ARTISTS SAY...
ARTISTS SAY...
About the stories
I am a history buff, and a have a penchant for Peruvian, Incan and Pre-Incan history, although any will do.
As a writer, I am constitutionally incapable of writing anything other than historical fiction or memoir (although that could fit into the historical fiction category, if you think about it🤣).
In my stories you'll find well-researched and little-known Peruvian, Incan, Pre-Incan and European history, adventure, humor, magic, and of course, drama, lots of it.
I have an MA in Latin American Studies from NYU and another MA in Creative Writing and Publishing from Western Colorado University. The latter because there came a time when I promised myself that there was nothing I wouldn't do to realize my goal of founding a publishing house that created the best research-based and story-based materials for language acquisition on the planet.
I'm still living that promise.
Where should I send your video?
"I knew it would be tough for me to start from scratch as an adult. This Septology has been so joyful to read and introduced me to such a lovely way to learn a new language."
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Where do you run when the good guys want you dead?
Will a ruthless mercenary, a hapless American traitor, and a dead man’s cryptic clue hold the key to Sam’s survival? As the noose tightens around her neck, Sam must uncover a brutal and deadly conspiracy before she becomes its next victim.
Is Special Agent Sam Jameson in love with a traitor?
Why do the DC Metro police seem to want her dead? And why has she suddenly been cut out of the loop by her bosses at Homeland? Do the damning links between Brock and a shadowy figure named Arturo Dibiaso mean that she's been living with a spy and a traitor?
Double-click to edit this text
The first three I learned due to immersion, the fourth because I had a facility for it, skipped levels and got to the classes where they were reading books for native speakers.
The last four I studied to no avail.
I carried around the textbooks I had been given in those classes for YEARS, convinced there was something wrong with me.
Years after learning the research, I had a moment of glory when I threw all those textbooks away.
I couldn't find appropriate materials to learn from for any of those languages except German.
I bought every story for German language acquisition I could find on Amazon and read them all. They mostly sucked, except for ones by an author named Angelika Bohn. I gobbled those.
About a year later I found myself in a REAL CONVERSATION with a REAL GERMAN PERSON and was like...WAIT....I CAN UNDERSTAND AND SPEAK GERMAN?!??!
I GUESS THE RESEARCH IS TRUE!
😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁😁
🇩🇪🍻🍺🥨🤩WUNDERBAR!!!!🤩🥨🍺🍻🇩🇪
And so, I wanted to save you even more money.
Much more. :)
LADIES & GENTLEMEN...
"Because I've seen what they can do for people, ma."
About the Author
As a child, the only two things Constanza Ontaneda ever replied when asked "what she wanted to be" was either writer OR businesswoman. She thought those two careers were distinct, separate and even at odds with each other. She never thought they could be inextricably intertwined.
In her life she's only never stopped doing two things: reading books and studying languages. She also thought those two things were distinct, separate and even at odds with each other. Now she knows they are inextricably intertwined.
Enthralled by language acquisition from a young age, she collected languages wherever she went, even while studying Apparel Design at Cornell University. She always verbalized "hoping to have a career where all these languages could be put to good use." Ah...little did she know what was coming.
While she still has a penchant for anything to do with the sartorial, she believes becoming a World Language Educator was the best thing that ever happened to her. She became the type of teacher who plans unofficial field trips to the otherwise forbidden backends of the Museum of Natural History just because her neighbor is a sculptor there. She became the type of teacher who made a difference, in and out of the classroom, and it healed her in the process.
What people are saying...
"Yes, and products like these usually retail for up to $70."
"Never have I used materials that 1) my students liked so much 2) led to this degree of language acquisition."
"These books, along with the Communication Guides and Audio materials, prove to masterfully stimulate the language-learning part of my brain AND allow me to enjoy doing it!!!"
"My students absolutely loved this story. The artwork and input it offers is amazing for language acquisition."
