Author   Jodi Desautels
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Author Interview with Ann (Ana) Morris, Bilingual Children's Author

2/24/2014

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Hello everyone!  Today's interview is with a talented bilingual poet and children's author.  She also has a positive outlook on life, which I find refreshing.  I hope you will welcome her, enjoy the interview, and check out her books.


Ann, please tell us a little about yourself.
I am Ann Morris (Ana when I write in Spanish).  I am completely bilingual in English and Spanish.  I learned my Spanish in Northern Spain, but I am deeply involved with the Latino community where I live and am well aware of the localization and accent differences.

What is the title of your book?
This book (pair) is titled “Surprise in Auntie’s Garden!” or “¡Sorpresa en el jardín de la tía!”


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Please, tell us a little about your book.
My book was inspired by my shared love of flowers and my garden with my niece, Erin.  I added the part about the caterpillar to give the story something to follow and a learning experience.  It is about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, but it features a positive adult role model, a curious child, and a learning experience plus a method to learn.

How long have you been writing.
I have been writing as long as I remember.  I have always loved to write.  My mother also loved to write and encouraged me.  In elementary school, I had 2 poems published in a children’s magazine called Wee Wisdom.  My first book was written as a school project in Fifth Grade.  I have written for many reasons since then, but my first children’s book pair was published in 2011.

What is your favorite place to market and promote yourself, as well your book?
I market my books largely through schools.  I do a lot of school readings.  I also find other avenues to market, e.i. Arts Shows where I provide story time for children, book signings, and a variety of venues.
I love reading to elementary students.  They are so enthusiastic and full of curiosity and questions!  They are welcoming and appreciative.  What more can I say?

Do you have other books?
My first book pair was “Mommy and Mikel Go for a Walk” and “Mikel y Mami dan un paseo”.  That book is being republished by my new publisher, Mascot Books.  The new Spanish title will be “Mami y Mikel dan un paseo”.  It was also well loved by students and adults alike.

What is your hope for your book?

My hope for all of my books is that they interest children of all ages.  They have a multi-level intelligence, so adults learn things that children don’t notice.  I hope to increase literacy in English as well as in Spanish for those learning that language.

Besides writing, what are some of your other hobbies or interests?
I love photography, flower gardening, bird watching, and projects that help assist and empower those who need gentle help and care.

What draws you to the genre that you write?Children’s books can be used for children as well as for language learners.  I used to teach High School Spanish and always used Spanish Children’s books and videos as learning tools.  The same is valuable for English learners.

Is your book educational?  If so, how so?
All of my books are educational.  They may be a “teaching moment” about pertinent subject matter, but they also involve the learning process.  “How can we learn more about this?”

Is there a message, a lesson, or a moral to your story?  If so, would you to share it?
The purpose of “Surprise in Auntie’s Garden” is to show an appreciation for natural beauty, a desire to cultivate it, to encourage children to “stop and smell the flowers” and to learn about things they notice.  The adult helps them do that.

What literary character do you think you are like and why?
Oh, I would definitely be Pollyanna!  I have eternal hope, I won’t give up on “impossible” causes, and I’m very proactive.

Where can we find you?  

I’m on FaceBook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Book-Spot, GoodReads, and a couple of poetry sites as well.  My website is:  www.authorannmorris.com.  It contains other sites and links where I am also active and visible.

What are you working on now? 

I have submitted the English manuscript for my next book to my publisher so the graphics department can work with my artist, Melissa Wright.  I will write the Spanish version while they work.

What are your writing goals?
My writing goals are to communicate from one soul to another, to inspire the love of education and literacy, and to entertain.

Do you have any old home remedies you would like to share?

When I was young and would swallow something wrong, I would start to cough.  The first thing my mom would always say was, “Raise your arms!”  I always would, and it seemed to open the airway.  I still automatically do that today unless I’m in sophisticated company, which doesn’t usually occur.

To where would you like to travel and why?

I love Spain and was there recently.  I loved England (the UK) and would return tomorrow if I could.  I would love to visit family in Norway.  I have friends in Ghana that I would love to visit and help.  I have friends in Algeria and about 200 Vietnamese friends from FaceBook.  They are interested in learning English.  I would love to travel there and visit them.  I have a “son” in Thailand who would love to have me visit.  My global interests are endless.  I travel for language and friendship, for historic interest, for family, to promote communication and international goodwill, and to help empower those who need an extra hand to begin their own development.

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Author Interview with Joyce Van Kirk

2/17/2014

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Hello everyone!  Today, I have the privilege of interviewing a very kind and supportive person.  I hope you will welcome, Joyce Van Kirk!



Joyce, please tell us a little about
yourself.

My name is Joyce Van Kirk. I have been married for 39 yrs to my husband Chuck. We have three beautiful children together. We have lived in the Philadelphia area most of our lives. When I had my last child I had decided not to go back to work but to stay home and raise my children. I then started babysitting nieces and nephews and last of all my grandchildren. In 2009 I had a dream come true when my first book The Six Forest Friends was published.

