I want to thank everyone who has been following me on Yahoo 360. I'm sad to say that I will not be updating this blog or page anymore. I've decided to focus on my other sites. If you wish to keep in touch with me or follow what I'm doing . . . you can visit me on the following sites.

http://vsgrenier.com This is my Author and Critique Services website. Here you will be updated on my author visits, workshops, and much more. You can even sign up for my FREE newsletter and contact me about editorial services you might need.

http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org This is my monthly online magazine for children ages 3 to 6 years old. If you're looking for a safe clean site for your kids . . . this is the place to be every month. Come join me, Stanley Bookman, the SFC team, and all our contributors in the World of Ink!

You can also follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

Wishing all the best and much success in 2009!

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For Immediate Release

Stories for Children Magazine Announces Its Second Annual GRANNY Awards!

Stories for Children Magazine will celebrate its Second Birthday on April 1, 2009. It has been another year full of growth, thanks to our many contributors. Without them, there would NOT BE a Stories for Children Magazine.

The Editorial Staff at Stories for Children Magazine will be recognizing their "Personal Favorite Contribution" over the past year with the Second Annual Granny Ward! This award is named after two SFC editors since they are "Grannies".

There will be First, Second, and Third Place awards, broken down by age, for the following categories:

Fiction by age group (3-6, 7-9, 10-12)
Poetry
Nonfiction by age group (3-6, 7-9, 10-12)
Young Author
Cover Art (new this year)
Inside Artwork (new this year)

If you have been a contributor during 2008 at Stories for Children Magazine in any of these categories, then you are in the running! Our Granny Winners will be announced in the upcoming April 2009 issue.

Come visit the SFC Team and all their contributors in the World of Ink at Stories for Children Magazine!

Learn more about Stories for Children Magazine at: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

Many of you have been following the Stories for Children Magazine teasers regarding a special announcement in January 2009, and the ink is finally on the page.

Over the last couple of years, Stories for Children Magazine has been gaining ground as a professional Ezine and has been growing by leaps and bounds. With its launch in April 2007, SFC was a one man team. By the end of 2007, founder VS Grenier had added two SFC Team members, and at the beginning of 2008 yet another. By the end of 2008, SFC had almost 10 SFC Team members and over 700 SFC contributors who donated their talents in different Stories for Children Magazine issues and also helped support this little magazine-that-could with word of mouth marketing.

So what is the big news SFC has been hinting about? Founder VS Grenier announced not one, but two, new SFC Team members. “We’ve been needing to grow our editorial team for some time, and I really needed to bring someone on in marketing. I couldn’t see one person doing both these jobs, so I decided it was time to add two more to our group. I’m really excited to report that Donna M. McDine has agreed to be our Marketing Manager. She has been making marketing news with the launch of her newsletter, publications, and much more. I’ve known Donna for some time and it’s really great to have her on board. I’m also excited that Sandie Lee, one of SFC’s constant contributors, is joining us as our Assistant Submissions Editor in Fiction and Poetry. Sandie will also be handling our blog once we get it launched later this year. She’ll be wearing two hats, but I’m sure she’ll do a great job.”

Donna M. McDine said, “I have attended numerous in-person writers’ conference and the last two Muse Online Writers Conferences. The success stories I've been privy to when a writer has success finding an agent or publisher are exhilarating. I have often wondered how I can make this happen. Are these events pipe dreams? I'm here to tell you, you can make these special connections happen, and they do not need to be pipe dreams, but reality. While coasting through the cyber-space hallways at the 2008 Muse Online Writers Conference, I received a virtual tap on my shoulder, and an unexpected surprise greeted me. VS Grenier, founder and Editor-in-Chief of Stories for Children Magazine presented me an offer to join her team.”

Stories for Children Magazine has more plans for this coming year. One of which is a blog for families, but Grenier wouldn’t say anything more about the subject for now. “We’re still working with the concept, so I don’t want to say anything in case it doesn’t play out the way I’m thinking right now,” said Grenier.

