Renée Swann's Blog, page 3
July 1, 2014
Guest Post by Kenneth J. Kerr
How Do I Choose The Names Of The Characters For A Book? I don't have any sophisticated system for name selections. I try to imagine a name that I think suits the character I am describing, and obviously, I try to avoid any names that are public figures. When I need foreign names, like the Pakistani names in “The First Madam President,” I use a few sites on the internet that provide common or uncommon names for a particular country.
I had one experience in name selection for “The First Madam President” that might be of interest. I had chosen a different name for Judy Webber, the President's Chief of Staff. One day a friend told me about a Netflix show that she strongly suggested I watch. The show was “House of Cards” a great series about people in government in Washington. A couple days later I started watching the show and one of the characters in the show had the same last name as the name I had chosen for the character who is now Judy Webber. I worried that someone would think the show had influenced my writing so I changed Judy's last name to Webber. One can't be too careful.
The First Madam President Excerpt: The President had only met Ann once before, but her initial impressions of the young lady were very positive. She smiled inwardly realizing that the CIA Director had given Ann a more important role in this meeting.
"Ann, you and your Director were here previously on the suspected plot, and I said come back when you have more evidence that will stand up in court. Do you think we are there yet?"
Ann responded, "Madam President, with all due respect, you may be using the wrong standard. My team is tasked with following Al Qaeda, collecting intelligence, analyzing the intelligence and the situation, and preventing another terrorist attack on the United States. Sometimes we collect intelligence in ways that would not meet the standard required in a court of law. We may have that situation facing us now. It is highly likely that a cell of terrorists plan to attack sites in Washington D.C soon. It could be tomorrow, or the next day or several days from now. Hopefully, they are using fake explosives and will be unsuccessful. I don't want to take that chance. And Madam President, I don't think you should take that chance either. We have reliable intelligence that indicates an attack is imminent. I don't believe you want to be known as the President who had intel about an attack and did not act. There are times when the standard for evidence useable in a trial, may be too high. This may be one of those times."
The President stared at Ann. Everyone else in the room was dead silent, wondering how the President would respond to Ann's comments.
Author Bio: 
Hi. My pen name is Kenneth J. Kerr, but most people call me Ken. I am retired after a successful business career, which included extensive international travel and living overseas in Hong Kong and Tokyo, Japan for almost a decade. After retirement, I lived in Russia for a year as a Peace Corps volunteer. I began my writing career 'late in life', just over two years ago. My second novel, “The First Madam President (and the dirty bombs)” was published in May 2014 and is available as an e-book or paperback on Amazon and as an e-book in all formats at Smashwords.
Connect With Kenneth J. Kerr: Amazon | Smashwords | Facebook | Twitter | Website
I had one experience in name selection for “The First Madam President” that might be of interest. I had chosen a different name for Judy Webber, the President's Chief of Staff. One day a friend told me about a Netflix show that she strongly suggested I watch. The show was “House of Cards” a great series about people in government in Washington. A couple days later I started watching the show and one of the characters in the show had the same last name as the name I had chosen for the character who is now Judy Webber. I worried that someone would think the show had influenced my writing so I changed Judy's last name to Webber. One can't be too careful.
The First Madam President Excerpt: The President had only met Ann once before, but her initial impressions of the young lady were very positive. She smiled inwardly realizing that the CIA Director had given Ann a more important role in this meeting.
"Ann, you and your Director were here previously on the suspected plot, and I said come back when you have more evidence that will stand up in court. Do you think we are there yet?"
Ann responded, "Madam President, with all due respect, you may be using the wrong standard. My team is tasked with following Al Qaeda, collecting intelligence, analyzing the intelligence and the situation, and preventing another terrorist attack on the United States. Sometimes we collect intelligence in ways that would not meet the standard required in a court of law. We may have that situation facing us now. It is highly likely that a cell of terrorists plan to attack sites in Washington D.C soon. It could be tomorrow, or the next day or several days from now. Hopefully, they are using fake explosives and will be unsuccessful. I don't want to take that chance. And Madam President, I don't think you should take that chance either. We have reliable intelligence that indicates an attack is imminent. I don't believe you want to be known as the President who had intel about an attack and did not act. There are times when the standard for evidence useable in a trial, may be too high. This may be one of those times."
