Mayra Calvani's Blog, page 23
January 28, 2012
Calling for reviewers for controversial medical thriller!
I’m helping author Rudy A. Mazzocchi promote his controversial, powerful medical thriller, Equity of Evil (Twilight Times Books), and I was wondering if you’d be interested in doing a review of his book or have him as a guest on your blog for an interview, guest post, or simple spotlight any time during March or April.
Review copies are available in pdf, ePub, html, mobi and prc formats.
Release date: March 5th.
I’m pasting below a blurb, trailer, description and author bio for your perusal.
Thanks in advance for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you!
Best regards,
Mayra Calvani
mayra.calvani@gmail.com
BLURB:
Equity of Evil is the debut Medical Thriller by Rudy A. Mazzocchi. This bold novel involves some of the world's oldest and most emotional—therefore controversial—issues, including abortion, human trafficking, and the pirating of human organs. At the core of each matter is man's predisposition to control and take ownership of the human spirit for the sake of profit and personal gain. The reader is dragged through a dark and brutal new world where life becomes the equity of evil.
Book Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAYkQE...
Book description:
A Venture Capital Fund makes a risky investment to start a challenging new business that appears capable of reaching profitability with modest capital requirements. The real challenge: optimizing one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures in the world — abortion.
Founding Partner, Roman Citrano, a successful entrepreneur turned venture capitalist, soon struggles with what he believes is his choice to establish the controversial new company. He soon realizes that he and others are but pawns on a massive, ugly chessboard being manipulated to benefit a far larger, illicit market in human organs for transplantation. Unknowingly, prime, hyper-enriched organs are spawned from the aborted fetuses and grown like hydroponic vegetables.
An unfolding world of deceit, rape, human trafficking and assassination becomes deeply personal as Roman's sole love interest secretly uses one of his new abortion services to terminate her untimely pregnancy. When she disappears, his frantic search becomes a hellish nightmare that grows worse by the hour.
Based on true events, this bold novel involves some of the world's oldest, most emotional and controversial issues. At the core of each matter is man's predisposition to control and take ownership of the human spirit for the sake of profit and personal gain. Such control and manipulation over the will of others is the most horrendous equity of evil.
Rudy A. Mazzocchi - BIO
Rudy is best known as a medical device and biotechnology entrepreneur, inventor, and angel investor, with a history of starting new technology ventures throughout the U.S. and Europe. He’s been privileged to have the opportunity to see the newest innovations in healthcare and work with some of the most brilliant researchers, scientists and physicians in the industry.
Authoring more than 50 patents, he has helped pioneer new companies involved in cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, neurosurgery and even embryonic stem-cell development. Through these efforts, he has become the recipient of many technology and business awards, including the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in Healthcare and the Businessman of the Year Award.
Combining these experiences and opportunities, with thousands of hours of travel and long evenings in hotel rooms, he found the initiative to start writing a collection of medical thrillers based on true events, the first of which is entitled Equity of Evil.
Blog: http://rudymazzocchi.wordpress.com/
Website: www.rudymazzocchi.com
Author Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/MazzocchiAuthor
Email: rudy@rudymazzocchi.com
Purchase info:
Title: Equity of Evil
Author: Rudy Mazzocchi
Author web site: http://www.rudymazzocchi.com/
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
url: http://twilighttimesbooks.com/
ISBN: 978-1-60619-236-8
Genre: medical thriller
Format: ebook in pdf, ePub, Kindle, Mobi, PRC, etc.
Distributors: Amazon Kindle; Apple iBookstore; BN.com Nook; eReader; Fictionwise; Kobo Books; OmniLit; Sony eBookstore, etc
Release date: March 5, 2012
Price: $6.95
Pages: 310
Chapter excerpt:
http://twilighttimesbooks.com/Equityo...
January 26, 2012
Fashion Guru Karen Moller Writes Memoir
If you're interested in the private lives of people who make the fashion world, how they started and how they got to the top, you might want to pick up a copy of Karen Moller's memoir, Technicolor Dreamin': The 1960's Rainbow and Beyond.
In her fresh and engaging voice, award-winning fashion designer and consultant Moller takes us on a trip through time, from the moment she was a rebel, restless, idealistic teen in rural Canada and decided to leave home and hitchhike to pursue her dreams, to witnessing and experiencing the counter-culture revolution of the 60s and 70s, to San Francisco, New York, London and Paris and working with such celebrities as Allen Ginsberg, Andy Warhol, and The Beatles, to the creation of her successful fashion consulting firm, Trend Union, in 1985.
The memoir starts in present time with Moller having a conversation with her young niece Adele, who wants to postpone her university education in order to travel and see the world. Moller advises her to read a copy of Kerouac's On the Road, a book that she read back in the 50s and that had an immense influence on her outlook on life. The book offered young Moller courage in her pursue of creative freedom and encouraged her to hitchhiked her way to San Francisco.
