Showing posts with label children's book. Show all posts
Showing posts with label children's book. Show all posts

Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, August 04, 2025
 
Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell

One of my favorite authors is back again with another blog tour. Raven Howell joins us again for a blog tour of her newest book Grandma Yogini. This book is perfect for kids (and parents) who like to embrace and promote the positive effects of community sharing and diversity. It’s also ideal for encouraging children concerning exercise and relaxation.

Join us as we celebrate the launch of her blog tour! We'll be interviewing Raven as well as giving away a copy of her book.

Before we get to that, here's more about her book:

Henry and his sister, Meredith can hardly wait for Grandma to arrive for a visit. But what should they expect? Among the children's diverse friends and their grandmothers who bake, create art, and speak Spanish, will Grandma be able to share something unique and fun with the kids?

Henry's fears are alleviated when, not long after arrival, they flutter like butterflies, slither like snakes, and enjoy other challenges of stretching their muscles and calming their minds. This is no run-of-the-mill grandma, and when it’s time for goodbye, the kids know this was the BEST grandma visit ever.

Publisher: Nymeria Publishing
ISBN-10: 8991699372
ISBN-13: 979-8991699372
Print Length: 30 pages

You can purchase a copy of Grandma Yogini on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. Make sure you also add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Raven Howell

Raven Howell

Raven Howell is an award-winning children’s book author. She works as a writer, journalist, columnist, poet, and publishing advisor. Raven's work is featured in magazines including Story Monsters Ink, Ladybug, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and The School Magazine.

Her books have won several awards, including Excellence in Children's Literature, Creative Child Magazine's Best Children's Book, Mom's Choice Award, and the NYC Big Book Award. She writes preschool storybooks for educational publishers worldwide. 

Raven enjoys library and school visits and has been practicing yoga for over four decades.

You can find her online at:


-- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Congrats on your new book, Grandma Yogini! What inspired your graphic picture book? 

Raven: The stress level in our society can run high these days. Yoga is a wonderful tool to calm down and relax, while at the same time, a terrific exercise for strength, flexibility and balance. I was inspired to share a practice that’s both fun and healing with kids of all ages.

The concept of introducing yoga to children is written in an accessible and playful way. It was terrific to support that angle with other themes regarding family, community, sharing and love.

WOW: I love that. This is such a charming picture book to help children learn the benefits of exercise and diversity. Why are those such important lessons to learn? 

Raven: It's valuable to learn the benefits and practice of yoga to balance the heavy focus these days on having our noses in our phones or eyes on computer screens. I hope Grandma Yogini motivates kids to try something different. 

Yoga can be practiced either alone or with others, and promotes clarity and harmony. So while internet surfing, hours spent texting or on social media can cause brain fuzz, yoga instigates the opposite. 

Another super advantage is its suitability to offer health and wholeness for anyone- both males and females, young and old, and for any ethnic background. It incites an atmosphere of oneness not only in our neighborhoods and around the world, but in our hearts.

Raven Howell

WOW: You are absolutely right. If I was to aspire to any level of writing success, you represent my dream. What have you learned along the way that you can share with others on how to keep going during the ups and downs of writing? 

Raven: It’s easy to get trapped in old beliefs about “ups and downs.” First, be aware of how you’ve judged “ups and downs.” What does a “down” mean for you? If you’re feeling bummed, change your perspective. For instance, if a writer feels that not being inspired by a new idea for 6 months is a “down,” then that’s exactly how it will be experienced. Yuck! But if you look at it from another angle, you can discover you may have needed those 6 months to cultivate or experience something else. Trust in that. Trust in the universal flow. Be kind to yourself and your writing and writing habits. Be honest and look with gentleness. During that “down” period, maybe it allowed you the time to sort out several projects, or take a writing course you were curious about. 

Dive deeper and you’ll uncover how you were inspired in other ways. You might find that although you weren’t motivated to write for 6 months, you were inspired to build a darn good-looking bird house for your yard. Maybe you were inspired to pull out and finish kitting a scarf you had started years back. Ha! And then, as things start to clear for you and you see the abundance in everything, you may find your next book idea involves building bird houses or writing an article about knitting!

The “ups” are celebrations and come in many forms, like abundance in the form of financial support, a surprising award or an upbeat critique. Bottom line? It’s ALL good, so keep going!

WOW: You gave me such a great perspective on that. How did you come to enjoy yoga? Have you enjoyed it for a while or was it a newly discovered love? 

Raven: I began practicing yoga in my teen years. It wasn’t very popular at that time and was considered a bit off the beaten path, but I always enjoyed both the exercise and mindfulness. And the ultimate goal of aligning with one’s serene center was alluring to me. 

I still practice yoga daily. It keeps me tuned up and is a great reminder to move to my heart center when the world’s vibe is a little frantic. 

WOW: That's amazing. It must be so rewarding to visit children in classrooms to talk about your books. What do those visits teach you about yourself, your characters, and/or your readers? 

Raven: There are a couple of books I’ve had published in the past few years that are frequently requested for story time in classrooms and libraries. I’ve learned that some characters just tend to particularly connect with children more than others (a cute mouse who is learning to count!), and some topics remain classic favorites (trucks!).

Author visits are the best part of my career as a writer. The time spent with students or kids - reading, singing, and creating arts & crafts - makes me feel as if I’m living a charmed life. I’m grateful for their wonderment, curiosity, and openness to possibilities. Those are guaranteed gifts children always offer.

WOW: What a blessing that must be! Thank you so much for joining us today, and for joining WOW again for your blog tour.

Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell Blog Tour

-- Blog Tour Calendar

August 4 @ The Muffin
Join us at WOW! Women on Writing as we celebrate the launch of Raven Howell's newest children's book Grandma Yogini. Read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book.

August 8 @ FanFiAddict
Visit Isabelle's blog for her review of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell.

August 10 @ Boys' Mom Reads!
Visit Karen's blog for her review of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell.

August 11 @ Tracey Lampley's Blog
Join Tracey for a guest post by Raven Howell about the connection between yoga and spirituality.

August 14 @ School Librarian in Action
Visit Zarah's blog for her review of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell. You'll also have a chance to read Jodi's response to our tour-themed prompt.

August 14 @ Words by Webb
Visit Jodi's blog for her review of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell. You'll also have a chance to read Jodi's response to our tour-themed prompt.

August 15 @ A Storybook World
Visit Deirdra's blog for her spotlight of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell.

August 15 @ Musings of a Literary Wanderer
Join Angela's blog for her review of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell.

August 17 @ World of My Imagination
Visit Nicole's blog for a guest post by Raven Howell on how to make your own stress balls.

August 18 @ A Wonderful World of Books
Stop by Joy's blog for her review of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell. 

August 23 @ Sarandipity
Join Sara for a guest post by Raven Howell on how to make a Yogi gift bag – a perfect present any time of year.

August 25 @ Chapter Break
Stop by Julie's blog for her review of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell. You can also read a guest post by Raven Howell on how yoga benefits us at various ages – from kids to grandparents.

August 27 @ Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
Visit Lisa's blog for an interview with Raven Howell about her book Grandma Yogini.

August 28 @ The Faerie Review
Visit Lily's blog for her spotlight of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell.

September 1 @ Just Katherine
Visit Katherine's blog for her review of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell. You'll also have a chance to read Katherine's response to our tour-themed prompt.

September 3 @ Word Magic
Visit Fiona's blog for a guest post by Raven Howell on her favorite post-yoga snacks.

September 3 @ Book Bunnies
Visit the Book Bunnies blog for a review by Caramel of Grandma Yogini.

September 4 @ Jill Sheet's blog
Visit Jill's blog for an interview with Raven Howell about her and her book Grandma Yogini.

September 5 @ Leslie's Blog
Join Leslie for her review of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell. You'll also have a chance to read Leslie's response to our tour-themed prompt.

September 5 @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog for a guest post by Raven Howell on how to practice yoga at home, outside of a yoga studio.

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a copy of Grandma Yogini by Raven Howell! Fill out the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win. The giveaway ends August 17th at 11:59 CT. We will choose a winner the next day and announce it in the Rafflecopter widget as well as follow up via email. Good luck!

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Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell: Blog Tour & Giveaway

Monday, September 11, 2023

 


Just in time for the holiday season, author Raven Howell joins us again for another fun blog tour. Her book Santa's Slip Up is perfect for a young reader interested in a bit of spookiness, mystery, and humor. Continue reading to find out more about the author and her book. Plus, you'll have a chance to win a copy for yourself.

First, here's a bit more about the book:

It’s the night of Halloween. Spooks, spiders, and skeletons abound, the full moon glows – so who is cheering, “Ho, ho, ho!”? Apparently, Santa Claus has come to town, though it’s the wrong time of year! But what could be a bad situation, is wittingly handled with humor, and there’s a new winner at this year’s Halloween parade.

For fans of Room on the Broom and The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything.

Publisher: Pen It Publishing
ISBN-10: 1639844635
ISBN-12: 978-1639844630
Print Length: 38 pages

Purchase your copy of Santa's Slip Up on Amazon, Bookshop.org, or Barnes and Noble. You can also add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Raven Howell

Raven Howell writes stories and poetry for children. Having published several award-winning picture books, she enjoys sharing her love of literature by visiting classrooms and libraries. Raven is Creative & Publishing Advisor for Red Clover Reader, Poetry Director for Monster Magnificent, and writes The Book Bug column for Story Monsters Ink magazine. Her poems are found in children’s magazines such as Ladybug, Spider, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty, and Hello Magazine. She’s a Collaborating Author for Reading is Fundamental SoCal and writes storybooks for Reading Gate.

You can find her online at:

https://www.ravenhowell.com
https://twitter.com/atpearthkeeper
https://www.instagram.com/atpearthkeeper/
https://www.facebook.com/raven.howell.75/
https://www.facebook.com/RavenHowellAuthorandPoetPage/
https://www.pinterest.com/pickward/_saved/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/raven-howell-5a813015b/
https://www.tiktok.com/@ravenhowell22

--- Interview by Nicole Pyles

WOW: Thank you for joining us again for another blog tour! Congratulations on your book, Santa's Slip Up. What inspired you to write it?

Raven: Thank you! Originally, one of my publishers was requesting I write a Christmas-oriented story. I started considering not only Christmas, but other holidays. One morning, on an early dawn mountain hike, I thought, what if one symbolic figure from a holiday got mixed up in another holiday?! That kind of story could be really fun to write and read! 

WOW: It's such a brilliant idea! Why do you think children will enjoy this book?

Raven: Growing up, and still to this day, I find there’s something about mystery and spookiness that’s enticing! There’s an adrenaline rush—getting creeped out, but not too much. Ultimately, kids love to be scared!

In Santa’s Slip Up, children can navigate the Halloween plot using their problem-solving capabilities. The reader meets bump in the night creatures and knows something is not right. As Halloween creepies are encountered, it appears they can be eliminated as the cause of some yet unknown mischief...but can we be sure? 

When the reader learns that anyone can make a mistake—and that it’s perfectly fine to do so—it’s great for a child to discover that seeming desperate situations can almost always be turned around with humor and light-heartedness. 

