Aileen Stewart's Blog, page 38

Marketing Your Book Can Be Fun!

Not all authors have a marketing and sales background like me, but that really doesn't matter. You too can become a fabulous marketer and you can even have some fun along the way. I know many of you are cringing as you read the word "marketing" and you are probably beginning to grumble under your breath, but it is true. Marketing can be enjoyable especially if you are a new author with a book about to be released.

Hosting a launch party for your book is a fun and creative way to initially get the word out, and who doesn't love a good party? Before my book was even half way through the publishing stage, I began to cultivate a good relationship with my children's librarian. Through this relationship I not only found a great supporter and friend, but I also found a place to host my party. At the suggestion of my librarian friend, the library agreed to allow me to hold my party in their multi-purpose room free of charge. They also posted information about my launch and told patrons whom they thought might be interested in attending.

Seeing that I was under a tight budget, like most new authors, I kept my party simple and inexpensive. Since I opted to throw a Birthday party for my book,I had magnets and pin on buttons made for party favors; I made cupcakes resembling some of my characters; I found a simple online origami craft for the children to do; I threw in some chips, punch, and pretzels, and I read from my book. My launch was in February and only about twenty or so people showed up because of the threat of bad weather, but we had a great time.

Once the novelty and newness of my new book wore off, I was left wondering what to do next. So I do what I do best, I started to research. I joined author groups for support and ideas, I read marketing articles, I began looking for outlets for my book. I told myself that if I was creative enough to write a book, surely I could think outside of the box and find marketing ideas; and that is how I decided to approach the manager of the local hospital gift shop. If you have a romance why not check out flower or candy shops and see if they might like to carry your book on consignment, If you have a western how about contacting Dude Ranches or farm and tractor stores, If you have a book about dogs or cats why not partner with the local animal shelter, and so on.

I have found that the key to marketing well and enjoying marketing is related to getting to know people. If you are friendly, if you are truly interested in getting to know other people, it will help you tremendously. Definitely get to know other authors with whom you can exchange reviews and interviews or promote each other by on the social networking sites like FB and Twitter. Most of my radio interviews and newspaper articles are a direct result of having gotten to know other authors who in turn gave me leads. Show people you are excited about your book and more then likely they will become excited as well.

Become an expert in some field related to your topic. As a children's author, I joined Goodreads where I review children's books. I also draw on my marketing background and often post about marketing opportunities that might be helpful to others. I look upon it like being a teacher. I am opening the eyes of the students to the wonders that have been shown to me by all those that came before. Instead of a chore, I look upon marketing as a scavenger hunt where I am in a constant state of searching for clues that lead to the treasure. They say the journey is half the fun, so start thinking of marketing as part of the journey and not just a necessary evil. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Award Winning Author Laura Eckroat

It has been my pleasure to read not one but two of Laura Eckroat's children's books. Her book, Life of Bud, is a beautiful tale of the seasons as experienced by a new bud. Her second book, A Simpler Time, is my personal favorite. A Simpler Time took me back to my childhood, a time before computers, cell phones, and video games where kids amused themselves and found joy in the little things. Laura has a simple yet entertaining way of telling a story, so it is no surprise to me that she is an award winning author. If you haven't read her books yet, I suggest you think about doing so because she is definitely an author worth reading. It is with gladness that I share with you some questions Laura has taken the time to answer for me.



1. When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? What made you want to choose this career path?

I have always wanted to have a book published. When I was little it was my dream to have a book published and soon I will have 3 so that is extremely exciting! At present, it's not a career for me. I would love for it to be my career … maybe someday!

2. Who are some of the authors that greatly influenced your writing style? What were some of your favorite books as a kid?

No authors have really influenced my style. I feel I have my own style of writing. I like all kinds of books and all kinds of genres. I always finish reading a book … even if I don't like it. I figure that someone took the time to write it, I can take some time and read it. Ted Kerasote is a great writer and I love his books. As for children's books that I love …. Hmmmmm – I read at a very young age and read The Little House on the Prairie books – I loved those! I now love books that have beautiful illustrations … Jan Brett and Cynthia Rylant are a few of my favorites. When I was teaching Kindergarten I became a fan of Mo Willems and the PIGEON books … those are awesome.

