Podcast Interview with Britfield Author + Freebie

June 7, 2019
Written by:
Guest Author
Elementary Homeschool, Homeschool Events, Homeschool Language Arts

Enter to Win your own signed copy of Britfield & the Lost Crown!  (perfect for summer reading!)

In our latest Homeschooling & Loving It podcast, we had the pleasure of chatting with Chad Stewart, author of Britfield & the Lost Crown.  This book has recently launched globally, and we are here to celebrate!  We loved being able to sit down with the author himself and hear all about his journey with this book, from the writing process to now with his national book tour.  Be sure to listen to the podcast to hear directly from him. We jotted down a number of helpful notes from our talk, so here is a synopsis of the interview for quick answers & information!

Want to Listen to the podcast now? Podcast Interview with Chad Stewart.

Grab your Free Britfield Summer Activities by entering the contest now!

Britfield Activities
Click to enter the giveaway now!

Right away, Britfield comes across as the perfect book for homeschoolers.  It’s all about adventure and fun for engaging nearly any reader, and it’s specifically for reaching middle schoolers who perhaps haven’t always enjoyed reading.  Readers of all ages and backgrounds have enjoyed Britfield to date, with the positive feedback being nearly overwhelming.

The Prominent Themes of Britfield

When Stewart speaks about the book, he likes to focus on three different points.  First of all, Britfield is a fast-paced adventure novel.  It’s for both boys and girls of all ages, notably loved by middle schoolers, but enjoyed by all.  Second, the book emphasizes the family values of courage, character, friendship, and loyalty. It’s meant to be wholesome, solid, high-quality reading material.  Lastly, Britfield is most of all designed as an educational book.  While it is fun and engaging, it also delves into art, history, and culture.  From the vocabulary and sentence structure to the English countryside and history, the book is rich with information and a great starting point for further study.  The author himself stated that “education is the thread that runs through it.” On that note, the book purposely excludes fantasy elements such as magical themes. The author has aimed to present a fun, clean, ethical story with great values and high adventure.

As for current news, Stewart and his team have been visiting schools since the book tour began in March of this year.  It’s a 250+ school tour for a variety of public schools, private schools, charter schools, and even homeschool groups. Perhaps check with your group to see if he’s coming near you!  At his visits, the author presents his book, but he also focuses on trying to help students cultivate their individual creativity. As something he views often missing from modern education, he places great importance on lighting that spark of creative interest.  The entire Britfield team is aiming for it to be not merely a book, but a movement of creativity and leadership.  His goal is to show students that each person has their own creative ability and skills.

Great News for Homeschooling Families

Considering education is such a strong goal for Britfield, it comes across as exactly what homeschoolers need.  We love the combination of learning and fun! This book hits on all those notes while offering us the chance for further research and perhaps even a great foundation for a United Kingdom unit study!  In fact, the publishers just released their complementary study guide for Britfield & the Lost Crown.  It’s an 85-page guide, aligned with national standards, and intended for a two-month study.  According to the author, it could potentially be stretched out throughout the semester if desired.

The book, at its core, is meant to be an educational tool.  It is designed to be taught in literature class, chapter by chapter.  Just within the book tour beginning in March, already 1 out of 4 schools have expressed interest in utilizing the study guide for their students.

Further, the study guide is available for free to teachers–and homeschooling parents are included!  As Chad mentioned in the podcast- to request a free copy, homeschooling parents and teachers should go to the website and send an email.

Will there be more books in the Britfield series?

Book 2 was finished last year as a 540-page story.  It will be released fall of 2020, and there are three more books in the works.  The second book in the Britfield series is based in France, naturally touching on Paris and many popular French cities and regions.  As for Book 3, it will be based in Italy, and Book 4 will take their adventures to eastern Europe, Russia,  and China.

Not only are there more books planned for this five-part series — which is great news for any homeschooler! — but there is talk of major motion pictures as well.  The author has stated that they are hopeful each book will be followed by a movie within 2-2 1/2 years, both nationally and globally.

What is Britfield & the Lost Crown About?  

As Stewart stated in the podcast, “It’ll pull you in and the plot thickens and [the pace & adventure] literally doesn’t stop until the end.”

“Based on family, friendship, loyalty, and courage, Britfield & the Lost Crown and its hero, Tom, take readers on an epic adventure across England – from the smoldering crags of Yorkshire to the heart of London and, finally, to the magnificent shores of Dover. With help from his best friend, Sarah, and a hot air balloon, Tom flees Yorkshire, escaping from Weatherly Orphanage and the clutches of a relentless detective, in pursuit of the truth about himself and his heritage: Are his parents still alive? Is he the true heir to the British throne? As Tom and a memorable cast of both heroic and dastardly characters unravel a royal mystery that could change the course of history, readers are taken on a breathless journey to a surprise ending that will leave them clamoring for more.”

Can’t Wait to Jump in? Register to get the FIRST TWO CHAPTERS free and Britfield Activities all summer long!

Make sure to watch the book trailer and browse Britfield’s website to learn more!

Who Can Enjoy Reading Britfield?

The short answer is, everyone!  The publishing team has heard positive reactions from readers as young as seven and even adults in their 80s enjoying the book.  However, if it must be narrowed, the target age-range is middle school to young adult (usually 18 and under).

Stewart and his team worked to ensure the book appealed to middle schoolers.  In the construction of the book, they approached numerous middle schools as beta readers for the story.  They offered manuscripts in exchange for feedback regarding the book and to see how the program worked. Through that evaluation process, they were able to specifically gear the book toward middle schoolers.  As Stewart said, they worked hard to “dial into that audience.” Hundreds of students were surveyed to ensure the book appealed to their target age-range.

As for homeschoolers, according to the author, the homeschool market is his personal favorite.  He greatly enjoys working with homeschoolers, and overall, he finds them to be smart, educated, curious, confident, relaxed, and comfortable being themselves.  At the end of the day, he believes homeschoolers are the perfect fit for Britfield and the study guide!

Where is Britfield Available for Purchase?

Currently, Britfield & the Lost Crown is only available on the website.  It has been released through a soft launch, however, in August, the book will be fully released and available for purchase everywhere books are sold, such as Amazon.

The book is available in all formats: hardback, paperback, eBook, and audiobook.  Excitedly, the audiobook & eBook should be available on Amazon next week!

As homeschoolers, we know most of us would be very interested in the study guide, probably just as much as the book itself.  Again, homeschoolers and teachers can enjoy the guide for free if they request a copy through the website. As for the purchase specifics, the study guide is available as an eBook or PDF format, and it retails currently on Amazon for $29.95.

Fun Freebies

We couldn’t end such a fun release like this without a few freebies!  These are interactive, engaging, and all related to the Britfield book release!

Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of the book and weekly Britfield activities and games in your inbox this summer!  Not only that, but everyone who enters will be given the first two chapters to enjoy!  You’re a winner either way with this giveaway.

Just the book’s website is an incredible resource on its own!  With numerous pictures of Britain, real-time Google maps, and over 100 pages of literature, it’s perfect for supplementing the book and guiding additional study.  Readers can even follow along with all the locations in the story and see genuine pictures of England sites on the website to visually walk through the book. As the author said, the website is “one step removed from a movie.”

#LANGUAGE ARTS, #PODCASTS, #SUMMER READING