Tag Archives: Indie author interview

Aug10

Taking Author Submissions for the 2021 Back to School Blog Tour-Sept. 6-10, 2021

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The 8th Annual Back to School Blog Tour for 2021 is now taking sign-ups for the blog tour that will start on Labor Day, September 6, 2021.

Please sign up below to apply to be in the blog tour. I’m taking a limited amount of authors, so please sign-up ASAP. I will feature up to 2 authors a day. Last year, we had one per day, but I’d like to get a few more. This has been a special blog event that has been going on for several years now. And I think this year will be especially important to support teachers and students as they return to school during COVID. I want to be able to supply them with children’s literature that will be resourceful and relevant to the times.

Plus, I’d love to have some featured books that will help motivate children to read more. Basically, let’s help make this a great start to what has been a difficult period for many of us. Reading a good book can be comforting to a child when all else around them can seem out of sorts. Let’s bring the joy of reading to children at the start of this new, unique school year. 

Here is the form to fill out to apply for the blog tour:

Deadline to apply is Friday, September 3 unless all the author slots fill up. If they do, I will post on the Blog Tour page when all slots of filled. Please mention that you are applying for this year’s blog tour and what kind of children’s book you have.

Feb20

Interview with Kya Johnson

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AuthorBioKyaJohnson

Kya Johnson is the author of the picture book, O is for Oshun.

I love finding multicultural and diverse books for my readers. I think I’ve found a great book and an inspirational author for your home and classroom. Kya Johnson founded RainbowMe to help show kids images of themselves to help shape their imaginations and growth. This positive reflection creates a sense of reinforcement to be whoever they wish to be.

Kya Johnson has written a multicultural fairytale and folklore collection of characters from around the world. O is for Oshun is the first augmented reality children’s book to have diverse folklore and fairytale characters of color from around the world. I had the chance to talk with Kya Johnson about what influenced her as a child, what her writing routine is, and what she has planned for the future.

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

Kya Johnson: My favorite memory from reading as a child was when I was able to read bedtime stories to my younger sister.

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

Kya Johnson: My favorite author as a child was Don Freeman because Corduroy was the first book I remember reading that had a character in it that looked like me.

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

Kya Johnson: I am a first time author, and so I didn’t really develop a “writing routine”. I knew that I wanted a book of folklore characters and I knew I wanted to make sure they were from all around the world and reflected cultures and people not normally seen in that genre.

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

Kya Johnson: This book introduces several folklore, fairytale, and mythological characters from around the world, but barely scratches the surface of these stories. I would love to continue introducing these characters. Also to incorporate the technology of augmented reality really brings the characters to life in a fun and engaging way.

 
5) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Kya Johnson: Writing to me is the ability to introduce new worlds and experiences to young readers.

cover

 

O is for Oshun is the first AR children’s book to feature diverse fairytale and folklore characters from around the world. A rhyming alphabet introduces readers to goddesses, kings, and fairies from countries such as Brazil, Japan, Mexico, and Nigeria to name a few. A phone application is available to turn the book into an augmented reality reading experience, bringing the characters alive as they read their section. O is for Oshun is a new kind of read aloud experience that can be enjoyed at home or used in the classroom.

Link to video of the AR experience for O is for Oshun on YouTube.

O is for Oshun is available at Amazon and Barnes & Nobles.

For more information on Kya Johnson, please visit her website at: http://www.rainbowmekids.com/.

For more information on the book O is for Oshun:

http://rainbowmekids.com/o-is-for-oshun/

 

 

 

Jul13

Interview with Alexandria Rose Rizik

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alexandriarizik

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.

Jan27

Author Interview and Book Review: Curse of Sap River by Brooklyn West

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curseofsapriverRecently, I’ve had the opportunity to talk with Brooklyn West. She is the author of  the new release, Curse of Sap River, a strange journey into the micro world of bugs and nature with a unique perspective. I got to speak to Ms. West about reading as a child, author’s that influenced her, and upcoming writing projects.

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

Brooklyn West: The most vivid memory from childhood that I have is reading on the porch.
2) Who was your favorite author and how did they influence you?

Brooklyn West: I liked books that were portholes to another world or time. It could be another planet or century, or the world of a fish or bug. Worlds that you couldn’t visit or experience in real life.
3) Do you have a writing routine? Share what works for you.

Brooklyn West: Whenever I get the chance. Even if you don’t feel like writing something – set a small goal, sit down, and try. The next thing you know ideas are flowing.
4) What subjects would you like to write about in future projects?