I have personally spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars studying languages at some of the world's most prestigious institutions...TO NO AVAIL. Which, you ask?
Spanish
English
Portuguese
French
Mandarin
Russian
German
Quechua
And...I'm done.
EBOOK BEGINNERS PACKAGE
PAPERBACK BEGINNERS PACKAGE
FRENCH
FRENCH
You see, I'm one of those rare humans who believes that if a human studies a language, they should acquire it. Hey, call me CRAZY, but Quichotte et Moi materials are learner tested, and I've seen the results.
This is DUNE writer Kevin J. Anderson.
He's a superfan! 😄
Act fast or I might be in an institution before you click buy and then this deal will go VAMOOSE
$335 DOLLAR VALUE FOR $29.99
FOR LESS THAN 30 BUCKS.
YOU GET TO START LEARNING FRENCH FOR REALS
👉 EACH BOOK IS BASED ON ONE OF 7 COMMON VERBS IN THE TARGET LANGUAGE
👉 YOU GET INTRODUCED TO CHARACTERS THAT YOU WILL GROW WITH IN AGE AS YOU GROW IN LINGUISTIC ABILITY WITH SUBSEQUENT TRILOGIES
I know the frustation of studying a language with no results, so I wanted to give you access to research-based, fun materials,
AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE
I speak the first four due to IMMERSION. The last four I studied to no avail. It would be decades until I encountered the research and understood that there was nothing wrong with me—that it was in fact a mixture of non-research-based materials and methodologies.
“A Godsend for beginners! The use of common words, the repetition, and the fact that the story is FUN! I am an adult, and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next in the Quichotte et Moi series. HIGHLY recommend.”
"Fantastic Learning Tool!!! As a 38 year old Spanish learner I am happy to have found a creative way to learn conjugation."
The Novice Low
"AVENTURAS" Septology
Unique Word Counts:
35-90 words per book
Total Word Counts:
500-800 words per book
The Novice Mid
"BRUJAS" Trilogy
Unique Word Counts:
~300 words per book
Total Word Counts:
~2,500 words per book
The Novice High
"CAMAQUEN" Trilogy
Unique Word Counts:
~350 words per book
Total Word Counts:
~4100 words per book
Adult learners with the Novice Low "Aventures" Septology
That's easy then—all I need to do is read books in the target language! 😁
Right you are! Then why aren't you doing so? You can't start at Proust, folks—if you could, you'd already be doing it.
WHAT YOU NEED IS A GRADED BRIDGE.
You see, the DATA has to be complex—embedded in a web of meaning that has a chance of being memorable.
NOTHING CAN DO THIS LIKE STORIES.
AND NOW...
A ONE-TIME BONKERS
DEAL
Hi there! My name is Constanza Ontaneda and I'm a decade+ World Language Educator and teacher trainer who has taught elementary, middle, high school and adults and was hired to chair and transform the World Language Department at a school in Times Square from 34 years of grammar drills, memorization, textbooks, tests and exposure to random words and phrases—which DO NOT lead to language acquisition—into a 100% research-based program. And I did it! What have you been up to lately? 🤣
"You're going to give away 16 of your most expensive products for FREE?
WHY?!?" she asked.
"I'm an adult learner with 3 college degrees, and I'm impressed with these and excited to start learning French in earnest!"
FOR FREE
FREE
It's called
THE BEGINNERS PACKAGE
and it includes...
14 of my most expensive products
+
Ebooks 1 in Spanish & French
(cuz I'm cool like that 😉)
"But didn't those take you longer to make than the books themselves!?
¡ESTÁS LOCA!" mom yelled.
And so...
The BEGINNERS Package
is only available on this page, and nowhere else (my mom put her chancla down 🤣)
Wow. Ok. But how will I understand everything?
You ask.
There are COMPREHENSIVE GLOSSARIES in all the books.
