*Author/Illustrator Interviews and Book Promotions Blog

Author Interview with Joel Dex Goor

5/6/2015

Hello everyone! I would like to introduce you to Joel Dex Goor. He is a relatively new Facebook friend of mine. However, he has been very kind. I am happy to do an author interview of him today. I hope you enjoy the interview and his book.

PLEASE, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.
My name is Joel Dex Goor and I grew up in Brooklyn NY, with my mom and sister. I now have two loving nephews whom I treasure and a niece puppy dog named, Autumn doodle. I love to write on humanity and how to show others that our lives are truly blessings from heaven and we should live it from that viewpoint. Life can be difficult, with our good and bad days, but I feel if we look at our lives and realize we have so much to be grateful for, such as our health, a job, a paycheck, affordable housing, food, clothes and one or two nice extras, life is truly beautiful. I hope my life is that example that others can follow in a way that best makes sense to them.

WHAT IS THE TITLE OF YOUR BOOK?
My first book is titled “YOUR LIFE IS A BLESSING…SO LIVE IT THAT WAY!!!! It is available on Createspace.com and Amazon.com, in paperback and in Kindle form. I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT IT AND HOPE AND KNOW YOU WILL BE TOO!!!

PLEASE, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR BOOK.
“YOUR LIFE IS A BLESSING…SO LIVE IT THAT WAY!!!!,” is a book I know will change lives. I want us to become better people. I want us to be more loving and kind to one another. As I say in the book, “I write to change lives, first my own and then have others see me as an example of peace and love, which gives them permission to become more loving and kind in their lives too. I discuss 15 life value topics and include over 125 quotes I’ve written on these topics following each chapter that I feel center our lives in one way or another. “Our families and our friendships,” “Volunteering and helping others,” “If we live our lives with integrity, our lives will shine ever so brightly,” “Culture, religion and spirituality,” “Happiness, gratitude and appreciation,” “Our time on this earth and our purpose in life,” and I conclude with, “The important things that matter.” I hope my book can be an example of how to live and be more loving and peaceful upon the earth.

WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?
I write best on body, mind and spirit books. Topics of personal growth, Divine life purpose as well as essays on hope and inspiration. Novel writing to this point though I’ve tried hasn’t seemed to be my genre, but books about humanity is where I feel I can best serve our world and planet. I am here to be a light-worker, an earth angel and to help heal the lives of others and living a peaceful and loving life in part is how I go about doing this. I also love writing prayers for others when a healing is needed.

WHAT IS YOUR HOPE FOR YOUR BOOK?
I sincerely hope people who read my books and my work will come away with a feeling of being touched and moved enough to perhaps re-examine their lives if something is not working. Since I write on our collective humanity and write on topics I have gone through that perhaps through my own journey, I can guide others. Also, I feel that I can best teach others, “by being the example of peace and love,” that way people will not feel I am preaching to them, but coming from a place of having gone through life’s good and bad and may know how to direct and guide another soul to a most fulfilling life.

WHAT DRAWS YOU TO THE GENRE THAT YOU WRITE?
I love humanity and our earth and environment. I feel that I can lead others on those topics of Divine life purpose, inspiring another person and being a role model for that.

IS YOUR BOOK EDUCATIONAL? IF SO, HOW SO?
Perhaps educational as a primer or a guide on how we can be more kinder, or how to be more happier, or how to look at all our relationships working or not working and how we can help change them and make them better. I hope one of my core messages is how we can transform our world into a world that is more peaceful and loving and one where we can truly care about ourselves and others on a level of sincere universal love. The love for and of humanity. We all need one another to get there. We cannot do this alone, we need each other and we all have a great part to play in this, and what part we have to play we must discover that for ourselves.

IS THERE A MESSAGE, A LESSON, OR A MORAL TO YOUR STORY? IF SO, WOULD YOU TO LIKE TO SHARE IT?
We all have a divine life purpose, find what that is and then get about the business of doing and becoming that. It is us, we, together, in unity. We must transform our world into one of peace and harmony, love and light. We must be advocates for one another and help each other, because we owe it to each other and our future generations. That I hope is one of many messages in my book, “Your life is a blessing…so live it that way!!!!” I hope it is a major reason among others that people are drawn to read my books and perhaps embrace and live my teachings in the way they see fit and best serves them.

DO YOU HAVE A BLOG OR WEBSITE?
I am honored to say I have a blog, “Your life is a blessing so live it that way.com,” and a FACEBOOK fan page, “My Happiness, Gratitude and Appreciation Page.” Thank you for asking.

