David D. Bernstein's Blog

Mirror City Spotlight

 

Anger and its effects.     In our daily lives we have situations where anger comes out, it could be against a company, person or family member. It also can be a serious health issue. It can rip apart families or destroy friendships. In my new Book “Mirror City” deals with anger issues and how a young boy named James goes on a fantastic journey. If members in your family have anger issues this book will help you overcome them. Get a copy of the book and let it try to help you. It is available on major online websites. Here are two videos above  that might help you. 

 

Author Spotlight October 2022

 

 

 

Author Spotlight October 2022

Jeff was born in downtown Toronto.  Being the only child to two working parents, introspection came naturally to him.  As he progressed through school, he was never the popular kid, but still formed friendships that would last a lifetime.

As a kid, he loved cartoons, especially the late 1970s imports from Japan.  They were leagues away from Star Wars and Star Trek and helped change the scope of his imagination.

After high school, he was in the military for nearly half a decade.  Lots of long nights on observation patrol let his mind soar into the heavens.  He finished a first year in Computer Programming/System Administration at Sheridan College, and a 4-year BA at York University. 

 

Spending nearly 20 years in security and logistics, in 2014 Jeff finally succeeded in publishing his first work “The Secrets of Solomon” which was well received.  Combining his knowledge of esoteric topics with one of the more enigmatic figures of the Bible was a triumph, and he has been writing ever since.

He resides in Canada, with his wife and daughter.  His continuing interests are science, astrology, mythology, and the paranormal.  This influences his books.

 

The moment that inspired “Summerland: Another World” was sitting with his daughter reading books with her.  At 8 years old, she was having trouble with alliteration and words made up to rhyme for kids.  It seemed to be hindering her more than helping her.  This made Jeff think seriously about writing his own children’s series that would be as simple yet compelling for ages 9-12.  Thus, “Summerland” was born, focusing on 3 children finding themselves in a magical land with all sorts of mystical creatures.  That way the children can experience the narrative of the story without being deprived of expanding their vocabulary. 

 

Jeff still maintains his catalogue for over 18 year old’s in both fiction and non fiction, but already has plans for a possible sequel for “Summerland” in “Darkland” His current work in progress is “Visions from the Vaccum” – a science fiction book which introduces a character peripherally related to all his other works who discovers that the universe is more complicated than anyone would believe.  Interview coming soon.

 

 

 

Author Spotlight September 2022

 

                                                             BIOGRAPHY

                                                    Mary Griffith Chalupsky

 

Mary Griffith Chalupsky was born to Viola (Brown) and Edgar Griffith.  She married LaVerne Chalupsky and together they raised six children on a farm south of Fairfax, IA.  She attended Kirkwood College and studied the Arts.

 

Mary began writing poetry many years ago and won awards through the World Poetry Association beginning in 1987 when she won the Golden Poet Award, the Silver Poet Award followed in 1990, and the Editor Choice Awards in 2005, 2006 and 2007. 

 

She has published 15 Children’s Rhyming Pictures Books titled, “Jogger’s Adventures,” A Children’s Book about her very own Bichon puppy “The Littlest Puppy,” A Children’s Book about Bullying: “The Big, Bad, Sad, Mad, Meany,” and an Anthology of 20 short stories about a middle school boy, “Jimmy’s Adventures.” Her recent books, “Wings, Fins, a Bully and Friends,” is a two-book set, reflecting on love, friendship, and acceptance, and more recently, a trilogy of Tales from the Enchanted Forest, and a hard copy that includes all three books. Mali, the Therapy Dog, Puppy Pirates, Finding Christmas Spirit, and a book of original poetry, Mary’s Garden, and recently a book paying tribute to her deceased daughter, “The Naughty Rotties,” are also found at Amazon.

 

Mary was a volunteer in her church and her community for most of her life. She worked in the medical profession and owned and operated Medical Claims Billing. She is a member of the DAR and the Mayflower Society.

 

She worked as a freelancer for Eastern Iowa online newspaper, The Arkansas Pacesetting Times, God Makes Lemonade series, and other magazines.

 

She presently lives in Cedar Rapids, IA, where she enjoys working in her flower gardens, swinging on her front porch, having coffee with her friends, and shopping with her daughter.

 

Questions and Answers for Writing 

 

1…What or who inspired you to be a writer?

 My late husband always mentioned he couldn’t understand how I could write a story or a poem in a matter of minutes. He claimed it left him in awe. So, I always wanted to do a little more, make it a little better…just because of him.

2…What do you find harder to write poetry or children’s books?

 For me, it is writing children’s books. Poetry writing seems to be easier for me.

3…Are there any famous writers or poets that you learned from or write similar to their style?

I have some poems that remind me of Emily Dickinson’s style. I love her poetry, so I lean toward her style and also Robert Frost.

4…Can you share some information on your writing process?

My writing process isn’t structured.  I write when I feel an idea, whether it’s a children’s book or a poem. Then after I begin writing, the words just seem to flow out of my heart and mind. I write when I feel like it.

5…Did you illustrate your books or were they illustrated for you?

 I don’t draw my own illustrations. I actually have different ones for different projects.  My best illustrator is an Egyptian journalist who is presently working on book 5 for me.  He has written and illustrated many children’s books for himself. He is wonderful at illustrating animals. I have used two other illustrators, one from Pakistan, one from the US for my Jogger series, and one from Bulgaria to illustrate my fairytale series, Tales from the Enchanted Forest.”

6…what was the most memorable moment in your life so far? Actually, I have seven. First when my husband and I were married and it lasted 56 years, ending in 2009 when he passed away, and when each of my six children was born.