3. How long did it take you to get your first book published? Were there ever moments when you became discouraged?

It took about 2 years to get my first book published – but it also took 10 years before that for me to finish writing it! I was discouraged at times, but I figured that if it was meant to happen it would.

4. What made you decide to write for Children/YA age groups? Do you still feel connected to your "inner child"?

I love working with children and so writing children's books that adults can also relate to was a natural for me. Every day I get to be a little silly … so I suppose I am still a child at heart.

5. What are some of your hobbies, other than writing?

I love reading, playing with my dog Muffin (who is the main character in my new book), I love volunteering at the Fort Worth Nature Center, and I guess just hanging out enjoying nature.


6. Do you have any advice for new authors who are just entering the field?

Don't give up!!! And write down all your ideas … even if you think they are not that good … you may need them someday!


7. Do you hold any other jobs outside of your writing? If so, do you find that this helps your writing or gets in the way?

I'm the Child Care Coordinator for the Northwest YMCA … I work with their Afterschool Program and Summer Day Camp programs. I don't have a huge amount of time for writing, but I have always kept a journal so when something comes to mind, I make sure it gets into the journal. I am around children a lot, so I feel it helps me with my writing. The kids also think it's pretty cool that I'm an author!

8. If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

I got to meet Ted Kerasote, author of Merle's Door and PUKKA. I loved his writing and on a whim I emailed him and told him about my book, A Simpler Time. The book was still in the writing phase and I asked him if he would read it, and possibly endorse it. He DID! I couldn't believe it. He also gave me some suggestions to make the book better! I was shocked that someone like him would take the time to actually read my work and give me suggestions! We have kept in contact and when his book PUKKA came out he invited me to come to one of his book events. I was able to go and I had him sign PUKKA for me and I also had him SIGN a copy of my book … A Simpler Time … so the author who endorsed it … signed it! VERY COOL! And, I was able to give him a copy of A Simpler Time. It was a very thrilling moment and I am glad for someone like Ted who gave me a shot and helped me out!

9. Do you have children of your own, and if so what do they think of your author status and book/books?

I have one daughter, Ashley, who is 18. She thinks it's pretty cool that I'm a published author. She has supported me and has attended several events. My book, A Simpler Time, is actually about Ashley when she was in 2nd grade. I'm so glad that she was at the Massachusetts Reading Association Conference in April of 2010, where I debuted A Simpler Time. The people who attended the Evening With Authors, loved meeting Ashley, the character from the book. I was so glad she was able to share that moment with me. I will always remember looking at her face as I was reading the book! It took all my energy not to cry …. (happy tears!)

10. Do you have any other information you would like to share, such as a website, author page, awards won, etc…?

My book, The Life of Bud, won Best Children's Book at the North Texas Book Festival, in 2010, and was also featured in Dallas Child Magazine in September, 2010.

My newest book, Went Out To Get a Donut, Came Home With a Muffin, will be released by the end of the year. Muffin and I will be doing lots of fundraising with animal shelters and rescue dog facilities across the country – which is very exciting!

I have presented at the Western Massachusetts Homeschooling Conference, Massachusetts Reading Association Conference, and State of Maryland – International Reading Association Conference.

I have spoken to thousands of children in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Indiana, Alabama, & Texas. I enjoy presenting the writing process to children and if anyone is interested in having me at their child's school, they can contact me at thelifeofbud@aol.com

At present, my web-site is under construction, but I would love fans to check out my facebook page. Life of Bud.

Hooray For Liebster Awards!

As I was upgrading my blog today, I notice that I received a Liebster Award from the wonderfully encouraging, Marja Meijers. My first thought was, That is so awesome, an award. This thought was quickly followed by, But what the heck is a Liebster Award? As I pondered what this award could mean, the words of a fellow blogger came to mind, "Thank God for Google!"

