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Hi All
I'm just coming back from vacation all refreshed and rejuvenated (at least for the rest of the day). I went to Disney for the first time and really enjoyed myself, almost more than my daughter did. But I can see that I have been neglecting my blog a little. Well, to make amends, I'd like to share a nice review I received for My Brother the Frog. This is from the Children's and Teens' Book Connection where they say:
"I’ve enjoyed every one of McNamee’s books that I’ve read, and
My Brother the Frog is no exception. He knows how to reach kids right where they are with fabulous books and unique storylines they’ll enjoy"
How nice is that? (Big Grin) To see the full review, please click on the link below:
http://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com/2011/07/30/my-brother-the-frog-by-kevin-mcnamee/
Whoo Hoo! I am extremely happy to announce that My Brother the Frog has been released. Below is the media release for this book. :-)
M E D I A
R E L E A S E
For Immediate Release
My Brother the Frog by Kevin McNamee: A Fun and Creative Approach to Sibling RivalryIt’s a chicken! It’s a giraffe! It’s a penguin! It’s my brother? Humor and imagination come together in this entertaining picture book about sibling rivalry.
Sibling rivalry can be a problem in any family. But in this amusing story, a little brother deals with this dilemma in a most unusual way. He changes his brother into a frog. He does have a bit of trouble changing him back though. He manages to change his brother into a variety of animals until he finally gets it right. Meanwhile, he starts to realize how much he cares for his brother, and how much his brother cares for him.
Top notch illustrations by Alexander Morris bring the story to life and help make this book a welcome addition to any home or school library.
So while relationships with siblings may not always be perfect, this book points out some very good reasons to love your family … warts and all, especially if your brother just happens to be a frog.
This book is available as a print book, an E-book, or a book on CD from
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/brother-frog.htm/
Books are also available from
amazon.com,
barnesandnoble.com, or ask your local bookstore.
Kevin McNamee is a writer and poet living in Yonkers, N.Y., and has never, ever changed anyone into a frog, although there were times that he really wanted to.
Other books by Kevin include:
If I Could Be Anything,
The Sister Exchange,
Lightning Strikes,
The Soggy Town of Hilltop and
What Is That Thing? Kevin’s poetry has been published in the collection,
An Eyeball in My Garden: And Other Spine-Tingling Poems. To find out more about Kevin, please visit his website at
5 Comments on My Brother the Frog has been released, last added: 7/10/2011
Hi All,
I’m happy to announce that the July Edition of Guardian Angel Kids Ezine is now online. This month’s theme is Outer Space. So if you or your little ones would like to see some great stories, poetry and articles (or even some online games created by yours truly), please visit
http://guardian-angel-kids.com/. The full media release is below.
M E D I A R E L E A S E
CONTACT: Donna McDine, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Angel Kids Ezine
Email:
[email protected] Website:
http://guardian-angel-kids.com/ For Immediate Release
Children's Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: Swirls through Outer Space - July 2011
Issue
The unknown and intrigue of outer space is a delightful way to engage our
youngsters in the planets beyond Earth. To watch the amazement flash over
their faces and their onslaught of questions to follow is a splendid way to
explore space from the pages of Guardian Angel Kids Ezine.
We are proud and thrilled to share with our readers the July issue of
everything "outer space" and all its amazement through poetry, stories, and
articles at
http://www.guardian -angel-kids. com.
Please feel free to drop Editor-in-Chief, Donna McDine an email at
submissions@ guardian- angel-kids. com and let them know what you think of
Guardian Angel Kids and what you'd like to see in the future. They aim to
please!
Letter from the POETRY editor: Donna J. Shepherd
Featured Books:
Video Special Feature: Sparkie: A Star Afraid of the Dark by Susann Batson
What if the Moon written and illustrated by Tracy Ahrens
Children's poetry, SHORT STORIES, and articleS:
"I Spy Wishes," by Corinna M. Johnson - sparkles with vivid imagery.
"Out of this World," by Abigail Charles - swirls you through outer space on
an alphabet adventure. Clara Smith's illustration will leave your young
muses wanting to learn more about the wonders of outer space.
"The Star Way," by Sandie Lee - like us stars are all different and go
through many stages in their lives. Share this wonderful article with your
young muses and learn about the life cycle of a star.
"An Orbiting Laboratory," by Lee Rosenfield - learn how a space station
stays "afloat" and how the astronauts live aboard the space shuttle in this
intriguing article of an orbiting laboratory.
"The Greatest Gift You Can Give Your Child," by Nicole Weaver - as parents
we must prioritize our time, so we can stay engaged in our children's
emotional and educational growth. Learn important tips to implement in your
child rearing.
