tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54744363702010920122024-03-12T19:02:52.860-07:00Over the Rainbow Book ReviewsA Children's Picture Book, Early Reader, Middle Grade and 'Tweens Book BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger99125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-11774925213386769372023-12-06T05:12:00.000-08:002023-12-06T05:12:36.890-08:00Book Review: Scrapper's Christmas Story by Maria J. Andrade<p> <span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13Knc5RxuBxWxX2iEqCWDvVk5Lir7iD1OUHwVlPCyZsATbkvs6-AGd4TNv5Gs3ronSN42_hNJiS636YFO5d1p2OQBBTvhABJBJNwpSDm_4pXvAvtIZWy7SV9NSWIdimOMRzWygflp5oqeKFEkljzFmYtvDH7jvMahWe8W6IPmAVuxXU4lfyAFQf8Uhkam/s535/Scrapper's%20Christmas%20Story%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="430" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13Knc5RxuBxWxX2iEqCWDvVk5Lir7iD1OUHwVlPCyZsATbkvs6-AGd4TNv5Gs3ronSN42_hNJiS636YFO5d1p2OQBBTvhABJBJNwpSDm_4pXvAvtIZWy7SV9NSWIdimOMRzWygflp5oqeKFEkljzFmYtvDH7jvMahWe8W6IPmAVuxXU4lfyAFQf8Uhkam/s320/Scrapper's%20Christmas%20Story%20cover.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>Title: Scrapper's Christmas Story<br />Author: Maria J. Andrade<br />Pages: 36<br />Genre: Children’s Picture Book<p></p><p></p><h2 dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-580d7d28-7fff-0026-bbb9-38580b77c0d5" style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: initial; color: black; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;">An
angel tells the heartwarming story of a small, homeless, dog who
wanders through busy streets longing for a loving family. The enchanting</span><span style="background-color: initial; color: black; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;"><i> Scrapper’s Christmas Story</i></span><span style="background-color: initial; color: black; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;">, is a children’s book that is sure to captivate young hearts this holiday season.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: initial; color: black; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;">Written in a captivating style reminiscent of classic children’s books, </span><span style="background-color: initial; color: black; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;"><i>Scrapper’s Christmas Story, </i></span><span style="background-color: initial; color: black; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;">takes
young readers on a magical journey filled with friendship, wonder, and
the true spirit of Christmas. Follow the lovable Scrapper, alone, cold,
and friendless, as he embarks on an unforgettable adventure, where he is
befriended by the kindness of an immigrant man who also knows the need
to belong. Both dog and man discover the magic of the holiday season and
the joy of giving.</span></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: initial; color: black; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;"><i>Scrapper’s Christmas Story, </i></span><span style="background-color: initial; color: black; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;">is
ideal for children of all ages, making it the perfect choice for
parents, grandparents, and loved ones seeking a heartwarming story to
share during the holiday season!</span></span></p><p align="center"><span style="background-color: initial; color: black; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;">Buy Links:</span></p><p align="center"><a href="https://bit.ly/3s3GeL0" style="background-color: initial; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;"><b>Amazon</b></a><b style="background-color: initial; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;"> | </b><a href="https://booksasfriends.org/shop/ols/products/scrappers-christmas-story" style="background-color: initial; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;"><b>Buy From</b></a><a href="https://booksasfriends.org/shop/ols/products/scrappers-christmas-story" style="background-color: initial; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 18px;"><b> the Author with Free Shipping</b></a></p></h2><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"></p><p><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Review: </span></b><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i> </i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>Scrapper's Christmas Story</i> by Maria J. Andrade has to be one of the cutest children's books I've read with a rescue as its main character. I'm a big advocate of animal rescue and dogs in particular hold a soft spot in my heart. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">A kind old man sees a pack of dogs scrounging for food, but one in particular stands out to him. He would come back day after day looking for food so the kind old man dubbed him "Scrapper." Scrapper is hesitant at first but eventually the kind old man makes headway and gets Scrapper to come to him. What they may or may not realize is that both the old man and Scrapper have a lot in common. Both are basically immigrants looking for their place in the world. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">This book gave me goosebumps. I </span><span>give it 5 rainbows!</span></span></p><div><div style="background-color: white;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="color: #9c4695; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-84134021248973493902023-09-29T06:15:00.002-07:002023-09-29T06:15:51.777-07:00Book Review: Grace And The Golden Rule by Negrita Smart<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaCiyiWhEkZSaT9iK_QxWpZOCBD672icnRHXR5sdNZ-rRbHOKDTbeLYE9bvSSgxBNSBULlp26dPaVYCi3liht-9rZ-I8NMhH_elue40u-qmwPsOfbF8yk0ZAtumwO-NDRP_4s9ZtJN8-RIyWNJnLIsTskb4qsb2H_2a0em0AMYblMLdL1nulZzUyVVVa6/s442/Grace%20and%20the%20Golden%20Rule%20cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="442" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnaCiyiWhEkZSaT9iK_QxWpZOCBD672icnRHXR5sdNZ-rRbHOKDTbeLYE9bvSSgxBNSBULlp26dPaVYCi3liht-9rZ-I8NMhH_elue40u-qmwPsOfbF8yk0ZAtumwO-NDRP_4s9ZtJN8-RIyWNJnLIsTskb4qsb2H_2a0em0AMYblMLdL1nulZzUyVVVa6/s320/Grace%20and%20the%20Golden%20Rule%20cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Title: Grace And The Golden Rule<br />Author: Negrita Smart<br />Pages: 34<br />Genre: Children’s Picture Book</span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14pt;">Grace loves the Winter
season. It is her favorite of all seasons because she loves to play in
the snow with her friends. Winter is also Grace’s favorite season
because she can wear her favorite purple scarf. Grace wears it every day
until she meets Ruth. After meeting Ruth as school, Grace feels
differently about playing in the snow and wearing her favorite purple
scarf. This is because Grace learns a valuable lesson about how to treat
other people. </span></p><p><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">What
a beautiful story! Let me begin with the book cover. Colorful, whimsical and inviting with the color purple my absolute favorite color to put on a children's book. Don't you just love that hair and freckles??</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">In Negrita Smart's new children's picture book, <i>Grace And The Golden Rule</i>, we follow little Grace on a magical journey of discovering about other children's feelings. A new girl enters her class and Grace befriends her. She likes her so much that she invites this girl to her house to play in the snow. What should have been a fun time for Grace turned into a life lesson. What a feel good book!<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span>I would gladly recommend this book and give it 5 rainbows.</span></span></p><div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span><br />Grace and The Golden Rule is available at Amazon at </span></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;"> <a href="https://tinyurl.com/3zh4de8f">https://tinyurl.com/3zh4de8f</a></span><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="color: #9c4695; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-52978531342871870192023-09-13T21:00:00.001-07:002023-09-13T21:00:00.137-07:00Children's Book Author Interview: Negrita Smart, author of 'Grace And The Golden Rule'<p> </p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0g7cDGATquaohRh779L7SYbl3MscKk_k5o1J9BQ1L5NRvjEUbV42ju0TftCH6s6rj2GOr5iObFnae8Iee8fbqL2iHFmjcSNTivaLs6tCwomLWoA07QumDVqG1gOhgGUpDHE-vrLfsgMC/s1600/Over+the+Rainbow+Book+Reviews+-+Interview.jpg" style="color: red; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0g7cDGATquaohRh779L7SYbl3MscKk_k5o1J9BQ1L5NRvjEUbV42ju0TftCH6s6rj2GOr5iObFnae8Iee8fbqL2iHFmjcSNTivaLs6tCwomLWoA07QumDVqG1gOhgGUpDHE-vrLfsgMC/s1600/Over+the+Rainbow+Book+Reviews+-+Interview.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uV-wt6FTlinwdraPieQn8-h8fYgcOq4vTcSpWja_v7--YCsGoVO9JRn-JTw1-UBYTN02dEpA5HZrYm8o99b3v8YRuSiYrdlO1UT9min7Sf0dJ4SbfCgIW8c-PAseT-cyWbXTZrUbM3n511MJV_yDRho6ARDdv5Lx0mJe6sTWKlNUoN50LaMrO5oHqXaW/s430/Negrita%20Smart%20author.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="430" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7uV-wt6FTlinwdraPieQn8-h8fYgcOq4vTcSpWja_v7--YCsGoVO9JRn-JTw1-UBYTN02dEpA5HZrYm8o99b3v8YRuSiYrdlO1UT9min7Sf0dJ4SbfCgIW8c-PAseT-cyWbXTZrUbM3n511MJV_yDRho6ARDdv5Lx0mJe6sTWKlNUoN50LaMrO5oHqXaW/w452-h452/Negrita%20Smart%20author.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Negrita Smart is a small-town girl from Dadeville, Alabama. She is a wife, sister, believer, and teacher at heart. </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">The
first of her family to graduate from college, Negrita holds a Masters
in Business Administration and the insurance designation of Chartered
Property & Casualty Underwriters and holds insurance licenses in
Property and Casualty and Life and Health. She credits and shares her
accomplishments with her supportive family. </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Negrita
loves spending time with her family and has happily taken on the
official role of Event Planner bringing family members together through
fun and love. </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">In
her professional life, Negrita utilizes her talent for sharing
knowledge and information as a new-hire trainer creating user-friendly
webinars, courses, tests, and gauge learning within business areas such
as auto, property, and agriculture. </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">As
an author, Negrita is a member of the Society of Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators always looking to connect, share and grow with
fellow writers. </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">An
active supporter of her local church ministry, Negrita is driven to
share life lessons with children through story-telling and relatable
characters. </span></span></p>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Follow her on Instagram at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/negritasmart/">https://www.instagram.com/negritasmart/</a>.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><p>
</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks for this interview, Negrita. I've always wanted to write children's books. How did you determine that writing for children was for you? </b></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">God gave me the idea and inspiration to write a children’s book. I began writing a personal memoir in 2020 during the pandemic but was later motivated to write a children’s book instead of a memoir. </span></blockquote><p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What was the inspiration behind your children's book, Grace And</b><b> </b><b>The Golden Rule?</b><b> </b></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">I wanted to write a book that would teach children lessons based on bible principles. The Golden Rule is a biblical principle that I learned as a child. This is the first book in a series of books that will continue to teach valuable lessons to children. Also, my hope is that the books will serve as a conversation starter between parents/guardians and children about those things that are most important in life. </span></blockquote><p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading</b><b> </b><b>experience? Are you around kids? Are you a kid at heart?</b><b> </b></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">I approach writing for children by knowing the mind of a child. Children are honest. Children are direct. Children are very intelligent. Children will give you 1-2 minutes to captivate their attention. Since I know these characteristics of a child, I write with a sense of purity, I get to the point, and leave them with a message they can comprehend and retain. </span></blockquote><p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What was your favorite book as a child?</b><b> </b></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">Amelia Bedelia. I thought she was hilarious. </span></blockquote><p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>What kind of advice would you give to writers who would like to</b><b> </b><b>write children's books?</b></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-size: medium;">My advice is to find your motivation for writing for children. Ask yourself, is there something I want to teach a child, impart to a child that will shape them from childhood to adulthood.</span></blockquote><p></p>
<p> </p><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">About the Book:</span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwzEtZo658DnU-i_3Ei5zSgcibuBwylqfmDlTuNYzDy-1IohGPGTpdegzEaP7I0fwGJPgvWAsSZEIOO8f4d_VmQjI8Hvq-pI_qn37KgSvf3cBU_G1Og5SuybQSCoK1pwBT_i1P3Kc6eFPwtDLUf0EaRe6bGQdSmxk7GAy9ClikYuFX3kIAZN7YKYRUaxN/s600/Grace%20and%20the%20Golden%20Rule%20lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="537" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwzEtZo658DnU-i_3Ei5zSgcibuBwylqfmDlTuNYzDy-1IohGPGTpdegzEaP7I0fwGJPgvWAsSZEIOO8f4d_VmQjI8Hvq-pI_qn37KgSvf3cBU_G1Og5SuybQSCoK1pwBT_i1P3Kc6eFPwtDLUf0EaRe6bGQdSmxk7GAy9ClikYuFX3kIAZN7YKYRUaxN/w537-h537/Grace%20and%20the%20Golden%20Rule%20lg.jpg" width="537" /></a></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Grace
loves the Winter season. It is her favorite of all seasons because she
loves to play in the snow with her friends. Winter is also Grace’s
favorite season because she can wear her favorite purple scarf. Grace
wears it every day until she meets Ruth. After meeting Ruth as school,
Grace feels differently about playing in the snow and wearing her
favorite purple scarf. This is because Grace learns a valuable lesson
about how to treat other people. </span></p>
<span style="color: black; font-size: 14pt;">Purchase at Amazon: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/3zh4de8f">https://tinyurl.com/3zh4de8f</a></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-12557870173382804872023-08-22T10:25:00.001-07:002023-08-22T10:25:23.520-07:00Picture Book Summit 2023 is October 7, 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrqIxXjAUTfz6FjuFvq6rCNhpsh-NNNE_Jef6FlIrem-stVtMNfYaeKJasn0F38azcFFBNBWtgxx-9TQQDvYlBiyZqPJxa_0V3IMaCavh1LQu7jDbZU6qkbqKkrWFLBM4gBj1PthK2yWSkyNmgu6t9rm5XRob7kBtgAWnNsLq4dzsnLvOGcRFY6brcDBW/s1440/Picture%20Book%20Summit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="1440" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfrqIxXjAUTfz6FjuFvq6rCNhpsh-NNNE_Jef6FlIrem-stVtMNfYaeKJasn0F38azcFFBNBWtgxx-9TQQDvYlBiyZqPJxa_0V3IMaCavh1LQu7jDbZU6qkbqKkrWFLBM4gBj1PthK2yWSkyNmgu6t9rm5XRob7kBtgAWnNsLq4dzsnLvOGcRFY6brcDBW/w640-h346/Picture%20Book%20Summit.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>How exciting! Picture Book Summit 2023 has been determined to be on October 7, 2023! Get your ticket <a href="https://picturebooksummit.com/">here</a>.</p><p>Guests include Julie Andrews, Emma Walton Hamilton, Nikki Grimes, Philip C. Stead, Erin E. Stead, Angela Dalton, Julie Hedlund and Katie Davis.</p><div class="textwidget">
<p>Picture Book Summit is a world-class online conference for picture
book writers and illustrators. With keynotes and workshops from
bestselling, award-winning authors and illustrators, plus other learning
and networking opportunities for aspiring picture book authors around
the globe, all from the comfort of home, this is the one conference for
children’s writers you don’t want to miss!</p>
<p>Not all children’s literature conferences are the same. <a href="https://picturebooksummitssl.com//our_team/">Our team</a>
has invested in a robust, online learning “classroom” so we can bring
you award-winning, well-respected speakers and workshops LIVE. This
means you’ll have opportunities for Q&A, interaction with other
attendees, and live customer service throughout the entire event.
