Mikey Brooks's Blog, page 11

Middle-Grade Week, Day 4

This week is all about Middle Grade: writing it, indie publishing it, and especially marketing it! As you may know, reaching those elusive middle grade readers is tough, doubly so when you're indie published. Plus there are giveaways (see below)! Here's the schedule:
MONDAY: Warrior Faeries and Math Magick: How Susan Kaye Quinn is using a Virtual Author Visit video and Teacher's Guide to reach readers with her MG novel, Faery Swap.
TUESDAY: Faery, Fairy, Sweet and Scary: a discussion with MG author Kim Batchelor on writing about Faeries in kidlit.
WEDNESDAY:  Sci Fi for the Middle Grade Set: a discussion with MG author Dale Pease about writing SF for kids.
THURSDAY: Writing Indie MG: a roundup of indie MG authors (Michelle Isenhoff, Elise Stokes, Lois Brown, Mikey Brooks, Ansha Kotyk) about why they write MG and how to reach readers, including their indie MG author Emblazoner's group catalog.
FRIDAY: Marketing Indie Middle Grade - The Hardest Sell - about reaching MG readers as an MG author.
Writing Indie Middle Grade 
with Emblazon authors Michelle Isenhoff, Elise Stokes, Lois Brown, Mikey Brooks, Ansha Kotykintro by Susan Kaye Quinn

Introduction by Susan Kaye QuinnIndie publishing is the new cool thing, but there's still a genre where reaching readers with indie works is really tough: middle grade. But children's authors are passionate about what they write, and passionate about reaching their young readers. This passion shows in the Emblazoner's group of 20 indie MG authors (of which I'm a member). We recently went in on an ad in Middle Shelf magazine, an online mag that spotlights cool reads for kids. Here's what the ad will look like:
A wise man once said, "Write your name on the heart of a child."  We hope to emblazon our stories there. (I just love it.)As a group, Emblazoners share information about marketing, help promote each other, and generally support each other as we write our books and try to get them in the hands of middle grade readers. One of the innovative things that the Emblazoners have already done is put their works in a catalog, available for download and sent to teachers and librarians twice a year. Gorgeous, yes?You can subscribe here.Today we have a roundup of five Emblazoners (indie MG authors), talking a bit about why they write middle grade, how they reach readers, and a spotlight on one of their books (most of our authors have several). When Michelle Isenhoff isn’t writing imaginary adventures, she’s probably off on one. She loves roller coasters, big waves, big dogs, high school football games, old graveyards, and wearing flip-flops all winter. You can find out more at her website.
Why Michelle writes MG: Michelle Isenhoff never outgrew middle grade fiction. She loved the innocence and beauty that characterize classic children's lit so much that she went into elementary education then tried her hand at her own story. She’s now written eight!How Michelle reaches her readers: Teachers, librarians, and homeschoolers are on the literary frontlines, getting good books into the hands of kids. That’s why Michelle offers free digital copies of her novels and free lesson plan materials to educators on her website. The Candle Star (Divided Decade Trilogy, 1) - Free everywhere! Kindle | Nook | Print Runaways hidden in the barn, slave catchers housed in the hotel, and Emily squeezed between two very different loyalties.  Elise Stokes lives with her husband and four children. She was an elementary school teacher before becoming a full-time mom. With a daughter in middle school and two in high school, Elise's understanding of the challenges facing girls in that age range inspired her to create a series that will motivate girls to value individualism, courage, integrity, and intelligence. The stories in Cassidy Jones Adventures are fun and relatable, and a bit edgy without taking the reader uncomfortably out of bounds. Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula, Cassidy Jones and Vulcan's Gift, and Cassidy Jones and the Seventh Attendant are the first three books in the series. Book Four, Cassidy Jones and the Luminous, will be released in 2014. You can find more at her website.
Why Elise writes MG: A good adventure story absorbed me during those turbulent years (Come on, the angst, self-doubt, and desire to blend in are still very fresh for you, too. :)). I hope to provide the same escape for other young readers, and ignite their imagination while doing so.How Elise reaches her readers: Carve out characters that are relatable, facing the emotional challenges they are and managing to triumph. A good sense of humor is a must; quirkiness is a plus, too. Cassidy Jones and the Secret Formula (Cassidy Jones Adventures, Book One) Kindle | Nook | Print Discover how fourteen-year-old Cassidy Jones gains superpowers in her first action-packed adventure. Lois Brown’s  love of all things fantastical began when her five older brothers made her watch television shows such as “Dr. Who” and “Lost in Space.” (Yes, the originals.) Now she likes to write her own stories that spark the imagination. Her first novel, CYCLES, was a top 5 finalist of The Kindle Book Review’s “Best YA Indie Books of 2012.” You can find more at her website.Why Lois writes MG: Writing middle grade books is like reliving the best part of your childhood--along with some of the worst. It's a time in life that falls between still being a child but realizing there is more to the world besides your bedroom and elementary school.  How Lois reaches her readers: Lately, I've been reaching out to my middle grade audience during "enrichment times" at middle and junior high schools. In my area, schools have about 30 to 40 minutes per week when the students (who don't have detentions) get to choose between several educational activities. I arrange my author visits through the school librarians. I sell some paperback books, give out bookmarks to my ebooks, enjoy talking with the teens, and consider my time spent as "undercover" research.  Cycles (Cycles Series) Kindle | Nook | Print When a pair of misfit teens uncover disturbing experiments conducted in the basement of their neighbor's house, they become entangled in medical research that could destroy their lives and forever alter the human aging process. Mikey Brooks is an author/illustrator, freelance cover designer, daddy of three girls, and a dreamer. He's published several books including the bestselling ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures as well as The Dream Keeper Chronicles. You can find more at  his website. Why Mikey writes MG: When I was twelve I fell in love with a middle-grade series and it changed my life. L. Frank Baum opened not only his world of Oz to me, but he planted a seed that later made me the man I am today. I learned from his stories to be brave, to believe in myself, and most importantly—that magic is real. I write middle-grade books because these are the stories I would have loved to read when I was a kid. They are stories that I hope inspire others.How Mikey reaches his readers: First in order to “reach” middle-grade readers, you need a book that connects with them. The characters have to be real and relatable. Once you have a story that touches their hearts, it only takes time for others to see it. The Dream Keeper (The Dream Keeper Chronicles, 1) Kindle | Nook | Print |  Audio Dreams: Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME. Ansha Kotyk writes upper middle grade and young adult novels that take a reader on a journey to remind them, not only of the importance of imagination, but of the bonds of friends and family. You can find more at her website. Why Ansha writes MG: I love to write middle grade fiction because the age range for the characters is at a time in life when they are a child working to become an adult. There’s a great deal of tension built on that alone. Another reason is that middle grade readers are full of awesome.How Ansha reaches her readers: I have found the best way to reach middle grade readers is through school visits. Gangsterland (Ink Portal Adventure #1) Kindle | Nook | Print Jonathan wishes he could hide from the middle school bully and suddenly finds himself inside his comic book. With a murder to solve and a girl to rescue, can he draw the way out before they both become the next victims?More Middle Grade Coolness coming up this week! Enter the Giveaway below from all the participating authors!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Middle-Grade Week, Day 3