“Kerouac had seemed like some kind of God, a sort of prophet sent to liberate us from the conformist middle class lives we were being programmed to live,” writes Moller.
Moller talks about her childhood, dealing with a mother who had no time for a girl and a father who was irrational, self centered and insensitive. Moller’s dreams and creativity made her different in the eyes of her family. “I became a family joke,” she writes.
It wasn’t easy. She had to work herself through school and at times had little food to eat. But she persevered, and her talent and persistence eventually took her from San Francisco to New York to London, during which time she met and worked with many famous people. At the time, London was in the midst of a cultural revolution. The anti-war movement was at full swing and the city was alive with avant-garde art galleries and art centers. It was here that Moller started designing and printing her colorful textiles. She later moved to Paris, where she opened Trend Union.
Full of interesting anecdotes, the memoir is well written and offers an exciting and colorful glimpse into the world of fashion during the hippie revolution. Moller has a light and lively writing style that makes the reading experience engaging. The book is inspirational and proves that dreams can come true if we focus on what we love, work hard, don’t give up, and reach for the stars.
January 19, 2012
Interview with Dr. Allen Malnak, Author of Hitler’s Silver Box
Thanks for this interview and congratulations on the release of your suspense thriller, Hitler’s Silver Box. What compelled you to write this story?
When my father came to America in 1906 at age 16, he had only one distant relative in this country. He left behind in Kovno, Lithuania a large family, including his parents, eight brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles. They ranged in age from the elderly to babies.
Dad died of natural causes during the Second World War and immediately following the war, my late brother Lewis and I began to try to track down our father’s European family. I was just 16 when the war ended. We wrote letters to everyone we could think of and after about a year received a detailed reply from the International Red Cross. Nazi records as well as witness reports indicated that all members of dad’s family had been murdered either in or near Kovno or after transfer to a death camp. Every man, woman and child!
So, one entire side of my family was destroyed by the Nazis. Of course, I became interested in the Holocaust and began reading articles about it even during my high school and college years. During my internship at Chicago’s Cook County Hospital, I read a short book, Doctors of Infamy, which covered many horrendous medical experiments performed on concentration camp prisoners by Nazi physicians. The book was so disturbing that after reading it, I tossed it into a garbage can. My next book on the subject was Elie Weisel’s NIGHT. I then became occupied with my professional career as well as with my growing family for many years. When I reached the age of forty, I decided I owed it to my dead family members to engage in a real study of that terrible time. I then spent perhaps two or three years of my limited free time reading every book I could find on the Holocaust.
Years later, I retired from the practice and teaching of internal medicine, and my wife and I moved to Bonita Springs Florida. I noticed in the Naples Daily News an article describing a course in writing fiction being held at the Naples Philharmonic. The teacher was Hollis Alpert a well known novelist, biographer, short story editor as well as a movie critic.
I took classes with Hollis for a couple of years. He would give us assignments, often listing several subjects that we should use as the basis of a short story. He would critique each story and at the next weekly session read some of them to the class.
One topic I picked was titled “A Silver Box.” For some reason, I decided to write it about a concentration camp prisoner at the Theresienstadt Concentration Camp who was forced by a Nazi colonel to make a silver box which would be a present for Adolph Hitler.
After reading the story in class, afterwards, Hollis suggested that this story could be expanded into a novel, and that started the process that eventually lead to Hitler's Silver Box—A Novel.
What parts of the novel are actual historical facts?
While Hitler's Silver Box—A Novel is a work of fiction, it’s loosely based on the fact that during the Second World War, Nazi scientists worked up to the war’s end on a multitude of secret weapons on which Hitler pinned his hopes for a last ditch victory.
These weapon systems ranged from very long range rockets that could be fired from underground bases to alternative physics, robotic warriors, new energy sources, radical germ warfare and of course, nuclear weapons.
In the novel, the facts were modified to suggest that many objects which were later called UFOs were also developed by Nazi scientists in concealed locations, and various secret laboratories were set up around the world including in areas of both Arctic and Antarctic wastes where explorers had never trekked.
What was your writing process like while working on this novel? Did you have a disciplined schedule?
Because of various acute and chronic illnesses, I could not keep to a writing schedule. I followed the mantra of “write—rewrite—get it right.” Unlike many expert suggestions, I constantly re-edited my previous work, then edited it again and again.
From conception to typing ‘The End,’ how long did it take you?
About ten years.
The story takes the reader from Chicago to Paris to the Czech Republic. Did you travel to Europe as part of the research?
I have visited many countries in Europe and Paris is my favorite city in the world. I had many plans to visit the Czech Republic, but like Max in the book, health problems kept canceling the plans.