The President stared at Ann. Everyone else in the room was dead silent, wondering how the President would respond to Ann's comments.
Author Bio: Hi. My pen name is Kenneth J. Kerr, but most people call me Ken. I am retired after a successful business career, which included extensive international travel and living overseas in Hong Kong and Tokyo, Japan for almost a decade. After retirement, I lived in Russia for a year as a Peace Corps volunteer. I began my writing career 'late in life', just over two years ago. My second novel, “The First Madam President (and the dirty bombs)” was published in May 2014 and is available as an e-book or paperback on Amazon and as an e-book in all formats at Smashwords.Connect With Kenneth J. Kerr: Amazon | Smashwords | Facebook | Twitter | Website
June 15, 2014
Friends Lovers Chaos Launch Day
**Warning: The following blog post contains lots of excitement and exclamation points!!
Consider yourself forewarned!
Whoop! Whoop! Today is LAUNCH DAY for Friends Lovers Chaos!!
I am SUPER excited because not only is a novel I’ve been slaving away on coming out today, but PTA Live is tonight! (Penguin Teen Australia Live ~ a booknerd convention)
It has been a very busy month — I know I haven’t blogged much — but I’ve been working away so Friends Lovers Chaos could come out only a month after I’d written it (in Camp NaNoWriMo ). And because I’m awesome (go on, admit it ;-) ) I’m offering you a discount of 50% if you purchase FLC today or tomorrow at my e-book store!
How’s that for awesomeness?
This week, I also launched the Lovers trilogy website. You can find out more about Friends Lovers Chaos/trilogy here .
I’m also giving away copies of the paperback on Goodreads, which you can find here for U.S., Canada, and U.K, or here for Australia .
Have a fantastic day/night!
Consider yourself forewarned!
Whoop! Whoop! Today is LAUNCH DAY for Friends Lovers Chaos!!
I am SUPER excited because not only is a novel I’ve been slaving away on coming out today, but PTA Live is tonight! (Penguin Teen Australia Live ~ a booknerd convention)
It has been a very busy month — I know I haven’t blogged much — but I’ve been working away so Friends Lovers Chaos could come out only a month after I’d written it (in Camp NaNoWriMo ). And because I’m awesome (go on, admit it ;-) ) I’m offering you a discount of 50% if you purchase FLC today or tomorrow at my e-book store!
How’s that for awesomeness?This week, I also launched the Lovers trilogy website. You can find out more about Friends Lovers Chaos/trilogy here .
I’m also giving away copies of the paperback on Goodreads, which you can find here for U.S., Canada, and U.K, or here for Australia .
Have a fantastic day/night!
June 3, 2014
Truly Self-Publish or Use Someone Else? ~ Guest Post by Bill Ward
I wish I had started self-publishing a long time ago but of course I have to remember that it wasn’t possible just a few years ago. Having worked with technology for so many years it is really great to now be reaping the benefits of the technological changes of the last few years.
I have found many other authors to be very supportive and have tried in turn to help them. There can be conflicting advice but that’s okay. You have to adapt what you hear to your particular circumstances.
There is a real feeling of being part of a community when self-publishing. I have been surprised to still read of the many writers spending money with Indie publishers, in order to get their book published, who don’t seem aware you can do everything yourself without spending a penny. (Other than perhaps for a cover if you don’t have a friend as I do.)
The likes of Createspace and Smashwords make it possible for us to get our books published and available for people to read. Both these companies provide detailed instructions on how to prepare your book and include templates for both the inside and the cover.
I would strongly suggest spending your hard earned funds on proof reading and marketing in preference to paying for someone just to format your book and loading it to Amazon/Smashwords etc, which you can do perfectly well yourself.
Like most things in life, publishing your first book will be a real learning exercise. I suppose it’s a bit like becoming a parent for the first time. Second time around it is much easier!
