brother disappears.

With the present uncertain and his brother’s future in limbo, Marten finds himself stuck in his past. And if he runs out of time, even wishes might not be enough to save the ones he loves.

SHERRIE PETERSEN still believes in magic and she loves to write (and read!) stories that take her on fantastic adventures. In addition to writing middle grade novels, Sherrie moonlights as a graphic designer, substitute teacher, freelance writer, school newspaper advisor, yearbook advisor and mother of two children. She spends her free time watching movies, driving kids around and baking cookies. Or eating them.

WISH YOU WEREN’T is her debut novel.

Find her on:

Twitter
Facebook 
Blog
Goodreads 

Read the first two chapters on Wattpad

And right now if you buy a printed copy on Amazon, you’ll get the e-book for free!

Also available at Barnes & Noble and Kobo.

Sherrie is offering this amazing giveaway package (want!), which includes a copy of WISH YOU WEREN'T, a cool pocket watch (like the one Tör uses in WYW to move through time), and a Wish Token, good for one wish. Use your wish wisely!

To enter, fill in the Rafflecopter below. Extra entries awarded if you add the book to your Goodreads shelf, follow Sherrie's blog, like her Facebook page, and/or leave her a nice comment.

The prize package is US only. International readers are welcome to enter for a chance to win an e-book.

a Rafflecopter giveaway