What was the hardest part of writing Hitler’s Silver Box?
Dialogue and careful descriptions were difficult crafts to understand and learn, but the hardest part was describing the conditions that Max went through in the concentration camp using the “particular” silver, the provenance of which nearly drove him and me mad. The dramatic ER scenes were easier because they were based on my personal experiences. Since like Bruce in the novel, I also have claustrophobia in tunnels, writing that scene caused me some discomfort.
What’s in the horizon for Allen Malnak?
If my health holds up, I just might write a sequel to Hitler’s Silver Box. If the Spielberg types come sniffin; around to make the novel into a movie, well I just might be forced to interview Charlize Theron to see if she’s “hot” enough to play Sari.
Any last words to my readers?
The incidents that pushed me to finish Hitler’s Silver Box were linked to the website of one of our local newspapers. Two anonymous neo-Nazis constantly spewed their racist, ant-Semitic slurs, bragging about their continued worship of Adolph Hitler and the murderous Waffen SS, while denying every aspect of the Holocaust.
I’ll close with a quote from a novelist, Jerry Ahern, who reviewed my book for “Gun World Magazine.”
“Future generations have serious responsibilities, chief among these not to repeat past mistakes. Sadly, these days, there are still those who, out of ignorance or foul intentions, somehow revere the scourge that was National Socialism. That’s why, it’s good for the rest of us to get reminded from time to time, at least, how truly despicable the Nazis were.”
Read more about the author and Hitler's Silver Box:
http://naples.floridaweekly.com/news/2012-01-12/PDF/Page_080.pdf
http://naples.floridaweekly.com/news/2012-01-12/PDF/Page_081.pdf
Website: www.hitlerssilverbox.com
Purchase from Amazon.
This article originally appeared in Blogcritics.
December 16, 2011
Interview with YA Fantasy Author D.L. Reynolds
Please welcome my special guest, D.L. Reynolds. Reynolds is the author of the YA Christian fantasy, Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe, the first book in this his new series for fans of fantasy and adventure fiction. I had the pleasure of reviewing his book last week. You can read my review here. I hope you'll enjoy the interview!
About the author:
"I’m just another guy seeking to follow my dream of creating entertainment! I have been a part-time dabbler over the years in writing, art and acting until now. I am determined to make writing my profession moving forward."
[image error]About the book:
Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe is the first book in the Guardian series. The main characters are a group of teenage Guardian Angels, well, Guardian Angels “in training” led by Darla Jade a feisty thirteen year-old girl. They go on a fantastic journey to retrieve the Sacred Light and the Staff of Calling in order to bring Striker back and stop the evil army being created by Johnny and his Demons intent on destroying all that is good.
Interview:
Congratulations on the publication of your young adult novel, Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe. What makes you passionate about writing for children?
The media has swayed too far from good values and moral ethics. Most popular stories today forsake solid values and instead emphasize bad messages and poor choices by dressing them up to look like fun.
In part, the Christian market has brought some of this on themselves by not supplying the stories that kids want to read. Unless we capture their interest, they won’t read our books.
I hope to bridge that gap with the Guardians, by supplying the same type of darkness and fantastic adventures in my stories that are popular today. Then I sprinkle it with the light and goodness as a message that we need to hear.
Let’s work together to bring back good values that our children can carry with them for the rest of their life.
We can make a difference!
Are you a fantasy author or do you also dabble in other genres?
I’m a Jack of all Trades…
• I am an award winning poet.
• I am an award winning writer of short stories and other types.
• I have a children’s picture book in publication that should be on the market early in 2012, (Map Time, book One of the Sidewalk Chalk Series).
• I am a script writer, and actor along with other areas in the film industry.
Tell us something about your protagonist, Darla Jade. What kind of girl is she and why do you think young readers will love her?
Darla is a typical teenager. Even though she’s in Heaven, she’s still the same person she was before. Darla struggles with the same issues every teenage girl faces and feels, like boys and onward. However, in Heaven she doesn’t get away with it, Demerits! She has to accept her sins and make them right or suffer the consequences. This is the get out of jail free card that we all can use. Make things right by doing goodness and facing up to your wrong doing. Then the slate is clean again!
Even though things may seem too scary or undoable at times, Darla Jade has tenacity and faith in herself, her friends and God. Darla Jade and the Guardians are a group of underdogs, who’s capabilities fall substantially short of their needs. But they stick together “no matter what”. The reader will see themselves in this adventure as a Guardian, a personal member of the team. They will face insurmountable obstacles along with the Guardians. In doing so, they will see that the challenges in life can be overcome though hard work, goodness and having faith. Face the challenge with your fellow Guardians, and the mountain becomes a pebble on your path toward victory!
Tell us about the bad guys, too!
