In a world filled with strife and hardship it is a stroke of luck when a book appears to take one away from it all. The Tales of Tanglewood: The Lon Dubh Whistle is just such a story. This is a chronicle of a young boy named Colin and the seemingly unexceptional forest beyond his parent's yard. Colin felt the wood to be special, and often dreamed of the magic that was busy in the trees in the form of wood nymphs, elves and other creatures. One warm summer night, upon awaking from a recurrent charmed dream, he followed his instincts outside into the woods. After pushing through the trees for some time he came to an archway, and then to a clearing, where before his eyes, cast in the glow of firelight was…well here the adventure takes off for young Colin in The 'Wood. Colin is initiated into the grove with characters like the be-horned Ailfrid, Colin's fairy guide; Doc Muffingrow, the druid and muffin-baker extraordinaire; and Deidre, the strong-willed elfin runner. But all is not right and peaceful in The 'Wood. And as Colin always suspected, he is not a simple "Kynney Deiney," or member of the human race, but in fact possesses some of the Blood of the Fey, or fairy spirit. What ensues is an engaging adventure of transformation and rebirth all through the world of the supernatural, rife with the creatures of one's wildest imagination; brownies, sprites and pixies abounding.

This book is a delight for all ages. The Tales of Tanglewood is fundamentally charming, from its enchanting characters to its deft anthropomorphizing of the natural world. Whereas some fairy fables devolve into sentimentality, this tale is utterly entrancing. Written in clean, capable prose, the story moves without a hitch to the final pages, which hint at more Tanglewood tales to come. The reader should be so fortunate. --- Rachel Bravmann, Seattle Magazine, BUST Magazine


2/8/08 Interview in the Smithtown News (clicking the link downloads an Adobe Acrobat PDF file)

12/2008 Book Review in the Improper North Shorian

3/23/2009 Interview with The Plot Cafe

5/15/2009 Interview on BlogTalkRadio

6/19/09 2nd Interview on BlogTalkRadio

8/19/09 Interview with Lorna Suzuki on IMAGObooks FANTASY REALM
 

Scott Kessman’s fanciful “Tales of Tanglewood” left me hungering for a trip to the dewy, moss laden forests of Ireland, or at least to the closest copse of evergreen woods. The words leap off the page and scream to be read, and whether it is the fey magic escaping from the story, or Scott Kessman’s engaging writing, “Tales of Tanglewood” is a must read for anyone yearning for a little magic in their life. --- Ashley Field

This story is so sweet and adverturesome that I bought 4 copies to give as gifts. The story of Colin and his friends has much to say to adults as well as children. Kudos to new author Scott Kessman! --- C. E. Katz - Autographicals.com

This story is beautifully written. The story is interesting and unique. Truly a great read. The book is also beautifully formatted. It would not surprise me if this book became a cherished tale like that of Eragon. My favorite line of the book says that if you cannot find magic in the world, you must find magic in yourself. So, whatever you do today, go find that magic within you. --- Ashley Sinatra

Additional reviews can be found at Amazon.com