So a Googling I went, and I learned that Liebster is German for "Good Friend". Apparently people who have a blog with less then 200 followers are candidates for this award. It signifies that someone who has read and enjoyed your work believes that it warrants more attention then it is receiving. The condition for accepting this award is to share the five top blogs you feel also deserve a Liebster. You must then let the nominees know they too are award winners.

After thinking long and hard, and per the requirements of receiving a Liebster award, here are my nominees for great blogs that should have more followers:

~Fresh Insights On Ancient Truths by Marja Meijers

~A Woman's Voice by Dolores Ayotte

~The Eclectic Christian Blogger by Amanda Stephan

~Lisa Tortorello~Teacher and Author by Lisa Tortorello

And yes, I am aware that four is not quite the five I am supposed to come up with; but as a writer I figure I am allowed a little lee way. At least that's what I'm telling myself. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Interview With Houghton Mifflin Author Aaron Hawkins

Recently I had the great pleasure to read a book entitled The Year Money Grew on Trees,a superbly written story of a determined boy. Goaded into an agreement by his conniving neighbor Mrs. Nelson and trying to evade the summer job of doom lined up by his father, Jackson Jones works diligently to live up to the bargain of restoring a neglected apple orchard. Jackson enlists the help of his siblings and his cousins and spends a summer learning as he goes. Will he manage to grow a crop of apples worthy of selling? Will he be able to sell the apples once they are grown? Will he fulfill the bargain made with Mrs. Nelson and in return become the true heir of the orchard. The answers to these questions and many more await you in this wonderful book written by Aaron Hawkins.

Having finished this interesting and descriptive book, I became curious. What, I wondered, was the man behind the book like? On a whim I wrote Aaron to tell him how interesting I found his book, and during our correspondence he graciously agreed to be my first author interview. Not only do I hope you enjoy getting to know Aaron better, but I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of The Year Money Grew on Trees for yourself and your YA readers!



When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? What made you want to choose this career path?

I had some great junior high and high school English teachers who convinced me that authors were the most significant thinkers on earth. That stuck with me, although somewhere along the way I learned that very few people survive writing books full time. Instead of a career, I consider writing an obsession.

Who are some of the authors that greatly influenced your writing style? What were some of your favorite books as a kid?

I'd feel unworthy to compare my writing style with anyone else's, but the authors I have read the most are the standard American and British classics – Twain, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Dickens.

How long did it take you to get your first book published? Were there ever moments when you became discouraged?

Four years, from the time I started writing until it appeared in print. I felt discouraged most of that time, except for a handful of breathtaking phone calls and email messages.

Assuming that you write for children or young adults, what made you decide to write for those age groups? Do you still feel connected to your "inner child"?

I started writing based on my own experiences and I guess I felt my childhood was more interesting than my adulthood. I definitely still feel connected to my inner child. I think we all like to think of ourselves as teenagers most of the time.

What are some of your hobbies, other than writing?

I don't have many. Most free time is spent hanging out with my kids.

Do you have any advice for new authors who are just entering the field?

Finish writing something before you worry about getting it published. Naivety about the publishing process is a luxury you should take advantage of.

Do you hold any other jobs outside of your writing? If so, do you find that this helps your writing or gets in the way?

I'm a professor of electrical engineering, which involves teaching, research, and a lot of technical writing. My engineering background probably colors my writing, but I like to think it makes it kind of unique.

If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

Tolstoy. I'd love to hear how he created such vast settings and characters in his books.

Do you have children of your own, and if so what do they think of your author status and book/books?

Yes, I have three children. They won't be impressed by a book I wrote until it gets turned into a movie.

Do you have any other information you would like to share, such as a website, author page, awards won, etc.?

My author's website is www.aaronhawkins.com

Summer's Gone, What Next...

I usually don't go such a long time without blogging, but before I knew it August was gone and September had started. "Where did the summer go?" Is the question I have asked myself more then once. It seems like the previous school year just ended and yet suddenly here I am chauffeuring my daughter to school once again.

