David Chuka's Blog, page 13

Interview with Children’s Book Author Charlotte K. Omillin

Author Interview Thursday is BACK! Hope you’ve not missed this weekly feature on my blog too much. The second half of this year promises to be great as I have a nice mix of authors writing in different genres and from different corners of the world who will be featured here every Thursday. Today, we have in the hot seat a lady who is currently on Book 6 of a very popular children’s book series. She comes from Belgium and is very generous with her time and knowledge to anyone willing to learn. Please join me in welcoming Charlotte K. Omillin.

 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you ended up being a children’s book author?

A couple of years ago, when I finished my career in the corporate world, I decided to spend my time on writing and illustrating. A little boy, who was crazy about penguins asked me to tell him penguin stories over and over! I love penguins too and that’s how it started for The Adventures of Zeppi series.

 

What can a reader expect when they pick up a Charlotte K. Omillin book?

It’s important for me to transmit some basic values to young children. I also like the stories to be genuine and family oriented.

   

You’re currently doing a book series about a penguin. Can you tell us about the genesis of how this series was born and where you’ve drawn inspiration to write the 6 books in the series?

At the beginning it was a young boy who inspired me to create Zeppi’s character and invent his adventures. I’m also fascinated by penguins and watched documentaries to understand their behaviour. The zoo is another source of ideas and I go there often to photograph, observe and draw penguins. It’s in the zoo that I first realized how amazing the interaction between kids and penguins was and I always get a lot of inspiration observing both.

 

Do you believe in writer’s block and what do you do to overcome it?

Oh yes, I know what you are talking about. To overcome it, I put the writing aside during a few days or longer and focus on drawing and painting. This clears my mind and I can get back to writing in a relaxing way. A lot of new stories come as images first.

 

What has been your most successful marketing method for promoting your books?

Marketing is not my strongest skill as I prefer the creative side of the job. But I’m studying all the methods as I have to deal with promoting my work. I read everything made available via Social Media and the internet. It’s a fast moving environment and staying up-to-date is a must. I also believe in networking. I haven’t discovered the magical marketing method yet but I’ll let you know whenever I do.

 

What were some of your favorite books as a child?

As a child I loved the Enid Blyton’s series, especially The Famous Five. It’s about the adventures of four children and their dog.  I also read over and over the famous Belgian cartoon books ‘The Adventures of Tintin.’ Today, I still read Roald Dahl’s children’s books, I just love his humour. My favorite Dahl books are The Witches and Matilda.

 

What mistake(s) have you made while publishing your books that you would advise other authors against?

I made many mistakes, David. The main one was being impatient to get my first book finished and published.  It’s so important to perfect our work before we show it to our readers.

 

You’re very passionate about the environment and this is reflected in the adventure of Zeppi series. Was there an event or incident that made you an avid campaigner for the environment?

Today there’s a lot of preaching about ‘organic living’ and ‘respecting the environment,’ and we forget that only a few decades ago everything was organic. That’s the reason I interweave simple ecological tips in my stories that children can remember. Small gestures can make a big difference in the long run. Personally, I always liked to live a ‘healthy life’ and being in nature. In the last few years there have been a lot of efforts done in Europe to advance this cause. A movement called ‘Incredible Edible” started in the UK and is now spreading all over Europe, even cities like Paris and Brussels are becoming very active. People grow their vegetables and fruit in their gardens, on their balconies, even public edible spaces are set up with the help of public authorities. The food is freely shared when abundant with neighbors and anyone interested in a new way of dealing with consumption.

 

Have you seen the children’s movie ‘Happy Feet’ and what did you think about it?

Yes, I’ve watched that movie several times. I liked this tap dancing penguin.

 

Happy Feet or Surf’s Up?

Happy Feet.

 

What do you love best about living in Belgium?

Belgium is a tiny country but the quality of life is high. Brussels is an international city and very green; we have a lot of beautiful parks. And, almost everybody speaks English.

 

What should a first time visitor to Belgium experience before they leave the country?

I would suggest visiting Bruges, a well-preserved medieval town and also the most romantic place in Belgium. Try the local food dishes and beer, and chocolate! Belgium is renowned for its famous pralines.

 

What can we expect from Charlotte K. Omillin in 2013?

Publish the next four stories of The Adventures of Zeppi before the end of this year. I will also start writing/illustrating a new series for children and edit my YA novel.

 

Where can fans and readers of your books discover more about you and connect with you?

A view of the world through Zeppi’s eyes: www.onthegowithzeppi.com

 

My author page on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/C.K.-Omillin/e/B0094S162A

 

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ckomillin

 

Any advice for authors out there who are either just starting out or getting frustrated with the publishing industry?

I suggest keep on writing and perfecting their work. Frustration is part of creation, so don’t worry too much about it. Stay updated and learn from other authors’ experiences. Listen to writing and publishing webinars, and search information on the internet. There are also many interesting blogs on writing, marketing and publishing. The publishing industry has been evolving quickly since a while now and I think we should focus on the new opportunities it brings and not on the frustration of change.