Brooklyn West: I have more adventures planned for Libby and her friends in the apple orchard.
5) What is writing to you in one sentence?

Brooklyn West: Writing to me is taking the reader on a journey.

For more information on Brooklyn West, visit her website at: LibbyLacewing.blogspot.com.

 

Book Review of Curse of Sap River:

Curse of Sap River by Brooklyn West is a delightful adventure into the micro-world of bugs from a new perspective. Libby is a lacewing bug, an aphid wrangler, and helps control the aphid population on the Owens Farm. But an especially bad aphid infestation leads to the wrangling adventure of her life. With helpful ladybug sidekick, Libby faces dangers all while trying to round up the invading aphids all while learning that you can’t face the world alone.

This beginning chapter book is a delight into the mind of what it would be like if you were a bug cowboy. Brooklyn West creates a world of home and family fighting against the world in miniature. Children will love the spirit of these characters as they face obstacles that are small to us, but dangerous to them. It’s an enjoyable book to share as a gift or as a class library addition for a beginning reader.

This book is available at Amazon.com and at Createspace.

 

Sep10

Back to School Blog Tour 2015: Day 4 Featured Author Lee Winter

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2015 Back to School Blog Tour: DAY FOUR

2015 Back to School Blog Tour: DAY FOUR

Welcome to Day 4 of the Back to School Blog Tour 2015! If you haven’t signed up for the giveaways, they are all listed on the Back to School Blog Tour page. Plus, there are freebie ebooks available for download listed on the Blog Tour page as well.  Each day, new fabulous items are being added. So keep coming back each day.

Today’s featured author is Lee Winter. 

Lee Winter has just released her first novel in the Free-Range Kids Mysteries series, “Angus Adams: the adventures of a free-range kid”, for kids 9-12. Lee is the mother of two boys who keep her on her toes and provide plenty of material to write about. In addition to writing, Lee enjoys painting and cooking. Of course, she also loves to read but this doesn’t usually happen until she falls into bed in an exhausted heap each evening. Oh…and she somehow manages to squeeze in a day job as a research psychologist in parenting and child behavior.

Lee shares her school memories, writing inspirations, and what she’ll be up to with future projects.

Lee Winter is the author of the novel, Angus Adams: Adventures of a Free Range Kid

Lee Winter is the author of the novel, Angus Adams: Adventures of a Free Range Kid

1) Who was your favorite author, and how did they influence your writing?

Lee: When I was very young my mother would read Enid Blyton books to us at bedtime. I was completely hooked on the Magic Faraway Tree, the Famous Five, and the Secret Seven books. Reading those books allowed for escape into other worlds where adventures could and did happen. I’m now reading those same books to my 7 year old and am quite struck by how normal ‘free-range’ was in days gone by. This really was an inspiration for Angus. So much easier for a free-range kid to have an adventure!

 2) What is your most remembered Back to School memory?

Lee: I still remember my first day at school. Shiny new shoes and bag, clutching my mother’s hand as we all waited our turn for the teacher to greet us and invite us into the classroom. Around me, some children were crying and not wanting their mothers to leave. Me? I just couldn’t wait to get at the books!

 3) Did you have any subjects that were difficult for you in school?

Lee: I was lucky, I loved school and was quite academic so didn’t really encounter many difficulties. That said, once at high school I did find mathematics challenging. Perseverance, setting achievable goals and seeking support when necessary saw me through and I now encourage my kids to do the same.

 4) Do you have a writing routine?

Lee: When I’m not in the office, the kids are at school and hubby’s at work – I write. Housework, errands, and catch-ups with friends are all put on hold. I can do all of those things with the kids around but for writing I need solitude, so I don’t waste a minute of it. Either that or have to get up at 3am for writing time, which is not fun L

5) How would you summarize how writing is for you in one sentence?

 Lee: Writing is challenging, rewarding, terrifying, exhilarating, painful, and completely necessary all at the same time.

 6) What other projects or books are you working on right now?

Lee: I’ve just started the second Free-Range Kid Mystery – “Angus Adams and the Missing Pro Surfer”. I’ve also made the short list for a writing competition which involved submitting the synopsis and first chapter for a kids’ chapter book series (Lochie and the Magic Animal Doctor). Now I have to finish the book!

To find out more about Lee Winter, visit her at:

Her blog: http://leewinter.net/index.php/blog/

Her facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/LeeWinterAuthor

Angus Adams: Adventures of a Free Range Kid is the debut novel for Lee Winters available at Amazon.