PLEASE LIST WHATEVER LINKS YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE. http://www.amazon.com/Your-Life-Blessing-Live-That/dp/0692341498/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1424366477&sr=8-8&keywords=your+life+is+a+blessing

http://yourlifeisablessingsoliveitthatway.com/

https://www.facebook.com/MyHappinessGratitudeAndAppreciationPage?ref=bookmarks

If you would like to purchase or check out Your LIfe Is A Blessing…So Live It That Way!!!, click the preceding link.

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Author Interview with Drew Coolidge

6/2/2014

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Hello everyone! Today, I am interviewing an author who writes under the name, Drew Coolidge. Wonderful name! It sounds "cool!"
The book he is promoting today is "RadarDrew Weather Boy." And, just to let you know it is free on Kindle through June 3rd. I just downloaded my free copy. Do you have your free copy yet?

Please, tell us a little about yourself.
My author name is Drew Coolidge and I live in South Dakota. I spent 13 years as a television meteorologist and then turned to teaching grades 6-12. I also coach baseball, golf and girls basketball. We have been fortunate to win two State Championships in both baseball and golf in the last three years.

What is the title of your book?
The title is “RadarDrew Weather Boy”

Please, tell us a little about your book.
This fun, rhyming book is about a third grade boy named, “RadarDrew.” He loves the weather and knows where to go if severe weather hits. This is the very first book in the RadarDrew series.

What genre do you write?
I write both Children’s Books and non-fiction coaching and inspirational books.

What inspired you to write this book?
A recent thunderstorm

How long have you been writing?
I have been writing for nearly 40 years (I still have my very first book, “Grandma Motormouth”) and began self-publishing in 2013.

What is your favorite place to market your book?
Amazon

What is your favorite way to promote yourself and your book?
I promote on Facebook, Twitter and via e-mails.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
RadarDrew by far! I used to be RadarDrew and I know a lot of children fear severe weather and this series will help ease those fears.

Do you have other books?
My other Children’s eBook is “The Magical Bat” and it is also in audio form. I have several baseball coaching books and a series of Christian books for athletes called, “Contender For Christ.”

What is your hope for your book?
Do provide smiles for children and parents as well as a love for the weather.

What is a little known fact about you that you can share?
I love to fly fish because a lot of inspiration and stories come to me when I’m on the water.

Besides writing, what are some of your other hobbies or interests?
Fly fishing and coaching all sports. I truly love seeing someone succeed.

What draws you to the genre that you write?
Making a difference in someone’s life.

If you are a children’s author, do you illustrate your own books?
I do. I create my characters as cartoons and then I waterpaint my backgrounds to make it unique. It adds a little depth and a different way to help tell the story. If there weren’t words I would want my images to tell the story.

Is your book educational? If so, how so?
Yes. I share information about the weather and then offer safety tips.

Is there a message, a lesson, or a moral to your story? If so, would you to share it?
We all have fears and once we obtain information then we can face our fears.

Do you make your own covers?
Yes, I do. After 13 years as a meteorologist and making my graphics for the newscasts…I have a love for creative design.

What are/were your favorite subjects in school and why?
Great question! I loved English and Math because I have a passion for writing and in math, numbers never lie.

Do you have a blog or website?
www.CoachingBaseball101.com

Are you a morning person or a night person?
Morning for sure!
(Ugh! Not me! LOL!)

What is your favorite place to write?
Next to the creek at our cabin.

What literary character do you think you are like and why?
Huck Finn…because it’s fun to say Huck.

Please list whatever links you would like to leave. http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-Book-RADARDREW-Weather-Books-ebook/dp/B00KNMM3DM/ref=zg_bs_155131011_f_5

http://www.amazon.com/Drew-Coolidge/e/B00CLXZ17Q/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

What are you working on now?
I am working on more RadarDrew books and also am working on a story about a friend of mine who has Autism.

What other genre(s) would you like to write some day?
Historical fiction.

What are your writing goals?
To never stop writing!

What is your next project?
Survive the summer!
(LOL!)

Do you have any old home remedies you would like to share?
Tonic water on ice and three limes triggers powerful adjectives in my brain.

To where would you like to travel and why?
New Zealand to fly fish!

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Author Interview with Annie Douglass Lima

5/19/2014

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Hello everyone! Today, I am interviewing a very talented and kind author. And… look at her author pic! Way cool!

Just to let you know, there is a battle scene in her book. However, Annie ensures me that the book isn't violent. That is very important for me to express. (I don't care for violence in books, especially children's, MG, and YA books.

