Will o' the Wisp

by Tom Hammock, Megan Hutchison (Illustrator)

Full of wicked delights and dark things...

After her parents' accidental death by mushroom poisoning, young Aurora Grimeon is sent to live with her estranged grandfather on Ossuary Isle, deep in the southern swamps. Joined by her grandfather's pet raccoon Missy, Aurora explores the fog-covered island of graves. Along the way she meets its sinister residents who care for the tombstones and mausoleums, living out their lives by the strange rules of Hoodoo magic. When ghostly things start happening out in the swamp and island residents start disappearing, Aurora thrusts herself into the middle of the mystery, uncovering secrets that might be better left buried.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Young Adult, Comics, Fantasy, Mystery, Horror, Fiction

216 pages, Hardcover

First published January 28, 2014

About the author

It's a curious thing to have to write about one's self, but we'll try to get through this without too much gnashing of the teeth. I grew up in Northern California where my father studies venoms, insects and other odd creatures. As such, most family vacations were spent in the wilderness, often hunting for previously said creatures and their venoms. I've lived a number of places around the world including, but not limited to Australia (Home of many venomous creatures.) and England (Home of not so many venomous creatures.).

Eventually these wanderings came to a halt for a time making my mother quite happy and I studied landscape architecture at UC Berkeley. This led to studying film design at the American Film Institute and a lot of subsequent work filming things. Among the things, which have not been filmed, are two younger siblings; a sister who solves quite involved math problems and a brother who studies the insects, which live in streams. Neither them nor I have a pet raccoon, but if we did it would be like Missy. Presently I live in Hollywood where I drink tea and design films when I'm not writing graphic novels. You might have heard of some of the films I've designed, including You're Next, All The Boys Love Mandy Lane, and V/H/S 2. An Aurora Grimeon Story: Will O' the Wisp is my first graphic novel and the first graphic novel of my awesome artist Megan Hutchison. I don't eat mushrooms I can't identify.

Reviews

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the author’s first graphic novel, and I thought he did well telling the story through a mixture of horror and whimsical elements. And while I didn’t look anything about Hoodoo up prior to reading this, Tom Hammock seems extremely knowledgeable about the rules and from the Introduction, you read about how strongly he feels about sharing this information. I loved how passionate he was about what he was writing, and I feel it shows in the story.


I really loved that while Aurora was the main character, the story needed all of the residents of Ossuary Isle to help her learn and discover and grow. I liked watching her grow up and grow into the culture.

Megan Hutchison’s art was spectacular and worked so well for this novel.




It was pretty and disturbing and magical looking. I just loved it.


Together Tom Hammock and Megan Hutchison really made a fantastical, creepy story come to life, and I will be keeping my eyes on the lookout for future work by both of them.

[Sue Moro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will O' the Wisp is one of the most beautiful graphic novels I've ever seen. When it arrived in the mail and I unpacked it, my draw just dropped! Every attention to detail is present from the gold lettering and decorative detail on the cover, to the matching gold clasp on the side of the book. The book has very thick, high quality, front and back covers with lovely artistic images from the story. Inside the covers are beautiful end pages usually found in leather bound classics! I really loved the illustrations! The overall look is dark and creepy, full of earth tones that perfectly suit the ghostly murderous mystery. I was instantly drawn into the story, unable to set it down until I finished.

This is the story of a young girl, Aurora Grimeon, who moves to Ossuary Isle deep in the Louisiana swamps, to live with her estranged grandfather after the sudden accidental death of her parents from poisonous mushrooms.

The people of Ossuary Isle, her grandfather excluded, are a superstitious group who follow the traditions and magic of Hoodoo. They tend the graves, tombs and mausoleums that cover the island. They suspect Aurora of bringing bad luck down on them when people begin disappearing and later turn up dead. Aurora's grandfather, a man of science, does not share these beliefs. Never the less, he sends his granddaughter to Mama Nonnie, the island's chief Hoodoo priestess who teaches her how to craft various spells of protection.

Aurora soon finds herself deeply involved in trying to discover the murderer, and to uncover the mystery behind the strange floating blue lights on the island referred to as Will O' The Wisps. Are they spirits? Could they be those of her parents? What so they want?