This week is all about Middle Grade: writing it, indie publishing it, and especially marketing it! As you may know, reaching those elusive middle grade readers is tough, doubly so when you're indie published. Plus there are giveaways (see below)! Here's the schedule:
MONDAY: Warrior Faeries and Math Magick: How Susan Kaye Quinn is using a Virtual Author Visit video and Teacher's Guide to reach readers with her MG novel, Faery Swap.
TUESDAY: Faery, Fairy, Sweet and Scary: a discussion with MG author Kim Batchelor on writing about Faeries in kidlit.
WEDNESDAY: Sci Fi for the Middle Grade Set: a discussion with MG author Dale Pease about writing SF for kids.
THURSDAY: Writing Indie MG: a roundup of indie MG authors (Michelle Isenhoff, Elise Stokes, Lois Brown, Mikey Brooks, Ansha Kotyk) about why they write MG and how to reach readers, including their indie MG author Emblazoner's group catalog.
FRIDAY: Marketing Indie Middle Grade - The Hardest Sell - about reaching MG readers as an MG author.
Middle Grade Science Fiction 
with Dale Pease and Susan Kaye QuinnSue: Dale, what inspired you to write science fiction for the middle grade set? Dale: I can remember distinctly the transition from “children’s books” to “real” books when I was a kid. I read a lot of books like “The Mouse and the Motorcycle” and the “Hardy Boys.” But it wasn’t until the day I picked up “The Hobbit” for the first time that I truly fell in love with reading. As I look back, I truly believe this was the moment when I could have just as easily stopped being a reader altogether. Kids today, especially boys, are much more likely to quit reading after children’s books become too childish. That’s why I LOVE middle grade books. When done well, they can be a fantastic transition for kids, and a way of turning them into life-long readers.I’m especially drawn to writing stories to keep boys in love with reading, and I think Science Fiction is a great way to do that. When books about talking animals, and school bullies become a little too simplistic, sci-fi can really grab a kid’s imagination.  There is a downside, of course. Boys do, in fact, give up on reading around the tween years. So publishers, who are in it to make money like everyone else, don’t market many books to this demographic. And that is where the indie-author can step in. We can write books just as exciting and polished as the big publishers produce, but we don’t have the overhead, so we can fill in the gaps.The Noah Zarc trilogy is one such series of books. Although girls (and adults) have loved it, I primarily wrote it to be a story boys would feel a connection with. It is meant to help create life-long readers, and maybe, just maybe, keep boys from turning away from reading. And one day, like me, a boy can say they’re so glad they never did.Sue: Dale, your point about indie authors filling in the gaps is so important, I want to say it again:  

Dale: "Indie authors create books just as exciting and polished as the big publishers produce, but we don't have the overhead, so we can fill in the gaps."

I'm a firm believer that the way you hook kids into reading and keep them reading, is making sure that you're always putting books in their hands that they will enjoy. This is a constant challenge for parents, because it's not just a one-time job. And kids are all different, and their tastes change as they grow. So having a variety of books available is incredibly key to keeping kids engaged. My own middle grade science fiction - my first novel I wrote intending to publish it - was turned down by publishers precisely because it wasn't broad enough to appeal to everyone. But it was never intended to do that. And it's just the kind of book that will appeal to certain kinds of kids, including those reluctant boy readers. Someday, I hope to get around to revising and publishing that one as well, now that I've dipped into the MG pool with my fantasy-with-science-elements book Faery Swap. Kids also love series, and Dale has a full trilogy out with his Noah Zarc series, with gorgeous interior illustrations, drawn by Dale himself - lots of SF for MG kids to love!