There’s some interesting twists on the Bad Guys in this adventure and the upcoming novels. Can you say… I didn’t see that coming!
Johnny was pulled from the grave the same night as Darla Jade and he’s the mastermind behind taking over the Balance of the Universe. As you well know, most Demons are not too smart, but Johnny has brains. He sets up alliances with some very powerful, and some not so powerful Demons and his plan is launched by a team of evil that clashes with the Guardians every chance they get.
What is the most challenging aspect of writing fantasy?
For me the most challenging part is staying focused on finishing a single adventure. I have so many ideas that it’s hard to work on “only one”. However, that has its advantages, 4 of the series novels have been completely outlined. This is important, because it allows me to foreshadow significant plots and twists in future books, while still wrapping up an adventure per novel. There are foreshadows in book one that will play out in the final novel, Darla Jade and the Prophet.
I also have issues finding the time to write and deciding when it’s “good enough” to quit editing.
How long did it take you to write the novel?
About a year, the first draft was 130,000 words. After focus group readings, feedback, and my editing, I ended up with about 85,000 words. Yeap… it was tough to cut a full novel out, but I’d rather have a good story. It’s important to test your work outside your family, and listen to what people suggest.
My novel was stalled for two-years waiting on an editor at Simon and Schuster to publish it. They never came through, so I took it back and went elsewhere. That means this novel has been in the works for nearly four-years.
Do you do school visits? Do you have any events coming up?
My book is hot off the press (Nov 11th), so I’m still setting up a lot of stuff. I will be speaking at schools, churches and other venues. I will be conducting book signings and stocking the book in many bookstores. I also have several friends across the globe, who are going to launch the book in their countries and start word of mouth advertising.
What is your writing schedule like? Are you disciplined?
My schedule is tough. I spend 8 -12 hours a day on a computer for my job and then write after I get off work. This is hard on my eyes… and tiring. However, I work through weekends (when not doing movies), and use vacations to write. In fact, I am on vacation now writing a new novel. However, I could be more disciplined.
What do you do when the words ‘just won’t come out’? Do you stay and force it until something begins happening on the page?
No, I draft outlines and several supporting documents in parallel when I write. I always go back and forth between them and the story, as I write. It’s pretty unusual for me to not find the words. On the rare occasion when that happens, I drop back and edit earlier writing, and then I’m back on track with the story. I am more likely to want to start a new story… and then the old one goes on the back shelf!
Do you have any tips for aspiring children’s authors?
Yes, do your first run through as a draft and resist the urge to edit until you’re done. Stick to your story’s “core concept”, but test it with non-family readers. If several say the same thing, listen to them. I didn’t do everything they suggested, but I did pay more attention, and when several readers said the same thing, then in many cases implemented their suggestions.
Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can learn more about you and your work?
www.darlajadeandthebalanceoftheuniverse.com
www.theguardians.co
www.dlreynolds.co
Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
This isn’t going to be easy, but you can see your book published. More than anything “don’t quit”. You must push hard “at every step in the process”, nobody else is going to do it for you. Don’t accept anything but the best from yourself and everyone who participates in the process.
Some points to remember:
Every writer starts with a first word.
Every writer thinks their writing isn’t good enough.
Every writer thinks the task is too big.
The published writer takes it one word at a time.
Then next thing you know… people are reading your book, and liking it!
Interview with YA Fantasy Author D.L. Reynolds
Please welcome my special guest, D.L. Reynolds. Reynolds is the author of the YA Christian fantasy, Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe, the first book in this his new series for fans of fantasy and adventure fiction. I had the pleasure of reviewing his book last week. You can read my review here. I hope you'll enjoy the interview!
About the author:
"I’m just another guy seeking to follow my dream of creating entertainment! I have been a part-time dabbler over the years in writing, art and acting until now. I am determined to make writing my profession moving forward."
[image error]About the book:
Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe is the first book in the Guardian series. The main characters are a group of teenage Guardian Angels, well, Guardian Angels “in training” led by Darla Jade a feisty thirteen year-old girl. They go on a fantastic journey to retrieve the Sacred Light and the Staff of Calling in order to bring Striker back and stop the evil army being created by Johnny and his Demons intent on destroying all that is good.
Interview:
Congratulations on the publication of your young adult novel, Darla Jade and the Balance of the Universe. What makes you passionate about writing for children?
The media has swayed too far from good values and moral ethics. Most popular stories today forsake solid values and instead emphasize bad messages and poor choices by dressing them up to look like fun.
In part, the Christian market has brought some of this on themselves by not supplying the stories that kids want to read. Unless we capture their interest, they won’t read our books.
I hope to bridge that gap with the Guardians, by supplying the same type of darkness and fantastic adventures in my stories that are popular today. Then I sprinkle it with the light and goodness as a message that we need to hear.
