Sometimes all you need is a big heart and burning desire.
Danny, a curious harp seal pup, has soft white fur and black innocent eyes. Helen is an environmentalist and member of a young activist crew of the Rainbow Warriors. Their mission is to save animals.
As winter turns into spring, a new generation of seal pups comes to life. A few weeks later, the killing begins. Against a spectacular backdrop of ice and snow, Helen prepares to look horrific human cruelty in the face.
I do not doubt I have a big heart and burning desire, but is that enough for a person to become a Rainbow Warrior, or is there something better? Something only some of us manage to turn into what we have long missed—humanity.
In the race against time and clubs, will Helen save Danny before the hunt begins?
Though written for younger readers, Look for Me Under the Rainbow will appeal to anyone who cherishes our beautiful planet and wishes to protect its treasures.
Buy this book and experience a pure emotional journey.
First of all, can we take a moment to look at how haunting and powerful this cover is. It took me a second to realise what was in the foreground, but once you do, you understand this story is going to be emotional.
And emotional it was. Following a young seal, this novella explores the mass killing of seal pups and the effects humans are having on the oceans. It’s an important read that highlights human greed and cruelty in an accessible way. It’s told from a seals POV, so you are fully immersed in their world and how humans affect it in the worst way.
This will leave you with a powerful message you won’t forget and the understanding that things need to change. If only more books were written exploring such themes.
A poetic, realistic story of Danny, the adorable harp seal pup. Danny lives in a world of danger from the day he is born. His mother is loving and does her best to guide Danny away from the perils of their world. This is an important story about the need to leave innocent animals in peace to live their life. It is similar to what is unjustly happening to the poor, innocent people around the world. If our world is to change, we must live and let live and love unconditionally. Bernard Jan weaves a bittersweet tale. One I shall not forget anytime soon and one I suggest you share with your children, family and friends.
Look For Me Under the Rainbow by Bernard Jan is an incredibly passionate eye-opening reading experience, which has stayed with me long after I finished the last page. It is a thought-provoking tale which highlights the plight of the Harp Seals and what we humans inflict on them every year. I hadn’t realised that seal hunting still continues to this day- I honestly thought it was abolished decades ago- so I learned quite a bit, not only from the story- but also from my investigation into the topic on the internet.
The story follows Danny the Harp Seal who is one of the seasons ‘new’ pups. He is inquisitive, playful, and trusting. I though Bernard Jan was quite clever in the way he used Danny to tell the story, getting us (the reader) invested in him and the outcome of his story, and thereby really making his message hit home.
There are confronting, heartbreaking scenes which were quite intense. It definitely drew an emotional response from me. It highlights the best and worst of humanity- as well as encouraging us to be better stewards of our planet. While the story embraces environmental activism, animal rights, and bringing awareness to this shocking practice- it is all woven around a really well-written and emotive story.
Well worth the read!
Thank you, Bernard Jan!
Every so often, I come across a book that is so profoundly moving and (despite the troubling events) the ‘telling’ takes your breath away!!’ Look for Me Under the Rainbow’ by Bernard Jan is such a book!! There is a poetic flair, use of words, and extraordinary images-all, ever so carefully, woven together- that will whisk you into a vortex of both delight and angst!
From that very first sentence, I was ALL in! It begins with a mama seal trying to birth her pup…(‘making her breaths her unborn’s own’-paraphrased). It is here that I, to say the least, was beyond impressed, because Jan’s description of the labor and ultimate birth had me completely in awe!!!
I so greatly appreciated Jan’s use of legendary tales to explain nature (much like legends of environmental phenomena told and retold by cultures across the globe-absolutely brilliant). Danny, the seal pup listens as his mama explains how the glaciers were formed-teardrops that froze-I’ll stop here with this and allow YOU to discover the ‘telling’ on your own!
Danny has much to learn about the many dangers that nature’s creatures are faced with on a constant basis. He listens carefully.
Then, the killing begins…can Danny be saved? What happens to mama?
Sigh.
An ABSOLUTE MUST READ!!!!
Bernard Jan does a masterful job of describing the realms inside the mind of a curious harp seal pup. While I do not wish to spoil the outcome of this heartwarming story, you will most likely be deeply touched by the love of a mother and the dangers which lurk within their arctic lives.
This story describes precise details of the perils these seals face and the peaceful ways of the Rainbow Warriors, young activist crew of whose mission is to save animals.
I would highly recommend reading with your young children and provoking a discussion - promoting a change and a purpose in their curious minds. This is a great read for any young adult as it it well-written with an easy flow.
The message is pretty straightforward. I liked how it was written from a seal's perspective, makes people think about what the animals, themselves, might be thinking.
The writing style is amazing, the narration is unique as it's a story from the animal's point of view.
This is a really good book with an awesome story and writing from an animal's perspective regarding people and the dangers and threats that humans can be regarding animals.
Wow this is a very powerful book that will invoke all sorts of emotions, I cried several times.
The author, Bernard Jan is so altruistic it makes me feel guilty that I don't do more...
The story itself is very sad but unfortunately true! As it happens all the time, I wish there was more that can be done to save the hunted creatures of this world, but I suppose people who do help tend to remain hidden so we don't actually know.
If I could I would give Bernard Jan 10stars out of five for his brilliant writing.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow by Bernard Jan is a fairly short read at novella length that takes readers into an up close and personal look at the life of a seal pup names Danny. The majority of the story is told from Danny’s point of view but in the end it switches to a young girl named Helen who is fighting to save the wild animals.
I loved spending a bit of time looking at the world through Danny’s eyes right from the opening of the book. Anyone who has been around toddlers can relate to Danny’s poor mother answering the whys and hows of Danny’s endless questions as he starts out in life and grows.
As the story moved on so did Danny’s world with him getting little brother and his days with his protective and loving mother. Of course life is not all sunshine and roses in the life of a wild animal and eventually that makes it into the story too with Danny facing struggles that a seal pup would.
This was a wonderful little story with lovely writing that all animal lovers of any age would be sure to enjoy. The author also put forth a strong message of doing your part to save these and other beautiful creatures which I is a very positive message to be shared with all too.
This novel took a complete different path than I was originally expecting. That being said, it was brilliant. This story has so much potential to enlighten people on the corruption that humans are causing to this planet. This novel represents everything that I stand for. This is why I’m vegan and am actively looking for ways to save animals. The author did an incredible job at bringing up this topic and thank you for sending me the copy!
This beautifully written story is heart-felt and captivating. Great characters, especially Danny, the seal pup. A moving, emotional plot that keeps you turning pages to the very end. We need more books like this.
There's plenty of things that could be said about this novella, and its polarising topic. I'm tempted to go into details but I also want to avoid spoilers, which is very hard; but what I can say is that the author didn't shy away from telling a story as-is; he avoided falling into cliches which might have left the readers happier, but it would have diminished its message.
It's a tale of love and death, like all the important tales. These tales should be read in school, because too often there's a tendency to avoid the important things in order to protect our younglings; but those are the same younglings that will rule the world one day, and if we do want a better world, our job is not to shield them from the truth, but to show it to them; and with this in mind, Bernard Jan does a superb job, because his prose is poetic and enjoyable, and even the dark moments is has a special quality to it - the quality that comes with knowing that the power to change the world is in our hands.
Thanks Bernard for not shying away from such important topics!
A unique book that charts the importance of the Rainbow Warriors through the point of view of a seal. The novella reminded of a children's fable meshed with the dark reality of man. Tinged with pathos and hope, this is recommended reading for way into an important viewpoint.
Every once in a while, an author comes along who wears their heart on their sleeve and pours it onto the pages of a book. If you haven’t read anything by Bernard Jan, you are missing an opportunity to feel his words to your very soul.
LOOK FOR ME UNDER THE RAINBOW begins as a sweet tale of innocence and love and wonder in the big world all around. Danny was born in an unforgiving environment, but for his kind, it was home, safe and filled with the awe of a young child learning at his mother’s side. It is the story of the love between two brothers and a dangerous quest to grow up and see the world too soon.
Danny is a seal pup, born when humans thought nothing of killing them for their pelts, but Danny and his brother, Jon, didn’t know that. They only knew of the wonder of the Great Seal above and the beautiful rainbow created just for each of them at the end of their life’s journey.
His only experience with humans was that of kindness. But when young Danny and Jon decide to see the world for themselves when it was time to migrate back to Greenland, they would encounter the carelessness of human destruction and the cruelty of human greed.
It would be the human that once met Danny who would become part of a new era for humans, and laws to protect creatures like Danny from mindless slaughter or pollution.
This is a story of love, life and humanity at both its worst and very best. Danny is an endearing voice for both seals and animals threatened everywhere in this bittersweet story that is ageless and for all readers.
I fell in love with Danny and his exuberance, not unlike that of a human child and I found myself lost in this warm tale turned nightmare turned call to action for the world. Please, do NOT let the phrase “translated from…” scare you off, the translation is masterfully done without losing any of the impact of Bernard Jan’s words. Although a short read, it is long on heart, and beautifully told with a message for all people of all ages.
I received a complimentary copy from Bernard Jan!
1. Introduction
In this review, I am going to inform you about “Look for Me Under the Rainbow”. This is a novella Bernard Jan published in English in 2018. I will tell you what my opinion is of this book, and whether it is worth a read.
2. A Summary
First, however, I would like to give you the following summary of this novella:
Danny, a curious harp seal pup, has soft white fur and black innocent eyes. Helen is an environmentalist and member of a young activist crew of the Rainbow Warriors. Their mission is to save animals.
As winter turns into spring, a new generation of seal pups comes to life. A few weeks later, the killing begins. Against a spectacular backdrop of ice and snow, Helen prepares to look horrific human cruelty in the face.
In the race against time and clubs, will Helen save Danny before the hunt begins and the ice turns red?
3. Strengths
I liked the following three things about this novella:
Firstly, this story almost brims over with beautiful language. It has been long since I read such an incredibly well-written story. Few writers possess such advanced writing skills. Mr. Jan definitely belongs to the top league of authors.
Secondly, “Look for Me Under the Rainbow” possesses a great and essential message. What is it? Well, you will find out when you read the novella.
Thirdly, this story contains suspense as well. That made me read the story faster and faster.
4. Weakness and Conclusion
My only point of criticism would be the fact that at a certain point, I failed to know where the story was heading. I lost its thread. Nevertheless, because of its imperative message and the amazing way Mr. Jan wrote it “Look for Me Under the Rainbow” is still a bodacious book, which I recommend both teens and adults to read.
So, congratulations on an outstanding job, Mr. Jan. I liked this novella a lot, and look forward to reading “A World Without Color”.
"Look for Me Under the Rainbow" is a beautiful yet tragic story about the plight of white harp seal pups. Danny, a young seal pup asks his mother about "man". "Man is dangerous", she says to him. Yet, he sees a woman with blonde hair approach him and touched his fur - she looks kind-hearted.
The journey that begins with Danny and his adopted brother Jon, as they make their way with the others to Greenland is filled with many emotions...love, fear, loneliness and death.
The Rainbow Warriors are a group of people trying to protect the seal pups. Their love for these animals can be heart-breaking. Helen and Erwin feel the pain of Danny's death but will continue to search and rescue those in danger. Even the earth feels the pain of his loss....
I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I'm grateful that Bernard shared his story for new readers. His attention to detail and the narration was amazing! As I read the dialogue between mother and son, those emotions of love and protection comes off the page! This is a beautiful 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read and I encourage you to read it as well. It's a moving experience!
Outstanding!
Forgive any errors, I Can't see the screen I am so moved. I have read this in one evening, I couldn't put it down. Told by a seal family, the life of little Danny is an amazing fight for survival. I don't want to give too many spoilers but this book is worth every penny to teach humanity, love and compassion.
An Author with Something to Say
When Croatian author Bernard Jan approached me and offered me an advanced reader copy of his upcoming novella, Look for Me Under the Rainbow, I was both thrilled and intrigued.