And of course with the onslaught of school also came the beginning of harvest. I have been a mad woman these past two weeks canning peaches, making pies, etc... and next week I start canning pears. My to do list just seems to grow with each passing day as well. I need to finish scraping and painting our shed, a project I started at the beginning of summer but had to abandon due to the extreme heat. I need to clean out the garage, repaint my kitchen cupboards, and start my Christmas shopping. I need to cut down all the dead perennials and prepare myself for the leaves that will soon be covering my yard like a golden blanket.

In between the never ending chore list, however; I plan to read and review a few more children's books, I plan to work on another Fern Valley sequel, I plan to market my current book, and I plan on interviewing some Children's/YA authors. So stay tuned because it should prove fun to see what someone besides me thinks about reading, writing, and life in general. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

They Grow Up So Fast

You've probably already heard the saying "They Grow Up So Fast" a million times before, but it is so true. It seems like just yesterday that I gave birth to our daughter in the comfort of our own home (with a mid-wife of course). And yet as I look at her now, a lovely, kind hearted, tall, proficient reader, with her own fashion ideas, ready to enter first grade, I realize that she is definitely not a baby any more.



How did this happen? I blinked and here we are six years later. And it's not just the number of years that have passed that amaze me, but the maturity level I see in my sweet princess. She says things to her Mamaw and Grandma like, "Well, actually that's not how it happened." What six year old says things like that? Or the time when she wanted a dog and we borrowed MaMaw's new puppy for an overnight to see what the experience would be like. The next morning after having cleaned up dog waste and being up half the night to let the puppy out she told her Father, "I have thought it over Daddy, and I have decided that I will just share MaMaw's puppy with her."



But nothing made it more evident that we have a six year old going on forty then yesterday's trip to the dentist. Her father took her to get her teeth cleaned and she wanted to go back by herself. He told her that he might just go back with her anyway and she pleaded with him to let her go alone. "I just want to get this over with so I can go home and take a nap," she said, much to the amusement of an elderly lady sitting in the waiting room. He finally consented but told her if they wanted to take x-rays she should tell them to come and talk to him.



Now our daughter has been privy to many a conversation at our house about the ill effects of x-rays, especially on children; but it never occurred to me that she would understand and retain this knowledge and use it for her benefit. But she did. She went back to the cleaning room with the dental assistant and sat in the chair so proud of herself. The dental assistant then informed her that they would start with some x-rays to which my daughter responded by saying, "No." According to my daughter who is usually very accurate, the dental assistant looked at her and said, "Okay, I guess we will skip that."



While I am slightly saddened that the time has flown by so quickly, I am at the same time overjoyed that we are raising a loving, decisive, intelligent girl who will grow into womanhood with a strong sense of who she is and what she wants out of life. It comforts me to know that as she grows she will find her place in this world; a world which I believe will be a better place because she is in it. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

One of Those Mornings!

Did you ever have one of those mornings? Not a bad morning per say, just a different kind of a morning. This morning was one of those mornings for me. It started when I woke at 5:45 to large, rumbling, house shaking rounds of rain, thunder, and lightning. I wasn't worried about the storms so much, but as a precaution, I did unplug my computer. I was planning on setting a book table up at my town's local farm market, so I waited to see if the storms were going to pass quickly or not. When it seemed like most of the storms had passed, I once again plugged in my computer and scanned the radar. It looked as if the next few hours would be clear so I readied myself.

Breakfast eaten, teeth brushed, properly attired, and hair looking reasonably nice enough to face strangers, I headed downtown. The weather seemed to have scared away most of the normal vendors, so I picked out a nice spot under a shady tree and began to set up. I knew once the sun came out it would most likely get very hot and humid, so I figured in the shade would be the best place to be. There was a gentle cool breeze which was a welcome relief from the recent heat we've been experiencing; but every time it blew, the tree drip, drip, dripped. It dripped on my head, it dripped in my eye when I looked up to see what was happening, it dripped on my bookmarks, books, and various other ancillary items. Fortunately I had a small rag with me which I used to quickly wipe away stray drops.

