Carmela Dutra's Blog - Posts Tagged "community"
A Special Event!
This month is a very special month, do you know why? I can see all of you scratching your heads, trying to guess what the reason might be. Let me help you out no it has nothing to do with Easter. Did that help? Hmmm…. No you’re right that didn’t narrow it down much either. It has nothing to do with birthday, anniversary, or party. Or does it……..
Did you guess it?? Not yet!? Okay, okay, I won’t keep you guessing anymore. It’s really mean on my part to keep you in suspense, wondering what in the world is this girl blabbing on and on about.
Okay here it is, are you ready? Come a little bit close to the screen so you can hear…
Closer……..
Closer……………
Closer……………..
That’s too close! Back up just a little!
Much better, thank you! Okay are you ready! Of course you are, I already asked that didn’t I? HAHA! Okay, Okay, for reals this time I promise!!
IT’S THE 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF KID LITERATURE!! WHOOO HOOOO!!
(Background filled with shouts, laughter, and bubbly being poured into glasses)
In honor of the 1 year anniversary for Kid Literature Karen Emma Hall, (founder) Steve Conoboy, Cat Michael’s, along with myself and other contributors have been thinking just how on earth are we going to celebrate this!?! Well, I am here to tell you that we have come up with a smashing way to celebrate! How you ask??
Come closer….
Oh wait, let’s not do this again. I’ll just tell you. Wait for it…. Wait for it… With a weeklong party! WOOT WOOT!! We are going to have videos, games, giveaways and more! Each day starting the 13-19th of April we will be having oodles and oodles of fun!
The Kid Literature Community did not form overnight. We came together as authors with a shared love of not only writing, but also that of reading children’s books (especially picture books). We wanted to create a place where not only could we share our works, but to encourage each other. To grow, to give back. Everything we do, we do it for the kids. That is something we have said since day one, and that is something that will never change. Everything comes back full circle for the kids, and because of the kids.
It was one year ago today that Karen started proposing the idea. Soon, that idea became a reality. Kid Literature became something bigger than any of us could have dreamed of! Kid Literature is made up not just from us Admins, but it is comprised of all of you too! Our supporters, our fans, our friends!
We couldn’t do this without all of you!
Because of this special week, I have decided to dedicate this month of blogs to Kid Literature. The community, the people, and the books. Kid Literature gives so much to all us as writers, parents and most importantly, the children.
So do join us next week for a fabulous party! I assure you it will be a week that you will not soon forget!
www.kidliteratureauthors.com
www.lorenzothebear.com
Follow me on Twitter! www.twitter.com/carmy4077
www.twitter.com/lorenzothebear
www.twitter.com/kidliterature
Like me on Facebook! www.facebook.com/lorenzothebear
www.facebook.com/kidliterature
http://ablogforyourthoughts.com/
The Magic that is Kid Literature
This week marks the One year anniversary for Kid Literature (formerly known as Kid Literature Authors). I am ever so grateful to be a part of this wonderful community of authors, illustrators, and readers alike. It was this time last year a group of authors came together over a common thread, our love a reading, especially children’s books.
A little bit about Kid Literature
All of us apart of Kid Literature are writers, illustrators, parents, teachers and overall lovers of books. Striving to bridge the gap of books sitting on a shelf collecting dust, to enjoying what you are reading. All of us banning together to get books into the hands that matter the most important readers, the children. Trying to cultivate a love of reading in our young ones.
Kid Literature (or otherwise known as KL) is more than just a place to post about books, it has become a community. A place to share and receive encouragement. A place where you can go as a writer, a parent, or just lover of books, and share your insights. Your comments, your feelings, a place where you are surrounded by fellow bookies.
How did Kid Literature come about?
Things don’t just happen overnight, right? You’re right, they don’t. Like anything, it all started with an idea. That Idea came from founder Karen Emma Hall.
A group of us formed on twitter, we supported each other, shared thoughtful quotes and encouragement. We were all fellow authors with the same goal, getting our books into the hands of readers. How and where would we do this?
Karen approached us with the idea of starting a group online where other fellow authors would be able to join. A place where we could share our books with other individuals, and where we could share their books too. We would tell our friends about it inviting them to join, and all of us would share in making posts. And thus, Kid Literature was borne!