  D. Robert Pease is the author of the Noah Zarc series, the upcoming fantasy, SHADOW SWARM, and the upcoming Joey Cola series. He lives in the grey-skied world of Northeast Ohio. You can find out more at his website.  Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble (Noah Zarc Book 1)  Kindle | iTunes | Nook | Print | AudioIn a future where Earth has been wiped clean of all life, and humanity has moved on to other worlds, twelve-year-old Noah Zarc and his family have embarked on a quest, in a time-traveling spaceship called the ARC, to retrieve two of every animal and repopulate a dead world.
Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, which is young adult science fiction, and several adult fiction stories. Faery Swap is her foray into middle grade, which is her first writing love. Her business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" and she always has more speculative fiction fun in the works. You can subscribe to her newsletter (hint: new subscribers get a free short story!) or stop by her blog to see what she's up to. Faery Swap Kindle | Nook | Print
Fourteen-year-old Finn is tricked into swapping places with a warrior faery prince and has to find his way back home before the dimensional window between their worlds slams shut. Faery Swap is on tour March 3rd - March 21st with a $25 gift card and magick wand giveaways! Sign up here.
More Middle Grade Coolness coming up this week! Enter the Giveaway below from all the participating authors!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Middle Grade Week, Day 2

This week is all about Middle Grade: writing it, indie publishing it, and especially marketing it! As you may know, reaching those elusive middle grade readers is tough, doubly so when you're indie published. Plus there are giveaways (see below)! 
Here's the schedule:
MONDAY: Warrior Faeries and Math Magick: How Susan Kaye Quinn is using a Virtual Author Visit video and Teacher's Guide to reach readers with her MG novel, Faery Swap.
TUESDAY: Faery, Fairy, Sweet and Scary: a discussion with MG author Kim Batchelor on writing about Faeries in kidlit.
WEDNESDAY: Sci Fi for the Middle Grade Set: a discussion with MG author Dale Pease about writing SF for kids.
THURSDAY: Writing Indie MG: a roundup of indie MG authors (Michelle Isenhoff, Elise Stokes, Lois Brown, Mikey Brooks, Ansha Kotyk) about why they write MG and how to reach readers, including their indie MG author Emblazoner's group catalog.
FRIDAY: Marketing Indie Middle Grade - The Hardest Sell - about reaching MG readers as an MG author.
Faery, Fairy, Sweet and Scary 
with Susan Kaye Quinn and Kim BatchelorMost of us are introduced to Tinker Bell and fairies as cute but contentious little creatures that, if we are lucky, we might find in the bushes outside our window. But in the Irish and Scottish myths that gave birth to these creatures, they were not always sweet or cute. The original faerie (or fairie, if you will) stories came from myths about the Tuatha Dé Danann, a race of people in Irish Mythology gifted with supernatural powers. Fairies were known as aos sí, aes sídhe, or simply the sidhe, and some—like the banshee or bean sí—were in mythical reality faeries who wail near those close to death. (And hence the term “screaming like a banshee”.) Yikes! Imagining (and reimagining) those faeries has been happening in literature ever since. Today, Susan Kaye Quinn and Kim Batchelor chat about the kind of faeries they have in their middle grade fantasies, and where the inspiration for those stories came from. 


Sue: Kim, you have the classic Tinkerbell fairy in your Peter Pan re-imagining, The Island of Lost Children. But first, tell me a bit about your (not yet released) book, The Mists of Na Crainn, and how you imagined the fairies in that story.



Kim: Several years ago, while driving home after an evening of teaching, I learned a few things about fairies that I never knew. Throughout the journey on a long stretch of highway, a Celtic music station played a series of eerie songs in recognition of the night before Halloween. Faeries kidnap mothers and their babies and take them to caves where they are held captive. Listen. When it’s completely quiet, you can hear their songs calling out to you to rescue them. “You’re part fairy, aren’t you?” Somewhere on the drive, that line came into my mind and gave birth to the story that would later become my book, The Mists of Na Crainn (not yet in print but hopefully soon). Imagine learning that you were part of a race of people prone to stealing women and babies, among other bad practices, and you never knew it. That became Lyric Doherty’s story, and in the book I introduced her to her classmate, Andrew, whose mother, along with his brother, also went missing, never to be found. I loved writing about a mythical place coexisting alongside of the world as we know it.

Sue, your book, Faery Swap, takes those fairy myths to a completely different level. In your story, this mythology is clearly situated in our world, with tension, conflict, and adventure suitable for the middle grade reader. The two boys at the center of the story and conflict each find themselves located on an unfamiliar side of the rift between the Otherworld and our world. Where did the inspiration for your story come from? 



Sue: I was also driving in the car, oddly enough! (That's where I seem to find many of my ideas!) I wanted to write a middle grade fantasy, but with science elements. With my background in science and engineering, I always like to bring some of that into my stories - and I love the intersection of the mystical and the scientific because, to me, science is magical! Not only because today's mysteries are tomorrow's science, but because the idea that we can understand how the universe works by applying our minds to it is wondrous to me!Kim: I love how you combine science and magik. I work in clinical research, so science is important to me, too. In The Mists of Na Crainn , "pixies" have taken over all the leadership positions in the Village Na Crainn and banned the teaching of all but the most rote and boring information. In pursuit of what they’re not being taught, Andrew introduces Lyric and her friend Saoirse to the Arbor Fair, where forbidden knowledge on science and math combine with the fantastical.
Sue: I love the forbidden science! Nice.  

Kim: How do your characters combine the two?
Sue: In Faery Swap, my warrior faeries use knowledge (specifically mathematics and science) to enhance their faery powers - they command the elements but also a dimensional magick just by virtue of their birth as faeries. But their powers are increased when they acquire new knowledge about how the universe functions. In the story, the faeries travel from their Otherworld to Earth, swapping places with humans to steal their knowledge and bring it back to the Otherworld. Our knowledge is literally their power... and I love the message that sends to kids. (Along with a rollicking good fish-out-of-water adventure for both my faery and human protagonists!) Kim, what kind of powers do your faeries have, and how does that affect their interactions with humans?
Kim: Our knowledge is their power. That’s literally fantastic. In The Mists of Na Crainn, Fairy have the ability to "soar" in the wind, melt into and move through the mists, use potions, and through a strong connection with nature have the ability to manipulate it, for ill or good.  The anti-science “blunt thinkers” not only affect village life, they have a connection to the evil forces in the Otherworld, where Lyric searches for her mother.