Submission opportunities? Of course! We coordinate picture book
submission opportunities for our attendees every year.</p>
<p>Picture Book Summit is not only the least stressful and most
high-value conference to attend, but the best investment you’ll make in
your writing career all year long. Skip the airport lines, travel
expenses and stress. Instead, join hundreds of other participants at the
Picture Book Summit the first Saturday of October, year after year.</p>
</div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-85447484773076483372022-08-02T04:15:00.000-07:002022-08-02T04:15:15.015-07:00Children's Book Author Interview: Maria J. Andrade, author of 'Youngen Finds Her Song: An Inspiring Adventure From the Heart of Nature'<p><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0g7cDGATquaohRh779L7SYbl3MscKk_k5o1J9BQ1L5NRvjEUbV42ju0TftCH6s6rj2GOr5iObFnae8Iee8fbqL2iHFmjcSNTivaLs6tCwomLWoA07QumDVqG1gOhgGUpDHE-vrLfsgMC/s1600/Over+the+Rainbow+Book+Reviews+-+Interview.jpg" style="color: red; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk0g7cDGATquaohRh779L7SYbl3MscKk_k5o1J9BQ1L5NRvjEUbV42ju0TftCH6s6rj2GOr5iObFnae8Iee8fbqL2iHFmjcSNTivaLs6tCwomLWoA07QumDVqG1gOhgGUpDHE-vrLfsgMC/s1600/Over+the+Rainbow+Book+Reviews+-+Interview.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.booksasfriends.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;"></b></a></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3aGWRcXO4Q88ZFFVmM2AhgozhYeRAAC6DWyBtCu1OmyT_qTcUqCH-UM6FXyip0aJ_K-TSMZ8QKMAB5wtsWz0HfZxSqaxVLcVzZwmranyiMj4XmoBbYxxE4s8_kzhD9c-R4NH8bQeSsCUhvbWk5aJOK9ZHO4tJjilZoGLWYY-IXUaAU7zRIxYhH_SzA/s459/Maria%20Andrade%20lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="459" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3aGWRcXO4Q88ZFFVmM2AhgozhYeRAAC6DWyBtCu1OmyT_qTcUqCH-UM6FXyip0aJ_K-TSMZ8QKMAB5wtsWz0HfZxSqaxVLcVzZwmranyiMj4XmoBbYxxE4s8_kzhD9c-R4NH8bQeSsCUhvbWk5aJOK9ZHO4tJjilZoGLWYY-IXUaAU7zRIxYhH_SzA/s320/Maria%20Andrade%20lg.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Maria J. Andrade</b><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> is an author and licensed Marriage, Family Therapist. She has been writing books for children and adults on the themes of love, relationship, and earth stewardship, for over twenty years. Her novel based on a true story about three women’s lifelong friendship, </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Defiance and Redemption</span></i><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> was recently published.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">She believes peace in the world, begins under our own roof. Therefore, she wrote, </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Heart Magic, Keeping Love Alive & Well,</span></i><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> a small guidebook for individuals to help them succeed in healthy, long-lasting relationships. These books are available in Spanish.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">Her five books for children, including the eco-social book</span><i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, </span></i><a href="https://amzn.to/3B2Xmme" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Youngen Finds Her Song</i></b></a> <i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">is an important and hopeful book for families to read together during these challenging times. </span></i><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">It has been loved and enjoyed by children, parents, grandparents, and teachers across America.</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">You can visit her website at </span><a href="http://www.booksasfriends.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">www.booksasfriends.com</b></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> and connect with her on </span><a href="https://twitter.com/AndradeAuthor" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Twitter</b></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/mariaandradebooks" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Facebook</b></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">, </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2837778.Maria_J_Andrade" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Goodreads</b></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> and </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-j-andrade-m-f-t-1a043712" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">LinkedIn</b></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">.</span></span></p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">About the Book:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41wNLY54NjYm5zSDLNzPpQswIxghUiYtP4bhPm-Dc6XUkfSKpAYpNNd5ZchMt46moXlh16MYIvEbrGQr9enK6E0_3wKcuFkvBSYkDl1_jZMpy06OVT3rpIEouJM8cYFFGkmkKoex_-rPbw04WS1HXhSVTo6ILyuC7XJSQMfRoh4V4-bDSP2_6-6fQYQ/s648/Youngen%20Finds%20Her%20Son%20lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="432" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj41wNLY54NjYm5zSDLNzPpQswIxghUiYtP4bhPm-Dc6XUkfSKpAYpNNd5ZchMt46moXlh16MYIvEbrGQr9enK6E0_3wKcuFkvBSYkDl1_jZMpy06OVT3rpIEouJM8cYFFGkmkKoex_-rPbw04WS1HXhSVTo6ILyuC7XJSQMfRoh4V4-bDSP2_6-6fQYQ/w266-h400/Youngen%20Finds%20Her%20Son%20lg.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>A young thrush named Youngen is having trouble finding her song. As she spends time with her friends who have beautiful feathers and nicer nests than her own, she starts to doubt herself and her parents. Rufus, a wise old owl, notices her discomfort and decides to take her on a journey to learn about the world.<p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;">As she travels with Rufus, she learns many things about the animals in the forest and about Humans – those strange animals that make war with each other, but also build magnificent cities. And she learns that Humans can also be loving and compassionate, when she finds her own life in danger. As Youngen learns about herself and the world around her, she spontaneously bursts into song – her own unique and very beautiful song.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;">Author Maria J. Andrade has written a sweet novel of a young bird coming of age. She shares tidbits of wisdom about animal life and their habits along the way, to educate while telling her story. Respect for the earth and all animal and plant life is demonstrated through Youngen’s words and actions. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">An uplifting book with a </strong><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">positive and timely message.</strong> Youngen Finds Her Song is a delight to read!</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"> —<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Alice Berger, Berger’s Book Reviews</em></span></p><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: Charmonman; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: "Cherry Swash";"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-size: large;">Book Information</span></b></span></h2><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Release Date: </b><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">October 7, 2008</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Publisher:</b><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> Clara Publishing</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Soft Cover:</b><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> ISBN: </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">978-0970634733</span><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">; 108 pages; $29.59, Hardcover $12.01; E-Book, $7.99</span></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book Website: </b><a href="https://booksasfriends.com/books/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">https://booksasfriends.com/books/</span></a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Cherry Swash"; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14pt;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon: </b><a href="https://amzn.to/3B2Xmme" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">https://amzn.to/3B2Xmme</span></a><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"> </span></span></p></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>Thanks for this interview, Maria. I've always wanted to write children's books. When did you determine that writing for children was for you? </i></b></span><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I started out my career as a Marriage, Family, Child Therapist. I specialized in working with children. I used the sand tray play method, stories, music, and poetry, to help children feel at ease in the therapy setting. As the years went by, children showed me that there were many topics they were interested in and I found myself having a conversation with young people through the writing of stories. Often these stories focused on humor, the topics of friendship, and the wonders of the natural world around us. I saw children responding to my stories so I decided to make them public for other children as well. It is such a delight when I am invited to a school to read one of my stories and I see and hear the children's reactions. I have written five children's books so far.</span><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>What was the inspiration behind your children's fiction, Youngen Finds Her Song? </i></b> </span><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a lot of negativity that children are exposed to in the modern world. So I wanted to write a story that had hope and laughter in it and contained all the wonderful things we can be grateful for in our lives. This includes family, friends, community, the beauty and generosity of nature and the world ofSpirit which is in all that lives. So I wrote a book about a small, female, bird called, "Youngen" who has little self-confidence and doesn't appreciate herself or her family and I placed her on a fabulous, fun, filled, adventure to find her unique song. Actually, she discovers more than her song on this journey but it is her caretaker, an old owl, named, "Rufus" who suggests she start this adventure with him. </span><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i> How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading experience? Are you around kids? Are you a kid at heart? </i></b></span><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I mentioned that I specialized in counseling children but I am definitely a kid at heart. I had three children of my own by the time I was twenty-two. I had a lot of fun with them because I was young myself. Now, I have five grandchildren but I love being around children of all ages. I write for young people from ages five to eighteen. </span><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>What was your favorite book as a child?</i></b></span><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Depends what age you are talking about. I loved limericks and poetry as a kid. I also loved the </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mary Poppins</em><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> books. When I was very young the first book I read is one I never forgot. It was, </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ben </em><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(The life of Benjamin Franklin as told by the mouse who lived in his house). As I got older I also loved </span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Wind In the Willows,</em><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and later</span><em style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Moby Dick. </em><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Its hard to pick one book!</span><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><i>What kind of advice would you give to writers who would like to write children's books?</i></b></span><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><br data-rich-text-line-break="true" style="background-color: white; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;" /><span face="-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Think of a story that you think children would enjoy and that would help them grow by reading. Even if it is a topic others have written about you can write it in your own unique style.What are your goals for the future? More children's books?I have written a story based on a lullaby I wrote. The story will include the lullaby in the QR code in the cover of the book. So children can see the story and hear the song by scanning the code! I hope it will be published in 2023. </span><br /><br /><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-69642037320217205672022-06-26T21:00:00.000-07:002022-06-26T21:00:00.207-07:00Book Review: Grandpa's Tales: Vampires in the Backyard and A Fish Tale by Cheryl Carpinello<p><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyp73HBnESfoULZvuT299INXBStC2DqLqXPemhdwnO0Ghu0f7cimmP48SULiTsoYZT_ZGUsmQYUDLvbjFSZTgN945RNMZw9_obTRhMWsnI2m0Zk-8QnjaRLzpOhGsi5XLg7DZgbvxZnfA9Vn0D-yRYtDeRG06-wsfkdHAeyPXrFlngbeIHml4BdmHcQ/s499/Grandpa's%20Tales%20Book%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="495" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIyp73HBnESfoULZvuT299INXBStC2DqLqXPemhdwnO0Ghu0f7cimmP48SULiTsoYZT_ZGUsmQYUDLvbjFSZTgN945RNMZw9_obTRhMWsnI2m0Zk-8QnjaRLzpOhGsi5XLg7DZgbvxZnfA9Vn0D-yRYtDeRG06-wsfkdHAeyPXrFlngbeIHml4BdmHcQ/w331-h495/Grandpa's%20Tales%20Book%203.jpg" width="331" /></a></strong></div><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><br />Title</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Vampires in the Backyard and A Fish Tale</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Author</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Cheryl Carpinello</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Publisher</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Silver Quill Publishing</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Genre</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Children’s Picture Books (Ages 4 – 8)</span><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">BOOK BLURB:</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandma and Grandpa’s Tales books 1-3 encourage early readers with fun stories incorporating difference aspects of nature. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 1</strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">, Wild Creatures In My Neighborhood</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">What if I Went to the Circus</em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">,</em> explores the wildlife around neighborhoods and introduces decision-making. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 2</strong>, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Singers of Songs</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Not Too Stubborn Humpback</em>, explores a common, but not so common insect, and lets readers see that being stubborn isn’t always good. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 3</strong>, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Vampires in the Backyard </em>and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">A Fish Tale</em>, introduces readers to an extended metaphor and lets them decide if the fish story is real.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book Information</u></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Release Date: </strong><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Grandma’s Tales #1 (2016), Grandma’s Tales #2 (2018), Grandma’s Tales #3 (2021), Grandpa’s Tales #1 (2016), Grandpa’s Tales #2 (2018), Grandpa’s Tales #3 (2021)</strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Publisher:</strong> Silver Quill Publishing</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Soft Cover:</strong> Grandma’s Tales #1 – 39 pages; $9.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandma’s Tales #2 – 66 pages; $13.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandma’s Tales #3 – 64 pages; $14.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandpa’s Tales #1 – 39 pages; $9.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandpa’s Tales #2 – 66 pages; $13.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandpa’s Tales #3 – 64 pages; $14.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 1: <a href="https://amzn.to/3374bEX" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3374bEX</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 1: <a href="https://amzn.to/3uHMKpA" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3uHMKpA</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 2: <a href="https://amzn.to/3Jan0X5" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3Jan0X5</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 2: <a href="https://amzn.to/34HGt2g" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/34HGt2g</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 3: <a href="https://amzn.to/3wELnJj" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3wELnJj</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 3: <a href="https://amzn.to/3GyXTLJ" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3GyXTLJ</a></strong></p><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">Last but not least, I am reviewing the last book in the series by Cheryl Carpinello, Grandpa's Tales: Vampires in the Backyard and A Fish Tale and what a wonderful book to finish the series with!</span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">First of all, like the others, this cover is so cute. We have Grandpa sitting in his rocker, fishing pole in tow, yet right beside him is a beware of vampires sign. Yikes! </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">It starts out with the children in the backyard doing the usual kid things - chasing butterflies so forth. Nightime comes and the vampires come out only these aren't your usual run of the mill vampires and I don't want to give it away but it's something that's in everyone's backyard!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">The next story is called A Fish Tale. George is going fishing all by himself. Only he was in for a surprise at what he caught! I won't give it away but I really felt sorry for little George. He was so proud that he was going all by himself and almost almost had "it" reeled in, then boom...and I can't give it away but this is also a cute cute story.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">All in all, I was quite impressed with the author's creativity. She has given us so much pleasure through her books. Hoping for more!<br /></span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-28536169991702818202022-06-12T21:00:00.001-07:002022-06-12T21:00:00.205-07:00Book Review: Grandma's Tales: Singer of Songs and The Not Too Stubborn Humpback by Cheryl Carpinello<p><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1Lua8k5tNLoBNb3PATY3yxKP0M-G-5B11ZPgRLCvoYjTQNknxs33hxlRtxQhbKeDG5gWjAkui8OmBQYgu2WatNpHvotOlBoRHrXecw_PC1O-Tzpms6senJw9j_sX6F_JR3CTxlF-RR5bNR3z1foCyeXaUu6QE5ipukTs_Eaw5DunZimD7_TbYTzzPw/s499/Grandma's%20Tales%20Book%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj1Lua8k5tNLoBNb3PATY3yxKP0M-G-5B11ZPgRLCvoYjTQNknxs33hxlRtxQhbKeDG5gWjAkui8OmBQYgu2WatNpHvotOlBoRHrXecw_PC1O-Tzpms6senJw9j_sX6F_JR3CTxlF-RR5bNR3z1foCyeXaUu6QE5ipukTs_Eaw5DunZimD7_TbYTzzPw/s320/Grandma's%20Tales%20Book%202.jpg" width="214" /></a></strong></div><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><br />Title</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Grandma’s and Grandpa’s Tales: Singer of Songs & The Not Too Stubborn Humpback</span><p></p><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Author</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Cheryl Carpinello</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Publisher</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Silver Quill Publishing</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Genre</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Children’s Picture Books (Ages 4 – 8)</span><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">BOOK BLURB:</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandma and Grandpa’s Tales books 1-3 encourage early readers with fun stories incorporating difference aspects of nature. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 1</strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">, Wild Creatures In My Neighborhood</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">What if I Went to the Circus</em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">,</em> explores the wildlife around neighborhoods and introduces decision-making. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 2</strong>, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Singers of Songs</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Not Too Stubborn Humpback</em>, explores a common, but not so common insect, and lets readers see that being stubborn isn’t always good. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 3</strong>, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Vampires in the Backyard </em>and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">A Fish Tale</em>, introduces readers to an extended metaphor and lets them decide if the fish story is real.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book Information</u></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Release Date: </strong><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Grandma’s Tales #1 (2016), Grandma’s Tales #2 (2018), Grandma’s Tales #3 (2021), Grandpa’s Tales #1 (2016), Grandpa’s Tales #2 (2018), Grandpa’s Tales #3 (2021)</strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Publisher:</strong> Silver Quill Publishing</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Soft Cover:</strong> Grandma’s Tales #1 – 39 pages; $9.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandma’s Tales #2 – 66 pages; $13.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandma’s Tales #3 – 64 pages; $14.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandpa’s Tales #1 – 39 pages; $9.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandpa’s Tales #2 – 66 pages; $13.