What started off as a simple plan, quickly grew like wildfire! Before we knew it KL had become its own entity! With more than 17k followers on Twitter, over 3,000k likes on Facebook, and over 800 followers on Pinterest! KL has become bigger than any of us could have imagined! All of it started with an idea, and little by little it became something more. Made of up a little bit of all of us, little bits of books and magic.
What does Kid Literature mean to me?
I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to have a share in Kid Literature from the ground up. Karen’s idea has grown and blossomed into something that I don’t think any of us could have imagined possible! I’ve have learned so much from all of these wonderful people I work with, friendships and bonds have been created that I never expected.
What started off as just something fun to do and share ideas, has resulted in a support system. A support system that has grown so massive that it’s hard to look back and remember a time before I had this. I do not know what I would do without ones like Karen, Cat, Steve, and Carolin, just to name a few of the many wonderful people apart of KL. In short, KL has become my writing family!
So I say to any of you who have not had the opportunity to visit this wonderful page, please don’t wait any longer! If you are looking for help starting out in writing, looking to share your latest book, or just need an inspirational quote; then Kid Literature is the place for you.
I am sure everyone has heard the saying It takes a village. That “village” applies to every aspect in writing! Writing can be, and often is a lonely road, but it doesn’t have to be! KL offers so much support, but just like with anything you have to be willing to accept it. So hop on over to the Facebook page, give us a like and let the magic begin!
This is what Kid Literature means to me. In a couple of weeks we will hear from Karen Emma Hall, Cat Michaels, and Carolin Palmer as they share with all of us what the Magic of Kid Literature Means to them.
Have you been a part of Kid Literature from the start, or have you just recently joined the community? Have you found KL to be helpful and fun place to visit? Please Leave a comment in the section below, and tell us what Kid Literature means to you?
In the meantime, here is a video of a look back over KL’s first year. To learn more about Kid Literature visit their new website! www.kidliteratureauthors.com or follow them on Facebook www.facebook.com/kidliterature
Don’t forget to click enter the Giveaway for the chance to win oodles of prizes!
Kid Literature 1st Year Anniversary Video
Behind the scenes of an Author Visit
Well it’s that time of year again folks! School is coming to an end, or at some schools it has already ended. Summer is just around the corner and the adventures are soon to begin! This past school year has been a blur! It feels like just yesterday I was watching commercials for school supplies at the local Target. I’m sure all of you parent’s reading this are nodding your heads in agreement.
While this school year feels like it just started, it’s already coming to a close! For me, it was a very different type of school year. It wasn’t the normal collecting box tops for education to send to my niece and nephew, or even sending them notebooks and pencils. This year I was privileged to visit a variety of classrooms.
Each visit was a different experience, the grades ranged between first and third. There were English and bilingual students. I had a few combo classes, I was even working with a few special needs students. Each class came with its own challenges, some of which were the various sizes of the classes. Some school have the 20 -1- rule, and others did not. In the end, all of them were filled with a buzz of energy! I enjoyed every second I had with the students, and I cannot wait for the new school to begin so I can start them all over again!
Lately I have been getting several messages/e-mails that look something like this.
“I just got invited for my very first author visit, and I wanted to see if you had any advice since you have done these types of visits before. I will be reading to (insert grade level), what advice do you have regarding handouts, activities, selling books, etc.?”
I thought this would be a fantastic blog opportunity, to break down what goes into a classroom visits. Everything I discuss will be in reference to my series The Adventures of Lorenzo the Bear.
However, the same idea can be used with any book. I will be applying these same techniques when my new series Little Katie comes out June 3rd. That’s right everyone, The Adventures of Lorenzo the Bear will not be my only series! I’m so excited so share Little Katie with everyone! She has been over a year in the making. Eek! So excited!! Okay, back on topic now.
The grade levels that I tend to stick with are between 1-3, this is my target audience, but I do not limit myself to these grades. I have recently been asked to start visiting both fourth and fifth grade as well, so we’ll have to get more creative there. Before each visit there are several, and I mean several phone/e-mail/text and sometimes in person conversations between the teacher(s) and myself. Any parent knows that each of their children are unique, needing things tailored just for them. Same goes for each classroom I visit.