Angus Adams: Adventures of a Free Range Kid is the debut novel for Lee Winters available at Amazon.

Lee Winter’s is giving away a $20 Amazon Gift card during the blog tour.
Angus Adams: The Adventures of a Free Range Kid is available for purchase on Amazon. On discount promo for $0.99 until Sept. 15.
Sep5

Back To School Blog Tour 2014: Featured Book Review/Interview Vivienne Mathews

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Wb2schblogtour2014elcome to Day 5 of the Back to School Blog Tour 2014! If you haven’t signed up for the Book Bundle Giveaway, there are still few days left. Entering is easy. From liking authors on Facebook to commenting on their blog, you can enter to win the fabulous book bundle of children’s book each day. So, keep coming back each day and enter.

ENTER HERE TO WIN THE BOOK BUNDLE GIVEAWAY! Open until Sept. 8!

I Want to Be an Athlete And a Teacher by Garrett Carter is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

I Want to Be an Athlete And a Teacher by Garrett Carter is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Featured today is the book review for I Want To Be An Athlete And A Teacher by Garrett Carter. Coby is an enthusiastic boy that wants to do something he loves, like play sports. He learns that he can do anything, including teaching others. In this picture book, limiting yourself is explored as Coby discovers all of his capabilities. Being good at many things and exploring your skills is part of growing up. In the end, he realizes that he can do anything, especially if he’s good at it.

This is the first in a series of picture books, and is a great start for exploring your potential. It’s a good read aloud for the beginning of school when teaching kids to look into themselves and build confidence is emphasized. Of course, saying what you will be when you grow up isn’t set in stone. Trying out new things and thinking about what you are good at is part of growing up. I liked the way this picture book gets a child to think about their skills and that they can be good at MANY things. It’s ok to do it all.

**** Four Star Rating

Available at:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Want-Athlete-Teacher-Cobys-Career/dp/1499152647

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-want-to-be-an-athlete-and-an-entrepreneur-garrett-carter/1119911646

For more information on the author: http://www.garrettcarterbooks.com/

Plus, our last featured author interview is with Vivienne Mathews.  Last year, Vivienne was a featured author on the blog tour. So, I wanted to catch up and ask her what things had been like for her as an Indie Children’s author.

Vivienne Mathews is the author of The Sons of Masguard series.

Vivienne Mathews is the author of The Sons of Masguard series.

1) What new books have you released in the last year?
Since we last spoke, Jax and Mack has been my only release. It’s been a very full writing year, but a very lean publishing one — which is bound to make for a busy 2015. Book three in the Sons of Masguard series is on the release schedule for early in the year, followed by a trilogy of chapter books, and another picture book by next Christmas.

2) What do you have planned to release soon?
The Dangerous Life of the Honey Bee (Image attached) – a non-fiction picture book for young kids. It follows a worker bee as she goes about an average day; dodging threats, collecting honey, coping with her surroundings. Bees are an incredibly important part of our ecosystem. As a complete fangirl of one of the coolest insects on the planet, I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about sharing the amazing things they have to accomplish in order to maintain a healthy hive.

3) What has inspired you the most along your writer journey?
I was lucky enough to grow up in a reading family. My mother never, ever dismissed the importance of a book and went to some pretty fantastic lengths (example:http://www.viviennemathews.blogspot.com/2013/05/why-i-will-always-love-print-and-my.html ) to encourage her children to view them in the same light. Even now, I have a hard time picturing her without a cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other. Despite the fact that she was (and IS) a frugal and practical woman, never once did she tell me that writing was something I shouldn’t do. She never pointed out that this might be a difficult field or that I’d do better to turn my eye in a more financially viable direction “just to be safe.” Instead, she’d give me another romance, another classic, another strange and ragged cult novel that she found on a shelf in that one secondhand store downtown. To this day, she still sends me home from any visit with a bag full of reading materials. If creativity is indeed a well, she’s done everything in her power to make sure that it never runs dry. And I couldn’t love her more for it.

The Sons of Masguard by Vivienne Mathews is available on Amazon.

The Sons of Masguard by Vivienne Mathews is available on Amazon.

