Door of the Day: Get a handle on the situation!

It’s I Read Canadian day so, for Door of the Day, I’m posting this ornate handle from Old town Québec—too gorgeous to turn, if you ask me! I have a few door knockers decorating my studio space, but when I see beautiful door handles this, I wonder if I should start collecting them, too!

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25!

In Zoone, of course, the handles match the world that is hidden beyond each doorway. You should pay attention to those handles—they might give you a clue about whether or not you should actually go through with your journey!

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.

Door of the Day: Tug the trunk!

This elephant doorknocker greeted me as I wandered the streets of Exeter, England, a few years back. Waggle his trunk—I’m sure he will trumpet!

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25! 🚪

Many of the door knockers in the Zoone multiverse interact with travelers—sometimes they greet them officiously, but at other times they just harass them with snide comments.

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.

Door of the Day: A cosmic map?

I found this beautiful door while wandering the French Quarter of Hanoi, Vietnam.

You can just glimpse what is beyond . . .

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25!

The doors in the Zoone nexus usually don’t offer any glimmer of the realms that lie beyond them. The only way to see them is to have your ticket-key in hand, so that you can venture through the portal and into the adventure beyond.

Something else strikes me about this door! As I gaze upon it once again, the pattern of swirls reminds me of the layout of the Zoone nexus, which consists of the station house in the middle with four round platforms in the four cardinal directions. The doors radiate outward in concentric circles, into the Infinite Wood.

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.

Door of the Day: In Golden Gai

Here is an imperious door knocker, glaring from a metal door in the Golden Gai district of Tokyo. We stayed in the city for two months in 2018 while we were adopting our son and had a fun time exploring the various parts of the city.

So many of the doors that intrigue me are made of wood, with old peeling paint and rusty keyholes encrusted with spiderwebs—this one is very different!

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25!

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.

 

Door of the Day: The portal to magic, Harry-Potter style

This is an old and rusted handle from Alnwick Castle in England. There are many amazing doors here, including some that lead to dungeon cells.

Alnwick Castle is famous for being the filming location for Hogwarts broom-flying scenes in the Harry Potter movies. Quidditch matches are played here and you can also take broom-flying lesson—which we did, of course (we were the only adults in our group). I passed with flying colors—in the sense that colors flew past me at an alarming speed.

My instructor, Professor Bottomley, explained afterward that I should stick to writing about brooms instead of trying to ride them.

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25! 🚪🗝️

Despite Professor Bottomley’s advice to writing about brooms, there is no broom flying in Zoone—there are easier ways to get around . . . like on the back of skyger! (Though, perhaps my old flying instructor would be pleased to know that I’m currently working on a book about magical brooms.)

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.

Door of the Day: The door with winged handles

Here are some angels for you on this day, found on the handles of this door in Seoul. This door led to my heart’s desire—COFFEE! You’ve probably read a book where the author described the door flying open . . . well, this one may literally do so with these two winged souls minding the entrance!

By the way, in Korea, coffee is an evening thing, NOT a morning thing, as is the case in North America. When I go to the coffee shop first thing in the morning in Seoul, I usually have the entire place to myself!

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25!

There are many types of coffee in the Zoone multiverse, but one of the most beloved hot beverages is Elandorian coffee, prized for its rich and invigorating flavors.

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.

Door of the Day: The red door

Here’s a close-up of a vibrant red door in Garosu-gil, a neighborhood in Seoul, Korea, featuring ginkgo trees, stylish restaurants, and boutique shops. This is a door to one of those shops! The door is lovely, but I was as equally enamored with the wall!

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25!

Of course, portals in the Zoone nexus do NOT have walls. They are free-standing, surrounding Zoone Station on four different platforms of concentric circles.

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.

Door of the Day: Green Dragons!

This is a door I passed by while strolling Chipping-Campden, England, a few years back. I did not dare knock—Green Dragons! A helpful warning, if you ask me.

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25!

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.

Door of the Day: So many lions . . .

Here is a regal lion door knocker from Vienna, Austria.

Lion knockers seem to be a universal theme when it comes to doors, no matter where in the world. In the Zoone multiverse, though, dragon or skyger knockers are more common, as you can see by my brainstorming:

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25! 🚪🗝️

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.

Door of the Day: No, it doesn’t lead to dessert

This is a very whimsical doorway at the Yu Garden in Old Shanghai. Many of my students call it the ice-cream door when I show it to them!

Yu Garden is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited in the world; we explored it one morning and were one of the first to wander through the gates that day, so we were able to experience many solemn and blissful moments.

The garden also features this magnificent dragon undulating along the crest of the wall. I spent a long time contemplating this creature!

I’m posting my door inspirations from around the world to celebrate the release of The Guardians of Zoone on February 25!

There are no ice cream doors at Zoone, but there is plenty of exotic food, including something called “snickerpops,” which many kids seem curious to try!

You can find order links for the books of Zoone HERE.