The Intermediate Low
"PACTOS" Trilogy
Unique Word Counts:
~490 words per book
Total Word Counts:
~8000 words per book
The Intermediate Mid "ASESINAS" Trilogy
Unique Word Counts:
~650 words per book
Total Word Counts:
~16,000 words per book
They're also PROFESSIONALLY ILLUSTRATED:
Impressive...but...how will I learn the pronunciation?
All the packages—Ebooks or Paperbacks— come with AUDIOBOOKS narrated by a native speaker.
Oh, and everything has been learner tested.
You see, it's so entertaining and
historically
well-researched
that not only middle and high schoolers enjoy it, but adults too, even ones like
DUNE-writer Kevin J. Anderson
and, if anyone knows a good story, it's him.
I wanted YOU to get access to the most comprehensive, research-based and entertaining bridge to French proficiency on the market
For a RIDICULOUS price
It's also 100% RESEARCH-BASED.
You will learn French with
Antonia and Don Quichotte
in this laugh-out-loud historical fiction series that gets progressively more complex.
READERS SAY
"Beginner French, made delightfully easy!"
Scroll down to check out this exclusive one-time offer for new readers.
Once you read the first book, you're going to want the rest of the series.
The Novice Low "AVENTURES" Septology
A STRANGE ABILITY, A CRAZY UNCLE...
WHAT COULD THE FUTURE POSSIBLY HOLD FOR SEVEN-YEAR-OLD ANTONIA?
Each book focuses on one of seven common verbs in the target language.
ALL BOOKS in the ENTIRE SERIES are fully illustrated, have comprehensive glossaries and are suitable for middle school, high school and adult learners.
Genre: Action & Adventure, Historical Fiction, Time Travel, Humor
Unique Word Counts: 35-100 words per book
Total Word Counts: 500-900 words per book
NOTE: Antonia, the main character, often chooses to refer to "us" as "nosotras" (in Spanish) when females are in equal or greater amount in a group.
When referring to multiple others, she often uses "ellas" (Spanish) or "elles" (French), when females are in equal or greater amount in the group being described.
The Novice Mid "SORCIÈRES" Trilogy
WHEN ANTONIA AND HER FRIENDS GET WORD THAT THEIR BEST FRIEND LUCÍA IS MOVING,
THEY MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH HER.
WHAT BEGINS AS AN INNOCENT TRIP SOON BECOMES A DANGEROUS QUEST,
AS THE NINE-YEAR-OLDS REALIZE THAT THE HOLY SPANISH INQUISITION MIGHT NOT BE SO HOLY AFTER ALL.
Unique Word Counts: ~320 words per book
Total Word Counts: ~3,000 words per book
The Novice High "CAMAQUEN" Trilogy
ALL IS WELL AT L'ÉCOLE DON QUICHOTTE DE LA MANCHA, WHERE ELEVEN-YEAR-OLD ANTONIA AND HER FRIENDS HAVE STUDIED SINCE THEY WERE SEVEN.
THAT IS, UNTIL BLASCO BREAKS THE RULES AND TOUCHES A HUACA, ONE OF THE SACRED INCAN OBJECTS THAT DON QUIXOTE SAFEGUARDS.
BUT HUACAS HAVE CAMAQUEN—LIFE ENERGY—AND STRANGE THINGS HAPPEN WHEN ONE TOUCHES THEM.
UH-OH. TO SOLVE BLASCO’S LITTLE PROBLEM, IT SEEMS THEY MUST GO TO PERU, AND GET THERE IN TIME FOR THE INTI RAYMI, THE INCAN FESTIVAL TO THE SUN GOD.