 

That was a lovely and inspiring note to end the interview on Charlotte. I love what you say about staying updated and learning. The publishing world as you said is in a current state of evolution and it’s important that authors stay current. You can also connect with Charlotte on Twitter with the handle @ZeppiPlanet

Enjoy this short trailer for the 5th book in The Adventure of Zeppi series

At London Evening Standard’s Get Reading Event

My birthday weekend was an absolute blast as I spent it with my dear family and had close relations and friends come to my house over the weekend.

The highlight of my birthday weekend had to be going to Trafalgar Square in London for the ‘Get Reading‘ event organized by the London Evening Standard newspaper.

The key sponsor of the event was Nook who have done a fantastic job giving free copies of their eReader to schools in London and are working hand in hand with the London Evening Standard to improve the literacy levels in London. This event has been featured in the newspaper for the last couple of months and I knew I wanted to be a part of it in some way.

The main purpose of the event was as the title of the event suggested, to get kids reading. To that effect, there were many stars of the screen and stage who graced the stage and did a bit of reading. Dick and Dom (popular UK kids presenters) hosted the show and did a fantastic job.

Some of the celebrities and stars at the event included Hugh Grant, Princess Beatrice, David Harewood, Barbara Windsor, Malorie Blackman and Peppa pig to mention but a few. They all read a few pages from popular children’s books.Malorie Blackman who is the children’s laureate also took some time to read a few pages from her popular series ‘Noughts & Crosses.’

You could almost describe the event as a reading marathon or relay as different authors, actors, celebrities etc came on stage and sat on this big red chair and then read a few pages from a popular children’s book. My children had fun splashing their feet in the pool at Trafalgar Square as they listened to the person reading on the stage.

The star I was most impressed was David Harewood as he plays David Estes in my favorite TV show – Homeland. Such a shame he’s not going to be in the third series as his character was killed off at the end of series 2. I think my children were most impressed by Peppa Pig

My wife and I put down our names to be reading volunteers. So tell your loved one to be on the look out as children’s author David Chuka could be visiting their school very soon. If you live in London or surrounding areas, I would like to encourage you to join this great cause as we all have a part to play to ensure every child can read. You can discover more about the Get Reading campaign by visiting the link below

http://getlondonreading.vrh.org.uk/

You can see more pictures from this event on the Gallery Page.

It’s My Birthday!

Guess what? It’s my birthday on Saturday!

 

Growing up I loved birthdays because I just couldn’t wait to see what present I got. The best present I ever got was a BMX bicycle on my 11th birthday. I also loved when my Mom threw a party for me, cooked some delicious Jollof rice and all my friends came around and we had lots of fun.

Well, times have changed. I’m not excited about what I’m going to get but rather what I can give on my birthday. I’ll be doing a special 72-hour 99cent Sale of all my books starting on Friday July 12th. You can download them to your Kindle or Kindle app and start enjoying them with your loved ones this weekend.

So if you’ve been thinking of getting one or all my books, then this is a good opportunity to do so.

I’d also like to announce that you can get a physical copy of the following titles which are also available in eBook format. These books will make an ideal gift for a 3-7 year old who is either a reluctant reader, loves animals and/or loves reading funny stories.

I Love Baby Animals
Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs
Billy and the Monster who Loved to Fart
Billy and Monster: The Superhero with Fart Powers
Billy and Monster’s New Neighbor Has a Secret Remember to set a reminder for the 72-hour 99cent Sale and tell all your family and friends about it.
Below is the link to my author page on Amazon where you can see all my books and download

http://www.amazon.com/David-Chuka/e/B...

Thanks for all your support and do have a lovely day.

Interview with Children’s Book Author Scott Worden

It’s Author Interview Thursday! I’ve said it before but I just have to say it again ‘I Love Author Interview Thursday!‘ On my journey as a children’s book author, I have been so blessed to come across highly creative, passionate, hardworking and talented individuals from across the nations of the world who have left a positive impact on my life. Today’s special guest leads a life that could easily fit into a Hollywood film. He co-authors children’s books with Liam Lusk (who was our guest author a couple of weeks ago) and lives in South Korea even though he is originally from California in the United States. He is a school teacher and an avid traveler and listening to him, you almost wish he was your teacher when you were back in school or you could go to one of the many exotic places he’s been to. Without further ado, please join me in welcoming Scott Worden.

 

Tell us about the latest book you’re working on or recently published?

Liam Lusk and I are working on a business idioms book for ESL/EFL learners. Many of my students and probably Liam’s as well have a strong desire to learn idioms and we wanted to find idioms that are useful in both the U.K. and the U.S. As many Koreans call English a “global” language, we want to make sure the idioms they learn can be used in most places they go to. We’re also planning on writing a general idioms book that’s full of expressions common in both of our countries.

 

What can a reader expect when they pick up a Scott Worden book?