The needs of each school, classroom, teacher, and student’s vary. That is why I spend so much time communicating with the teacher(s) to address the needs of their student’s. I often ask what they are focusing in school? Do they want an activity that will focus on writing, or art? With their feedback, I work with them to create a custom classroom visit. I usually e-mail a few activities for them to choose from, and then we go from there.
There is a basic structure to the visits; I come introduce myself, read my story, Q&A, activities, handouts, and say goodbye. But each visit varies based on the needs of the class. Sadly, some schools I visit had their funding for Arts cut. Since I am also an illustrator, I inform the teacher(s) that I can offer art as an activity to focus on. Sometimes I’ll show a video to the class showing them how Lorenzo the Bear comes together, then I help the students to draw Lorenzo themselves. The steps they learn when drawing Lorenzo the Bear, can be then applied classroom draw any animal they desire.
Other classrooms are wanting to focus on writing, especially plot and character development. Or, writing a story with your audience in mind. In this instance I offer an activity that focuses on writing, usually a story prompt.
For the really little ones simplicity is key! I like to keep it as short and as simple as I can! I aim to keep in them engaged as much as possible. This is where we will usually play a game together, make bear hats, or color.
Sometimes teachers who just want their student’s to have fun! When this is the case we play something like MadLibs, or Word search. Regardless of the activity that is chosen, each one is custom made by myself, and ties in with the book I read to the class. There is always a theme I stick with, and that is my books. Oh and most importantly, I make it a point to personally work with each and every student in the class.
Despite what some of the kids may say, they all LOVE to color! So I am sure to always bring along coloring pages for them. These are kept as a backup to use, if we fly through the planned activity. Otherwise they get these at the end of the visit to use later in class, or to take home.
I really appreciate the enthusiasm of the teachers. They often ask: “How long can we keep you!?” I explain that it depends on how many classrooms I will be visiting that day. Overall my visits are usually 60 min. especially if I have back to back classrooms. Sometimes my visits are a little shorter for first and kindergartner’s, it just depends.
Here is the big question everyone wants to know “If you sell your books, how do you go about it?” I have to give all of the credit to my publishing house here. My editor sent me a flyer they give to all of their children’s authors to help them sell their books in schools. It’s known as a give back program. The students are sent home with a flyer allowing them to purchase the book from me directly at a discount, then a portion from each sale goes back to the school library. This is approved by the principal, and then sent home with the students. This has been very effective in selling books.
In addition to sending home book order flyers, each student receives a parting gift to commemorate our visit. Usually it’s a book marker, but sometimes it’s a printable activity like a bear and or pirate hat. The student’s seem to get most excited over the donation of a book to each classroom I visit, so they will always have it to read over and over again.
So there you have it! A breakdown of an author visit with me, Carmela Dutra. I hope this helps any of you who might be starting off with author visits. Best of luck. You will rock your author visit! Are you an author who has visited a classroom before? Please leave a comment sharing your experiences!
Are you a teacher or Librarian? Would you like to schedule your own author visit? Please, visit the link below to set one up. Do live out of state? Or perhaps out of the country? That’s OK we can schedule a Skype visit too!
Besides being a fun break from the classroom routine, an author or illustrator visit introduces students to the processes of writing, developing characters, and expressing one’s creativity. It gets readers excited about books, and it provides an opportunity to encourage young writers. All of my visits are free, as I believe strongly in giving back to schools. So schedule one for you today!
CarmelaDutra.com
While this school year feels like it just started, it’s already coming to a close! For me, it was a very different type of school year. It wasn’t the normal collecting box tops for education to send to my niece and nephew, or even sending them notebooks and pencils. This year I was privileged to visit a variety of classrooms.
Each visit was a different experience, the grades ranged between first and third. There were English and bilingual students. I had a few combo classes, I was even working with a few special needs students. Each class came with its own challenges, some of which were the various sizes of the classes. Some school have the 20 -1- rule, and others did not. In the end, all of them were filled with a buzz of energy! I enjoyed every second I had with the students, and I cannot wait for the new school to begin so I can start them all over again!
Lately I have been getting several messages/e-mails that look something like this.
“I just got invited for my very first author visit, and I wanted to see if you had any advice since you have done these types of visits before. I will be reading to (insert grade level), what advice do you have regarding handouts, activities, selling books, etc.?”