Encryption Synopsis:
In a small software engineering company in England, a game changing algorithm for encrypting data has been invented, which will have far reaching consequences for the fight against terrorism. The Security Services of the UK, USA and China all want to control the new software.
The Financial Director has been murdered and his widow turns to her brother-in-law to help discover the truth. But he soon finds himself framed for his brother’s murder.
When the full force of government is brought to bear on one family, they seem to face impossible odds. Is it an abuse of power or does the end justify the means?
Only one man can find the answers but he is being hunted by the same people he once called friends and colleagues.
Author Bio: Bill has recently retired from the corporate world and has finally fulfilled his lifelong ambition to become an author. He has written two thrillers, Revenge and Encryption, with the expectation of many more to follow.
Bill lives in Brighton, UK with his German partner and has seven daughters, a son, two horses, a dog and two cats!
Where To Buy Encryption: Encryption can be purchased at most online retailers including:
Amazon.uk
Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble
I have found many other authors to be very supportive and have tried in turn to help them. There can be conflicting advice but that’s okay. You have to adapt what you hear to your particular circumstances.
There is a real feeling of being part of a community when self-publishing. I have been surprised to still read of the many writers spending money with Indie publishers, in order to get their book published, who don’t seem aware you can do everything yourself without spending a penny. (Other than perhaps for a cover if you don’t have a friend as I do.)
The likes of Createspace and Smashwords make it possible for us to get our books published and available for people to read. Both these companies provide detailed instructions on how to prepare your book and include templates for both the inside and the cover.
I would strongly suggest spending your hard earned funds on proof reading and marketing in preference to paying for someone just to format your book and loading it to Amazon/Smashwords etc, which you can do perfectly well yourself.
Like most things in life, publishing your first book will be a real learning exercise. I suppose it’s a bit like becoming a parent for the first time. Second time around it is much easier!
Encryption Synopsis:
In a small software engineering company in England, a game changing algorithm for encrypting data has been invented, which will have far reaching consequences for the fight against terrorism. The Security Services of the UK, USA and China all want to control the new software. The Financial Director has been murdered and his widow turns to her brother-in-law to help discover the truth. But he soon finds himself framed for his brother’s murder.
When the full force of government is brought to bear on one family, they seem to face impossible odds. Is it an abuse of power or does the end justify the means?
Only one man can find the answers but he is being hunted by the same people he once called friends and colleagues.
Author Bio: Bill has recently retired from the corporate world and has finally fulfilled his lifelong ambition to become an author. He has written two thrillers, Revenge and Encryption, with the expectation of many more to follow.
Bill lives in Brighton, UK with his German partner and has seven daughters, a son, two horses, a dog and two cats!
Where To Buy Encryption: Encryption can be purchased at most online retailers including:Amazon.uk
Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble
May 20, 2014
Style In Writing ~ Guest Post by Nicholas Rossis
Anyone even vaguely familiar with writing, will have come across the saying, “show, don’t tell”. And yet, I feel it’s about time someone stood up in defense of telling; a form of expression that has become more uncool than a fangless vampire.
It all probably started with Anton Checkov's famous quote, "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." A great idea that seems to have got out of hand!
And yet, trying to show everything in your writing can be exhausting, and can lead to painfully obtuse prose. Maybe you don't want every scene to be a riddle, and every character's emotions to be a mystery. You're not wrong in this. It is often the case that if you want your reader to know something, you have to tell them. Don't avoid this because of that tired mantra, “show, don't tell.”
Likewise, since Ernest Hemingway declared war on adverbs, passive voice and long words, more red ink has been spilled on manuscripts than blood sucked by vampires (the cool ones - those running around spouting poetry through perfect mouths with full sets of teeth). There is even a Hemingway app to check how well-written your manuscript is.
Interestingly enough, someone actually copied an excerpt by Hemingway and tried it out. And you know what? They scored an average score. The master himself, it turns out, used adverbs. And long words. And (gasp) passive voice!
