Category Archives: Events

Sep13

Back To School Blog Tour 2017 Day 3: Featured Author Teddy O’Malley

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2017B2SchoolBannerWelcome to the third day of the Back to School Blog Tour. Today’s featured author is Teddy O’Malley. Her books feature characters with diverse characteristics. She’s won the Reader’s Favorite Five Star Seal for her book Cool Kids Wear Glasses. Ms. O’Malley took time out of her busy schedule to share with me her love of reading and writing, memories of school, and what she is working on now.

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Teddy O’Malley is the author of The Fairy’s Bubble Wand available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. 

Who was your favorite children’s author and how did they influence you?

Teddy O’Malley: My favorite children’s author as I was growing up had to be Judy Blume. Her characters were so realistic. Her writing style was what I aspired to write like when I would sit down to type my stories on my old computer when I was a kid. She made me realize that I wanted to publish books. I still hold her books close to my heart, and I can still read them with the same enjoyment I did when I was a kid.

What is your most memorable school moment?

Teddy O’Malley: One of my most memorable school moments happened when I was around twelve years old. We were sitting at the lunch table, and we had been promised candy. Well, that parts a bit fuzzy, but the next part of the memory is clear. I started banging my fists on the table, going, “We want candy! We want candy!” Then the kid next to me did it. Then the kid next to them joined in. Soon, a whole table of kids was shouting, “We want candy!” in unison. I was the quietest kid in the whole school, and I started that. It taught me that one person really can make a difference.

Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.
Teddy O’Malley: I would like to have a routine, but it’s kind of hard since I am currently in college, studying to be a veterinarian. On my days off and during the summer, I aim for no less than five hundred words a day. That’s really to get the ball rolling, and I usually write more than that. During school, I often write between classes. Sometimes I write to procrastinate other things I should be doing. Shh!
Was there anything in school that was difficult for you?

Teddy O’Malley:As far as school subjects go, I really struggled with math. I went through a few math classes multiple times. But now, in college, I actually am starting to like math a bit. I still struggle with it, but I have a professor who has taught me to look at it in a more fun light. Teachers really can make a difference.

What is writing to you in one sentence?

Teddy O’Malley: To me, writing is like breathing.

What projects are you working on right now?

Teddy O’Malley: I’m mostly brainstorming at the moment. I’m planning to write more books for kids in the middle grade age range.

blog-tour-188x300**To continue with the blog tour, head over to one of the participating author’s websites to read a book review of Teddy O’Malley’s The Fairy’s Bubble Wand . Becca Price was featured yesterday in the blog tour. Today, she is posting a review of Teddy O’Malley’s book, The Fairy’s Bubble Wand. So, please, head over and enjoy her book review.

Teddy O’Malley’s book can also be purchased here on Amazon.com or here on Barnes and Noble.com.

**Plus, the $25 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway is still going on. Be sure to head over and enter today!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/20834f9e16/?

Sep11

Back to School Blog Tour 2017 Starts Today!

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2017B2SchoolBannerWelcome to the 5th Annual Back to School Blog Tour! This week, Indie Children’s Authors will be featured. Each day, there will be an author interview with a book review on a participating blog. Click to the link to read the book review. Plus, there is a giveaway of a $25 Amazon Gift Card going on all week. Just pass the word around in tweets, comment about the blog tour or join mailing lists to enter. Giveaway goes until Saturday, Sept. 16.

Link here for $25 Amazon Gift Card to purchase your own class library or books for Back to School!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/20834f9e16/?

Schedule for the Week:

  1. Monday Sept. 11: Schedule and Giveaway link posted
  2. Tuesday Sept. 12: Featured Author Becca Price
  3. Wednesday Sept. 13: Featured Author Teddy O’Malley
  4. Thursday Sept. 14: Featured Author: Tiffany Turner
  5. Friday Sept. 15: Blog Tour Recap: Last day to sign up for Giveaway
remember-9-11

For those lost today, this blog tour is dedicated to all week! Always remember, never forget!

I’d also like to acknowledge on today, Patriot’s Day, those that were lost in the attacks on 9/11. I was teaching that day, and saw the attacks on the second tower as I was getting ready to go to work. Many kids went to school that day, and some did not. Those that went, I had to help them deal with the emotional fall out of the attack, and continued to do that in the days to come.

That Friday, our school  had a moment of silence with the Nation, in which impromptu, many teacher’s grabbed the flags in their classrooms and the whole school stood in the assembly area, each student in a class holding the American Flag for their classroom. The flag became a symbol of hope, strength, and pride for our country. I understand the meaning of it and for those that had fought for it in the past.

So, on this day of remembrance, I share with you one of the memories of that day. I was proud to go to work that day and teach the children, now adults, of our great country. The children I taught that day were 10, and are now 27. So, for their children and the future children of the US, I dedicate this blog tour to educating the future. It’s going to make our country strong and keep us united through everything.