7…If you can have dinner with any famous individual, who would it be? President and Mrs. Joe Biden.  I have a lot of questions to ask them about different things regarding the country. I would love to meet them and carry on a conversation while eating dinner in their lovely surroundings.

8. What kind of advice can you share with new writers?

Don’t quit your day job. It will take a long time to be able to see a profit in writing, even if you write a #1 best seller.  You and your family will still have to eat.

9…What do you find harder marketing or writing?

For me, marketing is very difficult because I find it hard to sell myself. I can sit down and write a book in a short time. Marketing of the same book is almost impossible for me. My books are mostly sold at events. Then Covid came along and I haven’t been able to get out in the public to make contacts. Being elderly has been a deterrent to traveling alone.

10…Do you want to share any wise words with this community?

 I have had many authors ask me how did I know I wanted to write?  I will tell you if you have to ask yourself that question, you probably don’t want to write seriously. I love to write. I always loved English comp as a youngster. I would rather write than eat when I have ideas. I get started and I don’t want to stop. I absolutely love it so much that I forget to get up and walk around or exercise. Then when I finally do, I can barely walk. So, I need to set some exercise goals along with my writing so at least I am walking on the treadmill or just walking outside for an hour or so. Just enough to exercise my body as I exercise my mind. 

Author Spotlight August 2022

  Author Spotlight August 2022
  

Bio

Hi! I’m Sybrina. I have been writing since I was a little girl. My Dad was my main influence. He could tell a story like nobody’s business. He would hold an entire room enthralled, wildly recounting his youthful adventures. I could never tell stories like that, but I found that I could write them down pretty well. A little aside about my dad that you might find interesting...he thought he made up my name, Sybrina, and he was proud of it. Once I made the mistake of asking him if I could have a nickname because Sybrina (Si [rhymes with Hi]-Bree-Nuh) is awkward name to pronounce. No one ever got it right. Well, that was the angriest He ever was at me. His answer was unequivocally “NO!” He said, “I gave you that name for a reason. Someday the world is going to know who you are, and you need a name they will remember.” I scoffed at such a notion at the time but maybe that little lecture is what has motivated me to keep writing and sharing my stories. The hardest thing about being a writer these days is realizing that you must also be your own publisher and publicist. The truth is that over one thousand new books are released for sale in this country alone every single day. So, the hard work begins after the book has been made available to the public. It is then, you realize you must set your feet on the long hard path of marketing because, with so many other books calling for people’s attention, it’s up to you to ensure they know yours is out there and that is it something they’ll be happy to read. I like to refer to myself as an authorpreneur because part of my marketing process involves online bookstores related to themes in my books. Two of my online bookstores include the Girls Love Bows Gift Shop and The Rabbit and The Fox Book Store.https://sybrina.com/girls-love-bows-g... stores bring exposure to my own books and since I believe in authors helping other authors, I’m happy to promote other “learn to tie” book authors there as well. They “Learn to Tie” series of books started off with “Learn to Tie with The Rabbit and The Fox.” It is currently available in English, Spanish and Tagalog at all online bookstores. “Nellie Knows How to Knot a Neck Scarf” and “Ned Knows How to Knot a Necktie “finish out the “Learn to Tie a Tie” books. “Cleo Can Tie a Bow “and “Boo’s Shoes–Learn to Tie Shoelaces “round out the series. Boo’s Shoes, starts out with a young bunny who doesn’t want to learn to tie his shoelaces. He has lots of shoes and none of them need to be tied so he doesn’t think he needs to know how to do it. But his friend, Farah Fox, shows him that it is a skill he can use for many things.

Interview

 

1)      What or who inspired you to be a writer? That would be my dad – God rest his soul. His love of telling stories is what interested me in writing things down for the enjoyment of others.

2)     Do you do your own illustrations? Oh, no…I do Autocad drafting for a living and am very good at that but I cannot create beautiful artwork.  For that, I must hire people and I have been very fortunate to find some amazing illustrators for my books.

3)     What is your typical process to write a book, please share it with us? I am what they call a “plotter”. I go to great extremes preparing to write my books. I use everything from outlines, to summaries, to index cards and spreadsheets to keep track of everything from the progress of the storyline to the personality traits of the characters.

4)     Do you have any advice for new authors? If you have a story in you, then you must let it out. But know this…the competition to get eyes on your book is astronomical.  Begin with getting attention from your immediate sphere of influence and keep trying for the concentric outer circles from there. It is not easy but if you are a writer and you really want to find some success in your genre, you will do whatever it takes to let people know your book exists.

5)     With your unique name, do people sometimes mess up when they address you? LOL No one pronounces it correctly.  That would be Sy (long I sound) bri (bree) na (nuh). Everyone automatically assumes my name should be Sabrina.  That’s the popular name that everyone knows.  I’d prefer to hear it the way my parent’s intended but I don’t fret over it.  It makes me happy when anyone is interested enough to call out to me.

6)     Where do you get you story ideas? I mainly write for children.  My writing path has gone off on 2 directions.  The first path took me on a journey with a tribe of anthropomorphic metal horn unicorns. I still write variations of them today.  My next book to feature them will be called “All the Metals in The Alphabet – The Periodic Table Elements Presented by The Metal Horn Unicorns”. I’m just waiting on the illustrations to be completed. I love the idea of animals (especially fantasy creatures with human characteristics).  That love was derived from books like Water ship Down by Richard Adams and Piers Anthony’s unicorn books from way back in the late 70’s. Around the same time period, I also discovered a need to learn to tie a necktie.  I got the idea to create a picture book showing youngsters how to do it through mnemonics (the act of learning through a poem or song). That book evolved into several “Learn to Tie with The Rabbit and The Fox Books”. My most recent is Boo’s Shoes – Learn to Tie Shoelaces.”