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandpa’s Tales #3 – 64 pages; $14.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 1: <a href="https://amzn.to/3374bEX" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3374bEX</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 1: <a href="https://amzn.to/3uHMKpA" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3uHMKpA</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 2: <a href="https://amzn.to/3Jan0X5" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3Jan0X5</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 2: <a href="https://amzn.to/34HGt2g" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/34HGt2g</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 3: <a href="https://amzn.to/3wELnJj" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3wELnJj</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 3: <a href="https://amzn.to/3GyXTLJ" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3GyXTLJ</a></strong></p><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">I am so enjoying Cheryl Carpinello's Grandma & Grandpa Tales! For this review, I will be reading and reviewing the second book in the series, Grandma's Tales: Singer of Songs and The Not Too Stubborn Humpback.</span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">Before opening Singer of Songs, I tried to imagine what it would be about. Maybe bird creatures in the forest? How about whippoorwills; they kind of sing. Who else would be the singer of songs? When reading to my granddaughter, we try to guess what's inside and she guessed Snow White singing to the forest creatures, lol. So here we go. Who was right?</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">Crickets!!! Forgot all about those! We both lost that game but come out as winners as we dive into this delightful book.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">In Singer of Songs, we learn all about crickets - the good and the bad. I am all for educational books that make it fun to read. Thumbs up on this one.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">The second story, The Not Too Stubborn Humpback. Because the cover gave it away, we were figuring this must be about humpback whales. We were right! But mainly it's about Nemo, a young humpback whale that...you guessed it...was a little too stubborn for his good until it landed him in a lot of trouble, he got lost, couldn't find his mother but an unexpected event changed everything.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">Dotted with fun facts and places where your child can draw different things the book asks for; they were so much surprise bonuses.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: 16px;">You will love both stories. Very very cute! Two thumbs up!<br /></span><div><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-52739638874063313982022-05-08T21:00:00.001-07:002022-05-08T21:00:00.215-07:00Book Review: Grandma's Tales: Wild Creatures in My Neighborhood & What If I Went to the Circus? by Cheryl Carpinello<p><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcS3zvQu4Tvil1hlZddtscqLK3WqU23s5NdTL1sgsyqgaA9c_i43P7dxCFlLaGogwQF6ummlat5qBiRDEA50O4flh2oe4Lp6bPCsinuO9wWgoHqE5B4gLRFR8cJAxCuTFJqUOkYJ8ADDHrfpPOsUqnPibc-nxbn62jZ-rMSvs3ypcPwn5bD_ZXFuiDHA/s567/Grandma's%20Tales%20Book%201%20a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="567" data-original-width="378" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcS3zvQu4Tvil1hlZddtscqLK3WqU23s5NdTL1sgsyqgaA9c_i43P7dxCFlLaGogwQF6ummlat5qBiRDEA50O4flh2oe4Lp6bPCsinuO9wWgoHqE5B4gLRFR8cJAxCuTFJqUOkYJ8ADDHrfpPOsUqnPibc-nxbn62jZ-rMSvs3ypcPwn5bD_ZXFuiDHA/w266-h400/Grandma's%20Tales%20Book%201%20a.jpg" width="266" /></a></strong></div><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Title</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Grandma’s and Grandpa’s Tales Books 1 – 6</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Author</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Cheryl Carpinello</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Publisher</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Silver Quill Publishing</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Genre</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Children’s Picture Books (Ages 4 – 8)</span><p></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">BOOK BLURB:</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandma and Grandpa’s Tales books 1-3 encourage early readers with fun stories incorporating difference aspects of nature. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 1</strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">, Wild Creatures In My Neighborhood</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">What if I Went to the Circus</em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">,</em> explores the wildlife around neighborhoods and introduces decision-making. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 2</strong>, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Singers of Songs</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Not Too Stubborn Humpback</em>, explores a common, but not so common insect, and lets readers see that being stubborn isn’t always good. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 3</strong>, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Vampires in the Backyard </em>and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">A Fish Tale</em>, introduces readers to an extended metaphor and lets them decide if the fish story is real.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book Information</u></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Release Date: </strong><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Grandma’s Tales #1 (2016), Grandma’s Tales #2 (2018), Grandma’s Tales #3 (2021), Grandpa’s Tales #1 (2016), Grandpa’s Tales #2 (2018), Grandpa’s Tales #3 (2021)</strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Publisher:</strong> Silver Quill Publishing</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Soft Cover:</strong> Grandma’s Tales #1 – 39 pages; $9.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandma’s Tales #2 – 66 pages; $13.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandma’s Tales #3 – 64 pages; $14.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandpa’s Tales #1 – 39 pages; $9.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandpa’s Tales #2 – 66 pages; $13.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">Grandpa’s Tales #3 – 64 pages; $14.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 1: <a href="https://amzn.to/3374bEX" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3374bEX</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 1: <a href="https://amzn.to/3uHMKpA" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3uHMKpA</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 2: <a href="https://amzn.to/3Jan0X5" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3Jan0X5</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 2: <a href="https://amzn.to/34HGt2g" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/34HGt2g</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 3: <a href="https://amzn.to/3wELnJj" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3wELnJj</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 3: <a href="https://amzn.to/3GyXTLJ" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3GyXTLJ</a></strong></p><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;">What a cute 2 for 1 book! Grandma's Tales: Wild Creatures in My Neighborhood and What If I Went to the Circus? is actually two delightful and fun to read stories within Grandma's and Grandpa's Tales by Cheryl Carpinello.</span></span><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;">In the first story, Wild Creatures in My Neighborhood had me in fits of laughter and I'm not a kid! I love this story because not many kids realize that there's a whole bunch of animals that live in the city as well as the country. This is perfect for your city rug rat so that they realize that animals are not restricted to the country.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;">In What If I Went to the Circus?, the illustrations in this story were so cute! So the little boy goes to the circus and starts dreaming up ways to have the circus animals for pets, only one by one they get eliminated for very good reasons! At the circus, the child looks at the animals acting behaved and downright fun. They would make perfect pets! Oh no...the little boy takes each animal he would like to have as a pet and found reasons they would be better off at the circus.</span></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;">How cute was this book! I give it a big thumbs up!</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-78407441703073500412022-04-05T21:00:00.001-07:002022-04-05T21:00:00.215-07:00Children's Book New Release! Grandma's & Grandpa's Tales by Cheryl Carpinello<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzVINjhh5EhRRKXbme8n_B-XKZftklio5p1fb18Cn2AyVvNXPF_k1lnDwAwd2-oP7eqnl1C8lASZpdcBSImcHBRR7juAZ1tuNcLqFVYwkM78lATY4-hcH-dmiPxcWyy2T6s9dMwX9-5TLMbEUidxKuQ5y0a66H6jRoFgXyQUaCXg8K2P_Gfb8m3WZiw/s886/Grandma's%20&%20Grandpas%20Tales.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="886" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzVINjhh5EhRRKXbme8n_B-XKZftklio5p1fb18Cn2AyVvNXPF_k1lnDwAwd2-oP7eqnl1C8lASZpdcBSImcHBRR7juAZ1tuNcLqFVYwkM78lATY4-hcH-dmiPxcWyy2T6s9dMwX9-5TLMbEUidxKuQ5y0a66H6jRoFgXyQUaCXg8K2P_Gfb8m3WZiw/w640-h634/Grandma's%20&%20Grandpas%20Tales.png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Title</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Grandma’s and Grandpa’s Tales Books 1 – 6</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Author</strong>: Cheryl Carpinello</div><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Publisher</strong>: Silver Quill Publishing</div></strong><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><div style="text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Genre</strong>: Children’s Picture Books (Ages 4 – 8)</div></strong><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">BOOK BLURB:</strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Grandma and Grandpa’s Tales books 1-3 encourage early readers with fun stories incorporating difference aspects of nature. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 1</strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">, Wild Creatures In My Neighborhood</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">What if I Went to the Circus</em><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">,</em> explores the wildlife around neighborhoods and introduces decision-making. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 2</strong>, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Singers of Songs</em> and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Not Too Stubborn Humpback</em>, explores a common, but not so common insect, and lets readers see that being stubborn isn’t always good. <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book 3</strong>, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Vampires in the Backyard </em>and <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">A Fish Tale</em>, introduces readers to an extended metaphor and lets them decide if the fish story is real.</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><u style="box-sizing: border-box;">Book Information</u></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Release Date: </strong><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Grandma’s Tales #1 (2016), Grandma’s Tales #2 (2018), Grandma’s Tales #3 (2021), Grandpa’s Tales #1 (2016), Grandpa’s Tales #2 (2018), Grandpa’s Tales #3 (2021)</strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Publisher:</strong> Silver Quill Publishing</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Soft Cover:</strong> Grandma’s Tales #1 – 39 pages; $9.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Grandma’s Tales #2 – 66 pages; $13.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Grandma’s Tales #3 – 64 pages; $14.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Grandpa’s Tales #1 – 39 pages; $9.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Grandpa’s Tales #2 – 66 pages; $13.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Grandpa’s Tales #3 – 64 pages; $14.99</p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 1: <a href="https://amzn.to/3374bEX" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3374bEX</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 1: <a href="https://amzn.to/3uHMKpA" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3uHMKpA</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 2: <a href="https://amzn.to/3Jan0X5" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3Jan0X5</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 2: <a href="https://amzn.to/34HGt2g" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/34HGt2g</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Ma 3: <a href="https://amzn.to/3wELnJj" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3wELnJj</a></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Pa 3: <a href="https://amzn.to/3GyXTLJ" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3GyXTLJ</a></strong></p><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">About the Author:</span></h3><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHgPsqC-_NNzg7j9qsmH6eWhnXw7OUDuZdc5YsLKs1o4zTS_Mv58eWvbNnrv5xKkbP7HQuv_bMYjT9jW-86BnBK7RaqS_DzqdCWKeD0chw0wMZvQSRrSW9k5xqPZ0VXHOxjZe0kPhzP6ydgeuN4VhBVIo0WoNm6nWulxI2fMyYb4nU5E3G8m98nN71g/s630/Cheryl%20Carpinello.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="630" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHgPsqC-_NNzg7j9qsmH6eWhnXw7OUDuZdc5YsLKs1o4zTS_Mv58eWvbNnrv5xKkbP7HQuv_bMYjT9jW-86BnBK7RaqS_DzqdCWKeD0chw0wMZvQSRrSW9k5xqPZ0VXHOxjZe0kPhzP6ydgeuN4VhBVIo0WoNm6nWulxI2fMyYb4nU5E3G8m98nN71g/s320/Cheryl%20Carpinello.png" width="320" /></a></strong></div><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br />Cheryl Carpinello</strong> taught high school English for 25 years. During that time, she worked with numerous students who didn’t like to read for a variety of reasons. However, she discovered that even the most reluctant readers became engaged in the classroom and in reading when she introduced units on King Arthur and the works of ancient world writers. Upon retiring, she set out to write fast-paced, action-filled stories in these setting to encourage young readers to read more. Her success with readers aged 8-16 led her to reach out to the youngest of readers and those readers just starting out. Revising stories she had written for her own children, she created <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MYKWYVY?binding=paperback&ref=dbs_dp_rwt_sb_pc_tpbk" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Grandma/Grandpa’s Tales</strong></a> for ages 4-7. Her four grandchildren’s conversations created the stories in Book 3 of this series.<p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Visit her on <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.twitter.com/ccarpinello" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Twitter</a> </strong>and <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href=" https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.carpinello1" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a></strong>.</p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-65893470602869578672022-02-10T08:29:00.000-08:002022-03-09T05:41:00.533-08:00Book Review: Nomophobia by JD Wise<p><br /></p><b><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj98org_0UgB66NQDo6u-xq-kNC4F1R1Vtd7Bedeo7h1bcEfELnf-TLWrxJ4nanyKTX6sTyx5Va0hgiykR5aT_0_CNjqncPSL_Em8hnRa3VRnIgQdNCw0sbOvsR4UdrfLC5C1CEvGfKSuLBc_2549japQj1ElVuvJ0iHZNuIH1Fr4FaTWe7yIebwvNIoA=s600" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="437" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj98org_0UgB66NQDo6u-xq-kNC4F1R1Vtd7Bedeo7h1bcEfELnf-TLWrxJ4nanyKTX6sTyx5Va0hgiykR5aT_0_CNjqncPSL_Em8hnRa3VRnIgQdNCw0sbOvsR4UdrfLC5C1CEvGfKSuLBc_2549japQj1ElVuvJ0iHZNuIH1Fr4FaTWe7yIebwvNIoA=w291-h400" width="291" /></a></div><br />Title: NOMOPHOBIA</span></b></div>Author: JD Wise<br />Pages: 28<br />Genre: Children’s Picture Book</span></b><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">BOOK BLURB:</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Welcome to <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2ZWPimZ" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">NOMOPHOBIA</a></em></strong> – A PLACE IN TIME WHERE OVERUSED CELLULAR DEVICES TURN CHILDREN INTO OGRES.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">This is a somewhat true, mostly exaggerated story of modern-day children – children who have spent way too much time on their phones. One night the children are mysteriously turned into ogres. At first the children blame each other for their condition. When they finished blaming each other, they worked together to find a cure. They searched the house for a cure…but they could not find one. They tried to wash the ogre off…but it stayed on.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">They had all but given up when sissy’s phone accidently falls into the fish tank. When the phone gets wet, a hidden message appears: YOU WERE TURNED INTO OGRES, BECAUSE ON THE PHONE YOU DID STAY! NOW, PUT IT AWAY AND GO OUT AND PLAY!</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">So the children rushed outside, where they returned to normal. That day the children learned a valuable lesson. OVERUSED CELL PHONES TURN CHILDREN INTO OGRES.</span></p><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;">Before I give you my review, I have to tell you a true story. I was behind a busload of kids coming home from school. As soon as each one of their little feetsies hit the gravel, they were on their cell phones and it made me say right out loud, "Boy if that isn't the sign of the times." I can't really knock owning a cell phone as a child. I'm sure I would have been doing the same thing had I had one back then. But I'm kinda glad I didn't because I would have joined thousands upon thousands of other little kids who relied on wifi to round out my world. Not that gleaming information from the information highway wasn't a bad thing, but cell phones I think kinda take away from the whole experience of being a child.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Nomophobia was a cute little book with awesome illustrations. Instead of sounding preachy, we read a story about kids who suddenly in their sleep wake up looking green. Well, they're ogres. Nothing they can do will change them back to their original cell-loving kid bodies. The story tells us how the kids tried to find ways to get rid of their ogre-ness and with the illustrations, they were downright hilarious. I won't tell you how they got out of it (if they did of course) but this book is such an enjoyable read.<br /></span><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;">With that said, I loved loved loved Nomophobia. </span></span><br /><div><div><div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /><i>NOMOPHOBIA </i>is available at Amazon at </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3Fwczvq">https://amzn.to/3Fwczvq</a>. </span></span></div></div></div></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px;"><br /></span></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-63835178007175327262021-12-02T03:46:00.001-08:002021-12-02T03:46:05.045-08:00Interview with Children's Picture Book Author JD Wise<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="618" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/w640-h310/image.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">JD Wise is a West Virginian-born author who believes that the world can be changed for the better, by one person, one time, doing the right thing.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">“Just think what would happen if we all did that,” said Wise.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Wise is happily married to the love of his life. Together, they have four wonderful children, who are the true inspiration for the book.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2ZWPimZ" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Nomophobia</em></strong></a> is his latest children’s book.</span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Visit him on <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.instagram.com/achildcalledyou" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Instagram</a></strong> and <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/326002875526486" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a></strong>.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; text-align: center;"><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.1; margin: 20px -15px 10px; padding: 0.6em 15px 0.5em; position: relative;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thanks
for this interview, JD. I've always wanted to write children's
books. When did you determine that writing for children was for you?</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"></span></p><blockquote>I
had the idea that maybe I could take new ideas and turn them into a learning
experience through the pages of a book. </blockquote></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What
was the inspiration behind your children's book, Nomophobia?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">Finding an interesting way to inspire children to put down their phone's. To
get them to realize that they could be missing out on things that surround them
that they can enjoy and benefit more from. </span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">How do
you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading experience? Are
you around kids? Are you a kid at heart?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">I look back on the things that caught my attention when I was a child and I
compare it to what kids today may be interested in. I also try to include
an awesome learning experience through reading in order to make it fun.