SPECIAL BONUS VIDEO FEATURES for KIDS
Whispering Wally written and illustrated by Kevin Scott Collier
I Can't See, But I Can Imagine, a musical picture book by Patricia Bennett
Wilson. Illustrated by Sharon Bean. Video Produ
I just took a look at the interior galley for My Brother the Frog and I’m very happy with the way the book came out. Alexander Morris did an excellent job with the illustrations and really helped to tell the story as well. I’ll let everyone know when the book is finally released. But I think this will be a great “boy book” which deals with sibling rivalry. In my humble opinion, I don’t thing there are enough books written for boys. So I’m happy to add one more into the mix.
On other fronts, this seems to be one of those days where I’m constantly moving, but I’m not getting anywhere. I still need to do some work on my website, do revisions on a new story to submit to my critique group by the end of the month, and put together a cover letter for a new submission. What have I accomplished so far? Not much. But at least I can cross “update my blog” off of my To Do list now. :-)
Today, in a departure fro the kid-lit realm, I am happy to be hosting Marietta Taylor, who will be talking about a very important aspect of writing - maintaining your own voice. Marietta, please tell us your story.
I am a member of a writer's critique group. For the most part I enjoy the group. However, there was one session that really rubbed me raw like a sandpaper burn. I was having some devotional work critiqued. They were written from the perspective of the Proverbs 31 woman. I thought I had a pretty cleaver idea since much had been written about her and how women could be like her, but nothing was written from her perspective.
One of the other writer's told me my work wasn't believable to her because it wasn't written in what she called a “true Jewish voice”. She proceeded to give me the name of a Christian romance writer. She instructed that I should read this woman's books and the pattern my “voice” after hers. That really got under my skin. And it stayed there for a while.
I actually stopped working on this book because of her criticism. I just recently picked it back up to review and decide if I was going to continue. I may actually change some of it, but I'll tell you what I'm not going to do. I'm not going to mimic another author's voice. As a writer, I need to be authentic to myself. Voice is who I am as a writer. It is how I uniquely communicate my message to my readers. If I try to mimic someone else, it will come across as not being authentic.
While I understand that we can learn a great deal from other writers, I'm not a believer in being a copycat. I don't mind being influenced by another writer's strong voice. I just don't want to steal it and try to pass it off as my own. At the end of it all, I've got to be me. And I think that's important for every writer. Each one has their own unique voice. They attract readers based on communicating with their own voice. One of the things we as writers keep hearing is “Find your voice”. Once you do, go with it. I think it's the strongest part of your identity as a writer.
Readers can connect with me in the following ways:
Website:
http://www.mariettataylor.net/Personal Blog:
http://www.marismorningromm.blogspot.com/Twitter:
www.twitter.com/raleighgirlFacebook:
http://www.facebook.com/marietta.taylor2Buy my book:
Paperback:
http://shop.theextremediva.com/Surviving-Unemployment-Devotions-to-Go-6139.htmhttp://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Unemployment-Devotions-Marietta-Taylor/dp/1934626139/ref
Hi All
The June issue of Guardian Angel Kids Ezine is now available. The theme this month is "Wheels" If you get a chance, please stop by
http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/default.htm. I'm sure your children, grandchildren, or other special child in your life will enjoy it. If they like to draw,they can give my online paint program a try.
Today, I am bringing back an old feature on my blog called SlushPile Warriors. SlushPile Warriors focuses on the trials and tribulations of pursuing publication, and what is learned along the way.
I am delighted to be hosting SlushPile Warrior, Erin Liles, who will be telling us about her own travels on the road to publication.
Erin, please tell us a little a little about yourself:I grew up in California but moved to Texas when I was in my twenties. After college I went to work for a literacy program where I got to share my love for reading with kids and their parents for almost 10 years. But when my husband decided to go back to work after staying home with our two children for 4 years, I got to do what I always wanted to do, stay home with my kiddos and write!
How many submissions do you have out there now?About 10
How do you research where to send your manuscripts?I read Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market, but I also do a lot of internet research. I try to stay very connected to other children’s writers through message boards and writer’s groups. Whenever I hear of a publisher, I go to their website and look at their catalogs. If any seem to be similar topics or styles to one of my manuscripts, I will look up the book on Amazon.com and use the preview option to get a better feel for the book.
But nothing beats reading books! No picture book passes through my hands without my checking who published it. My kids are so used to this, that if I have forgotten to look, they will say, “Who published this book mommy?”
What was your biggest submission goof? What did you learn from it?My biggest goof was that I started submitting before I was truly ready. I tend to be pretty impatient this way. But I have since learned to let a manuscript “sit” for at least a month (usually longer), and have it go through at least three critiques before I’m allowed to even think it’s ready.
