The Big Easy Blog

Welcome to the Big Easy Blog hop.  Thank you for hopping on! At the bottom of the entry I have a great author who you can read about next week. I know I was supposed to have three authors, but one great one will lead you to worlds unknown. In the meantime...

 Tierney James grabbed me and asked if I would hop around with her. Tierney has been in education for over thirty years. She currently teaches World Geography for a nearby college. Besides serving as a Solar System Ambassador for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and attending Space Camp for Educators, Tierney has traveled across the world. From the Great Wall of China to floating the Okavango Delta of Botswana, Africa, she ties her unique experiences into other writing projects such as the action thriller novel, An Unlikely Hero. Living on a Native American reservation and in a mining town for many years fuels the kind of characters she never tires of creating. 

http://www.ptierneyjames.blogspot.com

1) What am I working on?  I am working on a children's book series called Ernie and the Troll. The first book is complete and out on Amazon. It is called In My Closet.  The second in the series is Backyard Adventure...or perhaps a catchier title will pop up.  

2) How does my work differ from others of its genre? I don't know that it is really different from other books, (it is cuter than other books)  but I include small life lessons for kiddos, mostly about problem solving.  I would like to think that if a parent reads the story to their child or the child themself reads my book on their own will say, "Yes! I can do it!" 

3) Why do I write what I do? I teach sixth graders, and honestly, it isn't that loveable grade/age of kids where they hug their teachers and say I love you Mrs. Robbins...so, I wanted to reach that sweet, has sticky on their hands group of kiddos. And you know...I have already gotten hugs from sweeties that have read my first book.  

4) How does my writing process work? My process usually involves hearing a story, then sending it through my brain to a filing cabinet that holds all my rough drafts. Then, something will spark, and that file comes open and a story pops out and basis itself on that story that I heard. I know lots of people use music to get the magic popping, but I use fairy dust...or is it toll dust...

Join Lisa Medley on June 23rd for a grim adventure. Lisa  is a reader and writer of paranormal romance/urban fantasy novels about monsters in love. Reapers. The grim kind. Lisa has a complete zombie apocalypse bug-out bag including a machete in her trunk at all times. Just. In. Case

Lisa says "Don't fear the reaper, but you can lust after him."

Join Lisa on her blog is http://lisa-medley.com/.

Book Signing Fun

I had my first book signing this past week. It was a success, as far as my expectations went. All the books I brought got new homes.
I enjoyed watching a young lady read the book as she sat waiting for her mom to get done visiting with me.  The young lady hugged me and told me she really liked it. Another much younger lady was munching on her new book. I hope it had nutritional value as well as entertainment for her.
The one thing I did learn was to make sure and have plenty of books ready.  I didn't expect to sell so many at one time. So, now I am patiently awaiting my new shipment to fill those waiting orders. Now, that is a neat feeling.

Successful Reader

I got an e mail today from one of my students' grandparents. It was a pleasant correspondence.  This grandmother was concerned over her grand child's choice in reading material. The material she was reading was not any different than anyone else her age...The Vampire Diaries, but her grandmother was concerned that she was not reading enough "good literature".  She asked me to gather a book list so that she could gently nudge her grand daughter towards other authors and content.

I guess I have a small issue with the term "good literature". As a reading teacher, I am thrilled to death to see my students voraciously reading...period. This young lady is in the gifted program and reads a bit higher than most of my students.  I can see the point of the grandmother being worried about some explicit content. Now, I can not say how explicit the content is, it has been a long time since I have read this series, but I don't recall it being to offensive.

So I went on a quest in search of some "good literature" for some enjoyable summer reading for my student. I went to Good Reads, the MSAL website ( missouri state association oflibrarians) to check on the Truman nominees for next school year, Barnes and Noble site, and a few others. Well, I found a lot of great book ideas, and compiled a list. I then decided to look at some excerpts of a few of my choices, and a few were not going to be smiled on by the grandmother.

But I did offer a few ideas and included some of the classics that my student might enjoy, and appease Grandma. It was harder than I thought to find non-explicit reading material for a gifted thirteen year old girl.  If anyone has any great reads for this age group let me know. Reading level much higher than emotional level. Sometimes, this is a bigger issue than a reluctant reader.

Thank You For Your Service

I know that when writing a blog, one should keep to the content and audience it was meant to reach. However, I want to take just a minute to remember and thank all those who served in our military and gave their lives for the cause of American freedoms and rights. Thank you, you are remembered today, and everyday.

Blog Hop April 2014

Welcome to the April 21 blog hop. Tierney James asked me to join her from her blog, ptierneyjames.blogspot.com today.

Tierney is the author of Unlikely Hero, part one of her Enigma series. She is also the author of children's books A Superhero in the Library and Zombie Meatloaf. All three are wonderful books, and I hope you check them out.

Recently, I finished my first children's book titled In My Closet. The release date is May 5th and is published by a small company, Paper Back Press. In My Closet is the first in a series introducing Ernie and the troll he imagines is living in his closet. The two will learn many things as they experience the great outdoors, a school bus ride and the first day of kindergarten. 

How does my work differ from others in this genre?
 

That is a difficult question really.  I will say, that most of the stories I write are based on actual experience as well as a story someone has told me.  I was always good at spinning a tale in my younger years.  Now, I have the pleasure of going back through those memories and stories and relive them on paper, turning them into books for kiddos.

Why do I write what I do?

I absolutely adore children's books. I love Rob Scotten who writes Splat the Cat stories as well as the classic authors such as A.A. Milne and his Winnie the Pooh. Reading at an early age gave me a passion for the art of children's books, and now at a bit older age, I have the encouragement to write them as well.

How does my writing process work?

My process is scattered. I don't have a musical score to sit and write to, I don't have a certain way to sit, I don't have a position facing the sun to aid in my writing process.  What I do know is that if it's cute or funny, or perhaps teaches a lesson, I jot down a quick outline of what I want the story to say. I then think if there is a clever way to present the story through illustrations, then I turn the outline into a story.

Next week, April 28, hop over and visit Casey Daugherty. Casey is a wonderful writer, teacher and blogger. She spent a year writing abroad in England on a Fullbright Scholarship. Casey was instrumental in my being able to say, "I'm a writer".  

Casey Daughtery www.journey2learn.blogspot.com 

Chapter Two

My book cover! The second chapter of this author's (I can really get used to that word...author) journey into publishing was every bit as daunting as writing the story. Uploading numbers for accounts, opening accounts, filling out IRS forms, toggling back and forth between several open programs, marketing plans, fonts, proofing the proofs and yes, the old 503 error on websites. All good headaches though. 

I have had a wonderful response from family and friends in regard to my latest venture. They want my AUTOGRAPH.  Of course, this is the first book of what I hope will be many.  

Tune in next week for some great blog hopping with some wonderful local writers and authors.

Chapter One

I am back. I hope you didn't waste away waiting for my next blog post. I went out and got my children's book published! So ver exciting.  May 5th is the release date.

The journey to becoming a published author was/is a tough one.  Richard Castle I am not, I am sorry to say, but Willy Robbins I am.

The first chapter in my life as a writer, should prove a funny one...and I hope lucrative.

More tomorrow!