Yes, I am around kids mostly everyday. I am definitely a giant child!</span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What
was your favorite book as a child?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">Berenstain Bears Collection, by Stan and Jan Berenstain (I loved them all)</span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What
kind of advice would you give to writers who would like to write children's
books?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">When you feel like you haven't done enough, do a little more. This can
pertain to all steps of writing a children's book. </span></blockquote><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What
are your goals for the future? More children's books?</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;"></span></span></p><blockquote><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">Well, Somewhere Over the Rainbow; it would be fun if Nomophobia was turned into
a movie, or even a Broadway play. The cast would be so easy to
find. You can't even go to the grocery store without seeing 30+ kids on
their phones. But on this side of the rainbow, I am going to keep writing
more children's books.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span><p></p></h2><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin: 20px -15px 10px; padding: 0.6em 15px 0.5em; position: relative;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">BOOK BLURB:</strong></h2><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwYbeyy6CpRjn-UIKzzmsZOBRddQaIVeVHxpyYnLyr7ciOA8fvyfSmMCmU8ZNvAQyj6Qqt7bf9qda2i6xJfppkFu_dJ2kHgMsCwQy2ZcxrglKbvArJr3XN_a7T-fZWnMOBYUf751Z-dHx/s750/Nomophobia.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="587" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSwYbeyy6CpRjn-UIKzzmsZOBRddQaIVeVHxpyYnLyr7ciOA8fvyfSmMCmU8ZNvAQyj6Qqt7bf9qda2i6xJfppkFu_dJ2kHgMsCwQy2ZcxrglKbvArJr3XN_a7T-fZWnMOBYUf751Z-dHx/w313-h400/Nomophobia.png" width="313" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><br />Welcome to <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://amzn.to/2ZWPimZ" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">NOMOPHOBIA</a></em></strong> – A PLACE IN TIME WHERE OVERUSED CELLULAR DEVICES TURN CHILDREN INTO OGRES.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">This is a somewhat true, mostly exaggerated story of modern-day children – children who have spent way too much time on their phones. One night the children are mysteriously turned into ogres. At first the children blame each other for their condition. When they finished blaming each other, they worked together to find a cure. They searched the house for a cure…but they could not find one. They tried to wash the ogre off…but it stayed on.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">They had all but given up when sissy’s phone accidently falls into the fish tank. When the phone gets wet, a hidden message appears: YOU WERE TURNED INTO OGRES, BECAUSE ON THE PHONE YOU DID STAY! NOW, PUT IT AWAY AND GO OUT AND PLAY!</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">So the children rushed outside, where they returned to normal. That day the children learned a valuable lesson. OVERUSED CELL PHONES TURN CHILDREN INTO OGRES.</span></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-21115176426231574432021-11-25T21:00:00.001-08:002021-11-25T21:00:00.228-08:00Book Review: Creature Cat Tales by M.G. Rorai<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0KB2fcSOLXFYAnK2Z_NWNwxbdbae9bxxHFHfiTOGmsPKzmB8HxRXezt-vc3KkyuqaCCzxD42eDsoRoF732U1WHi8c7cZzfK7CH4EJJZQBGM9Eq5kOIj82MhWMcE_4vmZXfQ6i6kYqAIx/s2048/Creature+Cat+Tales+lg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP0KB2fcSOLXFYAnK2Z_NWNwxbdbae9bxxHFHfiTOGmsPKzmB8HxRXezt-vc3KkyuqaCCzxD42eDsoRoF732U1WHi8c7cZzfK7CH4EJJZQBGM9Eq5kOIj82MhWMcE_4vmZXfQ6i6kYqAIx/s320/Creature+Cat+Tales+lg.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br /><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Title: CREATURE CAT TALES</span></b><p></p><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Author: M.G. Rorai<br />Pages: 68<br />Genre: Children’s Picture Book</span></span></b><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">BOOK BLURB:</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">This whimsical collection of poetic life lessons is sure to inspire positivity and values while delighting young readers with charming creature cat stories and illustrations. Come join the creature cats as they make learning fun—a purrfect addition to any kid’s collection. Suggested reading age 8-12.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span></p><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;">First I have to say this is a wonderful book...you know how sometimes you feel different and everyone picks on you...wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to show these people that inside you're really really nice and then wouldn't it be wonderful if you formed your own community for those who are just a little different? Welcome to Creature Cat Town!</span><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;">What a great message this book shows us, but wait, let's get to know the creatures who live there! There's Zima the Zombie-Cat, Milo the Mummy Cat, Warren the Were-Cat, then there's Mary who has water features, Franken-Cat, William the Wendigo-Cat, Sammy the Spider-Cat, Uni the Unicorn-Cat, Cameron the Chimera Cat, Manny the Mer-Cat and more!</span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;">What I absolutely loved was that each section had a different creature cat and each holds a story - a lesson on how even though each cat had something different about it, they surpassed their own expectations. </span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;">This story is whimsical and enchanting. The author has a great imagination!</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Here's an example of what's inside: </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><div><span style="background-color: #bdbdbd; color: #222222; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"></span></div></span><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="background-color: #bdbdbd; color: #222222; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Mary was a water creature</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">with webbed feet and tail;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">her kind glided through water</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">as naturally as whales.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Her brother swam strong</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">while her sister liked to splash</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Mary liked neither;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">she certainly wasn’t rash.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Her tribe would hold parties</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">in the ocean so vast;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Mary always stayed put;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Bereft, alone and outcast.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">She remembered when they were little</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Running up and down the beach;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Life was the cat’s meow</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">to use a figure of speech</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Her mother taught them to wade</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">and paddle just like so</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">then dive into the deep</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">and catch the fish below.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Mary had a secret</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">that she never said out loud;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">she kept it to herself;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">this thought she was not proud.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Mary was afraid of drowning</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">she didn’t want to chance</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">breathing in the water</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">and doing a drowning-cat dance.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">So she sat on the shore</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">while others went out to play</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">until she heard a desperate mew</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">coming from the water one day.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">A cat had fallen</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">from an overhanging tree;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">there were no other creatures around</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">she would have to go into the sea.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Mary gathered her courage</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">and paddled out to help;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">She reached the kitten in time;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">As she grabbed it, it yelped.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">As she pulled the small one to safety</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">she saw a crowd had gathered</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">cheering her on;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">showing how much she had mattered.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Back on the shore</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">her siblings praised her actions</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">she was their quick-thinking sister</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Mary grinned with satisfaction.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">After that day</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">Mary realized she swam well;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">She stopped fearing the ocean;</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: center;">And now has sea stories to tell.</span></div></span><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"></span></blockquote><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br />Wonderful story in verse! </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">I would gladly recommend this book and give it 5 rainbows (wish I could give it more!).<br /><br /><i>Creature Cat Tales </i>is available at Amazon at </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="background-color: white;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3zFP5QR">https://amzn.to/3zFP5QR</a></span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px;">.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="color: #9c4695; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-51691773771268355952021-11-09T21:00:00.001-08:002021-11-09T21:00:00.205-08:00Children's Book New Release! A Christmas Kindness by Cheryl C. Maladrinos<p><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"></strong></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyqy61ocGfzJNkkNLXRoUkwJsLBbifgvdaRJZX9Kjp2-8P_d2yXM8VyUhskMhyphenhyphenGRH8wq-pH17TSU6ZWJuHqYy0djMiO8qxSB5rwqpe_8fYQNfgXWZj_IV-3kugO3enEbR51kN8tL-AJnj/s650/A+Christmas+Kindness.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="474" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyqy61ocGfzJNkkNLXRoUkwJsLBbifgvdaRJZX9Kjp2-8P_d2yXM8VyUhskMhyphenhyphenGRH8wq-pH17TSU6ZWJuHqYy0djMiO8qxSB5rwqpe_8fYQNfgXWZj_IV-3kugO3enEbR51kN8tL-AJnj/w291-h400/A+Christmas+Kindness.png" width="291" /></a></strong></div><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><br />Title</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: A CHRISTMAS KINDNESS</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Author</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: Cheryl C. Malandrinos</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Publisher</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: 4RV Publishing</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Pages</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: 52</span><br style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;" /><strong style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Genre</strong><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">: First Chapter Reader</span><p></p><div><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-bottom: 10pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Eight-year-old Robert is eager to share his wish list with Santa at the mall on Christmas Eve. When he meets Glenn, who only has one request for Santa, Robert is confused about what he should do. Can he cast aside what he wants and ask Santa to bring his new friend a special gift?</span></div><ul style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.4; list-style-image: initial; list-style-position: initial; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px 2.5em;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><i>A Christmas Kindness is available at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Kindness-Cheryl-C-Malandrinos-ebook/dp/B00IGH5BOE/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MZMDK8PASJB4&keywords=a+christmas+kindness+by+cheryl+malandrinos&qid=1636117956&qsid=133-1473307-7279038&sprefix=a+christmas+kindness%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-1&sres=B00IGH5BOE%2CB07176X8JY%2CB01MF80DLT%2CB004M0FKNG%2CB07PNLVK42%2CB07W3VDYQH%2CB07PMTG3TF%2CB07FVG434F%2CB08P79QPKM%2CB07FV1BYK3%2CB07FTVZ4LT%2CB08PRZ8QHB%2CB07BVBWXWN%2CB07XD61TDQ%2CB07FTVC6YN%2CB085FSVR83&srpt=ABIS_BOOK" style="color: red; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Amazon</span></a>.</i></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><i>Pick up your copy at <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-christmas-kindness-cheryl-c-malandrinos/1133131604" style="color: red; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Barnes & Noble</span></a>.</i></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0.25em 0px;"><i>Purchase your book directly from the publisher at <a href="http://www.4rvpublishing.com/cheryl-c-malandrinos.html">4RV Publishing</a>.</i></li></ul><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Book Excerpt:</b><div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><div style="background-color: #bdbdbd; color: #222222; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; text-align: center;">"Oh, when will we get there?" whispered Robert from the backseat of his mother's car. He fiddled with the pull on his coat. The wipers brushed aside the snow falling on the windshield.</span></div><div style="background-color: #bdbdbd; color: #222222; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px;"><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">As they arrived, lines of cars streamed in and out of the mall parking lot. Robert peered over his mother's shoulder and saw her white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. She huffed as she scanned the parking lot for an empty space. He wiggled around, but his seat belt kept him secure.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Inside the mall, Christmas music and the tinkling of jingle bells tickled Robert's ears. With his mother, Robert weaved through the crowd of shoppers. He smelled fried food from Burger Mart. The sweet scent of warm chocolate chip cookies from the bakery made his mouth water.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Robert's shoulders drooped when he saw how many kids waited to see Santa. There were babies, some crying and struggling to get out of their mother's arms. Little kids, many younger than eight-year-old Robert, clung to their father's pants or jumped up and down as they waited their turn.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">"This is going to take forever!"</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";">About the Author:</span></h3><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: left;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"></strong></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuka9av2YcHXoIV0K74_Re-y9Mkh_KUww1ICsNAqjwntx-Q9leJDFV2w4nAJp8DJKrSDH5G_uHFs_8-w3btfSNC6xY0xUj77TpDCUkA-Rf4jgN_yTslDINrKgP8cBcos-dIlXauvjgYTJS/s580/Cheryl+C+Malandrinos.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="457" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuka9av2YcHXoIV0K74_Re-y9Mkh_KUww1ICsNAqjwntx-Q9leJDFV2w4nAJp8DJKrSDH5G_uHFs_8-w3btfSNC6xY0xUj77TpDCUkA-Rf4jgN_yTslDINrKgP8cBcos-dIlXauvjgYTJS/s320/Cheryl+C+Malandrinos.png" width="252" /></a></strong></div><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><br />Cheryl C. Malandrinos</strong> is a freelance writer and editor. She is the author of four children’s books including, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">A Christmas Kindness</em>, released by 4RV Publishing. A member of SCBWI, she is blogger and book reviewer. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and two daughters. She also has a son who is married.<p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Visit Cheryl online at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2925401174378785919/5234518617054587014" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">http://ccmalandrinos.com</a> and her children’s book blog at <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2925401174378785919/5234518617054587014" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">https://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com</a>.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: Arvo; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;">Connect with Cheryl on <a href="https://twitter.com/ccmalandrinos" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063531010581" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">Facebook</a>.</span></p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-71673110668690742152021-09-29T21:00:00.001-07:002021-09-29T21:00:00.213-07:00Book Review: Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia by Julia Hengst<b><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4nVUouofPwRD-9g00j7X5GdcDpxWXCUMeGs9ltaj1EN1tOM8r6AFZrKicewvrjSWJUS6yB6176XZko9isc7FriSKGPA2Oxnc7jz2fO1tPwO7cXHishiGn6KvIUlacRpbp6NZewoMJZUT/s636/Venus+Underwater.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="636" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS4nVUouofPwRD-9g00j7X5GdcDpxWXCUMeGs9ltaj1EN1tOM8r6AFZrKicewvrjSWJUS6yB6176XZko9isc7FriSKGPA2Oxnc7jz2fO1tPwO7cXHishiGn6KvIUlacRpbp6NZewoMJZUT/w400-h333/Venus+Underwater.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Title: VENUS UNDERWATER: SONGS FROM MERMAIDIA</span></span></b></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Author: Julia Hengst<br />Pages: 36<br />Genre: Children’s Picture Book</span></span></b><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">BOOK BLURB:</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">The first book of a new series, this humorous, whimsical collection of poems and songs reveals how baby mermaids are made, what mermaid families are like, and how mermaids study magic at School of the Fish to become Sea Witches (not Sand Witches).</span></p><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">This is the story of how mermaids are born and how they survive using colorful wording and out of this world illustrations as well as other wonderful under the sea characters. Each page is whimsical and I loved the pages with the songs - if you are reading to a child, you can pick your own melody so fun!<br /></span></span><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">I am just tickled pink this is part of a new series. The wording, illustrations, everything, shouldn't be confined to this one book. Out of all the children's books I have reviewed, this has got to be my favorite. The illustrations will knock you off your feet.</span></span><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">I so loved this story. Whimsical...enchanting...addictive. I loved the way the authors used such words as merbabies, Switchy Witches, Mermagrams, octomom, Jolly Jellybus...you can tell the author has a great imagination!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Here's an example of what's inside: </span></div><div><br /></div><div><blockquote><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: x-large;">"Mermaids and friends travel on a cosmic rainbow trail. The rainbow trail
inter-connects all of Mermaidia, and any vehicle that merges onto it becomes
part of the Soul Train.
The Soul Train has many different carriages, such as the Dragon Wagon,
the Jolly Jellybus and Sally Slugbutter’s Mysterious Magic Bus."</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span><br />See what I'm talking about? Exquisite! Imaginative to the max...wonderful story! What I also loved about the book is it's a feel good book - one in which if your child has had a rotten day, open it up, read, sing, laugh together.</span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span>I would gladly recommend this book and give it 5 rainbows (wish I could give it more!).<br /><br /><i>VENUS UNDERWATER: SONGS FROM MERMAIDIA </i>is available at Amazon at<span style="color: #444444;"> </span></span></span><a href="http://bit.ly/venusflytrip" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">bit.ly/venusflytrip</a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px;">.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="color: #9c4695; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-69033592420066130692021-09-02T06:17:00.001-07:002021-09-02T06:17:09.109-07:00Interview with Children's Picture Book Author Julia Hengst<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="618" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/w640-h310/image.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunjEPdVZU5w5t1PIJ8nnEGSYxLZAkmPenBzEUFAZIh83Cw5pv7lvyWeYBzg6RrRav8rJYeGMToC8tLgLvjt64-HutsTYkVXJ1MO1JX-8beKq5LmmfT6CY4vroieBp7xEQiiD93L5iWKT-/s500/Julia+Hengst+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="500" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunjEPdVZU5w5t1PIJ8nnEGSYxLZAkmPenBzEUFAZIh83Cw5pv7lvyWeYBzg6RrRav8rJYeGMToC8tLgLvjt64-HutsTYkVXJ1MO1JX-8beKq5LmmfT6CY4vroieBp7xEQiiD93L5iWKT-/s320/Julia+Hengst+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />Julia Hengst is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, an avid surfer, traveler and word nerd who resides in Maui. Passionate about psychology, spirituality and media literacy, she holds an undergraduate degree in Media Studies from UC Berkeley, a Masters degree in Counseling Psychology, and an imaginary degree from the University of Puns.</span><p></p><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;">WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:</h3><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.venusandherflytrip.net/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">WEBSITE</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/venusunderwater" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">TWITTER</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/venusandherflytrip" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">FACEBOOK</a> | <a href="http://www.instagram.com/venusandherflytrip" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">INSTAGRAM</a></h3></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; text-align: center;"><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 1.1; margin: 20px -15px 10px; padding: 0.6em 15px 0.5em; position: relative;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Thanks for this interview, Julia. I’ve always wanted to write children’s
books. When did you determine that
writing for children was for you?<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">To be honest, my original intention was to write a series
for teenagers, since I’ve worked with teens as a psychotherapist and mentor for
over 20 years. Once I began brainstorming the series, which will have various
ideas from psychology and other healing traditions, it became clear early
intervention is the best! The sooner we can expose kids to positive ideas, the
better, so I expanded the series to begin with books for children.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">What was the inspiration behind your children’s book, Venus
Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia?<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">One of my brothers has three daughters, all of whom are 12
and under. During a visit with him five years ago, we discussed my therapy work
in high schools, and he asked what is the biggest problem I see facing kids
these days. Self hatred, I told him. He then asked how he can help prevent self
hatred in his daughters. I told him I’d get back to him, and this book series
is the answer! Mass media is one of the biggest contributors to self hatred, so
my goal is to create a series that helps kids navigate the world so they are
protected from some of the most toxic elements of mass media. This first book
sets the stage for a much larger story that will unfold over several future
books.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun
reading experience? Are you around kids?