The story starts out on a somber note with Aurora having just lost her parents and being sent off to live with a grandfather she's never met before. I loved these first images of the island and the house she will come to live in. Along with her grandfather she also meets his pet raccoon, Missy, a rather precocious little thief who will soon become her constant companion during her explorations of the island.

There are many other characters within the book, although only Mama Nonnie was truly memorable.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys graphic novels, a well crafted story, beautiful artwork, and to book collectors as this is truly a work of art! I look forward to further adventures of Aurora Grimeon.

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was able to get this book for an advance review for Netgalley.

I've always had a bit of a fascination with the Louisiana Bayou and the vanishing ways of life attached to it. The hoodoo tradition is one that is misinterpreted about as often as it is referred to in popular culture - fortunately, Will O'the Wisp did a rather good job of showcasing both the traditions themselves and how people tend to view them nowadays.

The artwork for this book was highly reminiscent of the style used in Locke and Key, which is one that I'm especially fond of. There's a fluidity to the landscapes, the swamps, the fire, that is both beautiful and eerie. The bugs and the bones as well are beautifully rendered, and I would say that the book is worth looking at for the artwork alone.

While I'd like to rate the book more than three stars, I'm not entirely certain I could. While the book lends itself to reading for the hoodoo traditions and the artwork, and the story was a traditional tale of vengeance from beyond the grave and uneasy isolation, I felt that overall it was missing something. There was constantly more to the story that I wanted to uncover, but couldn't. I would say that this is the fault of the medium itself and the age of the audience it's intended for, but I've read a great deal of graphic novels and know the medium to be virtually unlimited in the scope it could cover storywise and the YA genre itself is fast accepting more and more titles that delve into what previously may be considered questionable content.

My disappointment with the depth of the story being told could easily be remedied by telling more stories of Aurora's time with Silver in Ossuary Isle, and is offset slightly by the attention paid to the spells of Nonnie, the begrudging respect paid to the hoodoo traditions by Silver, and the beauty of the artwork in the piece itself. It's certainly a title that I know friends of mine would enjoy, and by no means was it a bad read at all. I enjoyed it, and I'm certain a great many others will as well.

Couldn't be happier that traditional Louisiana hoodoo culture is getting treated to some good storytelling for a new generation!

[Isa · Rating 4 out of 5]

arc provided by Archaia Entertainment through netgalley

3.5 stars rounded up to 4


When her parents die, Aurora is sent to live with her grandfather, in a creepy house in the aptly named Ossuary Isle, in the southern swamps.
When people start turning up dead with strange swirly burn marks on their hands, it's up to Aurora, Mama Noonie (the local hoodoo priestess) and Missy (Miss Prissy Mirabel, the pet raccoon) to try and solve the mystery before whatever is haunting Ossuary Isle claims any more victims.

I don't know why this was marked as children's - it's definitely not for children, YA would be the target audience.
The story by itself was simple and somewhat predictable - the artwork, however, turned it into a thing of wonder. It was all very eerie and dark. The odd thing is that from the backgrounds, to all the other characters, everything was beautifully drawn - but when it came to Aurora herself the art style wasn't as good. I suppose it could have been done purposefully to emphasise how Aurora didn't fit into her surroundings, but I think this could have still been done without the character seeming less perfectly rendered than the others...

That aside, the plot allied to the artwork made for a wonderfully creepy story - a brilliant introduction to the Southern Gothic genre to younger readers, but again, not too young, this book was very creepy.

[stefiereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I truly enjoy this graphic novels. The art is unique yet still beautiful :)
The story is great, even though there are moments when I feel it’s a bit rush. Other than that, I think this graphic novel is amazing. It has enough creepiness and the atmosphere is quite eerie. I mean swamp and an isle of graveyards.. that’s enough to give me chills.