WOW: I love the combination of play with an important lesson. You have such a way of choosing words that capture the sight and sound of the pictures. Can you share insights in your writing process to achieve such beautiful imagery in your words?

Raven: I’m glad that the words in the story are captured in the pictures—that’s a credit to Savannah Horton, the book’s illustrator. She had the text I wrote to create from. 

In the book, there are many Halloween characters the reader encounters. I wanted to explore as many curious ones I could come up with, and kept jotting them down in my notepad as they popped into my imagination. 

First, you have to include the black cat, right? It’s such a wonderful Halloween icon, like a witch. I added ghosts, and ghouls, and I know it freaks some people out, but the scary clown just had to make it into the storyline. Ha! 

As the narrative grew, my goal was to also capture that time of year where the leaves are brown and crunchy and tumbling about in a cool breeze. The moon shines brighter among bare treetops and you start hearing strange autumn sounds in the evenings. Skeletons are creaky, their bones clanking. Owls have that haunting hoot they echo, and let’s face it—zombies “ramble and twitch.” That helped determine the imagery.

WOW: I love the insights into your process. You are an incredibly prolific children's author. For those who desire to write picture books but don't know where to begin, what advice do you have?

Raven: Make sure when ideas come to you, write them down immediately. That’s so important to do as a starting point. Are you riding the subway and suddenly think of a great story about a child moving to the big city? Maybe you’re relaxing at the beach on vacation, and you’re inspired by the seagulls, and come up with a funny plot about two gulls fighting over a sandwich. Then write it down somewhere, somehow, even if that’s on your phone’s Note app (what I do a lot!) or with a pen on the back of a napkin you have in your handbag.

When you’ve written down your idea, start flushing it out. You need an exciting or enticing intro, characters need development, environment needs explaining and if it’s non-fiction, get your facts straight and do lots of research. Figure out your angle. Is it going somewhere? If the writing of it becomes too tedious, put it aside and try working on it later, or choose another idea.

As you’re moving forward, figuring things out, don’t hesitate to ask others lots of questions—from librarians to other published authors. And keep writing, even if it’s irrelevant to your picture book. Just writing, in and of itself, instigates more writing and is helpful in so many ways you may not be aware of.

WOW: Excellent tips! How do you know when you've written a picture book that will resonate with children?

Raven: As an author, it’s impossible to predict how your book will be perceived and resonate with readers ahead of its release to the public. I’ve been writing full time as a children’s author in various formats for three decades now. The children I wrote for in 1999 are not the children, the generation of children, I write for today. The world moves forward in social, economic, environmental, technological—in all—ways. It’s a matter of adjusting to what’s relevant today. I think THAT’S what I find resonates with children. For instance, STEM activities associated with stories and books are popular now. That wasn’t a prominent aspect back in the 90s. 

I have two older books that were out of print, and in the past couple of years I updated them—both the text and illustrations, to be befitting to today’s elementary classrooms and to what’s popular in libraries. And it worked! Both books were picked up for publication, published, and are a popular request in my story times now (the books are Spin a Circle and Seasons).

WOW: That's amazing how you learned how to update your books with the times! What are you working on next that you can tell us about?

Raven: I’ll be busy in children’s fairs, schools, and libraries, reading and sharing my books and activities with students this fall and winter. I have several new upcoming releases: Pinkies Up, The Charms of U.S. Farms, and Loved. They are all very different. One is about a whimsical tea party gone wild, another is about a class trip to local farms and the interesting things the students experience and find out about, and Loved shares the unconditional love between parent and child in prose. 

The best part of being a children’s author for me is truly connecting with the children themselves. And giving a reader a smile.

WOW: You always do, too! Thank you for joining us again! I hope you enjoy the tour.

Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell Blog Tour

--- Blog Tour Calendar

September 11th @ The Muffin
Join us at WOW as we celebrate the launch of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. Get to know more about the author in our interview with her and enter for a chance to win a copy of the book.

September 11th @ Word Magic
Visit Fiona's blog for a guest post by Raven Howell about black cats. Are they really evil or is it all a myth? Find out! (Fun fact: the author owns one!)

September 12th @ One Writer's Journey
Sue shares a guest post by Raven Howell about the story behind the song "Monster Mash" being too morbid for the radio at first. Don't miss this fascinating post!

September 13th @ Barbara Barth's Art & Words
Join Barbara for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. This is a fun children's book you don't want to miss!

September 15th @ One Writer's Journey
Join Sue again for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. You'll love hearing about this charming children's book!

September 17th @ A Wonderful World of Books
Visit Joy's blog for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. You can also enter to win a copy of the book too.

September 18th @ Rockin' Book Reviews
Join Lu Ann for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. You can also win a copy of the book.

September 20th @ AJ Kormon's blog
Visit AJ Kormon's blog for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. You'll want to add this book to your reading list.

September 20th @ Choices
Visit Madeline's blog for a guest post by Raven Howell about the tricks of the trade writing rhyme.

September 22nd @ Chapter Break
Come by Julie's blog for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. You'll also have a chance to win a copy for yourself.

September 24th @ Seaside Book Reviews
Don't miss Jilleen's book review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell.

September 25th @ What is That Book About
Visit Michelle's blog to read an excerpt from Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell.

September 26th @ A Storybook World
Join Deirdra for her spotlight of Santa's Slip Up. Don't miss this charming book!

September 28th @ Knotty Needle
Don't miss Judy's review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. You'll love this charming children's book!

October 1st @ Chatty Patty's Place
Join Patty for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. You'll also have the chance to win a copy for yourself, too.