Let’s work together to bring back good values that our children can carry with them for the rest of their life.
We can make a difference!
Are you a fantasy author or do you also dabble in other genres?
I’m a Jack of all Trades…
• I am an award winning poet.
• I am an award winning writer of short stories and other types.
• I have a children’s picture book in publication that should be on the market early in 2012, (Map Time, book One of the Sidewalk Chalk Series).
• I am a script writer, and actor along with other areas in the film industry.
Tell us something about your protagonist, Darla Jade. What kind of girl is she and why do you think young readers will love her?
Darla is a typical teenager. Even though she’s in Heaven, she’s still the same person she was before. Darla struggles with the same issues every teenage girl faces and feels, like boys and onward. However, in Heaven she doesn’t get away with it, Demerits! She has to accept her sins and make them right or suffer the consequences. This is the get out of jail free card that we all can use. Make things right by doing goodness and facing up to your wrong doing. Then the slate is clean again!
Even though things may seem too scary or undoable at times, Darla Jade has tenacity and faith in herself, her friends and God. Darla Jade and the Guardians are a group of underdogs, who’s capabilities fall substantially short of their needs. But they stick together “no matter what”. The reader will see themselves in this adventure as a Guardian, a personal member of the team. They will face insurmountable obstacles along with the Guardians. In doing so, they will see that the challenges in life can be overcome though hard work, goodness and having faith. Face the challenge with your fellow Guardians, and the mountain becomes a pebble on your path toward victory!
Tell us about the bad guys, too!
There’s some interesting twists on the Bad Guys in this adventure and the upcoming novels. Can you say… I didn’t see that coming!
Johnny was pulled from the grave the same night as Darla Jade and he’s the mastermind behind taking over the Balance of the Universe. As you well know, most Demons are not too smart, but Johnny has brains. He sets up alliances with some very powerful, and some not so powerful Demons and his plan is launched by a team of evil that clashes with the Guardians every chance they get.
What is the most challenging aspect of writing fantasy?
For me the most challenging part is staying focused on finishing a single adventure. I have so many ideas that it’s hard to work on “only one”. However, that has its advantages, 4 of the series novels have been completely outlined. This is important, because it allows me to foreshadow significant plots and twists in future books, while still wrapping up an adventure per novel. There are foreshadows in book one that will play out in the final novel, Darla Jade and the Prophet.
I also have issues finding the time to write and deciding when it’s “good enough” to quit editing.
How long did it take you to write the novel?
About a year, the first draft was 130,000 words. After focus group readings, feedback, and my editing, I ended up with about 85,000 words. Yeap… it was tough to cut a full novel out, but I’d rather have a good story. It’s important to test your work outside your family, and listen to what people suggest.
My novel was stalled for two-years waiting on an editor at Simon and Schuster to publish it. They never came through, so I took it back and went elsewhere. That means this novel has been in the works for nearly four-years.
Do you do school visits? Do you have any events coming up?
My book is hot off the press (Nov 11th), so I’m still setting up a lot of stuff. I will be speaking at schools, churches and other venues. I will be conducting book signings and stocking the book in many bookstores. I also have several friends across the globe, who are going to launch the book in their countries and start word of mouth advertising.
What is your writing schedule like? Are you disciplined?
My schedule is tough. I spend 8 -12 hours a day on a computer for my job and then write after I get off work. This is hard on my eyes… and tiring. However, I work through weekends (when not doing movies), and use vacations to write. In fact, I am on vacation now writing a new novel. However, I could be more disciplined.
What do you do when the words ‘just won’t come out’? Do you stay and force it until something begins happening on the page?
No, I draft outlines and several supporting documents in parallel when I write. I always go back and forth between them and the story, as I write. It’s pretty unusual for me to not find the words. On the rare occasion when that happens, I drop back and edit earlier writing, and then I’m back on track with the story. I am more likely to want to start a new story… and then the old one goes on the back shelf!
Do you have any tips for aspiring children’s authors?
Yes, do your first run through as a draft and resist the urge to edit until you’re done. Stick to your story’s “core concept”, but test it with non-family readers. If several say the same thing, listen to them. I didn’t do everything they suggested, but I did pay more attention, and when several readers said the same thing, then in many cases implemented their suggestions.
Do you have a website and/or blog where readers can learn more about you and your work?
www.darlajadeandthebalanceoftheuniverse.com
www.theguardians.co
www.dlreynolds.co
Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
This isn’t going to be easy, but you can see your book published. More than anything “don’t quit”. You must push hard “at every step in the process”, nobody else is going to do it for you. Don’t accept anything but the best from yourself and everyone who participates in the process.
Some points to remember:
Every writer starts with a first word.
Every writer thinks their writing isn’t good enough.
Every writer thinks the task is too big.
The published writer takes it one word at a time.