The two books I wrote by myself are about traveling. I really enjoy going to different places, experiencing the culture, eating different types of food, and meeting new people. I wrote those books for my passion for those things. The children’s books co-authored with Liam are books that need to have excellent illustrations. We want the children to have not only a good story but for them to have pictures that will make them happy. Let’s be honest. Kids love pictures so we need to make sure our illustrations are of the best quality.

 

How did you get into writing children’s books?

Being that I used to work with kids and Liam Lusk (my friend who is a co-author), we came up with some ideas. We thought we could write something that kids would love and for parents do enjoy as well as they read the books to their children. Not only would we be making a bit of extra income, but we would be having fun while doing it. That made it a very easy decision for us to write children’s books.

 

Your children’s books so far have been co-written with Liam Lusk. What is the biggest advantage and disadvantage of co-authoring a book?

The biggest advantage of co-authoring a book is being able to share ideas. Sometimes Liam comes up with something that I would have never thought of. Sometimes something pops into my head and Liam agrees with it. We both can discuss if the idea is a good one and if we both agree, we continue. If neither of us agrees, we move on. That’s a great advantage of being a co-author. The biggest disadvantage is to keep each other focused on writing the book. It’s easy to get lazy and not want to continue writing, so we have to prod each other to get our work done. However, that’s also an advantage because if one of us is behind in our work, the fire is lit under us and we get it done.

 

Do you believe in writer’s block and what do you do to overcome it?

I totally believe in writer’s block. I remember doing creative writing assignments in middle school and high school and there came to a point where I just couldn’t think of anything at the moment. I then realized that I just needed to take a break, relax, and listen to music. Sometimes the work becomes tiresome and then it’s not fun. I have to keep it in perspective that I enjoy doing this and if I can’t think of anything at the moment, I will just come back to it when I have some different ideas in mind.

 

What has been your most successful marketing method for promoting your books?

I believe the best thing is to sell quality at a reasonable price. Liam Lusk and I have come across some books that are written poorly or too short at an expensive price. It frustrates me to see junk in the indy author market because it ruins the customer’s experience and it damages the indy author’s reputations. Therefore, I will consistently write quality at a very reasonable price. It’s a win-win situation.

 

What were some of your favorite books as a child?

My favorite all time children’s book was “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs”. I think I read that book over 100 times. Not only was the story fascinating but the pictures made me constantly keep going back to that book. My mom also bought the 1970 children’s book series “Sweet Pickles” which was about a bunch of different animals that lived in the town named Sweet Pickles. The stories had morals to them and for each book, it had a map of where all the characters lived. The writer of that series was a pure genius.

 

What mistake(s) have you made while publishing your books that you would advise other authors against?

I was so excited to publish my first book that when I did, I did a very poor job of proofreading my book. I just wanted it to be done and be on the market to say that I accomplished writing a book. It was embarrassing because I told many of my friends and family about the book and then I later found so many typos, punctuation errors, and grammar mistakes. If I could go back and do that again, I would. However, I learned a lot since then and double and triple check my books before I publish them now.

 

Did you always want to be a teacher and what does it take to be a good teacher?

That’s a difficult question. I like teaching especially teaching adults but if I could write more and teach less, I would do that. I’m hoping to become a full time writer and a part time teacher in the future. But if that doesn’t work out, then I’ll continue teaching and getting better at it. Either way, I want to be the best at whatever field I’m in.

 

What has been your worst day as a teacher?

I used to teach elementary and middle school students from 3pm-10pm in my first year of living in South Korea. I taught elementary students during the day and taught middle school students from 9pm-10pm. Being that middle school students in South Korea went to regular school during the day and then went to the academy at night, they got tired and bored easily. My worst day was teaching and seeing none of my students paying attention to me and all of them just looking at the desk. I then realized that teaching overworked middle school students was not my strength. I later found my calling: teaching adults that wanted to learn.

 

Toy Story or Shrek?

I’m a sucker for sentimentality. When Woody said goodbye to his friends on Toy Story 3, it made me shed a tear or two. The movies were well done, full of humor, and made me think about life. Shrek is hilarious too but Toy Story has a special place in my heart.

 

What do you love best about living in South Korea?

The first thing is definitely the food. Any country where meat is an important part of the cuisine, you can’t go wrong. Also South Korea is very safe despite what most people in the U.S. think. I have never felt in danger while walking at home at night. Being a man definitely helps but in South Korea, I feel a lot safer walking alone at night than I would in Los Angeles. Next, I’ve met wonderful friends at church and wonderful students. Finally, the public transportation is amazing. It’s cheap, clean, and almost always on time. It’s wonderful.

 

How would you say ‘Reading is Fun!’ in Korean?

읽기는 즐겁다

 

What do you miss the most about California?

I definitely miss my family. It’s a bit hard only being able to see my family once a year and for a short two-week visit to L.A. I hope I can be able to visit them more often down the line if not move back permanently in the not-so-distant future. I also have a nephew that is going on three years old and I want to see him grow up.

