MEET KATHY SATTEM RYGG

Bev: Hi, Kathy. Welcome to my blog. Please tell us about yourself and how you became a writer.

Kathy: I started writing short stories as early as kindergarten and wrote my first “book” in third grade (I used cardboard tied together with yarn as the “cover!”) I have a degree in magazine journalism and have worked for several Fortune 500 companies as well as trade magazines. I started writing children’s books several years ago after having kids, and I’m currently the editor for knowonder!, which publishes short stories for kids ages 3-10. The young middle grade audience (ages 7-10) is definitely my writing comfort zone.

Bev: When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Kathy: After going to the circus at age 5, I wanted to be a trapeze artist! That didn’t happen, but I still love taking my kids to the circus.

 
Bev: How did you come up with the idea for your latest book and were there any glitches along the way?

Kathy: My kids loved the Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborn and I wanted to write a story that could transport kids to another world—in this case the world of animals. It was during a trip to our city’s zoo that I decided a menagerie carousel would be the perfect device to do that.

I really didn’t have any glitches. In fact, I was fortunate to interview one of our zoo’s head keepers to get lots of great animal stories and background information on zoo life. It was critical to the plot.

Bev:   You’re shipwrecked on a deserted island. What character from a book other than yours would you want to be stranded there with you? Why?

Kathy: The Cat in the Hat. He’d make it fun and probably have some wacky invention we could use to sail away!

Bev: If we peeked inside your closet, what would we see?

Kathy: A mess! Clothes and shoes all over the floor, a pile of empty shopping bags in one corner, shelves of old books, VHS movies, and photos, and a big clunky fire escape ladder in case I ever need to make a quit exit out the bedroom window!

Coffee or tea?

Kathy: I’ll take either as long as there’s cream and sugar!

Bev: Spring, Summer, Fall, or Winter?

Kathy: Summer—the hotter the better!

Bev:  If you could have super powers what would you wish for?

Kathy: I’d like to be able to teleport and just pop in and out anywhere I pleased.

Bev: If you could choose to live in another time, would you prefer the past or the future?

Kathy: I’d love to zip ahead to the future and see what’s in store. Hey, maybe people will be able to teleport in the future!

Bev: Are you working on any new books now? Tell us about them.

Kathy: I’m currently working on a middle grade fantasy series surrounding the popular sport of geocaching.

Bev:  Where can your fans learn more about you?

ANIMAL ANDY is available in ebook from MuseItUp Publishing and in print from Amazon.

Website: www.ksrwriter.com

Blog: http://ksrwriter.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/KSR-Writer/207574835945277

Twitter: @kathyrygg

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5184334.Kathy_Sattem_Rygg

Bev: Would you like to share anything else with your fans?

Kathy: I also have a children’s chapter book series published called “Tall Tales with Mr. K” and book two recently released called “Taller Tales with Mr. K.” They are about a magical third grade teacher who takes his students on fun, crazy adventures in the teacher’s lounge. It’s great for kids ages 7-10 and both are available on Amazon.

Bev: Your book sounds just right for young animal lovers and older ones, like me, as well. Thank you, Kathy, for taking time out of your busy day to visit with us.  Stop by anytime.

Kathy: Thank you for hosting me today!

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Have a great week, everyone.

Happy Reading.

FRIDAY FIRSTS

Happy Friday. When I was teaching I used to look forward to Friday because it was the day before the weekend started. I still like Friday because my schedule on Saturday and Sunday is more relaxed.

So for our Friday Firsts. When was the first time you decided you wanted to be a writer?

I don't recall an exact time I made this discovery. As a kid I was a non-reader and also a non-writer, so I did not always want to be a writer, like many of you did. My desire grew slowly after I became a teacher. My students and my sons get the credit for opening my eyes to the joys of reading and then writing. So all I can say is you're never too young to try something new.