Are you a kid at heart?<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My name, Julia, means “youthful,” and I am definitely a
jokester, so yes - I am a child at heart forever! One interesting thing about
meditation practices is that one of the goals is to develop a mind of
“childlike wonder.” This is why psychedelics are making a resurgence in
psychology, because people reconnect with their child-like mind of wonder and
awe. I hope to tap into that state of mind.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">What was your favorite book as a child?<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I loved anything by Roald Dahl. The Wonderful Story of Henry
Sugar was one of my favorites, and introduced me to mysticism and philanthropy
in one go!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">What kind of advice would you give writers who would like to
write children’s books?<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I would advice them to do research on all the options, such
as print on demand versus offset printing, and what it means to go the indie route
versus the traditional route. There is a ton of information available, and
SCBWI is a fantastic resource. Consulting with others and networking through
established channels yields a lot of rewards.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">What are your goals for the future? More children’s books?<span style="font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">My goal is to publish these six books for kids, then six
more for teens. I hope to incorporate lots more tools from alternative healing
traditions as well as psychology into the books, all of which will be greatly
expanded upon in the teen series. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The ultimate dream is to turn these books into an animated
series of some kind. We are all so visual and it would bring the messages of
these books to a whole new level. Plus, the time has come for edutainment,
where we educate more and more in a way that is also entertaining. The world is
so full of sad, shocking news that I would really like to cheer people up with
this series, in as many formats as possible.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></span></h2><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border-bottom: 1px solid transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin: 20px -15px 10px; padding: 0.6em 15px 0.5em; position: relative;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">BOOK BLURB:</strong></h2><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0Qe5zsj9-Ur0LcfYfPcR_3_HZDtBkWM-WeTlBNdJMYOJoing0P5pJzf0VfNaKTmIjtLgE8M6z7wcmy6yGNy635CCsJKOWs2P8LhzLXGa8FQ3qcH7lOTUZrQYhMy-fcgzck7C9HmMTkaH/s636/Venus+Underwater.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="636" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu0Qe5zsj9-Ur0LcfYfPcR_3_HZDtBkWM-WeTlBNdJMYOJoing0P5pJzf0VfNaKTmIjtLgE8M6z7wcmy6yGNy635CCsJKOWs2P8LhzLXGa8FQ3qcH7lOTUZrQYhMy-fcgzck7C9HmMTkaH/w400-h333/Venus+Underwater.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />The first book of a new series, this humorous, whimsical collection of poems and songs reveals how baby mermaids are made, what mermaid families are like, and how mermaids study magic at School of the Fish to become Sea Witches (not Sand Witches).<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />PRAISE</span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">An inspiring read in so many ways – each of the works has a special feeling. It made me smile, laugh and relate to different personalities in the book. Itʻs definitely a unique and heart-warming way to express our feelings, actions and personalities. This is a kids book that I think many adults need to read. Iʻm looking forward to reading the entires series. I loved the different terms and their connections: Emoceans, Sane Lane, Unihorn, m.maximus and m.magnificus and their sets of eight. So clever! Absolutely loved it!! – <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Andrea Moller, world record holding big wave surfer, mom, Paramedic</strong></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">What an awesome opportunity for young folkx to be able to connect to the world in a more positive and affirming way. These books are going to touch many young hearts and promote self love for many. Not only is the language inclusive, but welcoming to all communities. Looking forward to reading more! – <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">America Islas, LMFT, Mom</strong></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This book is simply enchanting. The illustrations are delightful and appropriate for young children. Unlike the typically sexualized depictions of mermaids, these sea creatures are diverse and celebrate all kinds of shapes and colors. The language is playful, and the story is sweet, silly, and embraces positive values without moralizing. I recommend this book for boys and girls, and anyone who enjoys fantasy. – <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Kate Gillooly, Mother of twin boys, Marriage & Family Therapist</strong></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Venus Underwater: Songs from Mermaidia is a guide through the answers we’ve all desperately sought since childhood: Where do mermaids come from? Why can’t we ever see them? Do they sing and dance? How do they stay underwater?</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Sooo much more….</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">This clever and delightful book will enchant young and old. It takes the reader and listener “152 unfathomables deep in the sea” where imagination and creativity and freedom rule. I’m a 77 year old grandmother of four. I’ve read and reread this adventure through the “deep see” and each time found hidden treasures. I can’t wait to gather my grandchildren and share the giggles and insights that flow so gently from the pages. – <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Julia Bromley, Grandmother</strong></span></p><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">ORDER YOUR COPY</span></h3><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Amazon → <a href="http://bit.ly/venusflytrip" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">bit.ly/venusflytrip</a></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Author’s Website → <a href="https://venusandherflytrip.net/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://venusandherflytrip.net/</a></span></h3></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-10859191859286770862021-08-08T21:00:00.001-07:002021-08-08T21:00:00.204-07:00Interview with Children's Fantasy Author E.P. Bellows & Giveaway!<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="618" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/w640-h310/image.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></p><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UTxrtaN-i8M71juWELTxWJln-a0HbIoJgFH5H3SaLCvY8NBjd1dWOgjN_SQCQBhxM7eeESwlscabdG5CVKvoYy1-fb__ymchtIhmGZgbormWudc_eNPA-F777Lc57SWMdc_mna0H_OP7/s630/E.P.+Bellows.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="572" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3UTxrtaN-i8M71juWELTxWJln-a0HbIoJgFH5H3SaLCvY8NBjd1dWOgjN_SQCQBhxM7eeESwlscabdG5CVKvoYy1-fb__ymchtIhmGZgbormWudc_eNPA-F777Lc57SWMdc_mna0H_OP7/w364-h400/E.P.+Bellows.png" width="364" /></a></div><br />A few random things about me…<p></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Um, let’s see… when I was eight, I had a pet turkey. I used to take it with me on my very short lived paper route. Needless to say, I was terrible at delivering the paper. No one wanted a “Dollar Saver” with turkey poop splattered across the front page. Apparently that’s where the best coupons are.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Books… well, “Treasure Island” is a fantastic pirate tale. I love just about anything by Roald Dahl. I would also like to thank C.S Lewis for sending me on an unrelenting childhood quest for portals to amazing worlds (even in the most unpleasant locations, e.g… the older brother’s closet, etc…)</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">I write fantasy stories for children. Yep – I am a HUGE fantasy geek. I can’t help myself! It’s too darn awesome to escape to another realm with sorcerers and wizards. The underlying theme in my stories is empowerment, self love, and living purposefully.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">When football is on I turn into a different person. I may even use a curse word or two… or three. I enjoy running; which is a good thing because I need to do it in order to fit into my jeans.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">I love to cook and really, really love to eat. I have a theory that avocados actually contain super powers and have the amazing ability to make any snack epic. I also love garlic… which, according to my loved ones, also has an unfortunate super power … the pungent breath-inator… or something of that nature.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Few things make me smile more than chocolate, cheese… AND, if the Chargers would make it to the Super Bowl again – just once:)</p><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;">WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:</h2><h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.azraspithbooks.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">WEBSITE</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/lizzypbellows" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">TWITTER</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/epbellows" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">FACEBOOK</a> |<a href="https://www.instagram.com/lizzypbellows/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">INSTAGRAM</a></h3></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; text-align: center;"><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">Thanks for this interview, Elizabeth. I’ve always wanted to write children’s
books. When did you determine that
writing for children was for you?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">Thank you for having me! When my son (now 15
years old!) came into this world I started writing stories to read to him. I
have been writing ever since! It has been an amazing journey that started with
a young boy on an adventure in a magical world... <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 12pt; text-align: left; text-indent: -12pt;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">Children’s fantasy taels are the stories I love to tell. My favorite
kind of story has the prefect amount of adventure and magic. Of course, you
have to have a fantastically flawed hero and “rotten to the core” villain.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">What was the inspiration behind your children’s book, <i>Bandits
of Basswood?</i></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="color: black;">Bandits of Basswood</span></i><span style="color: black;"> is the prequal to Alexander Drake’s adventure. I had already written
about Alexander (<i>Alexander Drake’s Extraordinary Pursuit)</i>, Jonn
William’s son. <i>Bandits of Basswood</i> builds out the back story for the
guardians, Imperius and how the adventure really unfolded hundreds of years
before. John William’s adventure begins with </span><span style="color: #333333;">the mysterious disappearance of his father in
Azra’s Pith. John William was determined to find him. He had no idea what dark
forces he was up against... a wild adventure was about to begin and his life
would forever change.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun
reading experience? Are you around
kids? Are you a kid at heart?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">I am terribly and eternally childish. Adulting is not my
favorite. <span style="color: black;">Other than my crazy mind, my kiddos are an infinite
source of inspiration. They have inherited my fantasy gene and never run out of
characters and other tid-bits that should be in Azra’s Pith. I can just sit and
watch them play and the ideas come pouring in.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">What was your favorite book as a child?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">After reading <i>The Lion, The Witch, and The
Wardrobe </i>by C.S. Lewis, I was forever in search of portals to magical
worlds. Hands down, my favorite childhood book. I Have a giant wardrobe in my
house as a matter of necessity. You never know what may be on the other side </span><span style="color: black;">😉</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;">What kind of advice would you give writers who would like
to write children’s books?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Let
your imagination and muses Guide you. <span style="color: #181818;">Persevere, have the patience of a jedi, grow a
thick skin and learn from constructive criticism... did I mention persevere?
I'm sure this goes without saying; but read and write as often as you can...
even when you’re struggling and the writing looks like rotten bologna on a
computer screen. If you hope to buy a latte or two with your royalties, the
work begins when the writing is done... so be ready! Did I mention persevere? </span> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; text-align: left;"><b><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small;"> What are your
goals for the future? More children’s
books?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: small; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">I have written five additional books in the Azra’s Pith Series. After a
wild publishing ride they are all waiting in line to be revised and
re-released. <i>Quest for Copia</i> will be the next book to be released
(again). It is the sequel to <i>Bandits of Basswood</i>. A lot of questions are
answered in this book and the story takes a heavy turn so I’m taking my time on
this one. </span> </span><span style="font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold;"><o:p></o:p></span></p></span></h2><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">BOOK BLURB:</strong></h2><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgv7Dr5SUEr4jNckG-d_4NDrnJfqXM2BZgGhkusILpFqol200yytP5PoofAj06jfGcsqhNk8ANYOCf7-_EZtwA7smv8YrkO86TP58aFeclQ5oOXrzDknf0FGB8x8eagQnSXhKNV99t313/s780/Bandits+of+Basswood.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="780" data-original-width="569" height="523" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOgv7Dr5SUEr4jNckG-d_4NDrnJfqXM2BZgGhkusILpFqol200yytP5PoofAj06jfGcsqhNk8ANYOCf7-_EZtwA7smv8YrkO86TP58aFeclQ5oOXrzDknf0FGB8x8eagQnSXhKNV99t313/w381-h523/Bandits+of+Basswood.png" width="381" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">John William Drake was born an explorer; just like many, many Drakes before him. His adventure really began with the discovery of a book hidden in the ceiling, followed by the mysterious disappearance of his father. He lived every day in misery until his twelfth birthday. A new friend gave him an invitation he could not turn down… follow me and change your destiny.</span><p style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;">He never imagined being captured by bandits and taken to a ship riddled with river rats was part of his fate. Not just any bandits – the Bandits of Basswood; known to be a ruthless and wild crew of thieves. Trying to escape would be a ridiculous idea. No one has ever escaped and lived to tell about it. Uncovering traces of his missing father gave him hope and upped the stakes. John William was determined to get off the ship alive and search for the missing pieces of the puzzle. The chase out of Basswood was on. He took a chance to change his destiny and ended up on a wild ride to solve the most important mystery of his life.</p><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: start;">PRAISE</h2><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">“The imaginative world created by the author is especially fun. Some animals can talk (with attitude!), magic is in the air and emu-like creatures provide fast transportation. Yes, I realize this series is for children- and they can certainly read it. Just as soon as I’m finished.”</em> – <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Reviewer 5 stars</strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">“</strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">I enjoyed reading these books. Great for young adults, even though I’m an adult. I would recommend this series to those kids who like a good adventure…”</em> <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">– Amazon Reviewer 5 stars</strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">“A simple walk into the world of furry and fairy alike. Enjoyed the character building, as the young boy finds himself in a world with furry pirates, and a feisty fairy princess. Even the villains (as a group,) were only bad because of the main villain of the piece. all in all a nice intro to a simply enchanted world. Hope to see more…”</em> – <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Reviewer 4 stars</strong></p><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">ORDER YOUR COPY</h2><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">Amazon → <a href="https://amzn.to/3okMyYh" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3okMyYh</a></h3><div style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">GIVEAWAY</h2><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">E.P. Bellows is giving away a summer goodie bag containing Azra’s Pith swag! Goodie bag includes a coffee mug, tumbler, beach towel, paperback and kindle copy of Bandits of Basswood!</h2><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Terms & Conditions:</strong></p><ul style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; list-style: outside none none; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">By entering the giveaway, you are confirming you are at least 18 years old.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">One winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">This giveaway ends midnight September 30.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Winner will be contacted via email on October 1.</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box;">Winner has 48 hours to reply.</li></ul><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;">Good luck everyone!</p><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">ENTER TO WIN!</h3><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"></p><div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="1a49cf61246" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/1a49cf61246/" id="rcwidget_tzigwmh5" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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</p><div style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div></div></div></h3>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-83131532551374739092021-07-29T21:00:00.002-07:002021-07-30T05:46:36.189-07:00Book Review: Laurel's Marvelous Kingdom by Monique Roy<b><span style="font-family: Merriweather;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2rU8nmc6BLTGezmWOyHXfH_VVdsGHyrQ9ahGBdmiTCDYRULXmctcLcKXzjsDcpaipz4uXambSt4Xh_MgJaQgJDOQyR45SY-4cGzUVhO7hQxrFd0M0-gplap3GJZ_Z1vtbRnZpn4WmbSu/s558/Laurel%2527s+Marvelous+Kingdom.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="558" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv2rU8nmc6BLTGezmWOyHXfH_VVdsGHyrQ9ahGBdmiTCDYRULXmctcLcKXzjsDcpaipz4uXambSt4Xh_MgJaQgJDOQyR45SY-4cGzUVhO7hQxrFd0M0-gplap3GJZ_Z1vtbRnZpn4WmbSu/s320/Laurel%2527s+Marvelous+Kingdom.png" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Title: LAUREL'S MARVELOUS KINGDOM<br />Author: Monique Roy<br />Pages: 36<br />Genre: Children’s Picture Book</span></span></b><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">BOOK BLURB:</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">When the wicked witch of the land snatches up Princess Astrid, her sister, Princess Laurel, realizes it will take more than her plant-growing superpowers to rescue her. With the help of a handsome prince, Laurel rides deep into the dark forest in search of the witch’s den.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">To her horror, Laurel discovers that Astrid is jealous of her superpowers, and has teamed up with the witch to weaken Laurel’s powers. Now, Laurel must convince Astrid to abandon her evil ways and return to goodness — before the witch and Astrid shed harm onto the kingdom.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">This fairy tale story will enliven the imagination of children with a little witchy fun in between. The story teaches children about what makes us unique, appreciating your special characteristics, and doing what you love.</span></p><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">What a beautiful story! I always like to start off my reviews with a comment or two about the book covers. This was one beautiful cover. Who can go wrong with pink and purple? My daughter would grab this one off the shelf just for the colors. So we have a princess like person (or is it a queen?) either looking for the pink rabbit or chasing him. What's that pink like stuff coming out of the tree? Guess we'll have to read to find out. And a few kudos has to be thrown out there for the illustrator, Lauren Curtis. I thought she did an excellent job. On to the story! </span></span><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">So it is a princess! Laurel is a beautiful princess with magical powers. So she decides to plant an apple tree for her sister, Princess Astrid, knowing how much she loved apples. But once she returned to the castle, Astrid was nowhere to be found. Night came and she began to really worry. So she asks an old childhood friend, Prince Falcon, if he could look for her. He agrees to do so but early the next morning she convinces him for her to go along with him in his search for Princess Astrid. And oh dear, they are both sleeping in the forest that night when a nasty witch snatches Princess Laurel and takes her off on her broomstick!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">I think I'll leave it right there - what happens to Princess Laurel? Does Prince Falcon find her? And what about Princess Astrid? Does the witch have her too?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><i>Laurel's Marvelous Kingdom</i> was such a joy to read. Not only does it teach children valuable lessons, but it's suspenseful, too! The author's words resonated with me as it reminded me of fairy tales I used to read as a child. I'm so happy someone has given us another fairy tale that's a must read. Children will stay glued to the pages, too!<br /></span><div style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span><br />I would gladly recommend this book and give it 5 rainbows.<br /><br /><i>Laurel's Marvelous Kingdom</i> is available at Amazon at<span style="color: #444444;"> </span></span><a href="https://amzn.to/3wxQ3Oy" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: 0px; text-align: center;">https://amzn.to/3wxQ3Oy</a></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium;">.</span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="color: #9c4695; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-40212893642835188132021-07-06T05:15:00.001-07:002021-07-06T05:15:14.557-07:00Interview with Children's Book Author Monique Roy<p> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/" style="color: #4d469c; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="618" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/w640-h310/image.png" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><br /></span><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyF0j0wpY64V-lwLkJyYY0_U6esCXJDFJBY_d8QHKAMrHcc2M4FHNmwmmmUOqW8c14Arjki0Y9GwgfgR1TnMNh7GfgrRgc3ZdMXDZVC88GT_hGUn6K4R3QA9gWSEg9gaTYoFMXBU36cgki/s651/Monique+Roy.