 

Your job affords you the opportunity to travel a lot. Where is the most exotic place you’ve been to and what did you love about it?

I went on a missions trip with my church members last year to Siem Reap, Cambodia. I really loved that country. The people were beautiful and despite some of them being very poor, they were so happy and laid back. The food was really tasty as well and I could get a delicious dish for just over $1. We also travelled to Ankor Wat and it is by far the most amazing place I’ve been to. The Great Wall of China was good, but Ankor Wat was much more impressive.

 

What can we expect from Scott Worden in 2013?

I hope to write two idioms books with Liam Lusk and write a travel book about the best places in Southern California. I lived there for 27 years and I think I can share some experiences of wonderful sites to visit.

 

Where can fans and readers of your books discover more about you and connect with you?

You can find me on my blog: http://laseoulguy.com or you can find me on Twitter. My twitter handle is LASeoulGuy.

 

Any advice for authors out there who are either just starting out or getting frustrated with the publishing industry?

Don’t give up so soon. Work hard at developing your network of author friends. They can help you with great advice and with editing your books. Also, don’t expect to make a lot of money right away. You need to keep working hard at it. Most importantly, do it because you love it. Don’t do it for the money. You may make a good amount of money or you may not. If that’s your only motivation in writing books, you might have to try another field.

 

Thanks for spending some time with us today Scott. There are many things you’ve said today that will strike a chord with many people. For instance, you touched on the fact that we shouldn’t see writing as primarily an income generating activity but rather to have the mindset that first and foremost, I write because I love to write. I also have to agree with you on Toy Story  Please visit Scott’s website at the link below where he shares so much and you can discover more about him.

 

Scott’s Blog -  http://laseoulguy.com

Amazon Author Page - http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Worden/e/B00A13YK8O

Scott’s Twitter Page - https://twitter.com/LASeoulGuy

Authour Interview with Matt Posner

Its another Author Interview Thursday and we have a very special guest with us today. If you remember, three weeks ago Matt Posner interviewed David Chuka on his blog. Well, today he returns the favor and we have him in the hot seat. Matt Posner is a writer and teacher from New York. Like I shared yesterday on my Facebook Fan Page, this has got to be one of the most insightful, controversial and honest reviews I’ve done. I love Matt’s brutal honesty on several issues and his passion for education is so clear to see. Ladies and Gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Matt Posner.

 

Tell us about the latest book you’re working on and when it’ll be published?

I have been held up for the past few months right at the brink of finishing. I have not used the school’s time travel abilities School of the Ages 4:  Simon Myth for a plot-line since the first book, but what’s old is new again when Simon gets lost in time and winds up in ancient India and meets the heroes of the Mahabharata.

 

What can a reader expect when they pick up a Matt Posner book?

I’m big on characterization and conflict. You will find lots of sharply drawn characters, a dialogue-driven storyline, and plenty of trauma and confrontation. School of the Ages is about a magic school, but it has a real-world feel with genuine places in New York and the world as a backdrop, and a complex multi-cultural impulse. This is one of few series about magic that actually addresses world religion also, with characters whose identity as Jews and Hindus is paramount. Book V. set for 2014 I hope, will add another world religion to that equation also.

 

Has being a school teacher influenced any of your stories?

Yes, naturally it has, for a few reasons. First of all, all the teachers are good. There are no Snapes in this series. Second, my experience with learning disabled students caused me to incorporate autism into my second book, Level Three’s Dream. And third, teaching literature has made me better at writing it. People have asked me in the past if I am inspired by my students when I craft teen characters. I don’t think I am, though. My teen characters are more like my own generation as teens – me and my classmates from middle and high school – at least as I remember us.

 

Quite a few best-selling authors have a background in education. What would you say are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Which best-selling authors have that background? Can I go hang out with them and be their friend?          The disadvantage is that working as a teacher sucks you dry, intellectually and emotionally, and it is hard to go home and start doing creative writing. The advantages are that you constantly interact with people and learn more about human nature, and that you become aware of so much knowledge that can trigger you creatively.  Oh, and you have time to travel, with the various breaks, which has affected me since I use places I have visited as settings for my novels. Some teacher/writers might also benefit from the summers off, but I work a summer job as an SAT trainer so I don’t get that full advantage.

 

Do you believe in writer’s block and what do you do to overcome it?

Surprisingly, I am asked this fairly often. I had writer’s block for many years. The cause of it was self-doubt and low self-esteem. The primary impulses behind those feelings were graduate creative writing workshop critiques and feckless literary agents. Neither is an issue in my life anymore except insofar as I reflect upon them as sources of psychic scarring. No one can be wholly free of self-doubt once it has come into play, but I am in a good place creatively and my only issue is lack of time and energy to write. The other cause of writer’s block is failure to prepare yourself to write. Many writers are blocked because they haven’t done the proper amount of outlining and notes and research necessary to make the creative process work for them. (Everyone needs a different amount; I’m just saying that blocked writers haven’t met their individual need for such prep. A person who is blocked needs to cultivate a positive attitude – with the help of some good people to talk to, be they past readers or mentors or fellow artistic people or psychological professionals – and to do some pre-writing activities in order to create a sense of structure and order.