So, now, onto the interview. Annie, please tell us a little about yourself.
I was born in Southern California but raised mostly in Kenya, where my parents were missionaries. As an adult, I spent a year teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Indonesia after college. Shortly after returning to the States, I married my husband Floyd, and the two of us lived in the States for several years. Eventually God put all the pieces into place for us to move overseas, and now we’re serving at a Christian school in Taiwan. It’s not where I thought I’d end up, but I love it here!

What genre do you write?
Fantasy.

What is the title of your latest book?
Prince of Malorn.

Please, tell us a little about your book.
Prince of Malorn is the third book in my Annals of Alasia series, but like the others, it can stand on its own. Each book deals with events surrounding the same major political incident: the invasion of the kingdom of Alasia by the neighboring kingdom of Malorn. Prince of Alasia begins on the night of the Invasion and describes what happens to twelve-year-old Prince Jaymin after he is forced to flee for his life. In the Enemy’s Service features a girl as the protagonist and tells the story of those who were not able to escape from the Alasian palace when the enemy invaded. Prince of Malorn begins several months earlier and focuses on the Malornian perspective of the events leading up to the Invasion. In each of the books, main characters from the others make brief appearances and interact with each other at the point where the timeframes and settings overlap.

Did you learn anything along the way as you wrote the book?
I learned a lot! Part of the story involves the main character, Prince Korram, making a solitary trek through the mountains, and I spent hours researching details about wilderness survival to make sure everything was accurate. I learned about making wooden spears without steel tools, for example, as well as how to start a fire with rocks, what kinds of edible plants you could expect to find, and what beetle larva tastes like!

What are you working on now?
I’m nearly done with the next book in the series, tentatively titled King of Malorn. It takes place five years later and brings together the main characters from all three of the other books. In addition, I’m working on an unrelated story that will be the first in a completely different series. It’s called The Collar and the Cavvarach, and is set in a world very much like our own except that slavery is legal. Though still a young adult novel, it’s geared toward a slightly older audience than my Annals of Alasia and deals with darker issues. Writing it has been both an exciting and disturbing experience for me. In the last few days I’ve begun outlining ideas for its sequel.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
That’s like asking a parent which of her children is her favorite! They’re all special to me in different ways. But I’ll tell you about one of the characters I feel I’ve gotten to know better as I wrote this book. His name is Dannel, and he’s actually a villain. I wouldn’t want to meet him in real life, but he’s so much fun to write about! He’s clever, conniving, has a sense of humor, loves the thrill of danger, and does whatever it takes to make as much money as he can from whomever he can. Oh, and he has no moral standards to speak of. I’ve had a lot of fun working with Dannel’s character in King of Malorn, too.

Besides writing, what are some of your other hobbies or interests?
Besides writing, I enjoy reading (especially fantasy and science fiction) and scrapbooking. Hiking and other outdoor adventures are high on my list as well.

Is there a message, a lesson, or a moral to your stories? If so, would you share it?
I try to promote positive moral values in my books; for example, in Prince of Alasia I bring out the themes of honesty and forgiveness. In the Enemy's Service emphasizes honesty and grace. Prince of Malorn features the idea that no matter how great a ruler is, his people aren't likely to care much about him or listen to his message unless he will humble himself, give up his rights and titles, and become one of them.

Do you make your own covers?
No; my covers are made by Jack Lin, a college art student who graduated from Morrison Academy, where I teach. You can see more of his art at http://jacklindesign.com.

What other genre(s) would you like to write some day?
It’s hard to see myself writing anything other than speculative fiction (fantasy, sci fi, etc.). Nonfiction and realistic fiction just don’t give my imagination enough room to play!

What is your favorite place to write?
Sometimes it’s hard for me to focus on my writing at home where there are always so many distractions. Just this past year, I’ve started taking my laptop to a local teashop (there’s at least one on every corner here in Taichung) and writing at one of their little outdoor tables. There are plenty of distractions there, too, of course – noisy traffic, customers coming and going, cute little swallow chicks poking their heads up from the nest attached to the wall nearby, and of course all the activity at the fire station right across the street. But in spite of everything (and thanks especially to the fact that I have no internet access there), it’s one of the places I’ve been able to be the most productive. I usually go there for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, and sometimes on weekdays as well, if I have time and mental energy left after the school day’s done.