Why do you want to be a writer?I have always loved to write. I remember being around six years old and painstakingly pecking out a story on my parent’s old typewriter. To this day, my parents love to share the stories I wrote as a kid. I was one of those super shy, but imaginative kids, who always had her head buried in a book, so writing stories just seemed like a natural extension to reading.
What is your favorite style of writing? Why? Although I blog and occasionally write articles, I love writing picture books. I love the challenge of telling a clear and concise story in 700 words or less. I guess it is the style that just feels the most “right” for me.
What is the most frustrating thing about being a writer? Rejections! Aside from those, the most frustrating thing is trying to get a story so clear that it cannot be misunderstood in any way. I am often surprised when a story of mine goes through a critique and someone totally misunderstood, or saw something in it differently from what I intended.
What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer? Acceptances! Aside from those, finishing a story and having the feeling that what you wrote is good.
What is the most important thing you’ve learned about writing? That while writing is a solitary activity,
Today I'm delighted to welcome author/educator, Kathy Stemke, to my blog.
Kathy: I’m soooo excited to be here, Kevin.
I'm so glad to hear it. Any particular reasons for the excitement?
Kathy: Within the next couple of weeks my first printed picture book, “Trouble on Earth Day,” will be available for purchase. I’ve been waiting for over two years for this incredible event to happen.
What’s it about?
Kathy: It’s about friendship, helping others and helping the Earth.
Why will kids like it?Kathy: They will fall in love with the adorable characters, enjoy learning about recycling, and get lost in the exciting story of two new friends.
What makes your book different than other picture books on the market today?Kathy: As I said before it is a wonderful story and it has 22 pages of songs, discussion questions, worksheets, games, activities, and recycling projects to do at school or at home.
Can you give us an example of one of the songs?Kathy: Sure, Kevin. Here’s one verse of Shelby’s Recycling Song.
Tune: Mary Had a Little Lamb
Shelby squirrel saved and saved,Saved and saved, saved and saved,Shelby squirrel saved and saved,She used her things again.Can you give us an idea of the worksheets and activities you offer in the book? Kathy: There are word searches and matching activities as well as recycling games and silly compound words. Here’s a darling coloring sheet that kids can get from my blog. While you’re there, you can also sign up for my free monthly newsletter, Movement and Rhythm.
http://educationtipster.blogspot.com/ Congratulations on your new book and thanks for stopping by today.
Kathy: You’re welcome. It was fun. Happy spring!
Kathy Stemke’s websites:
Moving Through all Seven Days link:
http://www.lulu.com/content/e-book/moving-through-all-seven-days/7386965# http://www.helium.com/users/406242.htmlhttp://www.associatedcontent.com/user/237923/Kathy_stemke_dancekam.html Follow me on twitter:
http://twitter.com/kathystemke Follow me on Facebook:
http://
0 Comments on Featuring Author/Educator - Kathy Stemke as of 1/1/1900
More reviews are coming in for What Is That Thing? I received a great review from Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection where they say:
In this delightful new story from talented poet and writer, Kevin McNamee, we see him doing what he does best–create a story that youngsters will love.How sweet I that? They also go on to say:
The artwork by K.C. Snider is absolutely wonderful. From mom the space alien with kitchen utensils sticking out of her head to Jungle Jenna swinging on the vines, her illustrations will capture the hearts of young readers who really want to now how Jenna feels.
To read the full review, please click on the following link.
To me, one of the finest moments in the life of a writer other than getting an acceptance, is getting a great review. After all the hours spent bringing what was once a vague idea to an actual physical book, someone else looks at it and says, “This is good stuff.” It never fails to bring a smile to my face.
The latest edition of Guardian Angel Kids Ezine is now available. This month’s theme is All About Horses. I’m the Technology Director for this Ezine and I am very happy to be involved with this online magazine. If you get a chance, please stop by
http://guardian-angel-kids.com/I’m sure that your kids or grandkids will love it. The Media Release is below.
M E D I A R E L E A S E
CONTACT: Donna McDine, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Angel Kids Ezine
Email:
[email protected] Website:
http://guardian-angel-kids.com/ For Immediate Release
Children's Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: All about Horses May 2011 Issue
Horses are beautiful animals and often times are utilized in therapy
programs to help stimuli children with special needs and learning how horses
communicate to a delightful poem of an Arabian Filly the Guardian Angel Kid
May 2011 is sure to be both entertaining and educational.
Without further ado we invite you to come explore the May 2011 issue of
Guardian Angel Kids Ezine
http://www.guardian -angel-kids. com. And to add to your child's learning
enjoyment be sure to partake in the interactive activities, games, and
videos.