What does that tell us? Simple: Showing instead of telling and avoiding adverbs, passive voice and long words are techniques, not writing dogma. They have become an adage because they so often apply to mismanaged writing. Writers can want their readers to know something so badly, they beat it into the ground. This forces sentiments and steals the experience of the story from the reader. You have to maintain a balance. The nature of that balance is up to you.
That's style.
Why not support Nicholas by purchasing one of his books?
Pearseus, Year 18: The Schism (Book 1)
Pearseus, Rise of the Prince (Book 2)
The Power of Six: Science Fiction Short Stories
It all probably started with Anton Checkov's famous quote, "Don't tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass." A great idea that seems to have got out of hand!
And yet, trying to show everything in your writing can be exhausting, and can lead to painfully obtuse prose. Maybe you don't want every scene to be a riddle, and every character's emotions to be a mystery. You're not wrong in this. It is often the case that if you want your reader to know something, you have to tell them. Don't avoid this because of that tired mantra, “show, don't tell.”
Likewise, since Ernest Hemingway declared war on adverbs, passive voice and long words, more red ink has been spilled on manuscripts than blood sucked by vampires (the cool ones - those running around spouting poetry through perfect mouths with full sets of teeth). There is even a Hemingway app to check how well-written your manuscript is.
Interestingly enough, someone actually copied an excerpt by Hemingway and tried it out. And you know what? They scored an average score. The master himself, it turns out, used adverbs. And long words. And (gasp) passive voice!
What does that tell us? Simple: Showing instead of telling and avoiding adverbs, passive voice and long words are techniques, not writing dogma. They have become an adage because they so often apply to mismanaged writing. Writers can want their readers to know something so badly, they beat it into the ground. This forces sentiments and steals the experience of the story from the reader. You have to maintain a balance. The nature of that balance is up to you.
That's style.
Why not support Nicholas by purchasing one of his books?
Pearseus, Year 18: The Schism (Book 1)
Pearseus, Rise of the Prince (Book 2)
The Power of Six: Science Fiction Short Stories
April 23, 2014
Books That Change Us
Why is it that some books (fiction or non-fiction) have the ability to change our lives? Why do some stories strike a chord with us, and others don’t? Out of the hundreds of books I have read, only four have changed my life (for the better). And this blog post is about one of them. This week I read a book by/about a very special girl named Esther Earl (the very one John Green dedicated The Fault in Our Stars to). This Star Won’t Go Out is filled with Esther’s journal entries and drawings, and essays from her friends and doctor. So, why is Esther special and why did this book affect me? Because she refused to give up or let her cancer (thyroid cancer) ruin the few years she had left. She gave and gave and never wanted anything in return. It took the Make-A-Wish people months to coax a wish out of her — and even then, it was to fly her friends in for a 4th of July celebration and to spend a day with John Green.
I admire her selflessness.
Esther was brave and generous right up to her last moments. And reading her book has reminded me that the tiny things we complain about are nothing compared to what she and many other children with cancer go through. So what if I have a migraine that feels like ten people are bashing my head with baseball bats! It only lasts a day or two. It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal now …
Her compassion for animals stuck with me, too. As a vegan, I am a guaranteed animal adorer. My mum likes to joke that if I ever get arrested, it would likely to be that I was (illegally) rescuing some maltreated animal. Esther stays with you long after you finish her book. This morning, I woke up thinking about her. Thinking how strange it was that I’d never met her, but feeling as if I knew her. Wondering about all the awesome things she could’ve done and wanted to do — be an author (well, now she is!!), help other sick kids. But, something I don’t think she realised is she continues to help people every day by being an inspiration to all that come across This Star Won’t Go Out.
Thanks Esther, for inspiring me and countless others.
DFTBA
(Don’t Forget To Be Awesome)
Links You can purchase the Kindle and paperback Esther’s book here.
Or maybe you’d like to make a donation to the This Star Won’t Go Out (TSWGO) foundation? Click here. Or grab a TSWGO bracelet, poster or T-shirt here.
I admire her selflessness.