October 3rd @ Writer Advice
Visit Lynn's site for a guest post by Raven Howell about the one thing romance, crime, and religion all have in common (hint: they are the most popular book genre!).

October 5th @ Pick a Good Book
Join Debbie for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. A must-read book for the spooky season!

October 8th @ Jill Sheets' blog
Visit Jill's blog for her interview with author Raven Howell, author of Santa's Slip Up.

October 10th @ Pages and Paws
Visit Kristine's blog for a yummy guest post by Raven Howell that features delicious monster cookies. They are a must-have for the upcoming spooky season!

October 12th @ World of My Imagination
Join Nicole for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell. You can also win a copy of the book!

October 15th @ Jill Sheet's blog
Visit Jill's blog for her review of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell.

***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a copy of Santa's Slip Up by Raven Howell! Fill out the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win. The giveaway ends September 25th at 11:59 PM CT. We will randomly choose a winner the next day and announce in the Rafflecopter form and follow up via email. Good luck!

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Book Giveaway: The Right Address by Patricia Gable

Monday, March 21, 2022
It's always exciting news when a WOW member's book gets published. What's even more exciting is Patricia Gable's middle-grade novel, The Right Address, was born from a novel writing course led by WOW's managing editor, Margo L. Dill. And today, you have a chance to win a copy!
 
Here's a little bit about this heart warming book:
 
"This book made me laugh and cry. Willie is comical and he softens the drama the children are going through. I'm sending it to my granddaughter." - Andrea McDonald
 
Annie hears that her foster parents are going to send her little brother, Willie, to another foster home. She can't let that happen! She devises a plan for the two of them to run away in the middle of a wintry night. That's when the adventure begins! 
 
Annie is the protective sister and Willie is bold and comical. They meet new friends and find places to sleep and eat. But how long can they last in the winter weather? And who is the strange man watching them? 
 
When they are given a card with only an address written on it, will this be the break they need or will it spell disaster?
 
"I read this in paperback. The children are adorable and brave. They go through so much. I was surprised to find out how the strange man was helping. I won’t give it away. Good read." - Maggie White 
 
Publisher: Booklocker (November 2021)
Paperback: 124 pages
ISBN-10: 1647198755
ISBN-13: 978-1647198756 
 
The Right Address is available for purchase in print and as an ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org.  

About Patricia Gable:
 
My dad was always writing something—poetry, letters and even letters to the editor of newspapers. He drilled me on vocabulary words. I still have a handwritten letter from my dad that he sent to Grandma and Grandpa during the war when he was in the Navy in the Pacific. Because of all of this, I began writing when I retired from twenty-six years of teaching. I’ve written over 300 short stories for children, nonfiction articles for an educational website, flash fiction, and finally, I have written my first novel for middle grade children.
 
I am currently working on the second in this series. It is called THE RIGHT CHOICE. Will there be a guardian angel helping Christopher make the right choice?
 
My family has lived in Ohio, Michigan and Chihuahua, Mexico. Currently we live in beautiful Arizona.
 
Visit Patricia's website at www.patriciag.net. 


***** BOOK GIVEAWAY *****

Enter to win a print copy of The Right Address, a middle-grade novel by Patricia Gable! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below. The giveaway ends April 3rd at 11:59 pm CT. We will announce the winner the next day in the Rafflecopter widget and follow up via email. Good luck!

 
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Book Review of Finding My Place: One Girl's Strength at Vicksburg (American Civil War Adventure) By Margo Dill

Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Five Star Review by Carmen Jeanne Otto (eight-years-old)

Anna was a really good character and she is trustworthy and thoughtful. She was always worried about her sister and brother. I thought a lot about journaling after reading Finding My Place: One Girl's Strength at Vicksburg. If my mom died at a young age and had us, I would write down all the stuff I usually talk to her about and I would be really sad. I think it must have been hard for Anna. She is really strong; I admire her.

This book really kept my interest and I enjoyed reading it. Sometimes it was happy and sometimes sad, I really enjoyed the ups and downs. If I could ask the author, Margo Dill, any questions at all, I Would ask how she picked the title and then I would tell her how pretty the cover is. I would definitely tell my friends they should read Finding My Place.

Book Summary:

The civilian side of the war is shown from a young girl's viewpoint.

Thirteen-year-old Anna Green can hardly remember life before the War Between the States touched her hometown of Vicksburg, Mississippi. for 47 days in May, June, and July 1863, the Union army bombs Vicksburg day and night, attempting to overtake the city. Anna longs for the days before Yankee bombs screeched above her, before her family was torn apart, and before they moved to a dark, damp cave to protect themselves from falling shells. During one terrible bombing, a tragedy strikes Anna and her siblings and changes their lives forever. Can Anna find the strength to keep her family together in the midst of war?

Paperback: 202 pages
Publisher: White Mane Publishing Co. (October 2012)
ISBN-10: 1572494085
ISBN-13: 978-1572494084


About the author:

Hi! I’m Margo L. Dill, a children’s author, freelance editor, speaker, and writing teacher and coach. I am so happy you made it to my site! Here’s a little bit about me:

I am the author of three books for kids 3 to 18. They are:

• Maggie Mae, Detective Extraordinaire: The Case of the Missing Cookies (Guardian Angel Publishing, August 2014): Picture book about a young girl who solves her grandma’s missing cookies case by finding clues, interviewing suspects & setting a trap.

• Finding My Place: One Girl’s Strength at Vicksburg (White Mane Kinds, October 2012): Middle-grade novel about a 13-year-old girl who survives with her family during the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863 (Mississippi).