Letter from the editor: Donna M. McDine
Featured FLIP Books:
A Horse of Course by Shari Lyle-Soffe and illustrated by Eugene Ruble -
Aaron thinks he received the perfect birthday gift. Is a house the best
place for a horse? Aaron thinks so, but Horace may feel differently.
Clip Clop Tippity Tap: French Vocabulary on the Farm by Kim Chatel and
illustrated by Kathleen Bullock - Learn French vocabulary on the farm with
Mini-moi the pony as he finds a job just his size.
Children poetry and articleS:
"Drinker of the Wind," by Sheila DeCosse - mesmerizes in a delightful poem
about an Arabian Filly and brought to life with Jack Foster's magical
illustration.
"Sue Sharp: Dream Rider," by Amy Cobb - shares the importance of a
therapeutic horse riding program.
"Horses that Help," by Randi Lynn Mrvos - defines hippotherapy and explains
how this unique equine treatment works.
"How Horses Talk," by Donna Marie West - answers how horses communicate
mostly with body language, using their ears, eyes, lips and teeth, legs and
tail s well as their voices to tell other horses and us what they want and
how they are feeling.
"Using Reflective Learning Logs for Reading Success," by Dorit Sasson -
effective strategies for teachers to add to their professional growth by
observing and reflecting on what goes on in their classrooms.
We look forward to your visit. Thank you for your time and interest.
###
Full Media Kit and more are available upon request electronically.
If you click the link below, you can see some of my handiwork. :-)
Challenge your child with word jumbles, word puzzles, and mazes at GAK Ezine
interactive games
http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/games. htm
Reviews are starting to come in for What Is That Thing? And I received a very nice one at Stories for Children Magazine. Ms. Irene Roth reviewed the book and had this to say:
Overall Thoughts:This is a heart-warming story of how a young child can accept a new member of the family. The illustrations are hilarious and witty. It will keep a child spellbound and captive.
I recommend the book to any child who has younger siblings or is about to accept the arrival of a new sibling. They will be able to laugh and also accept the little being into their lives, and even be very happy and enriched by the new little baby sister or brother.
One of the hard parts about being a writer is that many times, you work in a vacuum. You never really know how your work will be received. How great it is when someone else sees the value in it.
To see the full review, please click on the link below.
http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/WhatIsThatThing.aspx
Today I an pleased to be presenting Nancy Famolari, who will be talking about her latest novel – Winner's Circle.
Nancy, what is this book about?Summer's father is dead; his only asset, a fabulous trotter. Two men want to help her. She refuses Ned, blaming him for her father's death. Davis, a famous racehorse driver, wins her heart but deserts her after she suffers a serious accident on the track. Max, her rival, will do anything to get the horse for his stable. Summer's dream is to race her horse in the Hambletonian Oaks. Will she get there and will she, finally, find love?
Nancy, please tell us a little about yourself: I live in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania in the summer and on a small farm near Ocala, Florida in the winter. My favorite hobby is trail riding. My horse, Ambrosa de la Pluma is a registered Paso Fino. The breed came to the new world from Spain. Paso Finos have a unique four beat gait that is very smooth. They can go for hours on the trail. They are smart and friendly and make wonderful companions. I feel lucky to live in two areas with lots trail riding.
What inspired you to write this story? Winner's Circle takes place in the fast paced world of harness racing. For fourteen years, my husband and I had a small Standardbred breeding farm in New Jersey. We raised and raced these marvelous horses. Harness racing is very exciting. There are many heart warming stories about an owner or trainer believing in their horse and against the odds getting the horse to win a big race. The desire to win drives the plot in Winner's Circle. There are also people who take advantage of both horses and people for personal gain, not caring the least about how the horse is affected. I believed these elements would make a good novel.
Do you have a favorite character?Summer Langston is my favorite character. She's a very determined lady who cares about her horse, Meadow, and overcomes severe personal and professional obstacles to get her horse to the winner's circle. In the process, she learns something about herself and how to give and receive love. I like the fact that she's gutsy and doesn't give up easily.
Tell us a little about your writing schedule: I try to write everyday for two hours. Obviously this isn't easy with farm chores and other activities. During Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) I can almost always keep to the schedule because the incentive is to have a novel at the end of the month. I find the first draft fun and relatively easy to do. Editing is the part that gives me trouble. It takes much longer to edit well than to write a first draft.
What are your future writing plans? I write a series of mystery novels based on life in the Endless Mountains. Murder in Montbleu and The Lake House are available from Amazon. I'm editing the third book, Death at the Writer's Conference. It will be available later this year.
