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HOOK KIDS on READING
NOW FOLLOWS a Revamped PATH.
BOOK. . . News
WRITING. . .Ideas
MARGOT'S. . . Thoughts
W-H-A-T-E-V-E-R Grabs My Interest.
Hold onto your hair, mates,
not even The SHADOW knows!
**********
The school year is almost upon us.
GET YOUR CLASS READING
With a FREE Skype Author Visit
from ME!
My selection of 14 books were written with the idea of
HOOKING KIDS on READING
Picture books and young teen adventures.
FUN--MULTICULTURAL--EDUCATIONAL
Here's the Scoop!
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*First grade through mid-grade.
*Registered with Education Skype.
*Contact me through the FORM on the right
As the author of 14 books,
I love gassing up my Magic Carpet of Books,
and flying into classrooms anywhere there is a SKYPE connection.
I live in the US now, but I grew up in Australia, so some of my books have a Down Under flavor. I Skype globally, depending on how well the time zones mesh.
Many teachers have told me, that after my visit, their classes became much more enthusiastic about reading and writing. Meeting a real life author, and learning how their favorite book came to life, can work marvelous MAGIC!
THE DEAL
I begin by introducing myself, asking about their favorite books, and showing some Australian Aboriginal artifacts. Then a short question time. I then read a story, and chat about how to write stories that HOOK readers. More in-depth details about writing and how books are created, depending on the age of the class, and what the teacher wants me to include. The final Q and A is often the highlight of my visit!
Do email me, and we can chat further about your class needs.. CONTACT: [email protected]
Margot Finke
Read SAMPLE Chapters and
verses from all my books
By:
Margot Finke,
on 4/28/2015
Blog:
HOOK KIDS on READING
(
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# margot finke,
#Dynoroar,
#Featherbutt Bird,
#Oogledork,
Fantasy,
tweens,
words,
thesaurus,
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Add a tag
Fantastic Fantasy Daisy and Bartholomew Q PLUS outrageous critters like--
The Dynoroar, The Oogledork, The Featherbutt Bird,
and. . . Evil Big Crow.
by Margot Finke
Cover Art: Ioana Zdralea.
This young tween fantasy will be published as soon as the cover to be completed.
Then,
Soft Cover and
Kindle pop-up will be your purchase choices.
(on Amazon and my website)
Daisy and Bartholomew Q. are an unlikely twosome.
She is a stubborn and feisty young teen girl. She likes to do things her way. He is a slightly pompous fellow who loves books and reading.He lives in a world of words, and his friends are astonishingly odd--to say the least. With Daisy's procrastination teetering at EPIC FAIL,
Bartholomew Q. is sent to guide and advise her.
He will show her where to discover those
fantastic words that will earn her garden essay an 'A.'
QUESTIONS: #1- Where would he take Daisy?
#2 - Who would she ask?
#3 - WHAT words would she choose?
ANSWERS:
#1 - the Thesaurus ('G' for Garden section)
#2 - the Cousin Adjective Tree, the Mother Noun Tree, the Father Verb Tree,
and the Depressed Raccoon--WHO ELSE?
#3 - Fabulous words that describe a garden.
Essay due tomorrow morning.
PLEASE HURRY!Of course if you're like Daisy, you've put off writing your essay until
the last minute. A failing grade looms--plus the wrath of Mom!
OH. . .and did I mention attacks by bizarre World Word residents,
Talking Trees, a depressed raccoon, and being kidnapped by Evil Big Crow?
So much fun and adventure--so many fabulous words.
I can't wait to see the cover. (the art here is only temporary)
STAY TUNED, MATES!********************************Books for Kids - Skype Author Visitshttp://www.margotfinke.com Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/nogbdad*********************************
By:
Margot Finke,
on 11/25/2014
Blog:
HOOK KIDS on READING
(
Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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# margot finke,
#Australia,
#Dreamtime Man,
children's books,
sale,
hippo,
Holiday Gifts,
walkabout,
Ruthie,
Add a tag
GO ON. . . I DARE YOU!
Love 'em with BOOKS this Holiday Season.
2
BOOKS that make terrific Holiday Gifts.
*Trial by Walkabout is a great Aussie outback adventure--
a multicultural tale of sibling rivalry, aboriginal culture, danger,
and Dreamtime pirits--plus a friendship between two young teens
*Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat Behind--
a rhyming story that tells how sudden BIG changes
can turn a sweet girl into a brat!
(parent teacher guide included)
************************
JUST PUBLISHED (soft cover)
Dreamtime Man
For young and old alike. . .