First, I was highly impressed with his first book, A World Without Color. Second, I was wondering if he could transition from writing a memoir to writing fiction.
No need to worry. He managed the transition effortlessly. They always teach us to brand ourselves as authors and to have a strong voice. Guess what? Bernard Jan has both. He truly cares about environmental issues and he is a true advocate of animal rights.
Indeed, he is an author with something to say. Something worth listening. A message for our times. A warning.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow
If A World Without Color was about the last weeks with his cat Marcel, Look for Me Under the Rainbow is about baby seals hunt for their fur. Like the first book, it is a tearjerker and not an easy read for those of us with sensibilities.
What he does right is personify these little creatures, give them personalities, myths and a culture. They feel not like animals but people. Another accomplishment is the author could have taken the easy way out and portrait all humans as ‘evil’. Nonetheless, he shows both sides, good and bad which encompasses humanity.
As you read, you will follow Danny, Jon and their parents and friends from birth to early childhood to their eventual demise. The arctic waters will feel not like a different world but your backyard. Their dreams and games not unlike those of human children. And yet, their fate is so different.
From the beautiful cover to the elegant prose bordering at times in poetic, you can tell there was lots of care into this narrative. This is the kind of story which will make you question why we hunt our fellow creatures.
As a bonus, there is a list of websites and resources if you want to get more involved. And you will.
I will rate the book a 9/10.
Final Thoughts
Can writing change the world? Perhaps it can; perhaps it cannot. If it can change a few minds, at least we will be moving in the right direction.
A problem I have with some writers, myself included, is that we can get preachy when we have something to say. We need to entertain first and left the message to evolve organically from the story. Bernard Jan achieves this better than on his previous book.
Read this short novella because he has a strong voice, like a guilty conscience telling us to step away from our unawareness and do something. Anything to save and preserve our animals. His brand of animal activism and his message is welcome in our home libraries. Alas, it is also an indirect exploration of the human condition.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow goes on sale on April 17th, 2018 through Amazon and other sellers. Get your copy. No, it may not be science fiction or fantasy, but the horror is all too real. And so would be the tears and indignation.
Because sometimes all you need is a big heart and a burning desire.
Also published on Amazon.
Bernard Jan alzó su voz en 1992 con esta novela, “Look for me under the rainbow”, otra forma más de denunciar la terrible situación a la que se enfrentaban las focas en Terranova, Canadá. En ese momento, su humanidad despertó, y a través de esta obra busca que otras personas puedan seguir su mismo camino.
La forma elegida para dar forma a este proyecto es a través de un cuento aparentemente infantil, donde el lector se encontrará con Danny, una joven foca que está dando sus primeros pasos en el mundo. Y como toda la juventud, este siente una gran curiosidad por todo lo que lo rodea. De este modo, al humanizar a las focas, Bernard Jan consigue romper la barrera que lo separa del lector, conectando con esa inocencia perdida, la de la época en la que todos hacíamos preguntas, al igual que Danny.
“Look for me under the rainbow” es una novela sencilla y emotiva, muy recomendable no solo por la historia, la veracidad y los sentimientos, sino por su esencia, la que invita a reflexionar y a cuestionar el mundo en el que vivimos. Imprescindible.
I've been following the author of this book, Bernard Jan, for about a year, but I hadn't read any of his written works previously. When my shiba inu passed away earlier this year, someone reminded me to get a copy of Look for Me Under the Rainbow: A Novella as it would provide some comfort and offer a few ideas about the life of animals outside what we know. I purchased a copy last month and added it to my TBR once I was ready to deal with the concept of a wonderful animal passing away.
Jan offers an emotional tale of beloved mammals of the sea. We love looking at them sitting on ice-bergs or watching them dive into the frozen ocean playing around with others of their kind, yet we also get angry when people hurt them for the pleasure of a kill or to make money off their bodies. The author's created a family of amazing and gentle creatures who appeal to our hearts as we see what happens when a sibling is killed or a parent dies. Danny's mom tells him to look for the rain-bow when death approaches whether it be a killer whale, evil poachers, or something even more nasty. She's a mom to all of us in many ways.
In a short work, Jan has provided an intense connection filled with love, fear, bonds, and touching moments we can easily translate as humans. From oil spills to getting caught between the ice, we understand the struggles of animals who can only do so much to protect themselves or their young. It's not unlike our own reality as humans, but at least we are rarely hunted down and brutally mutilated just for the fun of it.
Without getting into any gory details or making it uncomfortable, Jan has truly shown a different side of life in the ocean. Death is never easy. Loss is profound. Through wonderful imagery, lyrical text, and strong emotions, he's got a winner with Danny's story. I look forward to reading another of his novellas in the future.
A compelling, thought-provoking story, that affected me deeply. A must read for animal lovers and those who strive for a better world for all the creatures that dwell here with us.
Beautifully written with such vivid imagery that I felt I was travelling alongside young Danny, and his younger brother, Jon. The young pair become separated from the adult harp seals and other pups who were leaving their birthing grounds to head northward to Greenland. They encounter stormy weather and the inhospitable nature of the open ocean, and the dangers that await them.
Bernard Jan, has successfully narrated this difficult subject, combining the right amount of truth and dramatization to bring this important message home: the culling of baby harp seals is a despicable crime against nature. Bernard has encapsulated so succinctly one of the worst examples of cruelty toward a species in human history. The selfish greed of nations who buy into this exploitation for profit. It is this mindless destruction of an innocent being that is so incomprehensible, and wicked. We must never forget this annual atrocity that takes place on the ice floes when harp seals are born, clubbed to death in their thousands and skinned for their soft fur when they are but a few weeks old.
We must all have a burning desire too, just like Rainbow Warrior Helen has, to turn this annual cull into a thing of the past and bring an end to the killing for good.
Recommended read: lest we forget.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow is a short story about an environmentalist trying to save a seals life. Helen has to save Danny from the hunters and the ice.
While this book emphasized on the nature aspect of the world and how we are affecting animals and the living. It also touched on pure human emotion and how far one can go to protect an animal.
The literature took me on an emotional ride as we also follow Danny and his life reading along with his experience as a baby seal, his father and what he experiences growing up.
What I believe this book would have benefited from was for it to be longer. The story takes off really smoothly and as an animal lover, I thoroughly enjoyed the perspective of an animal being the protagonist of the story.
I believe anyone that enjoys nature and animals would like reading this book. The author has potential in what he writes and I look forward to reading more from him.
Written by Jeyran Main
When I first saw this advertised I was immediately drawn to it. As a child, I loved stories about animals and fell in love with the likes of Watership Down, Tarker the Otter, Ring of Brightwater, etc. and Look For Me Under the Rainbow certainly falls in among these greats. You get to follow the life story of a little seal pup, called Danny, and see the world through his eyes right from the moment of his birth.
However, that is not to say that this book is entirely fiction. Most people will have, at some point in their lives, seen the horrifying, heart breaking photos/videos of seal pup slaughter, of how they are beaten to death for their fur. This book holds nothing back and will challenge the reader to face the cold, hard facts of the destructive power of man, but it will also provide hope that we can reverse the tide. We can, if we pull together, change the future of this planet and the animals in our care, as long as we maintain hope and faith in our own humanity. Bernard Jan’s kindness, compassion and Rainbow Warrior spirit shines through with every word, and his experiences with Green Peace are a worthy example to all.
Really can’t recommend this book enough, though I would caution you to keep a box of tissues on standby.
I loved this book from beginning to end. It really hit you in the feels. Danny was such a lovable "character" (he's a seal), and his mother was great too. They are both such innocent creatures...they know the power mankind holds over their lives, which is why his mother instructs him to never go near one.
The worldbuilding and descriptions are basically spectacular. As other reviewers have mentioned, I became lost in the icy world the author created. I usually really love descriptive settings and the sort, and this was no exception.
It really hits upon animal cruelty, and, despite being in the Young Adult genre, it really has a special kind of ending. Honestly, I would have this book in schools everywhere, because it really teaches people (and kids) the cruelties of humans. Of course, some people make their living and must kill, but most of it is for no reason, and just invading animals' ecosystems and habitats. I liked that it showed the terrible facets of mankind yet also the good.
The story as a whole and Danny reminded me of Bambi.
Highly recommend the book!
Another great book by this Croatian writer with a powerful message regarding conservation/animal protection/environment. Certainly worth reading.
This book follows the story of a little seal pup Danny and his family and shows us the dangers that lurk out there for them. Not only in the form of natural challenges, but also very much so in the form of what we as humans throw their way. From the thoughtless killing of seal pups for their skins, just leaving their flesh to rot, to our fishing nets in which they can get tangled and killed.
A moving story, which also shows the heartache of the humans as part of the rainbow warriors, who try to do what they can to protect and save them.
Satisfying from beginning to end.
Bernard Jan writes with unique and captivating prose a journey of a harp seal pup named Danny. I enjoyed the adventure and was gripped until the very last page. Danny's tragic story of the danger of man was at first questionable, and then understood. Danny learned the hard way that humans are very different from other creatures.
While I don't agree with all of the author's points that he is sharing through this story, I can certainly agree that something needs to be done about the cruelty of certain individuals and certain groups. His call that we need to work together to seek change in the real world is a great action step for the betterment of animals, and mankind as well.
Great story, good moral underpinnings, and fantastic writing make this story not one to miss out on. I for one am glad that I picked it up.
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)
Look for Me Under the Rainbow allowed us to see seals as more than cute creatures that bark, eat fish and swim really fast. Yes, they are animals but so are humans. Bernard Jan pointed out seals and humans have much more in common than we realize.
We each fear for the safety of our children. We are their protectors. We also both play and hunt. We love. And, we both mourn our losses.
Seals, like every other living creature, should be treated with respect. We should NEVER hunt for sport or harm an animal for some ridiculous prize.
Bernard Jan pointed out that humans cause waste and destruction. I agree. He also said the seals in the story feared ‘man’ and I can see why. Animals are hunted, waters polluted, and their homes are taken away from them. This has to stop. I encourage everyone to read past the end of this book. READ the author’s note. Get involved. Become a RAINBOW WARRIOR. Protect all animals.
Why?
Because they have rights too.
This is a sad and beautiful story. When the family gathers together they share a legend about a rainbow. Danny is a cheerful seal who will get a dangerous experience.
I read this book with a feeling of sadness, rage, and the admiration. Here is more humanity in animals than in some people in the reality. As a big fan of nature, I support protection of animal's right. If Danny was a human he would teach us many things, how to respect the rules of nature and to be less selfish.
The oil stain in the sea, killing animals for hunting, all are signs of human's selfishness. Even I did not read much of this genre before, this author made me like it. Thanks.
Look For Me Under the Rainbow: A Novella by Bernard Jan is a beautiful story that speaks about the importance of protecting the treasures of planet Earth and thereby saving the environment. Danny, a harp seal pup, looked at the vast expanse of water stretching out endlessly between the giant icebergs. His mother told him he was too small to go swimming and Danny understood that it was dangerous for baby seals in the water. His mother told the story of the Big Seal and about the Big Land where there were more seals. She also told him about the multi-colored rainbow that appeared after icy rain and how it disappeared. She told Danny to be careful of the dangers lurking around them. Will Danny run into the most dangerous of them all, Man, and see the ice become red?
Set against the backdrop of glaciers, ice, and seals, the book introduces readers to the Rainbow Warriors, an environmentalist group whose mission to save animals takes them to Greenland, the land of snow and ice. The book will make readers respect animals and help them realize how important it is to live with animals in peace. Helen, through her work with the Rainbow Warriors, exposes the cruelty and brutality of the humans who try to kill these seals. It is a beautiful story that will tug at the hearts of all readers who love animals and who want to protect them and the environment. Danny's character is memorable and he will leave a mark in the hearts of readers long after they finish the book. Helen's love and compassion for animals are palpable and many readers will be able to connect with her feelings and love towards animals. The book also captures the beauty of Mother Nature in many ways, inspiring readers with a longing to protect the planet.
