Monday, August 31, 2009
Book Review - The Rock of Realm by Lea Schizas
Friday, August 28, 2009
Book Review - Garden of Eve by K.L. Going
Written by: K. L. Going
Hardback: 232 pages
Ages: 8 to 12
Publisher: Harcourt, Inc.
ISBN: 978-0-15-205986-6
Publication: September 2007
Evie and her mom had a very special relationship where they were able to bring their imaginations into the world of magic through bedtime stories. Evie longs for the days before her mother became ill, but it is not to be when her mother dies. In hopes of a new start Evie and her father move to Beaumont, New York where Evie takes a journey into a fairy tale of her own.
At first the dismal apple orchard that her father purchased is too dreary for Evie and to top it off it’s next door to a cemetery. The events that occur after Evie meets a boy that looks just like a local boy that died, the curse of the farm and the girl that vanished, and the gift of a single seed are nothing less than spectacular.
Her father has always been a scientific man and that if there is no explanation than it cannot be real.
“Evie,” he said at last, “you know I’m a realist. I always have been. I trust what I see with my eyes, and it’s hard to believe anything you’ve told me is true…” “But I can tell you this, I’m not going to make the same mistake again. If you need a seed to find Adam and bring him home, then, by God, we’re going to find a seed.”
Through her journey Evie’s father begins to BELIEVE in the unexpected and unexplainable.
K.L. Going immerses you in the heart and soul of Evie from the start and you’ll feel the beat of your heart in your head with every word you read. Kudos to K.L. Going for this wonderful heartfelt novel!
Visit K.L. Going at: http://www.klgoing.com/
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Book Review - The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh
Title: The Night Tourist
Written by: Katherine Marsh
Ages: 10 - 12
Publisher: Hyperion Books for Children
ISBN: 978-142310689-0
Published: September 2007
Hardcover: 232 pages
Price: $17.99
Brilliant young ninth-grade boy, Jack Perdu lives on the
At the arrangement of his father, Jack finds himself traveling to see a doctor in
While waiting for his train in Grand Central Terminal he befriends a girl named Euri, who strangely enough no one else seems to know of her existence.
“Jack took a surprised step back from the column. The voice was a girl’s, one he didn’t recognize. He turned around to look for her. But as he scanned the other corner, his stomach tightened. The tour guide had left, and all the tourists were gone. Commuters were rushing through the mezzanine, but no one was standing near any of the columns.”
With the new formed friendship and Euri’s encouragement the two explore the underworld of Grand Central Terminal. Jacks discovery of the ghostly underworld with hidden tracks and stairwells brings him to a world where it may be possible to see his mother again.
The author, Katherine Marsh, easily brings to life the wonders of
Monday, August 24, 2009
Writing for Free Markets
Friday, August 21, 2009
Sharing with Writers Newsletter by Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Blogger LinkUp
This is a free service that is all about helping bloggers - or anyone who wants to contact bloggers.
You can:
* Request guest posts
* Request sources for interviews and round-ups
* Offer guest posts to bloggers
* Offer products to bloggers for review
Who Should Join? You should join Blogger LinkUp if you are:
* A blogger who uses guest posts to fill in when you are away or just want to give your readers another point of view
* A blogger or web site owner who wants to get links and exposure by writing guest posts
* A blogger who does interviews or round-up articles and needs sources
* A representative of a company that wants to get your products reviewed by bloggers
* A PR person, publicist or social media consultant who helps clients with any of the above.
Here is how it works: Join the Blogger LinkUp list and you will get emails once or twice a day, Monday through Friday. These emails will list bloggers looking for expert sources, requests for guest posts, bloggers and web masters offering guest posts, and PR reps and others seeking reviews of products. When you see a request that you can fulfill, just respond directly to the requester.
Have a request of your own? Simply submit a request, and it will be forwarded to the list.
Blogger LinkUp
http://www.bloggerlinkup.com/
Email Cathy Stucker: cathy@idealady.com
Monday, August 17, 2009
Author Marketing Experts Newsletter
Are you looking for tips to market your book? Author Marketing Experts can help.
Each issue of The Book Marketing Expert Newsletter is jammed pack with different tips and suggestions to make your marketing efforts more effective.
