Tag Archives: children’s book author

Jan27

Interview with Billie Kelpin, Author of Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy

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Billie Kelpin is the author of the picture book, Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy.

I have found a great addition to any read-aloud library, and had to talk to the author, Billie Kelpin. She is a former teacher of the deaf/hard of hearing, sign language interpreter, and worked as a college writing tutor. Billie currently has written this fabulous picture book, Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy. Set in Hollywood, this adorable story helps children learn about differences being strengths. In my discussion with the author, Billie Kelpin shared her childhood inspirations, what she enjoys about being a children’s author, and what writing means to her.

  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Billie Kelpin: My mother loved to memorize poems and stories and she would recite them to me at bedtime rather than read them to me. She’d tell me the story of “Wonderful Tony”, a rooster who couldn’t swim. The repeating rhythm of the words was especially appealing to me: “Tony became thinner and thinner, and sadder and sadder.” This story was actually a tale of altruism. When Tony got “outside of himself” and helped a little robin, his life turned around. I think of that story often.

  • Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Billie Kelpin: No one famous was ever my favorite author instead, I loved reading Father Francis Finn’s books. He was a Jesuit who wrote twenty-seven young people novels that resembled “The Hardy Boys” and Dickens stories a bit. His books influenced me with the high-minded morality. (You could only find them in our school’s library). The main character was “Tom Playfair” who was always challenged to do the honorable thing and always won out over his impetuous nature. Then, when I was around eleven or twelve years old, the Milwaukee Journal featured a Sunday Magazine section that featured essays from “The Art of Living” by Wilfred Peterson. While these essays seem quite dated now, reading them each week made me fall in love with the creative non-fiction genre.

  • Do you have a writing routine?

Billie Kelpin: I wish I were the kind of writer who could wake up at five in the morning and write; I can’t. I find routines in any aspect of my life difficult. I think I would be more productive if I were more disciplined. I tend to simply write when life doesn’t interrupt me.

  • What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Billie Kelpin: I tend to have several projects going on at once. I’m not sure if this is characteristic of being left-handed or not. I plan to continue to write pieces on being left-handed. I’m presently attempting to finish my first novel, a coming of age story set in the Vietnam era. Another ongoing project is an app I created called, “The Perfect Husband App” which consists of a list of phrases every spouse loves to hear along with short excerpts that explain why those phrases are helpful in everyday relationships. I want to add more personally narrated stories and essays to my “Stories to Go” app and hope to convert a short story called “Sylvia” that appeared in the Lost Coast Review into a screenplay.

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

Billie Kelpin: To borrow from Walt Whitman, writing to me is simply acknowledging that ‘the powerful play goes on and we can contribute a verse’.

luckycvrLucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy is a read-aloud for children ages 4-8. With adorable illustrations by artist Julie Parker, we are drawn into Lucky’s self-discovery journey. As a follow-up, matching games, online flashcards, and narration of the story can be found at the website: www.leftpawedpuppy.com. Parents and teachers will love this as an addition to their library. It is a great book for teaching understanding of differences that all children can appreciate.

Lucky lives under the “H” of the Hollywood sign with his owner, Mrs. Poppyset, and his two puppy brothers. But he has a problem. He often does things the opposite direction of others. While his brothers lead with their right paws, he leads with his left.

Things change when William T. Stagent, the Hollywood agent, books them for a Bow-Wow-Chow-Now commercial. But Lucky has trouble following Hector the Director’s cues. Lucky turns left while his brothers turn right. Leslie, a famous dog trainer, is called in to look over Lucky and discovers he is left-pawed. Just as she is showing what to do be done, an earthquake hits the studio. Lucky saves the day, and it is all thanks to his left-pawed ability of naturally turning left.

Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy is on sale at Amazon.com and through the website, www.leftpawedpuppy.com.

Link here for my recommendation of Lucky, the Left-Pawed Puppy. 

Nov19

A Thanksgiving Surprise: Interview with Carey Azzara

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Carey Azzara is the author of the picture book, Ready Or Not, Here I come!

With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s time to start thinking of Holiday gift ideas. I was able to interview a wonderful author, Carey Azzara, and find out about his new book, Ready Or Not, Here We Come! It’s a beautiful picture book that will make a great gift for your little someone. Mr. Azzara has had ups and downs in life, with the loss of his little sister when he was sixteen, two graduate degrees, and a career in public health. It’s these twists and turns that have lead to many of his stories. I had a chance to sit down and find out about Carey Azzara’s childhood memories, favorite authors growing up, and what future plans he has for us.

  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Carey Azzara: Who remembers that far back? LOL One of our neighbors liked to read with me. We read stories about pirates and swashbucklers – I loved it and the extra attention he gave me. Thanks Mr. Mullvahill! I remember his large hands, strong but kind, he was a union man. His love of reading helped me change from a kid who hated to read to one who enjoyed it. 

  • Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Carey Azzara: My favorite author has always been Mark Twain. He taught me the meaning of a “good lie” and the value of friendship. His brilliant dialogue inspired me.

  • Do you have a writing routine? Share what works with you.

Carey Azzara: Most of the time I write in the mornings after a good strong cup of coffee, my wife brews the best coffee. And again in the evening after dinner and before I walk the dog one last time for the night. But I also have bursts of inspiration, you know, when the muse seems to flow through me –that’s fun. 

  • What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Carey Azzara: I am writing a series of books for kids in 4th – 8th grade titled, Heidi’s Hounds. I decided that after writing a short children’s book in honor of my first grandchild titled Ready or Not, Here We Come!, writing for kids would be a worthwhile endeavor. I like to write stories about people and animals and the next project will be another series of stories about Halley [a character in on of my novelettes] and her adventures in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico—Halley has a gift that makes her extraordinary. 

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

Carey Azzara: The joy of sharing my stories with readers and touching the lives of people I might not otherwise ever encounter.

ready-or-notCarey Azzara’s book, Ready or Not, Here We Come!, is a journey of little Leona and her dogs. While her parents are out, Leona decides to try to stay busy by playing hide and seek. But now the dogs must find her. But what could happen next? Find out in Ready Or Not, Here I Come!, a great gift for the Holidays.

Ready or Not, Here We Come! is available at Amazon .com. This is a Kindle Unlimited title.  https://amzn.to/2Q6uRgq.

For more information on Carey Azzara, please visit his website at: www.careyazzara.com.

Sep20

After Back to School Blog Tour Interview: Belle Green

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Belle Green is the author of the picture book, I Am Good In My Heart.

I have another special After Back to School Blog Tour Interview. I’d like to introduce you to Belle Green. She is a lifelong writer that specializes in inspirational fiction and children’s books. She lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and son. I had a chance to find out about her wish to help inspire children, her book I Am Good In My Heart, childhood reading memories, and what writing means to her.

  • What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Belle Green: Before I could read I would memorize books word for word and then “read” them to my mom or myself. But that wasn’t enough for me. I started to write by scribbling lines on a piece of paper. Then, I’d run to my mom to ask her if it said anything. I guess writing has always been in my heart, even before I knew my letters!

  • What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Belle Green: My son, Will, is four years old. So, most of my inspiration is coming from him. There are two more projects currently in the works for this series to follow I Am Good In My Heart. They are I Am A Good Friend: Helping Kids Understand Friendship and I am Bigger: Helping Kids Understand Growing Up. I love writing books that help preschoolers understand the world, but we need to have fun too! So I am also working on two entertaining stories about robots. My son is obsessed with robots!

  • What is writing to you in one sentence?

Belle Green: Writing is the act of pouring your heart out onto paper in an endless attempt to translate feelings into words.

goodatheartcvrHer book, I Am Good In My Heart, is designed for children at the preschool age to help them feel self-confidence while knowing that making mistakes is okay. It helps them realize that choices can be made better the next time. They are always good at heart and can improve with each new life lesson they accomplish.

I Am Good In My Heart is available at Amazon.com. It is a Kindle Unlimited title.

For more information on Belle Green, visit her website at: https://authorbellegreen.com/.

Sep13

2018 Back To School Blog Tour Day 4

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Back2SchoolBanner2Welcome to day four of the Back to School Blog Tour. First up, still time to enter the giveaways and pick up your free children’s book. Just a couple more days to enter or pick up your book!

Our first featured author for today is Patrice Shavone Brown. Patrice is a mental health counselor, small business owner, mother, speaker and life coach along with being a children’s author. She has counseled and coached many lives for twelve years and operated her own mental health facility for over six years. She likes to transform people that feel stuck and unable to move forward in their lives, relationships or business.

patrice2I had the chance to talk to Patrice about what inspires her, the stories behind her books, and what children can learn from them.

  • What inspired you to write your first children’s book?

Patrice Shavone Brown: I was inspired to write my first children’s book based on my life experience and the world around me. I was a girl that continuously did the wrong thing rather than the right thing. My daughter currently is always into different things and I find myself always redirecting her. So this book is a representative of her and she loved reading it.

  • Do you feel that your own childhood influenced the stories behind your books?

Patrice Shavone Brown: Yes. My childhood and environment are what shaped me into becoming a storyteller and writer. If it were not for my experience and looking at the world around me, my books would have never been birthed.

  • weblendwellcvr.jpgWhat would you like children to learn from your books?

Patrice Shavone Brown: Children will learn lessons about misbehaving in the book “The Day Momma Made Me Dance”. In “We Blend Well Together”, children will be able to learn the importance of a blended family dynamic. Children will be able to relate to both books depending on their environment and background.