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="651" data-original-width="484" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyF0j0wpY64V-lwLkJyYY0_U6esCXJDFJBY_d8QHKAMrHcc2M4FHNmwmmmUOqW8c14Arjki0Y9GwgfgR1TnMNh7GfgrRgc3ZdMXDZVC88GT_hGUn6K4R3QA9gWSEg9gaTYoFMXBU36cgki/w298-h400/Monique+Roy.png" width="298" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Monique Roy’s passion for writing began as a young girl while penning stories in a journal. Now she looks forward to deepening her passion by creating many unique stories that do nothing less than intrigue her readers.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Monique holds a degree in journalism from Southern Methodist University in Dallas and is the author of a middle-grade book Once Upon a Time in Venice, historical fiction novel Across Great Divides, historical fiction novel A Savage Kultur, and children’s book Laurel’s Marvelous Kingdom.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Monique was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and her grandparents were European Jews who fled their home as Hitler rose to power. It’s their story that inspired her to write Across Great Divides, her first historical novel.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Historical fiction lets you escape to another time and place; and Monique likes to explore the past so that we can potentially better understand the future.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Monique resides in Dallas, Texas, with her husband and son. She also works as a freelance writer.</span></p><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;">WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:</h2><h3 align="center" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Merriweather;"><a href="http://www.monique-roy.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">WEBSITE</a> | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/monwriter1" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">TWITTER</a></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><br /></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">About the Book</span></h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; text-align: center;"><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-cpjpmej6Rk_bqGgk9V-Mlyg2n-9j-Nt8zfShdMwuVVqeH4vUql0Pe7Sq69D_LEjZF5SRfpeeJ2KhTIYwWabOIYVuuiQxp2Mh5bnwI8HKId7gcbTnrx-IW6xDcdgko7-U2MR5C8ai_YA/s558/Laurel%2527s+Marvelous+Kingdom.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="558" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf-cpjpmej6Rk_bqGgk9V-Mlyg2n-9j-Nt8zfShdMwuVVqeH4vUql0Pe7Sq69D_LEjZF5SRfpeeJ2KhTIYwWabOIYVuuiQxp2Mh5bnwI8HKId7gcbTnrx-IW6xDcdgko7-U2MR5C8ai_YA/w400-h400/Laurel%2527s+Marvelous+Kingdom.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br />When the wicked witch of the land snatches up Princess Astrid, her sister, Princess Laurel, realizes it will take more than her plant-growing superpowers to rescue her. With the help of a handsome prince, Laurel rides deep into the dark forest in search of the witch’s den.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">To her horror, Laurel discovers that Astrid is jealous of her superpowers, and has teamed up with the witch to weaken Laurel’s powers. Now, Laurel must convince Astrid to abandon her evil ways and return to goodness — before the witch and Astrid shed harm onto the kingdom.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">This fairy tale story will enliven the imagination of children with a little witchy fun in between. The story teaches children about what makes us unique, appreciating your special characteristics, and doing what you love.</span></p><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: start;">PRAISE</h2><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">This short meaningful story took us on a wonderful journey teaching the messages of kindness to others, fortitude and determination to do what is right and the beauty of unconditional love. There’s forces of good and evil at play. The colorful writing Monique penned brings imagination to life. A perfect book for the young reader.</em> – <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">Amazon Reader</strong></span></p><h2 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 30px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">ORDER YOUR COPY</h2><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;">Amazon → <a href="https://amzn.to/3wxQ3Oy" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3wxQ3Oy</a></h3></div><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; margin: 0in;"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Thanks for this interview, Monique. I’ve always wanted to write children’s
books. When did you determine that
writing for children was for you?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">I published my first children’s book, Once Upon a Time in
Venice, in 2007. Since then, writing for children has always been an interest
of mine. I enjoy creating captivating stories kids will enjoy and love.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What was the inspiration behind your children’s book, (Laurel’s
Marvelous Kingdom)?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">I wanted to write a story to pinpoint the message that we
are all unique in our own way and to appreciate and respect the uniqueness of
others.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun
reading experience?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you around
kids?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you a kid at heart?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">I have a 3-year-old toddler. By exploring and knowing what
makes kids laugh or even cry, you can create stories that appeal to young
children. Kids are curious about the world around them, so show them that
world. Let them wonder and dream.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What was your favorite book as a child?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">I grew up reading lots of Paddington books, Judy Blume, and
Amelia Bedelia books were also a hit.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What kind of advice would you give writers who would like to
write children’s books?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">Look at and read some children’s books. Study how they are
written and practice your writing skills to both develop a thoughtful and
enticing story and develop memorable characters.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What are your goals for the future?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More children’s books?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Yes, probably! Keep on the lookout at www.monique-roy.com.</span><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><p></p></div></div></h3>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-55563880409543581052021-04-19T21:00:00.001-07:002021-04-19T21:00:00.184-07:00Interview with Middle Grade Fiction Author Kathleen Jae<p> </p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/" style="color: #4d469c; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="618" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/w640-h310/image.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span></span><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaxkD9PSVyVCrpCJVzLcDb7ywA2Dj9QCGagvhzUuW0kl9Vib3OPSz_QfO4SHQlaw191D2ldyARepmnldgDMdJT36D0Gd82MFT6DDLVR4WFnY6x6VX9xPDFCtMbCTokSgcEMutmgSP4HYl/s588/Kathleen+Jae.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="588" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyaxkD9PSVyVCrpCJVzLcDb7ywA2Dj9QCGagvhzUuW0kl9Vib3OPSz_QfO4SHQlaw191D2ldyARepmnldgDMdJT36D0Gd82MFT6DDLVR4WFnY6x6VX9xPDFCtMbCTokSgcEMutmgSP4HYl/w400-h351/Kathleen+Jae.png" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br />Kathleen Jae has been writing in one form or another for almost twenty-five years. Her greatest success story is her daughter, Katie, whom she refers to as “my hero,” and their journey is chronicled in Kathleen’s first book, From Prompting to Shaping to Letting Go: My Love Affair With ABA and How Being a “Bad Mom” Helped My Daughter With Autism Succeed. In past lives the author has been a proofreader, editor, newspaper reporter and columnist, newsletter writer for a wildlife organization and writer of stage plays and screenplays. She considers her six-year stint as a home-based behavioral program director in the ’90s her most difficult, albeit important, job and is counting the days until all autism-related ABA therapy positions go the way of the dodo. Two of Kathleen’s short stories made it to the finals of the 2017 Florida Writers Association Royal Palm Literary Award competition.</span><p></p><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:</span></h3><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Website: <a href="http://www.kathleenjae.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">http://www.kathleenjae.com</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/kathleenjae2" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">http://www.twitter.com/kathleenjae2</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/authorkathleenjae" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">http://www.facebook.com/authorkathleenjae</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Pinterest: <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/kathleenjaeauthor" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">http://www.pinterest.com/kathleenjaeauthor</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Amazon author page: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kathleen-Jae/e/B07YQ7JNF9%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.amazon.com/Kathleen-Jae/e/B07YQ7JNF9%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">About the Book</h3><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">After a series of terrifying events, Elanora is transported to a strange </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugTb22QQhJjRJpsEZqolSqyB-J40_aCbgBKjMcKcwT2M3CgzVcSvAxSSvjvQi-zBQJ22fkLCgxc-lJQMW3Ukz99eqpGZ2g93nppBVvHY4sjPWF7lhc3cbbdhtp6HPOu-geQGMc72Rb86j/s744/Elanora+and+the+Salt+Marsh+Mystery.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="548" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugTb22QQhJjRJpsEZqolSqyB-J40_aCbgBKjMcKcwT2M3CgzVcSvAxSSvjvQi-zBQJ22fkLCgxc-lJQMW3Ukz99eqpGZ2g93nppBVvHY4sjPWF7lhc3cbbdhtp6HPOu-geQGMc72Rb86j/w295-h400/Elanora+and+the+Salt+Marsh+Mystery.png" width="295" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br />neighborhood where the only way to get about is by water and the only food to eat is the grasses of the marsh. When she discovers that the water level in her new home is falling, she suspects humans are the cause and puts together a plan to save the creatures who live there.</span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Will Elanora persuade the colony and swimmers to overcome their fear of the unknown and embark on a dangerous journey to their new home?</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">PRAISE</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Elanora and the Salt Marsh Mystery</em> features interesting animal characters with distinctive character traits and personalities who can absorb the middle-grade reader. The salt marsh environment is sufficiently detailed to become a character on its own, with its ebbs and flows. The self-contained world created stands on its own with a microcosm of both conflict and friendship… A child or even an adult reader of this book can identify with and applaud the book’s characters… all in all a very good read.</span></p><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;">Pick Up Your Copy at Amazon </h3><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; font-size: 24px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://amzn.to/3lIQUY6" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #ed6c0e; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"> https://amzn.to/3lIQUY6 </a></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Thanks for this interview, Kathleen. I have always wanted to write children’s books. When did you determine that writing for children was for you?<u></u> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Years ago, I started writing a yet-to-be-finished novel, and even though I never put a genre label on it then, I recognize now that the book is for middle-grade readers. For whatever reason, I wrote it by hand, filling up four notebooks. I have recently started to transcribe it, and I can barely make out my writing. But if I hadn’t captured my words in that way, I would not have the story today as the computer is long gone. I don’t remember how I came up with the idea then, but I do remember that I loved researching it because it is historical. I stopped writing it when we moved from Michigan ten years ago, and now that we have returned, I am ready to open the notebooks again.<u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">When the idea came to me for <i>Elanora and the Salt Marsh Mystery,</i> I did not know it would be a book for middle-grade readers as I still was not familiar with that label of book classification. Not until I started researching salt marshes and the animals that lived there did I begin to think that this book would be more than a short chapter book. <u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What was the inspiration behind your children’s book, <i>Elanora and the Salt Marsh Mystery?<u></u> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><u></u></span></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">My family and I have vacationed on Sanibel Island, Florida, for more than twenty years. About five years ago, while listening to our kayaking guide in Tarpon Bay talk about the ecological importance of red mangroves, I suddenly formulated a concept for a book: a young critter discovers that the red mangroves are dying, and she must find a way to save them. <u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading experience? Are you around kids? Are you a kid at heart?<u></u> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">My daughter is in her twenties, and I am not normally around kids. I do have a small library, and I have spent years trying to find the books I read as a child. I have been quite successful, and I take great pleasure reading them now. So, I like to think that re-reading the books of my youth help me to write for children.<u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What was your favorite book as a child?<u></u> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">By the age of nine, I read and loved Tom Sawyer, Black Beauty, Bambi, The Wizard of Oz, and other classics. Scholastic books were my favorites, and when the day arrived to receive our book orders, nothing else mattered. All I wanted to do was to collect my books. I treasured them. One of my favorite Scholastic books is Misty of Chincoteague, and that was one of the first books I tracked down for my library.<u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What kind of advice would you give writers who would like to write children’s books?<u></u> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">It doesn’t matter so much about the characters or the setting, but the story should reflect the things that are important to you. I adore my first story—the one that I haven’t finished—and I think this is because it is historical (and focuses on time travel) and I love history. The same for my adult mystery that I recently finished. It takes place on Sanibel Island in 1952, and I spent almost as much time researching for it as I did writing it. <i>Elanora and the Salt Marsh Mystery</i> reflects the fact that I love animals and I always have. Ecological destruction, bullying and a disdain for diversity is unacceptable, and I guess writing this book is my way of shouting it to the rooftops. <u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What are your goals for the future? More children’s books?<u></u> <span style="font-weight: 400;"><u></u></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">I have started my research for the sequel to <i>Elanora and the Salt Marsh Mystery</i>, and<i> </i>I am preparing a picture book of Elanora’s world. After that I will probably begin the sequel for my second novel, <i>Island Times Three</i>. <u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14.4pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">I would also like to add that I am grateful for the encouragement of my family and to illustrator Lori Taylor, Editor and Layout Designer Lisa Gilliam, proofreader Rachel Rowlands, and Graphic Designer Peter Chiappetta.<u></u> </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; line-height: 14.4pt; margin: 0in;"><i> <u></u> <u></u></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: 400; margin: 0in;"><u></u> </p></div></div></h3>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-47942115765626858932021-01-28T21:00:00.001-08:002021-01-28T21:00:02.594-08:00Book Review: Cleo Can Tie A Bow by Sybrina Durant<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ7o0srij0_-p-JjrwMi-XxyidHMoyxGXinK0cJIwCP2KPdgtlJYbb_im7kpH17rrDYffSDAsg0Dl60tPmhe3a4m6_CR8sJGxRy9RtLCdEadJc8tt43JZZieVwcV-DbaxxDE5FOpCHq09/s561/Cleo+Can+Tie+a+Bow.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="433" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRJ7o0srij0_-p-JjrwMi-XxyidHMoyxGXinK0cJIwCP2KPdgtlJYbb_im7kpH17rrDYffSDAsg0Dl60tPmhe3a4m6_CR8sJGxRy9RtLCdEadJc8tt43JZZieVwcV-DbaxxDE5FOpCHq09/w309-h400/Cleo+Can+Tie+a+Bow.png" width="309" /></a></div><br /><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Title</span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;">: CLEO CAN TIE A BOW</span><p></p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Merriweather;"><b>Author</b>: Sybrina Durant<br /><b>Pages</b>: 38<br /><b>Genre</b>: Children’s Picture Book</span><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">BOOK BLURB:</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #444444; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Cleo can tie a bow. She learned what she knows from a rabbit and a fox. They can teach your child how to tie a bow, too. This fun picture book is intended to be a family bonding parent-child activity. It’s a great way to learn to tie shoe laces.</span></span></p><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Book Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;">For starters, this book's cover is beautiful as well as the illustrations. Cleo is such a fun and happy character and she loves wearing hair bows. But not only that, she wears bows everywhere from the bow sash on her pretty dresses to even on her nails. Along comes colorful forest characters who show us helpful ways to tie bows on their friends in the forest. What a fun way to help children how to tie bows. </span></span>CLOE CAN TIE A BOW is an excellent book to help teach your child how to tie a bow and learn how to tie shoelaces in such a fun manner!</span><div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">I would gladly recommend this book and give it 5 rainbows.<br /></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">CLEO CAN TIE A BOW is available at Amazon at </span><a href="https://amzn.to/3emYL9V" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3emYL9V</a>.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium;">.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="color: #9c4695; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-29790014115941868732021-01-04T21:00:00.001-08:002021-01-04T21:00:05.626-08:00Interview with Children's Book Author Sybrina Durant<p> </p><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/" style="color: #4d469c; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="618" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/w640-h310/image.png" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></div><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> <br /></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbnx6RWsUCYdXVz6uOf-H7UvSEbh79p2NWiyAaBUTnfzzvzvnf1noxXdDHxFjUlm1AUv3gIsOXVr-4XoYOxbojnUcFYXNSiz15AlbpQUt_9tkli8qU9hHMI-YGx_J-6Cq5KyOmgQ1Da0w/s300/Sybrina+Durant+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="206" data-original-width="300" height="220" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjbnx6RWsUCYdXVz6uOf-H7UvSEbh79p2NWiyAaBUTnfzzvzvnf1noxXdDHxFjUlm1AUv3gIsOXVr-4XoYOxbojnUcFYXNSiz15AlbpQUt_9tkli8qU9hHMI-YGx_J-6Cq5KyOmgQ1Da0w/w320-h220/Sybrina+Durant+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Sybrina Durant is the author of The Rabbit and The Fox Learn To Tie Series of Books which include Learn To Tie A Neck Tie With The Rabbit and the Fox in English, Spanish and Tagalog; Ned Can Knot A Neck Tie; Nellie Can Knot A Neck Scarf and the newest addition, Cleo Can Tie A Bow. She also the author of The Blue Unicorn Series of books and has an online book store which features, unicorns, rabbits, foxes, and how to tie books plus gift items related to those things plus lots of bow-themed gifts.</span></span><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:</span></h3><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Website: <a href="https://sybrinapublishing.wordpress.com/cleo-can-tie-a-bow-book/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://sybrinapublishing.wordpress.com/cleo-can-tie-a-bow-book/</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Blog: <a href="https://sybrinapublishing.wordpress.com/cleo-can-tie-a-bow-book/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://sybrinapublishing.wordpress.com/cleo-can-tie-a-bow-book/</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/Sybrina_spt" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://twitter.com/Sybrina_spt</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NedandNellieKnowKnots" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.facebook.com/NedandNellieKnowKnots</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">About the Book</h3><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Cleo can tie a bow. She learned what she knows from a rabbit and a fox. They can teach your child how to tie a bow, too. This fun picture book is intended to be a family bonding parent-child activity. It’s a great way to learn to tie shoe laces.</span></p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><p class="MsoNormal"></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAWcydftlUiedeAIzOp7zLm-G9QXbEd5GWsxmyQtX8oqbo3FgjQBF-Di-6pudr9SicALd-WrPznj2gNDDwlAYSnaOqzk0QWTCLCV-wGerG4hoJhPMHAzxhH7PatcXcnpF-StStwjZmiuZ/s711/Cleo+Can+Tie+A+Bow+cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="711" data-original-width="583" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAWcydftlUiedeAIzOp7zLm-G9QXbEd5GWsxmyQtX8oqbo3FgjQBF-Di-6pudr9SicALd-WrPznj2gNDDwlAYSnaOqzk0QWTCLCV-wGerG4hoJhPMHAzxhH7PatcXcnpF-StStwjZmiuZ/w328-h400/Cleo+Can+Tie+A+Bow+cover.png" width="328" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br />Thanks for this interview, Sybrina. I’ve always wanted to write children’s
books. When did you determine that
writing for children was for you?</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I have 7 grandchildren so they were my main
inspiration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I’ll never forget
the day that I asked my little 3 year old granddaughter, “What is your favorite
thing in the world to do?” With such innocence and a big delighted grin she
exclaimed, “I like to mess up my room!” Ha! I just had to write that book!