Esther was brave and generous right up to her last moments. And reading her book has reminded me that the tiny things we complain about are nothing compared to what she and many other children with cancer go through. So what if I have a migraine that feels like ten people are bashing my head with baseball bats! It only lasts a day or two. It doesn’t seem like that big of a deal now …
Her compassion for animals stuck with me, too. As a vegan, I am a guaranteed animal adorer. My mum likes to joke that if I ever get arrested, it would likely to be that I was (illegally) rescuing some maltreated animal. Esther stays with you long after you finish her book. This morning, I woke up thinking about her. Thinking how strange it was that I’d never met her, but feeling as if I knew her. Wondering about all the awesome things she could’ve done and wanted to do — be an author (well, now she is!!), help other sick kids. But, something I don’t think she realised is she continues to help people every day by being an inspiration to all that come across This Star Won’t Go Out.
Thanks Esther, for inspiring me and countless others.
DFTBA
(Don’t Forget To Be Awesome)
Links You can purchase the Kindle and paperback Esther’s book here.
Or maybe you’d like to make a donation to the This Star Won’t Go Out (TSWGO) foundation? Click here. Or grab a TSWGO bracelet, poster or T-shirt here.
April 2, 2014
Camp NaNoWriMo Day 3: "Writer's Block"
I refuse to believe in writer’s block. Why? I think there’s always a way around blocks, always a way to keep pushing past them. Just write write write. And if that doesn’t work, do some reading, listen to some music that relates to your characters or story, take a small break. Eat some candy. Do some exercise (burn off that candy!)
When I’m stuck on a scene, it’s usually because something’s off, or perhaps I’m not supposed to know what happens yet (sound crazy?). So I take a tiny break and do something else. And that’s when I’m usually struck with the answer — while I’m not scraping my brain for it. It is good to take a break sometimes, when you feel lost or are drowning in your little fictional world.
So, take a breather, and remember, if you refuse to believe in writer’s block, how can it affect you?
Keep writing!
When I’m stuck on a scene, it’s usually because something’s off, or perhaps I’m not supposed to know what happens yet (sound crazy?). So I take a tiny break and do something else. And that’s when I’m usually struck with the answer — while I’m not scraping my brain for it. It is good to take a break sometimes, when you feel lost or are drowning in your little fictional world.
So, take a breather, and remember, if you refuse to believe in writer’s block, how can it affect you?
Keep writing!
April 1, 2014
Camp NaNoWriMo Day 2: Finding Inspiration
Inspiration to writers is like food to a starving animal. Sometimes we crave it. Sometimes we chomp it down. When I need ideas, I like to listen to music — I create a playlist for each book/series — or read awesome books, listen to and play in the rain. Sometimes even the most mundane activities spark and idea or feeling or dialogue (If I’m desperate, I clean up my desk or do the washing up). This blog post was inspired by a YouTube video. I hadn’t intended to write a blog post at 7 AM, but as I was watching one of my fave YouTubers, the idea struck me full-force and left me fumbling for my keyboard.
Here’s the video: How To Start A Novel by Mandi Lynn.
My point is, inspiration can come from anywhere, in any shape or form. So, be at the ready to jot it down.
Songs That Inspire Me:
Here’s the video: How To Start A Novel by Mandi Lynn.
My point is, inspiration can come from anywhere, in any shape or form. So, be at the ready to jot it down.
Songs That Inspire Me:
March 31, 2014
Camp NaNoWriMo Day 1: I'm goin' to Camp!
Yo, I am heading off to camp! Yes, that’s right CAMP. More specifically, a virtual writing camp – AKA Camp NaNoWriMo*! My goal is to write 70,000 words in 30 days. Sound ambitious? Insane?Nah. I accomplished 71k in November, so I’m pretty confident I can do it again.
I will be writing Friends Lovers Chaos , which is part rewrite, part a revamp of a story I began a couple of years ago. I can’t wait!!