Unique Word Counts: ~400 words per book
Total Word Counts: ~4500 words per book
The Intermediate Low "PACTES" Trilogy
ANOTHER GREAT DAY AT L'ÉCOLE DON QUICHOTTE DE LA MANCHA, WHERE THIRTEEN-YEAR-OLD ANTONIA AND HER FRIENDS HAVE STUDIED SINCE THEY WERE SEVEN. THAT IS, UNTIL A YELLOW-EYED WOMAN DELIVERS A LETTER FROM THE DUCHESS OF ALBA. SHE INVITES THEM TO THE INAUGURATION OF A MUSEUM AT HER PALACE, AND “ASKS” DON QUIXOTE TO “DONATE” ALL THE SACRED INCAN OBJECTS THEY SAFEGUARD TO HER VENTURE. THAT HURTS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE THEY SAFEGUARD A PAINTING THAT HOLDS THE LAST HOPE FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE INCAN EMPIRE.
IN 1571 TÚPAC AMARU BECAME THE LAST INCA OF VILCABAMBA, GOT A PORTRAIT OF HIMSELF PAINTED AND MADE A PACT WITH THEIR SUN GOD, INTI, VIA A GOLDEN DISC MADE IN HIS IMAGE.
IF A PERSON IN THE FUTURE CAME ALONG WORTHY OF RESTORING THE EMPIRE, THEY COULD UNLOCK THE SPELL INTI PUT ON THE PAINTING, BECOME YOUNGER, AND SPEARHEAD THE RESTORATION. BUT THE SPELL OF YOUTH CAN ONLY BE UNLOCKED IN THE PRESENCE OF BOTH THE PAINTING AND THE DISC, WHICH WAS STOLEN RIGHT AFTER THE PACT AND HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN AGAIN.
IT’S 1597 NOW, AND OFF THEY GO TO THE PALACE. WHAT AWAITS THEM? THEY FEEL HOPE WHEN THEY MEET A POTENTIAL CONTENDER FOR THE INCAN EMPIRE RESTORATION, BUT DREAD TAKES OVER AS THEY UNCOVER THE DUCHESS’ OWN BLOOD-CURDLING PACT THAT COULD GET THEM ALL KILLED AND RUIN THE INCAS’ ONLY CHANCE. WILL MAGIC BE ENOUGH TO SAVE THEM AND HELP RESTORE THE INCAN EMPIRE? WHAT ABOUT TRICKERY? HOW ABOUT A PROPHECY?
Unique Word Counts: ~550 words per book
Total Word Counts: ~8500 words per book
Brilliant!...but...how is it research-based?
Simple:
Linguist Stephen Krashen's Theory is true—Comprehensible Linguistic Input is the only DATA the brain can turn into a complex representation of the language that a human being can then retrieve from in order to communicate.
Awesome! But I'm SERIOUSLY an absolute beginner. How can I just start reading books?
The BEGINNERS PACKAGE includes a lifetime FREE subscription to my digital classroom on the state-of-the-art educational platform Storylabs, where you get access to:
7 Communication Guides
and their corresponding
7 Audio Communication Guides
+
Bonus Tasks, Activities & Games that only exist on Storylabs
Psst...FYI...those 14 products are worth
$251.86
FOR FREE
Most interesting...but...
what is a
Communication Guide?
Imagine super fun, varied and research-based Games, Activities and Tasks designed specifically around each of the 7 Novice Low Books.
The Pre-reading Tasks prepare you to read each book. There are no right answers. Just have fun!
The Reading Tasks get you reading the book. You will feel ready because you completed the Pre-reading Tasks!
The Post Reading Tasks get you processing what you just read through different modalities!
To ensure learner comprehension, there is an English Translation below EVERYTHING.
The Audio Communication Guides train learners in native-like pronunciation.