Do you have a blog or website?
Yes; my blog is http://anniedouglasslima.blogspot.com

Please list whatever other links you would like to leave.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnnieDouglassLimaAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/princeofalasia

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4955329.Annie_Douglass_Lima

Buy Prince of Malorn (Kindle): http://smarturl.it/PrinceofMalorn

Buy In the Enemy’s Service (Kindle): http://smarturl.it/EnemysService

Buy Prince of Alasia (Kindle): http://smarturl.it/PrinceofAlasia

Buy any of the books for Nook or other formats: https://www.smashwords.com/books/search?query=Annals+of+Alasia

Amazon Author Page (where readers can see all my books): http://www.amazon.com/Annie-Douglass-Lima/e/B0051XD0SU/

I haven't read any of Annie's books yet. However, I hope you check out Annie's website and books. Annie is currently running a giveaway contest to make it even more exciting. Please enter below for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Author Interview with Noelle Jesmer

4/28/2014

4 Comments

Hello everyone! Today, I am interviewing a multi-talented children's author and illustrator.

Noelle please, tell us a little about yourself.
Hi, my name is Noelle Jesmer and I’m the author and illustrator of a children’s book published online through amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Goodbye-Auntie-Noelle-Jesmer/dp/1482786974.

I lost my sister a few years ago, and writing the book was a huge comfort for me.

I have traveled all over the world, and I tried to include in my book some of the places I visited.

I am passionate about opera, Bach’s Cantatas, Chopin, Dvorak, and music in general.

I am passionate about the movies, foreign in particular, and I'm always inspired by a good film :))

Drawing and illustrating is my favorite pastime, it allows me to reconnect with lots of happy memories that I try to put on paper, with coloring pencils. I just started a new page on Facebook, Noelle’s Drawings and Illustrations.

I am happily married and have three wonderful sons.

What is the title of your book?
Goodbye Auntie

Please, tell us a little about your book.
Goodbye Auntie is based on true events, and tells the story of a 5-year-old boy who lost his aunt and decided to go around the world looking for her.

I lost my sister a few years ago, and writing the book was a huge comfort for me.

What inspired you to write this book?
Most of my creative work is inspired by my family and loved ones.

Where is your favorite place to work?
I love to draw and write where there is a lot of light, and usually it’s my kitchen, where I have a big bay window, and I’m able to look outside.

What are some of your favorite stories?
Growing up I loved the stories of The Countess of Segur, the French writer of Russian birth, her books: “les malheurs de Sophie”, “les petites filles modeles”, were such a fun read for me.

I also loved Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, and could relate to Joe March. I read Agatha Christie’s Poirot, and was fascinated by her insight.

What is a little known fact about you that you can share?
I speak four languages, Arabic, French, English and Spanish and I read a book in each of these languages, once a month. I love the French classics, Flaubert, Maupassant, Pagnol, and one of my favorite American authors is Faulkner. If I were to choose two of my favorite story tellers, Marcel Pagnol would be my first pick, with “Le chateau de ma mere”, and “ la gloire de mon pere”, both telling wonderful stories about his childhood. Then Alphonse Daudet, with his “Lettres de mon Moulin”, beautiful short stories with a good moral ending.

Besides writing, what are some of your other hobbies or interests?
I love the outdoors, and I do a lot of running and hiking. My husband and I take advantage of the gorgeous nature around us, and try to go on hikes whenever the weather permits it.

What are you working on now?
I already started working on my next children’s book, taking my young readers, one more time, around the world. They will meet other children their age, and will eventually see how they live. In other words, they’ll see that children have the same dreams and hopes all over the world.

4 Comments

Interview of Rhonda Patton: Rhonda Patton and Chester McDaniel Now Offer Artwork

4/21/2014

2 Comments

Hello everyone! I apologize that I have missed a couple of weeks. It was kind of a sudden decision. Things came up which made it necessary. Yet, I am back. And, I am interviewing Rhonda Patton.

I have interviewed Rhonda before on the release of one of her children's books. Rhonda and her husband, Chester McDaniel, are a multi-talented couple. Today, I am interviewing Rhonda, because she is breaking into graphic arts work.

So, Rhonda, you are wanting to do artwork for other people?
Actually yes, I am just starting a deal that other authors will love to here. Book covers, illustration from both my husband and I. I am also wanting to help others restore their older pictures that are dull or slightly damaged.

How did I get interested in it?
Well part of what I love doing is creating things for my own books. Now that I am getting a degree in Graphic Design it makes me broader out there. I believe I have designed a few good things.

Do you have samples of your work?
Yes, I do have a website for my designs http://rhondapatton.weebly.com this link will show just a few things that I have done. My husbands work is here, and he can do it all as detailed as one wants. His website is http://chesterrmcdaniel.weebly.com and if you need a voiceover for an audio book as well he has a few clips as well.