If you're interested, you can read more about my adventures in writing at J. Q. Rose's blog today.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Happy Reading

KAY LALONE IS VISITING TODAY

It is my pleasure to host Author Kay LaLone today. She's talking about a topic that fascinates me: Dreams. I don't dream, at least I don't remember them if I do. So I'm interested in Kay's thoughts about dreams. Welcome, Kay. Tell us about yourself.

Thank you, Beverly, for letting me guest blog on your blog today. I want to talk about dreams

I’m Kay LaLone author of Ghostly Clues. I live in Michigan with my husband and fourteen year old son (two older sons live near by) and two dogs and a cat. I refer to my pets as my boys because they are my babies since they don’t grow up like my sons do. I love to get up in the morning and write. My favorite things to write about are ghosts and supernatural creatures. I’m an avid reader and do reviews on the books I read.

What are dreams? Dreams are successions of images, ideas emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Sometimes I wish I could control those images and be able to live out my stories in my dreams. But dreams are uncontrollable.

Many of my story ideas have come from my dreams like Mysterious Visions, which I’m currently revising. So I try to keep a notebook on my nightstand for those nighttime inspirations.

Dreams can have varying natures, such as frightening, exciting, magical, and adventurous. So why not use dream scenes in your stories? To me dreams aren’t only a good way to come up with story ideas, but I have noticed in most of my stories, I show my character’s dreams. We all dream so why not our characters. I use it as a way to show how my characters are feeling, what they remember about there past like in Ghostly Clues. Sarah Kay has dreams about her father. But could those dreams really be memories that Sarah Kay has hidden away in her mind? Sometime my character’s dreams can predict the future like in Family Secret, a book I just finished. Or maybe a dream would be a good way for a spirit to communicate with a person.

Just like ghosts and spirits, dreams have always fascinated me. It’s a way our minds work out problems. Sometimes dreams are like a book which takes us to another world, another place, and takes us on an adventure. Sometimes we wake up wishing we could remember that good dream we just had, but instead we are only left with a distant memory that we had just visited a world all our own. Then there are those dreams I can’t wait to write down and transform them into a story that will draw the reader into my character’s world, and maybe into their dreams.

About Ghostly Clues

The sweet scent of lilacs permeates the air around Grandma’s gravesite. Only Sarah Kay can smell Grandma’s favorite flower, and they’re not even in bloom.

Sarah Kay and her best friend, Mary Jane, believe the lilacs are a sign from Grandma’s ghost. The girls follow one ghostly clue after another, uncovering a secret that Mom never wanted Sarah Kay to know.

Grandma makes sure Sarah Kay gets the message even from the grave. As the evidence piles up, Mom still refuses to accept the possibility Sarah Kay’s father is alive.

Sarah Kay finds Dad’s parents. A set of grandparents she didn’t realize existed. They make it clear her father is alive but days and miles separate the father and daughter reunion because Dad is a truck driver on a long haul.

Sarah Kay waits. The news reports a fatal car accident involving a semi and Sarah Kay fears the worse. She runs away which leads to Dad and the truth, Mom wanted Dad to remain dead.

Dad had faked his death so why not just stay dead. The ghostly clues of Grandma wouldn’t allow Dad to remain dead to Sarah Kay.

Oooh! Don't you just love this spooky cover.

 

 

Excerpt from Ghostly Clues

 

The house was blanketed in a quiet slumber. I snuggled under the sleeping bag with Allison, trying not to think about ghosts, as I drifted to sleep.

 

Random pictures floated in my mind like ghostly images.

 

I tiptoed among tombstones and my heart ached as if I had lost something or someone. He had to be here, somewhere. The gravestones rose like stone walls. No names engraved on them. No dates. No R.I.P. Nothing. Just smooth, flat stones. Ghosts—grayish, smoky forms with black eyes—floated over the tombstones. I shivered, suddenly cold, freezing. My breath visible like a little ghost. I didn’t want to look at the ghost anymore so I looked down at my feet. A tombstone with Grandma’s name appeared out of nowhere. The earth moved. The dirt around the headstone broke away and gnarled fingers clawed their way into the air, searching, grasping. Shriveled fingers clutched my leg.

