Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #33

OOPS! Linky had technical problems. Don't let the blank covers scare you! Join us!


Welcome to the 33rd Kid Lit Blog Hop where twice per month (the 1st and 3rd Wednesday) we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. You are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors!

On this Hop, Carpinello's Writing Pages brings you interviews with fellow Muse author J. C. White and South African MG author Louise Lintvelt.

We are pleased to welcome Belinda Brock, a writer and blogger, as a co-hostess this week. You can find her at http://belindabrock.com. Big welcome to Belinda!

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hostesses. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
Co-Hostess:
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!

Meet South African Children's/MG Author Louise Lintvelt

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes South Africa's Louise Lintvelt, author of children's and MG books.

First, a bit about Louise:

I am from South Africa and live in Pretoria. I am a Chemical Engineer by day and a children’s book writer by night. I am married to a wonderful man and we have a beautiful two year old daughter called Allegra.

I took up writing again at the start of 2013 as a means of dealing with the stress associated with my job. Writing is a way for me to switch off and think about things other than work.

I have always loved writing. I remember writing stories from a very early age, in fact I have a picture book How Andrew Got His Spots coming out later this year which is a rhyming adaptation of a story I wrote in the third grade.

Why did you pick to write books for children/MG?

I decided to write my middle grade series because I wanted to feel young again. I wanted to write in a fresh young voice that would make readers laugh while helping them understand that you should always see the funny side of things.

I have also written a number of illustrated children's books. I started out by writing a series for my daughter. She loves books, and I love reading them to her so I decided to write a series of books based on her daily life. She is a real live wire and is always getting up to mischief so we gave her the nickname Hooligan Magooligan which has become the title of my picture book series aimed at young readers.

What types of books do you like to read?

I read A LOT! I am a big fan of the classics, I love, love, love Jane Austen. I am also a fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Emily Bronte.

Since having my daughter, I have been reintroduced to all the picture books that I loved as a child.

When it comes to picture books, my favorites include Dr Seuss, Lynley Dodd and Julia Donaldson.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

I love spending time with my daughter. We love to read picture books and bake cupcakes.

Tell us about The Secret Ramblings of Harriet Hughes and how the story came to be.

The Secret Ramblings of Harriet Hughes is a middle grade series about Harriet, a typical sixth grader. Her adventures are both funny and something that every girl can relate to.

The first book in the Harriet Hughes series—Diary of a Dancing Drama Queen—is sparked by an aerobics class I took at the gym. During this class I felt a bit like Harriet. I was taking a step to the left while every other person in the room was already two steps ahead swinging their arms to the right. I went home thinking about how ridiculous I had looked and started to imagine what it would be like for a clumsy young girl to have to endure a dance class.

Here's a peek at Diary of a Dancing Drama Queen:

Harriet Hughes is not your typical 12 year old girl. She does not like pink, and she is not what you would call breathtakingly beautiful. Harriet considers herself decidedly average; her sister Abigail, on the other hand, is very pretty and good at everything. As Harriet makes her way through middle school, she has to face the embarrassment of a dance class after her mother enrolls her and her sister at Madam Zangara’s School of Dance. She is not exactly the best dancer in the world, and when the most popular girl in school, Melanie, joins the dance class, it marks the start of a fun-filled adventure that includes a birthday party, a talent show, and a school dance. Will she get asked to the dance by her biggest crush Oliver Russel? Harriet writes about family, friends, school and boys in a fresh, young voice and the sketches in her diary (secret ramblings) add a touch of whimsy.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

I have written a number of illustrated children's books.

The Hooligan Magooligan series was inspired by my daughter and is aimed at early readers. The first two books in the series are titled Hooligan Magooligan loves her pets and Spaghetti Bolognese.

After finishing the first two Hooligan Magooligan books, the writing bug had bitten, and I wrote other rhyming picture books.

How Andrew Got His Spots: Poor Andrew is feeling very blue; all the other giraffes are very spotty but he is as white as can be. He does not have any spots, you see! One spot, two spots, three spots, four and many, many, many more. “Where did you get your spots?” he asks.  Join Andrew as he discovers how the ladybug, the leopard and the owl came to have spots and discovers that spots often appear when you are least expecting them!

The Witches Garden: A witchling, who loves gardening, has a garden that grows wild and free, filled with wondrous beauty. But all is not what it seems. Her garden grows under a magic spell. A troll on a morning stroll hears cries for help as her garden lets out a mighty yelp.  “I want to go home,” cried the gnome. “Set me free,” sang the sugar pea. “Help us, please,” hummed the trees. Can the troll help the creatures trapped in the enchanted garden?