Don't wait opt-in today subscribe to this newsletter: subscribe@amarketingexpert.com
You'll be happy you did!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Follow Stanley Bookman into the World of Ink
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Book Review ~ Babysitting SugarPaw by VS Grenier
Written by: VS Grenier
Illustrated by: Kevin Scott Collier
Ages: 3-8
Publisher: Halo Publishing International
ISBN: 978-1-935268-06-2
Published: July 2009
Soft cover: 32 pages
Price: $13.95
Bonnie Whiskers happily arrives at her first babysitting job and becomes quite nervous upon hearing SugarPaw’s protests. In her best attempt not to be thwarted by SugarPaw’s negativity of being babysat, Bonnie Whiskers listens intently as Mama Bear explains the rules chart. Relieved her task at hand appears simpler than she thought Bonnie Whiskers relaxes and attempts to engage SugarPaw. Unbeknownst to all involved, SugarPaw tampered with the rules chart and chaos ensues. What can Bonnie Whiskers do to get SugarPaw under control without causing more harm?
Along with the colorful illustrations of Kevin Scott Collier, VS Grenier brings to life a first-time babysitter’s apprehension and mixes in the high jinxes of SugarPaw into a delightful story of acceptance and understanding. Your personal copy of Babysitting SugarPaw will surely become worn out from reading it many times over.
VS Grenier is an Award-winning author and Editor-in-Chief of Stories for Children Magazine (http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org). She learned how to hone her writing skills at the Institute of Children’s Literature, and her works include: the Best of Stories for Children Magazine Volume 1 anthology and over 30 short stories, articles, and crafts for children along with newsletter articles for writers. Visit Grenier at: http://vsgrenier.com and learn more about her exciting career.
Check out the order details for Babysitting SugarPaw at: http://vsgrenier.com/BabysittingSugarPaw.aspx for an autographed copy and a portion of sales goes to FirstBook.org
Kevin Scott Collier is a Christian youth fiction book author and illustrator. Explore his techno-colored world at: http://kevinscottcollierhomepage.blogspot.com.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
VS Grenier teams with First Book
Monday, August 10, 2009
One Lovely Blog Award
Now on to the simple rules and my recipients:
1) Accept the award, and don’t forget to post a link back to the awarding person.
2) Pass the award on.
3) Notify the award winners.
Lea would have been one of my choices, considering without her expert editing skills, my book, The Golden Pathway, may have never been accepted as my first book contract. And many thanks to Lea for creating the Muse It Club – without this group, I’m sure I would not have met so many of my writing colleagues, whom I now consider close friends.
For my choices these women each inspire and motivate me in some way:
Lori Calabrese http://loricalabrese.blogspot.com – Lori and I first met through the Muse It Up Club and then unexpectedly in-person at the SCBWI Eastern NY Conference – June 2008. Since then Lori and I created our own critique group, along with Stephanie Hoina and Irene Roth. Lori always has the time to chat and share everything she has learned and continues to learn about writing. And of course, always making the connection a positive personal experience. Her writing career is flourishing with two pending picture books and numerous articles and short stories in print. I am proud to say, I knew Lori when and will continue to be connected with her professionally and personally for many, many years to come.
VS Grenier – http://vsgrenier.com – Virginia was the first editor who took a chance on my writing and accepted my first non-fiction article for the July 2007 issue of Stories for Children Magazine. Since then Virginia and I have stayed in touch via email and I had the opportunity to attend her workshop at the 2007 Muse Online Writers Conference and a tighter kinship was formed and continues to flourish even more so with our work at Stories for Children Magazine. Virginia’s energy for her own writing, editing, and critique services, topped with her responsibilities of Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Stories for Children Magazine is certainly an inspiration to me. Confirming my dream of the written word for children is so much more than being paid for, but rather than reaching the depths of creativity in children.
Beverly Stowe McClure – http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com - Beverly is another individual who I met through the Muse It Up Club. We hit it off immediately and we continue to be in touch off the chat boards. Bev’s wonderful nature of checking-in with me to see how “things” are going keeps me energized to keep moving forward, so I’m always ready to share with her new accomplishments and of course those dreaded rejections. I consider Bev my cyber-space mother. Her caring and supportive words are always a comfort in what can be the lonely world of writing. I’m just glad she can’t give me a slap upside the head like my real mom…LOL. But then again, I don’t think I would mind Bev doing this, since she knows the frustrations of writing, working, and raising a family all too well.