Look For Me Under The Rainbow is a beautiful and timely evocation of life among the ice floes. We follow seal Danny and his family and their encounters with that most fearsome creature of all, man. You’ll be charmed and moved, and inevitably find yourself thinking about what we’re doing to the planet and the other life forms that share it.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow was a serious, sad story indeed and made the kids cry in parts. It is realist though. Danny is the adorable harp seal pup and Helen is an environmentalist who is on a mission to save animals from ruthless killers. It is well written and teaches kids and adults to protect helpless animals from those who kill defenseless animals for money or sport.
Nicely written fairy tale that set you in motion to wonder as one, who has traveled to Icebergs. Lullaby for sweet dreams under the sky.
Summary:
Sometimes all you need is a big heart and burning desire.
Danny, a curious harp seal pup, has soft white fur and black innocent eyes. Helen is an environmentalist and member of a young activist crew of the Rainbow Warriors. Their mission is to save animals.
As winter turns into spring, a new generation of seal pups comes to life. A few weeks later, the killing begins. Against a spectacular backdrop of ice and snow, Helen prepares to look horrific human cruelty in the face.
I do not doubt I have a big heart and burning desire, but is that enough for a person to become a Rainbow Warrior, or is there something better? Something only some of us manage to turn into what we have long missed—humanity.
In the race against time and clubs, will Helen save Danny before the hunt begins and the ice turns red?
Though written for younger readers, Look for Me Under the Rainbow will appeal to anyone who cherishes our beautiful planet and wishes to protect its treasures.
Buy this book by Bernard Jan, the author of A World Without Color, and experience another emotional journey.
My thoughts on this book:
This book captured my attention from the beginning to end. I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but after reading A World Without Color, I knew this was a book I had to read.
It begins with the story of Danny, a seal pup with his whole life in front of him. As Danny spends his days playing curiously with his brother and learning life skills from his mother, he discovers what’s acceptable and also what isn’t safe.
“Is only the sea dangerous? Is there anything on the ice we should watch out for and fear?”
Meanwhile, Helen, an animal activist aka “Rainbow Warrior” is on a mission to protect as many animals as she can. Will she get to them in time before the hunting begins?
“I can only hope that one day we shall be forgiven if it turns out that man is responsible for the extinction of the last inhabitant of the seas, and the walls of death on their ghostly routes come to clutch us all in their deadly suffocating grip.”
This book focuses on the many dangers harp seal pups face from birth to adulthood, including mankind’s cruelty. I was shocked at the facts and wasn’t fully aware that the slaughtering of these seals was still permitted. I found myself doing research online for hours afterward.
I’m genuinely glad I read this book. It’s difficult to use the word ‘loved’ or ‘enjoyed’ when describing how I feel about books with subjects such as this one, but it was intense, shocking, and a real eye-opener. Bernard Jan’s writing delivers such imagery that pictures aren’t needed. I cringed at times with some of the details, but it’s the truth that must be told so that more will be aware, and in turn we can discover how to help. 5-stars
Also published on Goodreads.
Inspired by the journal of Helen, an animal activist aka “Rainbow Warrior”, on a mission to protect as many animals as she can, the author takes us on another emotional journey. After reading 'A World Without Color' by the same author, I knew this was a book I had to read. The writing style of the author remained as beautiful as I knew it was, honest, poetic and full of emotions.
This time the author tells us about Danny, a harp seal pup, his parents and brother Jon. This could have been a happy story about all the funny stuff a seal pup could do, right? But no, unfortunately, due to the man’s ignorance and greed this is a really sad story written though in a relaxing way. It is a story of life, love, existence, and humanity at both its worst and very best.
This is more than a novella, it is a cry for awareness and a call to action to anyone that wants to stop the slaughter of innocent creatures. In time, many organizations, and individuals, including the author, have been actively united forces and did what they could to slow down the annihilation and ease the tragic destiny of these adorable, innocent creatures. We are being offered with a set of links of different organizations that if any one of us that it's not a member yet and wants to join. The message of this book was honest, sincere and it truly moved me.
I believe they the author has a great love for all animals. With the gift of writing about them as soul mates from the heart. Anyone who lived in the 60s and 70s saw this type of event unfold and watched tv clips with years in our eyes, thinking how can people be so evil. The book was great at telling the story from the victim s point of view. Thank you.
Often in nature films and documentaries, we get an appreciation of how precarious life can be for wild animals and that we are all potentially in the food chain for some other animal. If you’ve ever seen the Orca whale tossing a seal in the air repeatedly, it is a brutal and disturbing scene, yet it is nature. Us humans are meant to be more controlled and ‘humane’ about how we manage our food sources and ancient legends cry out to us to respect the animals we kill and ensure that having done so we make as much use of the carcass as possible so as not to be careless and immoderate. We are, however, cruel, reckless and wasteful in how we hunt for food and clothing, and specifically how we fish our oceans discarding rubbish indifferently to the damage it causes.
Bernard Jan has provided us with a glimpse into 2 perspectives of life for the seal populations that migrate around Greenland. Firstly through the eyes of Danny a young seal pup and his adopted younger brother Jon, and then through the eyes of a Rainbow Warrior volunteer Helen. Both parties are told of legends and tales that relate in some respect to a Rainbow, how we should show respect to all living things, and how in our final moments we follow the rainbow.
While Danny and Jon are taught and instructed by their mother they play happily but always aware of the threats from polar bears and man. Which one is more dangerous, which one is more deadly, and which one is more destructive? The young seals will experience a lot in their lifetimes as they start the migration back towards Greenland. Helen, while she understands the value and commitment the Rainbow warriors make, she can’t come to terms witnessing the abject waste of life and deleterious attitude of hunters and irresponsible fishermen. Helen and Danny’s paths eventually cross and it is a heart-breaking scene.
The story is very well told and it is very clear before reading the authors bio that he has a vocational connection to animal preservation. Through the medium of this book and other communication channels, Bernard is also a strong advocate for wildlife protection and his love for animals is clearly apparent.
As I read this beautifully written story of seal pups and their plight, I wondered about the age of the audience. Near the end, I decided it could be for any age from 8-year olds to elderly. I am so grateful to the author and all the others who have fought so hard to save beautiful creatures from being clubbed to death.
When I read the blurb for Look for Me Under the Rainbow, it caught my interest. I wasn’t expecting the feelings that this book evoked. I felt everything from joy to horror to sadness.
I will admit, I went into Look for Me Under the Rainbow with a certain mindset. I thought that it was going to be a children’s book about a young seal pup named Danny and his adventures. Well, that isn’t the case. Instead, I got a book that showed exactly how hard a harp seal’s life is and the dangers they face.
Danny was a great main character. His curiosity and innocence were what I expected from a harp seal pup. The questions he asked were what I expected a child to ask. But, like all children, Danny disobeys his mother, and there are consequences.
The harp seal pups slaughter was horrifying. I had thought that clubbing them to death had ended. The other horrors that the author described (being skinned alive and left to die) made me sick to my stomach. I kept thinking to myself, “How is that humane??? They are babies!!!” I cannot believe that this is allowed. That is when my horror turned to outrage.
The author also showed what the seals went through if they survived the slaughter. Everything from natural enemies (killer whales and polar bears) to human-made hazards (oil spills to nets left floating in the ocean). It was heartbreaking.
I liked that the author showed that people are trying to do the right thing. The Rainbow Warriors and Helen tried to stop the slaughter. How they did it was smart. I wouldn’t have thought to do that!! But those activists are only a small handful of people. More people need to help.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow is a short book, actually a novella. Marketed towards children, I was a little iffy about the age range on this. I decided on Tween because I felt that the younger kids could be traumatized by the descriptions of the seal pup slaughter.
The end of Look for Me Under the Rainbow wasn’t a happy one. But it wasn’t a sad one either. It was an eye opening one.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
Look for Me Under the Rainbow is a short and imaginative tale, aimed at a YA audience but inviting of all ages. Removed from young (and I’m sure some would say adult as well) I’m not part of the intended demographic for this work, but I’ve read Bernard Jan’s writing before so was happy to give this one a try.
From the off the stakes are presented as extremely high. We are plunged into the world of an infant seal pup, where dangers are incessant. The vast whiteness of an endless icy panorama emphasises the vulnerability and natural plight of such a small creature, birthed near helpless onto a shifting frozen surface. The young pup is entirely reliant on his mother and seal family, and at first has many questions about this precarious and exciting world he has been born into.
Seal society has a purposeful folkloric and spiritual tradition, handed down in the mythologies they tell. In this way, the young pup attempts to find insights into the very immediate issues of life and death he sees playing out around him. I found this element of the story very nicely done.
With a book of this kind, with anthropomorphism at the centre of the text, mawkishness is a potential pitfall. Overall, the text avoids this however, setting an exploratory tone from early on, and including the more brutal and pitiless aspects of an animal’s life in quite graphic and brutal detail. This book does not condescend to younger people. There is an agenda to the book, and it is one that is pro animal rights, but I don’t feel in a haranguing or preachy way, instead raising the necessary questions and leaving the reader to make up their own mind.
Some of the most successful passages of the book were, for me, those where the tension of the natural impulse to explore collided with the risk of straying too far. A constant feeling of menace and dread hangs over this novella, the characters subjected to abiding threats, a peril waiting unseen in the snowy landscape. There are some lyrical descriptions involving the natural formations of this world, and also regarding the precipice between life and death, that are very memorable.
A thought provoking read, to be especially appreciated by younger readers who want to explore the ethics surrounding environmental and animal rights movements.
i was immediately drawn to the cover of this novella that popped up on my suggestions and being that it was free i thought why not so i read it one night recently. it is written in a way that is probably geared more so to younger readers and isn't as graphic as a lot of the stories i remember hearing in the news a few years back when this book was probably written, so it is safe and educational for all ages.
the story is told from a baby seal's perspective as well as an animal rights activist's. you see the baby seal being born and starting to grow up and learn about the life and its beauty, and also about the consequences of not listening to what his mommy told him and his brother about predators and staying with their group as they migrated. obviously i know that not all babies survive with predators constantly lurking, but it was still sad knowing what happened and you have to wonder if maybe their deaths might have been prevented if they had stayed with their group. but then again, their sister was with the group and was killed by a man instead of a polar bear, so it is hard to say.
animals have always been hunted both by people and other animals, sometimes for food and survival, sometimes for sport. i remember there was a time where hunters were clubbing baby seals to death, some not even more than a few days old, just for their fur. while i will admit that i do eat meat, i would never purposely harm another living creature (not counting roaches and spiders or things like that) and i cant for my life understand why anyone would beat a helpless baby to death just for a teeny patch of fur. the rainbow warriors, which are animal rights activists mentioned in this story and the lady is part of, have worked hard to try to help prevent this from continuing. i am not sure if it is still as big of an issue as when this book was written, but just reading and learning more about the plight of the baby seals and what so many innocent creatures go through makes you really think about how precious life can be and i can only hope this doesn't continue. sad but moving story that was definitely worth reading.
A book filled with heart and love for all living things, I found the book touching and inspirational! The author's sincere character is embedded into each & every word!
I highly recommend this book and give it five stars!
I loved this short story about a sweet young harp seal who faces both adventure and loss despite being so young. This is a gentle, but realistic tale about the life many seals face out in the wild - with humans being their most feared predator. While sad in parts, I found this story to be very though-provoking and encouraging. If only we can stay brave and true to ourselves even when the darker parts of the world show us their horrible faces.