What other announcements might be around the corner? Stay tuned. There are plans to take Stories for Children Magazine to print in the upcoming years.

To find out more about Stories for Children Magazine and the SFC Team visit Stories for Children Magazine at http://storiesforchildrenmagazin.org

Gayle Jacobson-Huset, Fiction/Poetry Editor at Stories for Children Magazine recently interviewed children’s author, Maggie Pagratis about her prolific career. Beyond her publishing credits of over 15 books, Maggie is the founder of Athse Publishing.

Maggie shared with SFC the inspiration and goal for creating Athse Publishing, which combines children’s books with deserving charitable entities: “I dream big, and thank God I have time, still. I would like the Athse books to keep on giving, even after I am gone. I wanted to give a gift to the world.”

Maggie Pagratis is an inspiration and her talents reach far beyond the borders of Canada. Jump into the World of Ink at Stories for Children Magazine – http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org and read Maggie’s interview with Gayle Jacobson-Huset, Fiction/Poetry Editor and learn more about Maggie’s exhilarating career.

Be sure to check out the January 2009 issue of SFC Magazine. The magnificent articles and stories will astound you.

Learn more about Stories for Children Magazine at: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

For Immediate Release

Vote for SFC Magazine at Preditors & Editors Readers’ Polls 2008.

Stories for Children Magazine values our readers and contributors immensely and you are what makes SFC the success it is today. SFC has been nominated 20 times in 14 categories at the Preditors & Editors Readers’ Polls 2008 and we are asking for your help to vote for SFC Magazine. Cruise on over to Preditors and Editors voting page at http://www.critters.org/predpoll/ and click to the corresponding category and vote for your favorite today:

Boy in Reverse by C. Lee Makenzie - Category: Sci-fi/fantasy short stories
Sugar Paw and the Babysitter by VS Grenier - Category: All other short stories
Snow Angles by Wendy Dickson - Category: All other short stories
Dinosaur Tracks in My Backyard by VS Grenier – Category: Nonfiction/Articles
Telling Time with the Sun, Moon, and Stars by Kassandra Radomki – Category: Nonfiction/Articles
Best of Stories for Children Magazine Volume 1 – Category: Anthologies
The Little Red Sock by Arnot McCallum – Category: Poems
Sidewinder by Melaine Ryther – Category: Poems
A Grand Dilemma artwork by Stephen Macquignon – Category: Artwork
Scott's Zoo artwork by Melissa Zepeda – Category: Artwork
September 2008 Cover by Livia Coloji – Category: Cover Artwork
March 2008 Cover by Robby Nicholson – Category: Cover Artwork
VS Grenier – Category: Author
Feras Nouf – Category: Illustrators
Marie Letourneau – Category: Illustrators
VS Grenier – Category: Book Editor (this is for Halo Publishing freelance editor)
VS Grenier – Category: Magazine Editor (for Stories for Children Magazine)
SFC Book Review/Donation Program – Category: Book Review sites
SFC Bookstore – Category: Bookstore sites
Stories for Children Magazine – Category: Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction

Voting is from January 1-14, 2009. Please note: vote only once for each category, double voting will be cancelled out.

Your continued support of SFC Magazine is appreciated.

Be sure to check out the January 2009 issue of SFC Magazine. The magnificent articles and stories will astound you.

Learn more about Stories for Children Magazine at: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

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FORMER AMBASSADOR ASHER NAIM WINS THE PRESTIGIOUS RAOUL WALLENBERG AWARD!

We have some really terrific news to share with all of you.

In September 2008, we featured a children's story co-written by former Israeli Ambassador Asher Naim and Children's Author Sylvia Rouss. It was entitled: "Jognau the Dreamer". It's a fictionalized story of "Operation Solomon" from a child's viewpoint. Ambassador Naim was also our special Featured Guest for the month of September – his interview was terrific! To read his interview visit http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/AmbassadorAsherNaim.aspx

The Ambassador recently won the prestigious Raoul Wallenberg Award! To read more about this award, please visit this link – the man for whom this award was named after has quite a fascinating story, and it ends on a rather mysterious note: www.raoulwallenberg.org

Both SFC's Editor Gayle Jacobson-Huset and Children's Author Sylvia Rouss were some of the Ambassador's friends that wrote letters on the Ambassador's behalf, believing that he should definitely win this award.