“Yarashell Abbily and Her Very Messy Room” with illustrations by Sara Wilson,
is one of my favorites because it is about her (Yara) and my other 3
grand-daughters (Michelle, Emily and Abbey). The accompanying song, “I Like To
Mess Up My Room”, is fun, too.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What was the inspiration behind your latest children’s book,
“Cleo Can Tie A Bow?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I am the author of the “Learn To Tie With The Rabbit and The
Fox” series of books. Most of those books focus on tying a knot in a neck tie
by following the moves of a hungry fox chasing a rabbit through a forest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I tried, for years, to come up with a book
that would teach how to tie a bow, using a similar method but I just couldn’t
make it work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finally, one day, I
realized that I didn’t have to use the same exact method that I’d used in my
other books. In this book, there’s no hungry fox. There’s no chase. This story
focuses on a friendly fox that helps a long-eared rabbit keep her ears from
dragging on the ground. She is a fox beautician of sorts. As the book came
together, the illustrator Pumudi Gardiyasam turned out to be an inspiration for
me, too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We worked together
effortlessly. I was very fortunate to have found her.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun
reading experience?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you around
kids?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you a kid at heart?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;">My youngest grand child is 10 years old now so I’m not
around little bitty kids much anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even after I came up with the initial idea for Cleo, I had to write and re-write
it many times before it became the story that is now published.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must give credit to the multitude of beta
readers – nearly all mothers of young children – who helped me understand the
sensitivities and concerns of parents during the year 2020. It has truly been
eye opening for me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What was your favorite book as a child?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian
Andersen were my favorites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We weren’t
very sensitive back then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved the
Brothers Grimm’s Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding
Hood, Rumpelstiltskin. From that list it looks like Walt Disney loved them,
too! Then, there was Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes, The
Little Mermaid, The Princess and the Pea and so many others. Stories like those
really enriched my life, growing up in a very poor family. Those and others
like Alice In Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz even Aesop’s Fables set my
imagination free. Thankfully, there was such a thing as a library, where books
were free to anyone who wanted to read them. And thankfully, you can still get
a library card for free today. Speaking of libraries. . . for those of you who
don’t know. . .if you publish your ebook through Smashwords, they will
distribute it to online libraries like Overdrive for you.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What kind of advice would you give writers who would like to
write children’s books?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Just start doing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do it now. There is really nothing to stop you these days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We live in a world where anyone can do
anything they want. You can pursue any dream. All you need is a KDP account and
you can publish your own book and it will be available for sale to the public
through Amazon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are lots of other
places to do that, too. Just make sure you spend a little money for an editor,
though, so that your book will look as professional as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If you want to write a picture book and you are not
artistic, don’t let that stop you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
are thousands of great artists out there waiting for you to find them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you can easily find them through provider
services like Fiverr or through illustrator groups on Facebook and other social
media sites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just start looking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you want songs for your books, you can
find composers and singers the same way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you want video book trailers, you can have them just as easily. If
you think it, you can get it built. That’s just a little play on build it and
they will come. Remember, your book is ultimately a product that you must sell.
So, after you’ve published, don’t forget the marketing and promotion angle.
It’s the only way that anyone will ever know your book actually exists.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">One of my marketing techniques is to have online stores
related to each of my books on my blog.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are The Rabbit and The Fox Book Store, Girls Love Bows Gift Shop
(hundreds of unique gifts for the bow-crazy girl), The Messy Room Book Store
and Sybrina’s Unicorn Book Store. I list about 1,000 unicorn books and hundreds
of unicorn themed gifts grouped in age categories for that one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since I am an Amazon Associate, I can pick and
choose exactly which products I want to present to my readers. Anyone can
easily apply to be one and can do the same with ideas from their own books. Something
for all you other authors out there to think about. . .</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What are your goals for the future? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More children’s books?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">I think I’ve reached
the end of my “Learn To Tie” series. You never really know, though. I had
nearly given up on Cleo when she suddenly arrived in all of her glory.
Regarding picture books, I still have a couple that I would like to write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One is an alphabet book to compliment my
counting book, “ 123 Count With Me: Fun With Numbers and Animals” with
illustrations by Parbonni.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve got a
book in mind about clouds and a few others. I think most of my time will be
taken up promoting and marketing the books I already have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s pretty much a full-time job.<o:p></o:p></span></span></h1><br /><p></p></div></div></h3>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-28555279718151452452020-12-22T06:27:00.001-08:002020-12-22T06:27:07.103-08:00Interview with Children's Book Author Hayley Rose<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="618" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4BRlDCDmXT_cpGNKL_j6pqSsL0gDfAsjOjpulQlNfd9dCbdylOk7N9B5NI8ies71sa0DRzjZiKrVFeVVt6goBzDYG5WdsZm6kWxR9MBDkWQ29LUvheaXYRKKiK1rPeoVrAkTbk8SetDEA/w640-h310/image.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquDemmD7Iyc2NydJ02QRGWC7ux8dcDgfPjEVjjT7A2zR06WAII49pUbMEZY7HkeeyeMD9mk6m-hNCMiTpMuqJIKHktE-EAsl7YVnyLMCMy4zVp2AIQ1F5CEwMauELWbXty3J1edAwBHJJ/s600/Hayley+Rose+author+photo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="466" height="493" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgquDemmD7Iyc2NydJ02QRGWC7ux8dcDgfPjEVjjT7A2zR06WAII49pUbMEZY7HkeeyeMD9mk6m-hNCMiTpMuqJIKHktE-EAsl7YVnyLMCMy4zVp2AIQ1F5CEwMauELWbXty3J1edAwBHJJ/w384-h493/Hayley+Rose+author+photo.png" width="384" /></a></div><br /> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Hayley has been entertaining and educating children across the country since 2002.</span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Her range of educational, interactive concept books have earned over 50 national and international book awards and cover subjects ranging from manners and kindness, to math and geography, to music and emotions. School presentations include curriculum for teachers grades K-4th. Over the years Hayley has been invited to speak at book stores including Barnes and Noble, Borders and Bookmans, and for the last few years Hayley has been a featured author at the Children’s Learning and Play Festival which garners crowds of 10,000 and up.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Hayley was recently interviewed on the Author Learning Center alongside authors Stan Lee and R.L. Stine, and she had the honor of presenting keynote presentations for the Readers Favorite International Book Awards and the Desert Nights, Rising Stars Conference among others.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Hayley is an active member The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers and the Florida Authors and Publishers Association.</span></p><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:</span></h3><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Website: <a href="http://www.hayleyrose.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">www.HayleyRose.com</a> or <a href="http://www.thethankfulseries.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">www.TheThankfulSeries.com</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Twitter: <a href="https://www.twitter.com/fifothebear" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.twitter.com/fifothebear</a></span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Facebook: </span><a href="https://facebook.com/booksbyhayleyrose" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">https://facebook.com/booksbyhayleyro</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">se</span></a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;"></h3><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px; position: relative; text-align: center;">About the Book</h3><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Thankful Unicorn</em> is a groundbreaking and uplifting coloring journal designed to build confidence, improve self-esteem, calm anxiety </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw-qXlkn0ngneyemWV_qiSnQr2FoZAgFMwedV-DcFXC5ZeNlT2vC9ChpeUjU3QoMmX0P8y9oamf36_ZMcbFHvNEQji50uh1ryLGhBzpXhZJPTsK955mS6q8Fv_2K6rsyJgsJbXbrToLxU/s655/The+Thankful+Unicorn+Dream.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="508" height="550" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuw-qXlkn0ngneyemWV_qiSnQr2FoZAgFMwedV-DcFXC5ZeNlT2vC9ChpeUjU3QoMmX0P8y9oamf36_ZMcbFHvNEQji50uh1ryLGhBzpXhZJPTsK955mS6q8Fv_2K6rsyJgsJbXbrToLxU/w427-h550/The+Thankful+Unicorn+Dream.png" width="427" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><br />and inspire creativity!</span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">You and your kids will love this 132 page, glittered, hard-bound book filled with whimsical unicorn scenes, positive actions and motivational quotes that will be sure to delight even the young at heart, leading to a more confident, kind and creative human.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">A great activity to unwind before bed and awake refreshed with a positive attitude. Perfect for ages 5 to adult.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><blockquote style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); border-left: 5px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 10px 20px;"><h2 style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Thankful Unicorn</i> is a Moms Choice Awards® Gold Recipient and has been named among the best in family-friendly media, products and services by the Moms Choice Awards®</b> –Moms Choice Awards®</span></span></h2></blockquote><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">ORDER YOUR COPY</span></h3><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Amazon → <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1950842118" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://www.amazon.com/dp/1950842118</a></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Author’s Website → <a href="http://www.hayleyrose.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">www.hayleyrose.com</a></span></h3><h3 style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">The Thankful Series → <a href="http://www.thethankfulseries.com/" style="background: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">www.thethankfulseries.com</a></span></h3><div><br /></div><h2 align="center" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #2d3e50; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.1; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 20px; text-align: center;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: large;">Other Books in the Series</span></span></h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgu8a6EHJTQZraZHqNFPyrj8nEu0-p04Z8uMItC9zuUat0pYBIZBbRo_nVIt6rlpOnZeKALZJGAl-yvA5unPMeOXmZr_EH4Z6-rqw39ewqWNP_pQr2oovQNAENfQChp7bXu3aNZCh-gMM/s600/The+Thankful+Series.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="180" data-original-width="600" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgu8a6EHJTQZraZHqNFPyrj8nEu0-p04Z8uMItC9zuUat0pYBIZBbRo_nVIt6rlpOnZeKALZJGAl-yvA5unPMeOXmZr_EH4Z6-rqw39ewqWNP_pQr2oovQNAENfQChp7bXu3aNZCh-gMM/w607-h182/The+Thankful+Series.jpg" width="607" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #444444; margin: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="MsoNormal"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Thanks for this interview, Hayley. I’ve always wanted to write children’s
books. When did you determine that
writing for children was for you?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">I was on a flight from Chicago to Los Angeles, and to keep
my mind off the turbulence, I decided to write a story for my cousins who there
under five at the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few years
later I met a publisher while dining in a restaurant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him about the story and offered to
take a look at it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two years later that
book was published.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never really set
out to become an author but I absolutely love it.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What was the inspiration behind your children’s book, <i>The
Thankful Unicorn: Dream</i><span style="font-weight: normal;">?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><i>The Thankful Unicorn: Dream,</i> is part of The Thankful
Series of coloring gratitude journals which includes: <i>The Thankful Mermaid,
The Thankful Dragon </i>and<i> The Thankful Reindeer.</i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">The series came about after the loss of my parents. I not
only had to cope with the grave loss, but I also had to deal with the anxiety
and depression.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not one for
self-medicating, I turned to a more effective measure to deal with my sadness –
gratitude.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What I learned about gratitude, gratitude
journaling and coloring was remarkable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I came to understand that being grateful was victimless because it isn’t
self serving. Scientifically proven to rewire the brain to make you happier, I
wanted young children to feel the same positive emotions I was feeling by just
expressing gratitude. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">The Thankful series includes writing prompts for
gratitude expression as well as coloring pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I added coloring to the books because research showed the added benefits
of coloring stimulates creativity, improves motor skills, provides an outlet
for self-expression and more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All things
we can benefit from.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 107%; margin-bottom: 8pt;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">The Thankful Unicorn: Dream provides children (of
all ages) with the mental and physical benefits of increased optimism,
heightened confidence and a greater feeling of self-worth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By writing down the things we are grateful
for disconnects us from the negative things in our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The simple act helps us shift our attention
from negative to positive emotions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun
reading experience? Are you around
kids? Are you a kid at heart?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">I have to go with, kid at heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since The Thankful Unicorn: Dream isn’t a
story book but a coloring journal… And who doesn’t love to color?!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What was your favorite book as a child?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Shel Silverstien’s <i>Where The Sidewalk Ends.</i></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What kind of advice would you give writers who would like to
write children’s books?</span></p>
<p class="Default"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Write often. Rewrite. Keep a pen and pad with you always.
You never know when and where your next idea will come from. Have a network of
other writers to bounce ideas off of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Having a group of beta-readers is really helpful as well.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">What are your goals for the future? More children’s books? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Future goals are to always be healthy and happy. As for books, I have book coming out in early
in 2021 called, Fergus the Farting Gassy Goat.
A fun tongue twister book with guaranteed laughs for kids. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><br /></div></div></h3>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-31308066671069568592020-12-06T04:17:00.005-08:002020-12-06T04:17:57.458-08:00New Children's Picture Book New Releases<p style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 0px;">Excited to see these new picture books released!</p><div class="m_-3692241711141132446bookblurb-block" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #555555; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.bookriot.com/click/22258136.29361/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvMDU5MzIwMzgzNi9yZWY9YXNfbGlfdGZfaWw_aWU9VVRGOCZ0YWc9cm5tZ25ld3NsZXR0ZS0yMCZsaW5rQ29kZT1hczImY2FtcD0yMTcxNDUmY3JlYXRpdmU9Mzk5MzQ5JmNyZWF0aXZlQVNJTj0wNTkzMjAzODM2/56c26321487ccdf04e8b4f86B8bb3173e&source=gmail&ust=1607342838641000&usg=AFQjCNGDTicCssk0OMoLIV_YIML6VaDypw" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593203836" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(255, 208, 7); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" class="m_-3692241711141132446bookblurb__image CToWUd" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEi8zBO4OOlBJxSplkME17-BRC2RLEMrGxY94SNgzp2z72Ogntr6w7NlneDf23qSGJK84dF8Q_dgve6IcgXipOjVm2-bVNY7y9lIstvl3WSDjD8x3paUHpT-XU-s65EEsdUjH0lgh1F4W1bFRXiflgLfsxmdWkRDUnIUrbciKxK-NjVA1pJ42-30b7IiGqWOyiBMiRSr719hPsa1Jt0qLXUA1STS1UlHAw=s0-d-e1-ft" style="float: left; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 200px; width: 200px;" /></a><h3 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 30px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0593203836"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(255, 208, 7); font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><i>The Square Root of Possible</i></span></span> </a>by Lyn Sisson-Talbert and David E. Talbert</h3><div><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 0px;">For everyone watching Netflix’s <em>Jingle Jangle</em> on a loop, there are also some tie-in children’s books to keep the good time going! This picture book is based on the song from the film, about a down-on-his-luck inventor and the granddaughter hoping to inspire him to get back to work.</p></div></div><div class="m_-3692241711141132446bookblurb-block" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #555555; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.bookriot.com/click/22258136.29361/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTUyNjMwOTgzMS9yZWY9YXNfbGlfdGZfaWw_aWU9VVRGOCZ0YWc9cm5tZ25ld3NsZXR0ZS0yMCZsaW5rQ29kZT1hczImY2FtcD0yMTcxNDUmY3JlYXRpdmU9Mzk5MzQ5JmNyZWF0aXZlQVNJTj0xNTI2MzA5ODMx/56c26321487ccdf04e8b4f86B261f35b7&source=gmail&ust=1607342838642000&usg=AFQjCNGr6gCUdfTNsanm12yRACbRMJF55A" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1526309831" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(255, 208, 7); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" class="m_-3692241711141132446bookblurb__image CToWUd" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiGklBSMGcTPtmIMV3IA-AplHDgVGGSQkIndkbwbRhfS7X9K9tefOBMZr2JjCRSw91BrNpUcO8n5mDnAcWpXBOCaEc7PWe9uU-3SaSoASYh6y5NyKmVGvBfcmUWwOJPwRwMu7K7rlU0SwSbkhWeP9A-hZItc6YgZXalzRj_P8EM6NsvovvjbdwviiVI1vMKQXJhMoJeUznoUTk=s0-d-e1-ft" style="float: left; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 200px; width: 200px;" /></a><h3 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 30px;"><a class="m_-3692241711141132446butter" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.bookriot.com/click/22258136.29361/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTUyNjMwOTgzMS9yZWY9YXNfbGlfdGZfaWw_aWU9VVRGOCZ0YWc9cm5tZ25ld3NsZXR0ZS0yMCZsaW5rQ29kZT1hczImY2FtcD0yMTcxNDUmY3JlYXRpdmU9Mzk5MzQ5JmNyZWF0aXZlQVNJTj0xNTI2MzA5ODMx/56c26321487ccdf04e8b4f86C261f35b7&source=gmail&ust=1607342838642000&usg=AFQjCNGHj53Dh0ee5a_IzyIgQc7MtDCIrA" href="https://link.bookriot.com/click/22258136.29361/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTUyNjMwOTgzMS9yZWY9YXNfbGlfdGZfaWw_aWU9VVRGOCZ0YWc9cm5tZ25ld3NsZXR0ZS0yMCZsaW5rQ29kZT1hczImY2FtcD0yMTcxNDUmY3JlYXRpdmU9Mzk5MzQ5JmNyZWF0aXZlQVNJTj0xNTI2MzA5ODMx/56c26321487ccdf04e8b4f86C261f35b7" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(255, 208, 7); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank" title="Buy from Amazon">How to Build An Orchestra</a> by Mary Auld and Elisa Paganelli</h3><div><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 0px;">If you’re musically inclined, this book comes with downloadable music and accompanying CDs, about a conductor auditioning instruments for the orchestra.