What about pricing?
We will beat anyone's price as we can. We have a paypal account and will be able to put half down if needed. With both of our work together we can come up with whatever your needs are. The more difficult the project the more expensive it can get.

What do you want the customer to feel about the work you do?
I want the client to feel overall satisfied with whatever we do for them. We offer logos, illustrations, any kind of design they may be looking for. They can connect with me on Facebook to inbox me for more information. I can add someone to a picture, take a person out. Whatever the needs if I do not know how I will learn and offer the service.

Here are a few samples of their work. For more information, check out their websites listed above. To see more about Rhonda and Chester, you can also check out the website for their books at www.thecroak500.com. I hope you check out all of their sites and their work. I love their talent and they are such nice people!

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Author Interview with Ann Trenton

3/31/2014

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Hello everyone! Today's featured author goes by the pen name, Ann Trenton. And, she is another nurse. I think I have interviewed quite a few nurses who are also authors. That is neat. i hope you enjoy the interview. It is short and sweet.

Ann, please tell us a little about yourself.
Ann Trenton is the pen name for a 50 years young nurse from Upstate New York who is an avid reader, loves kids and has always been interested in writing children's books.

I spent part of my nursing career as a pediatric nurse and an OB/Gyn nurse. I have two grown children and two grown step children. I draw much of my inspiration for writing from when my kids were little, and the school aged kids I know now.

Please, tell us a little about your book.
"The Thank You Angel" is my first published e book on Kindle and Nook. It's a story for children 4-9 years of age. The message of this story is that when you learn to say "Thank You" after someone does something nice for you, you and the person you thank both get a wonderful positive feeling! That's the Thank You Angel in action.

Did you illustrate your own book?
I had a very skilled children's book artist create my cover art and the illustrations in this e book.

What is your hope for your book?
My hope is that this book will become popular and that I can bring Sophia, the main character, back in other books to learn other life lessons.

What is your next project?
My next project will be a story about a little girl and her adventures with a fantasy tea party.

What are your links? Where can we find you?
My website is www.AnnTrenton.com and I am on Facebook www.facebook.com/AnnTrenton.

Where is your favorite place to market your book?
I have been marketing my e book for the most part on Facebook and by word of mouth, and on other children’s book websites. For the month of March “The Thank You Angel” has been featured on the Kidz Corner page at the website http://www.goodebooks.net/kidworld.html

What are some other hobbies besides writing?
My other hobbies are cooking, gardening and music, including Italian Opera!

Aw! Isn't that a cool name for a book? I really like books and other things that encourage good ole wholesome behaviors. Way to go, Ann!
I hope hope check out Ann's sites and "The Thank You Angel."

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Author Interview with Michael Klaus Schmidt

3/24/2014

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Hello everyone. Today's interview is by a man who kind of first started writing his book when he was five years old. Can you imagine? I wonder if he thought about being a published author when he was five.

Michael, please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Michael Klaus Schmidt. I am an artist and illustrator, but I've recently started writing my own books. I also dabble in video game design.

What is the title of your book?
My book is called “The Adventures of the Salamander.”

Please, tell us a little about your book.
“The Adventures of the Salamander” is a children's fantasy/science fiction adventure story. “The Adventures of the Salamander” is a story about overcoming tremendous odds, and fighting against injustice. It focuses on a young salamander named Slippy, whose village is invaded by mean-spirited lizards. The lizards are forcing the poor salamanders to bake cupcakes for them, and Slippy gets thrown in jail for speaking out against it. From there, Slippy escapes to find help, but winds up stumbling from one adventure to another, all the while trying to get back home to save his family. Every place he goes, there are illustrations and maps which describe his adventure. To summarize, this is the book I would love to have read when I was a kid.

What inspired you to write this book?
A few years ago, I was searching through my mom's attic, when I happened across a story I had written when I was five years old. It was called “The Adventures of the Salamander.” It was only a page long, and it had these very crude illustrations that I'd done with a marker. My mom had typed the text for me. I was very excited about finding it, but when I read it, the ending was so bad, that I just had to write it over again. That's how it started.

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
Slippy the Salamander is the main character in my book series. He is also my favorite character, because no matter how rough it gets, he never backs down, and he never gives up. He's also an honest guy and a good friend, willing to help those in need.

Do you have other books? (Feel free to list them.)
I am currently working on the sequel to “The Adventures of the Salamander,” called “The Return of the Mirms.” I am nearly done writing it, and I'm starting to work on the illustrations.

What is your hope for your book?
Well, ideally the stories will catch on with the kids, and they will be the next Harry Potter. However, I'd be happy if the kids who do read them actually enjoy them and appreciate all the effort I put into them, and read them to their kids when they get older.