Also, seriously, this book is bind beautifully.. it has gold foiled parts on the cover with gold clasp on the side 😍

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following the death of her parents, Aurora Grimeon is sent to live with her grandfather, Silver, in the mysterious Ossuary Isle. Upon her arrival, she is greeted by the haunting form of a blue flame. The neighbours refer to it as a will-o-the-wisp, but Silver dismisses it as science. And while Silver does not care much for the superstitious nature of his neighbours, he does consent to send her off to Mama Nonnie, the local hoodoo woman, for protection spells. Death surrounds the people of Ossuary Isle, and Aurora's arrival seems to herald more of it.

This is a an intriguing little tale, with quirky, beautiful art, perfectly suited to the dark, morbid environment. Graves and grave workers line the swamp and Silver's hobbies and research certainly are macabre. I really liked the way the superstitions, which at first seemed to be worthy only of dismissal, were used, taking on a life of their own as the mystery unwound and the story went places I did not quite expect. And of course there's Missy the raccoon...

[Sesana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will O' the Wisp is atmospheric in spades. The art is quite nice, and the hoodoo is a somewhat unusual touch that's nicely integrated with the story and the setting. So why three stars and not four? I had a hard time connecting to Aurora herself, or really with any of the characters in the book. And Hammock spent so much time setting up his Quirky Locals that the actual (and much more interesting) story of revenge that should have been driving the book started far too late.

[Mathew Carruthers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting concept, engaging storytelling, and mood-setting artwork. Some elements are reminiscent of Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box (bad guy in black carrying out vengeance from beyond the grave, love and family vanquishing evil), but for the most part, this graphic novel is unlike any other I've read. Worth a look.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creepy but fun! I was surprised how fast an "outsider" girl took to the island's hoodoo.

[Badwill Ambassador · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better thank expected. Would be even better if I had read it at the age of 14-18.

[Karissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got a copy of this graphic novel to review through NetGalley(dot)com. It looked like something right up my alley. I enjoyed it but wished that the artwork had been a bit better.

After Aurora’s parents are poisoned by mushrooms, Aurora is sent to live with her grandfather, Silver, on Ossuary Isle. Ossuary Isle is an island of graves deep in the Southern Swamps. There Aurora explores the eerie gravesites with her uncle’s raccoon Missy. Aurora is also introduced to hoodoo and stumbles into a great evil on the island.

This graphic novel had a lot of things I liked and some things I didn’t. I enjoyed the eerie settings and Aurora’s tragic yet curious nature. Aurora gets deep into trying to solve a mystery as residents of the island start disappearing. The mystery was well done and super creepy.

Aurora lives with her strange uncle Silver. I thought it was endearing how at first Silver is very indifferent to Aurora’s presence, but as the book continues he starts to enjoy her presence and depend on her. The character growth for Aurora and Silver was well done for such a brief story.

I also enjoyed all of the hoodoo that the book goes into detail on. Aurora learns ways to protect herself with hoodoo from the local witch woman. Each chapter starts with a detailed hoodoo recipe for dealing with a problem.

The main thing I did not like about this graphic novel were the illustrations. In some of the illustration Aurora is beautifully illustrated. However in many of the illustrations faces are obscured and lacking detail, making it hard to tell what our characters are thinking. Aurora’s grandfather always looks a bit unfinished and sketchy. Some of the side characters are hard to tell apart. Many of the frames have a very cartoonish look to them which is not my favorite. Lastly I thought that the text-bubbles were not at all in keeping with the style of everything else; they were very jarring and distracting.

Overall I am glad I read this and enjoyed the story. This is a super creepy story with gothic tones to it and a paranormal twist. It was a good read. However the illustration left a lot to be desired and the text bubbles were distracting. I would tentatively recommend to fans of paranormal graphic novels. Make sure to take a look at the artwork before purchasing and determine if it’s something you’d like.

