Tuesday, March 25, 2014

The Grimmtastic Girls Book Blast

About the Books: The Grimmtastic Girls

Book #1

Grimmtastic Girls: Cinderella Stays LateTitle: Grimmtastic Girls #1: Cinderella Stays Late | Authors: Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams | Publication Date: March 25, 2014 | Publisher: Scholastic Inc. | Pages: 192 | Recommended Ages: 8 to 12 Summary: The authors of the hit Goddess Girls series put a fun and girly twist on another super-popular theme: fairy tales! Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia... A Grimmtastic girl named Cinderella is starting her first week at Grimm Academy on the wrong foot. Cinda's totally evil stepsisters are out to make her life miserable. The Steps tease Cinda, give her terrible advice about life at the academy, and even make her look bad in front of her new friends, Red, Snow, and Rapunzel! But when Cinda overhears the Steps plotting a villainous deed that could ruin Prince Awesome's ball, Cinda, her new friends, and a pair of magical glass slippers have to stop them--before the last stroke of midnight!
 AmazonGoodreads    

 

Book #2

Red Riding Hood Gets LostTitle: Grimmtastic Girls #2: Red Riding Hood Gets Lost | Authors: Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams | Publication Date: March 25, 2014 | Publisher: Scholastic Inc. | Pages: 192 | Recommended Ages: 8 to 12 Summary: Red Riding Hood might have a terrible sense of direction, but her grimmtastic friends are always there to help! Once upon a time, in faraway Grimmlandia... Red Riding Hood is thrilled to try out for the school play. Acting is her dream, and she's great at it--too bad she has stage fright! After a grimmiserable audition, Red decides to focus on helping her friends Cinda, Snow, and Rapunzel save Grimm Academy from the E.V.I.L. Society. But when Red gets lost in Neverwood forest and runs into Wolfgang, who might be part of E.V.I.L., she needs her magic basket and a grimmazingly dramatic performance to figure out what's going on!
 AmazonGoodreads    

 

About the Authors: Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams

Joan Holub Joan Holub has authored and/or illustrated more than 130 children's books, including Little Red Writing (illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet) and Zero the Hero. She lives in NC and is online at www.joanholub.com

Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

 

 

Suzanne Williams       

Suzanne Williams is the author of nearly 50 books for children, including the award-winning picture book Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg). She lives near Seattle, WA and is online at www.suzanne-williams.com

Author Blog | Goodreads

 



 Co-authors Joan and Suzanne have written the Goddess Girls, Heroes in Training, and Grimmtastic Girls series. Though they live in different states and hardly ever get to see each other, they spend lots of time together in Grimmlandia.

Facebook (Grimmtastic Girls) | Facebook (Goddess Girls Books)

Online Author Visits

 

$50 Book Blast Giveaway

Amazon $50 Gift Card Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: April 23, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the authors, Joan Holub & Suzanne Williams and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway



MDBR Book Promotion Services
 

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Meet UK Children's Author Rosen Trevithick

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes another UK author Rosen Trevithick and her Smelly Trolls series.

First, a bit about Rosen:

I’m a wild-swimming, chocolate-loving, hairspray-dousing writer of fiction for children and adults. I’m Cornish and currently living in Devon.

Note:  Rosen sent in this photo of her at Tintagel, supposedly the birthplace of Arthur, since my books are based on Arthurian Legend.

Why did you pick to write books for children?

Writing for children allows you to really stretch the boundaries of reality and be completely over the top, in a way that’s frowned upon in most adult genres. I wanted to write something funny and silly that I could share with my nephews.

What types of books do you like to read?

I enjoy reading humorous fiction and crime thrillers. The work of Ben Elton is particularly appealing. I also enjoy reading independently published titles because I love being able to interact with writers about their work. Also, because I run a daily eBook newsletter, I like to keep a feel for what’s out there.

