The Story of a Writer

For my Dear Friends

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:25:00 +0000

And if you do not celebrate Thanksgiving, have a happy week.

Book Sale

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:21:00 +0000

This is the 10th aniversary of the founding of Twilight Times Books (1999) and the 5th year since we went to print (2004). Those are significant milestones.

In celebration, Twilight Times Books will have a print book sale from now until Dec. 15th. Most titles will be offered to the general public at a 10-30 % discount. See here.

For a limited time, and while quantities last, we are offering a 30 % - 50 % discount on selected titles.

Also, check out our newsletter for info on our latest releases.

Books make awesome Christmas gifts. Happy shopping. Have a super week.

The Story of a Goose

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:51:00 +0000

Patches here. This week's story is about a goose, not just an ordinary goose, mind you, but a goose that solves a crime. Her name is Janoose. You can see what she looks like on the cover of the book. To look inside the way it says, you'll have to go to Amazon, of course.

Anyhow, Ms. J. D. Holiday wrote and illustrated Janoose's story about the barnyard animals. There are ducks, a horse, a cow, chickens, cats, and a sly old fox.

When Janoose solves the mystery (I'm not telling) she ends up being a hero. How cool is that!

Happy reading.

Thanksgiving Stories

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:45:00 +0000

At this special time of the year, we have so much to be thankful for. I'm thankful for my God, my family, my friends, America, and the men and women who faced the unknown to settle this new land. They were a lot braver than I am.

Many good books have been written about the Pilgrims and their adventures. The Mayflower People Triumphs & Tragedies by Anna W. Hale is one that I enjoyed. It's only 93 pages and perfect for young readers.

From the back cover. "In the year 1620 a very mixed group of separatists, adventurers and paid crew members crossed the Atlantic in the overcrowded Mayflower. This is the true story (based on historic journals, records, letters) of that voyage and the fortuitous landing at the "wrong place," where these people would find a great friend in a native called Squanto."

Happy reading.

A Horse of Course

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:20:00 +0000

Happy Friday the 13th, Everyone. May all your luck today be good luck.

My animal story for this week is Shabang's Story by Patricia Marlowe Barrett. This is a book about a horse, of course, as you can see from the cover. (You can't look inside it here. I borrowed the cover from Amazon.) Horses are pretty cool animals. The story is about a girl named Holly, who gets a horse all her own for her fourteenth birthday. Everything looks pretty good until Shabang is kidnapped ... umm ... horsenapped.

So what happens? You'll have to read the book to find out.

Have a super weekend. Happy Reading.

Patches

Dynamic Media Release Services Frees Up Your Valuable Time

noreply@blogger.com (Donna M. McDine) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:01:00 +0000

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Breeze is Going on Tour

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:48:00 +0000

Yes, Just Breeze will be on tour from Dec. 1 - Dec. 16. For more information, check Pump Up Your Book Promotions. We hope to see you there. We'll post the blogs as soon as they are available.

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:Beverly Stowe McClure
Beverlysmcclure@aol.com

FRIENDS, ENEMIES, PRINCES, AND ALIENS: JUST ANOTHER DAY IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

Iowa Park, TX, September 2009. Beverly Stowe McClure*s tween/young adult novel, Just Breeze, goes right to the heart and heartache of being a teen and trying to *fit* in.

Eighth grade starts out the same as every other year for Breeze Brannigan. She's still the tallest student, boy or girl, in her school, wears shoes that would fit an elephant, and her smile reveals dazzling braces that blind anyone within ten feet.

Then she meets Cam, the new boy in school, who speaks with an accent and must be from another planet, for none of the earthling boys she knows are so polite. He also has a secret, a secret that could mean life or death for Cam and his mother and that Breeze must help him keep.

Many young girls entering their teens will relate to Breeze and her struggle to be pretty and popular and to understand the world of middle school, including boys.

Just Breeze

by Beverly Stowe McClure

Publisher: 4 RV Publishing, LLC

ISBN: 978-0-9840708-2-4

Ages: Tween/YA

196 Pages

Trade Paperback $15.99

Beverly Stowe McClure is the author of four novels for young adults and numerous stories and articles in children*s magazines. She has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul and a PreK-K Scott-Foresman Anthology. She*s a former teacher and lives in North Texas with her husband, Jack, two cats, and a variety of wild critters.*

Doggie Biscuit

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:45:00 +0000

OK. This is a doggie story, but I like this pup. He's a free spirit, like me. Biscuit is a dachshund, one of those long dogs, and he definitely is in control of his family.