All of my picture books are in the process of being published and should be available in a few weeks.


What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

I am currently working on the third installment in the Harriet Hughes series called Diary of a Fashion Failure.

I am also working on a new picture book called Amelia the Pink Chameleon: Amelia is not like all the other chameleons in that she cannot change colour to suit the mood that she is in. When she gives it a try, her cheeks flush and begin to blush and quick as a wink she turns bright pink. The wise old owl scratched his head, “You have a case of the pinks” he said. Join Amelia on an adventure to find the rainbow tree, so that she can cure a mysterious case of the pinks with a cup of rosy lee. Where it grows no one knows, but after the rains have come and gone, a rainbow road she must travel on.

What advice do you have for other authors?

It helps to have a very thick skin and learn not to take rejection personally.

Also, write for the correct reasons. You need to write because it is your passion, not because you think it is a path to riches.

Make sure that your book is ready before jumping into the publishing process. Self-published books need to be professionally edited and of very high quality if you wish to compete with the mainstream books on the market. The book market has been flooded with masses of books in recent years and you really need to deliver a good quality product if you hope to achieve commercial success.

Anything else you want readers to know?

Some of the events in my books are based on my own personal experiences, for example Harriet’s mom drives a red 1973 Volkswagen beetle with a black spotty paint job. I have always wanted a red Volkswagen beetle with a black spotty paint job. My husband refuses to let me get one because according to him, he will spend more time fixing it than I will spend driving it.

Where can readers find you and your books?

All of my books are available through Amazon

I am also on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7224770.Louise_Lintvelt

Meet MG Author J. C. Whyte

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes Middle Grade author J. C. Whyte. J. C. is a fellow MuseItUp author celebrating her first book Karmack.

J. C. tell us how you started writing.

When I was eleven, my 6th grade teacher gave the class an assignment to write a poem dealing with an American sport. I knew my classmates would probably choose a popular sport like baseball or football, so I decided to compose a poem about golf. To my surprise, the teacher found it comical and encouraged me to keep writing. So I did.

Then over summer break, students were told to choose 26 books from a reading list and write a book report on each. BLAH! I wanted to enjoy my summer, not spend it reading! Back then, I was a very slow reader and didn’t much enjoy the experience. Plus, kids didn’t have the fun books which are on the market today. But that wise teacher told my mother I could write 26 stories instead of reading them. That was absolute genius. Although I didn’t actually write 26 stories (perhaps six?), I submitted one which made my teacher laugh out loud in class. And that teacher gave me an “A” on my summer reading assignment. I’ll never forgot that wise and wonderful teacher who let me play to my strengths.

So I knew from age eleven that I wanted to be a professional writer. Yet when I reached college, I also understood that writing stories seldom paid the bills. So I got degrees in Journalism and Communications Management. Then for many years I channeled my creative energies into the field of Public Relations.    

Marriage, kids, and several more degrees and occupations later (including stints as a travel agent and paralegal), I entered law school – mostly for the challenge of writing creative arguments for the court. But while in law school, I became a columnist for the student newsletter, writing humorous pieces on the strange and quirky life of a law student. I was thrilled when one of these articles was chosen for publication in The National Jurist, a magazine distributed to law students throughout the US.

But after graduating and passing the Bar, I realized within a few years that creative writing was still what made my heart sing. So now, as a grandma, I’ve returned to writing for children. And with the publication of Karmack, I’ve come full circle, back to where my writing journey truly began.

Why did you pick to write books for Middle Grade?

Actually, I tried writing in the Young Adult genre first because that’s so popular these days; plus, I thought I had an interesting slant on teen suicide. But no one wanted that story. So while waiting for agent and publisher rejections to pour in, I wrote Karmack. That was pure joy from beginning to end. And when I sent the manuscript to Muse It Up Publishing, the editors accepted it right away. So here I am!

What types of books do you like to read?

Just as I’m a picky eater, I’m also a picky reader. I like getting a “taste” of a book by reading the first few pages; if I connect with the writing style, I’ll continue reading.