Our Farmers Market is every Saturday from nine to noon and so I sat waiting for a customer. I sat and chatted with my neighboring vendors, I sat and listened as one vendor's daughter told me she was bored and then proceeded to tell me all about herself, I sat and watched people pass by my table trying to glance at what I was offering without making eye contact. Did these early morning shoppers think I would entrap them with a mesmerizing sales spiel that they would not be able to say no too?

Finally at about eleven thirty, an interested customer approached my table to purchase a book, only to ask me if I could break a fifty dollar bill. Really, I thought to myself. Did she think vegetables, baked goods, hair bows, pot holders, and Guatemalan bracelets were that expensive? Who comes to a farmer's market with fifty dollar bills? Thankfully though, I was able to give her correct change.

Having waited on my only customer of the day, I had only about twenty minutes left when a gentleman on a bike rode up and asked what I had. I explained that I was selling my children's book which came out in March. This led him to tell me all about a religious manuscript he had written that had never been read by anyone and said things that no one had said or heard before. I don't know about you, but that sort of set my "Cult" radar into overdrive; but I politely listened and nodded. He then started asking me about copyrights and how one would go about getting a copyright before sending a manuscript to a publisher. I explained that technically one does not have to worry about copyrighting, the mere act of writing makes a work copyrighted. I go on to say that once a manuscript has been accepted, the publisher should take care of any copy right issues.

Apparently I was not being clear enough on this point or the gentleman wasn't understanding what I was saying because he kept asking me the same thing. I finally told him that if he is that worried about the matter he should mail himself a copy of his manuscript and when it arrives postmarked and dated, he should put it aside unopened. In the event that he should have a legal issue concerning his work, he would then have proof that it was his. Again he questions how one would get their work copyrighted before sending it to a publisher. I'm not sure what to tell him at that point. At that point, I'm not even sure the man is playing with a full deck of cards. Is he paranoid that publishers are sneaky, evil beings just waiting to steal religious works of others? I had no idea, but finally he left; and I began packing up to head home to my nice, quiet, air-conditioned home.

As I said previously, not a bad morning, just an unusual morning. The kind of morning that makes you wonder what is in store for the rest of the day. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Great Characters Reflect Real Life Qualities

Great characters whether they are in a book, play, movie, or television program have one thing in common... real life qualities that people can admire. Qualities we wish we had, qualities we have and can relate to, qualities we wish more people around us had.

Take for instance the character Ralph (played by William Katt) in the 80's television series Greatest American Hero. At first glance Ralph seems a little comical in his long red underwear and cape, wobbling precariously as he attempts to fly. But upon closer reflection Ralph has some pretty amazing qualities.

To begin with, Ralph, who is a teacher by day and hero intermittently while wearing the red alien suite, truly cares about the students in his charge. He not only wants them to learn to read and write, he wants them to learn to respect each other, to dream, to look to the future. He also possesses the quality of being able to enjoy the little things in life like meeting his boyhood hero The Lone Ranger or dressing up like a clown complete with the little red nose. And despite the disruption both the suite and his partner Maxwell bring to his life, Ralph is always a loyal friend.


He has a propensity towards concern and compassion for others and goes out of his way to encourage his students, fellow teachers, and friends. All of these qualities...kindness, compassion, concern for others, joy of living, loyalty, etc... are qualities I hope people see in me. They are also qualities of which I would like to instill in my young daughter. I want her to grow to adulthood able to find the beauty and joy in everyday life. I want her to strive to make this world a better place simply by her ability to be kind, patient, loyal and so forth.

These are also the qualities that I strive to create in my Fern Valley characters. Although my characters are most definitely fictional, I hope that children love them and go away wishing to emulate them. I'm sure they will not say, "Hey I think I will imitate Betsy's work ethic or Kimmy's kindness." But if subconsciously they integrate these qualities into their life, then my characters will not only be entertaining, but valuable as well. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

God Bless My Mother-in- law

For as long as I can remember my daughter, who is now six, has wanted a puppy; and at the beginning of the year year my husband decided she could have one this summer. I personally was not so crazy about the idea. It's not that I don't like dogs, after all who can resist a cute puppy face; but having had two cats for twenty years until recently has caused me to enjoy being pet free. There's also the fact that I absolutely do not want to clean up dog poo every day!