What draws you to the genre that you write?
Adventure stories have always been my favorite. I love the idea of the main characters travelling from one place to another, trying to solve some impossible quest, I also love the maps. My books have tons of maps.

Is your book educational? If so, how so?
Yes, in many ways. First, since I have five kids of my own, I wanted the books to be accessible to different age levels. For the youngest kids, I made sure there's at least one illustration for every set of facing pages. For kids who are starting to read, I've included easy-to-read captions under each illustration, which tell the whole story in a simplified manner. For the established reader, there is the main text, which reads like any normal book for mid-level readers. Finally, I included lots of little scientific facts, and some not so scientific ones, in the form of footnotes, and several appendices.

Is there a message, a lesson, or a moral to your story? If so, would you to share it?
Again, yes. The main story, as I mentioned earlier, is about Slippy trying to rescue his family from the injustice of the lizards. However, along the way, Slippy meets lots of interesting people and learns lots of interesting things. He discovers, for instance, that The Olde Slimy River, which runs through Salamander Village, is actually being polluted by a toothpick factory, highlighting the importance of protecting the environment. He meets a lizard on the moon, who happens to be a really nice fellow, demonstrating that you can't judge a person by what they look like on the outside. There are lots of little lessons in there.

What are/were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school and why?
I liked science, particularly biology, because of my interest in animals. I liked geometry, because of my interest in art. Of course I liked art class. I was weak in other types of math, though, specifically trigonometry. I actually really enjoyed a computer programming class in high school, but for some reason, I did not continue programming until much later in my life.

What literary character do you think you are like and why?
I've strongly identified with several characters from the books of James P. Blaylock. If I had to choose one of them, it would be Jonathan Bing, the cheeser from his stories “The Elfin Ship,” and “The Disappearing Dwarf.” Bing has a wonderful way of reluctantly trying to save the world, and questioning his own intentions along the way.

Please list whatever links you would like to leave.
My books: www.adventuresofthesalamander.com

My Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AdventuresOfTheSalamander

I hope you have enjoyed the interview and check out Michael's sites and book.

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Author Interview with Kristen Mott

3/17/2014

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Hello everyone. Today's author interview is with Kristen Mott! (Her author pic reminds me of my horse show photographer days.) Kristen is a children's book author and animal lover.

Kristen, please tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Kristen Mott, I am a writer, wife, mother and animal welfare advocate. I graduated from the Indiana University School of Journalism in 2008. I currently live on a small farm in Indiana with my husband and son where we care for two horses and two cats, the real-life characters in my first children’s book.

What is the title of your book?
My first children’s book is titled Odie the Stray Kitten.

Please, tell us a little about your book.
This is a children’s picture book that depicts the true story of how I adopted a little stray kitten one cold winter day. Odie found much more than a forever home on our farm, including a name and a best friend.

What genre do you write?
I write children's realistic fiction.

What inspired you to write this book?
Odie, the kitten himself, inspired me to write this book. I had always wanted to publish a children's book and had written countless animal stories over the years. I wrote down his story and decided that it needed to be shared.

How long have you been writing?
I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember, since I was first able to write in elementary school. I have mostly written stories about animals.

What is your favorite way to promote yourself and your book?
I have had the most success promoting on Facebook, but I enjoy promoting the book by reading in elementary school classrooms and in independent children’s bookstores.

Do you have other books? (Feel free to list them.)
This is my first published book, but it is the first book in The Odie Series, about the cat’s life on our farm. The second book in the series, Odie’s Best Friend, is in production and should be live by summer 2014.

What is your hope for your book?
I hope that this book and the series inspire children to write their own stories and become more aware of animal welfare.

What draws you to the genre that you write?
I love the simplicity, the morals and the themes of most children’s books. And I have a bleeding heart for animals and stories about talking animals.

If you are a children’s author, do you illustrate your own books?
I wish that I was able to illustrate my own books. I am taking some art lessons in hopes to one day be able to illustrate my own stories, but for now I leave it to the professionals.

Is there a message, a lesson, or a moral to your story? If so, would you share it?
The book is told from Odie’s perspective and I’ve used his story to educate children about the value of helping those in need and caring for animals. The story also conveys a message of friendship and belonging.

What are/were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school and why?
My favorite subjects in school were always English and creative writing because I understood words and how to use them. Words always meant something to me. Science and math were my least favorite subjects. Today I still do not understand them.