There were several reasons why the Ambassador won this award. First, the role he played in Operation Solomon in 1991, in which over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews were airlifted out of Ethiopia in 25 hours' time to safety in Israel.

Second, the Ambassador was able to move many Soviet Jews out of Russia into Helsinki, Finland, where he was Ambassador from Israel to Finland at that time. The Ambassador was able to get the Finnish government to open their borders and agree to allow the Soviet Jews to pass through Finland to Helsinki and immigrate to Israel. The refugees were able to take direct flights from Helsinki to Israel and safety.

The Ambassador also spoke in front of the U.N. on behalf of Israel to refute and get repealed UN Resolution 3374 that equated Zionism with Racism. Many were moved by his touching speech, and the Resolution was repealed by a vote of 111 to 25. Amazing!

Lastly, the Ambassador has been continually involved as a volunteer humanitarian on behalf of Ethiopian Jews to help them assimilate into Israeli Jewish culture, get them money for scholarships etc. You can read more about his work with the Ethiopian Jews at this website: www.sfej.org

"HATCHING THE PAST" SPECIAL EXHIBIT: February 1- August 31, 2009

at the Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm

The City of St. George is pleased to announce the coming of a nationwide exhibit to St. George in 2009. The exhibit, “Hatching the Past” will be on display at the Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm from February 1- August 31, 2009.

“Hatching the Past” features a rare and exciting look at the life of dinosaurs, through their eggs, nests and embryos. The exhibit blends sciences with the arts to show an array of authentic dinosaur eggs that have been collected worldwide. The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site is pleased to offer the “Feathered Dinosaurs, Eggs, and Babies" portion of this special exhibit to the community. This exhibit is informational and exciting for all ages.

Organization and Mission: The facility is managed by the City of St. George, Utah and operated by its Leisure Services/Community Arts Department. The DinosaurAH! torium Foundation is the 501(c)(3) branch of the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm. The mission of the SGDS is to research, preserve, and exhibit the fossil resources and story for the benefit, education, and enjoyment of the community, the public, and the scientific world.

Hours of the “Hatching the Past” Exhibition:

Monday-Saturday 10 am-6pm

Special Admission fees for this exhibition will apply

Museum Contact Information:

Anneli M. Segura, Museum Coordinator

St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm

2180 East Riverside Dr.

St. George, UT 84790

Phone: 435-574-3466

Fax: 435-627-0340

Website: http://www.dinotrax.com

Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Have you guessed what the big announcement might be from Stories for Children Magazine? Here’s our last hint: The count down begins on who will be joining the SFC Team come January 1, 2009.

Quote from unknown SFC Team Member: “The most unexpected thing can happen by attending a conference. So unexpected my writing is taking me into areas I didn't think possible.”

M E D I A R E L E A S E

CONTACT: VS Grenier

Editor, Stories for Children Magazine 

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 800-670-4416

For Immediate Release

SFC Magazine Talks with Children’s Author Terry Pierce.

Terry Pierce chatted with Gayle Jacobson-Huset, Fiction/Poetry Editor at Stories for Children Magazine about the joys of writing for children. Gayle asked Pierce some tough questions such as: “You've written a ton of children's books. Which one is your personal favorite and why?” The two ladies had a great time covering Pierce’s writing career, not to mention Pierce’s latest book Blackberry Banquet, just released by Sylvan Dell Publishing this fall.