My rhyming tale, based on Australian history, shows how Aboriginals
survived the arrival of the white man, and eventually created
a place for themselves and their culture
in the present day.REVIEW SNIP:
SAMPLE from Book REVIEW on Penny's Reviews and Chat:
http://pennyreviews-chat.blogspot.com/
"I'm a great, and long time fan of Margot Finke’s children’s stories, as you know. I’m completely enthralled with this new one, Dreamtime Man. It is absolutely one of her best. It’s in rhyme and powerfully relates the stories of ancient Australian aboriginal tribes who used to roam the wild, untamed lands of Australia. Her word pictures are perfect jewels."
**The illustrations, by Ioana Zdralea, are amazing.
This SUPER Review is a huge thrill!! **You can also LISTEN to me read the story HERE
Not on Sale. . . but worth every penny!
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Books for Kids - Skype Author Visits
Manuscript Critiques
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By:
Margot Finke,
on 7/6/2014
Blog:
HOOK KIDS on READING
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Add a tag
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Writing a Middle-grade Masterpiece
Ain't Easy!
Originally posted in The Purple Crayon – on "Musings"
by Margot Finke
Libraries, bookstores, and online shops offer middle-grade novels of all types: inspiring, good, bad, and that iffy area in-between. I am sure every writer starts out with the intention of writing a story that inspires as well as entertains young readers. However, it soon dawns on them that hard work, imagination, and dedication are just small parts of what it takes to write a middle-grade book that inspires and entertains.
Like any other job or career, a potential writer must spend time learning the craft of writing for children — an apprenticeship, if you will. The rules are available for those who take the time to learn them. And once you learn the rules, you can take an occasional deep breath. . . and break them with impunity.
.
Secret Ingredients for a Middle-grade Masterpiece:
Trying to write for the older half of the middle-grade range? To appeal to kids on the cusp of adolescence: with raging hormones and today’s fast pace your main competition? From 10 to 13 years of age is the range I mean. However, kids find their own reading comfort level, so some 10/11 year olds might read YA books, while older teens might still be into middle-grades. It all depends on their maturity and individual reading level.
Here’s a preview of the ingredients you’ll need to dig out of your imagination, and your well-honed craft box, if you plan to whip up a great middle-grade book for those fickle 10-13 year-olds:
- Tight writing.
- Active and powerful verbs.
- A plot that’s cool and fast paced.
- Characters who are alive with authenticity.
- Dialogue that is true to the characters.
- A background rich with possibilities or mystery.
- Your own unique writing voice.
- Hints and clues that are woven into the fabric of the plot, and tell of past history and things yet to come.
- End of chapter HOOKS that keep readers turning the page.
When completed, your middle-grade masterpiece needs to be somewhere between 20,000 and 60,000 words. Yes, I know Jo Rowlings upped the ante with her succession of Harry Potter books, and if your plot and characters have the same appeal as Harry, you too might get away with a larger word count. However, first-time authors might be wise to err on the side of fewer words.
Ingredients — How and Where to Find Them:
- If it’s been a long time since you sat in Mrs. Learnit’s English class, take a basic English/Writing course. You can do this online, through a nearby night class, or your local college. Writers must have confidence in their basic grammar and punctuation skills.
- Haunt your local bookstores and library. Read every middle-grade book you can get your hands on. Dissect the plots in these books, and the way authors create their characters. Look at the sentence structure, the way they describe events and places. Make notes. If a book grabs your interest, find out what it is the author does that has that effect on you. Is it their richly crafted characters, their sharp and fast moving plot, or their attention to all those small yet vital details?
- Write as often as you can. Becoming a published author is not for wimps or hobbyists. Sacrifices are mandatory. If it means getting up before dawn, because that is the only time you have to write — so be it. If it means being bleary-eyed at 2 am so you can finish a chapter — suck it up! If it means living with dust bunnies that make your mother-in-law cluck, and teaching your kids to do their own laundry and room clean up — go for it! Most important is a partner who is sympathetic toward your (weird to his mind) need to write, and his willingness to help out around the house when you are suffering from one of your many writing frenzies. Perfect wife, mother and housekeeper, OR great writer? Both demand masses of time — your choice, mate.
- If you have no middle-grade children in your family, volunteer at your local middle school. Observe these half-baked creatures in their natural habitat. Body language, peer groups, misfits and lunch room behavior: all this is grist for your writing mill. Moreover, you’ll probably have fun doing it. Make a note of what these kids read for pleasure.