What is the title of your book?
The Six Forest Friends [it’s a series with a total of 10 books. Only 2 so far have been published]

Please, tell us a little about your book.
The Six Forest Friends is about these cute little forest animals Matty the squirrel; Jay the bluebird; Manda the rabbit; Lexi the doe; Jule the skunk and Erc the snake they meet in a unique way. They help each other and become friends even though they are different.

What genre do you write?
Children and some Young Adults

What inspired you to write this book?
My grandchildren are my inspiration of writing this book.

How long have you been writing?
I would say for about 6 to 8 yrs 7. What is your favorite place to market your book?

What is your favorite way to promote yourself and your book?
 I would have to say the Internet. It is truly the way to go. I believe it helps a lot. I have a facebook, twitter, Goodreads and a lot of other pages on the web to help me promote my books

Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
Oh I would really have to say all of them because everyone one of them is a part of my grandchildren!

Do you have other books? 
Yes I do have other books; Matty the Squirrel is the second book to the series [The Six Forest Friends], Sammy, the Fox Learns About Easter, Against Bullying Club; The Little Brave One; and my recent one Against Bullying Club 2.

What is your hope for your book?
My hope for my book is that children enjoy reading it and learn that you can be friends with anyone no matter who you are.

Besides writing, what are some of your other hobbies and interest?
I love watching night shows Blacklist; Chicago Fire; CSI; Blue blood; Hawaii Five-O; Criminal Minds to name a few. I also enjoy reading Drama, Romance, ext. I started a great hobby over fifteen years ago doing my family tree. Now that was one great hobby I really enjoyed. I got to meet distant cousins and it was a great feeling…

What draws you to the genre that you write? 
You know after raising three children. Babysitting so many nieces and nephews then finally taking care of some of my grandchildren. Who couldn’t think of anything but children books? They showed me so many things about how very different they are. I used to sit on my chair and just listened and watched them so closely that one day it just happened. I got up and grabbed paper and a pencil and started writing. I didn’t have a computer at the time either so everything was done on paper. It all fell into place and my six beautiful grandchildren created The Six Forest Friends….

If you are a children’s author, do you illustrate your own books? 
Yes and No if that makes any sense. So I will explain. I drew the pictures, but to me they came out not quite what I wanted so I had someone to help me by making them look better.

Is your book educational? If so, how so?  
I believe it is in a way, it teaches children a very important lesson in helping others and friendship…

Is there a message, a lesson, or a moral to your story? If so, would you want to share it?  
I believe that children need to know that just because you are different doesn’t mean you can’t become friends. So who or where you come from shouldn’t matter at all…

Do you make your own covers? 
Yes I did to some of them.

What are / were your favorite and least favorite subjects in school and why? 
My favorite will have to be Art class. I loved and enjoyed going to my art class every day. I enjoyed learning all the techniques of drawing. My least favorite would have to be English class I truly hated it with a passion. I just didn’t get along with the teacher!

Do you have a blog and website? 
I am still working on them…

My website: http://mypublishedbooks.webs.com/
My Blog: http://jvankirk55.wordpress.com/   
  
What is your favorite place to write? 

In a quiet room, where the only sound you hear is your own breathing.

Please list whatever links you would like to leave.

My Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/joycevankirk 

My Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJVK
My Twitter Page: 

https://twitter.com/vankirk55

What are you working on now? 

I am working on the third book “Jay the Bluebird” to my children’s book series The Six Forest Friends….

What are your writing goals? 

My goal is to honestly finish all the books to The Six Forest Friends series…

Do you have any old home remedies you would like to share? 

No the only home remedies I have is either from a book or the Internet…


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     I hope you have enjoyed the interview with Joyce!  You can buy The Six Forest Friends on Amazon.com.

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Author Interview with Alexandra Faer Bryan

2/10/2014

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     Hello everyone!  Today, I would like you to meet a kind soul.  I am interviewing Alexandra Faer Bryan.  She is a mother and a registered nurse.  So Alexandra:

What is the title of your book?  
Please, tell us a little about it.
My book is "Green Kitty" and it was written to help explain dementia and Alzheimer's disease to 8-12 year old children.  

What inspired you to write this book?
My inspiration for writing "Green Kitty" was seeing how children were treating and dealing with their grandparents with dementia when I was working at an assisted living facility.

What is your favorite way to promote yourself and your book?
My favorite way to promote my book is at book signings because I get to interact with children and the public.


Which of your characters is your favorite and why?
The character I like best in the book is the grandmother because I love the stories she gets to tell.

What is your hope for your book?
I hope that "Green Kitty" will help both the children that are impacted by their grandparent's illness and the victims of dementia themselves. The children will be more prepared for the inevitable changes in their loved ones and the victims will be treated more appropriately by their grandchildren.

What is a little known fact about you that you can share?
Most people don't know that I grew up on a farm and bottle fed cows, dogs and kittens and that I have dyslexia.

Besides writing, what are some of your other hobbies or interests?
My other hobbies are hiking, crocheting, reading and making costumes for Halloween.

Is your book educational?  If so, how so?
My book has won awards as entertaining fiction but it was written to be educate about the symptoms of dementia and what things a child can do to be helpful and kind to their grandparents.