• Caught Between Two Curses (Rocking Horse Publishing, March 2014): Young adult novel about 17-year-old Julie Nigelson who is caught between a deadly curse on her family and the curse on the Chicago Cubs.

Besides these books, I’ve also been published in magazines, newspapers and anthologies, and I continue to write a weekly review column for The News-Gazette in Champaign, IL. I also blog on Tuesdays at The Lit Ladies blog and about three times a month at The Muffin at WOW! Women On Writing.

I am also a writing teacher for WOW! Women On Writing, where I teach novel writing and writing for children. You can check out those classes here. If you are in the St. Louis/St. Charles, Missouri area, I teach adult education novel writing courses for St. Charles School District Adult Education, which you can check out here. (Click on WRITING, and these classes are listed under my married name, Balinski.) I’ve done numerous workshops and reading nights around Missouri and Illinois for students, teachers, writers and community groups. To find out more about my speaking, please click on the speaking link above.

Besides speaking and writing, I am also an editor with my own business, Editor 911. I do work for both businesses and individual authors, focusing on copy editing, copy writing, proofreading and ghost writing.

This all keeps me pretty busy, but I also enjoy being a mom, the Missouri SCBWI webmaster, and a member of a MOPS Steering Team in St. Louis. I love reading, walking, playing with my dog, touring around St. Louis with my family, eating out, going to the movies and playing outside.

Find out more by visiting Margo online at: http://margodill.com/

Photo Courtesy of Olivia Brey of Oh! Photography
Today's Reviewer Bio:

Carmen just turned eight years old and lives on a dairy farm. She has over 200 animals on her farm. She has three siblings in her house: Andre (7), Breccan (1), and Delphine (2 months). Her parents are Mark and Crystal Otto. Carmen helps her mom with book and product reviews and you can find her blogging at Bring On Lemons (she would also like to add that the money her mom is paying her to write this book review will go directly into her savings account).
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Book Review and Author Interview Maggie Mae, Detective Extraordinaire: The Case of the Missing Cookies by Margo Dill

Saturday, October 11, 2014
Book Review by Andre Nicholas Casavant-Otto

My mom and I read Maggie Mae, Detective Extraordinaire: The Case of the Missing Cookies by Margo Dill. It was a fun book to read and my mom bought a copy for my school so my friends can read it. The pictures went great with the words! It was a good story with a surprise ending and I like stories about cookies. I hope Margo Dill shares her snicker doodle cookie recipe so I can make them. I want my friends to read Maggie Mae, Detective Extraordinaire: The Case of the Missing Cookies.

Amazon Link: http://www.amazon.com/Maggie-Mae-Detective-Extraordinaire-Missing/dp/1616335262


Official Book Summary: Maggie Mae, detective extraordinaire, is on the case of who stole her grandma's super-duper snickerdoodles. With her detective's badge and notebook, she finds clues, interviews suspects, and sets a trap. Who did it--Grandpa, her brother Ben, or Toby the dog? Finally, she reveals the culprits and saves the cookies. Suggested age range for readers: 4-8

Interview by Andre Nicholas Casavant-Otto

 Andre: I like the name Maggie Mae; where did it come from?

Margo: This is based on a true story of something that happened to my grandma when I was a little girl. I didn't want to use my name, so I came up with a name that sounded like mine and that was fun to read. I like that both names start with M.

Andre: I like the M too! Are you going to write more books?

Margo: I am! Thanks for asking. I hope to write another Maggie Mae book, and I have one picture book about a boy or girl (I can't decide which--what do you think?) who gets some money and wants to buy toys right away. But he/she already has so many toys that they can barely fit in his/her room. So, what should he do with this money? It's a fun book but also one that I think a lot of kids can understand.

Andre: I like to save my money in my piggy bank.

 Do you have kids? Did they help write Maggie Mae?

Margo: I have two kids. My daughter is almost 4 years old at the end of October and she is going to be Elsa from Frozen for Halloween! My stepson Logan is 13 and in 8th grade. He is almost taller than me! He loves soccer and video games. They don't love to help me write--that's Mom's job.

Andre: Thank you Margo!

More about Margo Dill
Margo L. Dill is a children's author, freelance editor, and workshop leader, living in St. Louis, MO.
She has three books: Maggie Mae, Detective Extraordinaire: The Case of the Missing Cookies (ages 3 to 8), Finding My Place: One Girl's Strength in Vicksburg (ages 9 to 12), and Caught Between Two Curses (14 and up). She also teaches writing classes for WOW!, St. Charles School District Adult Education, and UMSL's Write Stuff program. You can find out more at http://margodill.com/blog/ .

Snickerdoodle Recipe
Margo wasn’t able to share her snickerdoodle recipe because she follows her mother’s recipe which is top secret, but here’s one Andre is going to be making VERY soon:
1 ½ cups sugar
1 cup softened butter (salted is fine)
2 farm fresh eggs
2 ¾ cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt (omit if you used salted butter)
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix 1 ½ cups sugar, butter, and eggs in a large bowl. Slowly add dry ingredients (flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt if applicable). Mix thoroughly but do not over mix. Shape dough into balls and set aside. In a small bowl mix ½ cup sugar and cinnamon. Roll the balls in the sugar/cinnamon mixture and place them approximately 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9 minutes before removing from the oven. Let them cool on brown paper sack or cooling rack. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Oh! Photography
Andre is the son of WOW!’s Blog Tour Manager Crystal Otto. Andre is a musician who enjoys singing and drumming, a football player, baseball player, and competitive swimmer. He is a first grader in Mrs. Endries class at Valders Elementary School. He lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with his Mom Crystal, Dad Mark, older sister Carmen (7) and little brother Breccan (1), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 200 Holsteins. You can find Andre helping mom blog and reviewing books/products/places: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/ .