Something grabbed at my leg—the hand, I screamed and frantically wiggled out of my sleeping bag, bumping MJ as I tried to get away from the hand I thought I felt grab at my leg.

Another Excerpt from Ghostly Clues showing her dream might be a memory

 

Anger toward Mom ripped through me because it was hard to understand why Mom didn’t want to talk about my dad. Was he that bad of a man? It seemed like Gramps didn’t like him. But Mom…I thought she loved him. I snuggled deep under the covers and closed my eyes and soon drifted to sleep.

 

Leaves of red, orange, and yellow swirled around me as I clutched my rag doll. Swirling faster, the colors blended together.

"Help," I cried. Leaves clung to my curly red hair.

Through a wall of leaves, a big, rough hand reached in and pulled me out. The hand belonged to a tall man with short red hair.

"Daddy, thank you!" I said, staring into his green eyes.

Daddy smiled down at me, then turned away.

"Daddy, where are you going?" I asked.

He turned around and knelt down on one knee to look me in the eyes. His eyes seemed to dance like fireflies on top of a pond .

"Sarah, I would never leave you," Daddy said.

He grabbed me up in his arms. "You’re my sweet, redheaded little doll."

We danced under the starlit sky with the leaves crunching and swaying under our feet.

 

I woke up with a warm fuzzy feeling and tried to curl back into my blankets to continue my dream about Dad, but my mind raced with questions. Did I have a father out there? Was he alive? If so, why hadn’t he made contact with me? Restlessness overtook my fuzzy feeling and even though it was only five in the morning, I stepped down the stairs to the kitchen to get something to drink.

 

Links

http://museituppublishing.com/bookstore2/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=527&category_id=144&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

www.kaylalone.weebly.com

www.kaylalone.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/ghostlyclues

https://twitter.com/kaylalone

book can be found on Amazon, goodreads, and smashwords.



FRIDAY FIRSTS

Another Friday. Where did the week go? So today, for Friday Firsts, what is the first book you remember reading or having read to you?

Maybe too many years have passed or maybe my memory is faulty, but I can't recall my parents reading to me or the first book I read. The only clue I have to my early reading is the card from Crockett School stating the books I read in first grade. The first book listed is We Look and See.

The first book I remember really loving is Gone With the Wind, and this was in high school. Then, I wasn't a reader. Too many other things occupied my time. Now, I read, read, read. Better late than never, they say.

How about you?

AN INTERVIEW WITH FINN FINNEGAN

Today, a most interesting young man and his mentor have agreed to answer some of my questions for their author's virtual book tour. You will meet these characters in Award Winning Author Darby Karchut's latest book, FINN FINNEGAN, scheduled for a March 12, 2013 release. So sit back, relax, and enjoy meeting two characters you will long remember.

 

 

INTERVIEW WITH FINN AND GIDEON

Hi, Finn and Gideon. Thank you for taking time from your busy day to stop by and tell us a little about yourselves.

Gideon: ‘Tis our pleasure, madam.

Finn: Yeah, thanks—I’ve never been to Texas before. So, is the whole state this flat?

Gideon: Finnegan MacCullen, just where are ye manners?

Finn: What? I was just asking—

Gideon: Please continue, Mrs. McClure.

FINN FINNEGAN is the first book in THE ADVENTURES OF FINN MACCULLEN series. I imagine your fans would like to know a little more about you; I know I would. So, you’re on.

1. What was your first impression of each other the day you met in Gideon’s front yard?

Finn: Bossy hardass.

Gideon: Mind yer tongue, boyo! Cheeky brat he was and still is.

2. What do you find the most difficult about the relationship of mentor and apprentice? The most pleasant?

Gideon: The boyo has quite a temper, so we tend to—

Finn: Look who’s talking.

Gideon: —tend to butt heads like a pair of billy goats. But watching him grow in strength and skill has been an unending joy for me.

Finn: Really? Wow. I would’ve never guessed that. For me, the best part is when we’re training or hunting and I do something right and Gideon gives me this look and says gle mhaith. It’s pronounced glay moth and it means well done or very good in Gaelic. I’m learning how to speak Gaelic, too. The worse part is that I have to keep a journal and write down everything I learn each day. Pain in the butt.