Do you have a blog or website?
My website is: www.greenkittybook.com

What are your writing goals?
My goals in writing are always the same: to educate and inform the pubic to make the world better.

What is your next project?
My next project is the book about my godparents and a return to a better sense of community like I experienced as a child growing up in a small town.

To where would you like to travel and why?

Seeing the Grand Canyon is on my bucket list as it has been described as a "spiritual" event. I love to go to the beach and my favorite place that I have been is Brookgreen Gardens in Murrell's Inlet in South Carolina. It is filled with wonderful artwork and sculptures and has been called America's largest outdoor museum.

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     I haven't read "Green Kitty" yet.  However, the book touches on a topic that is near to me.  It is the worthwhile and much needed topic of Alzheimer's disease.  
     I hope you check out the book and the links below! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Green-Kitty/355099854519687
https://www.greenkittybook.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Poem-to-Help-Heal-the-Earth/108052579352296


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Author Interview with Sherry Ellis

2/3/2014

38 Comments

 
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     Hello everyone!  Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sherry Ellis.  She has a great writing style.  I follow her blog, "Mama Diaries."  It is a whimsical description of her family life.  So, Sherry… 

1.     Tell us a little about your book, That Mama is a Grouch:  It’s a picture book for kids ages 3-7 about a Mama who’s nearly out of control.  Toys are everywhere, finger-paint handprints are on the walls, and the house looks like a tornado just touched down.  The protagonist, a precocious child, can’t understand why Mama is upset.  After a little explanation, the girl learns that by following a few rules, Mama tantrums can be prevented.

2.     What inspired you to write this book? Real-life experience!   About nine years ago, when my kids were little, they had left toys strewn all over the family room floor.  I came in, with a basket of laundry.  Not seeing one of the toys, I tripped.  The clothes in the laundry basket flew out, and I ended up whacking my toe on the couch, breaking it.  Yes, I was one very grouchy mama! 

3.     What is your hope for this book? I would like to see it used as a tool to initiate discussions about the importance of cleaning up, and also about following household rules. If there aren’t rules in place, I’d like to see this book serve as an inspiration for creating them.  Additionally, I’d like kids to realize that parents are human, with feelings and emotions, and I’d like parents to realize that kids are kids, and messes are to be expected.

4.     Do you have other books?  Yes.  I’m the author of That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN, which is a very good book for helping kids get used to a new baby in the house.

5.     What is a little known fact about you? I used to be a PADI Scuba diving instructor.  I logged over 800 dives.  That’s a lot of time under water!

6.     What are some of your other hobbies and interests?  I am a professional musician who plays and teaches the violin, viola, and piano.  I also enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, bike riding, and gardening.

 

7.     Are you a morning or night person?  I am definitely a morning person.  My husband jokes that I’m solar-powered.  When the sun comes up, I’m ready to go.  When the sun goes down, that’s it - my “on” switch goes “off.”

 

8.     What literary character are you like, and why?  Since I write for children, I’ll have to liken myself to a children’s literary character.  I’d say I’m like Belle from Beauty and the Beast.  My nose is always in a book, and I try to look at the inner character of a person, rather than the exterior appearance.

9.     What are you working on now?  I’m working on a series of chapter books for kids ages 7-10.  I call them the “Bubba and Squirt” series.  The first book is Big Hole to China.  The protagonists, two kids named Bubba and Squirt, travel via magic through a hole and end up in different countries, where they have an adventure, and learn a little about the language, culture, and history of the country.  I have an agent, and he’s been working to find a publisher.

10.  Where can readers connect with you?  They can find me at my website, www.sherryellis.org and at my blog, http://sherryellis.blogspot.com.  Links to my Facebook fan page can also be found through either of these sites

Thank you for having me as a guest!


You are most welcome!  I enjoyed it!

Sherry’s Amazon Author page:    http://www.amazon.com/Sherry-Ellis/e/B002BLHFN6/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1391391440&sr=8-1

    


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Here is the cover of one of Sherry's wonderful books.  Here is the Amazon.com link to  "That Mama is a Grouch."  Also, here is a short bio with even more information about Sherry.


Sherry Ellis is a freelance writer and children’s author.  Her first book, That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN, was published in 2005.  Her second, That Mama is a Grouch, was published in 2010 and was honored as a finalist in the 2010 USA Book News Awards as well as in the 2011 International Book Awards. It also took first place in the parenting category of the 2011 Pinnacle Book Awards, and was the recipient of the silver award in the 2013 Mom’s Choice Awards.

 Sherry is also a professional musician who plays and teaches violin, viola, and piano. She  has appeared as a soloist in Germany and was a semi-finalist in the 2004 International Viola Competition in Paris, France.  Sherry is also a former PADI SCUBA instructor.  She has travelled to many exotic places and has seen much of the world above and below the water.

 Sherry lives with her husband and two children in Atlanta, Georgia.

 You can learn more about Sherry Ellis on her website, www.sherryellis.org


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    Jodi Desautels

         Jodi Desautels is a wife and mother.  She is a life-long learner who has two rules to live by:  "The Golden Rule" and "Live. Laugh. Love."  She loves family, friends, and nature.  Passions include caring for people, education, writing, illustrating, and photography.

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