I usually like to start off the new year with some kind of inspirational, introspective, goal-setting book, but I haven't read one of those lately. So, here's a psychological thriller instead!
After her husband has a schizophrenic episode in which he endangers the life of her family, Clare moves herself and her two daughters, Grace and Pip, to an idyllic north London community called Virginia Park. Gated, and set apart from the city that surrounds it, Virginia Park is home to many different types of residents. There is Rhea, the 84-year-old grandmother who has lived there her whole life and knows everything about everyone. There are well-to-do Adele and Leo with their three home-schooled daughters, Catkin, Fern, and Willow, and Leo's father Gordon, who has come to live with them for the summer. Fiona and her sons, the "beautiful" Dylan, and Robbie, quiet and learning disabled, of whom Dylan is fiercely protective. Cecelia, with her daughter, Tyler, independent and with a sizable chip on her shoulder, who is reluctant to let Grace and Pip into the well-constructed group the kids have formed, in which everyone knows his or her role. The children who live there have formed a protective sort of family, however, like all families, they have their problems and their secrets.
When, on the night of her 13th birthday, Grace is found unconscious, half-clothed, and in a pool of her own blood on the edge of Virginia Park's rose garden, the suspects are many. Could it have been Leo, over-affectionate and surrogate father to all the children in the Park? Or perhaps HIS own father, Gordon, who has long been known for his uncomfortable and inappropriate comments towards women? Might it have been Chris, Grace's father, newly released from his psychiatric treatment center, having another mental break? Or maybe it was just a childish prank that went too far? As the past begins to come together with the present, no one will admit to what really happened, so everyone becomes a suspect.
OPTION 1: MOTHER NATURE
The natural settings of the park and the garden feature prominently in the action of the book, so for Option 1, make a page about celebrating Mother Nature. This is more than just a flower sticker on the page. For this layout, the subject focus should be nature itself.
Sample for Option 1, in which my daughter and I explored the creek and the woods near our house and she dubbed herself an "Adventure Explorer Person".
OPTION 2: ALLITERATION AWESOMENESS
I love the alliteration of the title, so for Option 2, I want you to recreate that alliteration for the title of your page. The subject of the page can be anything, but your title should follow the format of the title of the book: The ______________ in/of/and the ________________. Please note that the words that go in the blanks should start with the same letter, and do not have to rhyme unless you want them to.
Examples of titles that are acceptable: The Belle of the Ball, The Man in the Moon, The Sword in the Stone, The Fast and the Furious, The Bold and the Beautiful
Examples of titles that are NOT acceptable: The Fox and the Hound, The Cat in the Hat, The Catcher in the Rye, The Color and the Shape, The War of the Roses
The Fine Print:
1. HAVE FUN MAKING YOUR PROJECT!
2. Entries open to new projects - paper, digital, & card making.
3. May be combined with one other challenge that allows it.
4. Due January 31st, at 11:59 PM.
5. One lucky winner, chosen at random, will receive a $5 ACOT gift card from me!
6. Up to 3 entries permitted per month.
7. If there are more than 15 unique entries (not including bonuses) during the month, a second name will be drawn and that person will get an automatic entry for the following month.
Participating Cherries:
1. Breauxlabs
2. Donna_Coughlin
3. mperricel
4. joannie
5. SandyK1967
6. Breauxlabs
7. SandyK1967
7. LoreenC
8. Queenbee89
9. Deanna13
10. Donna_Coughlin
11. joannie
12. Donna_Coughlin
13. wendycrowe
14. QueenBee89
15. QueenBee89
16. ScrappyRN74
17. aheatfan
18. Breauxlabs
19. SandyJay
20. VickiR
21. traveler
22. Amy Jo
23. joannie
24. Tammey
25. shoorn
26. Scrapqueen141
27. shoorn
28. Heidi Moniz
29. Amy Jo
30. CelesteB
31. CelesteB
32. Deanna13
~~Sandy~~ 
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