He also learns a lot from the kittens, like how to perch on the back of a chair if you lift him up, how to eat kitten food, and how to gambol like a kitten (except sometimes his floppy ears get in the way).

And he loves to sit in laps, like a kitten. Now that's my kind of dog.

Doggie Biscuit is written by Darrell Bain and published by Twilight Times Books. If you're in the mood for a fun read, try this one. You'll be glad you did.

Patches

Just Breeze Review

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:27:00 +0000

The first review for Just Breeze is in. You can read it at Reading Junky. Thank you, Sally. Also check out Teens Read Too where you'll see Breeze's smiling face. The review is at TRT also.

Have a great week.

Happy reading.

It's Like this, Cat

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Patches here again with my Friday book recommendation.

It's Like this, Cat won the Newbery Medal in 1964. That was way before I was born. But it has a cat in it. It's about a boy named Dave Mitchell and his father who yell at each other a lot. His dad's always telling Dave how educational a dog can be for a boy, so that's why Dave got a cat.

Of course, I know, and you know, that cats are very educational too. Just look at the things I've taught my mom:

How I like to have my chin scratched.

My favorite food.

When I want to go outside or to come inside.

How I like to curl in her lap while she's typing.

Yeah, cats can teach a boy or girl a thing or two.

Happy reading.

If You Aren't Afraid to Cry

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:07:00 +0000

I heart you, You haunt me, by Lisa Schroeder

From the back cover:

Girl meets boy.

Girl loses boy.

Girl gets boy back ...

sort of.

A ghost story, a story of young love, written in verse, that you will need a box of tissue while you're reading.

A Ghost You Gotta Love

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:33:00 +0000

Continuing with my theme of ghosts and goblins, vampires and undead, one of my favorite books is Dyan Sheldon's Save the Last Dance for Me. The back cover asks "How can someone who's dead seem so alive?" Yes, B. J. is a ghost, a ghost you gotta love. At least I loved him.

B. J. has an attitude, and Angel wishes he'd act more like what he is, a dead guy, than the pain-in-the-neck big brother he seems to think he is. Angel knows he's a hood who died during a robbery attempt, or did he?

A nice little mystery adds interest to the story of this ghost who may not be all that he seems.

Happy reading.

Fridays with Patches

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Hey, Everyone,

Patches here. I'm taking over the Friday postings and will tell you about my favorite books. They're about animals, of course, preferably cats. But also dogs and horses and other critters.

My first recommendation is The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. Did you know this book is a Newbery Honor Book? Well, it is. You can see that on the cover. It's also a National Book Award Finalist. Wow!

It's the story of a calico cat (I'm a calico, in case you haven't met me) who makes friends with a hound dog that lives underneath a house way out in the backwaters of the bayou. The cat was abandoned on the side of the road (like me) and is about to have kittens. Ranger, the dog, takes care of the kittens, but it has some sad parts and some scary parts. If you haven't read the book, you really ought to.

Until next week, happy reading.

Teen Read Week

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:22:00 +0000

October 18-24 is Teen Read Week. This year's theme is Read Beyond Reality @ Your Library. Encourage teens to read something out of this world, just for fun. Learn more about Teen Read Week at American Library Association.

Listen to the Ghost is a YA paranormal. It's perfect for this week's read, as well as October's theme. Secrets I Have Kept has an unusual plant that could be considered "out of this world." And Breeze suspects Cam is an alien in Just Breeze. These are just a few books that are for fun reads. Enjoy.

Twilight Times Book Sale

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 14:57:00 +0000

This year is the 10th anniversary of the founding of Twilight Times Books (1999) and the 5th year since we went to print (2004). Those are significant milestones.

In celebration, Twilight Times Books will have a print book sale from Oct. 1st to Nov. 15th. Most titles will be offered to the general public at a 10-30% discount. http://twilighttimesbooks.com/print_books101509sale.html

For a limited time, and while quantities last, we are offering a 30%-50% discount on selected titles. http://twilighttimesbooks.com/print_books101509special.html

Check out our newsletter for info on our latest releases. http://twilighttimesbooks.com/ttb_nl19.html

Christmas is fast approaching, and books make great gifts. I've ordered several. Take a look. You might find some for you, as well.