In Island of the Lost Children, Belatresse the Fairy can fly, shrink down in size (she’s slightly smaller than most children) to fit into a pocket uncomfortably, and, of course, influences child archers to shoot unsuspecting 12-year-old girls out of the sky. Human children know it’s best to stay out of her way, or can easily divert her attention with a couple of packets of granulated sugar.
Sue: Ok, all those powers sound like tremendous fun! And I love that the anti-science people are "blunt thinkers!" Thanks for chatting faery (and fairy) lore with me today!

Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling Mindjack Trilogy, which is young adult science fiction, and several adult fiction stories. Faery Swap is her foray into middle grade, which is her first writing love. Her business card says "Author and Rocket Scientist" and she always has more speculative fiction fun in the works. You can subscribe to her newsletter (hint: new subscribers get a free short story!) or stop by her blog to see what she's up to. Faery Swap Kindle | Nook | Print
Fourteen-year-old Finn is tricked into swapping places with a warrior faery prince and has to find his way back home before the dimensional window between their worlds slams shut. Faery Swap is on tour March 3rd - March 21st with a $25 gift card and magick wand giveaways! Sign up here.
Kim Batchelor writes for children and adulst. She writes fiction short and long, real and fantastical, foreign and domestic. Her first published book is The Island Of Lost Children, a re-imagining of Peter and Wendy. You can find Kim online at her website. The Island of Lost Children
Kindle | Print
The Island of Lost Children: The story of Peter and Wendy set in modern times.More Middle Grade Coolness coming up this week! Enter the Giveaway below from all the participating authors!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Middle Grade Week, Day 1

This week is all about Middle Grade: writing it, indie publishing it, and especially marketing it! As you may know, reaching those elusive middle grade readers is tough, doubly so when you're indie published. Plus there are giveaways (see below)! 
Here's the schedule:
MONDAY: Warrior Faeries and Math Magick: How Susan Kaye Quinn is using a Virtual Author Visit video and Teacher's Guide to reach readers with her MG novel, Faery Swap.
TUESDAY: Faery, Fairy, Sweet and Scary: a discussion with MG author Kim Batchelor on writing about Faeries in kidlit.
WEDNESDAY: Sci Fi for the Middle Grade Set: a post with MG author Dale Pease about writing SF for kids.
THURSDAY: Writing Indie MG: a roundup of indie MG authors (Michelle Isenhoff, Elise Stokes, Lois Brown, Mikey Brooks, Ansha Kotyk) about why they write MG and how to reach readers, including their indie MG author Emblazoner's group catalog.
FRIDAY: Marketing Indie Middle Grade - The Hardest Sell - about reaching MG readers as an MG author.
Warrior Faeries and Math Magickby Susan Kaye Quinn
Middle Grade Is ToughPublishing middle grade novels isn't easy. It's hard along the traditionally published route unless you happen to be writing what publishers are looking for. I know this first-hand from querying my first middle grade novel (a space opera) only to be told it was great, but could I please rewrite it to be more like A Wrinkle in Time? (note: my book was nothing like A Wrinkle in Time) I naively thought there weren't MG SF novels like mine on the shelf because no one had written them! Unfortunately, things aren't any easier on the self-publishing side: kids themselves don't generally discover their own books on Amazon, and reaching the teachers, librarians, and parents who recommend books to kids can be difficult when mainstream children's reviewers still close their doors to indie published authors.
Taking the LeapBut times are changing. More kids have ereaders and are discovering they can shop from their devices. More teachers, librarians and parents are discovering indie works that they themselves enjoy and aren't as dependent on the mainstream children's reviewers to find quality works. And indie MG authors are getting savvy about how to reach their readers. So I finally took a deep breath and launched my first middle grade title, Faery Swap. Middle Grade FantasyKindle, Nook, PrintWarrior faeries can be very stubborn.Especially when they possess your body.Fourteen-year-old Finn is tricked into swapping places with a warrior faery prince and has to find his way back home before the dimensional window between their worlds slams shut.Knowledge is Power when Math is MagickalIn Faery Swap, warrior faeries steal mathematical knowledge from humans to enhance their magickal faery powers. This message embedded in the book - that knowledge is power and math is magick - is one I'm passionate about and hope will reach middle grade readers. I knew I could do that with author visits to the classroom, but there's only so much time in the day. So I created a Virtual Author Visit, so any teacher, anywhere on the planet, could share this message with their students.This dynamic video brings Author and Rocket Scientist Susan Kaye Quinn (Ph.D. Engineering) into your classroom, sharing her background in science and engineering and talking about her book, Faery Swap, where warrior faeries steal mathematical knowledge from humans to enhance their magickal faery powers. Then she shows how humans use math in the real world to do amazing things... even without magick to help them.
With the help of teacher-friend Risa Cohen, I designed a Teacher's Guide to go with the video. These grade-level-specific activities follow Common Core Math standards and are designed to follow-up what students learn in the video, using the Faery Swap story to reveal the power of math and science in everyday modern life.PART 1 - TEACHER'S GUIDEDiscussion QuestionsCause and EffectCharacter Analysis PART 2 - KNOWLEDGE SEEKERS GAME
A card-based game where students break into groups representing different Faery Houses and compete to gain points by convincing a Human (teacher) to give them Knowledge Cards. The 17 equations used to create the easy-to-print Knowledge Cards are based on the 17 Equations That Changed The World and give information about what each equation does, who invented it, and how it is used in modern everyday life. Making it SimpleAll of that provides teachers with what they need to bring the message (knowledge is power) into the classroom. But how to entice teachers to consider taking a peek at these materials? And how to tempt students to read the book? I met with the principal of my kids' school to ask for help. He was enthused, but wanted simpler materials to get things started. (a one page handout for teachers, a two-minute trailer for kids).So, naturally, I hopped right on it!2 minute trailer One Page Summary for Teachers
What Teachers Can DoIf you're a teacher (or you know one), I hope you'll consider using the author visit video and Teacher's Guide to bring the magick of math into your classroom. You can play the trailer to get kids excited about the book (for example, my kids' school is putting it on the morning announcements). I'm happy to send you FREE bookmarks for your class. You can share the one page summary with your colleagues to see if they're interested in doing a unit with the book. The videos and range of activities means you can spend as little as two minutes in the classroom (book trailer) or design a whole Common-Core based unit around it. The book comes in print and ebook - if your classroom has access to ereaders, I would be happy to give you ecopies for FREE. Or I can get you classroom discounts on the books.  Please email me to make arrangements: susankayequinn (at) comcast (dot) netWhat Librarians Can DoIf you're a school (or public) librarian, the trailer can be used as an introduction to the book, should you choose to stock it in your library. I would also be happy to send you FREE bookmarks to pass out as prizes to your students. What Parents Can DoRecommend the author visit and activities to your favorite teacher! Or you could just show your kids the trailer and see if they're interested. If you tell them there's a Knowledge Seekers card game to go with it, that might intrigue the gamers among them. All the activities (and even the author visit video) are designed to work both inside and outside the classroom, for homeschoolers or for parents looking for supplemental educational activities for a cold Saturday afternoon or long summer day. Reaching Middle Grade ReadersThis is just one prong of a multi-approach marketing plan for reaching middle grade readers. I'll be talking more about the other aspects of middle grade marketing at the end of the week, with Marketing Indie Middle Grade - The Hardest Sell.This tagline for Faery Swap works for indie authors as well as kids...Always keep learning... just in case!More Middle Grade Coolness coming up this week! Enter the Giveaway below from all the participating authors!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