Nancy’s book, Winner’s Circle is available at Amazon.com.
http://www.amazon.com/Winners-Circle-Nancy-Famolari/dp/1460951476/To find out more about Nancy, please visit her at:
Website:
http://sites.google.com/site/nancyfamolai/Blogs: Nancy Famolari's Place (
http://nancygfamolari.blogspot.com//)
Nancy Famolari's Author Spotlight (
13 Comments on VBT-Featuring Nancy Famolari, last added: 4/14/2011
I received a really nice review for What Is That Thing? from Nicole Weaver at blogcritics.org. Ms. Weaver highly recommends my book and has this to say:
“This cute and heartwarming story should be read to all children who already have or are about to have a new addition to their family.
Further value is added by the award-winning artist K.C. Snider, who elevates the story with her top-notch illustrations.”
K.C. really did do a great job with the illustrations and I’m very fond of the text, myself. ;-) So I’m so glad this book is getting a good reception.
To read the entire review, please follow this link:
http://blogcritics.org/books/article/book-review-what-is-that-thing1/#ixzz1I0ZtWvyA
I received my first review for What Is That Thing? from author Janet Ann Collins on her On Words blog. An excerpt of which is below:
“McNamee has done a great job of capturing what the experience of having a new sibling can be like.
Illustrator K.C. Snider provided colorful pictures that show both Jenna's imaginary adventures and the real world in a cute way.”
To read the full review, please follow this link
http://onwordsblog.blogspot.com/One criticism she had was that newborns don’t smile. But I respectfully disagreed with her and mentioned it in a comment on her blog.
My daughter smiled when she was a newborn, and there are plenty of others who will tell you that their babies started smiling right away. I’ll always remember that little toothless grin on her face when she was an infant. Even if it was gas, I’ll still take it. :-)
I even sent Ms. Collins a link to a parenting site to back me up. Because the last thing I want to happen is to give inaccurate information in my books. You can read more about this at the website below.
http://www.parentsconnect.com/questions/newborn_actual_smile.jhtml
Today, in a departure from the children's book world, I am happy to be featuring Marvin Wilson, author of Between the Storm and the Rainbow. Marvin, what is this book about?This book is based on Between the Storm and the Rainbow, the internationally popular award-winning Free Spirit blog. It is an anthology of the best of the best posts that will inspire you, stimulate your deep thoughts and emotions and also give you plenty of laughter. Read the spiritual/inspirational writings of author Marvin D Wilson and join the global community of readers who count on their daily dose of Free Spirit.
This sounds very interesting, Marvin. Please give us an excerpt from your book.Freedom through Discipline
(August 31, 2008)
I was able to go to college on a music scholarship. My father was a poor Christian minister, and had I not been born with the gift of music, the advantage of higher education would have been denied me. Thanks to my God-given talents, I was able to go. I was a music major with a thespian minor at Central Michigan University. At age eighteen, I thought I knew everything. I had talent, intelligence, youthful bold confidence and a brash attitude, and a social/political/religious view of our world (this was the late 1960's, mind you) that was one of "I know everything." And anyone who disagreed with me (especially my parents and any authority figures in the older generation, those despicable leaders of the hypocritical oppressive "Orwellian - big brother" government of the times), were dead wrong. I was a "Free Spirit," venturing forth into a brave new world that me and my Hippie friends were forging with our new lifestyle, our drugs, sex and rock and roll religion of freedom.
In my freshman year at college, I met Professor Stephen Hobson. He was my choir director and my private lesson voice coach. He looked to me to be in his late sixties. He was (well, he seemed to me at the time) stodgy and stiff, and a strict disciplinarian. He demanded of me a level of self-discipline and rigorous diurnal practice regimen that I was completely without the ability to understand, let alone adhere to. One little flutter in-between voice registers, any tiny slippage in tonal and/or pitch control when singing my assigned lessons in his torture chambers he called a "practice room" every Wednesday, he would stop playing his piano accompaniment, look at me with this "you know as well as I that that was not good enough" expression and demand that I try it again. Over and over … until I got it perfect. Perfect according to his obnoxious elitist opinion.
I couldn't stand that man. He was asking way too much of me, and for no good reason. I did not see the need for such a tyrannical imposition of discipline on me and my life, my singing, my anything. I was writing songs about freedom and liberty, gigging at night in my rock and roll band, getting over to thunderous applause at the hands of my Hippie peers, why did I need discipline? I was a one-of-a-kind talent; my uninhibited, serendipitous, wild and natural style was destined to become the standard for future generations. Professors in decades to come would teach their students how to emulate ME!