I hope you join me again tomorrow for our first featured author, Becca Price. Until then, remember those that were lost on 9/11.

-Tiffany Turner

 

 

 

 

Aug31

Back To School Blog Tour 2017 Starts Sept. 11

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2017B2SchoolBannerSo, I’ve been hard at work planning the 5th Annual Back to School Blog Tour. I’ve got some pretty amazing authors lined up to share the behind the scenes take on writing children’s books. Plus, these same amazing authors will be posting reviews of the books featured the week of the blog tour.

**So come back on Sept. 11 and get to know the participating authors. All week, author interviews will be posted with links to their book reviews. Enjoy a week of celebrating books and education. I’m looking forward to it!

**Plus, the Back to School Blog Tour Giveaway will start on Sept. 11. Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card for your very own books to start off the year. Teachers can enter to add to their own class libraries. It will run through the weekend and end Sunday Sept. 17.

Link for Back to School Giveaway: Starts Monday, Sept. 11

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/20834f9e16/

So, bookmark and come back on Monday Sept. 11. Until then, happy beginning of school!

-Mrs. Turner

Jun16

Picture Book Review: Elijah and the Key of Knowledge & Elijah and the City in Danger

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Elijah and the Key of Knowledge starts this fresh take on exploring reading skills.

I had the pleasure of reading Elijah and The Key of Knowledge for this June’s featured children’s book to get your summer reading started. The author, Zachariah Rippee, does a masterful job of pulling readers into the idea that reading gives you knowledge. In fact, the whole Elijah series is full of themes to get kids reading.

The series begins with the picture book, Elijah and The Key of Knowledge. This book starts out with Elijah as an adventurer like in the Indiana Jones movies. He takes his animal friends, ie Calvin and Hobbes, on an adventure with many obstacles blocking the way. He has to enlist the help of his friends to best the things thrown into his path. It all ends when he finally discovers the secret to the key of knowledge. You guessed it, reading.

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Elijah and the City in Danger is the second in the Elijah series.

The second book in the series I liked better than the first. It has Elijah now using his imagination to become a superhero in Elijah and The City in Danger. In this picture book, Elijah is now a masked hero charged with the safety of THE CITY. He must fight giant dinosaurs, robots and aliens to keep the City safe all while using his imagination, the biggest super power of all.

I really enjoyed the spontaneous joy in these two picture books. Mr. Rippee presents a fun, playful world in which a child uses his reading powers to create big adventures and be the star of his own imagination. The series would make a great read-aloud for teachers wanting to emphasis reading skills, and parents wanting to motivate their little ones to read. The Elijah series would be a great way to start off your summer reading as well.

Elijah and the Key of Knowledge is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Elijah and the City in Danger is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

-Tiffany Turner

Head writer and editor of the Indie Children’s Authors Connection

*Tiffany Turner is the head writer and editor for the Indie Children’s Authors Connection and author of her own middle grade children’s fantasy adventure series, the Crystal Keeper Chronicles. She has taught elementary students the love of reading and writing for 18 years, and currently has moved to writing full time. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and cat. The cat, of course, is the center of attention.

 

 

Mar14

Self-Publishing Speaking Engagement for Tiffany Turner

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ebookmarketTiffany Turner will be speaking on the self-publishing panel at the AODSF conference at the Santa Clara Convention Center on Sunday, March 19 at 10am-11am Live Event Rm 4.

Come find out the exact steps you’ll need for self-publishing you’re own book. From your beginning ideas to pushing the button to self publish, Tiffany Turner will join in a panel to walk you through the process. Ask questions and find out all the publishing platforms, how to hire you’re own editors, formatters, cover designers, and start that important step to building your author platform. Ask questions and get started from the information you’ll receive from this talk.

AODSF Conference Schedule/Website

http://aodsf.org/events/list/

Mar5

Tiffany Turner Titles During “Read An Ebook Week” March 5-11 on Smashwords

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ebookweekbanner20172I love being someone to encourage new things. Once a year, Smashwords holds a big sale to motivate people to try to read ebooks. This has been going on for SEVERAL years now, and I’m happy to be supportive again of this great event.

IF you have children that go through books quickly, ebooks are a great way to keep them supplied. Plus, this sale will be a way to get them on the road to some new great books, many of them for FREE!

I’ve decided to list the first in my Crystal Keeper Series, The Lost Secret of Fairies, for FREE during this week. The second in the series, The Lost Secret of the Green Man, will be on a 50% discount at 0.99. It’s a great way to get them started on a fantasy adventure series that will feed their love of reading.