7)     Like your dad, do you consider yourself not only a writer but a storyteller? I have found that you must be a storyteller when marketing and promoting books.  People are interested in the back story of the main story, so to speak.  I have found many ways to make it more interesting every time I speak or write about my journey.

8)     Where did you work or do you still work, or do you consider yourself a full time a writer? Thank God I still work in the Engineering world!  It helps pay for everything involved in the self-published writing process.  Unfortunately, a writer is the one cog in the wheel who doesn’t get paid up front for their efforts. I have found that the self-publishing industry is a big money maker for everyone but the author.  The author must pay everyone involved in getting the book to the public - up front. That includes but is not limited to the illustrator (for picture book pages or any other type of book cover), the editors (yes, that is plural on purpose), sometimes the beta readers, the book formatters (for epub or anything else you can’t figure out how to do yourself), and for all of the promoting and marketing (of which there is a never-ending supply of vendors contacting your email inbox). To answer your question, no, I’m not a full-time writer but even though I have a full-time job elsewhere, I’m still a full time marketer for the books I currently have.

9)     How do you market your books, and do you find this process hard to do? Marketing is a very hard process.  Sure, you can post to all of your social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest) on a regular basis for free but to achieve more, you must be willing to spend money. I schedule several months of daily posts to all of my social media through a service called Postfity. That is very time consuming and you must pay for the scheduling service.  I have a daily blog at Sybrina.com to which I also auto-schedule blog posts. To offset the cost of running the blog, I offer a Fiverr service to promote other author’s children’s books on my blog. My blog is hosted by Wordpress. I use it because it is very user friendly but once again, you must pay to use it. One of the main things I use my blog for is to set up book stores featuring books by other authors who have books in the same category as mine.  I have a unicorn book store with over 1000 books.  I have a learn to tie book store with tons of books, games and toys for learning to tie. Since, I am an Amazon Affiliate, I find items that I feel are appropriate for my needs and link to them from my blog stores.  I also have a bi-weekly newsletter on which I post about unicorn books by other authors.  I also have a membership with StoryOrigin to find other fantasy authors to share newsletter posts about. Both are fairly costly services. And where would you be without graphics? They are what draw people eye to posts. I have yearly memberships with Placeit.net and Bookbrush.com for that. I can literally go on and on about this but I think you get the gist. Time consuming and expensive are the key take aways from this. But you can do little things to help make up for the costs, such as my Fiverr Gig and the lesson plans I offer on TeachersPayTeachers.com.

10) Do you have any wise advise to the community, or young children?   Being the creator of something that others love is the best feeling in the world. I recommend everyone follow their dream. But don’t get too down, if you come to the realization that you will still need a day job to keep the lights on. You can still do what you love on the side. Never give up.

 

Author Spotlight July 2022

 Author Spotlight July 2022
  Bio.

I'm a lover of mythology, myths, legends, and tales from the ancient/medieval worlds, and how all of these have transcended time and space into our world today. The myths and legends don't fade away. They are just repackaged for a new audience.  As a high school English teacher, I continually challenged my students to find connections between today and times long gone by. Some took more digging than others, but the connections were always there. One of my favorites, Star Wars, borrows several concepts from the Legend of King Arthur. The Star Trek series goes even further back into the mythology of ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt as well as others.

I write Arthurian Legend for young readers and teens (I never refuse to let mature readers enjoy my stories!). These stories exhibit what I consider to be cornerstones of that Legend: Honor, Loyalty, and Friendship. My tales from Egypt and my new series Feathers of the Phoenix meld the ancient/medieval worlds with today. The Atlantean Horse (Book 1 of Feathers of the Phoenix) also brings forth the Four Horsemen of the Acropolis out of the Bible and into the modern world. They and my main characters are after the feathers of the Phoenix in order to bring Atlantis alive again. It is scheduled to be out in Summer 2022.

P.S. I believe in magic and Unicorns!!

Interview

 

I had the plessure of interviewing this author, a great experience for me and a way for you to learn more about her.

 

 

 

1.     What or who inspired you to be a writer? 

            While I’ve always written (I have two books that will never see the light of day!), my real inspiration for writing came from my high school students. Over the years, I encountered so many kids who didn’t like to read, or who just didn’t read. Their interest and excitement in Arthurian Legend and the stories from the ancient world determined what I would write when I retired from teaching.

2.     If you could go back in time, where would you go and when?

            I’d go to the ancient world (Egypt, Greece, Rome, Babylon, and others) and travel around from around 5,000 BCE to 500 BCE.  I want to see the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. I’ve seen the only one left today, the Great Pyramid of Giza. 

3.     If you can be one mythological creature for a week, what will it be?

            So many to choose from! While I love unicorns, I’d choose to be a Pegasus and fly above the earth like Aladdin did on his magic carpet.

4.     Did being an English teacher play a major role for you in becoming an author and why?

            As I stated above, my students are my reason for writing. Upon retirement, I decided to write for younger readers in hopes of getting them excited about reading. I started with Guinevere: On the Eve of Legend from Arthurian Legend because while my students knew about the other characters, they knew very little about Guinevere. All my books target ages 8/9-14/15 as these are crucial years in the development of lifetime reading skills but are enjoyed by many others. I’ve also just finished my picture book series (Grandma/Grandpa 1, 2, & 3) for ages 4-6/7.