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Interview with Kathy Carniero; Author, Publisher, and So Much More!

Monday, June 02, 2014

Eric Trant, an author who did a blog tour awhile back passed my name along to a friend. I was a little surprised with her friend request on social media, but after a few messages, I can’t wait to introduce all my WOW! Friends to my new author friend Kathy Carniero. Thank you to Eric for this fabulous introduction and thank you Kathy for reaching out to me. Kathy is an author and publisher whose stories will delight the young and young at heart!

Interview by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto

WOW!: Kathy, I’m so glad Eric introduced us! Thank you for connecting with me and sharing your story. An even bigger thank you for sharing it with WOW! Women on Writing!

What made you want to write a children’s book?

Kathy: I got the idea to write the children’s series from watching my own children grow and learn about life. Children are faced with many challenges while growing up and parents often struggle with ways to talk about these challenges with their kids. I learned from my kids when faced with a challenge if I have something to read to them they then feel more comfortable talking about the situation and coming up with a solution. The D series of The Cann Family books cover any life challenges that start with the letter D that our children may go through. Together if we can teach them about life, struggles and solutions at a young age we will be embedding a foundation for when they are adults.

WOW!: I totally agree about learning from your kids; it’s amazing to watch yourself grow right along with them.
Who has been your biggest supporter with writing (and I hope I’m not spoiling things when I expand on the question and ask who has been your supporter when it comes to starting your own publishing company)?

Kathy: My biggest supporters for my book and my publishing company has been my family. My mom being proud of me and being involved has pushed me to strive. My husband having the patience to allow me to work hard and giving me the time I need to promote my book and build my publishing company. My kids because every day they remind me why I am doing this and how it will help guide them through life. My 2 oldest love helping me create the stories and characters for the Cann Family books. They enjoy the stories and always relate back to them

WOW!: It truly is a family affair; I love it!!
Now – for the tough question: in today’s world of publishing, self-publishing, small press, etc… what sets your publishing company apart? Why should an author choose you?

Kathy: My publishing company is called Live Love Learn Books Publishing. I focus primarily on the authors needs to allow them to become successful authors and entrepreneurs. I offer customized packages and work personally with the author through the publishing process.
I believe any author should choose my company for their publishing needs because I understand the needs and wants of this industry. I believe building relationships and helping my authors succeed.

WOW: I’m sure authors appreciate your understanding and relationship building; you really have a gift for connecting!
Speaking of gifts, what was the biggest gift or challenge in working with your mother on a literary project?

Kathy: The biggest gift while working with my mom on this project is seeing the smiles and laughter on the kids’ faces after knowing all the hard work and time we have put into it.
The ability to take my idea, create a story and then watch my mom paint the illustrations to make the characters come to life is incredible!

WOW: Your characters really came to life at our house and we talk about the Cann family regularly while choosing foods at the grocery store as well as planning meals.
What advice (other than healthy eating) would you give someone looking to publish a children's book?

Kathy: If you are wanting to publish a children’s book my best advice is to choose a publisher that understands what you want to achieve. Remember, writing is not only about conquering your dreams, it is about starting your business as an author.


Author Bio
Kathy Carniero was born in 1983 in Amarillo, TX.
She now lives in a small town outside Dallas, TX.
Kathy has always set herself apart from others by challenging herself with new ideas and striving as an entrepreneur. She has successfully built her hairstylist business and has helped her husband grow his lawn and landscape company. She published her first non- fiction book in 2013 and is now launching her children’s series along with her publishing company.
Kathy has been accompanied through these journeys by her husband and their 3 kids
Kathy knows how hard life can be and while being faced with many challenges it has given her the strength and ability to want to work hard.
Writing books that offer solutions for families and creating a publishing company that will help conquer the dreams for other authors is her passion.

How to connect with Kathy:
www.Thecannfamily.com
www.Ontheoutsidelookingin.net
www.Livelovelearnbooks.com
https://twitter.com/KathyCarniero
https://facebook.com/kathy.piersoncarniero

Crystal is a church musician, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, three young children (Carmen 7, Andre 6, Breccan 8 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, and over 200 Holsteins. You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books and all sorts of other stuff at: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/

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Why Does Point of View Matter?

Thursday, February 23, 2012
by raramaurina www.flickr.com
A very common mistake writers make in their first drafts is to head hop, or change point of view, between the characters in a scene. This is usually not done on purpose. Here’s an example:

Eleanor wondered what could possibly be in Harold’s box. “That’s a really small container. I thought you were bringing all your old office supplies.”

“I am,” Harold said, laughing to himself. Eleanor was such a busybody. He would teach her to mind her own business.

“So, this is some kind of joke, then?” She asked, knowing Harold didn’t have a very good sense of humor.

In this scene, we are clearly in the minds of both characters. The scene has more than one point of view.

So, isn’t this omniscient point of view then? Can’t the narrator know what both characters are thinking? Some may argue yes. But omniscient point of view isn’t used much today; and when used properly, it has to sound all knowing—the narrator has to know everything about everyone. That’s not happening in this short scene. There’s definitely head-hopping going on.

Why does it matter?
Readers want to connect with the main character in a story. One of the best ways for writers to accomplish this connection is to reveal his or her thoughts and feelings—not just action and dialogue. Most readers love character-driven novels, so writers should strive to create a character that readers want to follow through an entire novel. Filter the story through this character’s eyes, so readers experience life like him or her.

