Meet Marie
AUTHOR VISITS
As a former California middle-school teacher now living in Texas, I’ve witnessed the enthusiasm generated by author visits. I also know the financial difficulties schools face to book author visits. As a result, I currently charge a reduced fee of $150 per presentation, and $40 for an additional presentation at the same school on the same day. I am also including discounted book prices for students. For a limited time, click here to download the student’s discounted pre-order form.
All presentations provide students with a hands-on experience of my authenticated ancient artifacts of a bronze dagger, an alabaster jar, and a silver coin.
Online visits are $50 per classroom, if teachers provide pre-order forms to students at least two weeks before the event.
I am currently scheduling school visits and other venues for the 2025-2026 school year.
Marie Sontag
mesontag@gmail.com
408/410-3462
https://www.mariesontag.com/book-now/
https://linktr.ee/mariesontag
Teacher Comments
– Your presentation had a huge impact on our students. You have lots of fans at our school! Jean F., School Librarian
– The students truly enjoyed hearing from you and seeing your artifacts! It is evident that you have a passion for writing, research, and kids. You made a special connection with our students. I’m so thankful to finally have literature connected to social studies that kids truly enjoy. Shelly G., 6th grade social studies teacher
Student Comments
– I’m so excited to start the section of social studies that includes Mesopotamia and Egypt. Your book, The Bronze Dagger, changed my whole perspective of social studies. – Roni
– I thought The Bronze Dagger was very realistic. It was filled with many cliffhangers, so whenever our teacher read it to us, we were always so eager to find out what would happen next. – Alison
– Thank you for coming to our school. My favorite part was holding the dagger and jar. It felt like I was holding an important part of history in my hands! – Jayanti
ANCIENT ARTIFACTS
Halina Butler – Polish Girl Scout and survivor of the 1944 Warsaw Rising. She’s holding
Dr. Sontag’s 4,000-year-old artifacts of a Mesopotamian bronze dagger, an Egyptian alabaster jar, and a Phoenician silver coin. Each relates to one of Dr. Sontag’s books in the Ancient Elements series. These artifacts always accompany Dr. Sontag when she speaks.
Dr. Sontag interviewed Halina Butler after meeting her at a Polish festival in California. When Halina saw her book about the Polish Scouts during WWII, she said, “I was there!”
Halina invited Dr. Sontag to her home for tea, and Dr. Sontag discovered that Halina had been a Polish Girl Scout during WWII. Halina later joined the Polish Underground Army’s Zoshka Battalion. This is the battalion that the fictional and historical Scouts join in Underground Scouts. See a video of Halina’s interview and find out more about Underground Scouts here.
AUTHOR BIO
Marie Sontag brings history to life, one adventure at a time. Her middle-grade and YA historical novels place fictional teens alongside historical figures as they face challenges similar to those faced by today’s youth.
With a BA in social science, a minor in music, an MA, and a Ph.D. in education, Dr. Sontag knows how to engage students.
Born in Milwaukee, WI, and having lived forever in San Jose, CA, she currently makes her home in Texas, where her favorite activities include attending concerts and musicals with her husband and playing with her incredibly talented grandchildren!
Publisher’s Bio: https://www.wordcrafts.net/marie-sontag/
CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: mesontag@gmail.com
Phone: 408/410-3462
Address: DFW area, TX
Instagram
Twitter
Author Facebook Page
Author Trailer
YouTube Author Channel
BOOKS – ANCIENT ELEMENTS SERIES
Descriptions
Ancient Elements Series for 10-14-year-olds
Book One: The Bronze Dagger & The Stolen Jewels
Twelve-year-old Samsuluna (Sam) needs to find his uncle. There’s only one problem. His uncle, the one who gave him his bronze dagger, lives 800 miles away. With Sam’s mother and brother dead, and his father—well, Sam wants to get as far away from his father as possible. He sets out from the Zagros Mountains and heads for Tyre. The stolen jewels hidden within the folds of his tunic should be more than enough to book passage on a caravan. But the secrets Sam keeps, the lies he tells, and the enemies he makes endanger not only his own life but also those of his new friends—especially when he violates Hammurabi’s Code. Will Sam ever reach his uncle? Will he ever discover the mystery behind the stolen jewels?
Teacher lesson plans can be found here.