5.     What advise can you give our teens and young people?

            Growing up in today’s world is challenging. Find good loyal friends and hold on to them. They will help you through the hard times and celebrate the good times with you. Remember to love and honor your family. They will love you no matter what comes your way. And, in Shakespeare’s words: “To thine own self be true.”           

6.     What wise advice can you share with the writer’s community?

            No matter how matter books, short stories, or poems you’ve written, there is always more to learn. Keep learning and growing your craft and yourself.

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please tell us about the process you go through when writing a new book?

I’m just starting the second book in my new series, Feathers of the Phoenix, The Norse Star. For my research, the story involves the island of Iceland, I’ve read numerous books on Iceland and the Norse gods/myths represented there. I have a general outline of the story in my head. Seldom do I write it out as it usually changes. I keep a list of places/mythological beings that will be used. However, my biggest research comes firsthand. Last year we spent 3 weeks in Iceland and drove around the entire island. High on my agenda: the places I will use in the book and the stories that go with those. You can only learn so much from books and videos. Nothing can replace actually being there. I realize that most writers can’t do this, but it’s part of my writing. For my Arthurian stories, we spent 3 weeks in the UK driving to places I needed to see. The same with Egypt.

8.     How many times did you edit and reedit your books?

                Not as many times as a lot of writers. I’ve learned to trust that my creative brain knows what it’s doing. I don’t edit as I write. That pulls me out of the creative process. Each day I quickly go over what I did the day before and then continue writing. Contrary to most writers, I do not go back over the entire book when the story is done. I send it off to my editors (copy and line) and then review their suggestions. These two editors catch if I’ve dropped part of my storyline and any grammatical errors (including spelling) that were missed. From there, it’s off to my layout artist and then sent out into the world.

9.     Where did your ideas for your stories come from?

            My ideas come from my love of the ancient and medieval worlds and from my experiences with my students over the years. My ideas for my grandma/Grandpa series come from my grandkids!

10.  Please share some wise words with us?

            Trust and believe in yourself. Listen to the creative side of your brain. Block off the critical side of your brain that is telling you what you’re writing isn’t good. Send it on a vacation! Don’t let negative comments deter you from writing what you love. Your writing will never be for everyone, and that’s okay. It isn’t meant to be.

Author Spotlight June 2022

 Author spotlight June 2022

Book review- “Rozanne Travels to Africa to kiss a Giraffe” I found this picture book very unique, and it falls in its own category of books. It is full of some amazing Photography of many animals and divides into three trips the author took. I guess it is sort of a biography of the author’s travels. This is overall a great book for children, but it does lack a story and seems to be shortened. In my view I think this book would have made a much better chapter book then a picture book. The author has a great story to tell but it needs lots more development. Because of the uniqueness of this story, I will give it 4 stars overall.

Rozanne Weissman Bio

 

WILDLIFE CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR & AWARD-WINNING MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS EXEC

 

Rozanne Weissman is an unexpected, unimaginable, disabled wildlife children’s book author—

 ‘Rozanne Travels to Africa to Kiss a Giraffe 🦒.’ 

 

Her passion for wildlife journeys, volunteering with young children, and hand/wrist disabilities converged to totally change her life—career and life purpose. She even created a unique children’s book genre: REAL wildlife stories vs fantastical, REAL wildlife photos vs illustrations, even emojis (children wanted more) in the content, accompanying YouTube channel. The entire book was created on an iPhone— dictated on Siri and laid out contents and photos in the Simple Prints app. Why? Rozanne no longer had a computer (with voice-activated software) and was asked to do the book by the executive director of a bilingual infants-pre-K school where she was the longest-term volunteer. Rozanne discovered that the Exec told children she would do a book for them. She didn’t want to disappoint the excited children and had to figure out how she might create a children’s book totally on an iPhone

 

During the pandemic, Weissman was concerned about children and teachers, so she also went “virtual” in school classrooms in six states—reading, storytelling, and for children 7-9 developed an ‘Imaginary Journey to rainforests of Borneo to see orangutans’

https://rozanneweissman.com/imaginary...

 

Previously, she was a marketing communications executive and consultant who won 60 national and international awards.

 

She has a reputation as a results-oriented senior manager who strategically positions corporations and organizations through integrated marketing communications to achieve goals. She has a broad background in diversified media, environment/

sustainability, energy efficiency, telecommunications, business, health, education, and politics.

 

Weissman offers a 20+ year track record for employers and clients in strategic planning, positioning, branding, messaging, nonprofit and for-profit partnerships; integrated marketing communications consumer campaigns and related collateral materials; public service and paid advertising; electronic and print publications, website redesign and development, digital and social media, and radio and TV shows.

 

As Senior Director of Consumer Campaigns and Director of Communications and Marketing for the Alliance to Save Energy, she managed 19 award-winning, multimedia public awareness-building, integrated marketing communications and branding campaigns with interactive websites, social media, cutting-edge elements, & diverse nonprofit, governmental, & for-profit partners. (See portfolio.)

 

Previously, Weissman ran her own firm with clients including Discovery Communications, CPB, I BellSouth, and the BellSouth Foundation. As President of Animal Tracks environmental educational operating foundation which originated on the profit end as a “green marketing” consumer program by Wal-Mart, Weissman increased its marketing and reach by 6.5 million people. Prior to that, she was VP Corporate Communications in the public broadcasting industry. (See RozanneWeissman.com)

My Books and Awards

 

My books have been recognized 

    It happened my books have been given 5-star ratings by two respected companies. I was very amazed at this. These awards made my day and I decided to share them with my audience and how I came to write these books. 