A short, yet deeply profound story that easily catches your attention once you let yourself flow between the pages. A story that transcends into a never ending fight between the good and the bad, between the urge for destruction that comes from a need to survive and the need for balance; between the greed and the will to do good, even if you simply do small things. It teaches you a simple, yet everlasting lesson about the power of understanding the world we inhabit, the world we all consume and use too much, in most cases not really paying attention to the damage we are doing in the process: that we, as humans, tend to give ourselves too much of an importance and let ourselves destroy and kill more than we actually need. If you pay attention to the words, this short story (thats my only complaint about this book. I see you, Bernard) can be used as a metaphor for a much wider world than of a colony of seals on the remote icebergs: it tells the story of our planet in general, and the constant battle between the balance and exploitation, the empathy we lack for nature and the wildlife that coexists with us, not below us: that animals see, smell, taste and feel, just like we do and that we can break their hearts just the way we break each others.
This is a beautiful, poignant story about an adorable baby seal named Danny. Although, toward the end, we also follow the human Greenpeace activist Helen, the bulk of the book is anthropomorphic, centered on Danny and his experiences. Like other great anthropomorphic books such as Bambi: A Life in the Woods, Black Beauty, and Watership Down, Look for Me Under the Rainbow immerses the reader in the animal hero’s life and opens our eyes to the cruelty of his world. There is beauty and joy here, too, and Jan does a wonderful job of painting the arctic landscape and the exuberance of a young seal.
I recommend this book for anyone who loves animals, enjoys a moving tale, or is interested in preserving our spectacular natural world and the creatures who inhabit it.
An extraordinary story by and 'extraordinary' author who has a strong passion for animals in a world where animals are not always protected and have to fear for their lives.
Bernard Jan adds a human touch to a group of harp seals that are bearing young in a land that should be theirs alone but mankind has invaded for negligent self-purpose. He speaks of a group of people known as GreenPeace and their efforts to protect the seals from annihilation.
A fantastic book that needs to be read by all including our young to prevent the extinction of animals here on earth. They deserve protection and a better life to be able to continue to survive.
God bless this author for taking the time and making the effort, from deep within his heart, to care!
Look For Me Under The Rainbow is a real tearjerker of a novella. Bernard Jan begins his story from the point of view of a curious young seal pup, Danny, learning about life on remote ice floes. The character of Danny is obviously anthromorphised to a certain extent, but I felt this was done sensitively and the effect is absolutely worth the slight suspension of disbelief required of me as a reader. Danny's mother teaches him about the natural predators and dangers he might encounter during his lifetime, but she is still so severely traumatised from a past encounter with humans that, despite his repeated pestering, she cannot even discuss all the possible dangers from this one potential threat.
The novella is intended for a younger audience so Jan does not go into graphic details of the ghastly seal hunts that inspired him to write this book as a protest against them. Greenpeace action last century brought the cruelty into the global spotlight, but the practice still continues so I feel that Look For Me Under The Rainbow is equally as a relevant a read today as it was on its publication over 25 years ago. Perhaps even more shocking to me though was Danny's encounter with abandoned plastic fishing nets. Reducing oceanic plastic pollution is very much the fashionable campaign of the past few years. Danny's heart-breaking story demonstrates how late we are in realising the reality of our carelessness.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow: A Novella by Bernard Jan is a book that cannot leave you indifferent. This is a story that will go deep into the heart and soul. The human species sometimes can be very cruel to animals and literally exterminate certain species only because of arrogance and money.
The story leads us through the life of a curious harp seal pup Danny. Danny is like any young cubs are curious and want to explore the world where he lives, but that the world is full of dangers. Although his mother warns of danger, his curiosity will overcome.
This is a book that every reader needs to wake up hope that there are still people who do not want to destroy our world in which many animals live and that they will fight for the salvation of animals. If we destroy the animal world and this beautiful place where we all live, what we will remain for as, perhaps desolation and emptiness. In which, no man will no longer be able to find their place.
Plot: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Narration: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Firstly, I must give a huge thank you to Bernard Jan, the wonderful author of this equally amazing book for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Another great book from Bernard Jan! I can now officially say that he is one of my favourite authors of all time!
This book was wonderful in more ways that one. The style of writing and language used was moving, touching and simply incredible! The plot itself was one that had me thinking of this novella for days, even after finishing it.
This book explores the greed and cruelty of humanity and how we as humans often oppress and harm those species we deem to be inferior to us, completely neglecting the fact that everyone can feel, whether they re animals or not. This book focuses on the murder of seal pups and how we simply cannot see to understand that these beautiful creatures have feelings too. We focus mainly on a small seal called Danny and how he too was affected by the avarice nature and acquisitiveness of humans.
This book clearly showed how humans are some of the most harmful predators on this Earth and how we need to put an end to this. There is a difference between murder and protecting ourselves- we can keep ourselves safe without harming other species.
You simply must read this book- you truly will be missing out if you don’t! Words cannot give justice to this book!
Whilst reading this book, I was rather amused at the playful nature of the seals. Upon finishing the book, I was in tears and I was just stunned at the sheer intensity of the message that this book carries. The writing style was perfect- simply stunning. I also enjoyed the narration.
One of my favourite quotes is when Danny asks his mother who man was. This was my favourite part because it shows what we as humans seem like to animals who we believe to be lower than us.
I have now learnt to sympathise with animals and the environment as I have been reminded that animals have feelings too. They can feel, see, think, hear and act in the same way we do.
The message of this book was beautiful and simply stunning. It truly moved me and I can guarantee that I will be reading this again! We NEED more books like this one.
If you haven’t yet read anything written by Bernard Jan, you truly need to go and read his work because he is a unique author who writes in such a manner that it will move you and inspire you to bring a change to this world.
Read this book for it will change your life.
REVIEW OF
AUTHOR, BERNARD JAN’S
“LOOK FOR ME UNDER THE RAINBOW”
Written by Tina Mari Combs
RATING: Five Stars, RELEASED: April 17, 2018
Bernard Jan’s new release of “Look for Me Under the Rainbow”, is a rewrite of his book with the same title released in 1998. This new amazing version of Bernard’s story is a much more exciting, colorful, and family friendly story than depicted in the older version. This story is an insider’s view of the daily life of a baby harp seal named Danny, and his family. As Bernard draws you into Danny’s world, you are magically transported so deeply into this story that you can’t help but fall in love with Danny and his icy world. The story begins on the ice floes in the Newfoundland area of Eastern Canada then migrates north towards Greenland.
Danny’s heartwarming story begins with the struggle of his birth. He is born a plump, furry little boy as white as the world around him. As he grows, like all children, he is curious, adventurous, yet timid about his new surroundings. This concerns his loving, nurturing mother. She fears for Danny’s safety as this icy place has many dangers that can take her beautiful baby from her. To protect him, his mother teaches him of the surrounding perils by explaining them to him in fairy tale-like stories; except for one, the most dangerous peril of all – man, which she explains in detail. Danny, being an intelligent and obedient child, diligently heeds his mother’s warnings. One day Danny is blessed by the arrival of a little brother, Jon. Jon, orphaned at birth was adopted into Danny’s family. Danny immediately fell in love with Jon and took the role of mentor and protector. Danny is a happy child for the most part. The only exception to his happiness is his father. Danny admires, respects and loves his dad and desperately wants the same in return but his dad always seems so distant. Uncertain of his father’s affections for him, Danny keeps his distance until one day when Dad must come to his rescue. Danny’s life is a happy, adventurous one but unfortunately, a short one. When you read the last chapter of Danny’s life, his tragic, preventable death will break your heart and bring tears to your eyes. You will mourn for a beloved friend.
Bernard’s characters and their world leap to life! His technicolor descriptions create in-depth imageries so real that your mind will easily become lost in them. The imagery is so clear, so vivid, you can almost hear the ice melt. Although Danny succumbs to his treacherous world, there are no elaborate graphic descriptions of gore. “Look for Me Under the Rainbow” is appropriate for young adults and possibly younger. Bernard Jan’s masterful writing weaves an action packed, fast moving, smooth tale void of the distractions of grammatical or punctuation errors. The book is a clean production that is a pleasure to read and I recommend it highly. I personally enjoyed the book immensely!
Although, “Look for Me Under the Rainbow”, is a wonderfully sweet story, this book does have a purpose. Bernard Jan, being a human and animal rights activist, wrote this book to bring awareness of the climate change dangers and hunting cruelty that these innocent creatures, the harp seals and animals in general, face every day. This book is also a tribute to those who dedicate and risk their lives rescuing these beautiful animals through their work with the Rainbow Warriors and other animal rights organizations like them. This book is not a lecture or a recruiting tool. It is meant to broaden the awareness of the ramifications of climate change and the eventual extinction of a species due to genocide by cruel hunting methods. No matter where you stand on these matters, read the book! Even though it has a sad ending, it is a heartwarming story that you and your family will enjoy. It may influence your thinking, it may not. Either way, Danny’s story is a captivating read.
Tina Mari, TMC Author Services, USA, April 2018
Author’s Note: This book was purchased on Amazon. This review is my personal, objective opinion of the above-mentioned work. I was in no way compensated by its author.
This is a very touching novella about a pup seal name Danny who spends his days playing with his brother and learning life skills from his mother. It also brings out those with big heart and a desire to save animals: the environmentalists. Helen is a young activist and a crew member of the Rainbow Warriors and will lead the way in the last part of this very emotional journey.
This powerful story invokes all sorts of emotions and focuses on the many dangers Danny faces from birth on. The narration and dialogue are elegant and poetic, the presentation extremely graphic although not gruesome in anyways, definitely no need for pictures. No doubt, the author took a lot of care with this story to drive his points across.
Of course to shock us…..this story brings out some of the dangers Danny will encounter, such as: facing humans during the annual seal hunt, being covered in oil spills during the migratory season north, fighting for his life caught in derelict fishnets left behind by trawlers. The author does not mention the sea of plastic that also roam our oceans. Here come Helen, the saviour, she does her best to safe the young colony from the hunters and Danny from drowning but there is so much to do and little time to do it.
In the last chapters, Mr. Jan does his pitch on activism and has a strong voice about his believes although he abstains from being too preachy….. This is well written story for all ages.
I received a copy for review from the author these are my honest thoughts
My new book has been launched!
Right on time, even though Amazon records its launch date as April 15, 2018, Look for Me Under the Rainbow is now available for purchase for a first-week-only special price of $0.99! If you are a member of KDP Select, you can read it for free with Kindle Unlimited.
In a unique and gentle way the novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow sheds light on the plight of baby seals in Canada and warms the hearts of young adult and other readers concerned about our planet and its treasures with the idea that change is needed, change is possible, and change will come.
Grab and download your ebook at a special price now; help Look for Me Under the Rainbow hit better Amazon ranks! Get your ebook if you don't support the seal hunt and help spread the word of compassion!
Once you finish reading it, please, consider leaving your honest review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. It doesn't have to be long but it will make a huge difference. Even a sentence or two will be of a great help.
Here are Amazon and Goodreads useful links:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Thank you! And thank you all who helped my book get here and start its new life! I am so grateful and proud of you.
You are my heroes!
You are my hope.
As long as Rainbow Warriors—no matter from which story, fable or legend—live among us, there is hope for this world.
BJ
If you are a representative of the media please click here for the press release.
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I did it! For the first time. I discounted all my books to ONLY $0.99!
It is my gift to all my readers, reviewers, and supporters, to all of you who loved one or more of my stories, and to all of you who will yet become their fans.
Check out the dates and links below for these fantastic discounts.
Sunday, December 26, 2021, 8:00 AM PST through Sunday, January 2, 2022, 12:00 AM PST
Cruel Summer
January River
Look for Me Under the Rainbow
A World Without Color
Grab this unique opportunity and don’t look any further.
Thank you for your love and support, and please don’t forget to leave your honest reviews. It can be just a one or two-sentence honest thought or impression.
May the new 2022 year bring you everything you wished for and 2021 denied to you, and even more! Happy Holidays!
BJ
Happy 2019!