3. The Amandán are your enemies. Describe them and tell us how you know when they’re nearby.

Finn: Okay, try to imagine a green, hairy half-man, half-gorilla, with breath so bad it can peel bark off a tree, and a really bad temper and you’ve got the Amandán. They can disguise themselves as objects or people, but only for a short time. Luckily, crows show up to tell us when those goblins are around.

Gideon: The Amandán, also known as the Bog-born, have been our sworn enemies for centuries. Vicious, cunning, and able to kill with a touch of their hands on our face or heads, the beasties seek to annihilate all Tuatha De Danaan. According to an ancient legend, if they destroy our people, they can then return to Ireland. Crows, the ancient symbol of war, often arrive with a warning if the beasties are near. But not always – only short-lived hunters depend entirely on those trickster birds.

4. How do you hunt for the Amandán and what kind of training do you need to be able to catch or get rid of them?

Gideon: Lately, it seems that the beasties are hunting us. The number of attacks have increased greatly since Finn arrived. We generally spend an hour or so a day doing drills, such as knife work with a dummy, a bit of target practice, and fitness training. And soon, I’ll add boxing to Finn’s training.

Finn: He didn’t mention the most important thing when hunting: stick them with the sharp end of a bronze knife or dagger – bronze is the only thing that slows them down. The Amandán can’t be killed, but they do explode into a stinky pile of ash when stabbed with a bronze weapon. They reform after a few days and then are right back hunting us again.

5. When you aren’t hunting the Amandán or training to keep yourselves and others safe, what do you enjoy doing for fun?

Finn: Fun? We don’t have fun. We train and I do chores. That’s it. Every day. It’s like being in boot camp or living with a Marine or—

Gideon: Are ye through?

Finn: I guess so.

Gideon: To answer the question: for amusement, we train and Finn does chores.

6. Describe what living in Colorado is like. What’s your favorite thing about Colorado? Your least favorite?

Gideon: This land is beautiful; more rugged than Ireland, but beguiling in its own way. Everyday, I give thanks to the Goddess for the mountains and plains and the blue sky overhead. ‘Tis an expensive place to live, however.

Finn: I like the fact we live right next to the foothills of the Rockies. But Gideon’s right about the money—we don’t have a lot. Of anything.

7. Is it difficult keeping your special powers secret from your friends and neighbors who are normal humans?

Finn: Yeah. I have to remember not to do anything around Rafe or Savannah that might make them suspicious.

Gideon: ‘Tis not difficult at all. Ye simply do not have friends who are mortal. Finn? Are ye listening to me?

8. Without giving away the plot, has your opinion about each other changed from the day you met? If so, how?

Gideon: There is more to Finnegan MacCullen than I first suspected. I dinna know who and what he was until recently. I cannot say more.

Finn: Well, I guess. I mean, Gideon’s still really strict about everything. But sometimes, he kids around and plays jokes on me. It’s like he has two sides to him—aw, I can’t explain it right.

Thanks again, gentlemen, for giving us an insight into your lives. One question. Can you speed up the release date of GIDEON’S SPEAR?

Gideon: Why, that depends on the Powers That Be. But many thanks for opening yer home to us today.

Finn: Bye!

 

###

 

 

 

About the Author:

 

 

 

 

You’ve read and loved Spencer Hill Press’ YA books. Now Spencer Hill Press would like to introduce you to a book for your sons, daughters, younger siblings, friends, students and other Midgrade Readers. Finn Finnegan is an adventure story that will grip even reluctant readers with goblins, cool weapons, realistic parent/child relationships and subtle themes of responsibility, friendship and racism. Action and complex characters make it a great read for grownups, too. (Go on and try to tell me that Finn’s teacher, Gideon, doesn’t win you over.)

