Eve Hallows Blog Tour Stop & Author Interview

 I've been invited to be a part of the Eve Hallows Blog Tour Stop, hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.
 Eve Hallows and the Book of Shrieks and the other books in the Nightmare series are written by Robert Gray. He kindly offered to answer a few questions for me to share with you.

What made you decide to be a writer?

I've always been the type that when I like something I need to understand how that something works. I love books, and I love the connection between the mind and the written word. In order to understand that connection better, I started writing.  And the deeper I dug around, the more I wanted to write. 

 

Where did the idea for the Eve Hallows books come from?

The basic premise, that of a human girl raised by monsters and living in a monster world, came from my childhood love of monsters.   

 

Are there plans for more books in the series?

Yes, I'm currently working on the third book in the Nightmare Series, which is called Eve Hallows and the Book of Shivers.  It'll be available summer 2013.  

 

What is your favorite part about being a published author?

The writing. It's what matters to me most. Everything else, the good and the bad, is secondary.

I must admit that I haven't read this book yet so I can't tell you what I think of it yet. It sounds great though and I am looking forward to reading it! If you haven't already, pop on over to the Eve Hallows Book Blast and 450 Giveaway post.


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12 x 12 in 2012 Blog Party!

 It's time for the 12 x 12 in 2012 blog party! I can't think of anything fun and witty to write the way that my fellow 12 x 12 blog party compatriots have, but I still wanted to have my say about what a great time I've had participating in the 12 x 12 challenge this year.

If you didn't take part in the challenge, you have missed out. I have gained so many benefits from participating.

1. I learned a ton of things about writing picture books that I didn't know before.  I'm putting this as number one because I really did learn so much, and it has all really helped me to progress on my journey to become a published picture book author.

2. I gained a picture book critique group and had some critiques done on a couple of my picture book manuscripts.

3. I gained contacts with people in the picture book industry: agents, publishers and editors.

4. I met other picture book authors, both published and aspiring, who are willing to cheer me on (while I cheer them on). I ca not stress enough how wonderful and helpful everyone in the 12 x 12 community is with each other.

5. I started the Chapter Book Challenge. Yes, the challenge came to me partially as a result of my doing the 12 x 12 challenge. I love doing the month-long challenge of NaNoWriMo and I really enjoyed doing the year-long challenge of 12 x 12, so I decided that I would like to do something that fit somewhere as a middle-road to the two challenges, and I came up with the Chapter Book Challenge. (It was also a result of my having some ideas for chapter books to write with my children in mind.)

6. I gained helpful links for writers of picture books.

7. I won a free book trailer design by Carter Higgins. And it will last for as long as it takes me to get my book ready. (And she has created some wonderful book trailers for other authors.)

8. I've gained the belief that I can succeed at writing picture books and the courage to keep trying until my book is published.

If you feel the burning need to write picture books and want to learn more about how and what to do with them once you've written them, I highly recommend joining the 12 x 12 challenge in 2013.

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Review of "Tamara Small & the Monsters' Ball" by Giles Paley-Phillips

I was sent a free copy of “Tamara Small and the Monsters' Ball” by Giles Paley-Phillips for review. (I received no compensation for this review.) 

Of course, when reviewing any children’s book, the first thing I do is see what my children think of it. I read the story to my children Gabriella (age 10), Isabella (age 7), Connor (age 6) and Cameron (age 3). I’m happy to report that they all enjoyed the book. They did their own video reviews of the book for the Children Review blog and you can go here to view their reviews. (Cameron didn’t want to be on video at this time, so he didn’t create a review.)

As far as I could tell, the children enjoyed the story. They always like rhyming stories, and Giles Paley-Phillips is a master at creating rhyming stories that flow smoothly and engage the reader.  The illustrations by Gabriele Antonini are enchanting and colourful.  Isabella exclaimed with delight over one scene that showed Tamara Small’s teddy bear dancing alongside her. She thought it was really cute and she related to Tamara more because she, herself, has a special teddy bear.