  • Do you think parents can learn from your books as well?

Patrice Shavone Brown: Parent’s will be able to laugh and learn some of the thoughts and emotions their child could potentially experience.

  • Are you planning on writing any more children’s books?

Patrice Shavone Brown: Yes, I have three more children’s books in the works. These books focus on family, relationship and parenting issues. In each one of my books, they will all focus on these matters of the heart.

mommadancecvrPatrice Shavone Brown’s books are available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Her first book, The Day Momma Made Me Dance, is a story of a little girl who is defiant in school and her home life. One day, her mother decides to teach her to dance as a way to show her discipline and how to follow the rules. In her second book, We Blend Well Together, Caleb goes on a journey to understand why his parents are not still together. Living in two different homes in North Carolina, he feels frustrated by his parent’s divorce and having two homes. Should he voice his feelings about being trapped? Join Caleb on his search to understand why they a new normal of blending families can be something special.

The Day Momma Made Me Dance

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Day-Momma-Made-Dance-Unstoppable-ebook/dp/B075KLRNLQ

Barnes and Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-day-momma-made-me-dance-patrice-s-brown/1127162033

We Blend Well Together

Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0578203375

Barnes and Noble Link: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/we-blend-well-together-patrice-shavone-brown/1128433423

For more information on Patrice Shavone Brown and her books, visit her Amazon Author Page.

headshotOur second featured author is Jacquelyn Simone. She is the author of a fabulous YA book called Outlier. Her debut novel has recently been released, and Jacquelyn goes into the details of her journey to writing her novel HERE ON HER BLOG. Jacquelyn was born and raised in San Jose, CA. She always enjoyed science fiction and fantasy growing up, and loves to watch anime and googling pictures of cats when not writing.

I had the chance to find out about her childhood memories, writing process, and what are some of her exciting new projects ahead.

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

Jacquelyn Simone: My favorite author when I was younger would have to Madeleine L’Engle. A Wrinkle in Time was highly influential to me when I first read it at age eleven, both because of the rich, exciting worlds L’Engle painted, and because of its strong female protagonist. A Wrinkle in Time was the first book that really got me interested in Science Fiction as a genre. I became enthralled by this idea that I could re-write the laws of science and the universe to fit my imagination.

  • Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Jacquelyn Simone: Since I work full time in a demanding engineering job, it can be difficult for me to find time to make progress writing. However, I’ve recently begun to prioritize getting writing in each day by setting a word count. Currently, I’m sticking to 500 words per day. Even with my hectic schedule, I find it’s fairly easy to manage on even the busiest of days. It can actually be a therapeutic exercise to take a break during work, bring my laptop outside for a while, and escape from the stressful realities of the day-to-day. I hope to soon work my way up to 1000 words per day once I better learn how to fit my writing goals into my daily schedule.

  • Was there anything in school that was difficult for you?

Jacquelyn Simone: In school, though I always did well academically, the hardest struggle for me was making friends and fitting in with my peers. I was shy, awkward, and nerdy, so I wasn’t exactly welcomed into the popular cliques with open arms. During recess and lunch, I spent a lot of time on the sidelines watching others and reading alone. It took a few years for me to feel comfortable enough in my own skin and confident in who I was before I could begin to open myself to others. Still, to this day I feel I made the right choice in never pretending to be something I wasn’t just to fit in. If I couldn’t be accepted as the fantasy-loving geek that I was, then I didn’t want to be accepted by anyone but myself.

4)   What is writing to you in one sentence?

Jacquelyn Simone: Opening doors to the unknown and painting new realities

5)   What advice would you give young writers?

Jacquelyn Simone: Start writing as soon as you can, even if you don’t think you’re good enough. I knew I wanted to be a writer ever since I was ten years old, but I never really pursued it until I was a bit older. At a young age, I was well aware that I wasn’t nearly as skilled a writer as my favorite authors, so I would often get discouraged and stop trying. Even when I was a little older and started submitting my work for review, I would interpret rejection as a sign that I wasn’t meant to be a writer.

It wasn’t until the past couple of years that I realized that no one else’s opinion was going to matter more than my own. No one was going to hold my hand and teach me the secrets of becoming a great writer, so my only option was to write and keep writing, and stop worrying whether or not I was creating the next great American novel. So while ultimately I think there’s nothing wrong with having high standards, it’s important to remember that even the greatest authors had to start somewhere.

outliercvrJacquelyn Simone’s debut novel, Outlier, is a Science Fiction/Fantasy Young Adult novel. Elle Varlette’s life is less than perfect. Her family has been torn apart by tragedy, and all she wants to do is escape her mundane world. But when she starts to discover her new mental powers that open her up to new Outer Spheres of our universe, the mystery starts to unfold about her family. She has to look to herself to save her brother and find out the mystery that tore them all apart in the first place.