 

Darby is a 7th grade teacher at Cheyenne Mountain Junior High School in Colorado Springs (social studies). Her school is the 2012 Colorado Middle School of the Year, and was the runner up for the 2012 Middle School of the Year for the U.S. She’s available for radio, television and print interviews, as well as guest posts. Darby is also available for signings, readings and in-store events aimed at students with an interest in writing. 

 

Spencer Hill Press is offering a prize package to ONE winner throughout the tour that includes a copy of the book, a $25 Amazon gift card and Finn Finnegan themed temp tattoos.

 

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MTBiNjRkMDYwN2U2MWZjNzBmNmM4YWEwNTEyODI0OjQ=/

 Book notes:

Title: Finn Finnegan

Author: Darby Karchut

Publication Date: March 2013

Suggested age range: 10 & up

BISAC Category: Juvenile Fiction (Fantasy and Magic)

Pages: 200

ISBN: 978-1937053321 

 

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Happy Reading.



SARAH PLEYDELL'S BOOK TOUR

I am delighted to host Sarah Pleydell today on her virtual book tour.

A graduate of Oxford and London Universities, Sarah Pleydell is an award-winning writer, performer and playwright who teaches English and writing at the University of Maryland. For the past twenty years, she has been a master teaching artist and arts integration specialist, working with institutions that include The Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Luce Institute. In 2000, she won the American Association for Theatre Educators’ award for best book of the year with co-author Victoria Brown. Most recently she wrote the script and played the role of Isadora in Revolutionary: The Life and Times of Isadora Duncan with Word Dance Theater.

Based on her childhood in London, Cologne has been twenty years in the making. It has benefited from fellowships at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and input many generous and gifted writers.

 

COLOGNE



My writing sanctuary is the Jefferson Reading Room at the Library of Congress in Washington DC, with its ornate dome and heady, erudite atmosphere. This is where I squirelled myself away to compose the lion’s share of my novel, Cologne. Cologne is set in London in nineteen-sixty; however, it refers back and forth into the fifties and sixties  as well as to pre and post war England and Germany, and in particular to the Rhineland city of Cologne. Thus there was a lot territory to cover in my research. Fortunately, I had a designated shelf in the LC and could order up books with ease, but of course I had to locate and identify them first. There was the rub!

 

Much of the quotidian setting for nineteen fifties Britain derived from memory, as this was where I spent my childhood. Still I had to check for accuracy and contemporaneity. There was many a British icon I had to omit because the timing wasn’t quite right: for example, the Beatles!! I was just grateful I could still include Spike Milligan and Harry Secombe, two of my favorite comedians as well as “Come Dancing”, a television program I loved as a child. One area that required more information were the motorcars of the period, seeing as Jack Whitaker, my ante-hero, was so partial to a good-looking car!  I located an excellent manual and found myself fascinated by the specifics such as the Rudge Whitworth tires on the white Alvis Jack drives to Victoria Station to pick up the new  German au pair, Renate von Hasselmann.

 

Flowers and butterflies are the symbolic underpinning of the novel, so I had to be scrupulous as to when a species flowered or a butterfly pupa hatched; these details were not always easy to pin down.

 

My research into the city of Cologne was more extensive. I have never been to Germany let alone Koln  (as it is known in German with an umlaut over the ‘o’),  and there were slim pickings in the LC, especially if I wanted to read in English. I finally secured a travel guide from the nineteen sixties that I hoped I could extrapolate from. It had all the landmarks, street names as well as references to the museums and their significant cultural artifacts. My research turned up a painting  called the Virgin of the Roses, which was serendipitous given how important roses were to the novel.  Still incorporating all these details required a lot imaginative embellishment if I were to reinvent them to the post and pre war period. I still wish I had found out more. I also read up on the kinder transport, the trains that took Jewish children to Britain just before the war. I hoped I might include a reference to them, but in the end none was apt. I wish there had been an occasion as this material was so wrenching yet such a blessing  given the alternate fate awaiting these little ones. And the fate of children is such a pervasive theme in my own novel.