Ladies, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continued inspiration, friendship, and support of my writing career. Without you, I’d be a lost.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
SFC: FAMILIES MATTER BLOG - "SLOGAN FOR SLACKER" CONTEST
a trademark of Stories for Children Publishing, LLC
A monthly Ezine for Children (3 to 12)
Website: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/
M E D I A R E L E A S E
CONTACT: Donna M. McDine
Marketing Manager, Stories for Children Magazine
Email: DonnaMcDine@storiesforchildrenmagazine.org
Phone: 800-670-4416
For Immediate Release
SFC: Families matter blog - "SLOGAN FOR SLACKER" CONTEST
It's that time again, back to school and Slacker Radio Plus wants to offer 3 lucky readers a free 3 month subscription.Slacker http://www.slacker.com/ is a free Internet radio service allowing users to create their own customized music stations. Slacker offers many traditional genre, specialty and artist stations pre-made by professional DJs like "Today's Hits", "80's, 90's and Today", "Country", etc. while also letting users build entire stations of specific artists just by typing in their name.Slacker Radio Plus is the upgraded subscription service and for $3.99/mo, listeners have unlimited song skipping, access to song lyrics, unlimited song requests and no audio or banner ads. Slacker has 4x the music library as the leading competition and is available via the web, BlackBerrys, iPhones, Sony BRAVIA TVs, etc.Slacker Radio Plus Offers:*Unlimited Skips*Unlimited Song Requests*No Audio or Banner Ads*Complete Lyrics*Over 2 Million Songs*Live DJ's programming stationsSlacker is also giving away free BlackBerry Curve smartphones to listeners in celebration of the overwhelming success of the Slacker Radio mobile application. For listeners who want to take Slacker with them everywhere they go and want to be able to get a smartphone that can do it, Slacker is making it easy with this offer. All major carriers are available (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile) and every offer features a Blackberry Curve smartphone. The offers aren't all identical, but they all offer the ability to get a free BlackBerry smartphone with either a new contract, or an extension (depending on your carrier and where you are in your current contract).Here is the direct link: http://www.slacker.com/freephone
Want to enter the contest? Here's what you have to do.
Make up a "Slogan for Slacker.
"Rules:Contest is FREE to enter
You must be over 18 to enter
1 Slogan per entry
Slogan should be Clean and Family Friendly
Contest closes August 15th
Top 3 entries win a free 3 month subscription from Slacker Radio Plus
Email slogan to Sandie Lee at: sandielee@storiesforchildrenmagazine.org with Slogan for Slacker in the 'subject' lineGOOD LUCK :)
Be sure to check out the entire August 2009 issue of SFC Magazine for all the outstanding articles, stories, and featured guest interview with VS Grenier.
Learn more about Stories for Children Magazine at: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/
###
Full Media Kit, Magazine Cover Art, and more are available upon request electronically.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Book Review - Hollowbush Mystery Players by Heather L. Adams
Title: Hollowbush Mystery Players ~ It’s been a Long Time Coming
Written by: Heather L. Adams
Ages: 9-12
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1434386359
Published: November 2008
Softcover: 256 pages
Price: $15.99
Nicholas Nichols is welcomed with open arms into a new circle of friendship when he visits his Great-Aunt and –Uncle for the summer. From the onset Nicholas clicks with Danny and sisters Cassidy and Caitlin. With the help of Cassidy and Caitlin’s mother Jan they form The Hollowbush Mystery Players to participate in the celebration of the 40th Annual Broadway Entertainer Festival Spectacular. In their off time, the foursome, explore the woods and discover an old abandoned building and mine shaft. From the moment of entry, odd noises and happenings occur. Unexplainable, the friends ignore and continue with their exploration. Within a short amount of time strange instances begin to occur at the theatre and Aunt Hannah and Uncle Ellis’ home.
Are the instances related? Will the members of The Hollowbush Mystery Players make the connection and discover what or whom is behind them? Time is of the essence to clear this matter up once and for all so the 40th Annual Broadway Entertainer Festival Spectacular can go off without a hitch.
Heather Adams takes the reader on a mysterious ride leaving the reader breathless with each turn of the page.
To learn more about Ms. Adams visit: http://hollowbushmysteryplayers.com
Reviewed by Donna M. McDine for the National Writing for
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Writers' Journal - Article Accepted
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Book Review - Penny and Rio - The Locked Doghouse Mystery by Jennifer Swanson
Title: Penny & Rio – The Locked Doghouse Mystery
Written by: Jennifer Swanson
Illustrated by: Swapan Debnath
Ages: 4-8
Publisher: Mirror Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-936046-10-2
Published: August 2009
Softcover: 44 pages
Price: $11.99
Penny and Rio find themselves paw deep in their latest mystery when Hobbes, a huge Great Dane and new next door neighbor seeks them out for their expert detective skills. Not one to be easily intimidated, Penny stands her ground and listens intently of the new case thrust upon them. The dilemma and determination of Hobbes’ friend Squeaky to get into the old locked doghouse draws in the four legged detectives immediately. And with the evasiveness of Squeaky, Penny’s curiosity is piqued further and she pleads for her sister, Rio, to quit her napping and help in finding the missing key and gaining entry.