Outlier is available on Amazon.com and is a Kindle Unlimited title.

For more information about Jacquelyn Simone, please visit her website at: https://jacquelynthezone.wordpress.com/.

Thank you for stopping by the Back to School Blog Tour Day 4. Please be sure to continue your tour by visiting the author’s websites and checking out their fabulous books!

**There is one fabulous day left! Please come back tomorrow for the last day of the blog tour.

Lost Secret - High Resolution (1)Check back for more author interviews and their featured books tomorrow. And for more information about my new release, The Lost Secret of Time: Bk 4 in the Crystal Keeper Chronicles, please check out its listing on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

-Tiffany Turner

Sep12

2018 Back to School Blog Tour Day 3

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back2schoolbanner2018Welcome to day three of the Back to School Blog Tour. I’m proud to have our next author with us. Janet Hurst-Nicholson lives in South Africa and has been writing for 35 years. Her articles and stories have appeared in South African and other foreign magazines. Her Leon Chameleon PI children mystery series has won awards including the 2013 Kart Kids Book Award. I’ve had the chance to talk with Janet about her childhood memories, writing process, and her future projects.

  • Who was your favorite children’s author and how did they influence you?
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Janet Hurst-Nicholson is the author of the Leon Chameleon PI series.

Janet Hurst-Nicholson: My first recollection of reading a book was a Christmas gift of The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle by Beatrix Potter given to me by a neighbour (a teacher). The hardcover book with its dust jacket was especially treasured as we had a visiting hedgehog in our garden.   Having read about Mrs Tiggy-Winkle I wanted more of the same and my collection of Beatrix Potter books slowly grew. I expect that these anthropomorphised animals were an unconscious inspiration for my Leon Chameleon PI books.

  • What is your most memorable school moment?

Janet Hurst-Nicholson: Although I have some lovely memories of school the overriding ones are of primary school (5-7 yrs) and my dread of school dinners and being forced to drink luke-warm milk, which made me nauseous. These horrors only came to an end when my mother wrote a note excusing me from both. But I do remember getting a gold star for being the only one in class who knew that the word for animals that come out at night is nocturnal (I had just been on a visit to the zoo lol). I incorporated this bit of info into my Leon Chameleon stories when Leon discusses the animals that work night shift.

  • Was there anything in school that was difficult for you?

Janet Hurst-Nicholson: Mental arithmetic tests spring to mind! I guess I’m numerically challenged as I much prefer words to numbers. My struggles with left-handedness – tying shoelaces, threading a belt, knitting, sewing, using scissors, pencil sharpeners, can openers, certain sports (but oddly, never writing) – followed me throughout my school life. When I discovered that even today parents and teachers don’t have a full understanding of the problems experienced by left-handers I wrote The Race (an inspiring story for left-handers) especially for left-handed children and to help parents and teachers appreciate the difficulties faced by left-handers.

4)   What advice would you give young writers?

Janet Hurst-Nicholson: Get into the habit of reading a variety of stories/genres. Keep a diary or notebook to jot down your experiences and feelings. These will be useful references for your future writing. Don’t be over-eager to share your writing until you feel confident that you won’t be discouraged by criticism, which can be devastating for a new writer. For new writers of any age I would advise:

  • learn your craft (if you can master ‘show’ don’t ‘tell’ then you’ve made a good start)
  • be prepared to take advice
  • edit and re-edit, and be ready to ‘murder your darlings
  • don’t publish until you are quite sure the book is the best you can make it
  • persevere
  • develop a thick skin in preparation for rejections and poor reviews.

5) What was your favorite book growing up and why?

Janet Hurst-Nicholson: I couldn’t get enough of the Enid Blyton Famous Five and Secret Seven series. I identified with Georgina (George) the tomboy. In the 1950s girls were expected to wear pretty dresses and play with dolls – and that wasn’t me. My friends and I had our own ‘gang’ and enjoyed playing in the woods and stream at the bottom of our lane and looking for ‘crimes’ and adventures to emulate our heroes in the books.

6)   What is your typical day as a writer?

Janet Hurst-Nicholson: I wrote about this on my website in ‘diary of a writer’. https://just4kix.jimdo.com/diary-a-writer-s-day/

7)   What projects are you working on right now?

Janet Hurst-Nicholson: Trying to figure out ways of getting funding to illustrate the rest of my Leon Chameleon PI stories lol.

leonchameleoncvrThe first book, Leon Chameleon PI and the Case of the Missing Canary Eggs, is free for a limited time during this blog tour. Winner of 1993 Bookchat’s Magazine’s South African Books of the Year.