LTUE Shout Out

I just wanted to give one more shout out about LTUE, a writers conference for fantasy and scifi writers. It's next week in Provo, Utah, at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Visit: http://ltue.net/ for more information. It is an amazing conference and you DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT. There is also an opportunity Friday night to meet and greet your favorite authors. I will be there at the Mass Book Signing from 8pm until whenever giving out bookmarks and key chains and signing copies of my books. I hope to see you there. Below is my schedule. Come find me and let's chat.


Thursday, February 13th:
10am: Monsters You've Never Heard Of: The D&D Monster Manual is big, but all the world's mythologies and folklore's are even bigger. Get inspired by creatures that aren't over-used yet.

11am: Pen Names: Do you need a pen name? What should you choose? This panel addresses why you might want to write under a pseudonym, and how to choose one that will advance your career as a writer.

1pm: Effective Book Covers: How to choose what to depict on your book cover, from the scene and character to emotion and theme. How to make book covers intriguing, marketable, and accurate to the story.

2pm: Modern Fantasy and its Relation to Folklore: Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper, and J. K. Rowling: Stories that recast and transform our cultural heritage.
 
Friday, February 14th:
12pm: How to Do Backgrounds: There’s a lot of talk about drawing your focus, but what about the background? Your character deserves to have a good backdrop. What kind of backgrounds are best in what situations? How to draw appropriately detailed/fitting backgrounds.

2pm: Artists Collaborating with Each Other and with Writers: A lot of art requires working with other people. A discussion about working with other artists and writers. What sort of collaboration is necessary? How does the collaboration work?

8pm:Mass Autograph Signing Join me and a bunch more authors at the hotel for a fun time.Saturday, February 15th:9am-1pm: You can find me in the lobby at Artist's Alley. I will be there working on art as well as selling books. Come by and lets chat about your book or some art you've been working on.
2pm: Time Management for Artists: Life is busy, and it can be hard to fit in everything. Discussion on how to make time for doing your art in your busy schedule.

4pm: Writing Children's Books: Find out how writing books for children differs from any other demographic.

That pretty much sums up my schedule. You can find me here and there around the hotel. I'll be bringing my wife this time, which I am super stoked about. Every year LTUE falls on either Valentine's day or her birthday and I miss out on both. I finally convinced her to tag along. It will be fun to introduce her to all the fellow authors I admire. See you at LTUE!Below is a poster I did for the conference's poster. I call it One Man's Junk:

Book Feature: Ice Dogs

Kindle, Nookebook and printA Junior Library Guild Selection!Victoria Secord, a fourteen-year-old Alaskan dogsled racer, loses her way on a routine outing with her dogs. With food gone and temperatures dropping, her survival and that of her dogs and the mysterious boy she meets in the woods is entirely up to her.   I have the coolest friends.Author Terry Lynn Johnson is a musher herself, and her crackling writing puts readers at the reins as Victoria and Chris experience setbacks, mistakes, and small triumphs in their wilderness adventure.
I was lucky enough to crit Ice Dogs long before Houghton Mifflin gave my friend Terry Lynn Johnson a well-deserved contract for it! I'm so excited to see it out in the world (released Feb. 4th!) where everyone can enjoy her charming story of a girl who races dogs but can't outrace her past... or the boy she finds in the snowstorm that will change both their lives.
Check out the cool trailer! Ice Dogs is a great strong-girl story that also allows the heroine to be vulnerable - with a soft side that comes out clearly in how much she loves her dogs. Ice Dogs is a bit more grown up than Terry's first book Dogsled Dreams (which I reviewed and LOVED), but still sweet, earnest, and perfect for ages 10+.If you have an animal-loving teen, preteen, or middle grader, scoop up both books - your kids will thank you! Check out Terry's website for more information about the dogs and her books!  If you're a teacher, check out the awesome Discussion Guide for ICE DOGS!To celebrate Terry's release, I'm giving away THREE of these adorable PLUSH ICE DOGS. How cute is this??And they're itty bitty: 3 inches tall!Enter to win your very own ICE DOG!!a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interview: L.R.W. Lee