Current Book links:
The Mosque Hill Fortune: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CCID3ZW
Guardian’s Rise: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DUZOU9E
The Sons of Masguard – The Companion Guide: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DX52HCI
Jax and Mack: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G600G48

To Connect to Vivienne Mathews:

Blog: http://www.viviennemathews.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/VivienneMathews

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7051589.Vivienne_Mathews

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vivienne-Mathews-MG-Writer-Extraordinaire/445474412218828?ref=bookmarks

 

Today, we wrap up the blog tour. I want to thank all of the authors for participating this week. To show the love, stop by and visit their websites and check out their books. It’s a good way to start the school year. I always need to build up my classroom library. For one more bow, here are the authors for the 2014 Back To School Blog Tour:

I’d also like to thank all of the followers of the Indie Children’s Authors Connection. You’ve helped build the blog by your views and comments over the last 3 years. For that, I am truly grateful. Again, I salute another successful Back to School. As I finish writing this post, it’s time for me to start writing Back to School Night handouts and work on a presentation. So, to all those busy teachers out there, I know what you’re going through. Thank you for all that you do. Have a great school year!

 

 

Jul17

Interview with William L. Stuart, author of the Gemstone Chronicles

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William L. Stuart, author of the Gemstone Chronicles Book 1: The Carnelian

William L. Stuart, author of the Gemstone Chronicles Book 1: The Carnelian

I’m proud to start off day 3 of the Magik and Mayhem Blog tour with an interview with author William L. Stuart. Mr. Stuart is a veteran and proud grandfather that lives near Atlanta. He’s woven his love of rock hunting and adventure into the Gemstone Chronicles, a children’s middle grade fantasy adventure series. Below are the answers to my questions that focused on his writing wisdom, interests, and most of all, creative ideas surrounding elves.

1) Why did you choose to write about elves?

The elves were actually my grandson’s idea. We were out gem hunting last year and we were discussing the “magical” properties of gemstones. He suggested I write a book with elves and gemstones and The Gemstone Chronicles series was born.

2) What kind of books did you enjoy reading while growing up?

Growing up I read pretty much everything. I read Tolkien, Ursula K. LeGuin, Stephen Donaldson, Robert Ludlam, and even some of the Read’s Digest Condensed Books!

3) There is lots of rocks and mineral information in your book, and references to being a rock hound. Could you share some of your experience collecting rocks?

I discovered the pleasure of rock hunting when we moved to the north Georgia mountains. In fact, it was a gem hunting trip that got me hooked. My brother and I were looking for something different for my grandson and his two girls to do one day and we happened upon a place that allowed us to dig through a dirt pile and find gems. We had a pile of dirt, a creek, and shiny rocks! It was a great day and got both my brother and I hooked. We now are members of the local mineral society as well as a weekend gold miners club!

4) Could you summarize what writing means to you in one sentence?

Writing is a way to give to my grandchildren a legacy that they can pass on to many more generations.

5) What advice would you give for writing fantasy books, especially about elves as a character?

My advice for writing fantasy is to find a storyline that appeals to you, and make it a tale you could tell your children or grandchildren!

6) What other projects or books are you working on right now?

I am currently working on the last book of the series. I am working on the edits/rewrites/revisions and plan to have it in my editor’s hands by August. The plan is to release it at the end of November 2013!

The Gemstone Chronicles Book 1: The Carnelian by William L. Stuart

The Gemstone Chronicles Book 1: The Carnelian by William L. Stuart

For a review of the first book in the Gemstone Chronicles: The Carnelian, link here.

The Gemstone Chronicles: The Carnelian is available at Amazon.com in paperback and ebook editions. Also available at Smashwords.com as an ebook edition.

Starts July 15 and runs through July 19

Starts July 15 and runs through July 19

Thank you to William L. Stuart for sharing some information on the world of being an Indie Children’s author. For more amazing information on elves, the fey, and the authors that write about them, here is the Magik and Mayhem Main Blog Hub.

Chance to win a bundle of prizes:

Ebook Yseult by Ruth Nestvold
Ebook bundle Season 1 Boreal and John Grey by Chrystalla Thoma
Ebook bundle Dark Elf by Willo Nonea Rea
Ebook Caitlin’s Book of Shadows by Juli D. Revezzo
Print book Raingun by John Blackport
Ebook Aundes Aura by Ryan Sullivan
Ebook Seeking a Scribe by Marsha A. Moore
Ebook Her Master’s Madness by J.E. & M. Keep
Ebook Wings of Shadow by Anna Kyss
Ebook Rune Breaker by Landon Porter
Ebook Judgement Rising by Tracy Falbe
Ebook The Chosen by Annette Gisby
Ebook New Zealand with a Hobbit Botherer by John & Annette Gisby
Gift certificate

Entry form below. Good luck!
Magik and Mayhem Grand Prize Giveaway

The Magik and Mayhem Blog Tour will continue until Friday, July 19.