When asked about her next project, Pierce had this to say:

“I’m actually working on multiple projects, but the main one is a young adult adventure story about a teenage girl whose family is facing emotional difficulties. As a favor to her dad, she goes on a teen backpacking trip with an adventure organization while he is in the field teaching a college summer school class. Unfortunately, the hikers end up deep in the backcountry with their guide injured, so it is up to the girl and two other teens to hike out to safety. Let’s just say I don’t make it easy for them! I’m also working on a picture book about dinosaurs (I LOVE dinosaurs) and a non-fiction easy reader series about marine life.”

Terry Pierce is an award-winning children’s author. To read more of Pierce’s interview with Fiction/Poetry Editor Gayle Jacobson-Huset visit Stories for Children Magazine at http://storiesforchildrenmagazin.org

There are many wonderful articles and stories in the December 2008 winter issue of Stories for Children Magazine to share with children ages 3 to 12 years old.

Learn more about Stories for Children Magazine visit: http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

###

Full Media Kit, Magazine Cover Art, and more are available upon request electronically.

Dear Parents and Teachers:

I thought that this might be a fun activity for children. We're very excited about Kids' Letters to President Obama, which will be published by Random House in 2009.

Children can write a letter to Barack Obama that is up to a page long. The letter can be
about anything he or she would like to say to the new President. Letters could give the
President advice, or talk about problems that the President should address, or ask Obama
questions about his childhood or why he wanted to be president. Or the letter could be
about your own child life and feelings about the future. In short, whatever kids are
interested in is fine for a letter.

The letter should begin with "Dear President Obama" and should be emailed to
obamakidsletters@ gmail.com (obamakidsletters @ gmail.com) or sent by regular mail or
fax to:

Bill Adler
Adler & Robin Books, Inc.
3000 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
Fax: 202-478-5211
http://preslets. notlong.com

You can find out more information on our website:
http://sites. google.com/ site/kidsletters topresidentobama /letters or
http://preslets. notlong.com.

If you have any questions about the book, please let me know. The deadline for letters is
December 31, 2008. If your letter is published, you will receive a free copy of Kids' Letters
to President Obama.

Sincerely,


Bill Adler

Mums the word at Stories for Children Magazine about what or who they will be announcing come January 1, 2009. Could it have something to do with the changes on their website? Who knows?

Stories for Children Magazine has a new website. Come check it out at http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/default.aspx and read the December 2008 issue, too!

Stories for Children Magazine has another big announcement coming in January! Not sure what it could be after releasing their ‘Best Of’ anthology. Come back and see what other hints they are posting.

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For Immediate Release

Stories for Children Magazine Announces Its First Annual “Best of” Anthology!

Stories for Children Magazine is proud to announce the release of its first annual anthology Best of Stories for Children Magazine Volume 1. Come take an adventure in the World of Ink and let the SFC Contributors and Stanley Bookman show you how your imagination can be your guide.

There has always been an enchantment about reading a good children’s story. Children take pleasure in having a story read to them anytime or anywhere – whether it be around a campfire, under a starry night, in their beds wrapped up tight in snuggly blankets, beneath a shady tree on a hot summer’s day, or in front of a roaring fireplace on a cold winter’s day. Children love to listen to a story being read and this can go as far as adolescence. Come take an adventure in the World of Ink with the Best of Stories for Children Magazine Volume 1, a collection of over 20 poems, stories, and articles published by leading children's authors.

At Stories for Children Magazine the World of Ink is a place where imagination is everything and everything is only your imagination. Stories for Children Magazine has been inspiring children, parents, librarians, and teachers for well over two years with their monthly online magazine. Now with the release of the Best of Stories for Children Magazine Volume 1, children, parents, librarians, and teachers can enjoy the top stories, poems, and articles from Stories for Children Magazine’s first year of publication over and over again.

The Best of Stories for Children Magazine Volume 1 can be purchased nationwide from any bookstore, or online through several internet websites including Amazon.com, LuLu.com at http://www.lulu.com/content/4892856, and the SFC Bookstore at http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

Come visit the SFC Team and SFC Contributors in the World of Ink at Stories for Children Magazine! There are many wonderful articles, stories, and interviews with leading Children’s Authors or Illustrators in each monthly issue.