To further promote reading this week, I’m including a sneak preview of my upcoming fourth book in the series, The Lost Secret of Time. I do apologize for the slow progress on this particular manuscript. I did suffer some medical issues a few years ago, and they’ve taken a very long time to recover from. You can read all about it in this post. But I promise, it will happen. And to my shock, the characters are telling me there should be a fifth most likely. They just can’t stop the adventure they are on. It should all be blamed on them. After all, I just write down what they tell me. 😉

The Lost Secret of Fairies (FREE)

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/6090

The Lost Secret of the Green Man ($0.99)

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/115942

NOTE: Deals start on Smashwords at midnight in your time zone.

Here is the excerpt from the first page of The Lost Secret of Time:

The Lost Secret of Time

By Tiffany Turner

©2017, All Rights Reserved

Chapter 1

“Mom?” I looked at the girl in front of me. I couldn’t believe what had happened. The girl looking back at me had my Mom’s eyes. In fact, she could have been my sister. She was my age, and looking like a total throw back to the eighties. Her brown hair was clipped back with a barrette with ribbons woven around it. Her clothes were very retro, with a rainbow t-shirt and jeans. Her shoes were tennis shoes, but not designer like Nike. I think they were just regular tennis shoes made of blue denim. My Mom looked totally different. Or rather I was totally not where I should be. I was in 1983.

 

I read the year from the calendar hanging in the office. It all looked super retro to me. I was having trouble absorbing the fact I was in the eighties. In fact, I might be stuck in the 80s.

 

I’d traveled through a time portal, chased by the evil sorcerer Balkazar, as he battled with my friend and allie, Brewford, a cat sorcerer. I don’t know who won. And now I was looking at my mother in the front office of my middle school, 30 years in the past.

 

“You got your pass?” My Mom says.

 

I struggle to remember her first name. “Katrina, right?” I look at her to see if I got it right.

 

“Yeah. It’s Katrina. How did you know?”

 

“I think I heard it from the office lady.” There. Good cover. I hope she buys it.

 

“OK. Come on. I’ll be your buddy to get you to your homeroom. Which one is it?”

 

It was all happening so fast. If I gave her my regular homeroom, it would probably not work. I wasn’t even born yet, let alone really enrolled in the school. So, I blurted out the first thing that came to mind. My normal sanctuary at school seemed like the best place to start. “The library. I start my day there.”

 

“OK,” she answered. “Let’s go.”

 

We walked out of the office, and down the corridor towards the cafeteria. I looked around at my school, 30 years in the past. All the shrubs and trees in the quad looked new. Grass was starting to grow, and signs were up to stay off of certain sections. It looked like there had been a complete landscape.

 

I thought trying to make some conversation might help. So, I turned to my Mom. “So, when did they put in the new plants?”

 

She shoveled her shoulders. “Yeah. They’re trying to spruce up the place after shoving us all into it. They just turned it from a high school into a Jr. High. We’ve got 9th graders here too. The Freshman think they own the place. You just move here?”

 

“Yeah. Just moved here over the weekend.” I played it dumb. I thought it would be best.

 

“You’ll like this school. Most of the teacher’s are pretty awesome. They totally like listen to you. Like they really care, you know?”

 

I nodded. I still was a little freaked out about seeing my Mom as a 13 year old. We could have been sisters. She had the same long brown mousey hair that I did, and glasses. Except mine had no frames around the lenses. Her glasses did. We were a total “Revenge of the Nerds” type casts. It was a bit weird.

 

We neared the doors to the library which ended our awkward silence. She started with the good-byes first. “Well, here’s the library.” She handed me a schedule list.

 

“This will help you sort out where you need to go after here. Good luck at Drexel Junior High.” She gave me a wave and walked back heading towards the office. I put my hand on the knob, not sure what I would find in there.

 

Drexel Junior High? This was a middle school during my time period in the future. I looked down at my schedule for a moment and was happy to see that “Library Assistant” had come up as my first class. Wow. Something was up. I had no choice but to follow through with fate. In fact, I got a weird déjà vu feeling as I opened the door and walked into the library.

 

I felt a warmth from my pendant. I held it to get in touch with the crystal fairy within.

 

“Yes. I helped schedule you here. You’ll see why.” The crystal fairies high tinny voice echoed in my mind. I’d almost forgotten I was not totally alone.

I hope you enjoyed this excerpt. Thanks for all the support through the years, and enjoy “Read An Ebook Week”! -Tiffany Turner

Feb15

Speaking Engagement for Children’s Author Tiffany Turner

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Tiffany Turner will be leading a Creative Session at the SCBWI Asilomar Children’s Writing Conference. The session will be entitled: Writer’s Block Walk and will be on Saturday, March 4 at 3:15pm-4:00pm.

writerblockwalkDescription: Got writer’s block on a project? Bring your project for a walk around Asilomar along the beach and dunes. Brainstorm with other writers, and take some time in nature to write and release new ideas.

