Babs Hightower's Blog, page 59
January 10, 2017
River City Dead blog tour and giveaway by Nancy G West
River City Dead
by Nancy G. West
River City Dead (An Aggie Mundeen Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
Henery Press (January 17, 2017)
Paperback: 224 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1635111330
E-Book ASIN: B01MA6NALN
Synopsis
Aggie Mundeen, who advises readers in her column, “Stay Young with Aggie,” is pushing forty and determined to postpone a precipitous descent into middle-age. She plans to rendezvous with SAPD Detective Sam Vanderhoven at a hotel on the San Antonio River Walk…a vacation from crime and reset for their tumultuous relationship. In the midst of River City during Fiesta Week, what could go wrong?
Aggie’s new friends, the Fabulous Femmes, are holding their convention at the hotel. When hotel guests are murdered, Aggie discovers her friends have disturbing backgrounds. Evil surfaces at Fiesta events, and Aggie’s dancing debut at a Fiesta performance at Arneson River Theater is fraught with danger. Even in idyllic River City, crime complicates relationships.
Books in the Aggie Mundeen Humorous Mystery Series:
•FIT TO BE DEAD (#1)
•DANG NEAR DEAD (#2)
•SMART, BUT DEAD (#3)
•RIVER CITY DEAD (#4)
About This Author
I’ve been writing since age seven: poems back and forth with my mom. I had a real poem published in the Library Journal, Pegasus, at age fifteen. At eighteen, I wanted to study journalism and English literature, but friends who chose that college route were making minimum wage or selling lingerie. Being practical, I earned a business degree. After marriage and two children, I decided I HAD to study literature and write. I wrote non-fiction articles, a biography, and a suspense novel in 2004. That’s when whimsical Aggie Mundeen cut through the suspense, popped into my head and demanded her own series. The Aggie Mundeen mystery capers were born. Aggie must have been right: FIT TO BE DEAD is a LEFTY FINALIST 2013 for best humorous mystery, nominated by Left Coast Crime.
Links:
Chat with Aggie and Nancy on their blog: www.stayyoungwithaggie.wordress.com
Author’s Webpage: http://www.nancygwest.com/
Author Page at Henery Press: http://henerypress.com/authors-humoro...
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Purchase Links
Amazon B&N
The post River City Dead blog tour and giveaway by Nancy G West appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
January 8, 2017
Cleo Coyle’s new release coming soon, free recipes and more goodies.
Book 16 Buy it Now!
From Cleo Coyle, the New York Times bestselling author of Dead to the Last Drop, comes a gripping new entry in the “highly satisfying”* Coffeehouse Mystery series. (*Publishers Weekly)
THE PERFECT PROPOSAL LEADS TO A CHILLING COLD CASE…
Coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi sheds tears of joy when her NYPD detective boyfriend surprises her with an engagement ring. But her bridal bliss is put on hold when a chilling mystery brings a wave of deadly danger to those she holds dear…
After everything Clare and Mike have been through, they deserve a little bit of happily ever after. So when Mike decides to put a ring on Clare’s finger, Clare’s eccentric octogenarian employer is there to help. She donates the perfect coffee-colored diamonds to include in the setting and the name of a world-famous jeweler who happens to be an old family friend. But while the engagement is steeped in perfection, the celebration is not long lived.First, a grim-faced attorney interrupts their party with a mysterious letter bequeathing a strange, hidden treasure to Clare’s daughter. Next, the renowned jeweler who designed Clare’s ring is found poisoned in his shop. Both events appear to be connected to a cold case murder involving a sunken ship, an Italian curse, a suspiciously charming jewel thief, and a shocking family secret. With deadly trouble brewing, Clare must track down clues in some of New York’s most secret places before an old vendetta starts producing fresh corpses.
Click image above for Free Recipe Guide!
With recipes to die for, including how to make cold-brew coffee at home!
Sleuth Cafe will be having Cleo back on the blog on January 15th with a review and a fabulous giveaway just for the Sleuth fans/ readers. So be sure to check back on the 15th and get your copy today. You will not be disappointed in this read.