To learn more about Stories for Children Magazine visit: http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

###

Full Media Kit, Book Cover Art, Magazine Cover Art, and more are available upon request electronically.

For Immediate Release:

The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm’s Discovery Trax Trunk for Educators

November 18, 2008: Washington Country School District fourth grade teachers gathered at the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm to participate in training of a unique resource: The Discovery Trax Trunk. “We are pleased to offering this educational outreach opportunity to our teachers. Our hope is that in the future more schools will be able to find resources for their class inside this trunk”, states Anneli Segura, Museum Coordinator.

The Discovery Trax Trunk is an educational tool filled with lessons for your students intended to serve as an additional educational resource to support Utah State core curriculum standards and objectives. The Discovery Trax Trunk holds approximately one-week’s worth of lesson plans, including cast replicas of dinosaur footprints, dinosaur swim tracks, a fossilized fish, and a trackway. The trunk also includes various visual handouts for teachers to share with students, and latex molds that will give students the opportunity to create their own dinosaur track casts. Students and teachers will engage in hands-on activities that promote learning about the geology and ancient ecosystems of Utah’s Early Jurassic landscape198-195 million years ago.

Utah Educator Afternoons: The St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson Farm is hosting many educator trainings for Washington County teachers of fourth grade teachers to further familiarize them with the Discovery Trax Trunk and its use in the classroom. The training consists of a tour of the museum and an introduction to the trunk’s curriculum.

Publishing insiders Bob Sacks and Samir Husni square off in the magazine industry's hottest debate: Will print magazines survive—or even thrive—in the next century? Read both takes below:

Bob Sacks: It's a Digital World Now
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/its-a-digital-world-now/

Samir Husni: The Death of Print Magazines and Other Fairy Tales
http://www.writersdigest.com/article/the-death-of-print-magazines-and-other-fairy-tales/

Join the Conversation

Industry heavyweights Bob Sacks and Samir Husni chimed in on print publishing's changing landscape (above) and whether or not magazines will survive in the years ahead. What's your take?

Is there a future for print magazines?

To be part of our conversation, post your response on the WD Forum. A few responses may be selected to run in a future WD e-newsletter.

I just wanted to say that Stories for Children Magazine put a short survey on their website and we'd like to have your feedback on it if you have a free minute or two to fill it out.

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M E D I A   R E L E A S E

CONTACT: VS Grenier

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Stories for Children Magazine 

Email: [email protected]

For Immediate Release

Get to Know Children’s Author C.J. Pumpkins

If you ask parents, what their most difficult time is during the day, most would say bedtime. However, since the release of The Dream Stowaway, by C.J. Pumpkins, parents are finding it much easier to put their children to sleep.

Stories for Children Magazine’s Founder and Editor-in-Chief, VS Grenier, interviewed C.J. Pumpkins for the November 2008 issue. After reading The Dream Stowaway with her three-year-old daughter, Grenier wanted to find out more about its author, C.J. Pumpkins.

During the interview, C.J. Pumpkins shared what inspired him to write The Dream Stowaway. “I first began writing children's books when I realized that books written for children were more interesting than those written for adults. Children go through many emotional changes during their younger years, which allows for a more interesting adventure.

“The Dream Stowaway was inspired by Peter Pan. I remember reading the book over and over, night after night, and just knew that if I worked hard enough I too could create a legendary character.”

The Dream Stowaway introduces the first fictional character that actually helps children fall asleep. The book is written in verse perfect for younger children, and none other than one of SFC contributing illustrators, Feras Nouf, fills each page with colorful illustrations that capture the eye.

Author C.J. Pumpkins has over 15 years of experience with children working in youth groups, after school programs, and volunteer programs. He also teaches classes on filmmaking to inner city students.

To learn more about C.J. Pumpkins, The Dream Stowaway, and to read the Stories for Children book review, visit Stories for Children Magazine at http://storiesforchildrenmagaizne.org

###

 Magazine cover art and more are available upon request electronically.