“When Mrs Canary’s eggs mysteriously disappear, a frantic Mr Canary dashes straight off to the Pigeon Valley Police for help. Unfortunately, Sergeant Loerie and Constable Mole’s hasty attempts to make an arrest lead them to the wrong suspects. Leon Chameleon PI, who has quietly kept an eye on developments, decides it is time to step in and offer his services – after all, isn’t he the best Private Eye in Pigeon Valley? He puts all his skills to work and finds vital clues which Loerie had overlooked. Now a daring plan is needed to trap the suspects and bring them before Spotted Eagle Owl’s Court, where Leon springs his final surprise…”

Link here for study questions to go along with the book, Leon Chameleon P.I. and the Case of the Missing Canary Eggs.

For more information on Janet Hurst-Nicholson and her books, please visit her website at: https://just4kix.jimdo.com/.

Our second author for today is Laramie Sasseville. Laramie is a multiple-media artist and writer residing in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. I had a chance to talk to Laramie about writing for children, some of her childhood school memories, and what she has in the works next.

1)   Was there anything in school that was difficult for you?

Laramie Sasseville: Nope, I was perfect at everything. Ha ha ha ha ha: cue hysterical laughter. Seriously, there were a few areas that caused problems – mostly because I just wasn’t interested in trying. In third grade, they introduced us to flutophones. I didn’t want to bother. I folded up a wad of paper and stuck it in the mouthpiece of the instrument and just pretended to play along with the rest of the class.

In ninth grade I had no interest in math – until an exceptional teacher, Miss Martin, sat down with me and got me to see how interesting it could be to play with the relationships between numbers. I went from nearly failing to getting As and Bs in the class. A great teacher makes all the difference – and engaging my interest is the main ingredient if I’m going to learn anything.

2)   What is writing to you in one sentence?

Laramie Sasseville: Writing is the magic that turns insubstantial thoughts, feelings and daydreams into something I can share with others.

3)   What projects are you working on right now?

Laramie Sasseville: I’ve got several projects in the work – including another in the Minnesota Strange series. Haley’s little sister, Tammy gets hold of the magic sigil that Sally created and winds up with the ability to speak and understand the language of birds!

I’m also working on drawings of flowers for a coloring book that combines realistic flowers with fanciful doodles.

4)   What advice would you give young writers?

Laramie Sasseville: Read. Notice what the writer is doing. Especially what you like. Does the world of the story feel real to you? What is the writer telling you about what how it looks? Sounds? Feels? Smells? Do you like the characters? What do you like about them? Are you dying to know what happens next? What does the writer tell you about events that piques your interest and curiosity?

Next: Write. Every day if possible, no matter how little.

5) What was your favorite book growing up and why?

Laramie Sasseville: It seemed like every book was my favorite while I was reading. If I loved one book by a writer, I’d try to read them all. I relied on my school library and couldn’t always find what I wanted, but I read many by Edward Eager, E. Nesbitt, CS Lewis – all the books of magic I could find, including folk lore and fairy tales. I read ‘the Blue Fairy Book’ and ‘the Red Fairy Book’ by Andrew Lang. (It wasn’t until I was grown up that I discovered there were ten more colors!) I also loved books about animals and read everything I could find by Jack Kjelgard and Walter Farley’s books about horses – starting with ‘The Black Stallion.’

OneofMe-blue-smLaramie Sasseville‘s featured book, One of Me is Missing, is the story of a girl getting her wish. To fourteen-year-old Sally Knox, the world is a buffet of fascinating things to do and learn. She wants it all: martial arts, theater, sculpture, cooking, robotics, music, computer science – you name it!

So, what happens when she gets her wish to be in enough places at once to take all the summer school classes she wants? Complications are just the beginning – before the end, one of her goes missing and the rest must come to the rescue or be trapped forever in their multitudinous state.

One of Me is Missing is available on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

**For more information on Laramie Sasseville, please visit her website: http://www.dreamspell.net.

Just two more days to go in the blog tour. Remember to check out the GIVEAWAYS and Freebies available until the end of the week.

***Please be sure to continue your tour by visiting the author’s websites and checking out their fabulous books!

Lost Secret - High Resolution (1)Check back for more author interviews and their featured books tomorrow. And for more information about my new release, The Lost Secret of Time: Bk 4 in the Crystal Keeper Chronicles, please check out its listing on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

-Tiffany Turner

 

Sep11

2018 Back To School Blog Tour Day 2

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Back2SchoolBanner2Welcome to the second day of the Back to School Blog Tour. Before we get to the featured author interviews, I wanted to repost the giveaways and the book discounts to give everyone plenty of time to take advantage of these great deals. Enter the giveaways daily. The free deals are available through the blog tour and will go until the end of the week. Pick them up now and enjoy filling up your reading list for Back to School.