Ah, but those of you with any substantial life experience can guess the rest of the story. I never "made it" as a big impact famous rock and roller. I eventually wound up playing for modest money in lit
Hi All,
I did a fun interview at the Eyeball in My Garden blog. An Eyeball In My Garden is a poetry collection put together by 14 terrifyingly talented poets. I have two poems included in this collection titled, Our Neighborhood and The Gargoyle. So if you would ever like to know what I would do if I encountered a Winking Wot, please stop by
http://www.eyeballinmygarden.com/ and say hello.
Kevin
Hi All,
I'm be featured on Karen Cioffi's Blog, Writing For Children and More. I'll be talking about the story behind my picture book, If I Could Be Anything. If you get a chance, please stop by and say hello.
http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com/2011/03/if-i-could-be-anything-by-kevin-mcnamee.html
"
It’s an alien from outer space! … It’s a strange and smelly creature! … It’s a mysterious, roaring animal! … It’s my baby sister?!" Jenna uses her imagination to understand this new person in her life. When she finally sees things as they are, will Jenna like what she sees?It is with great pleasure that I announce the release of my latest picture book with Guardian Angel Publishing. It is titled, What Is That Thing? This book deals with the arrival of a new baby. Jenna uses her imagination to try and figure out this new little person in her life, and to understand the changing family dynamics involved in having a new addition to the family. K.C. Snider did a terrific job with the illustrations.
This book is available as a print, book, ebook and book on CD from Guardian Angel Publishing at
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/what-is-that-thing.htmand as a print book at Amazon.com at
http://www.amazon.com/What-That-thing-Kevin-McNamee/dp/1616331410/ref=pd_rhf_p_t_1I’ll be adding be adding new links for this book as they become available. This is so new, Amazon doesn’t have a picture for it yet. This book was a lot of fun to write. I hope people have just as much fun reading it.
Today is Theodor Geisel’s birthday. However, for those who don't already know, he is better known as Dr Seuss. I loved reading Dr. Seuss as a child. The Cat in the Hat was one of the first books I remember reading. I loved all the entertaining characters he came up with, The Star Bellied Sneetches, The Lorax, Thing1 and Thing 2, not to mention that he was the first one to draw a Nerd.
As an adult and especially as a children’s book writer, I admire his tenacity. His first children’s book, And To Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street, was rejected 27 times before it was published. I was quite a bit luckier with my first acceptance. The Soggy Town of Hilltop was the first of my books to receive a contract. It was only rejected 18 times by my records before it finally found a home with Guardian Angel Publishing. It is written in rhyme and I’ve been told that this book shows some Seussian influences. That may have contributed to my story’s success. I do have other work that’s coming close to exceeding Mr. Geisel’s record.
I also admire the fact that he continued to work at his day job in advertising while pursuing his writing career, and that he didn’t discard writing and illustrating in favor of what was paying more money at the time. We are all better off for it.
I hold down a day job and struggle to find a way to keep writing despite the demands on my time. I lament how difficult this business is to begin with and how the economy is just making it worse. But still I keep plugging away without knowing if anything I do will ever bear fruit. When I look at the cold, hard facts with a rational eye, I’ve come to the conclusion that I must have rocks in my head.
Fortunately, I save rationality and cold, hard facts for my day job. I’m a writer and always have been. It’s what I do and it’s part of who I am. Luckily for me, giants have gone before me doing exactly what I am doing. It helps strengthen my resolve.
So, Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss, may your books continue to delight and entertain children and adults alike, and may the struggles you faced continue to inspire writers everywhere.
Hi All,
Today I am pleased to feature author Darcia Helle, who will be talking about her book,
Beyond Salvation.
Beyond Salvation is a suspense novel written for adults. This is a departure from my usual topics which usually focus on the kid-lit world. But I think it always helps to change things up every now and then and hey, we adults could always use a good read too.
Darcia, what is this book about?A teenage runaway disappears from the streets. The only people who care, or even notice, are her two best friends who are also runaways. For reasons of their own, they can't go to the police for help They seek out Michael Sykora, a software designer by day and hit man by night. Known on the streets as The Ghost, Michael has a reputation for taking on the twisted criminals. Rapists. Child molesters. He has never been hired to find the lost. Until now.
Michael teams up with ex-prostitute Nicki and full-time hit man Sean. Together they bend the rules of the justice system in order to find a young girl few people care about. In the process, they uncover a world where salvation comes with a price tag and God's words are used to incite fear in a congregation of believers.
What is the story behind the book?Homelessness is a huge problem in the U.S. Every age range, from children to the very old, exist in a separate and hidden world on our streets. According to a study by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty approximately 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2007).