 

 

Cologne: A Novel Summary

London, 1960: Renate von Hasselmann, a nineteen-year-old German au pair, arrives at Victoria Station prepared to meet her new charges, Caroline and Maggie Whitaker. Yet she is ill-prepared for their parents: the mother, Helen, knows more about Nazi Germany than Renate does, and the father, Jack, disarms Renate with his quicksilver charm.

In Sarah Pleydell's debut novel, childhood and history collide, blurring the distinctions between victim and victor, ruin and redemption. With delicate humor, Pleydell presents a portrait of a family on the cusp of great social change, while reminding us that the traumas of war revisit the children of the peace.

 

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You can find the book at the following locations:

 

Prices/Formats: $14.95 paperback, $12.95 ebook, $6.47 ebook
ISBN: 9780984990856
Pages: 252
Release: September 18, 2012

Fuze Publishing paperback buy link: ($14.95)
http://fuzepublishing.com/books?fpcat=fiction-book

Amazon Kindle buy link: ($12.95)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009D7V06O?tag=tributebooks-20

Barnes&Noble.com Nook buy link: ($12.95)
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cologne-sarah-playdell/1112959139

Fuze Publishing ebook buy link: ($6.47)
http://fuze.directfrompublisher.com/catalog/book/cologne

Learn more about Sarah Pleydell:

 

Sarah Pleydell's Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/sarah.pleydell

Sarah Pleydell's Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6591278.Sarah_Playdell

Cologne: A Novel GoodReads page:http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16180035-cologne

Fuze Publishing's Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fuze-Publishing-LLC/297440248596

Fuze Publishing's Twitter:https://twitter.com/#!/fuzepublishing

Fuze Publishing's Website:http://www.fuzepublishing.com/

Fuze Publishing's Blog:
http://fuzepublishing.wordpress.com/

Cologne: A Novel Blog Tour Site:
http://cologneblogtour.blogspot.com/
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

 

Thank you for visiting with us today. Historical fiction is one of my favorite subjects. Your book sounds like one I would enjoy.

 

Happy Reading, Everyone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



FRIDAY FIRSTS

We have the Friday Five and other Friday topics, so I'm thinking of starting a Friday Firsts for us to write about our "first" whatevers. If that makes sense. It may work out; it may not. The main thing is to have fun. Is anyone else doing this? Anyway, please join in and have fun.

My Friday Firsts for today is my first publication. When I was in eighth grade, my English teacher sent my poem "Stars" to a high school anthology, and it was published in Young America Sings, National High School Poetry Association. At the time I wasn't interested in writing or becoming an author. It was a class assignment and I didn't want to flunk English. Here's my beginning:

STARS

 

I often lie awake at night,

Watching stars that are so bright.

They sparkle and twinkle in the cool night air,

And look like ladies with lovely golden hair.

You see the little dipper and the big dipper too,

Away up in the deep dark blue.

But then come the morning rays of light

And all the stars are gone until tonight.

 

Beverly Stowe - Zundelowitz Jr. H. S.

 

 

 

How about you? Do you have a first publication? Are you looking forward to a first publication? Did you write a story for your parents, your teacher, yourself? Share your first experience with writing.

 

 

Thank you.

 

Happy Reading

 

L. DIANE WOLFE'S NEW BOOK!

L. Diane Wolfe has a huge announcement to make, and I'm honored to help her spread the word. Her latest book came out February 5. It's one you don't want to miss. Here are the details.

HOW TO PUBLISH AND PROMOTE YOUR BOOK NOW!

By L. Diane Wolfe

 Publishing and promoting made simple!

 Have you always dreamed of publishing a book but didn’t know where to begin? This book walks you through the steps of identifying markets, budgeting, building an online presence, and generating publicity. Get the whole story on:

· Traditional publishing

· Self-publishing

· Print and e-book setup, formatting, and distribution

· Finding your target audience

· Generating reviews and media interest

· Networking and developing an online presence

· Promotional materials and appearances

 

Uncover your ideal publishing path and numerous marketing options before you begin. Writing is your dream. Give it the best chance for success!