Writer’s Digest University: Editors’ Intensive
Your exclusive chance to learn first-hand from publishing experts!

December 13-14, 2008
Cincinnati, OH

Click here to register now!

You’ve been asking us for years… and now, for the first time ever, Writer’s Digest is opening its doors for a brand-new publishing event. That’s right—you’re invited to the heart of WD Headquarters to take part in exclusive panel discussions and manuscript critiques featuring these top editors:

Jane Friedman, Publisher & Editorial Director, Writer’s Digest
Chuck Sambuchino, Editor, Guide to Literary Agents
Alice Pope, Editor, Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market
Joe Stollenwerk, Director, WritersOnlineWorkshops.com

During a full-day’s worth of workshops, they’ll give you the insider tips you need to publish your work in today’s competitive market. You’ll learn how to…

> Research and identify the right agent
> Write a killer one-page query for your novel
> Write a bulletproof nonfiction book proposal
> Avoid sabotaging your career and move faster down the publishing path
> Break into tough markets and get responses from busy editors and agents

Best of all, you’ll meet one-on-one with a WD editor who will provide an individual critique of either your query letter and proposal package (up to 50 pages), or the first 50 pages of your manuscript—plus offer a customized list of best-bet markets for selling your work!

The event also features door prizes and an onsite bookstore with special discounts and sales. Plus, you’ll even take home fun freebies that include a subscription to WritersMarket.com and a WD Writer’s Resource CD.

Due to the personalized nature of this event, space is limited to only 50 attendees.

Click here to reserve your spot today!

Event Location and Details

Writer’s Digest Headquarters at F+W Media, Inc.
4700 E. Galbraith Road
Cincinnati, OH 45236

Single Admission Cost: $199

Saturday, December 13
Interactive Workshops
9 am - 5 pm

Sunday, December 14
One-on-one Meetings
10 am - 4 pm

You will be assigned a 30-minute time slot for discussing your manuscript or proposal with a WD editor. You must submit the material you would like us to review no later than December 8, 2008.

Cancellation Policy

If you must cancel for any reason, please notify us in writing by December 4, 2008. Your registration fee will be refunded, less a $25 processing fee. No refunds will be made after this date.

Hotel Information

From The Editor: This past month has been very busy for me. I not only have been teaching others who want to write for children how to be better writers, I have also been taking classes myself.

I have been learning how to paint small houses for Christmas Villages —the kind you might see in your home or a friend’s home all lit up. I also learned how to paint faces on pumpkins this year instead of cutting faces and making Jack-O-Lanterns. That was a lot of fun!

My children are learning some new things as well. My son wants to learn how to speak Italian and my daughter is learning how to use the computer. They both think it is funny that mom is taking classes just like them. I told them that grown-ups are learning every day just like children do. We just learn different things. Sometimes we learn how to be better in our jobs, and sometimes we learn something that is just lots of fun.

Did you know even dogs have to learn? Yep! We have a new puppy who is six months old. We named him Taz and he is going to doggie school. Taz is learning how not to jump on people when they come to our house. He is also learning to sit and stay when we tell him.

What new things have you learned this school year? What things do you want to learn that you have not? What things do you think your parents are learning?

This month see what stories, articles, poems, and games teach you something new. November is a wonderful time to learn something new.

All the best,

VS Grenier

Founder & Editor-in-Chief

Come read the November 2008 issue at http://www.storiesforchildrenmagazine.org

Remembering Novelist Tony Hillerman

Novelist (and friend of WD) Tony Hillerman passed away this weekend, just a few weeks before his annual writing conference. As a tribute to his dedication to the writing profession, here's a WD interview with Hillerman from our January 2000 issue: http://writersdigest.com/article/remembering-tony-hillerman

Dear Friends,

I am sorry this newsletter is coming to you a week late. I have been busy with 
 presenting at the Muse Online Conference. What an experience it has been for 
 me! I have done much smaller presentations in a more intimate setting; 
 however, I am enjoying the challenge of a larger group spread throughout the 
 world. This is my third year attending the Muse Conference, which is done 
 completely via internet. The contacts you make, the tips and suggestions you 
 learn, and just the whole conference combined is wonderful as a presenter and 
 attendee. Of course, the balancing act is a little trickier because of all the 
 different time zones you have to consider. 