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvPh3zMFrp4
Product Details
The Bronze Dagger & The Stolen Jewels (Ancient Elements Series, book 1)
Pages: 106 (paperback)
Genre: Middle-Grade Historical Fiction
Publisher: WordCrafts Press
Publication Date: July 13, 2023
ISBN-10: 1957344687
SBN-13: 978-1957344683
Price: $12.99
Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Kraina Książek (Poland)
Free Study Guide: https://www.newclassicsstudyguides.com/downloads/the-bronze-dagger-study-guide/
Book Two: The Alabaster Jar & the Hidden Tomb
In book two of the Ancient Elements Series, Samsuluna (Sam), now fourteen, finds himself in Egypt with his adoptive family. While he and Balashi learn more about the healing arts in the House of Scrolls, Sam overhears the lector priest discuss a secret tomb with an administrative scribe. Sam convinces Amata to help him find and explore the tomb, leading to the discovery of stolen alabaster jars. But Sam and Amata’s pursuit to uncover the mystery behind the thefts leads to dire consequences. In The Alabaster Jar & the Hidden Tomb, kidnappings, assassination plots, and murders, as well as friendships with craftsmen, princes, and princesses, weave a tale of intrigue, deception, and self-sacrifice. Don’t miss sequel to The Bronze Dagger.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/qDAz4OQ8dvw
Product Details
The Alabaster Jar & the Hidden Tomb
Pages: 176 (paperback)
Genre: Middle-Grade Historical Fiction
Publisher: WordCrafts Press
Publication Date: October 28, 2028
ISBN-10: 1962218155
ISBN-13 : 978-1962218153P
rice: $14.99
Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Kraina Książek (Poland)
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/qDAz4OQ8dvw
Book Three: Enlil’s Adventures: Clay Tablet & Mari Spies
In book 3 of the Ancient Elements series, Enlil dreams of travelling like his friends Sam and Amata, but he’s stuck in Babylon working in his family’s bakery. He wants to someday train as a caravan driver, but, since his older brother Lurs is a captain in Hammurabi’s army, it’s Enlil’s responsibility to eventually take over the family business. Between his bakery deliveries, he secretly watches Lurs train recruits, hoping to develop his fighting skills. When he and a friend spot someone bury a clay tablet, they dig it up and discover a coded message from a Mari spy. Decoding the tablet, they leave their own deceptive message, hoping to throw off the spies.Intrigue, half-truths, and lies result in mistrust, kidnapping, and near death. Will Enlil ever reach his dream of becoming a caravan driver? Will he ever see his friends again?
Product Details
Enlil’s Adventures: Clay Tablet & Mari Spies
Pages: 124 (paperback)
Genre: Middle-Grade Historical Fiction
Publisher: WordCrafts Press
Publication Date: August 8, 2024
ISBN-10: 1962218465
ISBN-13: 978-1962218467
Price: $12.99
Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Kraina Książek (Poland)
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/Ed72OyePHwQ?si=OBwPS-BECS5FjwBk
Book Four: The Silver Coin & The Puzzle Box
To be released in the first quarter of 2027, the 4th book of the Ancient Elements Series finds Samsuluna (Sam), now sixteen, sailing from Egypt to Phonecia to complete his quest to find his uncle. Sam’s friend from Egypt, Keret, joins him. When a storm blows their ship off course and Mycenaean pirates board to take them captive as slaves for the Greeks, all appears lost—until a Cretan ship under the authority of Princess Ariadne rescues them. But how long will Ariadne’s father, King Minos, a descendant of legendary King Minos-and-the-minotaur fame, insist that Sam and Keret remain on his island?Book four of the Ancient Elements Series weaves the final stories of Sam, Amata, Sam’s father, his uncle, and Sam’s Babylonian friend Enlil into a cohesive journey through the middle-eastern kingdoms, delivering heart-stopping excitement as Sam embarks on his final adventure.
Kirkus Reviews wrote of The Silver Coin, “Sontag’s Mediterranean world is a vivid one, and the story makes clear that even thousands of years ago, residents of the region were well-traveled and knowledgeable about their realm . . . individuals looking for curriculum-based fiction may find the book a valuable tool.” As with all books in the Ancient Elements Series, free lesson plans are available.