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

I spend a lot of time out of doors: swimming, cycling, jogging and sometimes just sitting beneath a tree with my Kindle. I’m also part of a local amateur dramatics group and a writing group.

Tell us about Trolls on Ice and how the story came to be.

Trolls on Ice is the third book in my Smelly Troll series. It features the Winter Trollympics – the biggest sporting event on the troll calendar. However, because trolls are stupid, smelly and built like potatoes filled with rocks, they are not particularly strong athletics. Events include the ‘troll vault’ (troll pole vault), in which the pole usually snaps under the competitor’s enormous weight.

I came up with the idea for putting trolls on skis because I knew it would give rise to all manner of exciting disasters. However, a school class who were doing a project on my first troll book, The Troll Trap, came up with the idea of Trollympic. They kindly let me use a winter version of their idea in my book.

Here's a peek at Trolls on Ice:

Brawnulator Powerknees picks other people’s noses, smells like mutated tuna and eats small children. He is the strongest, fastest, most desirable man on the planet – to a troll.
When Rufus and his friends go on a skiing holiday to the Craggle Alps, they have no idea that the Winter Trollympics – the biggest sporting event of the troll calendar – is taking place nearby.
Sporting a wide variety of dangerous athletes, including Brawnulator, the Winter Trollympics is a hazardous place for children to be. But an avalanche blocks the railway line, leaving Rufus and his friends stranded amongst the hungry beasts.
A slippery, icy adventure packed with hideous trolls, winter sports and lots and lots of snotacular calamities.


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

I started off writing books for adults. In fact, my current bestselling title is for adults. It’s called My Granny Writes Erotica and is about a 65-year-old pensioner who finds herself in debt and needs a way to raise some cash quickly. She ends up eroticising her life’s work – a romance novel. However, being somewhat naïve, inexperienced and conservative, writing about kinky sex does not come easy to her, resulting in some hilarious disasters.

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

In November 2013, I launched three books: Seesaw Volume II, my second short story collection for adults; Trolls on Ice; and The First Trollogy, a collection containing Troll books 1-3. I also have a short story from the Smelly Trolls called Gourment Girl Burger.


The Troll Trap







                  Mr. Splendiferous and the Troublesome Trolls


What advice do you have for other authors?

If you plan to publish, allow yourself to have big dreams. Writing is an incredibly difficult field in which to get noticed and most authors experience dozens of knock backs before getting anywhere. The skill is not in avoiding rejection, but bouncing back from it. Have a goal in mind and keep working at it. Big dreams will help you keep going.

Where can readers find you and your books?

My blog, Facebook and Twitter are good places to interact with me.

My Adult Blog
My Children's Blog
Facebook
Twitter

The best place to buy my books is Amazon.

A smaller selection of my titles are available from other stores, such as Waterstones and Smashwords.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #35

Welcome to the 35th 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. So, 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!

Carpinello's Writing Pages interviews two authors from the UK:

We are pleased to welcome our friends from Wigu Publishing, publishers of the When I Grow Up I Want To Be... book series this week co-hosts.  Please do take a moment to check out these fabulous books.  Big welcome to Wigu Publishing!

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 hosts. 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-Host:

Wigu Publishers  Twitter * Facebook

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? If you've joined us before, you are welcome to join us again!  Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.

Happy Hopping!



Meet UK Middle Grade Author Rosie Morgan

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes Cornwall's own Rosie Morgan. Rosie introduces us to her MG fantasy series The Camelot Inheritance. Bet you can't guess what legend this series revolves around!

First, a bit about Rosie in her own words:

Hi, I’m Rosie Morgan, and I live in beautiful Cornwall, in the UK, with my husband Pete and our two attention-seeking cats Oz and James. Our kids are all grown up, and now we’ve got mini-grand-kids. For many years I taught some wonderful young people in Cornish village schools. The smallest school had just two classes – and an outdoor toilet! The spiders liked the toilet but I didn’t like the spiders.

