Suzy Davies's Blog: Book News, page 21

Sheila Graber, World Animator, Reviews "Snugs The Snow Bear"

Today is a red letter day for me - an endorsement for "Snugs The Snow Bear" from Sheila Graber, World Animator, famed for her animation of "Paddington Bear" and Rudyard Kipling's "Just So Stories" on Amazon.co.uk! I am humbled, and honored.

The Key.

I came across a hidden key,

and held it in my palm,

sequestered in a suitcase,

and how the years had flown.



The once bright metal, tarnished,

the brass was worn, right through,

yet, the memory, I remembered,

was the house, that I once knew.



I entered through the doorway,

and went through to a room,

where I often played the piano,

and mother sang, in tune.

The music drifted lightly

to a garden, of wildflowers,

and sun-bathed were the burnished lawns,

I languished there, for hours.



The breeze blew faint among the bows

of the old elm tree,

as I lay back with a book I read,

that brought it back to me.



I see your face,

you read the lines - the keeper of the key.

This was the time, of all the times,

that meant so much, to me.

Copyright Suzy Davies, 07/06/2017.

World Environment Day

Today we celebrate World Environment Day!

My newly-released book, "Snugs The Snow Bear," is a tale of friendship, loyalty and belonging, which teaches children about Climate Change, Green Issues, Global Warming and The Environment.

My book would make a meaningful gift for a child today.

There has never been a more appropriate time to celebrate this beautiful earth, and to safeguard the future of our children, and generations to come.

My book is a celebration of this beautiful planet, and all that nature gives to us. I hope you will enjoy family time reading my book with your kids!

Autographed Copies of "Snugs The Snow Bear"

I would like to begin by thanking my audience for supporting my debut Children's Series, "Snugs The Snow Bear"

Several customers are requesting autographed copies of my book.

Customers may now purchase autographed books! Simply get in touch via a message here, on Goodreads, or a DM on Twitter @birdwriter7.

Alternatively, for orders of 3 paperbacks or more, or one hardback copy, I am delighted to forward signed bookplates, free of charge, which may be stuck in the front of the book.

Thanks, so much!

Suzy Davies, Children's Author.

"Snugs The Snow Bear" My Brand New Children's Book. Come Join Me On Air, To Find Out More About Snugs and His Adventures!

Radio Show News! Tune in to www.theauthorsshow.com on June 13th 2017, when I chat to Radio Show Presenter, Linda Thompson, about "Snugs The Snow Bear," my polar bear hero, on a mission to save the earth from global warming - a global concern so important to our children's future, and to generations to come!
My child-friendly magical story, the very first of "The Snugs Series," with an enduring, timeless message, will help your children understand, and join in the global effort to make the world cleaner and greener! Just go to the site, and click on my underlined book title link to tune in. The show will run midnight to midnight Eastern Standard Time, U.S. Available worldwide!

How Reading A Book To Your Child Benefits Your Child, You, and Your Relationship!

People often remark that my new Children's Book, "Snugs The Snow Bear," is aimed at a wide audience - children aged from 4 up to 10 years old. However, each child is unique, not all children develop at the same pace, and, of course, younger children will be read to, rather than reading a book on their own.

What are the benefits to your child, when you read a book to them out loud?

*Children have fun with the sound of words, and make a connection between the image of the word on the page, and what it sounds like. My book has repeat word patterns, to facilitate recognition of "social sight words," so that they become familiar to the child. I make no apologies for introducing some unusual words, to help a child build new vocabulary. Children learn that they do not need to understand each and every word to get the overall meaning, and gist of the story.

*Many parents read stories to kids at bedtime, to help them sleep. Each chapter of "Snugs The Snow Bear" ends on a happy note, so the book may be read a chapter at a time, with the child feeling happy and relaxed. Books do not always have to be read just at bedtime. Why not read to your children at a regular time during the day, to help cultivate a routine, that makes your child feel secure, with a good reading habit?

*Reading together, pointing at the pictures to elicit meaning, and understanding, first of all, before reading the story to the child, helps cognitive development. The child is sure to be engaged with the colorful, animated characters, and have fun "guessing" who "Snugs" and his menagerie of animal friends are! This works particularly well for younger children, and can spark a conversation, and beneficial interaction, when you share with your child.

*It is well known that reading helps to stimulate a child's imagination. Reading also helps a child know what is real, and what is "just a story," or make-believe!

*Children's Literature can be read on many different levels of meaning, so that an older child, say from 7 to 10, would understand subtle inferences from what he/she read alone. It is good to encourage older siblings to read to their younger brothers and sisters to help them along, and make reading a family time activity.