Gabby loved the monsters and pointed out the ones she thought were the “funniest looking.” Connor and Cameron liked the story so much that they asked me to read it again, and later, when it was time for bed, all of the children asked me to read them the story for their bedtime story.

I would recommend "Tamara Small and the Monsters' Ball" for children. Monsters are traditionally portrayed as scary and children are taught to fear them, but this story gives children a new perspective on an old theme, and the idea that maybe they shouldn’t judge something by how it appears. 

The monster theme is perfect for Halloween, but also, with Christmas just a bit over 10 weeks away, this would make a wonderful gift for children for the holidays.

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The 12 x 12 in 2012 Halfway Blog Party!

 

(I don't know how to embed a link in a picture, so, just in case it didn't work, here is where the above picture should lead.)

I joined the 12 x 12 in 2012 picture book writing challenge way back in December of 2011. It started last January, and the goal is to write one rough draft of a new picture book every month. So far, I have not only managed to do so for the first half of this challenge, but I have written more than one a month because, in the month of February, I joined the Picture Book Marathon and wrote 26 picture book drafts.


This has been a major learning experience for me. I have had the ideas running around my head for these picture books for many years, and this year, at the start of this challenge, is the first time I actually tried to write them down. I joined a critique group formed through the 12 x 12 in 2012 Facebook group, and through them have learned that, pretty much, I am nowhere near done learning about this process of writing picture books.


Julie Hedlund organized this challenge, and she has been amazing. Also amazing is that, with this being the first year this challenge has run, Julie had over 400 people sign up for it! (For the month-long Chapter Book Challenge I organized, there were only 23 of us signed up, but that may grow by next year's challenge.) I honestly don't know how she finds the time to keep everything running smoothly with so many participants and with all of the author guest blog posts, prizes and even aspiring author guest blog posts that she has been posting, as well as keeping up with the Facebook group.


I must admit that, as helpful as all of this has been, I continue to be a bit envious of those picture book authors/aspiring authors who are also illustrators. I would love to be able to illustrate my own picture books and ensure that the pictures portrayed my ideas exactly as I intend them to be portrayed, but alas, my skills do not run in that direction. (You can see examples of my pitiful attempts to teach myself to draw here and here.)

I know that several of the members of the 12 x 12 in 2012 challenge have already been published or have become published during the course of this challenge, and, as we are only half-way through the challenge, I am looking forward to seeing many more of my talented colleagues join the ranks of the published before this challenge completes.

*raises champagne glass* Here's to halfway there already and to another 6 months and 6 more picture books written! Woohoo!!!!

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Writing: Traditional or Indie Publishing?

This is my post for Day 16 of the Author Blog Challenge.


 
 Did you publish your book as a traditionally printed book, an eBook, or both? How did you come to your decision? Which company(ies) did you use for printing and distribution? How did you select them?

I haven't published my books yet. I have some calendars for sale on Lulu.com and my children have books for sale as both ebooks and print books in the book shop there.

I am planning on using Amazon for my books which will be available as traditionally printed books and Kindle books. Amazon has the widest distribution of all of the different self-publishing firms I have checke dout so far, and the cost is minimal. However, I will only use them if I decide to go the self-publishing route. I haven't decided yet whether I want to go the traditional publishing route or not yet.

I may have to when it comes to my children's picture books, but that is because I have no skill at all when it comes to drawing and am not capable of illustrating my own books. I tried to teach myself to draw, but the best I was able to do just wasn't good enough for the way I want my picture books represented. You can see my attempts at drawing on Designing Doodles. I still have fun trying to draw though.

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Picture Book Marathon

February is Picture Book Marathon Month. I love the idea of a picture book writing marathon!

Alas, I am unable to join in as I did not learn about this picture book marathon month until it was almost over. Instead I will honor the month by writing a new picture book this month and drawing three preliminary sketches for it. (Yes, I am still struggling along with my attempts at teaching myself to draw.)

Have you joined the marathon? If not, do you think you'd like to join in next year?

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