Teaching taught me that EVERYONE has a talent. One of the boys I taught could mend a tractor when he was nine years old; he was also pretty good at driving a quad bike but not all that interested in reading.

Oh and I’ve got a very old sports car, she’s nearly seventeen, and she’d feel very left out if I didn’t mention her – she’s called ‘Purr’.

Why did you pick to write books for MG?

I taught middle-grade kids and loved it and writing for them is an absolute delight. For me it was a natural choice – my favourite audience!

What types of books do you like to read?

My own reading is so varied that it’s hard to put it in a nutshell. So instead I’ll give you a few of my favourite authors. CS Lewis was a wonderful writer, and how about Roald Dahl? If I’m reading something a little deeper I enjoy Louis de Bernières. Jane Austen was way before her time and one of my all-time favourites. h and I’ve just discovered Pietro Grossi, an inspirational Italian author. I could go on and on!!

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

Apart from teaching I paint and draw, run our church youth club and brush up on my French. When Pete and I want to get away from it all we go to France, you can see the photos on my blog.

Tell us about The Golden Sword (Book I of The Camelot Inheritance) and how the story came to be.

The story is a contemporary fantasy with a dash of time travel and magic. It’s set in Cornwall which has strong connections with the legendary King Arthur; we have many ancient sites, even a castle!
The idea for the book started to percolate through into my imagination, the characters took hold and before I knew it, I was writing and I couldn’t stop!

We meet Arthur Penhaligon on the day his life changes – forever. On the day he skateboards into the past and into a world of magic and mystery. Because a long time ago - a VERY long time ago - Arthur was Chosen.

Join Arthur and his friends, Nick and Tamar, as they journey into the unknown and find themselves in the grip of powerful forces. Follow them as they travel into a world where there are those who are determined to rob Arthur of his birth-right – at any cost.

Here's a peek at The Golden Sword:




At the end of the street the mist swirled and shifted, a shape flew out of the enveloping cloud and circled before settling on a gate post. Moments later a dark, tall shadow silently followed, his long coat flowing out behind him, a wide-brimmed hat pulled down low over his face. He strode purposefully along the street before coming to a halt outside the house where the bird waited.

The stranger examined the house intently, starting at the top and shifting his gaze downwards. Then he nodded towards the bird and, taking something out of his pocket, tossed it to the ground before spinning around and retracing his steps to disappear, once more, into the mist. The bird cawed once, spread its wings and followed.

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

The second book in the series The Time Smugglers was just released in October 2013. Also, I excited to announce that in the paperback version of  The Golden Sword should be released hopefully by the end of this March!

What advice do you have for other authors?

Whilst writing I’ve learnt that I have to be self-critical and be prepared to edit and edit and edit.
I read it out loud, just as if I was reading it to an audience – or a class. And I ask other people to read and criticise it.

BUT I take heart from praise because we all need that!

Anything else you want readers to know?

To find out more about The Golden Sword (The Camelot Inheritance – Book 1), you can read the first two chapters FREE on Amazon.
 

Where can readers find you and your books?

Please drop by and say 'Hi' at these sites!

Blog

Twitter

Goodreads

To Buy The Camelot Inheritance Series

Amazon US
Amazon UK
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ANP31XA

Friday, March 7, 2014

Diego's Dragon Book Blast

About the Book

Diego's Dragon Book 1 Spirits of the Sun by Kevin GerardTitle: Diego's Dragon, Book 1: Spirits of the Sun | Author: Kevin Gerard | Publication Date: September 30, 2011 | Publisher: Crying Cougar Press | Pages: 186 | Recommended Ages: 8+