Do you have a blog or website?
My blog is www.animalstoriesforchildren.blogspot.com
My website is www.kristenmott.com

What is your favorite place to write?
I enjoy writing while sitting in my barn, in the presence of my animals. They are true inspirations.

Please list whatever links you would like to leave.
Odie the Stray Kitten Paperback available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ifoT6K
Odie the Stray Kitten Kindle available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1jVdOVU

What are you working on now?
The second book in The Odie Series is in production, and it is keeping me busy. I continue to write Odie’s adventures as well as other animal stories.

What is your next project?
Odie’s Best Friend is my next project and it is currently in production. It is the second book in The Odie Series.

I hope you have enjoyed the interview. I hope you check out Odie the Stray Kitten as well as Kristen's blog and website. Thank you, Kristen for a wonderful interview.

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Author Interview with Deanie Humphrys-Dunne

3/10/2014

5 Comments

Hello everyone! Today, I get the pleasure of interviewing another award winning author. She is introducing us to four books. (I hope you enjoy this interview and check out her books.) And…she teams up with her sister to complete them. Her sister is her illustrator! Welcome, Deanie!

Thank you so much for inviting me to chat with you today, Jodi. It’s a pleasure to be spending time with you.

Please tell us about yourself, Deanie.
I’ve been a children’s author since 2009, when the first edition of my award-winning children’s autobiography, Tails of Sweetbrier was published. All four of my books are illustrated by my talented sister, Holly Humphrys-Bajaj.

What inspired you to write this book?
Before I began writing Tails of Sweetbrier, I’d been searching for an office job. I even took a course in Medical Coding, in hopes of launching a new career. But it didn’t find a job, so I was feeling a little sad about it. Then I had a strong intuition that I should write a story about my childhood at our family farm, Sweetbrier. Since I had already studied with the Institute of Children’s Literature, I thought it would be an opportunity to use those skills. Once my first book was published, I discovered my new career! I love writing for children and helping them discover some valuable life lessons.

Please tell us a little about your book;
Tails of Sweetbrier is an inspiring story of a little girl who wants desperately to ride horses in competitions, like her sisters. But she had a handicap and doctors told her parents she would never walk. Her dad refused to accept that. He had other plans. Since I’m that girl, I can tell you that my dad and I began our journey and we proved the doctors wrong. I can’t spoil all the surprises in the book, but I can say that it will show all things are possible if you don’t quit. Tails of Sweetbrier has won the Silver Medal in The Feathered Quill Writer’s Contest. (2014)

Do you have other books?
Yes, I have a series of three fictional stories: Charlie the Horse, Charlene the Star, and Charlene the Star and Hattie’s Heroes. The animals talk in these books and they are quite amusing. Readers will enjoy knowing their thoughts and ideas. The characters all work together to solve problems. Children also enjoy the adorable illustrations that Holly created.

Do you make your own covers?
No, Holly designs the covers as well as the illustrations. The covers are colorful and very cute! Holly’s talents make the stories come to life and I’m extremely blessed to have her.

Is your book educational, if so, how?
Yes, Tails of Sweetbrier shows children that anything is possible if you never give up on your dreams. I think it’s important for them to realize that there will always be people who try to discourage you by saying you can’t possibly do something. You have a choice. You can choose not to listen, as I did. The only time you fail is when you quit, in my view.

What are you working on now?
Holly is working on the illustrations for our new book, Charlene the Star and Bentley Bulldog. It has some of the same characters as our other books, but they have a completely different adventure.

What is your hope for your book?
Of course, I hope that it inspires kids to do their best and follow their dreams. Someday, I would love to have a movie made, based on Tails of Sweetbrier. It would be an opportunity to introduce many more children to this book’s message.

What are your links?

Here are the links for my books on Amazon:

Tails of Sweetbrier:
http://www.amazon.com/Tails-Sweetbrier-Deanie-Humphrys-Dunne-ebook/dp/B00DRPCA9E/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391615592&sr=1-1&keywords=Tails+of+Sweetbrier

Charlene the Star:
http://www.amazon.com/Charlene-Star-Deanie-Humphrys-Dunne-ebook/dp/B00E0MMOEO/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391615670&sr=1-1&keywords=charlene+the+star

Charlene the Star and Hattie’s Heroes:
http://www.amazon.com/Charlene-Hatties-Heroes-Deanie-Humphrys-Dunne-ebook/dp/B00C81V2DI/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391615774&sr=1-1&keywords=charlene+the+star+and+hattie%27s+heroes

Charlie the Horse:
http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Horse-Deanie-Humphrys-Dunne-ebook/dp/B00CEJ2Y4A/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1391615861&sr=1-1&keywords=charlie+the+Horse

Website:
www.childrensbookswithlifelessons.com. (also includes blog tab)

Blog:
www.dhdunne.blogspot.com
deanieblog.wordpress.com

5 Comments

Author Interview with Paula McGrew

3/3/2014

1 Comment

Hello everyone. Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Paula McGrew. She has written a very beautiful book. I hope you all will enjoy this interview and check out Paula's book.