History "The Enchanted Rope"  

"The Enchanted Rope" was published in 2010 in softcover, came out in Hardcover in 2021. It has helped many people from psychologists to parents and children to overcome death. As we all know in 2020 a nasty virus hit that killed millions of people including my grandma in March 2020. My book has been on a long journey, and I look back at this and how it all began.  My book was born from three parts: a poem, my grandmother getting sick with cancer and my trip to Alaska. The poem goes like this:

Moment 

Stop by for a moment

Swing on a vine.

Sit in the Shadows.

Sing over wine.

Simple is life.

Sad is my wife. 

Stay for a moment.

Smile to the sky.

Sorrow will follow.

Something will fly.

Seconds will flow.

Sounds will rise.

Simple is good.

Now let's compromise. 

@David D Bernstein, 

Voices of the Heart" 2004

    As you see this poem looks at what we call Carpe diem. From that idea my "The Enchanted Rope was born." In my book a young boy named Jack who lost his mom to cancer finds a way to connect to her world. Since we all faced so much death in the past two years you can see how this book has become important once again. It has helped many people overcome the death of loved ones and has been used in many psychologists' offices. I am very proud of this book, and I believe it will continue to change lives as the years go on.  

History "Voices of the heart, a collection of poems. 

    My poetry book first published in 2004 with two parts full of my poetry.  Yet my journey started long before this happened when I came to America in 1981. I opened my eyes and saw poetry in everything around me.  Just imagine the amazement of a seven-year-old boy and the culture shock he experienced when he left the Soviet Union where there was no freedom but full Governet control of everything a person does and how they live. It is sad that today with corporate power and the influence of big government and China on this wonderful country of ours. I believe this has to be stopped and only we the people can do this. 

    "Voices of the Heart" combines photography and powerful poetry to look at the world from both sides. It has a huge mix of poetry from my first love to the power of nature and beyond.  I wrote this collection from middle grade to college, and it is sort of part one of my life story. It takes a reader on a journey that will not only inspire them but guide them from snap it's in my life. I was very happy to have both of my books recognized for the quality they are. Right now, I am waiting on more awards to come. Thank you all for reding journey and I am wishing you all the best in 2022.       

Author Spotlight Novermber 2021

 Author Spotlight November 2021

  

Review: “Happy Holidays Meena Mouse.” This great holiday story, teaches children about caring, giving, and sharing is well rhymed. This type of books is hard to write but Ms Trilby Plants does an excellent job doing this. There is no forced rhyme but a clean flow all through out. The beautiful illustrations add to the full story. What made the illustrations unique is the use of Christmas colours all through out. It makes a perfect Holiday book. I also loved the details of the characters facial expressions, it brought them to life. The one thing this book lacked is character development. Overall, I enjoyed this short read. I would recommend this holiday books for children two to five. Since it is meant to target a younger audience. I will give this book four stars.        

 

Trilby Plants is a retired educator who was always a storyteller. She wrote her first story when she was ten. It won a blue ribbon at the Montana State Fair. She has been telling stories ever since and always wanted to be an author when she grew up.

When she first started teaching fourth grade way back when, she had this wild idea that children who authored stories would be better readers. Research now clearly backs this up. She modelled a simple story with input from the entire class and then turned them loose to author their own stories, which they published in little booklets. This was all done by hand, pre-computer days. The kids enthusiastically read each other’s stories and were encouraged to read library books. Not long after she retired, she discovered a file (actual file folder) with two of the stories she had written. “The Giant Rubber Band That Ate New York” will never see the light of day. The other story was about a helpful little frog named Hubert Little, handwritten, and illustrated with crayon drawings. Plants scanned the illustrations, photoshopped them into poses, and added backgrounds while she crafted the story. It became Hubert Little’s Great Adventure. Hubert has grown up and does not want to be a frog. Hubert Little’s Great Wish encourages children to like themselves for who they are.

According to a family story passed down by Plants’ mother, one of her mother’s great-aunts was lost in the woods in northern Michigan in the 1890s. The parents despaired of finding the child alive after two nights of freezing weather, but she wandered out of the forest unscathed. She claimed a “grey lady” kept her warm and fed her. Nobody lived within miles of where the girl disappeared. In Meena Mouse’s Perfect Raspberry, Meena eats the last raspberry. She wants to find another but gets lost in the woods. It is a story about responsibility that every child can enjoy. Happy Holidays, Meena Mouse tells how Meena discovers the true meaning of the holidays.

Plants has published children’s books, fantasy/horror, and romantic suspense. Her fiction has appeared in Flash Fiction Magazineand The Petigru Review, the literary anthology of the South Carolina Writers Association. Her story “Retirement,” which appeared in TPR 2018, was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. A proud member of the South Carolina Writers Association, she lives in Murrells Inlet, SC, where she writes, knits, and creates animated book covers and video book trailers.

The Questions

1)   What inspired you to become a writer?

When I was six years old, my mother read me Gulliver’s Travels. I was intrigued by the idea of tiny humans and other worlds, while my brother, a year younger than I, was fixated on Gulliver putting out the fire in the Lilliputian town by urinating on it. My brother has always been practical. People and creatures from fantastical worlds inhabit my mind.

In high school, I developed a passion for science fiction and read authors like Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Arthur C. Clarke. My father decided I should be exposed to the classics and paid me a dollar each to read Shakespeare’s plays. He had a copy of R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) by Russian playwright Karel Čapek, the man who coined the word robot. Reading that play opened my mind to the fantastic and hooked me forever.

