Elizabeth's Landing

~ 2014 Nautilus Book Awards: SILVER in Young Adult Fiction
~ Mom's Choice Award: GOLD Young Adult Fiction
~ 2014 Next Generation Indie Book Awards: CATEGORY WINNER-Children's/Juvenile Fiction
~ Writer's Digest Self-Published e-book Awards: FIRST PLACE in Fiction

Port Winston, Texas--home to sun, sand, and shopping. What's not to like? Everything, to 14 year-old Elizabeth Barker. It's the middle of her 9th grade year and Dad's uprooted the family, returning to his Gulf coast hometown. A once-bustling fishing community, Port Winston is pushing every boundary, vying to be the state's premier tourist destination. A far cry from quiet, Coulter City, Missouri where Elizabeth used to be somebody and family meant something a whole lot different.

Between Mom's story assignment in Mexico, Dad's 14-hour workdays and weekends minding Grandpa at the docks, the Barker's once close-knit life is in shreds. Taunted as the newbie camerageek at school, Elizabeth's given up trying to fit in.

When Grandpa, who has more judgments than the Old Testament, pronounces her 10¢ shy of worthless and headed for trouble, Elizabeth bolts for Wayward Landing beach--the county's last wild haven. Her impulsive defense of an endangered, nesting sea turtle against a trio of bullies ignites new purpose, a challenging friendship, and troubles even Grandpa couldn't predict. Her fight to save the Landing unearths complex family ties to the powerful developer and a long-buried tragedy that catapults Elizabeth against those she loves. When the Deepwater Horizon oil slick threatens the Louisiana coast and the turtles' feeding grounds, Elizabeth's journalist mom hits the front lines. And Elizabeth's fears and plans hit overdrive.

Elizabeth's Landing: a compelling environmental and family saga, bridges risk and loss with hope and hearts--human to human, human to animal, human to world.

A portion of book sale profits supports sea turtle conservation and education programs.

Writer's Digest Judge's comments-excerpt:

"Elizabeth's Landing grabs the reader right from the start. This story has excellent plotting, writing, and story flow. Really enjoyed it! The cover is beautiful and fully represents the interior story.

As a debut novel, this is so well done the book seems written by a seasoned author with many books under the belt. Wow! First person is tough to pull off but this author managed to do just that and make the story very entertaining.

Emotional connection for the reader is also excellent. With a fourteen-year-old protagonist, the novel reads exceptionally well for the YA market. The reader is drawn into the struggle to protect the sea turtles and rides the roller coaster when the plot twist hits with the destruction of three turtles. The ending is oh so satisfying!"

Publisher's Weekly (Booklife)

Excerpt: "Debut novelist Pye presents a quiet, touching story of fighting for what one believes in, set in the spring of 2010 on the Gulf Coast." see more: http://bit.ly/1LDL2I0

Midwest Book Review July 2015

Excerpt: "It's rare to find an environmental story folded into a young adult read about a teen's angst and coming of age, but by incorporating the two under one cover, Elizabeth's Landing becomes so much more than the usual story of a move..." D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer see more: http://bit.ly/1f0ar22

Early Reader Reviews:

"A wonderful read! I can vouch for Ms. Pye's dedication to the truth and her compassion for sea turtles. I admire Katy for tackling this difficult subject and taking such care and thoughtfulness in her characters." Diane Wilson, 4th generation Texas shrimper, environmental and social justice activist, author with Chelsea Green