Kai Strand's Blog, page 55
June 6, 2012
Three Times A Charm with Shevi Arnold
Three Times a Charm is a weekly feature that spotlights authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the publishing industry.
This week author, Shevi Arnold, joins us. Shevi, tell us about you.When I was little, I wanted to be God. But I discovered that job was already taken. So I decided I wanted to be a movie director. It seemed like the second-best way to create worlds.
As I grew up, I started telling stories to the little kids on the bus and my cousins’ little...
June 5, 2012
Exciting, Sparkly Book News!
So much has been happening and I want to compile all my exciting, sparkly book news into one place.
Releasing in 2012:
Save the Lemmings
8th grade inventor, Natalie Isabelle Cailean Edwards is the N.I.C.E. girl who finishes last with the kids in school. Sappy inspirational phrases and monochromatic outfits have all but her best friends wrinkling their nose at her. When Natalie’s invention, the Texty-Talky, goes nationwide, she becomes an overnight sensation. Suddenly her days consist of photo s...
June 4, 2012
Cover Reveal of When The Butterflies Came by Kimberley Griffiths Little
Author, Kimberley Griffiths Little has recently revealed the cover to her upcoming novel, When The Butterflies Came , scheduled for release Spring of 2013! And it is a beauty!
Here is the synopsis:
Everybody thinks Tara Doucet has the perfect life. But in reality, Tara’s life is anything but perfect: Her dear Grammy Claire has just passed away, her mother is depressed and distant, and she and her sister Riley can’t seem to agree on anything. But when mysterious and dazzling butterflies begin to...
June 1, 2012
Knowonder Relaunch - A Story A Day
Parents, teachers, caregivers. Grandparents, counselors, aunts. Lend me your ear. Knowonder, an online children’s magazine, is announcing its relaunch. It is bigger and better than ever! Promising a story a day, Knowonder is a valuable partner for parents and educators in promoting literacy. Some of the exciting features the newly redesigned site offers is:
§ New stories every day§ 3 new non-fiction...
May 30, 2012
Three Times A Charm with Mary Cunningham
Three Times a Charm is a weekly feature that spotlights authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the publishing industry.
This week author, Mary Cunningham, joins us. Mary, tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in the sleepy little town of Corydon, Indiana. And I really mean “in the town!” My house was just beyond the main intersection that took Southern Indiana cars and trucks from north to west. That was well before Interstate 64 zoomed traffic just north of to...
May 23, 2012
Three Times A Charm with Susan Kaye Quinn
Three Times a Charm is a weekly feature that spotlights authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the publishing industry.
This week author, Susan Kaye Quinn, joins us. Thank you for agreeing to be a part of my weekly feature “Three Times a Charm.” Thanks so much for having me!
I’m especially excited since today is your BIG launch day for Closed Hearts the second book in your Mindjack Trilogy. Our lucky readers even get to enter your giveaway! B...
May 11, 2012
Raising A Reader - Children's Book Week Blog Hop & Giveaway
When the box of books for my first published middle grade novel, The Weaver, arrived at my house, I tore into it and the very first thing I did was open a book and smell the pages. Ink and paper, I’d smelled them many times in my life, but it was the utmost satisfying to know this time the ink formed my words.I handed a book to my (then) 11-year-old daughter and she carefully pulled back the cover so as not to crack the spine, knowing these books were to be sent out to reviewers and contest w...
May 10, 2012
Children's Literacy from a Librarian's Point of View
Illustrator, KC Snider, and Julie reading the contest entries
Continuing my theme of children’s literacy for the Children’s Book Week blog hop, I sat down with Redmond Community Librarian, Julie Bowers. Julie and I first met when we were involved in the Redmond 4thGrade Writing Contest. Now, who doesn’t LOVE a community minded librarian who wears really cute skirts? Julie works at the Redmond Branch of the Deschutes Public Library.
Julie, I’m a huge fan of the Deschutes Public Library System, t...
May 9, 2012
Children's Book Week edition of Three Times A Charm with Mike Hays
Three Times a Charm is a weekly feature that spotlights authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the publishing industry.
This week author, Mike Hays, joins us with some bonus content in celebration of Children’s Book Week. Mike, tell us about you.THE YOUNGER DAYS is my debut middle grade historical fiction novel from MuseItUp Publishing. I am a husband, a father of three, a lifelong Kansan and work as a molecular microbiologist. Besides writing, I...
May 8, 2012
Children’s Literacy Promotes Strong Problem Solving Skills
To celebrate Children’s Book Week, I am focusing on the benefits of children’s literacy in order to encourage parents, grandparents, caregivers, siblings to model strong reading habits to the younger children in their lives.
In my experience, children who have grown up reading, being read to and listening to audio books not only have a well-developed vocabulary, but they are also better communicators.
As a writer I often hear, “Know your audience.” What this means is that if I am going to write...