“Come on, Rio, I’ll let you have my bone tonight,” Penny smiled. Rio stopped. Her eyes narrowed. Say it’s for the next two nights, and you’ve got a deal.”
Up against an impossible deadline of less than a day, the cleverness of each is put to the test while on the case of finding the lost key. Will they make it in time? Ms. Swanson brings to life the adventures of Penny and Rio with such humanistic characteristics the reader forgets they are on a journey with animals. Children will certainly enjoy reading about the detective skills of such ingenious dogs.
Jennifer Swanson was born with the love of reading and at the age of 5, was already writing and illustrating her own stories. She is a 1990 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a former chemistry teacher, a current graduate student and substitute teacher. Learn more about the author and Penny and Rio at: http://www.pennyandrio.com
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Book Review - Caves, Cannons and Crinolines by Beverly Stowe McClure
Title: Caves, Cannons and Crinolines
Written by: Beverly Stowe McClure
Ages: 12 and up
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
ISBN: 1-60619-112-8
Published: Setpember 2009
Soft cover: 153 pages
Price: $16.95
The year 1863 finds outspoken, 14-year-old, Lizzie Stamford at a crossroads of what her parents believe to be acceptable behavior for a young lady, and secret desire to join the Confederate Army disguised as a boy. Her two brothers, Willie and Joseph willingly joined the Confederacy to defend
Her emotions and beliefs that all Yankees are evil is put to the test when an unexpected encounter with a Yankee soldier has her doubting her belief system. Will Lizzie come to terms of the ever changing world and circumstances which surround her? And what is to become of her beloved brothers and the city of
McClure balances the emotions of the Confederate and Yankee characters with such in-depth feeling the reader will find themselves switching sides throughout the perilous journey of Lizzie Stamford and her family, and their quest to reclaim Vicksburg.
Reviewed by Donna M. McDine for the National Writing for
Saturday, August 1, 2009
VBT - Writers on the Move - August 1st Author Tour
Harry Gilleland to host Virginia Grenier at http://harrygillelandwrites.blogspot.com
Karen Cioffi to host Heather Paye at http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com
Kathy Stemke to host Dianne Sagan at http://educationtipster.blogspot.com
Lea Schizas to host Carolyn Howard-Johnson at http://thewritingjungle.blogspot.com
Nancy Famolari to host Linda Asato at http://nancygfamolari.blogspot.com
Vivian Zabel to host Katie Hines at http://VivianZabel.blogspot.com
Margaret Fieland to host Crystalee Calderwood at http://www.margaretfieland.com
Crystalee Calderwood to host Helena Harper at http://crystaleecalderwood.blogspot.com
Katie Hines to host Mayra Calvani at http://katiehines.blogspot.com
Dorothy Massey to host Marvin Wilson at http://www.kidsbooksuk.blogspot.com
Liana Metal to host Gayle Trent at http://lianastories.blogspot.com
Carolyn Howard-Johnson to host Harry Gilleland at http://thenewbookreview.blogspot.com
Virginia Grenier to host Stephen Tremp at http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com NOTE: date change for Stephen will be August 3rd and 5th.
Helena Harper to host Dorothy Massey at http://helenaharpersblog.blogspot.com
Gayle Trent to host Kathy Stemke at http://gayle24202.tripod.com/gaylesblog/
Mayra Calvani to host Liana Metal at http://www.thedarkphantom.wordpress.com
Marvin Wilson to host Lea Schizas at http://inspiritandtruths.blogspot.com
Anita Yasuda to host Nancy Famolari at http://anitayasuda.livejournal.com/
Linda Asato to host Vivian Zabel at http://lindaswritingdesk.blogspot.com
Heather Paye to host Margaret Fieland at http://heatherpaye.blogspot.com
Stephen Tremp to host Anita Yasuda at http://stephentremp.blogspot.com
Be sure to stop by and leave your comments or questions for each author. Each will check-in periodically throughout the day to field your comments and questions.
Thank you for your continued interest in the VBT - Writers on the Move blog tours.