 

2)      What did you find most fastening by teaching fourth grade?

When I first started teaching way back when, many children were reluctant readers. I had a crazy idea that if they wrote stories, they might be better readers. Research now clearly backs this up. I would model a simple story with input from the entire class and then turn them loose to write their own stories. We made the stories into books. This was all done by hand, pre-computer days. I discovered kids read more. They read each other’s stories and library books.

One story I saved from my early teaching days is, “The Giant Rubber Band That Ate New York.” It will never see the light of day. In that old file was a story I illustrated with crayons about a helpful little frog named Hubert Little. It wasn’t a “story” in the publishable sense, so I crafted it into one. I scanned the illustrations and photoshopped them into submission. It became Hubert Little’s Great Adventure. And yes, I know octopi do not inhabit swamps, but it still made it into the story. Hubert has grown up, and I revisited him with Hubert Little’s Great Wish.

 

 

3)     Can you please share a bit about your writing process?

I write every day. If I’m not writing, I’m scribbling notes in a notebook or on sticky notes. I used to be a “pantser,” someone who just started a story and went with the flow from the “seat of my pants.” As I learned the craft, I discovered planning is essential. Now I’m a “plotter.” I use software called Plottr to organize my books. I love it. You can take notes on chapters and scenes and plug in images of characters and settings. You can get a free trial here: https://plottr.com/

My process:

·         When I get an idea, I brainstorm it with some writer friends. I take notes because I don’t want to forget some gem that gets mentioned.

·         Then I start writing with no plan. For a children’s book, I write the whole thing with no backtracking, no self-editing, no spell checking, no matter how awful it is. For a novel, I write a few chapters. That’s the fun part. Then I get to work.

·         I write a pitch or logline: main character, conflict/obstacle, stakes. (Example for Happy Holidays, Meena Mouse: A mouse wants to give everybody the perfect gift but discovers there is more to holidays.)

·         Then I make a detailed outline of every chapter and every scene, or for a children’s picture book, every page. Then, start revising.

 

Of course, plotting out a story is not perfect. Characters have a way of becoming real and following their own paths. In , I hoped to show children that kindness and sharing are important. What began as a simple Christmas wish became a story that includes the holiday celebrations of many cultures. You can read an early draft of the text for Happy Holidayshere: https://trilbyplants.com/category/trilby-plants-fantasy-author-trilby-plants-fantasy-author/page/2/

 

 

 

4)     Did you and the illustrator work close together on this book?

If you publish a children’s book with a commercial house, you usually don’t have much say in the illustrations. As an independent author, I have complete control over my books. This is good. It’s also not good, as I am responsible for all the work and all the decisions and must hire an illustrator. My first illustrator was not available for another book, so For Happy Holidays, Meena Mouse, in December 2019 I found an illustrator on https://www.fiverr.com/ whose work I liked. She gave me a sample drawing of Meena, which I loved, and quoted a price for the interior and the cover, and I went with it. I didn’t need the finished product for three months, so I didn’t hold her to a deadline. I supplied her with a copy of the first Meena book and the text for the holiday book. I provided details about what I expected on each spread (two facing pages). Then the pandemic got in the way, and it took longer than expected. The illustrator had great ideas but was amenable to my suggestions. After almost a year, I received the finished illustrations. There were some tweaks to be done, but fortunately, I’m somewhat competent with photo manipulation, and made the changes myself.

 

5)     What gave you the idea, to write about a mouse?

My mother told family history stories in wonderful detail. Her parents were both French Canadian. Her father spoke English but did not read or write it. Her mother, Minnie, was a small woman at five feet one. Mom told me her father called her mom his petite souris, “little mouse,” but she never knew why. My mother told another family story about an aunt. She was three years old and got lost in the forest in northern Michigan in the 1870s. She came back the next morning, and despite the cold, she was unscathed and said a “gray lady” fed her and kept her warm. You can read about it here: https://trilbyplants.com/2014/05/06/meena-mouses-perfect-raspberry/

According to my mother, her mother was a fantastic cook and made delicious raspberry custard tarts. I used all these ideas and came up with a story about a mouse who ate the last raspberry Mama needed for her tarts. I could not call my character Minnie, so I chose a variation: Meena. That became Meena Mouse’s Perfect Raspberry, a story about responsibility. Next came Happy Holidays, Meena Mouse, in Meena discovers the true meaning of the holidays.

 

6)     Can you please share some wisdom with new authors?

Everybody has stories to tell. My advice is: write it. Write your story and don’t worry about how good or bad it is. You cannot revise a blank page. Find and join a critique group that meets regularly. You need feedback from writers, not just family and friends. The support you will get from other writers is vital, not only for learning the craft, but emotional support. Only writers understand questions about story and character arcs.

If you want to be a published author and have people buy your books, you must view it as a business. Writing is a job. Revising is work. Marketing your book or story is work. Set goals. Ask for help. Read the kinds of books you want to write.

Important: you should never pay an agent or a company to publish your book. Exceptions would be to hire someone to illustrate, format, or promote your work.

 

 

7)     Was it tough to market your book?

It’s always difficult and time-consuming to market and promote a book. Your choices are to submit to traditional publishers, a process that often takes years, or self-publish. I choose to publish my own books because I have total control over my work. My costs are minimal because I do my own formatting with professional software. I used to use InDesign, but am currently using Affinity Publisher, which is as good as InDesign, and produces a press quality pdf, the industry standard. If you can’t do this yourself, you must hire someone to do it.