Plus, I want to take a moment to acknowledge our heroes and heroines that were lost during Sept. 11, 2001. It’s a day that must be remembered in American History. All were Patriots whether they were on one of the fated planes or trapped in the Two Towers or Pentagon Building. May their memories be always honored today!

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And now, our first author for the day. May I introduce you to Melody J. Bremen. She has written several novels for middle grade readers and a YA Fantasy novel. She lives in New Jersey with her family and her faithful computer named Oswald.

I was able to chat with Melody about her school memories, writing routines, and her successes at being an author.

melodybremenbiopic1) Who was your favorite children’s author and how did they influence you?

Melody Bremen: One of my favorite middle grade authors until this day who still continues to influence my writing is Sharon Creech, the author of Walk Two Moons and Moo. She has a way of crafting sentences that are so pleasing to read and she makes it look deceptively easy. I’ve read many of her books more than once in the hope that some of her talent will rub off on my by osmosis. Reading her books in verse inspired me to feel that I can write a book in verse as well.

2)  Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Melody Bremen: I work during the day, so I write at night and on the weekends. I always start my novels with an outline and I’ve found that the more detailed my outline, the smoother the writing process is. The amount I write each day varies widely, from 50 to 1500 words. I’ve learned not to think too much about the word count. The main thing is to keep moving forward.

3)   What is writing to you in one sentence?
Melody Bremen: Writing is something that I need, and will always need, to do.

4)   What projects are you working on right now?

Melody Bremen: Currently, I am working on a middle grade novel, in which two boys find themselves on a meandering, unplanned road trip.

5)   What advice would you give young writers?

Melody Bremen: Read, read, read. For a writer, reading is doing research. Isn’t that the best research ever? Also, practice a lot. Don’t worry about writing well, just do it often. That’s the best way to gain experience, find your voice as a writer, and take your skills to the next level.

flyingincagecvrMelody Bremen’s featured book is Flying In A Cage. It is a story about a girl that has an inner song in her head. It manifests into songs and poetic dreams that a music teacher seeks to pull from her. A magical story about not your so average ten year old girl. Flying In A Cage can be purchased at Amazon.com.

***You can also enter to win your very own copy in a giveaway by the author.

GIVEAWAY FOR FLYING IN A CAGE!

For more information about Melody Bremen, please visit her website at:

http://melodyjbremen.com/

Author-Sherry-SouleOur second featured author for today is Sherry Soule. She is the author of the YA Starlight Saga with its first book, Lost in Starlight, featured today. Sherry writes exciting tales of passionate romance, epic drama, and thrilling suspense with strong heroines and swoon-worthy heroes. She lives in Northern California with her family and two spoiled rescue cats.

I had the pleasure to chat with Sherry about children’s authors that influenced her, advice for young writers, and what she is working on now.

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

Sherry Soule: I’ve been obsessed by the written word since I held my first book in my hands at age seven. I seriously can’t imagine not being a writer…

And it was the late author, V.C. Andrews, who was my favorite author as a young adult. Her books inspired me to be a writer and from her I developed a love of gothic horror. I have reread her books many times, and although the ghostwriter who took over after her death is talented, the newer books never quite captured my attention as the original author’s work did.

What is writing to you in one sentence?

Sherry Soule: Perfecting the art of storytelling.

What projects are you working on right now?

Sherry Soule: I’m currently rewriting, and then republishing the books in the Charmed Chronicles, a young adult urban fantasy, with a Buffy-like heroine. It is the heart-pounding, genre-defying tale of Shiloh, the snarky, teenage witch. Her epic origin story is full of creepy stuff like rogue demon slayers, über-cool magical powers, swoony love triangles, page-turning action, supernatural monsters, and loads of heart-melting kisses.

This series is a humble slice of awesomeness packed with more plot twists than a demon’s intestines and more family drama than the Kardashians!

What advice would you give young writers? 

Sherry Soule: Read a lot. Study your genre and the tropes. Find a mentor. And I have blog devoted to writers, “Fiction Writing Tools” that has tons of advice for writers at any stage in their career, author interviews, and insider publishing secrets.

Please visit my blog for writing/publishing tips: http://fictionwritingtools.blogspot.com/

What is your typical day as a writer? 

Sherry Soule: I drink coffee, take a shower, and then put on clean pajamas. When I’m in the “writing zone” I can write for about 10 hours straight (only breaking to use the bathroom or grab a snack), unless I’m stuck on a scene. Then I’ll surf the web, read online poetry, and check emails until my creative juices start flowing again.

lostinstarlightSherry Soule’s book, Lost in Starlight, features a strong reporter, Sloane Masterson, keen to find the secret of hottie Hayden Lancaster. When she discovers his supernatural powers, she discovers the darkness he has been hiding. That’s when things get to be really fun. It is available on Amazon.com.