In No Justice, the first book in my Michael Sykora series, two homeless teens made a brief appearance when they helped Nicki out of a difficult jam. I wanted to bring them back and let them tell their story. That’s when Sara popped into my head and led the way.
Sara is a teenage runaway, friends with the two boys, and missing. The problem with runaways is, when they disappear from the streets, no one but their few friends on those same streets notices. Often there is nowhere to turn for help. Michael Sykora works within that lost world and sets out to find Sara.
To be honest, when I began writing this book, I had no idea what had happened to Sara. I don’t outline and only began with that vague premise. As I explored the reasons behind Sara and her friends winding up on the streets, I was led to the few options they might have to reach out for help. Sadly, there will always be people who prey on those who are desperate. Cults are one of the biggest offenders, often masking themselves as Churches and various sanctuaries of hope. Sara stumbled upon one of these.
As I was writing this book, I wasn’t looking to give a lesson in morality or write a societal thesis. I simply wanted to give these lost people, the characters in my head, a voice. I hope that I achieved that and managed to entertain at the same time.
Thanks for stopping by Darcia, and giving us a chance to get to know you and your book. You can find out more about Darcia and her books by following the links below.Darcia Helle gives voice to the characters trespassing through her mind. She currently has six books published, all variations of the suspense genre. Originally from Massachusetts, Darcia now writes in the sunshine of Florida.
You can find Darcia in the following places:
Website:
9 Comments on Virtual Book Tour Guest - Darcia Helle, last added: 2/17/2011
It’s been a fairly annoying winter here in the New York City area. It snowed twice this week, dumping more snow on top of the previous storm’s deposits and it’s only warmed up enough so that the whole mess can refreeze into ice. The snowman in front of my house has transformed into a vague, pyramid-shaped thing and has since shed its eyes, nose, scarf and hat that were once part of a snowman kit. I rescued all those pieces last night lest they become buried by today’s snowfall and not be seen again until the spring.
I don’t really mind the snow, as long as I don’t have to go out in it, that is. I think it pretties up the place. I’m quite content to stand there with a cup of coffee and watch it come down. However, I rarely have that luxury, especially if it snows on a weekday.
The first snowflake to hit usually causes my daughter’s school to close or at least have a two hour delay, causing us to scramble to find alternate child care arrangements. The second snowflake usually causes both the roads and mass transit to become hopelessly snarled, making the commute to and from my day job, an adventure in perseverance.
However, there are advantages to all this nasty weather. It keeps me indoors and close to my computer. This is a good thing right now because my next book, What Is That Thing?, is due to be released by the end of this month. I still have plenty of prep work to do for it. My virtual book tour group is starting up again in February and I want to start the tour with this book. I’m also trying to revise the presentations for my other books to keep the material fresh. It’s no small feat, but I’m happy with the progress I am making.
But I am not happy with one realization that I made this morning. While going through some files for my books, I opened up the file I use for submissions. I do not have one single submission out there, not one. I’ve always tried to have multiple submissions making the rounds out there, but somehow I let everything slip. I’m a little disappointed in myself. It’s time wasted and time is a very precious commodity. One lesson I learned early on in my career, is that I needed to just do my research and get it out there. No editor is going to come to me.
I do plan to correct this mistake during the weekend. I’m going to write my cover letters and have at least three submissions ready to go for next week. I just better get to the post office by Tuesday though. That’s when they are predicting the next snowstorm.
Hi All,
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I’m still currently digging out from the holidays and from a snowstorm that dumped almost two feet of snow here in the NY City area last week. But things are slowly returning to normal, which means that I have no excuse for not writing and will now need to find some other reason to procrastinate. ;-) However, I digress… (I’m good at that)
The reason for this post is that one of my children’s book critique groups currently has openings. If any writers out there are looking for a critique group, please read below and email
[email protected] if you are interested.
The Prose Shop is a supportive community of people who write picture book manuscripts, as well as magazine stories for children up to 12 years of age. We are an established online critique group created in 2005 and have a mix of both published and unpublished writers. We are dedicated to helping each other to improve technique, become more confident and capable writers, discuss and share information, and get published.
The Prose Shop is organized via a message board. This has huge advantages over groups that use an e-mail system for submitting critiques. Here, members are able to view all critiques. This is where we work as a team. Members are encouraged to comment on critiques, thus bringing about general discussion and debate that is invaluable to the author.
There are only a few rules pertinent to our group. First, we critique at least one story for each story we post. That is a minimum. The more critiques you give, the more you will receive.
Second, we expect at least one critique every 30 days from each member, whether or not they post a story.
