Hello readers!
Last week, I flew to Michigan for the weekend to accept a book award! The Mage Pocket: Apprentice Alliance won Gold in the fantasy category of the Moonbeam Awards, and I decided to attend the ceremony in person.
Thus, adventure ensued.
I had two flights to get to my destination, and there was supposed to be an hour-long layover between them.
“Supposed to be” being the key phrase.
My first flight ran late and I found myself sprinting across the Chicago airport with five minutes on the clock before my next flight would depart. I made it to the gate just as they were about to close the doors, and was the last person they let on the plane.
I discovered when I landed that Michigan is very very cold.
After an Uber ride from the airport I checked into the Hotel Indigo—which, let me just say, I think is an excellent name for a hotel. “Hotel Indigo” is hereby approved by Millie Florence, head of the board of Literary Whimsy.
As I was checking in, the guy at the front desk said: “You look like a Millie. A lot of people tell me their names and they don’t always fit, but you just look like you would be named something unique like that.”
“Surpsiringly, that’s not the first time someone has told me that.”
“Well, good for your parents!”
My hotel room contained a vaguely steampunk mirror and a view of Lake Michigan in all its November-y glory.
The next day was my full day. A book fair from 10 AM to 2 PM, and the award ceremony from 5 PM to 7 PM. But, first thing first, I discovered a breakfast place that made me very very happy.
Directly across the street from The Hotel Indigo there is a little french cafe by the name of Chez Amie. The windows glowed butter-gold and steamy in the early morning light, cutting through the fog of my frosted breath. I was delighted to discover that their food was excellent, and their tea properly served.
One of my biggest annoyances with America is that we lack respect for tea. We really threw it in the harbor years ago and haven’t looked back since. When I was in England I could order tea at almost any restaurant (even the cheap ones) and they would bring out a tray with a full teapot, a teacup, and milk and sugar for me to add to taste. It was fantastic.
In America you order tea at a coffee shop—a place meant entirely to serve drinks—and you get a paper cup of hot water and your choice of a tea bag. And they’re not even good brands of tea bags half the time! Not to mention that if you want to order something other than a cup of hot water and a tea bag you have, at most, two options: Chai or a London Fog. Lots of places don’t even have London Fog as an option, and I’ve ordered far too many Chais that turned out to be sweetened milk with some cinnamon flavored powder. Meanwhile there are about fifty million ways to order coffee.
No respect, I tell you!
Anyway.
At Chez Amie they served Harney and Sons tea, which is my favorite brand of tea, and they had the whole proper tray—a teapot, ceramic teacup, milk and sugar. Needless to say, it made my day. So did the Eggs Benedict, which I’ve never had before but always wanted to try. …mainly because I love The Mysterious Benedict Society.
The book fair took place in a historical opera house downtown and it was lovely. I sat at the Waxwing Books table, chatting with readers and with Elaina, who works for Waxwing. We both share strong opinions on the current state of social media and how modern pop culture has misinterpreted the novel Dracula.
We were so close to selling out of Beyond Mulberry Glen as well—by the end of the book festival there was only one copy left!
Afterwards, while waiting for the awards ceremony to start, we went out to lunch together and visited both a thrift store and a bookstore where I bought a volume of fairy poetry.
And that night… I got my gold medal!
(Please ignore the singular strand of hair that decided to rebel and stick out from the side of my head like a tentacle. I’m not sure what’s going on there, and alas, I don’t have my professional photos of the event back yet.)
Here is the acceptance speech I gave:
Thank you very much to The Moonbeam Book Awards for the honor of this medal. This is my second medal that I have received from The Moonbeam Book Awards which is absolutely wild. Last year I received a silver medal for my novel Beyond Mulberry Glen, this year I received gold, so one could say that I have leveled up.
I’ve certainly leveled up a lot since I published my first book Honey Butter, which I did when I was just thirteen years old—brimming with big dreams and a whole lot of confidence.
Four published books later, and that is something that has not changed.
So I’d like to thank my parents, Tom and Hannah, for fostering that confidence. And my siblings, Silas, Isaac, Naomi and Evelyn, for challenging that confidence every now and then.
I’d also like to thank my dear writer friends, who are MY apprentice alliance—Lauren D. Fulter, Sarah Rainey, Sarah Burns, Gabrielle Knoll, and Rachel. We’ve yet to fight any dark mages, but hey, you never know.
Last of all, I’d like to thank all of my incredible readers. I literally would not be here without them.
Ultimately, Apprentice Alliance is a story about connection. About how we are stronger together than we are apart, and that true friendship makes both parties better people. It’s a story of choosing light no matter how dark our circumstances. It’s an epic adventure with epic heart.
If within this book you find anything true, anything honorable, anything just, anything pure, anything lovely, anything commendable, anything excellent, anything worthy of praise—that praise belongs to my Heavenly Father. He who created me to create.
It was also super cool to hear from all the other award winners. One of which was Astrid Sheckels, a one of the Waxwing illustrators who won gold for her book Flora and the Jazzers. Elaina was present to speak on her behalf!
After the event I crashed in my hotel room, ordered takeout autumn squash soup from Panera, and watched Minecraft videos; In case you’re wondering what sort of professional things professional authors do after winning book awards.
The next day my flight home didn’t leave until the afternoon, so I had time for one more adventure—and to write a poem about it.
Fairyland in Michigan
I found fairyland in Michigan
At the shoreline of the lake.
A mortal cafe held no room for me,
So there I chose to wait.
I wandered alongside pondering waves
With a pocket full of poetry,
And looked out at the sundering wondering water
As though it were the sea.
Tip-toed out to meet it alone
On a peninsula that sways
Incanting poets of the past
Whose verses lit my way
I sing to the sky!
I recite to the gulls!
With numb fingers, lips, and nose.
I summoned fairyland thus
With a heart that swells and grows.
I danced on the portal’s precipice
And, reaching back in time,
touched the sundering wondering soul of youth
And realized that it was mine.
Feasted fair, I did, upon words like nectar sweet.
I fed my hungry soul the food it ever longs to eat.
Back again down concrete paths
Through vales of yellow leaves.
Back again to the mortal realm
And the stinging of November breeze.
Feasted fair, I did, upon omelets, crepes and tea,
Tucked behind the steamed gold windows of one Chez Amie.
I cannot lose the taste,
Nor would I hope to try,
For spice and sweet and homely treat,
Yet still my heart does fly.
For yet it dwells half in each world.
A home built upon a brink.
A daring child’s seesaw balance—
A fall waiting if she should blink.
Yet when both are in harmony
The song is sweet and plain—
I live best finding home on Parnassus*
And fairyland in Michigan.
*(Parnassus is a mountain in greek mythology where the muses, who give the inspiration for art and storytelling, are said to live.)
Well! That’s all for today! I’m back to streaming Minecraft with my friends this afternoon if you would like to join us. Until next time—
Docendo disco, scribendo cogito.
(I learn by teaching, think by writing.)
— Millie Florence
Wow, how beautiful Millie. Sounds like you have a very ‘whimsical’ time. (literally my favorite word now thanks to you.) That is so awesome that you gave the glory to God. I’m glad you won.