 

What were some of your favorite books as a child?

I can’t possibly list them all as I was voracious. I usually cite as my all-time favorite The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. I also add to the conversation Edward Eager’s magic books, Tolkien in general, DC and Marvel comics, and generally any book about monsters or dinosaurs, ghosts or scary movies that I could get my hands on.

 

What’s your take on the current trending topic in the publishing world: self publishing versus traditional publishing?

Traditional publishing is the only way to get a chunk of money, but the advance is probably all the money you will ever see because of the way the deals are structured. Authors really get screwed by traditional and legacy publishers. Self-publishing may get you little or no money but you are in control of it. Those few self-published authors who have made big money are writing material comparable to best-sellers who are legacy published. I don’t advise aspiring to that position unless you naturally fall into one of those bestseller categories.  Otherwise, the only way to make money is to have a lot of quality books that each bring in a little income.  Many books with small income each adds up to better than small income.

 

What mistake(s) have you made while publishing your books that you would advise other authors against?

I have published short story anthologies but no one buys them. People would rather pay $2.99 for a novel than $0.99 for a smaller selection. I did review trading for a while but I found that readers really dislike when authors do it, so I stopped.

 

How do you deal with bad reviews?

I don’t have very many bad reviews. It’s best to ignore them. The worst thing an author when harshly criticized is to get into a wrangle with the critic. A rule in human life is that when someone is mean to you and you fight back, you look bad and the mean person wins. This rule is as inevitable as death and taxes. When I read in Salman Rushdie’s memoir that he got into public quarrels in the papers with other authors who had critiqued his books, I thought that was really stupid of him. Writers who duke it out with Internet trolls always wind up wrung-out and upset and often get banned from Amazon. Trolls always win, folks, because they are fundamentally amoral and so nothing holds them back.

 

What was the last film you saw at the movies and what did you like about it?

I saw Man of Steel and I liked the special effects and I liked looking at Amy Adams. I never get tired of looking at Amy Adams.

 

Can you tell us about your worst day as a teacher?

No one has asked me that question before! I love new questions!

I told my class at a private religious school where I was dean that I was going to teach Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya. The students began to complain that it was boring and then to make fun of Indians, saying they worshipped monkeys etc. This bothered me tremendously because my wife is Indian and Hindu, although I could not acknowledge that because it would have caused problems for me in that single-religion school. It quickly became a major row and I gave the whole class a detention. The principal went in to the classroom later and cancelled my punishment, completely undermining me. I am now much more experienced and would not make such blunders in the classroom, but I still remember the trauma of the situation keenly.

 

What would you change in the education system?

Here in the United States education has been subject to a series of addlepated reforms conducted by a coordinated team of union-busting politicians and corporate profiteers. It would make me physically sick to describe here the details of the farrago* that is American public education. Now is the worst time American education has seen since I’ve been alive. What would I change? Schools should be run by skilled, trained, experienced professional educators AND NO ONE ELSE.

 

Which New York sports team do you support?

None.

 

What 3 things should a visitor to New York experience?

Go to Times Square, walk around and see the Broadway theaters and Rockefeller Center; go to 34th-Street Herald Square, the giant Macy’s, and the Empire State Building; go downtown to the Wall Street area, see the giant metal bull, and make fun of the goofballs in suits going in and out of the Stock Exchange. Each of these has a clear subway stop, respectively 47-50 Rockefeller Center; 34th St-Herald Square; and Wall Street.

 

What can we expect from Matt Posner in 2013?

School of the Ages 4 should come out in July. In August or September, a how-to book called How to Write Dialogue. Then I will be working on another Teen Guide book with Jess C. Scott and a non-School of the Ages novel.

Any advice for authors out there who are either just starting out or getting frustrated with the publishing industry?

There are three elements that lead to progress building a presence as an author. (I won’t say career.) They are quality writing, marketing skills, and luck. Quality writing isn’t always necessary (viz. E.L. James) but it is necessary for most people, and its absence will kill most aspirants’ prospects even though its presence guarantees nothing. Marketing skills are necessary because books don’t sell themselves. If you are on your own you have to market yourself, and even if you have a publisher you still have to market yourself because legacy publishers rarely market anything under their imprint except celebrity books. Luck is what happens when some random event favors your success. You can make tremendous effort and still get nowhere, or you can make tremendous effort and have luck cause that effort to pay off.

Overall, if you want to be a self-published author, I think you should do what my co-author and friend Jess C. Scott recommends. Publish a lot of quality books, diversify genres, and go for income by selling many different books rather than pushing a small number. If you can learn how to do your own formatting, that’s much better, because formatters charge a lot. As for cover art, most of us can’t do our own. Jess does, because she is multi-talented, but when I have done my own it hasn’t been successful. Find a self-published book whose cover art you like, write to the author to find out who the artist is, and go from there. (My current cover artist for School of the Ages is Mande Matthews.)