Then next thing you know… people are reading your book, and liking it!
Read more: http://blogcritics.org/books/article/...
December 7, 2011
A Lyrical Tale, a Little Magic, and a Lot of Storytelling
Kai Strand is a middle grade and young adult author. She lives in Central Oregon with her husband and children. They love to hike and geocache. She reads every story she writes to them. They are amazingly patient and remain appropriately enthusiastic. Kai has had several short stories published online and in print magazines. You can find links to some on her website. To learn more about Kai and her writing, visit www.kaistrand.com
About the book: In the town of The Tales, people communicate through stories. They call themselves word weavers. Mary Wordsmith is the daughter of the most revered word weaver of them all, yet she suffers through her third year of Novice Word Weaving. Mary thinks her troubles are over when she meets a gnome-elf who grants her a wish. But instead of weaving a better story, she's weaving strange yarn charms to accompany her still pathetic tales.
The Weaver is a lyrical tale with a little magic and a lot of storytelling. It is a finalist in the EPIC eBook Awards. Written for children 9 - 12 years old, but enjoyed by people of all ages.
I understand you wrote short fiction for magazines before you started writing full-length novels. How did the transition come about? Were these short stories for children?
Actually, I did start with novels, or rather a novel. My first novel came out of me and into the computer in an unusually fast pace. In fewer than two months, I created an epic middle grade fantasy of 85,000 words. I realized that might be a bit too long, but cutting all those clever words of mine proved difficult. I turned to short stories 1.) to keep me creating and happy while I edited – not my favorite part of writing and 2.) to learn economy of words. I dabbled in picture books for the same reason, but I’ve given up on picture book text for now. Eventually I trimmed that first novel down to 70,000 words, but it too is shelved for the time being.
Most of my writing is for children, though it used to be personal. For years I created poems or short prose for friends, coworkers or my husband as gifts. I’d print them on pretty paper, frame them and wrap them up fancy. Personalized and handmade gifts are so much fun to create (and receive).
What makes you passionate about writing for children and when did this passion begin?
Writing for children happened because I have four of my own. I don’t think I was very good at being a kid, myself, so when my children came along and showed me how much fun it could be, I learned to appreciate everything “kid.” Then when they started to read, it sort of unlocked my memories of how books helped steer my growth and maturity. I guess I hadn’t realized how important what you read is to your decision making abilities until I started seeing children’s books through my adult eyes. Suddenly I hungered to provide examples of how to have fun, how to play, how to be good at being a kid.
My ultimate goal with my writing is to provide a child an escape hatch from their reality. I want them to climb into someone else’s life where they don’t feel pressured to act nice or choose right from wrong. I want them to just piggyback the main character and imagine what it would be like to experience new and different things.
Congratulations on the publication of your middle-grade novel, The Weaver. What inspired you to write it?
Thank you. The Weaver was inspired by the name of my online critique group, Silver Web. I was sitting in front of my computer one day, casting around inside the cobwebs of my mind for a story idea. I had the main page of my critique group on my screen and we have this awesome web graphic. I thought, “Spiders weave webs like we weave stories. We’re word weavers.” That thought grew into me imagining living in a town where people speak in story.
Tell us something about your protagonist, Mary. What kind of girl is she and why do you think young readers will love her?
Poor Mary is suffering through her third year of Novice Word Weaving. At eleven years old, she stands head and shoulders taller than her eight year old classmates. To make matters worse, her mother is the most revered word weaver in town. When Mary meets a strange little creature that grants her a wish, she thinks her troubles are over. Except instead of weaving a better tale, she is weaving odd little yarn charms to accompany her still pathetic tales.
I wanted to create a character that wasn’t really different from her friends, but felt like she was nonetheless. I suspect that “not fitting in” is one of the number one worries of children (and many adults) so I think they will relate to poor Mary who worries that being an inept storyteller makes her stand out like a sore thumb. And they should really feel her plight when she is suddenly knitting strange yarn charms, which really do make her different.
What about the antagonist?
I want to continue to describe Mary here, but that wouldn’t be right, would it? However, there isn’t a direct antagonist in the story. Mary has two loving parents and very supportive and loyal friends. Even the odd little gnome-elf, Unwanted, tries to help her. She really is her own worst enemy.
Do you have a writing routine or any quirks, such as meditating, listening to music or some other thing?
I suppose I have several ways to circumvent monotony. If I have writer’s block, I read a book on the writing craft, which ALWAYS unsticks me. If I’m struggling with a pathetic lack of creativity, I change my location; tryout a new coffee shop, write at the library or a park if the weather is nice. Sometimes I listen to music, but it has to be instrumental only and preferably something I’m not too familiar with, otherwise I end up losing myself to the notes, the chords, the harmonies, the dissonance. I really love music.