I will start the new 2019 year with something nice, a small gift of $2 discount on my novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow. The whole week its Amazon price will be only $0.99 so please mark these days and share them with anyone you know and care about.
Thursday, January 3, 2019, 8:00 AM PST through Thursday, January 10, 2019, 12:00 AM PST
This is a 67% discount on my story about the harp seal pup Danny and the group of Rainbow Warrior environmentalists and activists trying to save baby seals hunted for their fur. My readers love this story and the message it carries.
If you’ve read and loved it too, please leave the honest review. Your review will help it shine and sparkle in the constellation of the millions of books. With your love, it will find a way to its new readers.
"Jan has provided an intense connection filled with love, fear, bonds, and touching moments we can easily translate as humans. From oil spills to getting caught between the ice, we understand the struggles of animals who can only do so much to protect themselves or their young . . . Without getting into any gory details or making it uncomfortable, Jan has truly shown a different side of life in the ocean. Death is never easy. Loss is profound. Through wonderful imagery, lyrical text, and strong emotions, he's got a winner with Danny’s story."
—James J. Cudney, author of Watching Glass Shatter, Father Figure, Academic Curveball and Broken Heart Attack
Many thanks and best wishes for glorious and glowing 2019!
Bernard Jan
All contests for my book Look for Me Under the Rainbow in 2018 are over! In the last contest for the book of the year, Look for Me Under the Rainbow got 61 votes and won a 3rd place in YA and Middle Grade Book category in TCK Publishing 2018 contest. To see complete results in this category, please browse to page 12/16.
What is interesting about this contest is that in YA and Middle Grade category my book ended up 3rd out of 65 books while in all 16 categories it won enough votes to end up as 13th out of 672 books which competed in this year’s TCK Publishing contest.
So the year 2018 ended up with the following ratings for Look for Me Under the Rainbow:
A review in The Book Designer’s e-Book Cover Design Contest for April by the guest judge Kit Foster, an award-winning graphic designer who specializes in book cover design;
6th place in AllAuthor cover contest for May by votes of the readers;
3rd place in AUTHORSdb Fiction Small Category—Cover Contest Only for the cover of the year by votes of the readers;
3rd place in TCK Publishing contest in YA and Middle Grade Book category for the book of the year by votes of the readers.
Enough reasons to be pleased, happy and grateful to all of you who gave your votes and support to my novella. Your support is not only to its beautiful cover designed by Mario Kožar from MKM Media and my writing; it also goes to the message it carries and the call for the protection of our planet and animals who share it with us.
Thank you!
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Remember me telling you that my book Look for Me Under the Rainbow was the 3rd Place winner in the YA AND MIDDLE GRADE category for the 2018 TCK Publishing Reader’s Choice Awards Contest? Well, today I got the official badge for my website and book cover and you can see it here!
As I mentioned in my previous post, Look for Me Under the Rainbow got 61 votes and won a 3rd place out of 65 books while in all 16 categories it has ended up as 13th out of 672 books which competed in this year’s TCK Publishing contest.
Thanks again for all your votes!
BJ
Buy Look for Me Under the Rainbow on Amazon.
Hey guys,I’m featured in Back to School Spotlight–Teen/YA on Kimberly’s blog My Bookish Bliss! Awesomeness, right?!
Although, like me, you might probably have been out of school for years already haha, why don’t you read Kimberley’s short interview with me?
If you want to know what the inspiration was for my book Look for Me Under the Rainbow, how long it took me to write it, what made me decide to be a YA writer, if my main character was modeled from a real person, or what my favorite ice cream flavor is, this is the place where you’ll find it out!
Thanks for your attention and hope you like my answers!
Thank you, Kimberly!
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Wanna be my early reader?
Next month I am launching my new novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow (scheduled date April 17).
Look for Me Under the Rainbow is a story of the harp seal pups Danny and Jon and the plight of seal pups in Canada hunted and clubbed for their soft fur, and the group of environmentalists and activists determined to save them. It carries a strong ecological message and is a loud call for humanity. My editor says, "Anyone not moved by it has no heart." I couldn't agree more!
I'm opening up to 50 spots for a special team of fans to be early readers.
Interested? Please subscribe at www.bernardjan.com and I'll get back to you! If you are already subscribed and on my team, please ignore this.
Thanks!
This is a short extract from my novella to get you motivated and help you make the decision to join my ranks.
***
“What is man, Mom?”
“Man’s a great mystery. We know not where he comes from, nor where he’s going. Elusive, like a shadow, he leaves wasteland in his wake.”
“This... man, is he dangerous?”
“Very dangerous, son. You must try never to meet one. If you do come across man but it’s too late to run, be brave. Wait for him. Whatever happens, never, ever turn your back on him. Look him straight in the eye. It’s the only way you might save your life. That’s the moment when he’s most vulnerable and won’t harm you.”
“But how can I not meet a man? How do I avoid him?”
“You’ll sense him coming close. You know, son, man has a special smell. The scent of fear, misfortune and pain. He feeds on it. You’ll recognize him by this scent.”
***
BJ
"There is no greater joy than to share what you love with those who appreciate it."
Join my mailing list, subscribe to blog Muse!
Most definitely May 2018 was one of the most exciting and annoying months. When my heart bloomed and my soul wept with frustration.
Good news? My Twitter profile got its first 10,000 followers! My LinkedIn profile hit the number of 4,000 friends and followers! Fantastic news!
Care to join my old and new followers? Would be so cool!
May 9 was a good day. An excellent day, because the paperback edition of my novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow has been released on Amazon. Oh, happy day! Happy was also May 22 when my copies were released by Croatian customs and arrived at my home!
Celebration! And then frustration!
Boring and long frustration just like all those GDPR notifications piling up in our mailboxes. I must admit guilt on my account too for sending you my Privacy Policy. Did you read it? Oh please, tell me you did because we take great care of your data and privacy protection so you can safely browse my website and feel as good there as in your home.
Thanks to the new EU legislation and everyone NOT being prepared for it I spent a great majority of my time studying it instead of with my books.
As if this wasn't enough, I had an emails exchange with Amazon about my reviews which, thankfully, ended well and had painful few days while updating my Microsoft Office and reinstalling my Windows.
Let's conclude this May chronicles with some good news. Look for Me Under the Rainbow was in the finals of AllAuthor cover contest for May and it ended up ranked #6! Not bad at all considering I entered the contest with one day and 140 votes delay!
Look for Me Under the Rainbow has also been approved in the YA and Middle-Grade Book Category of the TCK Publishing 2018 Reader’s Choice Awards so please follow this link and browse to page 12 where you can cast your vote for it! Wouldn't it be a great thing to do after reading this post?
Thanks!
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Do you remember November 2017 when my book A World Without Color won the 1st place as the cover of the year in a Literary Fiction category of AUTHORSdb contest?
This November my other book Look for Me Under the Rainbow won bronze in Fiction Small Category - Cover Contest Only. Happy!!
I also submitted it to The Book Designer’s e-Book Cover Design Contest for April where it received a nice review by the guest judge Kit Foster, an award-winning graphic designer who specializes in book cover design, and to AllAuthor cover contest for May where it ended up #6! I am sure its rank would be much better if it didn’t enter the contest with one day and 140 votes delay due to an error. But this is also good, very good!
What is more important, Look for Me Under the Rainbow is still competing in in YA and Middle-Grade Book Category of the TCK Publishing 2018 Reader’s Choice Awards and it is practically certain it will win the second place in that category! If you think it deserves more, you still have time to vote for it so please browse to page 12/16 and give your votes here now!
THANK YOU.
And thanks Mario Kožar MKM Media for the beautiful design!
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
My novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow about the killing of harp seal pups in Canada and the group of environmentalists and activists trying to save them is still competing in two contests.
It would be a great help if you could spread the word because you can only until October 26 vote for the semi-finals of the AUTHORSdb Cover Contest 2018 for Look for Me Under the Rainbow. This is why it needs as many as possible VOTES NOW.
In another TCK Publishing contest for the book of the year, Look for Me Under the Rainbow is on the second place in YA and Middle Grade category. It needs 48 votes to take the leading position! Do you think we can do it together? Can you help Danny become a leader in YA and Middle Grade category? If so, please, tell all your friends to move forward to the page 12 and cast their votes for Look for Me Under the Rainbow! Thanks!
BJ
I am happy and honored to present you my new book cover and blurb!
As it was the case with the awarded cover of my previous book A World Without Color, Mario Kožar from MKM Mediais the creator of the cover for my YA novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow. I think he did an amazing job with this one too! Thank you all who provided your valuable comments.
Indie author Jonathan Hill, backed up by the entire team of my readers and fans, helped me with my blurb. Thank you for your suggestions and dedication, my friends!
Many of you breathed a piece of yourselves into this book so it could start a new life. I love you all for that!
I hope and wish my old and new readers will enjoy Look for Me Under the Rainbow. In less than two weeks I will be giving it into your hands!
If you are not on my mailing list, please subscribe for the updates of the book launch and other news.
Thank you!
BJ
Look for Me Under the Rainbow Blurb
Sometimes all you need is a big heart and burning desire.
Danny, a curious harp seal pup, has soft white fur and black innocent eyes. Helen is an environmentalist and member of a young activist crew of the Rainbow Warriors. Their mission is to save animals.
As winter turns into spring, a new generation of seal pups comes to life. A few weeks later, the killing begins. Against a spectacular backdrop of ice and snow, Helen prepares to look horrific human cruelty in the face.
I do not doubt I have a big heart and burning desire, but is that enough for a person to become a Rainbow Warrior, or is there something better? Something only some of us manage to turn into what we have long missed—humanity.
In the race against time and clubs, will Helen save Danny before the hunt begins and the ice turns red?
Though written for younger readers, Look for Me Under the Rainbow will appeal to anyone who cherishes our beautiful planet and wishes to protect its treasures.
Buy this book by Bernard Jan, the author of A World Without Color, and experience another emotional journey.
My story of a harp seal pup Danny and his family, Look for Me Under the Rainbow, is at a 67% discounted price on Amazon.
Sunday, May 24, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT through Sunday, May 31, 2020, 12:00 AM PDT
Time will show whether we were right or not, whether we raised such an outcry in vain and whether it was really necessary to shock the world with heart-rending reports and photographs, to upset the daily routine of ordinary people, disturbing their time for rest and their recreational habits, or spoiling their freshly-cooked meal. I can only hope that one day we shall be forgiven if it turns out that man is responsible for the extinction of the last inhabitant of the seas, and the walls of death on their ghostly routes come to clutch us all in their deadly suffocating grip.
I shall stop writing for a moment. Erwin is coming and, if I’m not mistaken, he seems to be bringing me a mug of steaming coffee. I admit I need it with the yearning of an addict.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow is a work of fiction, though the killing of harp seals in Canada is a reality which has been going on for decades already. Despite the huge public outcry and many national bans on the import and sale of seal products, the massacre on ice continues. Every year, tens of thousands of seals fall victim to human greed.
Although Look for Me Under the Rainbow is listed in a program for elementary schools in Croatia as a reading of choice for seventh graders, it is written for everyone. For all of us, no matter our age, who will open our hearts and minds and with small steps in our lives start a big change on a global scale.
Thank you all who will download this touching story during its promo week and write honest reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.
Thank you for helping this important cause and for spreading the message.
You can download Look for Me Under the Rainbow here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7JGMNG/.
My eBook A World Without Color is at a permanent price of $0.99, while you can download my new novel January River as an eBook for $2.99.
BJ
My new book Look for Me Under the Rainbow has been enrolled in the AllAuthor Cover of the month for their May contest, competing with 69 other books!
This year it has been enlisted a day later than other books, so already at the start it didn't have an equal position when it appeared online: it was over 140 votes behind.