[Travis Starnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book manages to get across to the reader a massive surge of information in such a way that does not require huge text boxes and plot dumps. Aurora knows the same amount as the audience, which is exactly nothing, so we get to learn as she learns making the entire process feel natural. On the surface this is a story about creepy old man and his young ward in a world of spirits and mystery, but in reality it is a story about a young girl coming to terms with change and growing into a young woman learning her place in the world. My old English teacher would be proud of me because I always hated book analysis; for me if a poem was about a train and a tunnel, then the poet was probably a railway enthusiast who live near a railway line, but apparently that was not the right answer and more than likely the poem had something to do with sex. But perhaps that was just that one teacher? However even with my ropy grasp of seeing past the facade of a book I can see the other side of this one, which is why I said that I felt this would be very suitable for that young-mid teenage girl age group as they will definitely identify with the character and her troubles.

The art in this book is for want of a better word ‘different.’ I often compare comics to what I would call my ideal comic art style but that is not always applicable. It would be like saying that my favourite film genre is comedy and therefore all films have to be comedies. Making Titanic as a comedy would be in my book highly entertaining, but it would not have had the same effect as making it a drama. In the same way while drawing this book in the style of a John Cassaday or Gerado Sandoval would make it exactly how I like, it would not improve this book in anyway, not to mention their precise and intricate art style would make this book far more unpleasant to look at. The artist glosses over death and dead bodies in her simplistic style which makes everything far more palatable while still feeling creepy.

http://cmro.travis-starnes.com/blog/2014/01/will-o-the-wisp-review/

[Kagama-the Literaturevixen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this free from Netgalley and this my honest review of it.

Aurora Grimeons parents are dead from mushroom poisoning. They really should have known better. In lack of other relatives she is sent to live with her paternal grandfather on Ossuary isle out in the swamplands.

Her grandfather treats her curtly and the other inhabitants while not exactly unfriendly are a strange bunch of people.Most everyone there seems obsessed with death and the dead in some form be it her grandfather whose profession is making skeleton casts to the hoodo lady who would like to talk to her dead husband...

Since there arent many young people on Ossuary Isle Auroras only companion is her grandfathers pet racoon Missy who provides some comic relief. Together they roam around the swamp.That is when she is not helping her grandfather sort animal skulls.

But things are about to take a turn for the weird(er) when mysterious deaths starts to occur and people go missing when the ominious will o the wisp moves through the swamps. The will o the wisp is a bad omen indeed.

I was pleasantly surprised by this graphic novel as I went into it with no expectations. But before long I was in the Ossuary Isle with the main character and was engrossed in the story.

The art isnt what I would call overly pretty but its good and brings the right atmosphere to the story.There is something eerie about it that made quite an impact on me and even at times caught me off my guard as I was turning to a new side.

If I have any complaints is that Aurora remains a bit impassive to some frightening events that she is exposed to but then as I was thinking back on the story and her character I came to the realization that she might have ended up in a strange new place but she is quite the odd one herself. It fits with her as a a character even if I found it a bit cold.

In fact I was reminded of Courtney Crumrin though Aurora has a bit more of a pleasant disposition towards people. I would love to see more of her.

[Nikki · Rating 3 out of 5]

My copy was given to me by Netgalley.

The good:

The premise of this book sounded very interesting to me. How many books involve an orphan whose parents died from eating poisonous mushrooms? Yeah, not many. Also, the sidekick. I freaking loved Missy the raccoon. If I didn't know raccoons would probably chew my face off in reality, I would want one as a pet!

I also enjoyed the relationship between Aurora and her grandfather. At first, her grandfather was rather gruff with her, probably because he wasn't used to being around kids. But he slowly began to like Aurora and they became close. I thought how their relationship progressed was necessary for this novel.

The bad:

While this novel was definitely original with its will o' the wisps, its ghosts and spirits, and the raccoon, I didn't like how the book seemed to skip around, almost as if it was missing a page or two or a few panels. The story jumped around almost, making it confusing to me.

The artwork was kinda dreary and dark. I know this book is supposed to be a dark fantasy set in a swamp that is supposed to be creepy, but there was no contrast. There weren't any light scenes or happy scenes. To make a book work, there needs to be an equal amount of each. At least, that's what I think.

The characters weren't too striking for me and this book was just confusing to me.

This book was interesting with its supernatural plot and the gothic-ness of the novel, but it just skipped around a bit. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a gothic, paranormal graphic novel with a raccoon sidekick.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this book sounds interesting enough: girl's parents die after eating poisonous mushrooms, girl goes to live with grandfather in swamp, girl teams up with raccoon to solve mysteries, etc. Yet the overall book was sorely disappointing.