I’d love to hear about the writing process for this novel. How long did it take you to write it? How many times did you edit it, etc.?
Please note that I am blushing while typing this. I can’t answer those questions. I don’t remember when I started this book. I wrote about ¾ of it and then got side tracked. I wrote a whole other novel before coming back to this one. It sat around for maybe a year. Anyway, the irony behind this story is that I stepped away from it when I couldn’t figure out how to bridge from the middle to the end. Eventually, I scolded myself because I had this perfectly good manuscript collecting dust on my hard drive. I told myself, “Just sit down and do the hard work.” In the end, that was the bridge my character needed in her story arc. She needed to sit down and do the hard work.
I don’t even remember how many passes I made during the editing process, but I know it is a very different book from its original form. I don’t use an outline so often my stories will head in a different direction than I originally intended. During editing I decide which I like better and rewrite accordingly.
Do you have any tips for aspiring children’s authors?
Love what you do and remember why you love it. Becoming a published author is difficult and discouraging, but don’t get caught up in that.
Read a lot of books written for the age group you want to write for. Immerse yourself in the text. Read so much you start talking like that or you dream it.
Writing a lot is important, but without good, objective feedback you probably won’t improve much. Find a critique group or partners that understand the genre and age you are writing for and that will point out the good and the bad and make suggestions on how to fix it. Then return the favor. You learn so much when you critique someone else’s work.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
I’m thrilled to announce the sale of my middle grade novel, Save the Lemmings! to Featherweight Press. When Natalie’s Texty-Talky invention makes her an overnight sensation, the media digs until they find a way to smear her goody-goody image.
Look for publication in 2012.
Please visit my website and like my author page for more writing related news. Thanks for reading!
Thank you, Kai!
December 1, 2011
Interview with Nancy Stewart, author of Sea Turtle Summer
Nancy is the bestselling author of the four Bella and Britt Series books for children: One Pelican at a Time (eighteen weeks on Amazon Bestselling List), Sea Turtle Summer, Bella Saves the Beach and Mystery at Manatee Key. All are published by Guardian Angel Publishing.
She and One Pelican at a Time and were featured in the PBS Tampa (WEDU) special, GulfWatch. Pelican was nominated for a Global eBook Award and has won the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.
Nancy’s travels take her extensively throughout the world, most particularly Africa. She is US chair of a charity in Lamu, Kenya, that places girls in intermediate schools to allow them to further their education. She and her husband live in Tampa and St. Louis.
I understand you were a university professor teaching classes about children’s and young adult literature before you started writing. How did the leap from teacher to author come about?
I thought fleetingly about writing for children through my years as an academic, but it never seemed the right time. After teaching children’s and young adult literature, though, the idea crystallized. The day after my granddaughter, Leah, was born, I wrote my first children’s book, I Held You on the Day You Were Born. Since then I’ve never looked back, and those pent-up books flow faster than I would ever have expected. So, in a real way, Leah (who is now five) is the true catalyst behind my writing.
What makes you passionate about writing for children?
My entire academic career has been about children, from teaching young kids to teaching pre-service teachers. It was, I think, a natural segue to begin writing for them. The combination of my love of all things books and the real joy I feel about children and their growing awareness of new ideas led me to this passion.
Congratulations on the publication of your latest children’s picture book, Sea Turtle Summer. What was your inspiration for this story?
My morning walks on Clearwater Beach provide me with so many ideas, particularly for the Bella and Britt Series. With Sea Turtle Summer, I walked by a cordoned off area of the beach that contained a sea turtle nest. The orange tape and the affixed state seal warning about the serious consequences of tampering began the process in my mind.
Clearwater Beach, always voted one of the three best beaches in the world, is a sea turtle’s nightmare if she happens to lay her eggs there. There is so very much activity—from sun worshiping, to volleyball games, to kids’ digging sandcastles (hatchlings cannot get over them), the problem became defined. The tension was set up. All we needed was a sea turtle laying her eggs in an unfortunate place, and Bella and Britt were back on the job!
Tell us something about your protagonist, Bella. What kind of girl is she and why do you think young readers will love her?
Bella is a go-to girl. She thinks on her feet, is self-assured and makes things happen. Bella sees a problem and spares no time in trying to solve it. She, in fact, will not take no for an answer. This attitude can be tricky and fraught for a child dealing with an adult world, but Bella perseveres. She is an empowered kid and as such, I hope she’s a model for other kids who need that assurance.
What is the message of your book? Why do you think parents and educators should buy it for their children/students?
The message is two-fold. It is, of course, an ecology book for children. It will, I hope, help make children aware of the natural world and the responsibility they have for it. It also, as I mentioned above, is a book about empowerment. There are times when children do have the best answers, and navigating an adult milieu can be a sensitive issue. I hope that giving children permission to empower themselves will not stop with ecology but will help them stay safe and make good choices.