This is why my harp seal pup Danny and my book need your help more than ever! Please vote for Look for Me Under the Rainbow. Help it catch up and give it a chance to fight the battle of equals. With your support, we stand a chance. Without you . . . well I don't even want to consider that option.
Thank you so much for your support! I look forward to your votes!
Please follow this link if you want to purchase Look for Me Under the Rainbow on Amazon.
To get A World Without Color, a true story of the last three days with my cat, this is the link where you can find it on Amazon.
Please consider leaving an honest review for either both or just one book. Thank you!
Bernard Jan
www.bernardjan.com
Join my mailing list, subscribe to blog Muse!
Thanks to David's kindness, my novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow is featured on his blog!
David P Perlmutter is the author of 11 books. His #1 bestseller and a 5* true story Wrong Place Wrong Time, which originally started as a blog, is currently in development to become a movie.
David promotes authors around the world on his social media and blog. There are many books from talented authors, book reviews, interviews and other content on his blog The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time, and this is how my story about a harp seal pup Danny ended up there as well.
Thank you, David, for your support and generosity!
To learn more about David and his books please visit his website www.davidpperlmutter.com.
Connect with him on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
BJ
I am thrilled to announce that my paperback edition of Look for Me Under the Rainbow has been launched on May 9, 2018!
You can get your copy on Amazon at the special launch price of $6.43 only during May before the price goes up. My ebook will be available for $2.99.
I like my ebook cover, but paperback looks even better! Don't you think so too? Mario Kožar from MKM Media did a splendid job! If you like his style and how he does my book covers, visit his website and shoot him a message.
Speaking of book covers: As you know, Look for Me Under the Rainbow is competing for Cover of the month May in AllAuthor contest. Being enrolled a day later than other books, it is ranked #6 with 105 votes. If you think it deserves a better rank, please vote for it now and tell your friends to do so too. If you've already voted, don't worry, you can vote again because it's the new round of the contest. Thanks!
Here is a little something from me to you, a short random excerpt from my book Look for Me Under the Rainbow.
Jon woke up and remained motionless. Not only because he felt an icy stab of fear when he noticed Danny had disappeared, but also because of the scene that surrounded him. Scattered icebergs floated wearily in the sea, the sky clear and bright like a sincere smile—only instead of a smile, the sun shined cheerfully. Best of all, the black no longer stained the ocean. Gone, as if it never existed. The only traces were small black stains on the edge of the ice floe and Jon’s fur, still almost completely coated in the oily substance. But he could not enjoy the beauty of the scene because Danny was missing which brought the realization he was alone. That frightened him more than anything. The silence surrounding him made him uneasy and he felt panic rising in his throat.
BJ
You can get my honest and moving novella A World Without Color for only $0.99 as ebook and $5.99 as paperback.
Cover design by Mario Kožar MKM Media
Join my mailing list, subscribe to blog Muse!
I'll put it simple. Look for Me Under the Rainbow FREE DOWNLOAD!
Saturday, June 30, 2018, 12:00 AM PDT to Tuesday, July 3, 2018, 11:59 PM PDT
I won't say it for certain, but this is probably the last free promo in a while of my story of Danny, a curious harp seal pup with soft white fur and black innocent eyes, and Helen, an environmentalist and member of a young activist crew of the Rainbow Warriors, whose mission is to save animals.
This is why I give you four days to download my e-book. Happy reading!
In the brief moment he surfaced, he thought he heard a familiar sound. Rumbling, buzzing, splashing. Dragged under too soon, he could not figure it out.
But he had managed to breathe in some air before it yanked him below the surface again. He began to hallucinate. Images floated in front of his eyes. His mother, his father, Jon, other seals. They all smiled at him. All of them except the human female with golden hair and the sea colored eyes. In hers, this time, he only saw fear.
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
I am giving my new book Look for Me Under the Rainbow for free!
As a token of appreciation for the great reviews it received after its launch, Look for Me Under the Rainbow will be free for you and all your friends on the following days:
Monday, April 23, 2018, 12:00 AM PDT to Tuesday, April 24, 2018, 11:59 PM PDT
Mark those dates and spread the word! Help it get lots of downloads so the truth about the hunt on baby seals in Canada comes to the every corner of the world.
After that, Look for Me Under the Rainbow will be available at a reduced price of $1.99 until on May 1, 2018 it reaches its regular price.
I hope you enjoy reading it. Please leave an honest review after you close your Kindle. Just two or three sentences would do and I would really love to hear your thoughts.
Please share them with me!
BJ
Join my mailing list, subscribe to blog Muse!
My book Look for Me Under the Rainbow is a Finalist in the category of Fiction - Animals & Young Adult - Adventure in the 2020 TopShelf Book Awards!
Look for Me Under the Rainbow has already been featured in the Holiday Edition of TopShelf Magazine on page 45 available here while all winning books will be listed on the Discoveries page at TopShelfMagazine.net for all of 2021.
Please click here to buy my story of the harp seal pup Danny and Helen, an environmentalist and activist, who is on a mission to save him.
Watch the book trailer by Dean Cole here.
Thank you!
BJ
This is your opportunity! Look for Me Under the Rainbow at a 67% discount price during Kindle promo week!
Monday, June 24, 2019, 8:00 AM PDT through Sunday, June 30, 2019, 8:00 AM PDT
“I would have this book in schools everywhere, because it really teaches people (and kids) the cruelties of humans. The story as a whole and Danny reminded me of Bambi. Highly recommend the book!”—John-Clement Gallo, author of The Shadowverse
An excerpt from the book:
Danny watched with joy as baby seals crawled out from hollows in the ice that served as cots and waddled to their mothers. They hungrily suckled on warm milk before returning to their ice beds to continue their sleep.
Danny’s seemingly indifferent father strutted around their group, protecting them from unexpected enemies. Now and then he emitted a proud bellow. The sight not far from him was in every faction full of love; Danny could hardly stop himself from running to join them. He wanted to snatch some of that warm intimacy for himself, as well as play with the new pups. He wished he could get closer to his father too. Though he reached out to him several times, his father treated him with such aloofness Danny backed off—ashamed and aching. Alone. Back to the loneliness in which he spent the first eight days of his life, because his mother would still not let him join the others.
“But, Mom, why aren’t we living with other seals? Why are we alone? Why can’t I play with the others? Look how happy they are!” He watched with longing as two pups rolled down the icy slope, playfully holding each other by the neck.
“Be patient, son,” his mother always replied. “Soon you will be able to play with them, too.”
“But when, Mom, when?”
“Soon, Danny, very soon.”
Thank you for downloading your eBook!
BJ
In the scorching summer temperatures, Look for Me Under the Rainbow eBook price is melting!
The story of Danny, a curious seal pup with soft white fur and black innocent eyes, and Helen, an environmentalist and the Rainbow Warriors activist on a mission to save animals, is at a discounted price on Amazon. Its normal price is $2.99 and during this week it is only $0.99!
Monday, July 26, 2021, 8:00 AM PDT through Monday, August 2, 2021, 12:00 AM PDT
First read an excerpt:
The other seals had traveled quite a distance, but Danny still stood on the edge of the ice floe, staring at the landscape he became so fond of in his brief life. He loved the icebergs, the sea, the ice floe where he and Jon played hide-and-seek. And he’d never forget the moment he laid his eyes on her—the human female. Overwhelmed by the memories of the past weeks, he held back. They made it hard for him to decide to embark on the long migration. Though the call of his homeland was equally powerful, if Jon had not asked in a gentle voice, “Shall we go, Danny?” he was sure he would have stayed. Leaving them to wander this icebound world and beautiful sea for a year, while they waited for their group to return.
Then download your Look for Me Under the Rainbow eBook here. If you prefer a paperback, you can get it here.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7JGMNG/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/9535958135/
“The worldbuilding and descriptions are basically spectacular . . . I became lost in the icy world the author created.”—J.C. Gallo, author of The Shadowverse and The Shadowverse: Vengeance
Don’t forget to check out and read my other books: Cruel Summer, January River, and A World Without Color.
Happy reading and thank you!
BJ
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I have amazing news! Look for Me Under the Rainbow (Potraži me ispod duge in Croatian) continues to be listed as a reading of choice in Croatian elementary schools for seventh graders among 177 other books for sixth to eighth graders like The Little Prince, Diary of Anne Frank, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Chronicles of Narnia, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, The Old Man and the Sea, Oliver Twist, The Hobbit, to name just a few! What an honor!
In 2018 I have published the English translation Look for Me Under the Rainbow as eBook and paperback on Amazon, so my English-speaking readers all over the world can read it too.
Please check out why this gentle story of the seal pup Danny, his family, Helen and other young environmentalists and Rainbow Warriors activists whose mission is to save animals from being hunted for their fur is so popular and winning hearts of Croatian teachers and their students!
Buy and read Look for Me Under the Rainbow and leave an honest review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Share your thoughts and tell me what you think of it.
Thank you!
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Source: Večernji list, Idemo u školu, August 2019
It’s the peak of the summer so I am bringing you some refreshment straight from the Canadian glaciers to cool you down. Look for Me Under the Rainbow is at a 67% summer discount!
Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT through Tuesday, August 25, 2020, 12:00 AM PDT
The whole week the story of Danny, a curious harp seal pup with soft white fur and black innocent eyes, his family, and Helen, an environmentalist and member of a young activist crew of the Rainbow Warriors whose mission is to save animals, is discounted on Amazon.
Curious to download your copy? You can do it here https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7JGMNG/.
“Man. . . . Man’s a great mystery. We know not where he comes from, nor where he’s going. Elusive, like a shadow, he leaves wasteland in his wake. Wasteland and destruction.”
“This . . . man, is he dangerous?”
“Very dangerous, son. More than anything you can imagine or will ever see in your life. You must try never to meet one. If you do come across man but it’s too late to run, be brave. Wait for him. Whatever happens, never, ever turn your back on him. Look him straight in the eye. It’s the only way you might save your life. That’s the moment when he’s most vulnerable and won’t harm you. Human beings attack on the sly, behind your back.”
“But how can I not meet a man? How do I avoid him?” the pup said, his tone hopeless.
“You’ll sense him coming. You know, son, man has a special smell. The scent of fear, misfortune, and pain. He feeds on it. You’ll recognize him by this scent.”
Although Look for Me Under the Rainbow is listed in a program for elementary schools in Croatia as a reading of choice for seventh graders, it is a story for everyone, especially the readers who cherish our beautiful planet and wish to protect its treasures.
Thank you for reading Look for Me Under the Rainbow and writing an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads.
Thank you for spreading the message.
My eBook A World Without Color is at a permanent price of $0.99, while you can download my new novel January River as an eBook for $2.99.
BJ
The story of the little seal Danny got its book trailer!
Two authors with the same cause joined forces and realized collaboration which resulted in the book trailer for the young adult and literary fiction novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow by Bernard Jan.
Danny is a curious harp seal pup with soft white fur and black innocent eyes. Helen is an environmentalist, and a Rainbow Warrior activist. Her mission is to save animals.
As winter turns into spring, a new generation of seal pups comes to life. A few weeks later, the killing begins. Against a spectacular backdrop of ice and snow, Helen prepares to look horrific human cruelty in the face.
In the race against time and clubs, will Helen save Danny before the hunt begins and the ice turns red?
Some of the praises for Look for Me Under the Rainbow on Amazon and Goodreads:
Intense. A real eye-opener. Memorable. Gripping. Thought provoking. Amazing.
Captivating. Honest. Poetic. An extraordinary story. Emotional.
Fantastic writing. Profound. Heartbreaking. Realistic.
Outstanding! A must read! A call to action.
Watch the Look for Me Under the Rainbow book trailer by Dean Cole on YouTube. Please share!
Bernard Jan is a pen name of an environmental and animal rights advocate and vegan. He is the author of seven books published in Croatian, a poet and an amateur photographer. Bernard Jan self-published three of his books, A World Without Color, Look for Me Under the Rainbow, and January River, in English on Amazon. In each of these stories, animals play an important role, carrying the message of compassion, empathy, tolerance.