Still time to sign up for this excellent children’s writing conference at: https://sfsouth.scbwi.org/events/2017-golden-gate-conference/.

A message from Tiffany Turner:

“I’ve been attending the SCBWI South San Francisco Asilomar Writing Conference for over 10 years. Each year it is a shot in the arm to help get my creative juices flowing. It is also a great opportunity to mingle and pitch to children’s editors and agents. It’s a small conference, and many times it’s a nice family and friend-like atmosphere that is great for children’s writers just starting out to the seasoned veteran like myself. Great weekend getaway and chance to focus on your children’s writing career.

Still time to sign-up, and if you are coming already, please join me for the walk. It’s something similar to what I’ve done and I’ve heard others do during this writing conference. Except I’ve taken it to a new level by giving this walk some structure and applying it to something I think a nature walk helps with the best, writer’s block. It should be a fun writing activity. I look forward to meeting you.” -Tiffany Turner

Jun16

Summer Reading Discounts Through June

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summerreadingpromo

Summer reading was always something I encouraged when I was teaching. So, it’s something that I think is important, and I’m going to try my best to support that idea. To make it easy for you to read this summer, or help your child read, I’ve lined up to participate in two promos through the month of June. Look for the Crystal Keeper Chronicles to be on sale for $0.99. Plus, several other children’s books will be linked and listed along with mine for free or at a discounted $0.99. The first promo starts this weekend June 18-19. Look for more information starting on June 18.

***The next promo will be June 28-July 1.

**Each promo will be featuring different children’s books along with mine. It should give a boast to any summer reading list. Happy reading! You all come back this Saturday. See you then!

Jan28

TV Appearance For Tiffany Turner

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HarpwalkerTiffany Turner is appearing on the TV show “On The Move” on KMVT Channel 15 in the San Jose/Silicon Valley region. It is airing during the month of February 2016. It is also available to watch on YOU TUBE.

The episode explains the challenges Mrs. Turner has had through last year recovering from a blood clot in the heart. It share her story of triumph and how she survived a heart attack and blood clot in the heart. She tells her story of her rehabilitation and the things that inspired her to keep going, including her writing. All in the spirit of Heart Health Month for February!
Link here to watch episode: https://youtu.be/fo5vvYw9EEw

Dec11

TV Appearance on Dec. 14, 2015

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Beating-Heart-GraphicsI hope everyone is having a fabulous Holiday Season. I know some of you have been following along with my recovery from septic shock, cardiomyopathy, and the blood clot in my heart. I’ve spent the last year working so hard at physical therapy to gain strength back. I have gotten out of the critical range, and have no need to wear the vest defibrilator.

In fact, today is the anniversary of my Not-Dying-Day. A year ago today, Dec. 11, I went into septic shock and cardiac arrest. So, it’s always going to be a day that means my second chance. My second chance to be here and write more books. So, of course, I have been doing that. I have been working on the rough draft of The Lost Secret of Time. I am hoping to complete it and publish next year.

To make things extra exciting with this anniversary, I’ve been invited to appear on a local community TV show called On The Move. It’s a show that helps people tell their story on how they are living and overcoming their disability. This will be their first show on women’s heart health. I’ve learned so much about dealing with heart disease, and I’m excited to be able to share it with others. It will be live on KMVT Channel 6 at 8pm in Mt. View, CA. It also appears on other local cable channels through the Silicon Valley. I’m also noticing things might be listed differently next week due to the Holidays. So, here’s a link for the schedule on their website. Check for the show: ON THE MOVE. Here is a listing for the area:

Campbell: 1st and 3rd Wed. at 6pm Channel 34A TCI Channel

Cupertino: Thurs. at 8:30pm on TCI Channel 26

Los Altos: Thurs. at 8:30pm on TCI Channel 29

Palo Alto: 1st and 3rd Wed. at 6pm on Channel 50

San Jose: 1st and 3rd Wed. at 6pm on Channel 34A

Saratoga: Tuesday at 7:30pm on KSAR Channel 6

Sunnyvale: 1st and 3rd Wed. at 6pm on TCI Channel 29

It will also be uploaded to YouTube to be watched by people around the world. So, I’ll be adding a link to it when it is available.

This is a great way to celebrate being a survivor and spread the word about heart disease in women. There was a lot of things that would have helped me, like knowing some signs something was going on. Shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, dizziness, nausea and swelling in my ankles and hands. I’d get puffy and thought I was gaining weight. These were all signs something that was happening. I thought I was getting older. I’m a teacher. I’m always tired. I have acid reflux. So, my dizziness and nausea I thought was from that. Any angina, that feels a lot like heart burn, had to be my stomach issues.

So, I want to get the word out of what to look for and be aware of. It will be so healing for me to share what I learned and hopefully help others in dealing with their heart disease. I hope you can join me next Monday at 8pm. -Tiffany Turner