- Network with others who write for the same age. This means joining online lists where writing and publishing information flows back and forth, and you can have your many beginner questions answered. Join a critique group that has some advanced or published members. Their support and encouragement will often save your sanity. Critiquing the work of others is surprisingly informative, and you will benefit from the feedback you receive on your own writing. Below are three of many great online lists for children’s writers, and links to join.
Whenever possible, go to SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) writing conferences. SCBWI is well worth joining. They offer many advantages to newcomers, and their branches pop up in every state. This is where you meet editors and agents, and hear them speak about today’s world of writing and publishing. Meeting them often leads to you being able to send your manuscript to a specific editor: and with so many publishers today closed to submissions, this is a real plus. Other writers will also be there, keen to network with you, and share their writing experiences.
The MAGIC of learning MORE will see you through!
If you don’t have a college degree, or even a high school diploma, don’t worry. Talent, perseverance, and a slice of luck can make up for these so-called deficits. A dedicated and talented writer, determined to learn the craft of writing, and stick with it until they become published, will succeed. Boost your writing confidence with an advanced writing class. This will take you beyond grammar and punctuation, and into the meaty realm of plots, character enrichment, voice and pace. Perfect these skills, and acceptances rates multiply like rabbits. Below are three links — two links for great writing classes, and the other to terrific books on how to write for children.
- Recommended Writing Class
- Anastasia Suen — A wonderful writer. If you want to write for children, visit her Intensive
Other Websites That Will Boost Your Writing Knowledge:
A must browse for beginners and experts alike. A veritable treasure
trove of writing information. - CBC (Children's Book Council)
Information about writing, authors, books and publishing.
- Writer's Market Research publishers. They update information regularly. They have a program where you can track submissions, but it cost to join. Writer's Market also has a free update site. You don't have to subscribe to the magazine to get the updates.
- Jan Field's Website
Chock full of writing help, and kidmagwriters.com is a terrific resource for
those who want to write for magazines. - CWIM (Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market). This hard copy book is the information Bible for publishers, editors, agents, and what they want from
YOU in the current year - LINKEDIN is a place for serious writers. Lots of writing lists for every genre`.
Final Note to Prospective Authors:
Keep writing. Keep learning. Keep researching to find the right publisher. Keep sending out those finished manuscripts. Editors do not make house calls!
HAPPY WRITING MATES!
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Books for Kids - FREE Skype AuthorVisits
Manuscript Critiques
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WILD and WONDERFUL Series
7 Rhyming Picture Books about Animals from
the US and Australia.
FUN as well as educational!
About ten years ago I had this series published in eBook format by Writers Exchange. This was an Australian publisher. CEO Sandy Cummins was wonderful to work with - helpful, supportive and open to suggestions. However, at that time eBooks were a novelty, and the eReaders of today were still a glint in their designers' eyes. The series received terrific reviews, but sales were dismal.
Now, thanks to Sandy allowing me to offer the series to Guardian Angel Publishing, a publisher that specializes in child friendly and educational picture books, my Wild and Wonderful series is being published in soft cover, and will be available on Amazon and other sites: Guardian Angel Publishing, + my website. YEA!!!
I am absolutely THRILLED that my Wild and Wonderful series is finally being published in soft cover. It has been a long wait, but well worth the time and the effort.
Already in soft cover and on sale are:
Now at the printers and available soon:
Never Say BOO to a Frilly:
Includes - Never Say BOO - Rainbow Birds - Tasmanian Devil Dance
Coming Next:
Prairie Dog's Play Day:
Includes - Prairie Dogs - Bald Eagle Rules - The Stinker (skunk)
Last 3 Books - Coming SOON:
*Don's Eat Platypus Stew -3 individual stories
*Squirrels Can't Help Being Nuts - 3 individual stories
*Humdinger Hummers - 1 story
Link to illustrations and news about my DREAMTIME MAN picture book.
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Books fpr Kids - Skype Author Visits
Manuscript Critiques
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Welcome to my contribution to
The WRITING PROCESS Blog Tour.
The talented Clara Bowman-Jahn tagged me to join this intriguing Blog Tour on WRITING PROCESSES. Each week, authors post answers to four Writing Process Questions on their blogs. Then they tag friends to play along the following week. You can read Clara’s terrific post, and learn what she's working on, right here. You can also see what’s going on with Clara and her books on Facebook - right here.
Bellow, find my answers (after much head scratching) to the four set questions. At the bottom of the page you'll find the names of talented writers who’ll carry the “Writing Answers Torch”for next week - Monday the 21st of April.