Here are some things I find useful when writing:
- Notepad & pens
- Highlighters
- System cards
- Post-It notes, in various colours & sizes
- Antonym & Synonym dictionary (Collins makes an excellent one)
- A printout of character profiles for a speedy glance when needed
- Chocolate, candy, pretzels, snack bars (I LOVE ‘Emma & Tom’s’ dried fruit and nut bars!!)
- Coffee
- Travel mug to keep coffee hot (the NaNoWriMo one is excellent for this reason)
- Writing program (I use Scrivener, but Word is fine too)
- More candy (trust me, you’ll need it)
And lastly;
- Cute stuffed animal (for those moments when you want to cry, give up or bash your head on your desk)
I have written 3,004 words so far. I am on track and can’t wait for tomorrow. I’m off to read House of Leaves and maybe have a nap!
Good luck to all participating in Camp NaNoWriMo!
*National Novel Writing Month. Usually in November, but there are two ‘camps’ a year (April and July – where you are put into virtual cabins with 12 other writers). The aim is to the goal of 50,000 words in 30 days (though in Camp NaNoWriMo, you can set your own word goal).
Tomorrow I'm off to camp! (#CampNaNoWriMo) I'm all set snack-wise! :-) pic.twitter.com/DV67XK9WyG
— Renee Shearer (@Renee_Shearer) March 31, 2014
March Wrap Up
Wow, this month has been chaotically busy! With my second book coming out and prepping for Camp NaNoWriMo, I haven’t had a lot of time to do anything else. Especially blogging. Though I did get to read some really awesome books. And a lovely lady, Val, featured me on her blog!
I hope you all had a great March, and I wish you a productive and exciting April! Happy Easter in advance!
I hope you all had a great March, and I wish you a productive and exciting April! Happy Easter in advance!
March 30, 2014
I Love To Write Poetry For 'Kids' Of All Ages: Guest Post by Bette A. Stevens
I store my refreshments
neatly in my back.
They get me through
for many days when grass
and rain are slack.
(from The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!)
I’m charmed by poetry. It’s been that way for as long as I can remember. The first poetry I recall hearing, and not long thereafter reading on my own, were the classic Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. I can still picture that magical book sitting on Mama’s bookshelf. The edges were golden and the cover was vividly illustrated. The hardcover volume was huge. Its colorful pages were enchanting to five-year-old me. The book contained grand old verses like “Hey Diddle-Diddle The Cat in the Fiddle…,” “Sally Sells Seashells by the Seashore,” “Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to get her poor doggie a bone; But when she got there, the cupboard was bare; And so the poor doggie had none.” These are but a few of the little ditties that made me fall in love with the sound of language way back then. By the time I had my own children, we not only had Mother Goose, we had Dr. Seuss, too. Silly, serene, sensitive or routine, poetry moves me.
By the time I wrote my first children’s book The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! I had two grandchildren and my own classroom filled with twenty-nine amazing fourth grade students. Originally I was looking for a book that would help me teach kids math (geometry, measurement, area and perimeter).
Tangrams would be perfect for math and even social studies since tangrams came to the west from China in the late 1800s. I was also looking for a book that could help me teach students how to write. My teaching philosophy is interdisciplinary (all subject areas provide reading and writing experiences). I couldn’t find a book to accomplish all that I wanted to do. Kids love poetry, so I decided to write my book using tangram animal shapes and then write riddles to help the kids not only re-create the shapes, but to learn facts about the animals and fall in love with the sound of language as they create their own critters and word puzzles. Here’s a peek inside The Tangram Zoo…
Over the years, I’ve taught students in grades four through eight and we’ve had a great time learning hands-on math, researching our creatures (science) and writing our own riddles too. This book is also perfect for the family book shelf, since the riddles are color captioned for younger children and even adults enjoy solving tangram puzzles.
Here’s what one reviewer has to say:
A great tutoring resource
Like Bette, I am an ex teacher and find her book really useful as a teaching aid now that I am a part-time tutor.
Part of the problem with teaching or tutoring children, is that their attention span often wanders. I am in constant pursuit of resources that will engage them and this fits the bill perfectly.