How do you fix head-hopping?
To fix the above scene, pick a point of view character and filter everything through that character’s eyes and mind. Pretend to be that character. You know you can’t read another person’s mind. You can only recognize body language, tone of voice, and dialogue. Your characters are the same way. So, try this:

Eleanor wondered what could possibly be in the box Harold carried. “That’s a really small container. I thought you were bringing all your old office supplies.”

“I am.” Harold smirked and shook the box.

“So, this is some kind of joke, then?” She asked, knowing Harold didn’t have a very good sense of humor.

He almost glared at her, and Eleanor shuddered. Maybe he doesn’t like me very much, she thought.

I revealed the same information about Harold and Eleanor in the second example as I did in the first. The difference is in the second one, the reader learns about both characters through Eleanor’s point of view. The second scene also gives readers a different opinion of Harold because they can’t see inside his mind. But thet probably have a stronger connection with Eleanor.

Can you have multiple points of view?
You can have multiple points of view, but these should be done on purpose and in different scenes. For example, when James Patterson writes his Alex Cross series, he often has a chapter in the killer’s point of view and then a chapter in Alex Cross’s point of view. The switching is organized and purposeful—not random or accidental.

Point of view does matter. If you are reading a scene and something seems off, look to see if you have a point of view problem.


Margo is teaching a new class for WOW, "Advanced Class: Writing a Middle-Grade Novel Part 2." This class is for anyone wanting to write a middle-grade novel and has at least three chapters completed. Many first draft issues are tackled, such as point of view switches. For more information, check out the class listing here. 


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Infinity Publishing: Examining the Author/Self-Publisher Relationship

Thursday, February 09, 2012
Welcome, Muffin readers! We have an interesting interview today with these two ladies. We're interviewing Author Advocate, Laura Pici, with Infinity Publishing and author, Katherine Blanc, who used Infinity for her book. According to their website, Infinity Publishing has been the leading innovator in print-on-demand book publishing since 1997. They have worked with over 4,800 authors and published over 6,000 titles. We hope this interview will shed some light on a company that may be a great choice for you if you are considering self-publishing.

Also, Infinity Publishing has created a special deal for WOW! readers. They are giving away $319 in FREE services with the purchase of our special WOW! Women On Writing publishing packages, which starts at $1097. Infinity Publishing is offering a package that includes publishing your book, e-book conversion, extended distribution, fifteen extra printed copies, a guest blogging opportunity, a marketing consultation, and marketing materials. This offer expires at midnight, February 29, 2012. If your book is not yet ready to publish, just submit the signed agreement by February 29, 2012, and you have until April 30, 2012 to submit your manuscript. Now, on to the interview.

Katherine Blanc
WOW: Welcome, ladies. We are so excited to have you here today! If you could each share a two to three sentence bio with us, just to give us a bit of your background before we get started, that would be super.

Laura: I started at Infinity nearly five years ago and have worked with over one thousand authors at all stages of the publishing process. My role now as an Author Advocate is to guide new authors prior to submission of their book and make sure they are well-informed and well-prepared for publication.

Katherine: I have spent most of my life surrounded by cartoons and other interesting characters. My father-in-law was the late Mel Blanc, known as the “man of 1000 voices” including most of the Looney Tunes® characters for Warner Bros. My husband, Noel Blanc, carries on his father’s tradition.

WOW: Thanks, ladies—Katherine, what an exciting family to marry in to! You decided to self-publish your book, Gold Mountain Girl, with Infinity Publishing. Why did you choose to self-publish, and why did you choose Infinity?

Katherine: Gold Mountain Girl is a novel of historical fiction, set in 1901 in Southern California’s last Gold Rush days. I felt that it had a small target audience; so rather than approach traditional publishers, I decide to self-publish with Infinity. I chose Infinity over competing self-publishers because it ranked highest overall in the book, Top Self-Publishing Firms by Stacie Vander Pol.

WOW: Thank you for sharing the title of that book with us. It looks like a great resource, and I’m sure many readers would be interested to read Ms. Vander Pol’s book! What was the process like with Infinity Publishing?

Katherine: The process was simple and user-friendly. After completing Infinity’s straightforward, no-nonsense publishing agreement, I formatted my manuscript in Microsoft Word and sent it via e-mail. Then, by phone, a wonderful lady named Michelle Shane (I call her my “publishing angel”) walked me through the rest of the process. Chris Master designed the book jacket, which was better than I’d anticipated it could be!

WOW: It sounds like you had a terrific experience! Have you had any special challenges with marketing or distribution because of your choice to self-publish? What are some strategies that have worked for you?

Katherine: Infinity handles the distribution, including online retailers like Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble and Infinity’s own store. I also paid a small extra fee to include Ingram’s distribution, which allows brick-and-mortar bookstores to order my books.

As far as marketing: that pretty much falls on the author’s shoulders. I could have done more to “push” my books, but I’m a bit shy about self-promotion. Fortunately, people enjoy reading my book, so it has gained its own little following via word of mouth.

But more aggressive authors can have huge sales if they arrange personal appearances, conduct seminars, and use social media.

WOW: Thanks for the tips, Katherine. Now let’s turn to an Infinity Publishing Author Advocate to get the lowdown on how to get started with Infinity. Laura, can you describe two or three of your most popular packages that authors often purchase?

Laura, Author Advocate
Laura: Because e-books have been increasingly popular, any package that includes an e-book is popular right now. We offer a variety of print, e-book, and audio programs. It really depends on the needs of each individual author and their book. Having more than one product available allows our authors to be more visible in the market and have greater success reaching all types of customers. It also keeps a book current and valid in today’s ever-evolving book market.