Summary: An eleven-year-old Latino boy wins a district-wide writing contest for sixth graders. When an author visits his school to award his prize, Diego Ramirez has no idea how much his life is about to change. Nathan Sullivan hands Diego his statue, a handsome, glistening black dragon. He shakes his hand and leaves him to his friends. The students crowd around Diego, asking for permission to hold it. After hearing the name Magnifico spoken aloud by family and friends, Diego awards it to his new dragon. If he only knew how fitting the name was, he might have known what lay ahead. Magnifico is the leader of the Sol Dragones, dragons that live within the magical fires of the sun. Nathan Sullivan is the earth's connection to the mysterious creatures. It is his task to find Magnifico’s guide. As Magnifico comes to life he becomes quite mischievous, playing tricks on Diego to embarrass him. As he discovers his bloodline, however, Diego assumes greater control over his dragon and his destiny. In the climactic journey, he frees his people and suffers a terrible loss by guiding Magnifico to their goal.  

 

Purchase

Buy Signed Copy | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Sony Reader | Smashwords

 

The Buzz

"Every book by this author is amazing. My son, who is very picky has bought every book. He has read them without putting them down and even asked me to organize having Kevin come to his school. Kevin, the Author is a person doing what he loves to do and it shows in his work and his interactions with the kids. You will not regret your purchase!" ~ 5 Star Review, Adina F., Amazon

"My 4th grade daughter is obsessed with dragon books. When I discovered Diego's Dragon, I jumped at it--and now Kevin Gerard is her new favorite author! For a voracious reader like my daughter, that is the highest of compliments, especially considering her love for Erin Hunter's Warrior Cats series. Her enthusiastic commentary about book one, and her pleading for book 2, had me eager to read it for myself. All I can say is . . . my daughter was right. For any fans of middle grade adventure or fantasy or dragons or boy books or epic awesomeness, this is the perfect story." ~ 5 Star Review, S. O'Donnell, Amazon

"Kids who like dragon stories will love this adventure series. Those who liked Harry Potter, kids and adults, will like this series. I truly believe the Diego’s Dragon series will have readers anticipating new releases and then devouring the books immediately upon release. Spirits of the Sun is a great book for boys, and girls—and adults. Without gushing too much, I believe Spirits of the Sun is one of the best books I have read. If the series holds up, I will be its number one fan, though many others will claim that title. Kids, get this book." ~ 5 Star Review, Sue M., Amazon
 

 

About the Author: Kevin Gerard

Kevin Gerard Kevin Gerard lives in San Diego, California, with two feline friends, Jesse the WonderCat and Little Man. When not writing or teaching statistics at Cal State San Marcos, he enjoys walking the grounds at the San Diego Zoo, hitting the waves at Cardiff State Beach, and hanging with his brother, nieces and nephews at the local Pizza Port. He also enjoys playing Halo on the internet; look for him in the rocket games as one of the characters from Diego’s Dragon or Conor and the Crossworlds.

Book Website | Author Blog | Twitter

Facebook | Goodreads

 

 

* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 100 gift card Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice) Contest ends: April 4, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Kevin Gerard and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Meet YA Author Nicola J McDonagh

Carpinello's Writing Pages welcomes Nicola J McDonagh author of the YA novel Echoes from the Lost Ones.

First, a bit about Nicola:

I am a creative writing tutor, photographer, and published author. I trained as a photojournalist many years ago and have an Honours Degree in Drama and English Literature. I used to be an actor/director and scriptwriter, but gave it all up when I moved to Suffolk and fell in love with the scenery. I live in a 17thCentury timber-framed cottage in Suffolk UK with my husband and many feral/rescued cats.

After gaining a Creative Writing Diploma, I entered and won the Suffolk Book League’s Short Story Competition 2011. The next year I was short-listed for the Escalator Genre Fiction Competition. This gave me the confidence to complete my manuscript, which came into being during a writing class, I teach at the local High School. Two of the girls that attend challenged me to write a dystopian young adult novel, and The Song of Forgetfulness series was born.

I try to write something every day, even if it’s only a few hundred words. Most of the time I do a lot more and often complete a chapter or two. At the moment I am editing the second book in the series and dipping in and out of the third one.