Dean Cole is the writer of LGBTQ fiction, a vegan and animal rights advocate, video editor and book cover designer. He is the author of Look for Me Under the Rainbow book trailer and the trailers of his two books HIS BOY: A Romantic Comedy and Chasing Ghosts (The Quentin Strange Mysteries Book 1).
Bernard Jan thanks Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Harpseals.org, Greenpeace, Animal Friends Croatia, and many other groups and individuals for the inspiration and their contribution to the fight for the harp seals in Canada and other animals worldwide.
Special thanks and credits go to People for The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for the beautiful footage of the harp seal pups provided for this book trailer.
Sometimes all you need is a big heart and burning desire. To change the world.
BJ
YouTube https://bit.ly/3gnQFz0
Amazon https://amzn.to/37ETGqB
I am happy to tell you that my eBook Look for Me Under the Rainbow is again at a 67% discount price during Kindle promo week!
Sunday, September 15, 2019, 8:00 AM PDT through Sunday, September 22, 2019, 12:00 AM PDT
Grab this opportunity and read the story of a harp seal Danny at a favorable price! Please spread the word and tell your friends about it. If you care about its message and want more future readers to hear about it, please leave an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads. Thank you!
“I loved this short story about a sweet young harp seal who faces both adventure and loss despite being so young. This is a gentle, but realistic tale about the life many seals face out in the wild—with humans being their most feared predator. While sad in parts, I found this story to be very though-provoking and encouraging. If only we can stay brave and true to ourselves even when the darker parts of the world show us their horrible faces.”—Sara Flower Kjeldsen, author of Followed, The Suicides and seven other books
An excerpt from Look for Me Under the Rainbow:
Just as she started to chase and catch up to her prey, she heard a deafening rumble and felt the ice above her tremble. Petrified, she listened to the strident screech of breaking ice. With swift movements, she swam to the hole in the ice from which she surfaced a few minutes ago.
Sliding, stumbling, she managed to climb onto the ice floe. She looked in the direction of the barking group of seals, at the same time they plunged into the sea. Fear and panic spread to other groups. Almost in an instant, all disappeared. Only the unprotected young remained behind on the empty ice floes.
Her blood ran cold when she looked at the place where her boys were supposed to be. Nobody there. No sign of life. With tears in her eyes, she uttered a bark full of pain and anguish.
“Danny! Jon!”
Download Look for Me Under the Rainbow.
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Of the three books I will have at a discounted price this year, I am opening the new season with Look for Me Under the Rainbow.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow is a YA and literary fiction novella about the harp seal pup Danny and the group of activists and environmentalists who are trying to save him before the seal hunt begins. You can get it as eBook on Amazon at a 67% discount price.
Tuesday, February 9, 2021, 8:00 AM PST through Tuesday, February 16, 2021, 12:00 AM PST
Look for Me Under the Rainbow excerpt:
“What is Greenland, Mom?”
“It’s the place your ancestors came from, Danny.” She smiled gently at Jon hanging on her every word. “Your grandfathers and grandmothers, your father, me, even Jon and you.”
“How can I be from Greenland when I was born here?”
“I was born here, too, and so was your father, on these same ice floes.”
“Here on these ice floes?” Jon’s eyes went wide.
“No, Jon, it’s just a way of putting it. We always return to this part of the world, but the group never stays on the same ice floe twice.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s impossible. Even if we wanted to, we wouldn’t be able to find the exact ice floes. They change in time, just as we do. The old ones disappear, new ones are born, some break and turn into several small ice floes, and even those that remain unchanged are not the same. Everything changes in a special way. Besides, it wouldn’t be safe to stay al-ways at the same place.”
“Why wouldn’t it be safe?” asked Danny.
To read the entire story, download your eBook here for only $0.99! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7JGMNG/
Though written for younger readers, Look for Me Under the Rainbow will appeal to anyone who cherishes our beautiful planet and wishes to protect its treasures.
Thank you for reading Look for Me Under the Rainbow and for leaving an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads. I love to hear your thoughts about my stories.
Please spread a message about this discount and don’t forget to check out my two other books, A World Without Color and January River, which you can also get as eBook and paperback.
BJ
It is not coincidence I targeted the new promo week for my novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow on spring equinox. With the coming of spring I wanted to offer my faithful old and new readers and supporters another opportunity to get the story of Danny at a 67% bargain price.
Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 8:00 AM PDT through Wednesday, March 27, 2019, 12:00 AM PDT
This promo week comes a few weeks before this year’s slaughter of baby seals will take place in the east of Canada. Some pups will be only a few weeks old before their gentle heads are smashed with hakapiks and their bodies skinned alive. What an awful reminder that our civilization has so little place for humanity in its profit-and-money driven heart!
If you oppose to this violence and the slaughter of harp seal pups in Canada, please sign PETA’s petition to the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Unlike Look for Me Under the Rainbow which is $0.99 for this promo week only, my other ebook A World Without Color has a regular price of $0.99 throughout the whole year.
I hope you enjoy reading both of my books. And don’t forget: your honest reviews are always welcome. They are your valued input to other readers looking for the books they may love to read and your gift to me so I can improve myself as a writer and deliver you better books in the future.
BJ
My eBook Look for Me Under the Rainbow will be again at a 67% discounted price on Amazon.
Monday, March 16, 2020, 8:00 AM PDT through Monday, March 23, 2020, 12:00 AM PDT
The story of a harp seal pup Danny is popular among readers of all ages, so if you know someone who wants to get it at a discounted price for their kids or grandchildren or parents or grandparents, please spread the word. They will love it, not just because of its touching story but also for teaching our young and old ones about love for the animals and nature and caring about our planet, which is endangered today now more than ever before in the history. Countless animal species are facing their extinction (including polar bears!) and the galloping climate changes threaten the whole mankind and our towns. Thank you for helping me spread awareness and educating others that we are all connected, and we all matter.
Honest reviews on Amazon and Goodreads will only help to spread its message, so thanks for keeping that in mind.
My other eBook A World Without Color is at a permanent price of $0.99.
BJ
My novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow is in Kindle Unlimited, which means that for $9.99 a month you can read it with many other books for free!
Since March 19, 2019, I have also enrolled it in the Prime Reading program on Amazon.com for about 90 days. Prime Reading is like a private library in which Prime members can read for free. If you are already a Prime Reading member, you know how it works. If you are considering joining Prime Reading program, here you can read more about it.
Thanks for choosing and reading my book!
Please remember leaving an honest review so other readers can find value in your experience and impressions. It will also help me improve myself as a writer and deliver you better books in the future.
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
It is happening.
I didn't harbor any illusions or false hope, though I wished and still do, that the Canadian government would come to its senses and make the right decision—stop subsidizing and put an end to the harp seals slaughter.
On April 9 at 6 a.m. the sealers were permitted to begin this year's hunt. Or the slaughter of the innocent by the hands of fishermen full of guns, hakapiks and hatred, under false pretenses that the seals are eating their fish. If that was true, why not leave their bodies and carcasses to rot on the ice or sink to the bottom of the sea? If this was the reason, why skinning them alive and take their soft pelts and other body parts to sell them on the international market?
Lies. Not a word of truth out of the mouth of those who killed our seas by overfishing and pollution, taking revenge on those whom fish was the only food.
Thankfully, the world is not blind and doesn't believe the sweet talking of the Canadian authorities, nor does it yield to its pressure. The international market is closing. Just as Canada starts its annual seal hunt, India becomes the 36th country to ban the import of commercial seal products after the United States, Mexico, Taiwan, the 28 countries of the European Union, Switzerland, Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
For tens of thousands of baby seals between three weeks and three months of age this ban will come too late. Their lives will be ended in a violent blood bath and joined the 80,924 harp seal pups which were killed last year alone. Over two million baby seals have been killed in the last ten years.
Please don't be silent. Join me in the public outcry and make a stand for the seals.
Take action now by signing no to the cruel commercial killing of baby seals and by urging Prime Minister Trudeau to end the federal subsidies of the commercial seal slaughter.
Read my book Look for Me Under the Rainbow, leave your honest review and tell the world what you think after its launch at the beginning of next week on April 17.
Thank you.
This is an excerpt from Look for Me Under the Rainbow for you:
On an early, misty morning, a ship arrived and disembarked men. All the seals ran away. All, except the young. Unprotected, unaware of the danger, they innocently waited for human beings to approach. A man lifted a club and struck the fragile little head. One, two, three times. Blood spattered the white fur. No cries, no sound. Silent and quick. And then again. One, two, three dull thuds, blood and death. Still, no cries. Only a blank look of surprise and disappointment. . . . Other human beings approached from the opposite side and took the surviving pups in their arms. But the men armed with harpoons and clubs snatched the pups from them, bashing their skulls. One, two, three. Blows. Blood. Death. More humans came. They took away those trying to protect the pups with their bodies. Putting them on their ship, they towed it away. The remaining men skinned the bodies and loaded the furs in their ship. Leaving behind the less than two week old pups’ corpses, they disappeared into the fog, as suddenly as they arrived.
BJ
Sources:
1) Harpseals.org
2) Fur Free Alliance: Seal Hunt
3) Humane Society International: Stop the cruel commercial killing of baby seals
4) PETA: Canadian Seal Slaughter
5) One Green Planet: Victory! India Bans Seal Fur and Skins Just as Canada Starts Brutal Hunts
6) Globalnews.ca: India becomes latest country to ban imports of Canadian seal products
7) Care2.com: Shocking Facts About Canada's Annual Seal Slaughter
Join my mailing list, subscribe to blog Muse!
Look for Me Under the Rainbow got another recognition—the Bronze Medal in the Fiction–Animals category in 2019 Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest!
Readers’ Favorite recognizes Look for Me Under the Rainbow by Bernard Jan in its annual international book award contest, currently available at Amazon here.
The Readers’ Favorite International Book Award Contest featured thousands of contestants from over a dozen countries, ranging from new independent authors to NYT best-sellers and celebrities.
Readers’ Favorite is one of the largest book review and award contest sites on the Internet. They have earned the respect of renowned publishers like Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins, and have received the “Best Websites for Authors” and “Honoring Excellence” awards from the Association of Independent Authors. They are also fully accredited by the BBB (A+ rating), which is a rarity among Book Review and Book Award Contest companies.
Readers’ Favorite receives thousands of entries from all over the world. Because of these large submission numbers, they are able to break down their contest into 140+ genres, and each genre is judged separately, ensuring that books only compete against books of their same genre for a fairer and more accurate competition. They receive submissions from independent authors, small publishers, and publishing giants such as Random House, HarperCollins and Simon & Schuster, with contestants that range from the first-time, self-published author to New York Times bestsellers like J.A. Jance, James Rollins, and #1 best-selling author Daniel Silva, as well as celebrity authors like Jim Carrey (Bruce Almighty), Henry Winkler (Happy Days), and Eriq La Salle (E.R., Coming to America).
“When the right books are picked as winners we pay attention. We will be spreading the word about Readers' Favorite.”—Karen A., Editor for Penguin Random House
Readers’ Favorite is proud to announce that Look for Me Under the Rainbow by Bernard Jan won the Bronze Medal in the Fiction–Animals category.
You can learn more about Bernard Jan and Look for Me Under the Rainbow here at Reader’s Favorite where you can read reviews and the author’s biography, as well as connect with the author directly or through his website and social media pages.
“It is a beautiful story that will tug at the hearts of all readers who love animals and who want to protect them and the environment. Danny's character is memorable and he will leave a mark in the hearts of readers long after they finish the book . . . The book also captures the beauty of Mother Nature in many ways, inspiring readers with a longing to protect the planet.”—Mamta Madhavan for Readers’ Favorite
Please check out Look for Me Under the Rainbow at BookAwards.Com.