But being the ever loving wife and mother, I agreed to the puppy concept. I was not looking forward to it, but who wants to have a mopey husband and daughter. So plans were made, choices of dog breed decided upon and re-decided upon, money saved, and papers watched diligently. No dog yet.

And then it happened, no we did not find the perfect puppy; my Mother-in-law did. If I hadn't already loved this woman to pieces, I certainly would now. In her infinite wisdom gleaned from almost 75 years, she came up with a solution that works for all of us. My daughter could share her Boston Terrier pup.

My husband had not thought about all the responsibility or the things that would have to be forgone when owning a puppy. All he could think of when agreeing to let my daughter have a pet was the joy she would feel when receiving wet puppy kisses. No thoughts of how gross picking up poo would be to a six year old, no thoughts of how she would have to let the pup out every twenty minutes until it was house broken, no thoughts of how it would be up every couple of hours whimpering to get out of its sleeping cage, no thoughts of how play dates or overnights would be affected because mom was not going to take care of a puppy. No thoughts of how summer travel would be a no go with a new puppy. I think you are probably beginning to see my point.

But my Mother-in-law, God Bless her, saw all of this during the last practically sleepless week she has had taking care of her new baby lovingly called Sassy. It was her idea, a stroke of genius, that our daughter should take Sassy home for the night so she could experience first hand the responsibilities and joys of puppy ownership. Thus, finding out just how much work would be involved. "If you should decide you don't want a puppy of your own after all," My Mother-in-law told my daughter. "You can share mine with me, and when she is fully potty trained and a little older, you can borrow her for over nights."

So, last night was our trial run. My husband and daughter went to fetch young Sassy and all of her gear: pet bed, pet cage, pet bowls, pet food, pet toys, etc... And the fun began. There were potty breaks every twenty minutes, there was an adjustment period where my daughter had to get used to the nipping and chewing, there were the romps in the yard, and then the dog left its first present. That was all it took, one small pile of extra squishy doggy poop. I gave her a plastic bag and her dad took her out to clean up the yard. The feel of that waste in the bag as she picked it up was enough to cause her to come to a decision all on her own. "Daddy she said. "I have come to the decision that I want to share Mamaw's puppy with her instead of getting my own."

Who knew a six year old could be so wise? Apparently, she inherited some of my Mother-in-laws good common sense! Bless you Mother Stewart. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Timelessness of book Characters

Recently I started thinking about how things in this life change all too quickly. Take for example my parents. When I was younger I never imagined that my parents would grow older, grayer, slower. To me, they were just mom and dad, strong, hard working, able to do anything. But time has marched on and with each passing year they have become older, grayer, and slower. Some health issues have even made it impossible for them to take the yearly family vacation that we have all taken for several years, a fact that the grandchildren have a hard time understanding.

The same thing is happening with my one and only daughter. She is growing so quickly and is not my baby any more. The recent last day of Kindergarten especially drove this home. If I had my way, she would stay six for about ten years or so. One day I'm changing diapers and the next she is going on play dates and taking showers all by herself. Not that I want to go back to diapers mind you, but I so treasure the way she still wants to hold my hand when we go somewhere or how she wants to snuggle before bed. Although I know that as she grows and matures I will find each new stage as delightful as the last, it is with true regret that I watch each old stage disappear.

Which brings me to the point of this blog, the timelessness of characters in books. The characters we grow to know and love in literature remain the same throughout time, very rarely changing from what ever stage of life they were written in. To me Heidi, Christopher Robin, Ramona, Nancy Drew, and all of the other characters that are beloved to me will remain just the way I remember them. They will never grow old, they will never leave me behind, they will always be the same in an ever changing world. I guess that is why I find such pleasure in reading and writing, books keep us grounded in a world where very little is in our control. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day.