Why did you pick to write books for YA?

I spend a lot of time working with young people in an arts based capacity and I listen to what they say about the books that they read. I decided to write for YA because I felt that I could create a story that would appeal to that age group, incorporating issues that aren’t always addressed in fiction of this genre. I wanted to make the character very real to the reader and decided to let her do normal things, such as go to the toilet and have a menstrual cycle. These were some of the issues that the young people I work with felt were lacking in YA books.

What types of books do you like to read?

I enjoy reading some YA novels such as Unwind by Neal Shusterman and the Chaos Walking
series by  Patrick Ness. I also enjoy science fiction, particularly Ray Bradbury, Theodore Sturgeon and Ursula la Guin. I also like the classics: Dickens, Bronte sisters, and Thomas Hardy. Also I enjoy more surrealistic works: Gunter Grass The Tin Drum, Street of Crocodiles by Bruno Schulz, Heart of A  Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov, At Swim Two Birds by Flann O’Brien. I think Conrad and Nabokov are  two of my favourite authors. I enjoy humor too: Jeeves and Wooster series by PG Wodehouse and A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole. I have a particular fondness for the short stories of Annie Proulx, Flannery O Connor, and always go back to Sylvia Plath’ s poetry.

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

When I’m not writing, I’m taking photographs, or making sun photos. I love to experiment with photographic techniques and can often be seen gyrating around a darkened room with a camera and a torch making my ‘painting with light’ images. I also love to cook and grow some of my own vegetables. I enjoy sitting in the summerhouse and watching nature run amok in my back garden. Sometimes my husband and I go for bicycle rides around the country lanes. I feed and pamper a number of rescue cats and relax by watching a good movie or HBO series with my husband. At the moment I am learning to play the flute and the piano accordion.

Tell us about Echoes from the Lost Ones and how the story came to be.

Echoes from the Lost Ones is a Sci-Fi dystopian novel with a difference. I use a slang-based language to create a future world and to give my characters an individual personality. The book came about due to a challenge from some pupils that attend a creative writing group I teach at my local High School. They asked me to write something for their age group that included subject matters that they were concerned about, such as global warming, disease, and cloning. Also the fact that characters never seem to go to the toilet. After discussing what they liked to read and what they felt was lacking in most YA books, I came up with the idea for The Song of Forgetfulness. After researching about technological advances such as 3D printing, super strong-lightweight materials, and invisible cloth, I came up with several ideas for inclusion in the book. Adara’s invisible super lightweight Synthbag and self replicating Sterichoc, to name a few.

The story takes place in Scotland, in a time when plague and global warming have depleted mankind’s numbers and killed off all animals, except for birds that never land for fear of being eaten. In NotsoGreatBritAlbion there is hunger. The all-controlling Agros have cut supplies to the inhabitants of Cityplace and the Woodsfolk community, and have begun to raid settlements to find Meeks-gifted young ‘uns.

Here's a peek at Echoes from the Lost Ones:

Seventeen-year-old Citydweller Adara has a special gift that she must keep a secret:

I’m not like the other girlygigs in Cityplace; I’m a bringer. I can sing to the only animals left in NotsoGreatBritAlbion and make them land. Adara, catcher of birds -that’s what they call me and that’s what I can do.

Now that the Agros have cut supplies and folk are near starved, I’d best keep shutums about my name though, or everyone will want a piece of me.

I’d best creep and peep all stealthy-like to track down my bro-bro. Snatched by Agro scum for who knows what. 




Good job I’m trained in  S.A.N.T. ways too, for I’ll need all my roughhouse skills to keep the Agro spies, Nearly’s and wolfies at bay until I find and bring home my bro and all the other missing Meeks.

I just wish I knew who or what is following my every move.