That said, I like a lot of today’s popular books like The Help and Water for Elephants, but also classics like East of Eden and The Once and Future King. And I’m always up for a griping true story, especially based in the last century like Laura Hillenbrand’s Seabiscuit and Unbroken. I also adore anything written by Ken Follett or John Steinbeck. I like some thrillers too, ala Michael Crichton.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

That’s easy: travel! (Remember, I used to be a travel agent.) My husband and I are now on our bucket list. Last May, we traveled to the Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer, a luxury train experience from Vancouver to Calgary. It was a dream come true! Since the start of our marriage 40 years ago, we’ve visited most of the National Parks throughout North America yet still needed to check off Banff and Jasper in Canada.

Next on our list: South America’s Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands!

Tell us about Karmack and how the story came to be.

I got the idea for Karmack while I was not sleeping one night (getting old will do that to you – not sleeping, I mean). And the next day I just began writing. I had a hero in mind, someone I actually knew in elementary school. He was always getting into trouble although he had a good heart. My character Sully is based on him.

Here's a peek at Karmack:

Everyone knows Curtis "Sully" Sullenburg is the toughest kid at Higgins Elementary. For years, he and his gang have tormented students and teachers alike with their pranks. And for the most part, they’ve gotten away with it. But all that changes when a strange little creature appears on the scene. From that point on, pranks start coming back like boomerangs, smacking Sully's gang right in their fifth grade butts!

Sully is the only one who can see this creature, which he names Karmack. The little guy claims to be a nature spirit whose job is to balance all the bad karma the boys have amassed over the years. If Karmack fails, these boys will undoubtedly suffer "dreadful, awful doom." Just like that kid who shot at crows with his BB gun – one day he crashed his bike into a pigeon coop and emerged as the Abominable Snowman of bird poop! That kind of doom.

Sully soon realizes he must save not only himself, but also his gang from Karmack's doom, even though his friends have no idea why they keep getting boomeranged. Of course, calamity and hilarity follow. But in the end, Sully and the guys learn a valuable lesson about the consequences of being a bully, and what it takes to be a true leader.

Have you written other books? If so, tell us a bit about them.

Sorry, don’t wanna do that. The books I wrote before Karmack will stay in my computer where they belong because they stink.

What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

I recently finished a novel which was inspired by my husband. As a scientist, he’s pondered for years over dark matter, the invisible glue which astrophysicists say holds the universe together. Well, I drop a couple of characters into dark matter. Uh-huh. While they’re on a trans-Pacific cruise, two octogenarians become trapped in dark matter and they don’t know how to reconnect their spirits with their lifeless bodies. Talk about being in the twilight zone!

What advice do you have for other authors?

I think the most important thing is to make writing fun. You must enjoy what you’re doing to do it well. So take a subject you adore and write about it. Every day. Until you know it’s right. On days I don’t feel like writing, I read over the last few chapters and immediate I start to edit and rewrite; since I’m a bit of a perfectionist, that always gets me in the proper mood.

Anything else you want readers to know?

Yeah. Karmack may be a fictional story for kids, but the concept is based in reality. Anyone who’s been on planet Earth for any appreciable amount of time knows that what goes around, comes around. So watch out, everybody! (That includes you, Anthony Weiner and Paula Deen.)

Where can readers find you and your books?

The only social website I’m on is Goodreads.

My website which also has free teaching supplements for Karmack.

Readers can find Karmack at these online stores: 

Muse It Up Publishing

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Omnilit

Bookstrand

Monday, February 17, 2014

My Writing Life

As 2014 pushes on, I wanted to share with my readers what the future holds for this author. So hang onto your hats because we're going to be busy! 

"It is the legends and tales that call even the most reluctant of us into the world of books and adventure."


2014


Re-release of a revised Tutankhamen Speaks

Release of the YA paranormal Quest Sons of the Sphinx



Projects waiting in the wings 2014-2016



Sequel to Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend—Guinevere and Cedwyn keep calling for me. Seems they've gotten themselves in a spot of trouble and need my assistance.



Feather of the Phoenix fantasy Quest trilogy
  • 1st—The Atlantean Horse
  • 2nd—The Ashes of Pompei
  • 3rd—The Norse Star



 

Caribbean Nightmare (Or Reasons Not to Vacation in the Caribbean!)—Not a kids book!


An Invitation for You


I'm inviting you to stop by my FB Cheryl Carpinello Author page to "LIKE" my page. This will keep you abreast of my progress. I hope to announce some exciting milestones this year!

Click on/Copy this link and then click on the LIKE button at the top part of the page:





Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Meet MG Fantasy Author Alicia Rivoli

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes Alicia Rivoli, author of the MG fantasy The Enchantment Series.

