Kelly Hashway's Blog, page 128

Monday Mishmash 7/11

Happy Monday! It's mishmash time. Here's what's on my mind today:

 

My first radio interview My interview is up on The Children's Author Show. I'm very excited since this is my first radio appearance. You can listen to my interview here.My ebook venture On Wednesday, I'll post about my first experience with publishing an ebook. It's actually for a two-part short story, not a book, but maybe it will help some of you who are thinking about going the ebook route.May the Best Dog Win is on sale! Both Barnes and Noble and Amazon have lowered the price of my book.Book reviews I'm currently reviewing two books for authors I've met online. I just finished the first and I really enjoyed it. Can't wait to share it with you all.Weekend of reading I had a very relaxing weekend where I mostly read. I haven't devoted so much time to reading in a while. Even though I read everyday, having two days of primarily reading was glorious!
That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

I Write Therefore I Teach

Most of you probably know that before I had my daughter and decided to pursue my writing career, I was a teacher. I taught middle school language arts for seven years. I loved being able to be with kids all day long and see their faces light up when they learned something new. I loved when my students would tell me they couldn't stop reading after they'd finished the assigned chapters. And now that I've been out of the school for four years, I get a lot of people asking me if I miss teaching. The answer is yes and no.

I miss being around kids everyday. I miss sharing my love of reading and writing with young minds. I don't miss the politics that happen inside the walls of a school. Well, I was thinking about it and I realized that I still am a teacher. I teach kids through my writing. Now it's my stories they are reading and discussing in school. I've gotten fan mail from kids and teachers thanking me for putting the fun back into reading. That brings the biggest smile to my face. Schools contacted me about including my stories and articles in their district wide assessments. What more can I ask for?

Really what it comes down to is, if you are a writer, you are a teacher. You are sharing your work with the world and making an impression on young minds. So do I miss teaching? The answer is I never stopped teaching.

 

What kinds of things will kids learn from your stories or books? Do you think about the fact that you are teaching with the words you write?

Finding Time to Write

Anyone else dying to find a way to freeze time so we can put our lives on hold and just write? I consider myself lucky because I'm a full-time writer and mom. I have more time to devote to writing than people who have 9-5 jobs. Still, with a four-year-old running around the house, I'm busy. So the question remains, how do we find time to write?

I put myself on a schedule. My day starts at 6am. I work on social media during breakfast. I know what you're thinking. That's family time. Well, my daughter doesn't watch a lot of TV but she does watch PBS shows during breakfast. Okay get ready to brace yourselves again. We eat at the coffee table. I know, I know. But this way my daughter can eat and I can be on my laptop. Luckily I'm good at multitasking, so I can have conversations with her while answering emails, tweeting, and visiting blogs.

I leave my computer on all day and when I have a minute--like when my daughter is in the bathroom or she's getting herself dressed (she's very independent and grown up for four) I'll jot down story ideas or visit another blog or two. After lunch is nap time. That's my set writing time. Now with my husband home for the summer, I have him trained to nap at the same time as my daughter so I can get uninterrupted writing time. Yes, I force my husband to nap. He doesn't mind all that much.

Then I'm off the computer (though it's still on for those quick moments when I can pop on to read an email) until after 8pm when my daughter goes to bed. I'll multitask from about 8-10, doing stuff on the computer, whether writing, blogging, etc., and watching TV with my husband. And that's how I find time to write everyday. When I used to teach, I'd carry a notebook everywhere and steal writing time during period changes, free periods, and even while my students took quizzes and tests.

How do you do it? What's your writing schedule like?

Monday Mishmash 7/4

It's Mishmash time! Here's what's on my mind:

Happy Fourth of July!  I wish you all pretty fireworks and a great day all around.I'm exhausted  It was a weekend of fixing the trench in my yard, and it was crazy. Long days, my yard is a mess, sunburned husband. I didn't even do the work, but I'm exhausted. I don't know how my father, husband, and brother-in-law are even functioning.ebooks  I'm taking the plunge and releasing a two-part short story as an ebook. Why? I'm curious. I want to see what the process is like and how all that works. I'll let you all know how it goes.Reviewing books  I just started a book that I've agreed to review for an author I know. I'm loving it so far. Reviews are tricky because I always worry I may not like the book, but I'm really enjoying it so I'm happy.Posters I just had posters made for the Book Expo on the 23rd. I can't wait!