If you want to be a traditionally published author, I don’t have very much advice about how to make that work. I wouldn’t trust any literary agent who would take me on as a client. The big publishing houses are only interested in celebrities and guaranteed best-sellers. There are lots of small publishers out there and they are taking on authors, but you won’t make much money and most of them have limited budget. A lot of them supplement that budget by doing subsidy publishing, and so will offer you an option in which they produce and distribute and you pay. Even if they are nice people, that’s a deal with no profit for you.

 

Where can fans and readers of your books discover more about you and connect with you?

I invite fans to connect with me in four places.

My website http://schooloftheages.webs.com

My fan page http://www.facebook.com/schooloftheages

My twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/schooloftheages

My pinterest:  http://www.pinterest.com/mattposner

 

My website has links to all of my books on Amazon. Or they are also here:

The Ghost in the Crystal (School of the Ages 1)

 Level Three’s Dream (School of the Ages 2):

The War Against Love (School of the Ages 3)

Teen Guide to Sex and Relationships:

 

Thank you Matt for that interview. What really struck me was your brutal honesty and willingness to tell it like it is. Not many authors are willing to share their mistakes and you spoke from personal experience and not what you had read or heard from this blog or that author. Now I know many people will agree and disagree with what Matt has said. Why don’t you leave a comment or question for Matt who will gladly respond to it. One of the greatest gifts you can give a writer is feedback and Matt will love to hear from you. Go on…leave that burning question or comment below.

Read More, Write Better

The international best-selling author and fountain of wisdom regarding writing Stephen King, famously said in his book ‘On Writing,’ that to be a good/great writer, you have to read a lot and write a lot.

 

Now I have to admit that I usually go through long seasons where I’m either doing one and not the other. Now I have always loved reading but the writing has come in fits and starts. In the last six months for the first time in my life, I’ve actually done more writing than reading. The great thing about reading a lot and writing a lot is that (at least in my opinion) one’s writing tends to improve when one is exposed to other written work.

 

With that in mind, I’ll be doing a blog post every week where I share or do a review on a book I’m reading or have just read. I might also use this blog post to share a book I’m currently writing and what challenges/breakthroughs I made. I’ll be putting these blog posts under the category ‘Currently Reading.’

 

I’m currently reading two books at the moment. One of them is titled ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’ by Simon Jordan and the other is titled ‘Post Pattern’ by David Chill.

 

Simon Jordan’s book is autobiographically and a major part of the book focuses on his time as the Chairman of football club Crystal Palace. David Chill’s book is a mystery thriller and is set in California. Private Investigator Burnside investigates the murder of a university football player.

 

I’ll be starting next week. Watch this space.

I Love My Dog

It’s LIVE! I Love My Dog is Live!!!

 

Forgive me for being so excited but its been like climbing Mount Everest just to get this book published. I’ll spare you the details but let’s just say I’m real glad this book is now out of the oven.

 

So what is ‘I Love My Dog’ about? Well, it’s a simple non-fiction animal book about different breeds of dogs. Each breed is represented by funny carton image accompanied with some facts and then a real life photo of the animal is then revealed.

 

Some of the dogs in this book include a bulldog, Dalmatian, Golden retriever, Mastiff, Collie, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, Alaskan Malamute and Doberman. I had a fun time putting this book together as I got to discover some fun facts about different types of dogs. For instance, did you know that Poodles have weepy eyes? This is not an indication of their emotional state but simply the way that they are. Also, rottweilers tend to snore so you might have to purchase a set of headphones if you’re thinking of getting one.

 

This book will be ideal for young children between the ages of 3-7 as they get to recognize and know the names of different types of dogs.

 

As this is my launch week, its currently retailing for 99 cents on the Amazon store. It’s going for about 77 pence on Amazon UK. I was inspired to write this book after the phenomenal success of ‘I Love Baby Animals’ which had more than 8,000 downloads in the month of May!

 

Can you guess what will be the next title in the Animals Books for Children series? Watch this space and you’ll soon find out.

 

Grab your copy today by clicking one of the links below and I’d be highly appreciative if you could leave a good review once you’ve read it.

 

US – http://amzn.to/11yZbjN

 

UK – http://amzn.to/19kh3E8

Writing without Stressing with the Pain Relief Coach

Its Author Interview Thursday…with a twist. The main purpose of this weekly segment on my blog was to provide an avenue for authors with varying degrees of experience and from different parts of the world to share what’s working for them, share a bit about themselves and their work plus also offer inspiration. Now that latter bit about inspiration has always been geared towards making authors continue in their pursuit of their publishing goals. But what happens when the temple that houses the creative machine is broken down or worn out? Is the creative process affected by a decline in one’s well-being? I think the simple and only answer to that question is YES! Today’s special guest is here to share with us simple tips to ensure that we don’t subject our bodies to needless stress while writing. I’ve read her book on pain relief and thereafter it was always my intention to have her share with us. Well today is that day! Please join me in welcoming Kathryn Merrow whose our guest blogger today.