Have a super weekend.

Haunted

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:33:00 +0000

What would it be like to be haunted? Iris, the heroine of Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell, can tell you. For the ghost of a teenager named Elijah, who disappeared years before she was born, is back, and he's chosen Iris.

Boooooooo!

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:24:00 +0000

While we're on the subject of ghosts, meet Phoebe, a ghost who doesn't want to be a ghost. Do any of them? Mmm. Interesting thought. Phoebe doesn't actually say "Boo." How many ghosts have you heard talk that way? None? Me either. In fact ... shh, don't tell Phoebe ... but I've never heard a ghost speak.

If you're looking for more spooky stories for Halloween, or just to read on a dark night, try Listen to the Ghost. Keep the lights on.

(Actually, she's a ghost that enjoys playing tricks on people.)

Sleep softly tonight.

Is there a Ghost in the House?

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:06:00 +0000

Ghost stories are some of my favorites. Ghosts aren't always bad. Sometimes they just want something: to rest or to tell their story. One good ghost novel I read recently is Ghost for Rent by Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz. The story is written for middle-grade readers and has a haunted house, ghostly figures that dance in the woods, and other weird happenings. Don't you just love haunted houses? I do. Anyway, this is the perfect time of year to share your ghost stories with others, in a dark room, sitting in front of the fireplace, orange and red flames crackling, and the wind whistling outside the windows.

Booooo!

Another Spooky Story

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:47:00 +0000

Beyond the fence surrounding the village, in the Forest of Hands and Teeth, live the Unconsecrated. Well, perhaps the word "live" isn't quite accurate. Carrie Ryan's book, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, is about a young girl named Mary and her world of the Guardians, the Sisterhood, and the zombies, the world after the Return. You won't want to read it after dark.

I'm waiting for the next book in the series.

Spooky Stories

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:17:00 +0000

I thought for the month of October, I'd talk about spooky stories and other things that go bump in the night. Feel free to add your favorite ghost and goblin and black cat tales. And how about your own personal adventures? We used to go trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. Maybe that's where I developed my "sweet tooth."

Have you read The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman? If living in a graveyard with ghosts as your family isn't spooky then I don't know spooky. When an 18-month-old baby boy's family is killed, the toddler escapes to a graveyard. The ghosts adopt him and call him Nobody, nicknamed Bod.

Bod has one adventure after another as he grows from baby to teen. And he lives in constant danger from the man responsible for his family's death who hunts for Bod too. Drawings scattered throughout the book add to the suspense in the story.

Tune in next week for more spooky stories.

Contest

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Hi, Everyone,

Breeze is having a contest to launch her new book, Just Breeze. Win prizes. Have fun. For details, visit Breeze's blog. Thanks and good luck.

Just Breeze has Arrived

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:16:00 +0000

Yes. I'm now holding the book in my hands. The nice UPS man delivered copies yesterday. Seeing the story in print, the cover with Breeze looking at me, so perfect for the story, makes those months and months of writing and editing, editing, editing worthwhile. Then finding the right publisher, and I did, I did, thank you, 4 RV. Then more editing and seeing the artwork then copy editing. The task seemed endless. But one day, it's over. Well, not quite. Now, the fun begins: meeting Breeze's readers.

Can't wait.

Rebel is a Star

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:12:00 +0000

Forthcoming Event

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:00:00 +0000

You're invited to our Fall shows at Robin Falls Kids. Please join Barbara M. Hodges (Host) and me on Monday, September 21, at 4 PM Eastern Time, 3 PM Central Time. You can ask questions, make comments, see what goes on in my brain. WARNING: you may learn more than you want to know. For you brave folks, the call in # is (646) 649-1005. Or if you'd rather listen and chat, go to the chat room. We'll have a great time.

Hope to see you there. Have a super weekend.

New Review

Beverlysmcclure@aol.com (Beverly Stowe McClure) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:08:00 +0000

Hi, Everyone,

Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz has posted her review of my young adult historical novel, Caves, Cannons and Crinolines, on her blog. Hop on over if you get a chance and meet Penny and also Lizzie from my book.

Thanks.