</p></div></div><div class="m_-3692241711141132446bookblurb-block" style="background-color: white; clear: left; color: #555555; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.bookriot.com/click/22258136.29361/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTk0OTUyODk0NC9yZWY9YXNfbGlfdGZfaWw_aWU9VVRGOCZ0YWc9cm5tZ25ld3NsZXR0ZS0yMCZsaW5rQ29kZT1hczImY2FtcD0yMTcxNDUmY3JlYXRpdmU9Mzk5MzQ5JmNyZWF0aXZlQVNJTj0xOTQ5NTI4OTQ0/56c26321487ccdf04e8b4f86B8fe5abc1&source=gmail&ust=1607342838642000&usg=AFQjCNEdPwdXiD3q32wvbsaEu1kyYZHpIA" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1949528944" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(255, 208, 7); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" aria-hidden="true" class="m_-3692241711141132446bookblurb__image CToWUd" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjAR1ZXxqbLsBhQyU9uwbE2gauGc4A0G0_iSCsW2b0wXUMK9F63-PZau_wG9uMWFq4VG_nAjaqvsPEpv81scAvQSB4r3X6gi7mb838rE28hyBiX3jOh-rNuauVWby5Zt_9m1sbleqqXGcXJ88WHxdBO6Cny4b8W6E4mAg9tvqsrlQlM3iKJAaK71xI9l5f3QJ3BXX9E0kPj=s0-d-e1-ft" style="float: left; margin: 0px 20px 20px 0px; max-width: 200px; width: 200px;" /></a><h3 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 30px;"><a class="m_-3692241711141132446butter" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.bookriot.com/click/22258136.29361/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTk0OTUyODk0NC9yZWY9YXNfbGlfdGZfaWw_aWU9VVRGOCZ0YWc9cm5tZ25ld3NsZXR0ZS0yMCZsaW5rQ29kZT1hczImY2FtcD0yMTcxNDUmY3JlYXRpdmU9Mzk5MzQ5JmNyZWF0aXZlQVNJTj0xOTQ5NTI4OTQ0/56c26321487ccdf04e8b4f86C8fe5abc1&source=gmail&ust=1607342838642000&usg=AFQjCNF4XVtdrj2eov1lShHZXbTU2lqMYQ" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1949528944" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="border-bottom: 2px solid rgb(255, 208, 7); font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank" title="Buy from Amazon">Ritu Weds Chandni </a>by Ameya Narvankar</h3><div><p style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 30px; margin-top: 0px;">This colorful picture book is about Ritu and Chandhi’s upcoming wedding, and Ritu’s niece Ayesha, who’s looking forward to the celebrations. But not everyone feels the same way and has vowed to stop the wedding, but Ayesha is determined to save her cousin’s big day.</p></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-58124460647816990822020-11-19T04:27:00.001-08:002020-11-19T04:27:00.660-08:00Book Review: Baby Bear's Spaghetti Misadventures by Linda Karimo<p style="text-align: left;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOcg71FV0pJ2XLy1cdEIxtdO87WGlp2-jKkTj96RR2zznaDWb3nwdlH-n-mBHZPzUfoBX1w_dx0qw0MqVmuWRgw0bt593UDg2Bay1KgPh5inGtSJ5IlXIEd9vNRLBDdH6Ldeuub00tveQ/s347/Baby+Bear%2527s+Spaghetti+Misadventure.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="347" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOOcg71FV0pJ2XLy1cdEIxtdO87WGlp2-jKkTj96RR2zznaDWb3nwdlH-n-mBHZPzUfoBX1w_dx0qw0MqVmuWRgw0bt593UDg2Bay1KgPh5inGtSJ5IlXIEd9vNRLBDdH6Ldeuub00tveQ/s320/Baby+Bear%2527s+Spaghetti+Misadventure.png" /></a></b></div><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444;"><br /><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Title</span></b><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">: BABY BEAR'S SPAGHETTI MISADVENTURES</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">Author</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">: Linda Karimo</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">Pages</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">: 42</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">Genre</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">: Children’s Picture Book</span></span><p></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">BOOK BLURB:</span></strong></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Meet Mama Bear and her sweet little bear child, Baby Bear.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Sometimes he doesn’t do what Mama Bear says, sound familiar?</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">This one particular day when Mama Bear was cooking spaghetti and meatballs, Baby</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Bear bounced his ball against the cave wall.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Baby Bear knew it was on the forbidden list.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">He did it anyway.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Mama Bear gave him the look.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">He did it again.</span></p><p style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;">Find out what happened to Mama Bear’s spaghetti dinner and naughty Baby Bear.</span></p><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Book Review:</span></b><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">Cute little story! Baby Bear is a typical little boy bear and is too young to realize what his actions might entail. His mother is making spaghetti and he's asking her loads of questions which his mother kindly answers - can I do this, can I do that. When he goes ahead and does them anyway, not too good results come out of it. I like how the author asks the reader what do you think will happen - gives the child to express his reasoning abilities which is always good. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-family: Merriweather; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white;">I would gladly recommend this book </span><span style="background-color: white;">and give it 5 rainbows.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444;" /></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><span style="font-size: large;">Baby Bear's Spaghetti Misadventures is available at Amazon at <a href="https://amzn.to/3nQtP6s" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #02004c; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium; outline: none medium !important; text-decoration-line: none;">https://amzn.to/3nQtP6s</a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9); color: #2d3e50; font-family: helvetica_condensedmedium;">.</span></span><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;" /><div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="color: #9c4695; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIOl7xE1oL70SggMYtJAXy4ZadMfM5jB7_z1jo3emrooVxsLw-vomPY3L6NAnWnTuemmWUMD1YqmdqvCoZhegqRENKhwTd16qjTTpDCGFRF2lAJ_tg8iIlGnBdV9jiBP7AW50s05OGff0/s1600/5+rainbows.jpg" style="background: transparent; border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474436370201092012.post-55913134114893798042020-10-20T21:00:00.000-07:002020-10-20T21:00:05.887-07:00Interview with Children's Book Author Linda Karimo<p> <br />
<br />
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFX87wac5X9vv6tjmax9h81XOUa8F2fLd42ntN3nJmHm5k1idkavvFtiAfMVLA0LIKmC4yA-Hp_kwb-DbX7yPrf73EthjTEODMNUxVc7iBnWChVgU0zEDtlEnfSy-M3WR0bUm0atk30im0/s1600/Over+the+Rainbow+Book+Reviews+-+Interview.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFX87wac5X9vv6tjmax9h81XOUa8F2fLd42ntN3nJmHm5k1idkavvFtiAfMVLA0LIKmC4yA-Hp_kwb-DbX7yPrf73EthjTEODMNUxVc7iBnWChVgU0zEDtlEnfSy-M3WR0bUm0atk30im0/s1600/Over+the+Rainbow+Book+Reviews+-+Interview.jpg" /></a></i></div>
<br />
<br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzFuJpze9MgVQIqkmRvD8CZZFyVemOwl8Fy3dNO24psqw9MAkrahck3y1sm03cD73ZJBoRiLWWiRNT8VVx32pwTBd3E6-vhONvKWuJEvgPFMEY_q2pORbTWrZDI2ZxAeZqnPI_AGIyi-J/s771/Linda-Karimo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimzFuJpze9MgVQIqkmRvD8CZZFyVemOwl8Fy3dNO24psqw9MAkrahck3y1sm03cD73ZJBoRiLWWiRNT8VVx32pwTBd3E6-vhONvKWuJEvgPFMEY_q2pORbTWrZDI2ZxAeZqnPI_AGIyi-J/s320/Linda-Karimo.jpg" /></a></div><br />Back in the Stone Age, well maybe not that far back…<p></p>
<p>When Linda Karimo was very young, she learned to read at the knee of
her Irish immigrant grandmother. Nannie, as she was known to the family,
was just learning English herself.</p>
<p>They read all the classic children’s stories together. There was one
in particular that became the inspiration for Linda’s current series of
children’s books.</p>
<p>Moving forward, Linda was always a ravenous reader. She would often
read all the books by a given author and then go onto yet another great
fiction author. Espionage, legal, medical, suspense, and some “who done
it” were her game.</p>
<p>Her day job as a Copywriter paid the bills while she dreamed of writing an extraordinary series of children’s books.</p>
<p>So, what childhood story prompted Linda to write a series about those characters?</p>
<p>It was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Linda’s nickname was always Goldilocks.</p>
<p>She transports her readers into the world of bears whose lives are not much different than humans, just bear style.</p>
<p>She has a conversational style of writing and wants her readers to
feel a part of the action taking place, not just looking through the
window watching it all going by.</p>
<p>A Lifetime full of love and compassion!</p>
<h3>WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:</h3>
<p>Website: <a href="http://www.lindakarimo.com/">www.lindakarimo.com</a></p>
<p>Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/KarimoLinda">http://www.twitter.com/KarimoLinda</a></p>
<p>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Linda-Karimo-Author-">https://www.facebook.com/Linda-Karimo-Author-</a></p>
<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Linda-Karimo-Author-">106429491161549/</a></p>
<p>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-odubayo-thompson-56743445/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-odubayo-thompson-56743445/ </a></p>
<p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/accounts/onetap/?next=/">https://www.instagram.com/accounts/onetap/?next=%2F</a></p>
<p>Pinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/business/hub/">https://www.pinterest.com/business/hub/</a></p><h3 style="text-align: center;">
</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
About the Book</h3><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkad8x3-sr6219fUx4-4QZajqGWKRb6s4RtunqHdeApASZcDpqzi_7wfs7S3ugIfmNbW116hHFQ8QInnWnlt8KJsHfKSck4tLYTC-IhPCJ6Owz56bVUbQjer9M6s7wCpkVhwQ839DBO2s4/s680/Baby-Bears-Spaghetti-Misadventures.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="680" data-original-width="680" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkad8x3-sr6219fUx4-4QZajqGWKRb6s4RtunqHdeApASZcDpqzi_7wfs7S3ugIfmNbW116hHFQ8QInnWnlt8KJsHfKSck4tLYTC-IhPCJ6Owz56bVUbQjer9M6s7wCpkVhwQ839DBO2s4/s320/Baby-Bears-Spaghetti-Misadventures.jpg" /></a></div><br />Meet Mama Bear and her sweet little bear child, Baby Bear.<p></p>
<p>Sometimes he doesn’t do what Mama Bear says, sound familiar?</p>
<p>This one particular day when Mama Bear was cooking spaghetti and meatballs, Baby</p>
<p>Bear bounced his ball against the cave wall.</p>
<p>Baby Bear knew it was on the forbidden list.</p>
<p>He did it anyway.</p>
<p>Mama Bear gave him the look.</p>
<p>He did it again.</p>
<p>Find out what happened to Mama Bear’s spaghetti dinner and naughty Baby Bear.</p>
<h3>ORDER YOUR COPY</h3>
<h3>Amazon → <a href="https://amzn.to/3nQtP6s">https://amzn.to/3nQtP6s</a></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"> <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">INTERVIEW:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;">Thanks for this interview, Linda. I've always wanted to write children's books. When did you determine that writing for children was for you?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />Back in the Stone Age, well, maybe not that far back…<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When I was very young, I learned to read at the knee of my Irish immigrant grandmother.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />Nannie, as she was known to the family, was just learning English herself.<br />We read all the classic children's stories together. There was one in particular that became the inspiration for my current series of children's books.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">My day job as a Copywriter paid the bills while I dreamed of writing an extraordinary<br />series of children's books.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Recently I decided to write stories for young children, which was the age that I first heard the Goldilocks story. The character Baby Bear would appeal to a young child. He is non-threatening, and maybe he could help parents instill some life skills in their children.<br /> <br />Mama Bear is a kind mother to Baby Bear while being stern when needed and nurturing<br />when Baby Bear most needs it. In the Baby Bear's Spaghetti Misadventure book, Baby Bear doesn't listen to Mama Bear when she explains why a playtime activity is forbidden.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">He does it anyway. The consequences could put both of them in danger.<br /> <br />Writing a children's picture book is quite different from composing a novel. You are limited to a thousand precious words that tell the story. It must engage the parent who<br />holds the purse strings. Simultaneously, the colorful full-page illustration makes the child laugh or, in some cases, worry about the character.<br /> <br /><b>So, what childhood story prompted Linda to write a series about those characters?</b><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Linda's nickname was always Goldilocks.<br />She transports her readers into the world of bears whose lives are not much different than humans, just bear style.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">She has a conversational writing style and wants her readers to feel a part of the action<br />taking place, not just looking through the window and watching it all by.<br /><b> </b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What was the inspiration behind your children's book, Baby Bear's Spaghetti<br />Misadventure, the first book in the series, Very Short Misadventure Stories for Kids and Bears, K-1?</b><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I don't want to repeat myself; your readers won't appreciate it. I hope you understand.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />If you send another question, then I will certainly provide the content for it.<br /><br />Thanks for allowing me to do this interview.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>How do you get into the mind of a child to create a fun reading experience? Are you<br />around kids? Are you a kid at heart?</b><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Some people say that they don't remember what it was like to be a child. I have been blessed with a vivid memory and can conger up many different scenarios from the past.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">It wasn't in the cards to have children of my own. But, I was there front and center when my two nephews were very young. Besides, I am Godmother to a child now ten years old. The latter helped with some words that kids use in her world.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What was your favorite book as a child?</b><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">When I was a little girl, I was fascinated with all the children's stories; Dr. Seuss, Mother Goose, Charlotte's Web, Pippi Longstocking, and lots more. But one in particular really stood out among them all: Goldilocks and The Three Bears. Later as an adult, Goldilocks was my nickname because of my blond tresses.<br /> <br /><b>What kind of advice would you give writers who would like to write children's books?</b><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Good heavens, where do I start…</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />The best advice that I could extend to those first time would-be authors is to slow down<br />writing your book. You will be bombarded by several experts jamming your inbox,<br />telling you that it should only take a long weekend or get published in a month. It can be<br />daunting and make you feel, what's wrong with me, why can't I do what they say? It's tough to turn a deaf ear to all the noise.<br /> <br />When you have a manuscript that you feel is as good as it can be, it's time to reach out to a professional copyeditor. The copyeditor will put a second pair of eyes on your work and fix any grammar issues. This is a critical step, and it shouldn't be neglected.<br /> <br />Suppose you want to get people to look at your book cover on Amazon or other retailers.<br />In that case, you definitely don't want to scrimp on this essential cash layout. Not a good idea to use one of the millions of templates out there, and believe me, reviewers can tell the difference. Again, seek out professionals who are well qualified to build you a stunning and engaging book cover. An excellent resource would be the Society of Book<br />Writers and Illustrators.<br /> <br />You will also need a small website to start, just somewhere to talk about your book.<br />The best place to build such a website would be WordPress.<br /> <br />Lesson learned that you can't go it alone and always stay sane.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">We hired Alinka Rutkowska, a USA Today Best Selling Author. To her credit, she has<br />mentored many authors to bestseller status on Amazon. When selecting a mentor, always<br />find out if the person has recently published and was the book a best seller. There are experts out there that haven't published in years and won't be up-to-date on the publishing best practices.<br /> <br /> Here's how Alinka helped…<br /> <br />The first item on our list was to go over the book interior with a fine-tooth comb to make<br />sure that the wording was precise and understood by a child's parent reading it.<br /> <br />The next step was writing the description for the book page on Amazon. Keywords and<br />categories were discussed between Alinka and me. This was a critical step because if not<br />selected correctly, nobody will ever find your book.<br /> <br />While this was going on, my research for sites that would promote my book for a fee led<br />me to a really great website, reedsy.com. After creating a spreadsheet and having chosen<br />promo sites that work with my genre, I was ready to implement all this once the book<br />became live on Amazon. <br /> <br />Next, my research suggested that it would be a good idea to run a blog tour. Yes, I could<br />do it myself, but there are so many moving pieces that the decision was made to hire an<br />expert to do all the work, and the cost was surprisingly a lot less than I thought. Check<br />out Pump Up Your Book.<br /> <br /> Moving forward to launch week, enter Alinka's expertise again on launching the book to bestseller status, which was the guarantee when hiring her earlier. So with a big dash of pixie dust and the promotions that I set up myself, my confidence is high. Of course, time would tell.<br /> <br />Bottom line: Potential new book authors should take the time to write a really engaging<br />manuscript. Stick to professionals when editing your work and designing your book<br />cover. Don't forget to build a small website, even if it is only one page to start.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Create a team to help you make it all happen.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Good luck, children's book author-to-be, and enjoy the publishing journey.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b>What are your goals for the future? More children's books?</b><br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I am dedicated to writing picture books for young children in my current series: Very<br />Short Misadventure Stories for Kids and Bears, K-1.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The following books are either partially written or in the publishing process.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Baby Bear's Big Boy School Misadventure: The Unnerving First Day<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Baby Bear Doesn't Share<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Baby Bear Learns to Share</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />There is a contest going on for those who purchase Baby Bear's Spaghetti Misadventures.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br />A parent/guardian can submit a book idea for the series, and winners will be honored by<br />naming Baby Bear's next friend after their child's name. I'm very excited to see the submissions. The information about the contest is inside the book.<br /><br />Also, I'm working on a series of vocabulary books for grades 1-2. The first will be about nouns. It won't look like pages of flashcards. My idea is taken from what happens at a spelling contest when the child asks, "Can you use it in a sentence?"<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So the words that I use will have the image next to it.<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Example:<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Mama Bear asks, "Do you want an apple?"<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Baby Bear says, "No, I want apple juice."<br /> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Finally, I'll be founding an email club, Bear Family Email Club. The Club will be for parents/guardians of young children; it will offer many discounts and contests and run by the members themselves. You might say, for the people, by the people.<br /></span></span><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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