What am I working on?
Aha, I am getting ready to self publish a picture book that is near and dear to my heart. “Dreamtime Man” was first written many years ago – just scribbled down, and then put aside when more pressing works grabbed my attention. I would bring it out every so often and rework the rhyme, tweak the meter, and reinvent a verse or two – a rhyming story. I never forgot it - but life got in the way. This is a tale of bad deeds and tribal suffering: of how the aboriginal people of Australia were treated when the white man arrived– and after! For this story, near enough was not good enough. I wanted it perfect . . . and perfect takes longer than I imagined. Finally, I was ready for an illustrator.
I found Ioana Zdraleaon Linkedin. After reading Dreamtime Man, and a few words from me, she GOT it – the outback colors, the “feel,” and a wonderful sense of what my verses needed to tell about. I am eager to see her sketches for verse #2.
How does my work differ from others of its genre?. 
I grew up Down Under, in the state of Queensland. They used to grow a lot of bananas there when I was young, so I was called a Banana-lander. Aussies have a barefaced independence, a way of thumbing their noses at anything that smells of “set in stone”rules. I think my writing voice shows this. I also like to mix humor and dire trouble in my young teen books. Life is full of awful situations that are made bearable by the ability to laugh at yourself. If kids learn this early, it will make life for them easier to handle. And even though I now live in the US with my family, my Aussie upbringing still holds sway. You know the old saying, “You can take the sheila outa OZ, but you can’t take the Aussie outa the Sheila!”
Why do I write what I do?
I write what comes to me in the middle of the night, when my head hits the pillow and I should be snoring. I guess if erotic ideas chased me into the bathroom at night, begging to be jotted down, I would write best selling erotica and make a bundle!! BUMMER! Unfortunately, my brain seems to generate pictures of Aussie adventures, and assorted animals that beg to be written about . And I can’t imagine Thelma Hill (from The Revenge of Thelma Hill ) doing anything even faintly “naughty.” She is modeled after my mother for goodness sake! She does sport the see through filmy gowns, but rattling bones and a musty basement are not conducive to anything vaguely erotic – unless you are REALLY kinky!
So, I’m stuck writing about ghosts, families separated by an ocean, Aussie adventures, and picture books with assorted critters, dyslexic boys, rattlesnakes, and grizzly bears. And as always, the big bucks will pour down onto those who dream up exotic doings. Sigh. . .
How does my writing process work?
Next morning I bring all those nighttime notes to my writing den and see what has real possibilities. Or, if there’s an idea that beefs up a plot or character I am working on, I slip it into place with a sigh of relief. Some books almost write themselves. Others have characters it is hard to pin down, or plots that are always wandering away on their own. Guess they caught the Aussie independence virus from me. I have to admit that Down Under Calling was a book that wrote itself. It poured from me like a river in flood. The characters are all fictional, but the tales and remembrances that Grandma Rose wrote about to her grandson, Andy, all came from my childhood or my dear mother. It was as if Mom were looking over my shoulder. A joy to write - and I do hope readers love it as much as I loved writing it. <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE <![endif]-->
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WHO'S UP NEXT MONDAY! – April 21st 2014.
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AGY WILSON - writer/Illustrator
NOTE: Agy did the cover art on two of my young teen books. I named her "Awesome Agy" for a good reason!
Agy loves her family, art, environment, history, calligraphy and all things language. It's only natural for her to throw it into a huge pot and cook up her books. When she is not playing with kids or pets, Agy is usually immersing myself in her work. She is currently working on a coloring book suitable for all ages, and a few more projects - picture books, and beginning readers/chapter books, are included.
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DONNA SHEPHERD:Donna Shepherd's children's books, Topsy Turvy Land, No More Gunk! & OUCH! Sunburn!, Chizzy's Topsy Tale, Dotty's Topsy Tale, Poodle and Doodle, Sully's Topsy Tale, Bradybug, and Where is Salami? feature short, playful rhymes and humorous illustrations. Be sure to look for the items hidden in each picture by the imaginative artists.
Her newest book for children, Ava's Secret Tea Party, is her first 'girly' book with an old-fashioned fairy tale, hidden teacups and cookies, and recipes and crafts. Available in both paperback and hardcover. Donna is founder of Greater Harvest Workshops and Middletown Area Christian Writers, and in demand as a Bible teacher, conference speaker, and singer with over thirty years of experience. For writing tips, useful links, and updates about Donna's books, visit her Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/donnajshepherd
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Books for Kids - Manuscript Critiques
FREE Skype Author Visits to Schools
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Today I am introducing my
NEW PERSONA!