Third, to keep the group active and encourage writers to write, we require that you post a story at least every three months. Rewrites of previously posted material will be acceptable.
We are looking for writers who demonstrate a long-term commitment to writing. We would like to see applicants who have an inventory of several picture book manuscripts and/or magazine stories available for critique.
If you are interested in becoming a member, please email
[email protected] and we will send you an application.
Regards,
Kevin
http://www.kevinmcnamee.com/
In honor of the holidays, I’d like to post something I wrote a few years ago. The hypothetical situations have changed a bit. My child’s a little older now. Things like dirty diapers would no longer apply. But I still can identify with the spirit of this piece though. I’m sure some of my fellow writers can too. Without further adieu, here’s …
Why I Don’t Have Time To Write
(Sung to the tune “Deck the Halls”)
Baby’s playing with paint thinner
Fa La La La La La La La La
Worked all day, now cooking dinner
Fa La La La La La La La La
Toilet’s backed up, what a mess
Fa La La La La La La La La
Daughter flushed her Christmas dress
Fa La La La La La La La La
Dirty diaper, really reeking
Fa La La La La La La La La
Sink and bathtub both are leaking
Fa La La La La La La La La
But bubble gum has many uses
Fa La La La La La La La La
At least I’ve written my excuses
Fa La La La La, La- La -La -La
May all of you have a safe, happy, wonderful, time this holiday season.
Peace,
Kevin
Guardian Angel Kids Magazine has released their December 2010 issue of their ezine. If you get a chance, stop by
http://guardian-angel-kids.com/ and check it out. On the “Creative Crew” page, you just might see a familiar face. :-) Enjoy…
M E D I A R E L E A S E
CONTACT: Donna McDine, Editor-in-Chief, Guardian Angel Kids Ezine
Email:
[email protected] Website:
http://guardian-angel-kids.com/ For Immediate Release
December 2010 issue of Guardian Angel Kids Ezine Now Available
The blustery days of winter have arrived and what better way to spend a cold
afternoon then taking your young muse on an interactive adventure at the
Guardian Angel Kids Ezine
http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/.
Be prepared to spend memorable time as you both explore the monthly
features:
A Blessed Bethlehem Birth Flip Book by Walter Lee McElligott
Follow A Star - a Rooter and Snuffle Story by Shari Lyle-Soffe (read aloud
by Donna Shepherd)
Children poems, stories, and articles:
"Blanket of Snow" written by Alice Knisley Matthias, takes you on snow
filled vision.
"Twas the Night before Christmas, Down on the Farm" written by Ann Ingalls
and illustrated by Kim Sponaugle immerses you in the wonders of Christmas on
a farm.
"All by Myself" written and illustrated by Samantha Bell brings you on an
adventure of one young girl's determination.
"Nothing Was Stirring" written by Marion Tickner and illustrated by Jack
Foster is a laugh out loud mousy adventure.
"Treasures, Treats, and Traditions" by Lisa Hart brings to life the wonders
of this magical time of year with a bonus Pinwheel Candy craft.
"Names for Nick" by Carol Douglas, the origins of good old Saint Nick.
Tune your child into the wonders of prediction through Dorit Sasson's parent
and teacher article "Teaching Prediction in Picture Books and Non-Fiction
Text," and by doing so will make their reading adventure that much more
enjoyable.
Stop by for a gander and enjoy your time together, for the adventurous world
of reading is at your fingertips.
Thank you for your time and interest.
###
Full Media Kit and more are available upon request electronically.
I just saw this press release for Be There Bedtime Stories. Be There Bedtime Stories is a great service for those who would like to read to the little ones in their life, but can't be there in person. All you need is a webcam and an email address and they will create a video of you reading a book. The book and the video will be sent by email to be enjoyed at bedtime, or any other time. If you're traveling on business, stationed in the military or just live too far away, I think this is a terrific way to stay involved in a child's life.
Their press release includes a You Tube video that contains excerpts from two of my books, The Soggy Town of Hilltop and If I Could Be Anything. The Sister Exchange is also available there. How cool is that?
I've included the press release below, but if you would like to see the video, please follow the link below.
New Website Enables Families to Be There for the Holidays
2 Comments on Be There Bedtime Stories, last added: 12/3/2010
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Congrats Kevin and if you need a blog tour, let me know. I'd love to work something out for you.
Very cute book!
Congratulations! This is terrific. It looks wonderful.
Thanks Virginia! I just might be considering a blog tour. But I just need to see if my schedule will allow for one. :-)
Thanks again.
Kevin
Thank you so much for the congratulations and kind words about my book, Nancy. I appreciate it.
Regards,
Kevin
Congratulations Kevin! Keep writing :)