Well, that's it for me. What's on your mind today?

 

Winner! and Recapping in Series

Well, the entries were counted and thanks to a random number generator, the results are in. The winner of the signed copy of The Pea in Peanut Butter by Allyn Stotz is:

Anne E. Johnson

Congratulations! Please email me with your mailing address so we can get your book to you.

For those of you who didn't win, you can get your own copy of The Pea in Peanut Butter on Amazon or through Allyn's website. 

Now on to today's post. Since I tend to read a lot of books in series, I'm wondering how much back info should be in each book after the first. The first book sets everything up--the characters, the plot, the conflict. But with series the story doesn't end when book one does. It continues in other books. So then how much info from book one needs to be recapped in books two through... whatever number the series goes up to?

Here's the issue, for someone who begins with book one and reads through, you don't need much recap at all. They know the previous book. But what about someone who picks up book two or three (or in my case book four--yes, I recently did this) and begins there. Some recap is necessary. But how much is enough and how much is too much? And should all the recapping be upfront or is it okay to leak things into the story as it comes up in the subsequent books?

Can you tell I'm working on book two in a trilogy right now? I have a beta reader going through the manuscript and she believes there should be more recapping and that it should all be upfront. I'm not sure I agree. So I'm asking you.

Is it okay to only give the essential info, pretty much the bare bones of book one, and to give a little more later as it becomes necessary to mention it? Or should you do a little info dumping upfront and get it out of the way?

Money vs. Exposure

Something I've noticed recently--and I'm sure you've noticed it too--is that there seems to be a debate over which is more important, money or exposure. With the price of ebooks being reduced to anywhere from $3.99 down to $.99 and even all the ebooks being given away for free, I can't help wondering about this marketing tactic. This is mostly coming from self-published authors, but some small presses and even big houses seem to be dabbling in this trend as well. I've seen big presses have days where they giveaway a title for free or offer it for a really low price. So, I'm left wondering, is exposure worth more than the price of the book?

I'll admit my initial reaction was, "The author isn't making any money!" I couldn't understand why someone would giveaway something they worked so hard on. But then I thought about when I first started writing short stories. I did submit to non-paying markets just to get some publishing credits and get my name out there. Now, I only submit to paying markets because I feel I should get something for my hard work. But was my strategy any different than what some authors and publishers are doing with ebooks?

What do you think about this? Is exposure worth more than the money an author could be making from his/her book? Should we offer something for free or at a very low price to build our platform?

Monday Mishmash 6/27

It's Mishmash time! Here's what's on my mind today:

Short stories as ebooks Is this becoming the new trend? What are you willing to pay for a short story? I'm seeing more and more of them. I love to write short stories and I've been selling to magazines and educational websites. Am I missing out by not joining the ebook crowd on this one?Picture book giveaway If you missed it, I'm giving away a signed copy of The Pea in Peanut Butter by Allyn Stotz. You have until 6am (EST) on Friday to enter . No more moat I've had a trench in my yard (across my entire yard) since November. This weekend, it's getting fixed! Finally! I hope. Oh please do an anti-rain dance for me. I can't look at this thing any longer. I call it a moat to make it sound better, but believe me I don't live in a castle.First snake sighting Luckily it wasn't by me. My husband found a snake by the moat. See, that thing needs to go! I refuse to go on that side of my house now that I know a snake is living there.Amazon gift card I have money to spend on Amazon and now I'm trying to figure out which books on my TBR list I should purchase. It's not an easy decision.

Well, that's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Interview & Giveaway: The Pea in Peanut Butter

Today I have a very special guest. She is the star of the new picture book The Pea in Peanut Butter by Allyn Stotz. Her name is Kailee, and she's going to be telling us a little bit about her favorite food and maybe even share some secret recipes. But first, for those of you who aren't familiar with the book, here is the cover and a brief synopsis:

 

Kailee loves peanut butter. But a bedtime snack turns into a dance party with all of the foods in the kitchen pantry when they come to life.

Welcome, Kailee! Can you tell us what it is about peanut butter that makes you love it so much?

It just tastes good! And I can put a spoon in the jar and eat it like that.

What's your favorite food to put peanut butter on?

Mommy cuts a banana in half and puts it on that. It's yummy! I like it on crackers too.

What's the silliest thing you've ever put peanut butter on?