Adara encounters many unusual people on her journey from the serene and gentle Ladies to the dreaded, mask wearing, wolfie-taming Clonies. Yet amongst these misfits and outcasts, Adara finds friends and allies who help her to realise her true potential when she is put to the test during her stay at the Monastery in the Clouds; where she must use all her skill and power to save herself and those she loves from being slaughtered by Agro spies.

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

I have started three or four, but never managed to finish them. There is one book that I keep going back to called Marauders of the Missing Mummies. It is an action adventure story for 8-12 year olds. It started life as a play I wrote especially for that age group to perform. I realised that there was a good story with some interesting characters and decided to make it into a novel. It tells the tale of Cleo Dreyser and her archeologist mother, as they search for two mummies stolen from them by the evil Erica Van Clutch, and her loveable sidekick Hannah Kush. Cleo and her friends are forced to travel to the Land of Reads to find The Book of the Dead and restore order before it is too late.

What advice do you have for other authors?

Don’t give up, even if publishers or agents reject you.  Write what you want to write and not what you think would sell. Don’t self-proof read. Get someone you trust to it for you. It is too easy to miss mistakes when reviewing your own work.  Consider self-publishing. These days there is a lot of support and free marketing out here to resource. Use online media platforms to promote yourself.
Converse with other authors, share books and reviews and get yourself noticed. Do book readings and
signings if you can. It’s a great way to actually meet readers who might enjoy your work.

Anything else you want readers to know?

I would like readers to know that my desire is for them to be drawn into the worlds I create through the language and descriptions I use in my writing. I would like them to embrace the idea of using language creatively to stimulate the reading experience. That reading is one of the most pleasurable activities around, it enables you to go to other places, meet strange and wonderful people and share in the world of make-believe and believe in it.

Where can readers find you and your books?
Website

Facebook

Goodreads

Amazon   

Echoes from the Lost Ones video

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #34

Welcome to the 34th 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. So, 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!

For this Hop, Carpinello's Writing Pages interviews MG author Raymond Bean and YA author Nicola J McDonagh.

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:
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 Middle Grade Author Raymond Bean

Carpinello's Writing Pages is excited to welcome Raymond Bean and his new MG novel A Ticket to the Bigs. Can't think of a better way to start March than with the author of Sweet Farts!

First, a bit about Raymond:

I’m a dad, a teacher, and the author of the Sweet Farts and School Is A Nightmare series. I’ve always enjoyed writing. I remember writing dialogue bubbles on my pencil box as a small child.

Why did you pick to write books for MG?

It was the genre I enjoyed most when I was a kid. Additionally, I teach fourth grade, so I spend a great deal of time reading books in the genre with my class. It’s a natural fit.

What types of books do you like to read?

 I like to read funny books.

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

When I’m not writing, I’m usually thinking about writing. When I’m not thinking about writing, I like to spend time with my family.

Tell us about A Ticket to the Bigs and how the story came to be.

I’ve always been a big baseball fan and a fan of all things ridiculous. Writing a funny baseball book has been on my mind for many years. Imagine Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Major League Baseball…and Will Ferrell is Willy Wonka.

Here's a peek at A Ticket to the Bigs:

The Riptide is professional baseball’s newest team. It’s also the worst. The players are washed up, lazy, and should have retired a long time ago.

Tommy is the team’s biggest fan. He goes to every home game, watches the away games on TV, and even blogs about the Riptide. He knows everything there is know about baseball but is the worst player in his local Little League. So how did he end up on baseball’s biggest stage?

Will Panzell is the owner of the team. He’s also completely nuts. He lies, cheats, and schemes to sell tickets to Riptide games. His latest stunt is so bananas it has the whole world shocked, and it might just be crazy enough to work.

When Will and Tommy’s worlds collide, baseball may never be the same again.
 