I thought this would be a fantastic blog opportunity, to break down what goes into a classroom visits. Everything I discuss will be in reference to my series The Adventures of Lorenzo the Bear.
However, the same idea can be used with any book. I will be applying these same techniques when my new series Little Katie comes out June 3rd. That’s right everyone, The Adventures of Lorenzo the Bear will not be my only series! I’m so excited so share Little Katie with everyone! She has been over a year in the making. Eek! So excited!! Okay, back on topic now.The grade levels that I tend to stick with are between 1-3, this is my target audience, but I do not limit myself to these grades. I have recently been asked to start visiting both fourth and fifth grade as well, so we’ll have to get more creative there. Before each visit there are several, and I mean several phone/e-mail/text and sometimes in person conversations between the teacher(s) and myself. Any parent knows that each of their children are unique, needing things tailored just for them. Same goes for each classroom I visit.
The needs of each school, classroom, teacher, and student’s vary. That is why I spend so much time communicating with the teacher(s) to address the needs of their student’s. I often ask what they are focusing in school? Do they want an activity that will focus on writing, or art? With their feedback, I work with them to create a custom classroom visit. I usually e-mail a few activities for them to choose from, and then we go from there.
There is a basic structure to the visits; I come introduce myself, read my story, Q&A, activities, handouts, and say goodbye. But each visit varies based on the needs of the class. Sadly, some schools I visit had their funding for Arts cut. Since I am also an illustrator, I inform the teacher(s) that I can offer art as an activity to focus on. Sometimes I’ll show a video to the class showing them how Lorenzo the Bear comes together, then I help the students to draw Lorenzo themselves. The steps they learn when drawing Lorenzo the Bear, can be then applied classroom draw any animal they desire.
Other classrooms are wanting to focus on writing, especially plot and character development. Or, writing a story with your audience in mind. In this instance I offer an activity that focuses on writing, usually a story prompt.
For the really little ones simplicity is key! I like to keep it as short and as simple as I can! I aim to keep in them engaged as much as possible. This is where we will usually play a game together, make bear hats, or color.
Sometimes teachers who just want their student’s to have fun! When this is the case we play something like MadLibs, or Word search. Regardless of the activity that is chosen, each one is custom made by myself, and ties in with the book I read to the class. There is always a theme I stick with, and that is my books. Oh and most importantly, I make it a point to personally work with each and every student in the class.
Despite what some of the kids may say, they all LOVE to color! So I am sure to always bring along coloring pages for them. These are kept as a backup to use, if we fly through the planned activity. Otherwise they get these at the end of the visit to use later in class, or to take home.
I really appreciate the enthusiasm of the teachers. They often ask: “How long can we keep you!?” I explain that it depends on how many classrooms I will be visiting that day. Overall my visits are usually 60 min. especially if I have back to back classrooms. Sometimes my visits are a little shorter for first and kindergartner’s, it just depends.
Here is the big question everyone wants to know “If you sell your books, how do you go about it?” I have to give all of the credit to my publishing house here. My editor sent me a flyer they give to all of their children’s authors to help them sell their books in schools. It’s known as a give back program. The students are sent home with a flyer allowing them to purchase the book from me directly at a discount, then a portion from each sale goes back to the school library. This is approved by the principal, and then sent home with the students. This has been very effective in selling books.
In addition to sending home book order flyers, each student receives a parting gift to commemorate our visit. Usually it’s a book marker, but sometimes it’s a printable activity like a bear and or pirate hat. The student’s seem to get most excited over the donation of a book to each classroom I visit, so they will always have it to read over and over again.
So there you have it! A breakdown of an author visit with me, Carmela Dutra. I hope this helps any of you who might be starting off with author visits. Best of luck. You will rock your author visit! Are you an author who has visited a classroom before? Please leave a comment sharing your experiences!
Are you a teacher or Librarian? Would you like to schedule your own author visit? Please, visit the link below to set one up. Do live out of state? Or perhaps out of the country? That’s OK we can schedule a Skype visit too!
Besides being a fun break from the classroom routine, an author or illustrator visit introduces students to the processes of writing, developing characters, and expressing one’s creativity. It gets readers excited about books, and it provides an opportunity to encourage young writers. All of my visits are free, as I believe strongly in giving back to schools. So schedule one for you today!
CarmelaDutra.com