First, a bit about Alicia:

I was born and raised in a small town in Idaho, growing up riding horses, and helping on my dad's farm and ranch. I discovered my love of books as a teenager, but didn't really start reading for fun until I was married. I am a stay-at-home mom with two handsome boys and an amazing husband, who helped my dream of being an author come true. I currently live in Northwest Arkansas.

Why did you pick to write books for MG?

I have always enjoyed reading books like Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Percy Jackson etc... so when the story of Mere began on paper, I imagined myself telling the story to my young son, and it came out in my writing. It is enjoyable for me to see a child's eye's light up as they read something that I've written. Everything is still new to their mind, and they find themselves more likely to disappear into the places of the stories. I find this so amazing to be able to touch such a young mind.

What types of books do you like to read?

I love a lot of different types of books, but fantasy is my favorite. As a child I always imagined myself being able to do magic or having a pet dragon. When I read stories that contain these elements, it is much more enjoyable to me. That being said, my favorite book is Pride and Prejudice, so it really can go in any direction.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

I have recently taken up jogging and am enjoying it. I would love to someday run a marathon, but right now I'm just happy getting out and enjoying the sunshine. I also love to read and sing. My family is the most important thing in my life, so I spend a lot of time hanging out with my husband and boys.

Tell us about The Enchantment Series and how the story came to be.

The Enchantment Series is a story of four teenagers that find themselves lost in a magical kingdom surrounded by wizards, dragons, mermaids, and many other creatures they have never seen before. They are being hunted by an evil treacherous man named Jacan who has used dark magic to summon the People of the Shadows, also known as Umbra, to take over the kingdom of Mere. The four friends must discover why they are in Mere before Jacan finds them.

The series starts with Mere Enchantment and ends with Rings of Enchantment. The story came to me while trying to sleep almost eight years ago. I usually don't remember my dreams, but this one stuck, and I began writing it down. The story took on a life of its own as I delved deeper into the lives of these friends, and it became almost a reality for me.

Here's a peek at Mere Enchantment:

A World Like No Other…When a newly formed group of friends find themselves fighting for survival, little do they know that it's just the beginning.

When Chloe, Megan, Jason and Zach are forced to take cover in a nearby cave from a violent storm, they find their new friend Preston there as well. Zach guides the group through the cave, but as they go deepe,r strange things begin to happen, and they find themselves separated in a magical kingdom surrounded by unusual people and wizards. Things get even more dangerous as they travel the kingdom in search of the city of Mere and each other.

As their journey unfolds, Preston discovers that the bedtime stories he was told as a child are true and that his rightful place in time must be realized. The kingdom itself has gone under attack as Jacan, a traitor to the crown, forces his armies through the magical borders. 
 
What's next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

I am working on a YA fiction currently titled Life Apart. It's the story of a woman faced with an unimaginable challenge of fighting a nightmare. However, it's still a work in progress, and I'm unsure when I'll have it finished.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Writing isn't easy! It takes time and dedication, sometimes pushing you to the very edge. Keep working and find something that helps keep your mind in the writing zone so you don't get off track.  For me, it's different types of music or just speaking to my sister so I can bounce my ideas off of her.

Anything else you want readers to know?

Some of the best ways to help an author is to write a review. By simply logging on to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads etc... and writing your honest reviews, you aren't only helping people know more about the book, you are helping the author know what you did and didn't like so they can try and fix it or take the information and apply it to their next work. Also authors love to get questions or comments about their work, so don't be afraid to speak up. This is why a lot of authors provide ways for you to contact them on their websites or Facebook pages. I look forward to your reviews and/or comments! Happy Reading!

Where can readers find you and your books?

Mere Enchantment and Rings of Enchantment can be purchased at the following locations in both paperback and eBooks:

Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/alicia-rivoli?store=allproducts&keyword=alicia+rivoli

Amazon

Smashwords

You can also learn more about me and my books on my website and my Facebook page.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #32

Welcome to the 32nd Kid Lit Blog Hop where twice per month (the 1st and 3rd Wednesday) we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists.

On this Hop, Carpinello's Writing Pages brings you interviews with two MG authors: Crystal Marcos and Alicia Rivoli.

You are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! We are pleased to welcome with us this week a new full-time permanent hostess on the Hop, Maria from the blog Music Teaching and Parenting is joining us. Plus, we are also happy to have Savannah Mae from the book blog Say What? Savannah Mae Book Reviews. Big welcome to Maria and Savannah Mae!

