Mystery at Camp
Piney Woods is the third book in the Amelia Jae series. AJ is going to camp for
the first time. While she is packing, her cousin calls to tell AJ there are
strange noises and lights in the woods around the camp. Her cousin doesn’t say
what is scaring the campers, but suggests there may be a ghost in the woods.
Excerpt from Mystery
at Camp Piney Woods
“Amelia
Jae,” her mother called up the stairs. “Telephone for you.”
“I’ll get
it in your room,” she called back as she walked to her parent’s bedroom.
“Hello?”
“AJ, this
is Courtney. Are you ready for camp?”
“Yes, I’m all packed.”
“I called
to say have a good time and don’t let the weird stuff up there bother you,”
Courtney laughed.
“What weird
stuff? What do you mean?”
“Didn’t you
hear?”
“No, I
didn’t.” asked AJ.
“Well,
there are some strange goings-on in the woods. Some people think there’s a
ghost in the woods. Maybe there’s a ghost or maybe there’s something worse in
there,” said Courtney.
“Well, I
don’t believe in ghosts. You can’t scare me. I’m not afraid. It may be an
animal or something else in there. There’s no such thing as ghosts.”
“Okay, but
a friend of mine was there last year and he said a lot of the campers were
scared. He said some of the campers said there were strange noises and lights
in the woods. Just thought you should know. Well, I have to go. Have fun. Bye!”
AJ stomped
back to her bedroom gritting her teeth. Her hands were balled into fists.
“Ohhh, Courtney makes me so mad,” AJ muttered to herself. “She’s always trying to scare me. She thinks
I’m a baby because she’s two years older. I’m no baby. One of these days I’m
going to get her back really good.”
AJ stomped
her foot again in frustration, but before she could think of a way to get back
at Courtney, her mom walked into her bedroom.
“What’s all
the noise up here? I could hear you all
the way in the kitchen. What’s wrong?”
“Courtney
said there’s supposed to be something scary in the wood. She said there may be
a ghost in the woods around the camp. I don’t know why she tries to scare me. I
know there’s no such thing as ghosts. I’m not a fraidy-cat.”
“I know
you’re not afraid. Do you want me to call Aunt Dorothy about her?”
“No,” AJ
sighed.
“Honey, we
heard about the rumors. You know Dad and I wouldn’t let you go to camp if there
was any danger,” she said as she brushed a lock of AJ’s red hair behind her
ear. Sometimes your cousin, Courtney, doesn’t know when to stop her teasing.”
AJ just
shook her head.
“I know,”
AJ said. “I know there’s no ghost. Maybe I’ll find out what’s really out
there.”
“Now Amelia
Jae, I know you. Once you get an idea
into your head you don’t let it go. You listen to me. I don’t want you to
wander off by yourself and get into trouble.”
“Okay,”
said AJ. However, her thoughts were already on the camp and what she would find
out.
BUY LINKS
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
Renée Filippucci-Kotz
was born in New York and grew up in Kentucky. Renée developed a passion for
books and animals as a child. Going to the library with her parents and brother
was a favorite pastime. She has always loved to read. Growing up Renée had a
vivid imagination. She loved to make up stories. She would tell
stories to the children for whom she babysat and the children at day camp
where she was a counselor.
She became interested
in writing for children while working with foster children. Her first
children’s chapter book, AJ’s Wish, was published in 2016. Her second
chapter book in the AJ series, Pepper's Misadventure, published in 2017,
received honorable mention in the Carteret Writers Contest. In addition, she
has published her first picture book, Booker and the Stinky Smell in
2017, and her second picture book Smokey
and Clover the Runaway Goat in 2018.
Renée recently
completed the manuscript for her third picture book, Cody to the Rescue. To be published later this year. She is currently working on a middle grade
novel, tentatively titled Mark of the
Dragon. When not writing,
Renée enjoys reading, gardening, traveling, volunteering at her local animal
shelter and spending time with her husband and pets. Ms. Filippucci-Kotz
lives in North Carolina. connect with her here:
Nancy Lee Badger
No comments:
Post a Comment