You need an editor, whether you are submitting to publishers or self-publishing. You want your work to look professional in every way. Even if a publisher buys your book, you must still do your own promoting. Every author needs a platform: social media to spread the word. I would recommend having a Facebook page. You can create a business page without dealing with friend requests. People follow or like you. If you’re on Facebook already, you can steer your friends and family to your author page. I also recommend having another social media outlet, either Twitter or Instagram. Set a schedule for posts. I have read that blogging is old school, but I still post on my website. It’s a way to speak to people and tell your personal story.

 

 

 

 

 

8)    What do you find the hardest to do while book writing?

 

The hardest part of book writing is revision. It’s a painstaking process. Some writers admit to having writer’s block. I have never been a victim because I have too many ideas. As a former educator, I hope children learn from the ideas that make it into my children’s books.

Not all my ideas become novels. Some become short stories.

My son once speculated that shadow creatures lurked in the darkness under cars, waiting to slither out and grab unsuspecting drivers. That inspired the idea for “Retirement” which was published in 2018 in The Petigru Review and was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

My husband and I stayed at a place in a forest, and I wondered what would happen if trees moved closer to the house. Aspens are a single organism and live for thousands of years. What if the trees craved human contact? The story is “Trees.”

My daughter once posted on an antique textile page on Facebook, asking questions about aprons. My mind turned to the fantastical, and it became “The Apron.” These stories appear in Other Realities, A Collection of Fantasy/Supernatural Tales.

 

9)     Do you have any future projects planned?

There will be another Meena book: Meena Mouse’s Perfectly Awful Day. Meena goes to school, and everything goes wrong. But it’s not what it sounds like. It’s about sharing and her misunderstanding of a word the teacher uses that sounds like “awful.” Before I get to that one, I am finishing the second book of a two-book series, a young adult fantasy titled, To Hear the Lee-Ath Sing.

I also have a draft of a paranormal I wrote five years ago for National Novel Writing Month in November. It’s about a woman who sees ghosts and inherits a house and all its dark secrets. I signed up for NaNoWriMo as a rebel. I’m not aiming to make the word count. The book is in fragments—chapters and scenes—and I am determined to put it together into a coherent novel for NaNoWriMo.

 

 

10)                       Do you have any advice for our community?

Make connections. Read voraciously. Join writer groups, take classes (but don’t take too much advice from English teachers who are not authors), watch webinars, go to workshops and conferences, and learn the craft. Most of all: just do it!

Author Spotlight October 2021

 Author Spotlight October 2021

 

 Book Review- “No Dinosaurs Allowed” was a great book with a strong message for children. The Illustrations were simple and well done. The idea that public places are for everyone even Dinosaurs, was interesting. I also liked how the story arc came to a full circle. The few minor issues this book had are some forced Rhyme in places and No character growth. It definitely is a fun read for two- to six-year-olds. Overall, I will give this book four stars.

Biography

Deborah is a writer and nursing professor who lives in New York with her family and the incorrigible Chewy Belle who is one of the main characters in her chapter book “The One-Eyed Pug”. Deborah holds a PhD in nursing and has taken myriad writing classes.

Deborah refers to herself as an eclectic author as she writes in several genres.  She published her first award winning children’s books “Same Inside Different Outside” and “The One-Eyed Pug” in 2017.  She has also published two middle-grade books, an activity book, a self-care book, and a picture book biography on the legendary Dale Earnhardt she co-authored with Scott Murphy.  Deborah is thrilled to share that Hurn Publications will be publishing several of her children’s books in 2021 and 2022 and Clear Fork Publishing will be publishing her chapter book.

Deborah loves sharing her books and hopes to inspire kids to love books just as much as she does. She often includes this quote in the books she is asked to sign. “May you always have a book to read and a story to hold in your heart.”  Like Isabella she loves “Nonna’s meatballs.

Deborah also enjoys the beach, hiking, cooking, painting, gardening, dancing, and adores puppies. One day she hopes to own a farm filled with rescue dogs, a horse, some chickens, and a couple of goats

Questions

Who is your biggest inspiration for you? 

 

I would have to say my children who inspire me every single day to never give up on my dreams. 

 

What made you decide to become a nurse? 

 

I think I was born to be a nurse and a writer because those were two things I always wanted to do from my childhood. 

 

Tell is a bit about your writing process?

 

I write every single day at different times throughout the day.  I refer to myself as an eclectic author because I write in different genres and my writing process varies every day. I am always working on several projects and sometimes will go back and forth between projects and other times I will write a complete story and then go back and edit. I also belong to formal writing program and critique group and an informal writing support/critique group.  I also spend time collaborating with my agent Dawn Dowdle, and my publisher; Meaghan Hurn at Hurn Publications and Callie Metler at Clear Fork Publishing.  I also take a writing class with Callie. 

 

Where do you get your book ideas from?

 

My book ideas come from my life experiences and people, places, and pets that are near and dear to my heart. Some of my books are influenced by my experience as a nurse.  Sometimes I get an idea from an editors or agent's wish list or a submission theme.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did you and your illustrator work close together or not?

 

Yes, I have been lucky to work very closely with all the illustrators who have helped bring my stories to life. Ashleigh Heyns who illustrated No Dinosaurs Allowed is extremely talented and has been a delight to collaborate with on this book.

 

 

 

 

 

What wise words can you share with new authors?

 

My advice is to never give up on your dreams, learn as much as you can about your genre and the agents and edits who publish your genre, write every day, join a critique group, be open to editing your manuscript based on the critiques, edit, and polish your manuscripts before submitting, follow the submission guidelines carefully, expect rejections, and believe in yourself.