I would highly recommend it as a teaching aid for parents or tutors. ~ Charles Bray
I hope you’ve enjoyed taking a peek inside my first book. I had a lot of fun writing The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! The first edition was traditionally published by Windswept House Publishing in Mt. Desert, ME. In 2002 the rights to the book were returned to me and I decided to self-published this second edition using CreateSpace (2112) once I retired from teaching. Between 2002 and 2012, I continued to research self-publishing and The Tangram Zoo… is more fun than ever!
You can find all of my books and take a Look Inside at http://www.amazon.com/author/betteastevens
Check out my Website/Blog.
Meanwhile, here’s a POEM for all of my reader and writer friends—YOU!
Writers must keep writing
READ-REVISE-REVIEW…
They do it over and over again
That’s what writers do!
Bette A. Stevens © 2014
Follow author Bette A. Stevens on her RAVE REVIEWS SPOTLIGHT TOUR and catch up on any stops you’ve missed and check out other great SPOTLIGHT AUTHORS http://ravereviewsbynonniejules.wordpress.com/spotlight-authors/
neatly in my back.
They get me through
for many days when grass
and rain are slack.
(from The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!)
I’m charmed by poetry. It’s been that way for as long as I can remember. The first poetry I recall hearing, and not long thereafter reading on my own, were the classic Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. I can still picture that magical book sitting on Mama’s bookshelf. The edges were golden and the cover was vividly illustrated. The hardcover volume was huge. Its colorful pages were enchanting to five-year-old me. The book contained grand old verses like “Hey Diddle-Diddle The Cat in the Fiddle…,” “Sally Sells Seashells by the Seashore,” “Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard to get her poor doggie a bone; But when she got there, the cupboard was bare; And so the poor doggie had none.” These are but a few of the little ditties that made me fall in love with the sound of language way back then. By the time I had my own children, we not only had Mother Goose, we had Dr. Seuss, too. Silly, serene, sensitive or routine, poetry moves me. By the time I wrote my first children’s book The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! I had two grandchildren and my own classroom filled with twenty-nine amazing fourth grade students. Originally I was looking for a book that would help me teach kids math (geometry, measurement, area and perimeter).
Tangrams would be perfect for math and even social studies since tangrams came to the west from China in the late 1800s. I was also looking for a book that could help me teach students how to write. My teaching philosophy is interdisciplinary (all subject areas provide reading and writing experiences). I couldn’t find a book to accomplish all that I wanted to do. Kids love poetry, so I decided to write my book using tangram animal shapes and then write riddles to help the kids not only re-create the shapes, but to learn facts about the animals and fall in love with the sound of language as they create their own critters and word puzzles. Here’s a peek inside The Tangram Zoo…
Over the years, I’ve taught students in grades four through eight and we’ve had a great time learning hands-on math, researching our creatures (science) and writing our own riddles too. This book is also perfect for the family book shelf, since the riddles are color captioned for younger children and even adults enjoy solving tangram puzzles. Here’s what one reviewer has to say: A great tutoring resource
Like Bette, I am an ex teacher and find her book really useful as a teaching aid now that I am a part-time tutor.
Part of the problem with teaching or tutoring children, is that their attention span often wanders. I am in constant pursuit of resources that will engage them and this fits the bill perfectly.
I would highly recommend it as a teaching aid for parents or tutors. ~ Charles Bray
I hope you’ve enjoyed taking a peek inside my first book. I had a lot of fun writing The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! The first edition was traditionally published by Windswept House Publishing in Mt. Desert, ME. In 2002 the rights to the book were returned to me and I decided to self-published this second edition using CreateSpace (2112) once I retired from teaching. Between 2002 and 2012, I continued to research self-publishing and The Tangram Zoo… is more fun than ever!
You can find all of my books and take a Look Inside at http://www.amazon.com/author/betteastevens
Check out my Website/Blog.
Meanwhile, here’s a POEM for all of my reader and writer friends—YOU!
Writers must keep writingREAD-REVISE-REVIEW…
They do it over and over again
That’s what writers do!
Bette A. Stevens © 2014
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