In the past I have been a -
WIFE
MOTHER
WRITER
SALESWOMAN
AUTHOR VISITING LOCAL SCHOOLS
SKYPER TO SCHOOLS WORLD WIDE
(time zones permitting)
BLOGGER
SOCIAL NETWORKING
(One woman book promotion)
and now
TRUMPET BLAST PLEASE. . .
My new persona is
the
"PROMO HO"
Extraordinaire
You may NOW drool over my flagship logo.
More "HOEING" to come!
I have been in training for this for years.
DESPERATION forced me to ACT NOW!
I want kids to READ my BOOKS
I WANT
Parents
Aunts
Grandmas
Uncles
Friends
And the kids old enough to spend their pocket money to
BUY - LOVE - RE READ
and thoroughly enjoy the stories I have written.
AND I WANT TO SEE IT ALL HAPPEN BEFORE I KICK THE BUCKET
AND GO TO THAT GRAND WRITING ROOM IN THE SKY!
Make sense to YOU?
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Books for Kids - Skype Author Visits
Hook Kids on Reading
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It's Tuesday. . .
So watch out for
Aussie..Madness!
................................. ..............
.......
.......................................
SKYPE MAKES it HAPPEN
...........................................
YEA!!
Today I did a SKYPE School Visit from Oregon to the Garden State of New Jersey.
This first grade class offers three languages:
English, Chinese and Spanish.
And these first grade kids were so SMART!
Right away I had an Aussie connection with two of them. I shared my Australian aboriginal bark paintings, message stick and boomerang. One boy had a didgeridoo his mom had brought back from a trip Down Under - and HE PLAYED IT FOR ME! Fantastic.
Another child's Dad had been to Sydney, knew all about Urulu, and wanted to know what it was like there. Fortunately I had visited the sacred monolith, so we had a great chat about it. Their teacher is also doing an Australian set of lessons.
We talked about the books they loved, the books I write, and how to write stories that HOOK readers. I showed them all my picture books, especially "Kangaroo Clues," because it is about Aussie critters, and I read from "Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat Behind."
.
I am always so psyched after Skyping with a class like this one. They were eager to ask questions, very intelligent ones, too. A way smart bunch of kids.
My Magic Carpet of Books got a super work out this morning - over an hour. Yet it went so fast because we were all having a good time. I learned from them, and I hope they learned from me.
You know. . .
Today I glimpsed the future generation. . .
and they looked pretty awesome to me!
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Yummy versus Teacher/Classroom
What is it with you people?
With all the choices my Pinterest board offers,
the ones I get most hits on are
YUMMY (food) and TEACHER/CLASSROOM -
With SPECIAL NEEDS, HOME SCHOOL,
HOOK Kids on Reading,
and MOTHER'S DAY fighting for a win.
However, AWESOME PINS on boards like:
* BOOK PROMO SECRETS
*WORLD of INDIE WRITERS
*WRITING HELP
*BOOK REVIEWS (kids & adults)
*PARENTING, and more
JUST LANGUISH. . . .
What is it about FOOD that grabs you?
My famous Aussie lamingtons.Vanilla cake, smothered in chocolate and coconut,
and filled with cream. A world class YUMMY experience!
So, what's the deal?
*Are you just off a diet and can't resist?
*Is it the pictures?
*Are you masochists ON a diet?
OR
*Do you all REALLY TRULY plan to cook this stuff?
GET THIS!
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I have just returned and ADDED to this post:
The
Sausage and Pepperoni Pizza Puffs -
Appetizer on my YUMMY board, has broken
ALL HIT records for my boards!
What magic potion does this small yummy have?
I get it with
TEACHER / CLASSROOM
You're fabulous teachers who want the
best for your classroom - CHECK!
And this T/C board offers YOU
awesome help, guidance and advice.
But You-hoo. . .
*Are you a Writer desperate for HELP?
*Want to be a Certified Book Promo HO?
*Learn the Nitty-gritty about Self Publishing?
*Looking for a Handle on Mental Health?
*Want to Crack the Pinterest CODE?
*OR do you just Enjoy a Cool Interview?
If you answer YES to any of these questions
my Pinterest boards are
C-A-L-L-I-N-G YOU!
I would love comments from those who found
Teacher/Classroom, Special Needs, Home School
or Parenting, helpful.
Pinterest is a "one stop" way of making it
EASY to find the good stuff that will
help and encourage you.
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Books for Kids - Skype Author Visits
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