I'm far from an expert in comics and graphic novels, but I thought that this graphic novel wasn't very well done. The artwork, while somewhat interesting, doesn't stand out as exceptional and the story itself was mildly confusing.

The artwork seemed a little bit dull to me. Not only were the illustrations themselves nothing that stood out, but the colors were dark and almost seemed to cloud up the page. Although I understand the darker colors purpose in the story, portraying a dreary and dangerous (evil) swamp, I think that some contrast in colors would do a lot to clear up each page.

I found the story itself rather confusing. There were times where I felt as if the story jumped around and left me behind - almost as if there were some sections missing in the middle. I will give the author the benefit of the doubt and assume that because I read an ARC, the story wasn't yet completed.

I also wasn't overly fond of any of the characters. The interactions between all of the characters felt false and the main character didn't seem to me that likable.

Overall, this is definitely not a standout graphic novel.

I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.

[Ardis · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an eerie, gorgeous piece of art this is. I read the galley and when it comes out (is it out yet? I have to check) I'll definitely be buying it, because its so gorgeously designed as well as illustrated (and written, but I'll get to that) that I need to own it). Yay run-on sentences! Perhaps I should not write reviews at 10 pm after a day of shoveling ice-encrusted snow. Whatever, here goes:
Aurora's parents have foolishly died after eating random mushrooms and she's been sent to live with her aged grandfather out in the Atchafalaya Swamp (I'm proud to say I know how to pronounce this) in Louisiana. When I say "in" the swamp, I mean IN the swamp, not near it, not on the edge, in it- on an island covered with gravestones right in the middle of the swamp. And that's when things get freaky. Aurora is confronted with cranky grandpas, strange and sometimes cranky locals, superstition, Hoodoo, supernatural, raccoons, and death. Lots and lots of death. But Aurora is a heroine and she fits in better than she realizes.

[Dawn-Lorraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This YA graphic novel is the story of a young girl who is sent to live with her grandfather on an isle in a Louisiana swamp after her parents die from eating poisonous mushrooms. There is a lot of superstition among the residents of the isle and they practice hoodoo and follow protection rituals. The writer did a good job of creating a sense of place in that regard. The art is well done, clean and conveys the action and atmosphere nicely. It was a pretty engrossing story – a little coming of age, a little adventure, a touch of romance. There’s a good bit of southern mythology here and a nice build up as the girl tries to fit in to her new surroundings and ultimately has to help save everyone on the isle from an otherworldly threat. There are some interesting characters and a couple of good plot twists. Overall this is a good read for teens (and adults) looking for a coming of age story with a touch of the paranormal.

[Michelle Hoogterp · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fantastic story of magic or hoodoo and love and family. A young girl named Aurora is sent to live with her grandfather after her parents' tragic death. Her grandfather is a scientist who lives out in the Louisiana swamps among superstitious people who at first think Aurora has brought bad luck with her. As she learns to live among these strange people, befriending her grandfather's racoon, she discovers there is a curse on the islands and on her family. The story is fantastic and had me hooked from beginning to end--if this was turned into a series, I would want to read it and watch how Aurora grows and learns more about the hoodoo as she helps Mama Nonnie with her spells.

[Louise Bendall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aurora’s parents recently died from mushroom poisoning and she is sent to live in a creepy island cemetery swamp with her only living relative – a grandfather she has never met. He keeps skeletons in the basement, dines with his pet raccoon and seems less than thrilled to have Aurora living with him. Her grandfather, along with the locals and hoodoo priestess all try to protect Aurora but there is evil out walking in the moonlit swamp.

[Sara Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story, well developed art. I rather enjoyed this book. It had a bit of a slow start but I connected to the characters.
My only disappointment is that I expected a character to return at the end but he didn't. I hate relationships that go nowhere.
Aside from that, the folklore was interesting. I wish there was a little more explaining but maybe it will come in later stories.