I understand you get up at dawn everyday and by 6am are already pounding away at your keyboard on the balcony of your beautiful, gulf-view Clearwater apartment. Tell us more about your writing schedule and writing process, especially for Sea Turtle Summer.
It is true that I’m at my computer around six each morning and has become a joke with friends who always look at the time I send or answer emails! I do find that time to be more productive for me than any other.
I’ve learned to parcel my days into bunches of hours, each bunch dealing with one area. For instance, my best creative writing is early in the morning. About mid-morning, I turn to marketing and do that several hours. Later in the day, I go back to writing, many times on a different manuscript. I tend to finish about 5 PM, but my computer is sometimes on my lap in the evening as well.
My blog does take some time almost daily. I publish new posts three times a week. I try to write them in groups and usually have seven or eight ready to go. I enjoy blogging and find writing for adults helps keep my mind focused in a different way. In that regard, it’s a worthwhile exercise.
What do you do when the words ‘just won’t come out’? Do you stay and force it until something begins happening on the page?
Free Association is the name of that game for me. I don’t fight writer’s block anymore. Rather, exercise or running errands or doing anything not related to writing helps greatly. When I’m disengaged from writing is usually when engagement happens. An idea, a notion, a nugget of a thought will pop into my consciousness and, as if by magic, the block is finished.
Do you have any tips for aspiring children’s authors?
Yes! Don’t write in a vacuum! Join a writer’s group—immediately. It is the best thing you can do for yourself. The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is beyond valuable for the new writer, and local groups are everywhere.
Realize you have to promote your own book, and you must do it constantly. The days of sitting back and letting your publishing house do it are over! I have a friend whose name you’d recognize here. She’s had thirty two books children’s books published. Recently she told me that she still gives one day a month to marketing.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with my readers?
I’d be delighted to share my web and blog addresses and tell them where my books can be purchased.
Web site: http://www.nancystewartbooks.com
Blog site: http://www.nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com
The books are sold at: Guardian Angel Publishing, amazon.com, barnes & noble.com, Fictionwise and my web and blog sites, where you can obtain a personalized, autographed copy.
Thank you, Nancy!
Thank you so much, Mayra, for hosting me. I enjoyed being with you and your guests.
Listen to an audio interview with Nancy: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/across-the-pond.
October 23, 2011
Do you have or know a little girl who plays the violin?
Here's a short blurb:
Five days before Christmas, Emma is captivated by a doll in a shop window. Each day, she sneaks out of the orphanage to check if it’s been sold, but the shop owner, Madame Dubois, sends her away. Will the magic of Christmas bring Emma, Madame Dubois, and the doll violinist together?
*ABC's Children's Picture Book Finalist!
*Honorable Mention Award in the 75th Annual Writers Digest Writing Competition!
The book is available in paperback, hardcover, ebook and soon as an Apple app with audio!
The publisher's link is: http://www.guardianangelpublishing.co...
Thanks!
Mayra
October 19, 2011
The Cat Cellar and Other Stories
Now on Kindle for only $.99!
October 11, 2011
Book Review: The Adventures of Zeppi: New Friends (book 1)
By C.K. Omillin
Blurb.com
Children’s picture book, 24 pages, $15.55
www.omillinplanet.com
In the middle of the night, a mysterious red truck races down Happy Town. Its cargo? Cages filled with penguins on their way to be shipped to another country. Suddenly the doors fling open and one cage rolls down the street and lands in a garden. From it, a little penguin steps out fearfully, awed at the world around him. Up until now, he has only known the constraints of the zoo.
In the morning, a boy named Alesdor discovers him and decides to keep him. Naturally, they immediately click and become the best of friends. Though the little penguin, Zeppi, is heartbroken from being separated from the rest of his family, he finds warmth and affection in Alesdor, who is as anxious for a friend as his new companion.
This children’s book by first-time Belgian author C.K. Omillin put a smile on my face throughout; not only because it’s about a penguin (and who doesn’t love penguins?), but because the story is sweet and weaves elements of friendship, family and ecological, planet-friendly values. This is the first instalment in The Adventures of Zeppi series and the beginning of their escapades. The adorable illustrations in soft pastel colors complement the story perfectly. This isn’t the standard picture book for 3-7 year olds that has short text and includes artwork on almost every page, but rather a picture book for slighter older kids (ages 6-9), who can handle longer stories. Still, there are 13 illustrations in this book, many of them spot illustrations.
I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
The Adventures of Zeppi is sure to become a favourite of children, especially those who love penguins. C.K. Omillin is definitely an author to keep your eye on.
Find out more at www.omillinplanet.com.
Read my interview with author C.K. Omillin on Blogcritics.