Mommy put it on a pill one time. I didn't want to eat the pill but it tasted okay with peanut butter on it. I put it on a doggy treat once too but my dog spit it out. Oh and I put potato chips in my peanut butter sandwich one time. It made it crunchy.

If you could never eat peanut butter again, what food would become your favorite?

Ketchup or potato chips. I like to put ketchup on lots of things too.

Have you eaten enough green peas yet to think they're green-a-licious?

I think I like frozen peas best. Mommy puts them in things and that makes them taste green-a-licious!

Which one of the foods in the pantry is the best dancer? (Yes, readers, Kailee got to see dancing food!)

The carrots. They hopped upside down, twirled, and jumped really high.

Has the green frosting let you try it yet?

Yes. After I ate my peas once, the frosting let mommy spread it on a cupcake and I got to eat it! I think I might like pink frosting with sprinkles better though.

Kailee, what lesson have you learned about food that you can share with your readers?

That I should try things before I turn up my nose. You don't know if you like it if you don't eat it first. I didn't think I liked sweet potatoes until I tried them at thanksgiving. My grandma makes them really good.

How do you feel about being a celebrity now?

I don't really know what a celebrity means. But I do like getting my picture taken. Does that count?

Just for fun:

Would you rather put peanut butter on pickles or grapefruit?

Dill pickles for sure. You can dip it right in the jar!

Is peanut butter better at lunchtime or dinnertime?

I like it for every meal. But I think I like peanut butter toast in the morning best.

Did you let Floppy and Bloppy have any peanut butter?

No. They would be sloppy and mommy would have to wash them. Mommy wouldn't like that and they don't like baths anyway.

Do you prefer creamy or chunky peanut butter?

I like creamy the best most of the time. But chunky is my favorite with a spoon! Mmm, I think I'm getting hungry.

Thank you, Kailee, for taking the time to talk to us today. Now Kailee's author, Allyn Stotz, has graciously agreed to give away one signed copy of The Pea in Peanut Butter. The rules to enter are very simple:

Be a follower of this blog (either through Google Friend Connect or as a VIP member. Want an extra entry? Follow both ways. Be sure to tell me in the comments that you are following both ways.)Leave a comment for Allyn and/or Kailee.

 

It's that simple. A winner will be chosen by a random number generator at 7am on Friday, July 1. Good luck to all who enter!

 

Adventures in Book Signing

Okay, so my first book signing was last Saturday, and I have to admit I was nervous. And my nerves were intensified late Thursday when the bookstore owner emailed me to say that the town's "Day" (this outdoor festival they have on the very road the bookstore is on) was rescheduled to the day of my signing. She warned me and the other author that more goes on outside in the street and few people come in the stores. Well, she was right.

My daughter (4) took pictures all day including this shot of the store front.

That's right. The booths were backed up against the sidewalk, which meant traffic was going down the center of the street and not in front of the stores. Ugh. So Artie Bennett, author of The Butt Book, and I took to the streets. Well, it was hot. It was crowded. And no one cared about books when there was music, toys, and candy all around. So we went back in doors. Here we are cooling off.

Okay, the day wasn't all bad. We read to a group of kids, and we signed books of course. This little girl (below) was so cute. She's allergic to dogs but she loved my book and her mom bought it for her.

Another highlight was when multi-published author, and my friend, Wendy Mass stopped by to buy my book for her kids.

And my daughter kept a smile on my face all day, decked out in her Dash t-shirt and handing out flyers and bookmarks to people on the street. She had a blast.

So, I sold some books, got to read to some kids, and learned that signings shouldn't be planned on the same day as street fairs. Lesson learned.

Do you have any good book signing stories? If not, what do you imagine your first signing to be like?

Monday Mishmash 6/20

Happy Monday! It's mishmash time. Here's what's on my mind:

Promotion Last week was a big promotion week for me with my first radio interview and signing. I'll post pictures from my signing on Wednesday.Summer schedule Today is my husband's last day of work before he's off for the summer. This means I have to adjust my writing schedule a bit.Father's Day This was the first Father's Day that I didn't get to see my dad. He had to work, but I did see him the day before at my signing.Starting late in a series I'm reading the final book in a series, and I haven't read the books before it yet. I always end up reading series out of order. Luckily this book does a great job telling you what you need to know so I'm not lost.Lazy day Today is going to be a somewhat lazy day--hanging out a home with my daughter, playing, reading, and writing. 

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?