[Karen Xu · Rating 4 out of 5]

The part that I enjoyed the most from this book was probably Aurora as the protagonist. She is beautiful. I have to praise the artist for the artful style. Like a dark fairy tale. All these things that Aurora learns and sees on the isle is just like an Alice in the Wonderland adventure. She is singularly composed with death and her personality is very cute and likeable. Also, the author is extremely knowledgable about rituals and beliefs associated with spirits. This is a relatively novel topic and I enjoyed it a lot. Sometimes seeing something really whimsical and disturbing is cathartic. It was a relaxing read. Again, I really loved the art. Rather than focusing on rigorous structures and accuracy, the artist focuses more on the atmosphere and uses the most perfect style for depicting a story like this. Some places has scrawls, but it doesn't make one feel like the artist doesn't know how to draw. They seem to all be stylistic choices! This is one of the best graphic novels I have ever read. I gave it four stars because I like the theme and art, one star off for not having a "profound" meaning (which I don't believe is important in all books but I personally like to see). I would recommend it to anyone teenage or above.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

As Hallowe’en approaches, I always like to sneak in a few spooky reads here and there. I’m not a big all out horror fan, but I love a good strange, dark and creepy tale. One that holds a certain dark enchantment, like Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride. I bought this one from the artist at a comic convention quite a few years ago and just hadn’t gotten around to it, but it seemed exactly what I was looking for in my Halloween read this year. Again wishing for half stars, I would give it 3.5 stars if I could. I really liked the artwork, the characters and the world of the Bayou as this darkly enchanting place. Although it didn’t blow me away, the story was good, a mix of the supernatural, mystery and magic. I can’t say I fell in love with it, but I did highly enjoy it and would likely revisit it again. I will say though, that the book itself is BEAUTIFUL! I wish all graphic novels were as lovely as this one with black glossy pages, hardcover resembling an old book and a golden clasp to keep it closed - well done book publisher!

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the kind that I wish I could read longer, but actually the story's length is just fine.

I like the cover and inside art. Aurora is drawn pretty, and the ghosts and the deaths look frightening. Oh and I like how Mama is depicted. The blueness of the wisps become a center of attraction on the dark pages, making me curious--are they good or bad signs/entities? The story is deeper and scarier than the rather simple art. Yet it works, because the dimness and lack of details made me feel like it was in a dream.

Hoodoo's presentation is creepy and interesting. Be entertained with caution.

Also liked how we thought the ordeal was over with celebration and all, but the ghost was still malevolent. And, it worked well by extending the story.

[Geraldine (geraldinereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After her parents death, Aurora Grimeon is sent to live with a grandfather she's never met on an island. All of a sudden, residents start mysteriously disappearing from the island! Is it all just a coincidence or is there something sinister lurking on the island?

This book had a unique storyline with a dark, creepy undertone. Although the story was somewhat predictable, it was a fast-paced graphic novel with really cool illustrations! I loved how the artist made the swamp and the characters look and the colors that were used.

The only problem I had was that some parts were choppy and the pages didn't flow together. I had to look at the page numbers and do a double take because I thought my copy was missing pages.

Overall a fun read though! 3.5/5 stars.

[Jason McKinney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty wonderful artwork? Check.
Interesting premise? Check.
Solid execution? Not so much.

The first 50 pages of this were so slow that I almost didn't even finish it, but I stuck it out. It does get better as it goes along and I actually liked the second half a little, but not enough to say that I enjoyed the entire thing. I wanted a little more backstory as to how the main villain/ghoul/monster came about. His origin story seemed a bit flimsy. I had other issues as well, but remedying that one would have gone a long way towards making things better overall.

[Shanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. My boyfriend who's into some comics bought me this one so it was my first comic read. Not too bad for a first; fairly entertaining and a quick read.

[Hanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 - 3,5 stars

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The art style was great and the story was really interesting. I want a pet raccoon now!

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up a ComicCon in NY. It's a beautifully put-together book, with a clasp like a child's diary. The inside is pretty beautiful too. Well drawn, interesting story, glad I got it.

[Jessica Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Book finished for The Reading Rush.
Meeting challenge #2....