 

Available February 5, 2012

Publishing/Marketing, 214 pages, Dancing Lemur Press LLC

$14.95 Trade paperback ISBN 978-0-9827139-5-2

$4.99 Ebook ISBN 978-0-9827139-9-0

 Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-publish-and-promote-your-book-now-l-diane-wolfe/1113516811

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/How-Publish-Promote-Your-Book/dp/0982713959/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359139094&sr=1-1&keywords=9780982713952

Amazon Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/Publish-Promote-Your-Book-ebook/dp/B00B8X5WEM/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1359715649&sr=1-8

 

“She gives an unbiased take on the advantages and disadvantages of traditional publishing and self-publishing and publishing paths that combine the two… It's the perfect book for those who want an overview to begin the decision-making process.”

- Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning series of how-to books for writers http://howtodoitfrugally.com/

 

“A must-read for writers planning on self-publishing or any writer who wants the ultimate how-to on promoting. Tons of links, advice, and how-to, whether you're going for print or e-publication.”

- Helen Ginger, author of Angel Sometimes http://helenginger.com/

 

My sites-

Blog - Spunk On A Stick’s Tips - http://circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com/

Website - Spunk On A Stick - http://www.spunkonastick.net/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/SpunkOnAStick

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/l.diane.wolfe

Short Bio-

Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the National Speakers Association and a motivational speaker. She’s conducted seminars on book publishing and promoting for five years and assisted writers through several author services. Her other titles include “Overcoming Obstacles With SPUNK!” which ties her goal-setting and leadership seminar’s information together, and a YA series, “The Circle of Friends.” Wolfe travels extensively for media interviews and speaking engagements, maintains a dozen websites & blogs, and contributes to several other sites and newsletters.

 

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Thanks, L. Diane, for letting us know about your book. It sounds like one all writers should have in their libraries.

 

This is one book that I definitely want to read. 

 

Happy Reading.

LESSON LEARNED

The title of this post says it all. Last week I checked my spam folder, the first time ever because I knew someone had left a comment, but it never showed up. Sure enough, there it was. Why it was considered spam I have no idea. There also were several others in the folder too, and from friends. Makes no sense to me. Anyhow, one went all the way back to May, 2012, and it was an award for me and an interview. So, my face redder than a strawberry, I emailed the kind lady and told her the story. Let me tell you, she was so nice and said I could go ahead and post the award. YAY. Here it is.

 

Thank you, Deirdra A. Eden

 

She designs the awards herself and has a lovely

blog you might want to visit to see some of her work.

 

 

 

www.astorybookworld.blogspot.com

 

 

Have a wonderful week.

 

Happy  Reading.

 

P. S. Watch for exciting news from L. Diane Wolfe on Wednesday.

 

Very Inspiring Blogger Award

I'm Myra Gibson and I'm posting for Beverly today. I just received The Very Inspiring Blogger's Award. Isn't that exciting. The award was given to me by Sarah, the main character in Melanie Robertson-King's novel A Shadow in the Past. Click here to visit Sarah's blog.

 

 

Now I must tell you 7 random facts about myself. Here goes.

 

1. My name is Myra and I'm the main character in Beverly's YA novel Life on Hold.

2. I'm sixteen and live with my fourteen-year-old sister, Rachel, my mother and my father. Well, er, that's not exactly right.

3. You see, I discovered something that changed my whole life. But I can't tell you here.

4. I'm in love with Jeremy, the sweetest, kindest boy I've ever met.

5. My best friends are Taffy and Cass and they're always there when I need a friend.

6. I try to be a good daughter, at least I did until I found out about the lies.

7. Does anyone tell the truth any more?

 

Enough about me. Now I'm to give this fabulous award to other deserving people. There are so many, but here are a few.

 

1. Susanne Drazic

 

2. L Diane Wolfe

 

3. Janet Smart

 

4. Darby Karchut

 

5. Maggie Lyons

 

6. Kai Strand

 

Visit these lovely blogs to see what they have to say and who they send the award to.

 

Have a wonderful weekend.

 

Happy Reading