Book Trailer:
Product Details
The Silver Coin & The Puzzle Box (Ancient Elements Series, book 4)
Pages:
Genre: Middle-Grade Historical Fiction
Publisher: WordCrafts Press
Publication Date: 1st Quarter of 2027
ISBN:
Price:
BOOKS – WHITCOMB DISCOVERIES SERIES
Descriptions
Book One: California Trail Discovered
MG Historical Fiction: 10-14-year-olds
All Daniel wants is to get back to Illinois to find out who murdered his parents. He doesn’t want to travel the Oregon Trail with his guardian, Jim. He doesn’t want twelve-year-old Virginia Reed, a member of the Donner Party, as a friend. And he certainly doesn’t want anything bad to happen to his little sister Hannah as they travel to California. Confronted by both good and bad Indians, good and bad whites, how will Daniel be able to protect Hannah on the long trek West? Will he ever discover the mystery behind his parents’ deaths? Will he ever find a real family again?
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4sSYAJjpLw
Product Details
California Trail Discovered (The Whitcomb Discoveries, Book 1)
Pages: 148
Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction
Publisher: WordCrafts Press
Publication Date: October 14, 2020
ISBN: 1952474310
Price: $12.99
Available Formats: Paperback, Hardback, Kindle
Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
This book includes links to S.T.E.A.M. lesson plans
Whitcomb Discoveries Series
Book Two: Yosemite Trail Discovered
YA Historical Fiction: Ages 12-adult
Sixteen-year-old Daniel (fictional character) works with his guardian, Jim Savage, (historical figure) in the California goldfields. Daniel saves every ounce of gold he earns from the meager salary Jim pays him to keep the man’s trading post ledgers. Once Daniel turns 18, he plans to go back to Illinois and find out who murdered his parents —until a renewed friendship with Virginia Reed, a former member of the Donner Party, blossoms. Will Daniel’s new interest in Virginia, a new interest in law, and desire for justice for the Indians alter his plans? When an Indian War breaks out in the goldfields and Jim forms a battalion to rout the marauding Ahwahneechee from Yosemite, will Daniel ride with him? The fate of his new Indian friends and the course of his life hang in the balance.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/Xqpx9HKiI1c?si=5TSZX5GlmYFnSatNProduct Details
Yosemite Trail Discovered (The Whitcomb Discoveries, Book 2)
Pages: 300
Genre: Young Adult Historical Fiction
Publisher: WordCrafts Press
Publication Date: March 2, 2022
ISBN-10: 1957344040
ISBN-13: 978-1957344041
Price: $17.99
Available Formats: Paperback, Hardback, Kindle
Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & NobleBOOKS – WWII RISING HOPE SERIES
Descriptions
Book One: Underground Scouts
YA Historical Fiction: Ages 12-adult
Tadzio and Magdalena weren’t prepared for their Polish Scoutmaster’s challenge. Not until their parents disappeared. Undercover Scouts tells the story of six teens who, through loss, find hope when their Scout troops join forces with the Underground Army during the 1944 Warsaw Rising. Against insurmountable odds, the Scouts work to push the Germans out of Warsaw before the Russians sweep in to “liberate” them. They hope to show the Allies they are willing to sacrifice their lives in order to retain their democracy. They don’t want the Allies to give them over to the Communists once the war is over. The story is told through the eyes of Tadzio and Magdalena, fictional characters, who experience the events s alongside historical Scouts, adding both realism and dramatic adventure to this historical novel.Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/XvptD33Kf7M?si=M3_d_NT7dmmBAybI
Product Details
Pages: 314
Genre: YA Historical Fiction
Publisher: WordCrafts Press
Publication Date: January 29, 2023
ISBN-10: 1957344393
SBN-13: 978-1957344393
Price: $17.99
Available Formats: Paperback, Hardback, Kindle
Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Book Two: The Cold War: A Door of Hope
The book placeholder picture (not the future cover) is for book 2 of the WWII Rising Hope Trilogy, tentatively titled A Door of Hope. It will follow the fictional characters of Tadzio and his father as they work as spies during the Cold War and help form NIE, a resistance effort against the newly installed Communist government in Poland. Nie means “no” in Polish. This name was used as the abbreviation for the resistance group’s full name, Niepodległość, which means resistance.
After the war ended, Soviet Russia installed a communist government in Poland that sought to eliminate all remaining Scouts who fought in the Rising. Some of the surviving Scouts include Tadzio and his father, Magdalena, Benyameen, Yacob, and Lucyna. These fictional characters from book one will play a role in book two alongside historical characters such as Fr. Waclaw Karlowicz, Tadeusz Bor-Komorowski, codename Bor, Leopold Okulicki, codename Bear, and Witold Pilecki, codename Roman.
Book Three: A Banner of Hope
Tentatively titled Banner of Hope, book 3 will follow Tadzio and others after the fall of Communism from 1989 to the present as they interact with historical figures such as Lech Wałęsa and Karol Józef Wojtyła, also known as Pope John Paul II.