 

What causes authors and writers and editors to get pain in their neck and back?  Oh, it’s being at the keyboard, you say? True.  But did you know there are things that you can do to prevent or eliminate that pain?  Because here’s what unhappy, strained, overstretched muscles do:

They complain.

Here comes relief!

1.  Take lots of breaks.  Really!  You will be more productive when you aren’t in pain.  And when you take a break, make it a real break.  Totally change your posture and the distance you are viewing.

2.  Roll your shoulders up and back, up and back.

3.  Squeeze your shoulder blades toward your spine. Your shoulder blades are attached to muscles on the tops of the blades, on each side of the blade and on the bottoms.  By contracting the appropriate muscles, you can move the shoulder blades and strengthen the muscles in the right places on the back.

4.  Hike your shoulders to your ears and then allow your shoulders to relax and move downward.

5.  Do some deep breathing to get more oxygen to your brain and to move the muscles of your torso.

Here’s more movement information:

Slightly squeeze your shoulder blades toward your spine.  Think about squeezing the lower part of the blades slightly more toward each other (toward the spine.)  Do it.

Think about lowering the blades toward your waist. How will you do that?  What muscles have to contract?  Do it.

You will probably feel these movements in your middle back and also in the front of your shoulders or upper chest. If you cannot do it right away, that’s okay.  You are giving your body the idea of what you want to do and soon you will be able to do it.  Just keep trying.

These movements strengthen the muscles that hold your shoulder blades and back in the position they should be in.

How to sit at the computer: 

Here is the most neutral posture to use when you are keyboarding or typing.  Neutral means less strain on your muscles.  Less strain means less pain. It’s really not possible to be in neutral posture when you are using a laptop but you can change that if you plug in a separate keyboard or monitor.

Here’s how to position yourself:

1.  Your head is over your body.  Your chin is tucked slightly back.

2.  Your elbows are straight down from your shoulders, close to your waist and slightly more open than 90 degrees.

3.  Your wrists are straight, neither tilting up nor down.

4.  Your seat is high enough for you to look straight at your monitor.  The monitor is in front of your eyes so you don’t have to tilt your head up or down.  If you wear bifocals, you may wish to switch to a single-vision pair of glasses to avoid tilting (computer glasses.)

5.  Your hips and knees are slightly more open than 90 degrees.

6.  Your feet are supported.  (Phone books are good for this.)

7.  Your back is supported with a lumbar pillow or support behind your waist.

Using those positions will help you stay in the most neutral posture but if you catch yourself slouching, it’s okay.  Just start over and readjust if you have to.

By the way, I find that I cannot work on the computer when I am tired because my posture does all kinds of awful things.  That’s a clue to take a nap or do something to get energized again.

####

Kathryn Merrow is The Pain Relief Coach online.  She has extensive experience in the field of pain relief.  She helps people get rid of aches and pain naturally and that’s why she writes.

You can find links to all of her websites at http://ThePainReliefCoach.com and if you suffer from headaches, migraines or neck pain, get Kathryn’s book “Head Pain Natural Relief” (the first in a series) at Amazon.com.   It’s also available in soft cover and Kindle editions.

If carpal tunnel symptoms are bugging you, you will find a wealth of information about the causes and natural ways to get rid of your symptoms at http://CarpalTunnelPainReliefNow.com

 

 

Interview with Children’s Book Author Liam Lusk

It’s AIT! For the uninitiated that means Author Interview Thursday. Over the past few months on this blog, we have interviewed children’s book authors from different corners of the planet who have shared generously and inspired us. And we have someone special today. In the hot seat we have a gentleman who comes from my neck of the woods but now lives and works in South Korea. He is a man who is passionate about education and runs a consulting company to help businesses have a stronger presence online and offline. He has co-authored two children’s books with his writing partner Scott Worden. Please join me in welcoming Liam Lusk.

 

Tell us about your latest book and what format is it available in?

My latest book which is co-authored with Scott Worden is a children’s book called ‘Gathering Food With Farmer Bob’ which is available from all the Amazon outlets.

 

What can a reader expect when they pick up a Liam Lusk book?

My aim is to always over deliver with my books and any books that I co-author. I feel that many authors especially e-book authors are just trying to make a quick buck. I aim to be in this for the long run.

 

Liam how did you get into writing children’s books?

I had already written four books before I started writing children’s books. I have a daughter who is four years old and she loves reading. After downloading a few children’s e-books from Amazon which left me disappointed I felt I could do better so I decided to try.

 

Your books so far have been co-written with Scott Worden. How did you guys meet and what’s the creative process like between the two of you?

When I originally came to Korea in 2001 I was an English teacher and that’s how I met Scott Worden in 2004. We have been great friends ever since and we always talked about writing together but never did. After my first three books, I approached Scott to see if he was still interested and he was. Our creative process is quite simple really. One of us has an idea and the other gives their opinion and we keep going until we’re finished. We’re very good at keeping each other inspired.