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


I wrote the Sweet Farts Series. It’s a three book series. The main character sets out to find a cure for the smell of human gas. My School Is A Nightmare Series follows a a reluctant fourth grader through a very strange school year. Each book in the series takes place during a different time of the year, for example: The first week, the first field trip, Halloween, Thanksgiving, etc. My goal is to follow him all the way through the year.



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


I released the fifth School Is A Nightmare book in late October. In January, Benji Franklin: Kid Zillionaire made its debut. It’s a really fun book that I think young readers are going to love.


What advice do you have for other authors?

Write as often as possible and release at least one title a year.


Where find Raymond and his books: 

Website

Amazon 

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Summer Rain Virtual Book Tour by Cherlisa Starks Richardson, February 24-March 7, 2014

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Summer Rain Virtual Book Tour by Cherlisa Starks Richardson, February 24-March 7, 2014

Carpinello's Writing Pages is pleased to interview MG author Cherlisa Richardson as part of her book tour with Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tour.

Paperback: 250 pages
Publisher: Purple Phoenix Publishing LLC (November 27, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0991095006
ISBN-13: 978-0991095001




About The Book
Sixteen-year-old Summer McClain seemingly has it all—a doting mother and father, two best friends who stick closer than glue, and a grandmother who can cook the pants off any chef who dares to go up against her. Her world is perfect in every way—until tragedy strikes the core of her family.

When Summer thinks the worst thing in her life has happened, she’s dealt more blows that make her question her young faith. Her two best friends, who should be there to love her through her devastation, have personal issues of their own, and on top of that, a girl at school starts bullying her for no reason. Will Summer be able to withstand the heartache, pain, and pressure she has to endure?

In her debut novel, Summer Rain, Cherlisa Starks Richardson has woven together a gripping novel that shows the faith even a child must have to endure when challenged with the pain life sometimes presents.
 

Now a bit about Cherlisa:
I was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana where I still reside with my family. I’m married and I have a 13 year old daughter. I have always loved reading and writing. I kept a diary as a young girl, and I enjoyed any class in school that required writing. I was in journalism all through high school. Two of those years I was the editor of my school yearbook. Although it seemed as though I would have traveled the path of writing in my career, I took pursued and obtained a bachelor’s degree in business and an MBA. I later continued down that path by working in business for over twenty years. The wonderful thing about God is that when he has given you a gift and a passion he’ll redirect you back to it. Since leaving Corporate America, I’ve had the pleasure living my dream as a writer and becoming a published author.

Why did you pick to write books for Young Adults?

Oddly enough, I did not choose to write for YA at all. I must say it was God’s will and plan for me because when I began writing Summer Rain, in my mind, it was an adult book. As my writer friends read it, they mentioned that it was Young Adult. When the first one said it, I responded, “No.” She insisted that it seemed like YA. When the next couple of writer friends read it and said the same thing, I concluded that maybe it was. After doing a lot of research about YA fiction and lots of prayer, I realized it was in fact YA fiction, and it was what God wanted me to write at that time. He’d actually prepared me for many years for that moment. I lead the young adult ministry at my church for eight years. Prior to that, I lead a youth ministry at a previous church. I have mentored youth and young adults for over twenty years, and I currently lead a Girl Scout troop. I’ve also recently won an elected position as a school board member on the school board in my district. Dealing with youth and young adults are a big part of my purpose in life. Writing in the YA genre has allowed my voice to echo to a much larger audience.

What types of books do you like to read?

I love reading different types of books. I enjoy reading Christian fiction, romance, murder mysteries, historical fiction, autobiographies and humorous fiction. 

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

When I’m not writing I’m usually reading. I also love watching movies and keeping up with my favorite T.V. shows which include The Biggest Loser, Scandal, and my guilty pleasure is The Real Housewives of Atlanta. I also love traveling!

Tell us about Summer Rain and how the story came to be.