 

Did you set up a marketing plan for your books?

 

Yes, I set up an affordable plan for myself, utilized my social media accounts, sought out reviews, and also collaborated with my publisher.  

 

Tell us how your family has influenced you in your writing?

 

My family has always encouraged and supported my writing journey. They read my work and they give me honest recommendations. And they celebrate my success. 

 

    

 

 

 

What future projects are you working on?

  

I have several forthcoming books that will be published by Hurn Publications and Clear Fork Publishers so those are in various stages of editing and development. My agent is in the process of submitting two of my picture books and I am revising three additional picture books and am also writing a middle grade book. 

 

 

 

 

Can you share some wise words with this community?

 

The wise words I received many years ago are worth repeating. If you want to be a writer, you need to write and be open to constructive criticism. Always be professional and believe in yourself. And finally write because you love it.  

Author Spotlight September 2021

 I am very happy to spotlight an Author from UK this month, Please enjoy and if you have any comments please share them. If you are interested in a my spotlight Series please e-mail me to Spiritw74@yahoo.com 

Author Spotlight September 2021

Review- “What’s an OG?” This book reminds me a little of Dr. Seuss. It combines beautiful illustrations with very simple rhyming words. It has a great flow that younger children will enjoy. I think it will be a good read for children 2- to 5-year-olds. The main character a wise owl, is talking to the audience trying do explain What is an OG? I can imagine this book being read in front of a classroom of pre-k to kindergarteners, and I can picture the children getting into it. I will give this one 4 stars because I believe the author could have played more with the rhyme and expand the book a few more pages. Overall, this is a great read and a book many young children can enjoy.      

 Mary Barry: 

Author, Publisher, Researcher, general Dogsbody and Coffee Maker at Malba Books

 

Mary’s a writer of rhymes and tall tales,

Who goes on adventures with Ogs, Ugs, and Ails.

 

With my first book “What’s an Og?”  out into the world since February this year and “What’s an Ail?” is on its way, I feel like I’m a real author!

“What’s an Og?” was written and the series conceived during one of the many pandemic lockdowns, but its origin come from many years ago when I started to write books to help teach my children to read.
These books were written using simple phonics and personalized for each of my three children.  Written in pencil on school copybooks with stick figures, these were very basic indeed but planted the seed which then remained dormant for 30+ years.
Rooted in the science of learning, these books use rhymes, repetition, and fun to make the sounds stick.

 

My life has had many adventures.  Brought up in the Southeast of Ireland, I had a wonderful childhood full of family, friends, holidays by the sea and, of course, books.  Always an avid reader, I could be found hiding away behind a hedge or up in the branches of a tree with a good book, having lost all track of time.

Fast forward through careers as a laboratory technician, research scientist, science lecturer and positive reinforcement horse trainer, to the pandemic.  This literally brought a halt to my gallop (I had been travelling extensively giving courses to groups of horse owners). But it did give me the gift of time to sit down and write those books that have been in my mind for years!

 

So now I’m an author, publisher, marketer, and general dogsbody at Malba Books.

 

What inspired you do become a writer and publisher?

 

My own children.  When they were young, there were no real beginner readers available that used simple phonics to help them learn the sounds of the letters, so I used to make books for them.  Each book was personalized, and we started with very simple three letter words that they could sound out.  As their skills grew, so did the challenges in the books.
These were simple copy books with my stick figure illustrations, and they colored them themselves!

Please tell us about the job you used to have and how it compares to the one you have now?

Jobs: I spent many years teaching at college level but the latest career I had was teaching horse owners how to train their own horses.  Positive reinforcement has always been key in my work. This process of teaching uses the same methodology that I want to incorporate in my book series.
 Teach component parts, use easy achievable steps Make it rewarding It should always be fun.

 

Who inspired you to become a Writer and Publisher? 

 

There was no one person who was my inspiration.  I have always been a reader with an eclectic taste in books and read everything from thrillers to crime novels, serious science to romance novels – all depending on my humor and whether I was looking for stimulation or sheer escapism.
When my kids started reading independently, we did acquire all the Roald Dahl books and for me, the writing style, simplicity, and fun are things I would love to emulate.

 

Please tell us a bit more about your childhood in Ireland.

 

Waterford, in the south-east of Ireland is where I spent the first 18 years of my life.  The eldest of five, I had a (mostly) very happy childhood.  Family was very important to both my parents, so I grew up with loads of cousins at a time when we had a lot of freedom to explore the world around us independently.
Books were always very important for me, but we also had trips to the beach, my uncles farm, fishing for pinkeens in streams, riding our bikes to go swimming, picnicking etc

 

Can you share a moment in your life that changed everything? 

When my first daughter was born, that had a massive impact.  Suddenly, I had this tiny, entirely dependent creature to care for. 

 

What kind of advice can you give to new writers?

         

Really research the area you want to write in, join groups of other supportive writers and ask for help!

 

What are some of your favorite authors you have read?

          Kids’ Books:  Favorite is Roald Dahl

            Romance and absolute escapism:  Marian Keyes

            Crime Novels: Patricia Cornell, Michael Connelly, Serious stuff: Norman Doige, Simon Sinek.... Plus loads more

 

If you can go back in time and change one moment in your life, what would it be?

 

 I would go back and write my books years sooner!

 

Tell us a bit about your family and how they have influenced your life? 

 

My brothers and sisters have been very supportive throughout my life.  My kids have been the major reason that I wrote my books. 

 

Do you have any wise words to share with our audience?   

You're never too old to follow your dreams!