MEDIA PICS
and download links
Headshot and background high res 8.8MB
Head shot low res 2MB
Headshot thumbnail 833K
Headshot no hat high res 9.2MG
Headshot no hat high res 8.7MB
Sontag and books 9MB
Sontag books high res 9.9MB
Ancient Elements Series and Dagger low res 433KB
Ancient Tales and Western Trails: Author Marie Sontag brings the past to life, one adventure at a time. Sharing a few of her characters’ adventures from her middle-grade historical fiction series, Ancient Elements, this former middle school teacher also treats listeners to a hands-on experience with authenticated artifacts of a bronze dagger from the time of Hammurabi, an alabaster jar from ancient Egypt, and a Phoenician silver coin.
Her western trails series, The Whitcomb Discoveries, written for middle-grade and young adult readers, features both fictional and historical characters as they travel the Oregon and California Trails, eventually leading to their entry into Yosemite Valley.
How can these ancient tales and western trails impact today’s readers? Bringing the past to life through adventurous stories from another time and place opens minds to new perspectives as well as the realization that we’re not so different from others—whether we’re separated by time, distance, or culture. Dubbed a literary archeologist, Dr. Sontag helps young readers unearth facts and ideas from the past that have implications for the present and possibilities for the future.
AUTHOR VISITS
To book author visits, contact http://www.authorsandmore.com/Home.html
QR code to view Dr. Sontag’s social media links and resources
Dr. Sontag is a member of the following professional associations:
National Council for the Social Studies
Texas Council for the Social Studies
SCBWI
ACFW
California Pioneers of Santa Clara County
INTERVIEWS, REVIEW LINKS and BOOK TRAILERS
Lena Nelson Dooley Interview 2021
Gail Kittleson Interview 2020
Susan G. Mathis Interview 2018
Rising Hope – Polish Review Journal 2016
Rising Hope – Sarmatian Review, Gale Academic OneFile 2015
Author Trailer
Interested in hearing Marie speak?
Book NowQuestions & Answers with Dr. Marie
What advice do you have for young authors?
Write about things you’re interested in, get feedback on your writing from others of all ages, polish your writing, take classes on creative writing, join a writer’s group for young authors, such as the young inklings, look online for information for young authors and places you can enter a writing contest or submit work for publication. Here are a few suggestions:
- http://younginklings.org/what-we-do/
- http://www.thecreativepenn.com/2011/07/20/resources-for-young-writers/
- http://www.newpages.com/writers-resources/young-authors-guide
- http://study.com/articles/40_of_the_Best_Websites_for_Young_Writers.html
- http://www.teachingauthors.com/p/for-young-writers.html
- http://kidsactivities.about.com/od/ReadingandWriting/tp/Writing-Contests-For-Kids.htm
- http://www.peninsulayoungwriters.org/
How many words is the average book?
The two categories of books for students ages 8-18 are middle grade fiction (ages 8-12) and young adult, ages 13-18. Middle grade books are usually 30,000-50,000 words. Young adult books are usually 50,000-75,000 words.
Do you recommend writing at a young age?
Yes, I definitely recommend writing at a young age.
How did you get a publishing company?
Usually, you have to write what is called a query letter to many publishers before you get one to publish your work. Most publishers are closed to queries and require you to find an agent who will submit your manuscript. For me, a friend owned a publishing company and she read The Bronze Dagger while I was still working on it, and had it published with her company. Then a slightly larger publishing company saw the book and bought it from her company so they could publish it. This company was the publisher I now work with, Sunbury Press.
Were there any special people who motivated you?
My mom always supported me in my writing endeavors, especially when I was young. She always motivated me to pursue my dreams and to never give up. I’ve also been motivated by creative authors such as C.S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Madeleine L’Engle, and historical fiction author Bodie Thoene, especially her Zion Covenant Series.
How long does it take you to write a book?
It depends on how much research I need to do, and on what else is going on in my life at the time. The Bronze Dagger took about five years to write because I was still teaching at the time and my boys were involved in a lot of activities. The Alabaster Jar took about two years, and The Silver Coin took about one year. Rising Hope took about three years.
What inspired you to write about these kinds of books?
Honestly, the lack of good historical fiction books (good, in my mind, means adventurous yet as factual as possible, where important things about history can be learned in a fun way!) was and is my main motivation in writing my books.
Have a question? Send Dr. Marie a message