I truly believe that God gave me the inspiration for Summer Rain. The bullying concept was inspired by the fact that I have never, ever liked bullies. I’ve never had any tolerance for them. I wanted to bring light to a growing situation and hope to make it a little better by adding my voice to the matter. The whole concept of faith being tested came because no matter who you are or how close you are to God, at some point in your life, your faith will be tested. I particularly wanted to write about young people’s faith being tested because many times when they have the first test of faith they don’t know how to handle it and they give up or turn to the wrong people. Even worst, some of them simply throw in the towel on life, which is why we see a rise in the number of suicides from those ages 10-24.  As far as the title itself, Summer is obvious. It’s because my main character’s name is Summer. Rain came to me because of the trouble and storms in Summer’s life. Hence, the title, Summer Rain was born.
 
Here's a Peek at Summer Rain:
SUMMER BROWSED THROUGH the different messages posted on Facebook. Nothing new, just the same old stuff teens usually post—pictures of girls with duck lips posing in the latest fashions, boys and girls posing in the mirror holding up their phones, and corny jokes. Sometimes an occasional shot is made at some unsuspecting kid. OMG! Am I reading this right? Summer lifted her head from the headboard of her bed and pulled her iPad closer to her face. Her eyes grew wider as she stared at the screen. Maybe her eyes were playing tricks on her. She hadn’t been getting much sleep lately. She blinked to see clearer. The kids at East High had gone completely crazy. Hadn’t their parents preached the same message to them that hers drilled into her about watching what you post on the Internet? They had no shame in their game and didn’t care who got hurt when they went in on people. The ruthless words they were calling Megan on her page were enough to make even the loosest girl want to crawl under a rock.
Summer read the last comment then turned off her iPad. She’d only gotten on the Internet as a distraction to help keep her awake. She had no idea what she was getting into when she logged onto Facebook. As soon as she thought the kids at her school couldn’t get any meaner, they were taking it to a new level. She couldn’t forget the worst comment about Megan—I hope you die. You’re too nasty to live. Summer’s mouth fell open when she read it. How could anyone be that mean? Then again, why am I surprised? That was the norm at East High. Every other week there was a new target.
Granted, everyone agreed that Megan brought the name calling on herself to some extent. Rumor had it she was trying to get the attention of one of the jocks on the basketball team. Everyone was saying that when she couldn’t get his attention by flirting with him, she went so far as to join the cheerleading squad. That didn’t work, so she resorted to sending him nasty text messages. When he didn’t respond to that, she eventually made the dumb mistake of sending him the picture that made her infamous. She was posing on a bed with nothing on but her bra and panties. Who does that? That’s when everything hit the fan. The boy posted the picture on Instagram using an anonymous account. All of the kids that followed him on the account sent it to their friends who sent it to their friends until it had made its way around the entire school. The hallways were buzzing with the same question every day—who started the picture going around? Whoever the dude was, he was keeping his identity a secret.

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

I’m working on a romance novella, the first in a three part series that will be geared towards an adult audience. It will still be Christian fiction. I’m really excited about this book because I consider myself to be a hopeless romantic. I think my readers will find this story to be very intriguing. Although I’m writing for a different audience in my sophomore project, I will continue my Young Adult line as well.

What advice do you have for other authors?

The writing industry is rapidly changing and it’s not as easy and glamorous as it may seem. However, I would encourage those with a passion to write to do just that. Write. Stay the course and keep doing what you love, in spite of challenges and obstacles. I encourage aspiring writers to read. In order to be a great writer you have to be a reader. I’d also stress the importance of learning the craft of writing and learning this industry. One of my mantras is anything in life that’s worth having requires hard work and dedication.

Anything else you want readers to know?

I love connecting with my readers. They can learn more about upcoming events and projects on my website. Also, they can contact feel free to contact me through my website, Facebook and/or Twitter. 

Where to find Cherlisa and Summer Rain:

Cherlisa:

Website


Twitter


Facebook

 

Summer Rain:

Amazon


Hosted by Write Now Literary Virtual Book Tour