For more information on Sherry Soule, please visit her website/blog at: http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/

back2schoolbanner2018Thank you for stopping by the Back to School Blog Tour Day 2. Please be sure to continue your tour by visiting the author’s websites and checking out their fabulous books!

Lost Secret - High Resolution (1)Check back for more author interviews and their featured books tomorrow. And for more information about my new release, The Lost Secret of Time: Bk 4 in the Crystal Keeper Chronicles, please check out its listing on Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

-Tiffany Turner

 

Aug2

Tiffany Turner Local Appearance: San Jose Renaissance Fair August 4-5

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sjrenpromoCome join Tiffany Turner at the San Jose Renaissance Fair. She’ll be selling her crystal jewelry and her books at her vendor booth. Look for the “Crystal Jewelry” sign. Say you saw this blog post and receive 10% off your purchase. To prove you have, give her the password: Pineapple. 🙂

“The last book in the Crystal Keeper series is almost done and scheduled for release Labor Day weekend. I’ll answer all your questions about it, and sign any books purchased. Hope to see you this weekend!”

– Mrs. Turner

 

Jul13

Interview with Alexandria Rose Rizik

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Alexandria Rose Rizik is the author of the children’s book, Chocolate Milk.

I was very excited to interview my next featured author, Alexandria Rose Rizik. She is from Scottsdale, Arizona and is not only an author, but the founder of the award winning film production company, Princess Rose Productions. She is a female leader in the entertainment industry, and is seeking to help inspire the next generation and make an impact on current social issues.

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The picture book, Chocolate Milk, is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Alexandria Rose Rizik is the author of the picture book Chocolate Milk. She wrote it when she was seventeen participating in an anti-bullying campaign. A young cow is bullied and teased for making brown milk until everyone realizes it is really chocolate milk. The moral of the story is tied to being yourself and celebrating differences. It’s a great message and helps to connect children to literature and the bullying theme through their love of chocolate milk.

I had a chance to talk to Alexandria about her childhood reading memories, her writing process, and any advice for aspiring authors.

1) What is your favorite memory from reading as a child?

Alexandria Rose Rizik: My favorite memory from reading as a child was spending the hot Arizona summer days in the library, keeping busy with my mom and three sisters, sorting through books and reading.

2) Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Alexandria Rose Rizik: My favorite authors as a kid were Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary. Judy Blume wrote one of my favorite books of all time, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” Maybe that’s why I love writing coming-of-age stories.

3) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Alexandria Rose Rizik: I don’t necessarily have a routine. I don’t do well with structure. Some days I go to a coffee shop and spend hours there, writing away. Other days, I write from home, just on and off at my desk.

4) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Alexandria Rose Rizik: I want to write about things that people can relate to…something that touches the world. I tend to cling to coming-of-age stories, specifically ones that revolve around first loves. I love to write about real people and the things they go through, in a way where the audience can connect. I would like to do stories that revolve around what is going on with our government and other political agendas that the world doesn’t even notice yet.

5) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Alexandria Rose Rizik: To me, writing is how I get through life.

Alexandria Rose Rizik’s book, Chocolate Milk, is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. For more information on Alexandria Rizik and her other books, visit her website at: https://www.alexandriaroserizik.com.

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

Jun8

June Author Spotlight: Zachariah Rippee, an author interview

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Zachariah Rippee is the author of the children’s picture book series that deals with the joys of reading.

This month, our featured Indie children’s book author is Zachariah Rippee. Zach has written an amazing series of picture books that deals with the treasure that can be found while reading. His main character, Elijah, has a series of adventures discovering the joys of taking a perusal through a book. Each book deals with a different theme of reading.  Knowledge and imagination start out the series in the first two books, Elijah and the Key of Knowledge and Elijah and the City of Danger. 

I had the chance to talk to Zachariah about his series and the joys he’s discovered writing them.

1) How did you get the idea to write your books? 

Mr. Rippee: This is a good question. It is always fun to look at the “birth” of an idea. From a young age I have hoped and dreamed of being a father. Most kids dreamed of being doctors and firemen, a policeman maybe. Nope, not me. I wanted to be a father, a husband. I think that is because of the strong example I had in my own father (who is today my biggest hero). As I got older I began to understand this desire was not only to be a father, but to be a role model for children.

