Diane Owens

Diane Owens

About

Allow me to answer the two questions I hear most often:

For readers of Swept Up: No, I have never been kidnapped by an angryjanitor while on a school field trip. But I have spent a lot of time wonderingwhat would happen if I had been. In real life, I like school janitors and am not afraid of them at all.

For readers of No Ordinary Lizard: Yes, I have owned a lot of pets - more than any reasonable person ever would. I've had dogs, cats, hamsters, an African gray parrot, a pot-bellied pig, fish, Hermit crabs and, of course, the leopard gecko lizard who inspired this story. At times there have been more animals living in my house than people. But very few of them caused as much trouble as Benson.

When I'm not working on my next book (or taking care of my pets or running away from school janitors), I help kids write their own stories at allwritewithme.com. The site includes tips, techniques, activities and group projects. Drop in to share your own writing, see what other kids are working on, or just say “hi.”

Teachers and parents can connect with me and other users of the All Write with Me website at facebook.com/allwritewithme

Diane is a graduate of the University of Iowa and the Institute of Children’s Literature. Her short stories and articles have been published in children’s magazines, writers’ newsletters and online. 

The Kurdish Connection

The Kurdish Connection

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Description

<p><strong>KURDISH SCAVENGERS UNCOVER A CACHE OF NERVE GAS IN IRAQ AND OFFER THEM TO KURDISH FIGHTERS IN TURKEY. THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS BEDLAM ALPHA TEAM MUST SECURE THE WEAPONS BEFORE THEY CAN BE USED.</strong></p><p>&quot;<strong>You must swear by Allah never to say a word of what I'm going to tell you. </strong><strong>This is the most important secret. Ever!&quot;</strong></p><p><em>In their daily struggle for survival, Iraqi Kurdish scavengers uncover a cache of chemical weapons. They offer the weapons to fellow Kurdish rebels in Turkey and Syria to assist in their quest to free an imprisoned leader and create a unified homeland. After receiving a tip from an unlikely source, the newly formed Special Operations Bedlam team is called to arms! </em></p><p><em>Travel with Craig Cameron and his international team on their covert operation as they weave their way through war-torn regions seeking to locate and recover the weapons before they can be used to cause irreparable harm and instigate a world crisis. </em></p><p><em>The odds are stacked against them. Can they manage to keep their operation hidden and prevent further clashes before it's too late?</em></p><p>&quot;The Kurdish Connection--a compelling read. A story of friendship, danger and intrigue.&quot;--<em>Ann Everett, Amazon Best Selling Author.</em></p><p>..&quot;. Randall's authentic voice adds a powerful push to keep a reader turning the pages.&quot; --<em>Janet Taylor-Perry, author of The</em><em> Raiford</em><em> Chronicles, The Legend of</em><em> Draconis</em><em> Saga, and April Chastain Intrigues.</em></p><p>&quot;Topical - Engaging - Intriguing - Powerful ... A real page turner.&quot;--<em>Rikon Gaites</em><em>, author of Mummy's Little Soldier and Darius</em><em> Odenkirk</em><em>.</em></p><p>..&quot;. Randall Krzak brings his wealth of experience living in this troubled part of the world and his military knowledge to bear in this exciting story...&quot;--<em>John L.</em><em> DeBoer</em><em>, author of When the Reaper Comes.</em></p><p>..&quot;. a journey full of history, suspense, intrigue, and action...a MUST READ for all!&quot;--<em>Les Stahl, Retired</em> NSA Executive.</p><p>..&quot;. Readers need to fasten their seatbelts for a fast-paced tale made believable by a writer who knows what he's writing about.&quot;--<em>Preston</em><em> Holtry</em><em>, author of the Morgan</em><em> Westphal</em><em> mystery series and the</em><em> Arrius</em><em> trilogy (forthcoming).</em></p><p>&quot;A behind the scenes story, ripped from today's headlines deepening the reader's understanding of an ancient strife ... filled with the sights and smells of the market place and secret meetings, the reader is admitted to the secret heart, the desperate longings of those that must fight and win, or see continued subjugation by their masters...&quot;<em>--Oliver F. Chase, author of Camelot Games, </em>Levant Mirage, Blind Marsh, and Marsh Island.</p>

Story Behind The Book

To all the young writers at allwritewithme.com - I hope this book inspires you as much as you inspire me. I invite everyone who discovers this book through other websites to visit allwritewithme.com. You’ll find great stories written by grade school kids. You’ll also find free discussion guides built around the common core. Guides include the specific standards addressed for 4th, 5th and 6th grades. I hope you enjoy this sample of Swept Up!

Reviews

<p><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Calibri, 'sans-serif';">On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give this book a full 10. I love it. I liked the part about when the papers were flying everywhere. -<em> </em></span><em><em style="font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;font-size:15px;line-height:17px;">Kayla James, 5th grade</em></em></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:15px;line-height:17px;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;">My class and I loved the book. It grew more suspenseful every day. I loved the lesson it told, too. You are a very gifted writer. The way you wrote the book allowed it to be very easy for students to visualize the story in their minds. Excellent descriptions. You're at the top of our best seller list, for sure. -</span><em><em style="font-size:15px;line-height:17px;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;">Judy Smith, 3rd grade teacher</em></em></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;">I really enjoyed it. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;line-height:115%;font-family:Calibri, sans-serif;">I liked all the adventure of it and the only thing I didn’t like about it is that it ended. - <em>Breslin Crose, 5th grade</em></span></p> <div> </div> <div>A fascinating read all the way through, with strong characters you get to know and like...or not. I loved the surprise ending and how the mystery and excitement that went through the whole book came to a satisfying conclusion. - <em>Dorothy Ray</em></div> <div> </div> <div>This book kept my students' attention all the way through. - <em>Alyce McConaghy, 4th grade teacher</em> <div> <div> <div> </div> </div> </div> </div>