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hostesses. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
Co-Hostess:
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you! 4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links! 5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!

Meet MG Author Crystal Marcos

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes Crystal Marcos MG author of Bellyache and Headache.

First, a bit about Crystal:

Award-winning author Crystal Marcos has been a storyteller her entire life. Being the oldest of five children, she had a lot of entertaining to do. She is a member of SCBWI. Crystal lives on the Kitsap Peninsula in Washington State with her husband and their daughter, Kaylee. She is the author of Bellyache: A Delicious Tale and Headache: The Hair-Raising Sequel to Bellyache.

Why did you pick to write books for MG/YA?
I can now say I write both Young Adult and Middle Grade books. I literally just sent the manuscript of my YA novel to my editor. I am very excited about the project. I love reading both genres. I have always known I wanted to write for children since I was very young. My mother saved some of my works from when I was little. I wrote my first short story at a very early age. I believe I wrote my first picture book when I was in 6th grade. It wasn't until more recently that I had the desire to write for young adults too.

What types of books do you like to read?

I love both Young Adult and Middle Grade books. I also really enjoy the entire Children's genre and discovering new cookbooks. I will venture out of these genres on occasion.

When you are not writing, what do you like to do?

I enjoy reading, cooking/baking, finding new recipes for my family to try, spending time with them playing board games or getting exercise with them on the Xbox Kinect or Wii. Also, I enjoy teaching and spending time with my little girl who just turned four and party planning.

Tell us about Bellyache: A Delicious Tale.

Bellyache is a mystical, character-driven escapade that intertwines strands of reality with a larger-than-life fantasy world. When Peter Fischer sets out to help his grandfather at Papa's Sweet Shop, he quickly learns that sneaking sweets and covering up his sugar-dusted tracks have major consequences. As Peter is transported to a mysteriously delicious, faraway land, a curious people known as the Candonites, some of whom have no time for a non-Candonite, will teach Peter a lesson on what it means to be different and what it means to forgive.

Here's a peek at Bellyache: A Delicious Tale:

     It was a school holiday and Peter Fischer had to spend the day working with his grandfather. His parents had jobs and Peter, now ten, felt he was too old for a babysitter. He had never been to work with Papa before. His grandfather owned a sweet shop. Papa’s Sweet Shop. Peter was excited. What fun he would have tasting all the luscious treats!
     Peter planned his day in his head. First, a cupcake with heaps of whipped cream icing. Then, several pieces of chocolate filled with all kinds of wonderful centers. Next, red licorice. He thought black licorice tasted gross; he only knew one person who liked it and that was old man Rupert. Old man Rupert lived a few houses down and was always in the garden, fiddling around with a piece of black licorice dangling out of the corner of his mouth—disgusting.
     After lunch, a peppermint, followed by a chocolate chip cookie, half a brownie—he wanted to save room for other sweets—Tootsie Rolls, and lemon drops. Then, he would take a break from eating and help Papa with the afternoon rush of customers. After the rush, a few gumdrops and gumballs—the blue ones of course—and then gooey taffy, followed by gummy bears and super sour gummy worms. Lastly, he would have his most favorite treat of all, creamy chocolaty peanut butter cups—two or three of them, he wasn’t quite sure yet.
     But Papa had a different plan for Peter.


What’s next for your writing? Are you working on a new story?

Finishing my first Young Adult novel is next on my agenda. It has been a challenge and a very exciting adventure. The book is a Post-Apocalyptic Dystopian novel. I look forward to seeing it in print. I also have plans for picture books.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Keep writing! If you come across an area that is giving you trouble don't dwell in the stuck position but rather make the choice to move on. You can ALWAYS go back later. I am much more productive operating this way.

What else would you like readers to know?

I'm very proud of Bellyache: A Delicious Tale and the Awards & Honors it has received:

~2013 B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree
~2012 USA BEST BOOK AWARDS Award-Winning Finalist in both categories of Children's Fiction & Children's Book Series
~2011 READERS FAVORITE Silver Award in its category
~2010 Nominated for the CYBILS Awards

Where can readers find you and your books?

My website for signed copies and where to buy: http://crystalmarcos.com/locations.php

BELLYACHE

Amazon Paperback Edition

Kindle Edition

Barnes & Noble Paperback

Nook Edition

HEADACHE

Amazon Paperback Edition

Kindle Edition

Barnes & Noble Paperback

Nook Edition