Angie Lucas
Angie Lucas
Children's Author / Freelance Writer / Memory Keeper
 
 

 Reader, Writer, kidlit Author.

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a story of healing & hope

 
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coming to a bookstore near you july 23, 2019

My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon is a story for children dealing with loss—or for those who need help relating to a grieving friend. Although it deals with a heavy topic, this book employs relatable characters, a light tone, touches of humor, and an overarching message of hope.

 

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From the Blog

From the Blog
Reading Roundup 2: More Life Lessons from 2018
Reading Roundup 2: More Life Lessons from 2018
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Reading Roundup: Life Lessons from 2018
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5 Daily Practices that Helped Me Thrive in a Challenging Year
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Avoiding the Christmas Apostrophe Catastrophe
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The Countdown is On
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41 Weeks Later
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12 Favorite Christmas Picture Books
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Sharing Time

Insta Goodness

“Always be on the lookout for the presence of wonder.” —E.B. White . I’ve been monitoring this little bird’s nest on my walks through my neighborhood. It’s quite low to the ground, in an area heavily trafficked by children, but I don’t think they’ve spotted it yet. I’ve been afraid they’d accidentally disturb the nest or drive the mother bird away, but then again, it’s vital to let our children see the wonder and fragility of nature up close, so they develop a sense of reverence and connection—and a desire to preserve and protect their world. I’m excited to introduce Keira to the little nestlings this afternoon. . Last I checked, they were a huddled, quivering mass of feathers. Now the little birds are reaching their hungry mouths up out of the nest. Soon enough, they’ll be alert to the world and ready to fly. And we’ll be here to witness it, I hope. 💚💚💚
TWO more months until “My Big, Dumb Invisible Dragon” goes on sale at a bookstore near you! Preorders are happening now at @amazon, @barnesandnoble, @indiebound and @soundstrue! Click the link in my bio. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 . For locals, I’ll be doing a book reading and signing at @kingsenglishbookshop in Sugarhouse on Saturday, July 27th at 11:00 a.m. And another one at the @printedgarden bookstore in Sandy on Saturday, August 10th at 2:00 p.m. More details to come! . THANK you to everyone who has preordered! It makes a big difference in algorithms and rankings or something, or so I’m told. 😉 . p.s. WHY are there no italics for book titles, @instagram, WHY?
When faced with a question—whether it be about relationships, conversation, or shrubberies—one can never go wrong in consulting Jane. (Swipe ) . She’s right. Not everyone deserves the compliment of your rational opposition 🔥🔥🔥 (especially on Twitter). Noticing someone’s “disposition to dislike” makes it so much easier to deflect their negativity. And yes, I’ll take wisdom over mere wit any day, but I prefer a little of both. . It’s easy to see why Jane Austen’s books have stood the test of time. Strong heroines, sharp social commentary, dazzling wit, timeless wisdom...and the romance doesn’t hurt one bit. ❤️❤️❤️ . Who’s got a favorite Jane quote? #janeausten #janeaustenfan
“Confidence in yourself is built through acts of courage—you prove it to yourself by showing yourself that your own instincts are worth acting on.” —@melrobbins Does confidence come naturally to you, or do you have to work at it? For me, increasing my confidence has been a matter of letting go of my need for certainty—of the desire to KNOW that things will turn out the way I think they should. This mistaken notion that it’s possible to predict or control an outcome makes me indecisive, hesitant, and prone to overthink my every move. So...lately I’m pushing myself to ACT, even before I have every detail figured out. When it works out, I gain confidence in my instincts and decision-making. When it doesn’t, I gain confidence in my ability to adapt, pick myself up, and try again. Sometimes you win, and sometimes you LEARN, but only if you’re willing to try in the first place. 👊🏻 📸: @jordanbreee
A place for reading in a hammock, drawing on the walls, having tea parties, planning adventures, telling secrets, looking out on the world—and even for giving our dog an escape route. (She’ll jump through the window and straight over the fence if she sees us out on the trail without her 🤦🏻‍♀️.) This is the #playhouse that Dad built, bringing all kinds of magic to our otherwise unremarkable back yard. Summer, here we come. #childhoodmagic