I love to interview authors and find out what happens on the other side of their story, what inspires them, and what it took to write their book. Today on the blog I am happy to introduce L.R.W. Lee, author of the middle-grade fantasy-adventure series: Andy Smithson. I met L.R.W. Lee through an amazing group of authors, TheEmblazoners. L.R.W. Lee is an awesome person! She never hesitates to help share or help other authors. I am happy to have her here today. This was a fun interview and I know you will love the answers she gives. Now on with the interview.
What first inspired you to write the Andy Smithson series?

L.R.W. Lee: When I was 8 I read C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and I fell in love with that genre and style of writing. I knew I wanted to write a children’s book in that style one day. Lewis had an allegorical message he wove throughout the story line and I wanted to include a deeper level to my writing that could help my readers live better lives. 
After working with a mentor in business for seven years, I knew I had embodied something valuable and worth passing on to readers. It is these uncommon life principles that I am passionate about sharing and that inspire me to write. They include overcoming frustration, fear, impatience, jealousy, knowing why it makes pragmatic sense to tell the truth and a whole lot more. So, like Lewis, I include a deeper layer to my stories.  I am always curious to see authors’ creative process. How did you start the book; with an outline, a scene in your mind, or like me with a character’s name?

L.R.W. Lee: Book 1 in the series I started with several scenes in mind. My brain sketched the fantastical world of Oomaldee and I went from there. Book 2, I started differently, with an outline. Having the world painted, I have invented what needs to happen in each book of the series and I now do a detailed chapter outline to ensure the book will get us to the point it needs to in the series.
What did it take to get this book to where it is now? Do you use beta readers, proof readers, or editors?

L.R.W. Lee: I rely heavily on my editor. She makes me look a lot better than I am J. I also have folks who read the first book that will now read my new works and give me constructive feedback about the storyline – what they don’t understand, etc.
I really love the covers for your books. They are colorful, vibrant, and they have action to them—everything I think a middle-grade cover should have. Who is your cover designer and were you involved in the process of making them?
L.R.W. Lee: Thank you so much! When I first published book 1, I used Createspace to design my cover, but as the first book was circulating, I kept hearing issues that people were confused as to who the author was because of how the fonts were done. As well, there was no designation that it was the first book in a series. So, before launching book 2, I hired a new cover designer, Dale Pease with Walking Stick Communications. I liked the basic design the first folks had come up with, but Dale improved upon it and, Mikey, as you know, when I put it up for comments in a FB group we are both in, you suggested adding a banner to really make it look professional, like my competition, and fix the earlier design issues. When I pitched this request back to Dale, he came up with the sword banner. The instant I saw it I knew that was it! That was the design that would take my books to a new level of professionalism. So much thanks to both you and Dale. Your combined creativity has raised the bar and opened new possibilities for me with this series.
I am a HUGE fan of audiobooks. I saw that you have released your first book, Andy Smithson: Blast of the Dragon Fury, as a free podiobook on iTunes: http://bit.ly/1l8u5YP. Can you tell us how many episodes are planned and how often they will be coming out? Who is the narrator and what drew you to create a podiobook?
L.R.W. Lee: I was listening to a webinar by a creative agency. The speaker was speaking about appealing to smaller potential reader segments once you’ve gotten tactics in place to cover the bulk of your possible readership. As part of this, he addressed doing a serialized podcast of a book. He stated that the podcast audience is primarily the upper 10% of income earners who don’t have budget constraints. He also spoke that it is very common to hook someone through a podcast and then have them go out and buy the book and not wait to see how the whole book resolves.
Armed with these stats, I recorded and edited the first chapter of the first book in the series. There will be 20 episodes that will launch weekly, each Friday. Depending on how this first book is received, I’ll decide whether to do the next book in the series. Once I have recorded all the chapters, I’ll combine them and launch them as an audiobook on Amazon.
If you could pick a favorite character from your book(s) who would it be and why? Is there a favorite line they say you’d like to share?
L.R.W. Lee: That’s a hard question to answer. It’s like asking a parent to pick your favorite child. I have to say I love all my characters, but I think Andy can be very funny at times. My favorite line is “Great… So neither of us knows anything about dragons… We’re so going to die!”
What do you hope readers take away after reading the Andy Smithson books?
L.R.W. Lee: As I mentioned above, I hope my readers are entertained, but more importantly, go away realizing that they can live more peaceful and meaningful lives if they use some of what they learned – those uncommon life principles.
Okay, it’s the question everyone is dying to hear. If you could be any flavor of ice cream what would that flavor be and what’s the name you’d give yourself? Personally I’d be a very sweet vanilla bean with jelly beans, gummy bears, and sugar cubes. I’d be called “Sugar, Sugar, Buzz, Buzz, Buzz”.
L.R.W. Lee: Why am I not surprised by that, Mikey? *laughs*
Me, I’d be a combination of chocolate chunks, caramel, mini marshmallows, chocolate syrup, nu-get and vanilla & chocolate ice cream
And I’d call myself either Crazy Mixed Up World of Sweet OR It’s All Good :)
You are an indie author. That is not an easy thing, especially for middle-grade writers. Can you share why you chose the indie route and what advice you’d give for authors wanting to take the jump?