*When you have read a book to your child, encourage follow-up activities that link the book to different subject areas such as Geography, Science, Art, Drama, Languages, and Music. Each child has different interests and strengths, so play to these to engage your child, and get the most out of my book!

*My book series, "The Snugs Series," will help your child grow with Snugs. Ideas and words that are introduced in story Book One, will be repeated in later books, from time to time, to help your child understand, and remember, the story and the message. New ideas will be introduced at a gradual pace, which helps absorption of new ideas and vocabulary, alongside what is already familiar. Reading to your child aloud creates an association between reading, social activity, and pleasure, which will instill confidence, and encourage your child to share what he/she has read with peers.Your child will develop a love of reading, which will last a lifetime, not only giving your child enjoyment, fun, and entertainment, but knowledge and education, too!

Snugs The Snow Bear On Air - Tune in to The Author's Show - Week Beginning 12 June!

I am delighted to announce that Book One of my Children's Fiction Series, "Snugs The Snow Bear," is featured on The Author's Show, when I chat to Radio Host, Linda Thompson, about my inspiration for the book, the colorful animal characters, and the green message in my book about climate change and global warming.

I wish to thank Linda for welcoming me as a guest on her radio show, which will be broadcast worldwide. Just visit the radio website theauthorsshow.com, nearer to the time, for details of the schedule.

The True Measure of a Writer

In one of my recent blogs, I talked about the "Author's Dilemma," the fact that the essence of being a writer is to write books, but that a writer also needs to market books in order reach his audience and get known.
The best way to interface with your readership, in my view, is to give readers a taste of your writing, and let them "hear" you first hand, and sample your work.
Yesterday, after much heart-searching, I took courage in both hands, and published excerpts from some of my upcoming books: "Luna, Moon Pig, The Pig Who Hid," aimed at Middle Grade readers, and my much-anticipated second adult fiction book, a mystery/paranormal read, " The Talisman."
I am in a whirl of activity with my writing, and I hope you take a look to see my latest endeavours!
You will find the excerpts on theprose.com which is an established writers' site, with leading names in the literary world, and publishing, taking part.

Why Good Language Skills and Imagination Make A Writer

An accomplished writer has exceptional language skills. There is nothing that is more fundamental to the craft of writing than this. It is language which is the very foundation to our thoughts, our capacity to reason, to manipulate our environment, and adapt to change, and even to express emotions, which are cognitive.

Mastery of language means that you have a good range of vocabulary, you know what good grammar is, and you also know what rules you may break, and still be a good writer. The latter is the beginning of creativity.

A creative person has a fertile imagination, and very often this involves a love of experimentation, and trial and error. Good writers may be scientists or artists. Just think of the imagination great inventors have. Sometimes, they stumble upon an idea, and involved in the process of discovery is a cocktail - a curious mind, rational thinking, the will to innovate, and creativity.

When people try to put writers into the categories of “planners” or “pantsers” I believe this is a false dichotemy. All writers plan, even if it is a kind of rehearsal in their heads, before they sit down to write. I also believe all good writers are “pantsers,” too. Differences between good writers are on a continuum, rather than an “either/or” formulation.

There is an intuitive, spontaneous aspect to the imagination, and coupled with a dose of daring and nerve, good writers will dive in, and go beyond boundaries to break conventions. Think of writers who play with language, and invent new words or writers who defy the rules of genre to invent new forms of writing. I think they are like the ancient navigators, who discovered new worlds!

For me, the main part of being a good writer is knowing how to use my toolbox of language to create something people will read and enjoy. My imagination emerges when my natural child is at play, and the things I create “come in” from the deep recesses of my subconscious. My inner critic has let me off the hook for a while, and work is play. This is when I am in peak time, and I experience flow. It sometimes even takes me by surprise, and I ask myself, “Did I really write that?”

Copyright Suzy Davies, Author. 18/05/2017. All Rights Reserved.

Note: This article also appears on Quora as an answer to a question.

An Author's Dilemma

Talk to any serious author, and being an author involves so much more than marketing a book!

The role means you have to prioritize so that when you write, you write in peak times, when you have plenty of spark, and energy to put your all into the primary task - writing.

Of course, an important aspect of being an author is to meet your audience and readership, through booksignings, "appearances" on social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. That is one way you can reach your fans.

However, not all social media sites offer the opportunity to engage in a deep way with people, and "impressions" you leave may be transient, and unsatisfying for both reader and writer.

This is why I take the time to write a blog - here on Goodreads, and, from time to time, elsewhere. It is my way of saying thanks to my audience, paying it forward, and giving them a taste of my writing. Readers can experience me and my writing first hand. It is my belief that good writing should speak for itself.