 

Do you believe in writer’s block and what do you do to overcome it?

I’m sure writers block exists but I find focus hard sometimes as general life can get in the way. That’s why co-authoring works well for me I think, your co-author can keep you in check.

 

What has been your most successful marketing method for promoting your books?

This is a good question and I think the answer is probably different for everyone but for me I feel that a good social media presence is important. I have a social media company so it felt natural for me to use it. I recently used a Twitter campaign which seemed to have positive results for me.

 

What were some of your favourite books as a child?

Now you’re making me think hard. I really enjoyed Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck which we studied at school. I think it is a great story that is an emotional roller coaster. I was also into anything about Roman history and I still think history is fascinating.

 

Does your daughter inspire your work as a children’s book author?

My four year old daughter absolutely gives me inspiration for my children’s books. The real joy is when I have a book ready to be published. I read it to her and if she likes it I publish, if not I don’t publish. Simple litmus test, children don’t lie.

 

What mistake(s) have you made while publishing your books that you would advise other authors against?

With my first book ‘How To Make A Great Presentation’ it was definitely the cover and description of the book. A good cover is everything for your book as it draws the reader in when they are looking through the various titles. I would always advise anyone to invest some money into a good cover, it pays in dividends later. Your book description is also important as it gets a reader interested. Give them a reason to buy your book, what benefit does your book give?

 

How do you deal with bad reviews?

No-one likes a bad review but the simple fact is that not everyone will like your book or books. Remember Amazon alone has millions of customers so statistically you will get a bad review eventually. I have had a couple of bad reviews and my book sales actually increased after. If you have all five star reviews it looks unrealistic.

 

Toy Story or Shrek?

Shrek definitely.

 

What do you love best about living in South Korea?

Of course I should say my wife (she is Korean) and my lovely daughter but it is the quality of life for me. Although I live in Seoul the capital of Korea and a large city, I feel safe. I know that there is crime everywhere but having lived in London for almost 15 years before Seoul, I feel that Seoul is much safer and as a father and husband that is important to me.

 

How would you say ‘You need to read my book!’ in Korean?

당신은 제 책을 읽을 필요가 있습니다

 

What do you miss the most about the United Kingdom?

A good cup of tea, bacon sandwiches, fish and chips with gravy and the weather as it can get a little hot in Korea.

 

What can we expect from Liam Lusk in 2013?

I have quite a few.

Some more books for the Farmer Bob series.
Some more books for English learners.
A book about British music.

And I hope much more.

 

Any advice for authors out there who are either just starting out or getting frustrated with the publishing industry?

Don’t give up. If you have something written down that you truly believe can benefit someone out there then keep going. We have such an opportunity now to get published on places like Amazon. Be careful about getting advice from those closest to you as it’s not always the best advice. If you can get someone who isn’t close to you to read your first work that’s better as they will give you an honest opinion.

 

That was a very good way to end the interview Liam. There is such a wealth of wisdom and common sense weaved into what you’ve shared with us today. I liked what you said about handling bad reviews. It’s something that comes with the territory so accept it and don’t let it weigh you down. Liam not only writes childrens books but also books on social media, presenting and English. You can see his full catalog of books by visiting his Amazon Author page at the link below

http://www.amazon.com/Liam-Lusk/e/B0095TN6KS

You can also connect with him by clicking one of the links below

Blog – http://liamlusk.com

Twitter – https://twitter.com/liamlusk

YouTube – http://www.youtube.com/liamkorea

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/liamslusk

Interview with Children’s Book Author David Chuka by Matt Posner

It’s Author Interview Thursday! However, the party isn’t taking place on my blog today…It’s on Matt Posner’s blog. So who is Matt Posner?

Matt Posner is a writer and teacher from New York City. Originally from Miami, FL, Matt lives in Queens with Julie, his wife of more than ten years, and works in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Matt is also the Dean of School of the Ages, America’s greatest magic school, located on a secret island in New York Harbor, and is pleased to tell stories about its people in the five-book series School of the Ages, which will be published between 2010 and 2015. As the child of classically trained musicians, Matt is a performing poet and percussionist with The Exploration Project, New York’s premier avant-garde multimedia club band.

Matt teaches high school English, with a fondness for special education students, as well as SAT preparation. He has an active channel at YouTube.com/schooloftheages and regularly posts to Pinterest.com/mattposner. His interests include magic and the paranormal, literature, movies, history and culture, visual arts, world music, religion, photography, and professional wrestling history.

And guess who’s on the hot seat today?…ME!

Matt grills me on the process I employ when I write/publish a children’s book, a breakdown on the Billy character, how I got started writing Children’s books and much more!

So head on over to Matt’s blog by clicking the link below and feel free to drop me a comment or question and remember to share on your social networks. Enjoy!

http://tinyurl.com/lk4ql8s