WOW: That makes sense--authors AND readers have many different needs these days. It's nice to have different formats to reach everyone. What’s the process like on your end when an author buys one of your packages?

Laura: Our process is very hands-on, so each new package receives attention from every part of Infinity’s team. Each author starts with an Author Advocate, such as myself, who provides them with in-depth assistance prior to their submission. Once the book is submitted, the in-house representative serves as that book’s coordinator throughout the process and assigns the ISBN, the interior of the book is formatted and laid out by the editing department, the graphics team custom designs a cover for each book, and the production department prints, binds, and packages book proofs and orders. Our entire process, from receipt of the manuscript all the way to publication date, takes approximately three to four months. Through it all, we make sure the author is always involved and in control of their book.

WOW: That is very important—especially if you are self-publishing! To both of you, why do you think many authors are choosing self-publishing today?

Laura: In today’s publishing world where choices abound, I believe that authors choose Infinity for our quality products and service with a personal touch. We do our best to make sure that authors have a positive and successful publishing experience. We offer simple, yet high-quality, packages that provide our authors with attractive products and great distribution to some of the largest book outlets in the world. Infinity authors retain the rights to their book; however, we treat that book as our own, always working to make the book (and author!) as successful as possible.

Katherine: First of all, the number of traditional publishers is shrinking dramatically. This means that more manuscripts are submitted for fewer acquisitions. Secondly, e-book sales are soaring, and Infinity has a great e-book publishing program. And finally, the old image of self-publishing as “vanity” publishing is disappearing, and the quality of published work is increasing (although I strongly recommend having your manuscript professionally edited–something I didn’t do the first time, but will DEFINITELY do for my revised edition!).

WOW: Thanks for sharing your opinions. You have great insight into today's publishing world! What is the first thing an author should do if she is interested in working with Infinity?

Laura: Call me! (smiles) Really, contacting one of our Author Advocates is the best way to get started because we possess the knowledge and materials you need to publish with Infinity. We can answer any question you might have and make sure you’re fully knowledgeable about Infinity’s packages and services. Of course, you can also always visit our website, www.infinitypublishing.com.

Katherine: Contact them. Even if your manuscript is huge and intimidating (like my friend Craig Tennis’s 400+ page tome: Show Business is Faux Business), they will make the process a lot less painful than if you tried to do it yourself.

WOW: Is there anything you would like to add about your work or experiences?

Laura: After years of working in publishing, I can honestly say that now is an amazing time to be an author. There are so many options and so much potential, even if you’re not a big name with a big publishing house. I suspect things will only continue to get better, and that’s why being with an author-friendly place like Infinity is so exciting right now.

Katherine: I’d like to add that Infinity is much more than a “self-publisher”; I think of them as my publishing partner. The true self-publishing process is a nightmare—trust me, I did it once. You have to buy your own ISBN number and bar code, do your own formatting, work with a print broker, and find your own distribution. Then you have to store a ton of books in your garage. Yuck!! Let the pros at Infinity handle it instead. They’re an all-in-one publisher—they even do their own printing. Not many other companies do that.

WOW: Thank you for your time and sharing your experiences, Laura and Katherine. Muffin readers, if you have questions about Infinity Publishing, you can leave them in the comments or contact info@infinitypublishing.com. To schedule a time to talk to someone, go to this link: http://schedule.timetrade.com/S9Z26. Don’t forget to check out the special deal for WOW! readers, too!

interview conducted by Margo L. Dill 
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Writing for Free: Does It Pay?

Thursday, November 04, 2010

Since my writing pays the electric bill(and all the other bills)I’m not a big fan of writing for free. Instead of working on a free project my time is better spent searching for the job that does pay. But occasionally a project comes along that even I can’t resist. Several months ago a member of my writer’s group told us about a family that had recently lost their son. They wanted to know if our group could write a children’s book for them, a sort of memorial. We were given some details: his name, the names a few of his friends and his dog. They also had a plot in mind. Ever since he was a little boy he had wanted to build houses. They wanted the story to be about a little boy watching a house being built and what all the different workers did to create the house.

It sounded sweet but I had work lined up, a novel to finish, children to raise. I had no time for free work. Not to mention I had never published a children’s story. Was I really the best writer for the job? But I couldn’t resist. I found myself volunteering to complete the electrician section since I just happened to be married to an electrician who spent many years doing “new construction”. So I wrote my short section(with the help of my in house expert) and submitted it to our editor.

After several months of pestering, the editor managed to collect all the book’s sections from various writers. We received our first drafts back with a few notations and then disaster struck. The editor received a huge paying job and couldn’t continue. The project would have to be abandoned unless someone else took over. Again, I had some experience with editing but no experience editing children’s books. But again, there I was raising my hand. After all, I did have my in house expert to help correct any factual errors made by a bunch of non-house building writers.

It took just a couple of “breakfast meetings” with my hubby/expert to iron out any mistakes and a bit more time to ensure that the sections written by different writers were all consistent. Truthfully, the original editor had done all the heavy editing(not to mention the tough job of corralling a handful of writers and convincing them to meet deadlines). Now the manuscript is with the family and we’re all hoping to hear their reaction at our writer’s group meeting this month.

Sure, my bank account would be in better shape if I had used that time on paying work. But in a world where I spend much of my time on boring but profitable assignments this book made me excited about writing. It also gave me the opportunity to branch out into writing specialties I don’t usually delve into: children’s writing and editing. Maybe I am a fan of writing for free. Sometimes!

Do you ever write for free? What do you write and who do you write it for?

You can get updates about the children’s book Jodi contributed to at her blog Words by Webb. Stop by for her book giveaways also. This week she’s giving away Bill Bryson’s At Home.

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