So far, I am half way through the week and my group of workshop attendees 
 has been keeping me on my toes. My own workshops are helping me become 
 a better editor and writer. I am looking forward to my real time chat about 
 How to Sell Yourself, which is the title of my workshop. This is something 
 many writers have such a hard time doing. Bragging about your talents, 
 knowledge, and why you think you are the best fit for a publisher is not always 
 easy, and my hope is at the end of the week, my attendees will feel more 
 confident about doing this. 

Because I am almost done with this week and many of you are not here with 
 me virtually at the Muse Conference, I thought I would share part of my 
 workshop handout with you. Therefore, this newsletter will be a little different 
 in that way. So now to the wonderful articles and information packed in this 
 month’s newsletter.

In the Beginning—Simon Rose shares with us the second part of his article on Author Visits, Presentations, and Workshops. In My Office—Come learn some of the tips I shared with my workshop attendees about writing query and cover letters. In You’re Published—Are your book sales getting musty? Carolyn Howard-Johnson shares some of her tips from the award-winning book, The Frugal Book Promoter. In The Writing Life—Hilari Bell has graced us once again with her article, The Art and Necessity of a Critique. And in Let It All Out!— We get a little bit of a reality check with Dwayne Gilbert.

Also, don’t forget to check out Contest Row, Market Place, and Writer’s Help. There’s a lot of information in this newsletter so take your time to make sure you don’t miss anything.

Best wishes,

VS Grenier

Member of: SCBWI and Musing Our Children

If you appreciate SFC Newsletter for Writers then please consider nominating us for the “Writer's Digest's Best Newsletters.” You just need to send your comments and nominations for next year's list to [email protected] with "Writer’s Digest’s Best Newsletters" as the subject.

SFC Newsletter for Writers is always looking for articles to help authors and illustrators improve their writing skills, to inspire, and anything else involving the craft of writing or illustrating. We invite you to share your experiences with us and your fellow writers and illustrators. Submission guidelines can be found here: http://vsgrenier.com/submissionguidelines.aspx

SFC Newsletter for Writers ISSN: 1945-8657

Jump Into the World of Picture Books
Web site: http://www.loricalabrese.com


M E D I A R E L E A S E

CONTACT: Lori Calabrese
Email: [email protected]

For Immediate Release

Meet Nicole Tadgell, Illustrator of 14 children's books and numerous educational pieces


Children everywhere are reading NO MUSH TODAY. Nonieâ?Ts had enough! Enough mushy mush for breakfast. Enough of her baby brotherâ?Ts crying. So off she goes to live at Grandmaâ?Ts house. After a day away from home, will Nonie reconsider her move and return to Momma, Daddy, and baby brother?
Maybe . . . maybe . . . if she can make a deal about breakfast! Nonie comes to life in this picture book for ages 4-8 through the expressive watercolors of Nicole Tadgell.


Lori Calabrese interviewed Nicole for the NO MUSH TODAY Blog Tour. Calabrese wanted to find out more about Nicole and her latest book, NO MUSH TODAY.

In the interview, Nicole shares how she got started illustrating children's books. While at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, Nicole studied studio art and education, hoping to become an art teacher. But she recalled how much fun it was to draw her own stories, and concluded that illustrating children's books could be the right path.


Many news publications, magazines, and news outlets have highlighted Nicole's artwork along with Jump Into the World of Picture Books. "We were glad to be a stop on Nicole's blog tour," said Lori Calabrese. "We welcomed the chance to support her by alerting our readers of Nicole's created worlds on paper."


To learn more about Nicole Tadgell and her latest book, NO MUSH TODAY, visit Jump Into the World of Picture Books at http://www.loricalabrese.com
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Book cover art and more are available upon request electronically.