Sure, this was true for inventor Thomas Edison, who acquired 1,093 patents in his lifetime and contributed to the invention of the phonograph, incandescent light bulb, and motion picture camera. But is it true for you? . In real life and in fiction, some of us are brains with bodies, and some of us are bodies with brains. The first time I heard that, it had the ring of truth. I thought of Eleanor and Marianne Dashwood. Of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Charles Bingley. Of Spock and Captain Kirk. Of Egon Spangler and Peter Venkman 👻🤣. It’s not hard to pick out which one is driven by the mind/intellect (may be more thoughtful, careful, precise) and which is more prone to action/passion (may be more spontaneous, lively, busy). . I’m definitely more Eleanor than Marianne. My body is a mere vessel to carry around my constantly whirring brain. Does this describe you too? Or is your brain just the engine that keeps your body going, moving, doing? I’d love to hear! 👇🏻 . #deepthoughts
Whether your heart is full or aching—or somewhere in between—this Mother’s Day, I hope you’ll grant yourself permission to feel what you need to feel, without guilt or expectation. “Nobody is destined only to happiness or to pain. The wheel of life takes one up and down by turn.” —Kalidasa . If you’re in an UP phase, relish it! I often take my joy with a side of apprehension: “Uh-oh, something is probably about to go wrong!” (@brenebrown calls this phenomenon “foreboding joy”). To combat this sneaky little thief, I work hard to be grateful, present, and aware. (And it does take work.) The best way to build resilience for those inevitable future challenges is to really FEEL your joy when you have the great fortune to encounter it. Welcome it with open arms. Be grateful for it—without scarcity or fear. Reflect it to others. . If you’re in a DOWN phase, hang in there. Be gentle with yourself. Practice patience. Leave a space in your heart for hope, and if it comes, let it in. Your experience of being mothered (or not) or being a mother (or not) might not look like anyone else’s, and it doesn’t have to. You’re not obligated to feel a certain way about all of it today, just because it happens to be the second Sunday in May, and there’s a national feel-good campaign that seems custom-designed to magnify your pain. Honor the path you’re on, even if you didn’t choose it, and know that you’re not alone. . I haven’t gone through all of the same things you have, but I have experienced the desperate longing of extended infertility (12 years!), the grief of miscarriage, the joys and complexities of step-motherhood, the miracle of adoption, the loss of beloved grandmothers, the tentative hope of pregnancy after years of emptiness and loss, the awareness of a birth mother’s sorrow in contrast to my joy, the fear of not doing enough or being enough for my kids, and the overwhelming and increasing gratitude I feel for my own incredible mother. Yeah...it’s complex. It doesn’t always look like a Hallmark card, but sometimes it does, and that means it’s REAL LIFE. It was never going to be perfect, but it’s still beautiful. Just like YOU. ❤️❤️❤️
I’ve decided I need more tiny tokens of joy in my life. I spotted this plump, painted metal heart at a bookstore, and I wanted to carry home the entire jar. The glossy surface, the gentle jingle (swipe to listen), the palm-sized perfection, the little zen penguin. I keep it in an overhead compartment in my car. Mostly I forget it’s there, but then I’ll hear a tiny tinkling as I turn a corner, and it makes me smile. . Today, I took it with me on a sunset walk, along with a tissue tucked into my sleeve. I fully expected to release some pent up, hormonal tears...you know, because of everything and nothing. But instead, I walked, and listened, and looked. I saw quail (my favorite) bibbidi-bobbing in and out of the sagebrush. I came upon a pair of deer stepping silently through a meadow. I glimpsed the last of the day’s sunlight filtering through the Russian olive trees. And it turns out I didn’t need the tissue after all. Color me “stupidly delighted” (in the words of @natalienorton) for the moment, at least. And if that’s as long as it lasts, well, I’ll take it
After a couple of rainy days around here, there’s been lots of time to curl up with rainy-day books, and the retelling of Mary Poppins (in #picturebook form) is just the ticket. I mean, those illustrations! I get lost in them. I adore this artist’s style (@genevievegodboutillustration)—practically perfect in every way, don’t you think? . p.s. While I was trying to get these pics, my almost 2yo climbed onto my lap, saying “bew-ook, bew-ook” in his singsong way, with those blurted, staccato consonants. Music to his Mama’s heart. Why yes, I would love to read this book to you, buddy. (Or 1/3 of it anyway. After all, there was a dump truck beckoning...)
 
 
 
 
 
 
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