Plain and simply put our children are our future. It only seems logical to want decent role models for our future. As a father I hope my children learn to love reading. As a teacher and role model I want the same thing for my students. I want to do as many things to encourage that as possible. The books are just an extension of my desire to help our children build a better future. Reading is the key to that. If a child can read, they hold the key to their own learning and to a brighter future.
2) Did you have trouble reading as a child? How did this inspire your books?
Mr. Rippee: Short answer: YES!!! I can honestly say, without a doubt and with full understanding of what these words mean, “I HATED READING AS A CHILD!” I did not learn to read easily. I fought to not read. I had such insecurities because of reading deficiencies. I can actually trace being shy and introverted back to an insecurity because of my poor reading ability. Many are shocked to find out that I did not read my first chapter book from cover to cover until I was 22 years old.
The first chapter book I read was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Full disclosure, I only read this book so that I could talk to a girl. The girl!!! She loved reading. She always talked about the Potter books. I find it humorous that reading caused me to pull away from social settings as a child, and reading was the door through which I entered into the most important “social setting” of my adult life. That girl, the girl, is now my wife of nearly eleven years. She has helped me grow my own love of reading. Because of her example I can now see the value of reading as an important life tool. (She also scolded me for reading the Harry Potter books out of order)
My troubles with reading inspired my own books because my books were born out of the desire to prevent my story from becoming my children’s story. After I wrote my first book, Elijah and the Key of Knowledge, I realized that it wasn’t only my story or their story. Kids all over the country are living the same struggles and experiencing the same fears and anxiety that I did. Thus my continued writing.
3) What would you suggest to a reader to try if they want to be an author someday?
Mr. Rippee: In today’s world there are so many tools available to aspiring authors. Social media is full of groups and clubs that are geared towards helping authors learn and grow. Publishing has become so easy with online self-publishing platforms. You can LITERALLY write, illustrate, and publish your own books in a few days. That being said, consider these things: What is your message or story? Who is your audience? How will you build your platform? Who are people you can trust to be helpful resources (editors, illustrators, proof readers, and people to bounce ideas off of)?
Finally, if it is a dream of yours to become a writer…write!
4) What were some of your favorite authors while growing up?
Mr. Rippee: As a child I didn’t like reading. However, since I have been “playing catch up” I have found several wonderful stories by amazing authors.
I am a fan of older (some might say classic) dystopian novels, mysteries, spy novels. Ann Rand, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Ian Fleming, Ray Bradbury, Edgar Rice Burroughs, George Orwell are some of my favorite authors. I love Anthem by Rand and my favorite book is probably her epic Atlas Shrugged. The ideas and philosophies the novel discusses are interesting to me. I actually spent hours reading it during my 10 year wedding anniversary trip (in flight reading).
I love J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. Jay Asher is a good author. I am also reading The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday.
5) What was the drawing and writing process for your children’s books?
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Sketches by Zachariah Rippee during his illustration process in creating his children’s book series.

Mr. Rippee: The drawing process began 5 years and 9 months before my first book was published. I illustrated my character Elijah on the day my wife told me she was pregnant for the first time. (included image). All of my illustrations start as hand drawn sketches that are then scanned and colored digitally. Formatting has been a fun journey for me, as I format all my own books. That is the beauty of self-publishing. You get creative control of the entire project. Several steps happen in between the first sketch and the final draft.

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Finished layouts of the book Elijah and the City of Danger by Zachariah Rippee.

As far as the writing process, I have adapted a saying my father taught me. When building something ( we dabble in woodworking) he says “Measure twice, cut once.”   I will consider a page or paragraph in my head for days, rewording it, revising it, and so on. When it hits the paper it is usually fairly close to the finished product. Most of my writing happens in quiet times of waiting ( at the grocery store, eating lunch, in the car). My mind just rolls it over and over until something shiny pops out at me!

6) What writing projects do you have coming up?
Mr. Rippee: I am currently rolling around several stories in my head. I just began self-publishing in the spring. So several ideas have been pent up waiting to burst forth. I am currently working on books that nod to the classic monster movies and campy 60’s superhero shows. I am also working on a whimsical look at how feelings affect our perception of the world around us.

Thank you so much to Mr. Rippee for sharing his experience and his creative process with me for my blog readers. I’m hoping you’ll be inspired to start writing your own stories. For more information on Zachariah Rippee’s books, visit him at Facebook or his Amazon Author Page at:

Facebook Link: https://m.facebook.com/mr.rippee.sir/

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Zachariah-Rippee/e/B06XFKLHK9

ElijahKeyKnowledgeCvr***His picture books, Elijah and the Key of Knowledge, Elijah and the City of Danger, and The Green Ladybug: A Book About Kindness are available on Amazon.

***Barnes and Noble links:

***Next week, book reviews of the featured books by the author in the Indie Authors Monthly Spotlight!

-Tiffany Turner

***Tiffany Turner is a children’s author that has been self-publishing for over 10 years. She started the Indie Children’s Authors Connection to help get the word out about amazing children’s books she has found by other Indie authors. Her children’s fantasy adventure books, Crystal Keeper Chronicles series, is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.