L.R.W. Lee: I chose the indie route rather than traditional publishing because I sent about a dozen query letters to agents and got a dozen rejections. Some would say I didn’t stick with it long enough. I would say I’m a quick learner. What I noticed with most of the rejections is that they came back way too fast for anyone to have read the intro. It seemed they weren’t getting past the initial qualifying stats that relate to the size of the platform I had built. Because I was just starting out, I had no platform of followers to speak of nor reviews or anything else that traditional publishers look to, to spend scarce advertising dollars when that time comes. Coming from a business background, I get it. Publishers must look at books as investments. With any investment, they want to minimize their risk and maximize their return. As a newbie author, I represented a huge risk. Given the number of projects they had available, they moved on to others with lower risk. It’s business.
Quickly learning that lesson, I was not going to wait and have anyone determine my future except me and with indie publishing so easy and inexpensive these days, I moved forward. After publishing my first novel, I have nearly 100 reviews on Amazon and a Twitter following topping 4,500 and I’ve successfully gotten over 11,000 copies of book 1 in the hands of readers. It’s a start. I am anxiously waiting to see what happens as I launch book 2, for it will both validate the start I’ve made as well as reveal gaps I have yet to bridge as I seek to establish myself as a serious author.
Will I ever pursue a traditional publisher? My narrative is that I will publish all 7 books in this series and then assess the size of my following at that point. I am clear traditional publishers have distribution on their side and I would love to avail myself of that in gaining more visibility for my work.
For indie authors we are everything; the publisher, author, editor, cover designer, publicist, etc. With so many time consuming roles how do you get the next book written? How do you balance your writing and your marketing? 
L.R.W. Lee: I am fortunate that I write full time. I don’t know how folks writing on the side remain sane. That said, my typical day starts with exercising. As I exercise, I think through the section of the book that I plan to write that day. I brainstorm ideas and ‘what if’ scenarios. I then work on marketing for a couple hours including social media and other opportunities to make others aware of my work. Around two o’clock I then turn my attention to writing what has been ruminating all day as I’ve been doing other things. I write for 3-4 hours. That’s usually my max before my brain sends up the white flag of surrender.  
You have seven Andy Smithson adventures planned, can you tell us about the newest book and what readers should expect?
L.R.W. Lee: The story just keeps getting better and deeper J. Book 3, Andy Smithson: Disgrace of the Unicorn’s Honor sees evil King Abaddon step up his attacks in his quest to regain eternal life and rule that world, becoming a significant obstacle for Andy to overcome in his quest to retrieve the third ingredient needed to break the curse that plagues the land. We also learn more about Andy’s mom and how her past will impact Andy’s future and we will see the spirit of Imogenia begin to  doubt how she has been moving against her brother, the living king, as she aligned with the evil Abaddon.
Is there anything else you’d like to share today?
L.R.W. Lee: Yes. Thank you for your support! It is you that I write for and it is gratifying when I hear feedback from you as I have over the year since publishing the first book in the series.
As part of my book launch tour, you have the opportunity to win 9 fantasy adventure ebooks from highly acclaimed authors. To enter go to my website at http://www.lrwlee.com/#!giveaway/chq4.
Where can people find your books? 
Book 1: Andy Smithson: Blast of the Dragon Fury Amazon Paper: http://amzn.to/17pu0utFREE eBook (all versions): http://bit.ly/Lk6yH5  Book 2: Andy Smithson: Venom of the Serpent's Cunning Amazon Paper: http://amzn.to/1eHKa4Q
Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/1j6sEKP
All other eBook versions: http://bit.ly/KlCycxWhere can people find you?
Website: http://www.LRWLee.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lrwlee
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lrwlee
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7047233.L_R_W_Lee
Podcasts: http://lrwlee.podbean.com/  Thank you again for taking the time to answer these questions. I just downloaded the first episode of Andy Smithson: Blast of the Dragon Fury and I am excited to listen to it.  I am a big fan of fantasy-adventures and the premise of this book sounds so cool. I wish you nothing but the best on this book and the many more to come.
About L.R.W. Lee:
From an early age L. R. W. knew she wanted to write a children’s book. Her imagination for such a book was cultivated early on as her family didn’t have a lot of money. She and her older brother were encouraged to use their imaginations to entertain themselves. And use them they did – climbing trees and tree forts, using a quilt for a matchbox car city, making puppets and putting on shows, and much more and her creativity and imagination grew.
She went to college and got a degree in Accounting. However, most folks frown on “creative accounting”, so she continued to put her imagination/writing on hold.  Her business and creative interests eventually led her to found and grow a successful company which, with her partner, she sold in January 2012, leaving her time to imagine and write for the first time.
L. R. W. lives in scenic Austin, TX with her husband, her daughter who is a Longhorn at UT Austin and her son who is in high school.

Cover Reveal: The Stone of Valhalla

I am very excited to show everyone the cover for my newest middle-grade fantasy-adventure novel: THE STONE OF VALHALLA. This book is very special to me because it is my very first book I ever wrote. Of course, I wrote it over 12 years ago and then totally revamped it this past summer. It was fun rewriting a book from start to finish. I think it turned out awesome. You wont have to wait too long to get your own copy. This book is slotted for release on March 31st (which happens to be me mum's birthday).


I will also be holding a blog tour for this book March 31st-April 5th. I have over 20 stops scheduled and there will be a rafflecoptor giveaway so you can win prizes for sharing the word about this fun book.