EBOOK BEGINNERS PACKAGE
PAPERBACK BEGINNERS PACKAGE
EBOOK BEGINNERS PACKAGE
EBOOK BEGINNERS PACKAGE
EBOOK BEGINNERS PACKAGE
✅ 7 Ebooks
✅ 7 Audiobooks
✅ 7 Communication Guides
✅ 7 Audio Communication Guides
✅ Lifetime Storylabs Subscription
PAPERBACK BEGINNERS PACKAGE
✅ 7 Paperbacks
✅ 7 Audiobooks
✅ 7 Communication Guides
✅ 7 Audio Communication Guides
✅ Lifetime Storylabs Subscription
FRENCH
FRENCH
FRENCH
FRENCH
FRENCH
FRENCH
Amazing. I'm pretty much sold, but...why should I trust you?
Well, the second largest school district in California just bought these for their World Language classrooms! 🥳🥳🥳
But still, don't trust me. Trust the research. And...
The Intermediate Mid "MEURTRIÈRES" Trilogy
LAST YEAR OF SCHOOL AT L'ÉCOLE DON QUICHOTTE DE LA MANCHA, WHERE FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD ANTONIA AND HER FRIENDS HAVE STUDIED SINCE THEY WERE SEVEN. OH NO! DON QUIXOTE GIVES THEM A CLEAR CHOICE: THEY CAN KEEP LEARNING IN HIS LIVING ROOM, OR THEY CAN TRAVEL.
IT’S THE HARSH WINTER OF 1599, AND LUCÍA ISN’T KEEN ON FREEZING, BLASCO RAN AWAY FROM HOME TWO YEARS AGO, SO THEIR QUARTET IS RUINED, AND THEY KNOW THAT TRAVELLING WITH DON QUIXOTE EQUALS TROUBLE EVERY TIME. SO, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR.
FIRST STOP: TOLEDO. SANSÓN’S PENCHANT FOR ART IS ABOUT TO GET SATISFIED! OFF THEY GALLOP TO AN EXHIBITION FEATURING THREE PAINTERS WHO AREN’T SPANISH YET HAVE A CONNECTION TO THE COUNTRY. THEY’RE EAGER TO SEE PAINTINGS BY EL GRECO, SOFONISBA ANGUISSOLA AND LAVINIA FONTANA, BUT NO SOONER DO THEY ARRIVE THAN PEOPLE START DROPPING LIKE WOUNDED BULLFIGHTERS.
THEY COULD MOVE ON TO ITALY TO QUENCH LUCÍA’S THIRST FOR SCIENCE—OR ENGLAND, SO ANTONIA CAN GET HER LITERATURE FIX—BUT THIS BECOMES IMPOSSIBLE AS THEY MAKE AN UNEXPECTED FRIENDSHIP THAT BOTH COMPLETES THEIR QUARTET AGAIN AND PUTS THEM ALL IN MORTAL DANGER.
TO TOP IT OFF, THEY REALIZE A LEGEND ASSOCIATED TO ONE OF EL GRECO’S PAINTINGS IS PUTTING QUIXOTE AT FATAL RISK—NOW THEY REALLY MUST SOLVE THE CASE. WHAT STARTED OUT AS THEIR LAST SCHOOL TRIP SOON BECOMES A LETHAL MASQUERADE INVOLVING ROYALTY, THE POPE, DISTINCTIVE GENETICS, LOVE AND BETRAYAL, MAKING THEM QUESTION JUST WHAT EXACTLY IS ON EXHIBITION, AND WHETHER ANY NUMBER OF MASKS CAN HIDE ONE’S GREATEST FEARS.
Genre: Murder Mystery, Action & Adventure, Historical Fiction
Unique Word Counts: ~700 words per book
Total Word Counts: ~17,300 words per book
WITH The BEGINNERS Package YOU GET:
➡️ The ENTIRE Novice Low Repertoire:
✅ 7 Ebooks or 7 Paperbacks (your choice)
✅ 7 Audiobooks for FREE
✅ 7 Communication Guides for FREE
✅ 7 Audio Communication Guides for FREE
+
✅ Lifetime FREE Subscription to my digital classroom on Storylabs
and you'll have started your FRENCH Language-Learning Journey!!!
FYI...
That is a
$335
dollar value