Thank you.
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
At the time of this eBook promotion, a terrible thing is going on. The annual seal slaughter in Canada is in full swing. Thousands of baby seals will be shot or clubbed to death because of their fur. Despite the huge international outcry and protest, and many national bans on import of seal products.
If you feel resentment or if this inhumanity disgusts you, please message Justin Trudeau and Canadian authorities. Share this petition.
And spread the word about my book, Look for Me Under the Rainbow, and its 67% discount promotion week so we can together sensitize others to the suffering of these beautiful creatures.
Thursday, April 22, 2021, 8:00 AM PDT through Thursday, April 29, 2021, 12:00 AM PDT
“On an early, misty morning, a ship arrived and disembarked men. All the seals ran away. All, except the young. Unprotected, unaware of the danger, they innocently waited for hu-man beings to approach. A man lifted a club and struck the fragile little head. One, two, three times. Blood spattered the white fur. No cries, no sound. Silent and quick. And then again. One, two, three dull thuds, blood and death. Still, no cries. Only a blank look of surprise and disappointment. . . . Other human beings approached from the opposite side and took the surviving pups in their arms. But the men armed with rifles and clubs snatched the pups from them, bashing their skulls. One, two, three. Blows. Blood. Death. More humans came. They took away those trying to protect the pups with their bodies. Putting them on their ship, they towed it away. The remaining men skinned the bodies and loaded the furs in their ship. Leaving behind the less than two week old pups’ corpses, they disappeared into the fog, as suddenly as they arrived. Mary Jane was among the dead pups. Frozen remains of her tiny body eerily lay motionless on the bloodstained ice with other pups killed that day. The day when humans cruelly murdered an entire generation. Wiped out. No pup left alive.”
Download your Look for Me Under the Rainbow eBook.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7JGMNG/
Thank you.
BJ
Allan Hudson, author of A Dark Side of a Promise, Wall of War and short story collections, invited me to consider being a guest on his blog. On South Branch Scribbler, Allan introduces authors to his readers from all over the world and he asked me to be his guest from Croatia. Grateful for this honor, I accepted the invitation.
Please check here how he featured me as his guest author together with the excerpt from my novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow.
Thank you, Allan!
BJ
I hope you already got to read and review my YA novella about the harp seal pup Danny and the group of activists and environmentalists trying to save him from the hands of greedy humans. In case you didn’t, this is the last opportunity to get Look for Me Under the Rainbow at a 67% discount price this year!
Sunday, November 15, 2020, 8:00 AM PST through Sunday, November 22, 2020, 12:00 AM PS
Please read an excerpt to get a better feeling of this beautiful, gentle and touching story.
* * *
Too late, Danny realized he did not have time nor strength enough to reach his mother for protection. With tears in his eyes, he watched her blurred shape stumbling slowly closer to him and tried to call out. But he could not, his throat felt choked. He braced himself for what was coming.
Trying not to turn away, he looked the human in the eyes, at least he thought those were the eyes of this bizarre creature. He had learned the lesson well, as everything else his mother taught him, and now he had to apply his knowledge in real life whether he liked it or not. Staring, he stood motionless even when he heard noises behind him. In the corner of his field of vision, he noticed his mother between him and the human being. She growled dangerously even when the thing covering the creature’s head fell off as it slipped onto the ice in its effort to go around his mother. Danny’s fear disappeared, when he saw something almost un-believable.
Lovely golden hair, soft as the finest fur, fell in waves down the red buttoned-up parka. Danny thought it must be human fur. He couldn’t stop gazing at the sea colored eyes, set in the perfectly carved features of her face. They caressed him with pleasant warmth and kindness. Only red lips, the tip of the nose and rosy cheeks stood in contrast to the harmony and beauty of the face.
When she sprayed his fur and spoke words he did not understand, Danny was not afraid. At the same time, she held his mother at a safe distance, not allowing her to come closer. He could do nothing but stare at those eyes, the incredible blue eyes that came from an unknown world. Enchanted, he looked at his own image reflected in them while she gently patted his head, whispering tenderly. She stood up, folded her hair back under the hood, smiled at him and started back to the ship from which she had come and scared the wits out of him. And Danny still looked at her, transfixed. His mother’s tears, falling like warm and silent drops on his face, returned him to reality.
* * *
If you want to read the whole story, download your copy here for only $0.99!
Look for Me Under the Rainbow is primarily read by younger readers, but it is a story for everyone, especially the readers who cherish our beautiful planet and wish to protect its treasures.
Thank you for reading Look for Me Under the Rainbow and leaving an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads. Your honest reviews are most appreciated and welcome, so thank you for your time and effort to write a few lines about my book.
Thank you also for spreading the message.
Please don’t forget to check out my two other books, A World Without Color and January River, which you can also get as eBook and paperback.
All three books can be nice gifts your beloved ones will appreciate.
Download Look for Me Under the Rainbow: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C7JGMNG/.
BJ
For the last time in 2019 my eBook Look for Me Under the Rainbow is at a 67% discount price!
Sunday, December 15, 2019, 8:00 AM PST through Sunday, December 22, 2019, 12:00 AM PST
If you still don’t know what to give as a gift to your beloved ones, this could be a nice opportunity and addition to their library. Make the best use of my Kindle promo week and get the story of a harp seal Danny at a favorable price! Thank you for spreading the word and telling others about it. Even more, thank you for leaving an honest review on Amazon and Goodreads.
Don’t forget: my other book A World Without Color is at a permanent price of $0.99!
“A book filled with heart and love for all living things, I found the book touching and inspirational! The author's sincere character is embedded into each & every word! I highly recommend this book and give it five stars!”—S. Richard, author of Man at 50: A Journey of Crisis, Revelation and Survival!
An excerpt from Look for Me Under the Rainbow:
One day everything changed. Danny got a brother. Overwhelmed with joy, he completely forgot about the fear he felt when his mother left him alone a little longer than usual. He had begun to think something happened to her. Like maybe the sea current dragged her to the open sea where a killer whale swallowed her up . . . or a shark tore her apart . . . or she got caught in the ice . . . or she met a man. . . . But when he saw her coming with a tiny pup in tow, just opening its eyes, his fears and foreboding dispelled.
Danny received Jon with such sincere affection and love, his mother almost burst into tears from happiness and pride.
Jon’s mother died in labor leaving him alone. And he barely survived.
Even Danny’s father, in their vicinity at that moment, was slightly bemused by this extraordinary show of affection. But as soon as Danny—feeling his gaze—turned to look at him, his father averted his eyes and disappeared behind a huge chunk of ice.
Now she had not one, but two pups to worry about. Danny refused to be weaned and now Jon suckled as if he had not tasted food in his entire life. Still, Danny’s mother knew she did the right thing. Her malcontent and mischievous little pup Danny whom she could not let out of sight even for a second, now changed beyond recognition. Not only did he stop pestering her with his interminable questions, he almost stopped his excursions to the sea. His attention focused on Jon, he treated his adopted brother with warmth and kindness. She thought that was amazing. If she weren’t a mother who loved Danny more than anything in the world, she might have thought his love for Jon stronger than her own. But that was impossible. She loved Danny as much as it was possible to love anybody.
BJ
My book Look for Me Under the Rainbow is in Kindle promotion days! Here are the scheduled dates for discounted prices in Kindle Countdown Deal:
1 September 16, 2018 at 8:00 AM (PDT) 80h $0.99 67%
2 September 19, 2018 at 4:00 PM (PDT) 80h $1.99 34%
End September 23, 2018 at 12:00 AM (PDT) Original list price $2.99
Grab your ebook, if you don’t have it yet, and tell your friends who would love to get it at discounted price. Now is the time to do that and let them know!
Erwin’s eyes refocused on the present. “Helen, the boy in this legend was the first Rain-bow Warrior to walk this planet. We were named after him.”
She watched him bleary-eyed, mindless of where she was or the cup of coffee she held in the grip of her fingers that turned blue.
Then she wistfully smiled at him and said, “I think the legend about Rainbow Warriors is a bit different, but thank you anyway.”
“There are legends and legends, Helen, and this one’s mine. It can be yours too if you want. As long as Rainbow Warriors—no matter from which story, fable or legend—live among us, there is hope for this world. And even for this poor thing we came too late to save. If we believe there’s a rainbow, maybe his death wasn’t as terrible as it looks to us now, or in vain.”
Thank you for caring about animals and saving our planet!
BJ
It seems that 2020 didn’t start so bad for my novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow because it was nominated for TopShelf Book Awards 2020!
I was lucky that someone from either agencies, publicists, publishers, TopShelf scouts, or Insider members has recognized my book for that special honor. Thank you, whoever you are! And thank you, TopShelf Magazine, for picking my book from the crowd and giving it this opportunity.
I will know if I am one of the TopShelf Book Award finalists by the end of September 2020, and the winners will be announced in the Holiday Edition of TopShelf Magazine in December 2020.
BJ
www.bernardjan.com
Don’t believe an author who tells you they don’t like their books. It’s a pure lie. If we didn’t like the books we wrote, we wouldn’t publish them and share them with you! That is the real truth.
Since we already did that—wrote them, invest a bigger or smaller amount of time, money and enthusiasm to publish them and bring the final product in front of you to enjoy, love or hate it (heaven forbid the last one happens!)—we also hope and count on your support and kindness to help our books reach others and continue their life through your purchased copies, word-of-mouth recommendations, honest reviews or votes in various contests.
As it was the case with my first novella A World Without Color, I have also entered my second novella Look for Me Under the Rainbow to a few contests. This moving story of the adorable seal pup Danny and the Rainbow Warriors activist Helen who is trying to save him from the plight caused by greedy humans already went through two contests.
In The Book Designer’s e-Book Cover Design Contest for April it was reviewed by the guest judge Kit Foster, an award-winning graphic designer who specializes in book cover design. He has designed the covers for over 1500 published works for publishers worldwide, including Pulitzer Prize winners, several New York Times best-selling authors, and countless Amazon bestsellers.
This is his comment for my book cover designed by Mario Kožar MKM Media: “I like the imagery in this one, The adorable seal pup, the crisp white snow, which beautifully contrasts the figure in red and the rainbow above. I think the text, however, could be a lot stronger. The title font, especially, could do to be re-thought. This is a tricky one, since the title contains six words, all of different lengths – it’s a lot to fit in and maintain a balanced design. I’m unsure what the reason for making the word ‘Me’ a different size to the rest of the words on the same line was, too.” Not a bad comment at all, coming from such a reputable graphic designer. I am pleased!
In the second book cover contest to which I submitted, Look for Me Under the Rainbow entered the finals of AllAuthor cover contest for May and it ended up ranked #6! This is a good result considering that due to the error the book entered the contest with one day and 140 votes delay!
This contest is over for my story of Danny and we cannot do anything about it anymore. But my book is running and competing in two other contests and I hope and wish for your votes there.
Look for Me Under the Rainbow has been approved in YA and Middle-Grade Book Category of the TCK Publishing 2018 Reader’s Choice Awards so please follow this link and browse to page 12 where you can cast your vote for it in this book of the year contest! If you have read my book and loved it, please don’t forget to vote for it.
You can also vote in AUTHORSdb: Author Database, Books and Top Charts Cover Contest 2018 for the cover of the year in Literary / Young Adult category. I hope you like my book cover enough to click here and cast your precious vote for it!
Book and book cover contests are fun and often excited, and it is not the end of the world if your book doesn’t win. Only one book per category wins and sometimes it is a question of good marketing and promotion and a bit of luck to win the title. What counts is sharing this experience with other books, authors and readers who vote for their favorites and the extra exposure your book gets while taking part in such contests. That exposure will help it find a way to another grateful reader and fan who will appreciate the power of your imagination and writing skills enough to share it with others who will bring a smile to your face and love it too.
Thank you for reading this and thank you for your votes!
BJ