The following week, after the blog tour, I will be having a Facebook online launch party. There will be games and ways to win other great prizes, just for coming. That is scheduled for April 10th and will be hosted by Loving the Book Launch Party. 

Here's a little bit about my new book:
13-year-old Aaron was chosen to save their world, but it might come at the cost of losing his own…

Breaking into an old lady’s basement was supposed to reward Aaron with new friends. Instead he finds an enchanted amulet that transports him to another world—one at war with magic. Before he knows it, he is accused of witchcraft and invited to a bonfire—where he’s the main attraction. If that’s not bad enough, a goblin army shows up and toasts the town...literally. The good news: Aaron escapes being charbroiled. The bad news: the goblins are after him. They want his amulet and will stop at nothing to get it. Battling to find his way home, Aaron teams up with a not-so-magical-wizard and learns it’s his fate to destroy the amulet and save this new world. But is he willing to sacrifice his own?

Reads for Tweens: PRINCESS KANDAKE

I am excited to share this power house series for tween girls. Author Stephanie Jefferson, takes readers on a wild ride through ancient Egypt. Her story focuses on a girl from from Nubia who must choose between becoming the warrior she's always dreamed of or a princess appointed to rule. Check out what readers are calling: "Fantastic Historical Fiction!" Also the new release of the third installment in the Princess Kandake series.


Princess Kandake Warrior by Choice...Appointed to Rule

In Nubia a woman can be whatever she chooses. At 14, Kandake knows exactly what she chooses…Prime Warrior of Nubia. But her grandmother has said that she will follow her father on the throne.

Refusing to abandon her warrior dreams she continues to train. When her brother is kidnapped, Kandake learns she must be both queen and warrior to win his release!


Kindle | Other Digital Formats | Paperback


Weight of the Crown   A PRINCESS KANDAKE Novel
Reconciled to the fact that she will follow her father on the throne, Kandake maintains her resolve to continue her warrior training. But illness takes King Amani to the edge of death and Kandake must rule Nubia in his place. Prince Gadarat of Aksum comes calling and announces his intentions to marry Kandake. She has no desire for him or his plans and uses warrior persuasion to change his mind.

Kandake’s dearest friend, Ezena, has chosen a husband and wishes to bring her grandmother to Nubia for the ceremony. When Kandake travels with Ezena to Aksum, jealousy and revenge drive the rejected Prince to imprison her brother and Amhara.

Can Kandake rescue them both, escape Aksum, and get back to Nubia without starting a war?

Kindle | Other Digital Formats | Paperback
NEW RELEASE!
Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom A PRINCESS KANDAKE Novel
Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom Princess Kandake, youngest child of King Amani and heir to the throne of Nubia, has determined to continue her warrior training, but that is not the only thing that complicates her 14 year old life.

When the king receives a dispatch from Pharaoh Nakhtnebef of Egypt, Kandake is sent to find out why the pharaoh would need Nubia’s warriors to remain in Egypt any longer and why he has included a secret symbol within his message—help.

In Egypt, Kandake discovers treachery and a poisoned pharaoh, the identity of the bandits that attacked Nubia’s caravans, a Nubian orphan, and that Kandake may be Sakhmet—the Egyptian goddess of war.


http://stephaniejefferson.com/princess-kandake-series/warrior-of-the-egyptian-kingdom/
Paperback

Come see me at LTUE

I just wanted to give one more shout out about LTUE, a writers conference for fantasy and scifi writers. It's next week in Provo, Utah, at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Visit: http://ltue.net/ for more information. It is an amazing conference and you DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT. There is also an opportunity Friday night to meet and greet your favorite authors. I will be there at the Mass Book Signing from 8pm until whenever giving out bookmarks and key chains and signing copies of my books. I hope to see you there. Below is my schedule. Come find me and let's chat.

Thursday, February 13th:
10am: Monsters You've Never Heard Of: The D&D Monster Manual is big, but all the world's mythologies and folklore's are even bigger. Get inspired by creatures that aren't over-used yet.

11am: Pen Names: Do you need a pen name? What should you choose? This panel addresses why you might want to write under a pseudonym, and how to choose one that will advance your career as a writer.

1pm: Effective Book Covers: How to choose what to depict on your book cover, from the scene and character to emotion and theme. How to make book covers intriguing, marketable, and accurate to the story.

2pm: Modern Fantasy and its Relation to Folklore: Lloyd Alexander, Susan Cooper, and J. K. Rowling: Stories that recast and transform our cultural heritage.
 
Friday, February 14th:
12pm: How to Do Backgrounds: There’s a lot of talk about drawing your focus, but what about the background? Your character deserves to have a good backdrop. What kind of backgrounds are best in what situations? How to draw appropriately detailed/fitting backgrounds.

2pm: Artists Collaborating with Each Other and with Writers: A lot of art requires working with other people. A discussion about working with other artists and writers. What sort of collaboration is necessary? How does the collaboration work?

8pm:Mass Autograph Signing Join me and a bunch more authors at the hotel for a fun time.
Saturday, February 15th:
9am-1pm: You can find me in the lobby at Artist's Alley. I will be there working on art as well as selling books. Come by and lets chat about your book or some art you've been working on.
2pm: Time Management for Artists: Life is busy, and it can be hard to fit in everything. Discussion on how to make time for doing your art in your busy schedule.

4pm: Writing Children's Books: Find out how writing books for children differs from any other demographic.

That pretty much sums up my schedule. You can find me here and there around the hotel. I'll be bringing my wife this time, which I am super stoked about. Every year LTUE falls on either Valentine's day or her birthday and I miss out on both. I finally convinced her to tag along. It will be fun to introduce her to all the fellow authors I admire. See you at LTUE!