Please, tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up on the North Dakota prairie and spent as much time as I could at my grandparents’ farm where I rode horse and played with my cousins. During my teens, my family moved to Minnesota where I’ve lived ever since. I am a Certified Medical Transcriptionist and worked in that field for 13 years before becoming the Graduate Nursing Coordinator for a private Catholic college. My husband, Kevin, and I have been married for 20 years and we have two sons, Graham and Soren. I am passionate about growing, raising and preserving our own food, gardening, staying healthy and using essential oils.

What is the title of your book?
The title of my book is My Heart Beats For You.

Please, tell us a little about your book.
My Heart Beats For You is written as a love letter from God.   Reading it is like listening to God speak directly to your heart, assuring you of your worth and that you were made for a purpose and are precious to Him. You are someone He treasures.

What inspired you to write this book?
Initially, I wrote this book for my sons, Graham and Soren, as a love letter from God. I included pictures of them as children to go along with the Bible verses about how God made them, loves them, takes care of them and wants to be their Friend. From those scrapbooks evolved My Heart Beats For You which is now available to the public.

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing since I was in elementary school – writing letters to my cousins, keeping a diary, coming up with story ideas – and even wrote a book about horses for my sixth grade teacher for a school assignment. I had fun with that project and receiving an A on it was like frosting on a cake. I was hooked from then on. Writing, English classes, and studying vocabulary – but NOT diagraming sentences! – are some things I’ve always enjoyed and I’ve written poetry, magazine articles, newsletter articles for my church, missionary biographies, book reviews, children’s Sunday School puzzles, and a children’s picture book.

Do you have other books?
Yes, I have another book titled Poodles at Play which I released in January. It’s a children’s picture book written in rhyme. While I was writing it, my husband kept telling me I was channeling my inner Dr. Seuss!

What is your hope for your book?
My hope for My Heart Beats For You is that when people read it, they will believe – with a deep heartfelt belief – that God loves them, has a good plan for their lives, desires the very best for them, and longs to have a relationship with them.

Besides writing, what are some of your other hobbies or interests?
My husband, boys, and I live on a ten-acre hobby farm in northeastern Minnesota where we garden, raise bees, laying hens, and meat chickens. We have a hunting dog and four Pygmy goats as pets. I enjoy baking from scratch, canning, scrapbooking, summer weather and riding horse.

If you are a children’s author, do you illustrate your own books?
No, I don’t illustrate my own books. That is definitely not my forte! For My Heart Beats For You, I used Photoshop to add text to the pictures, and I also used a few of the pre-populated backgrounds that come with the Photoshop computer program. For the rest of the backgrounds, I used scenes from a paid subscription to VideoBlocks, which offers some amazing products. As far as my picture book, though, I hired an illustrator, Krystine Kercher, to illustrate for me.

Is there a message, a lesson, or a moral to your story? If so, would you to share it?
Yes, the message is about God’s love. He loves us unconditionally, with an everlasting love, and that’s the best, most awesome message any one of us could receive! No matter what we do, no matter who we are, no matter how many times we fail, His love never changes.

Do you make your own covers?
My husband made the cover for My Heart Beats For You from a photo I purchased from Fotolia.

What are/were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school and why?
My favorite subjects in school were writing and English, and my least favorites were math and science.   Spelling, writing, and vocabulary are subjects I enjoy, and they came easily to me.   As far as memorizing the Periodic Table of the Elements and writing geometric proofs goes – no, not so much.

Do you have a blog or website?
Yes, I have a brand new website I’ve been working on. You can find it at www.paulalynnmcgrew.com.

Are you a morning person or a night person?
Definitely a morning person. I like getting up with the sun.

What is your favorite place to write?
My favorite place to write is in my rocking chair in the living room.

Please list whatever links you would like to leave.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PaulaLynnMcGrew
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulaLynnMcGrew
Website: www.paulalynnmcgrew.com

What other genre(s) would you like to write some day?
Some day, I would like to write romantic fiction.

What is your next project?
I have ideas for three more children’s picture books. Two stories are in the very beginning rough stage, and the other one is simply a title, a few sentences, and the ending.