The post Cleo Coyle’s new release coming soon, free recipes and more goodies. appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
January 6, 2017
A Fatal Twist by Tracy Weber, blog tour, review, giveaway and spotlight
A Fatal Twist
by Tracy Weber
A Fatal Twist (A Downward Dog Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Midnight Ink (January 8, 2017)
Paperback: 312 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0738748788
E-Book ASIN: B01FOR0Z0I
SynopsisYoga instructor Kate Davidson’s life takes a chaotic turn once she agrees to not only be the doula for her pregnant best friend, but also play foster mother to two puppies. The chaos only gets worse when Kate finds the dead body of a philandering fertility doctor and Rachel, one of her yoga students, fleeing the scene.
Kate is convinced her student is innocent, and she sets out to find the real killer before her testimony condemns Rachel to a life behind bars. But her hands are full with caring for three dogs, teaching yoga classes, and gaining an unexpected crime-solving partner. If she’s not careful, Kate’s next yoga pose may be a fatal one.
Review:
Kate is a yoga instructor and her chessman Sheppard Bella is a hoot. I loved her as we have a husky named Bella in our house and it was cute to read this story. Kate is helping her friend get ready to have twins when she finds a man dead in the women’s room with his wife running away from the scene. The Doctor has been cheating on his wife. Not only is she teaching three puppies to go in and out of the doggie door by showing them how ( we have done this too in our house. ) She is also helping solve the murder of the good cheating doctor. So much going on this leads to a funny story and the author does a wonderful job with the characters and scenes. I have not read any of the other books as of yet but will be adding them all to my TBR pile.
About The Author
Tracy Weber is the author of the award-winning Downward Dog Mysteries
series featuring yoga teacher Kate Davidson and her feisty German shepherd, Bella. Tracy loves sharing her passion for yoga and animals in any form possible. Her first book, Murder Strikes a Pose
won the Maxwell Award for Fiction and is a 2015 Agatha award nominee for Best First Novel.
Tracy and her husband live in Seattle with their challenging yet amazing German shepherd Tasha. When she’s not writing, Tracy spends her time teaching yoga, walking Tasha, and sipping Blackthorn cider at her favorite ale house.
Author Links
http://www.wholelifeyoga.com/blog/
https://www.facebook.com/tracywe
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7148442.Tracy_Weber
https://twitter.com/TracyWeberTypes
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
January 6 – Babs Book Bistro – REVIEW
January 7 – Brooke Blogs – GUEST POST
January 7 – Books, Dreams, Life – SPOTLIGHT
January 8 – Laura’s Interests – REVIEW
January 9 – A Date with a Book – REVIEW
January 9 – Celticlady’s Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 10 – Texas Book-aholic – REVIEW
January 10 – Sleuth Cafe – SPOTLIGHT
January 11 – The Pulp and Mystery Shelf – GUEST POST
January 12 – Socrates’ Book Reviews – REVIEW
January 12 – fundinmental – SPOTLIGHT
January 13 – The Girl with Book Lungs – SPOTLIGHT
January 14 – 3 Partners in shopping, Nana, Mommy, & Sissy, Too! – SPOTLIGHT
January 15 – Mystery Thrillers and Romantic Suspense Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
January 16 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST
January 17 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – REVIEW
January 17 – Island Confidential – SPOTLIGHT
January 18 – Readeropolis – SPOTLIGHT
January 19 – Community Bookstop – REVIEW
The post A Fatal Twist by Tracy Weber, blog tour, review, giveaway and spotlight appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
January 3, 2017
Cover Reveal: The Rise of Miss Notley by Rachael Anderson
The Rise of Miss Notley by Rachael Anderson
To escape an undesirable match, Miss Notley must give up her riches for rags.
When Miss Coralynn Notley’s father barters her off to the first titled gentleman to come along, she realizes she must flee her home or be forced to wed a despicable man. Driven by desperation, she applies for the position of housekeeper at Tanglewood Manor, the home of the handsome Mr. Jonathan Ludlow.
The moment Jonathan sees Miss Notley, he is intrigued. She is far too young and inexperienced for the position, yet there is something about her that that inspires a certain hope within him. Does he dare offer her the position of housekeeper or will doing so result in catastrophe?
The Rise of Miss Notley is the delightful tale of a mysterious gentleman and a determined young woman, caught together in a web so tangled it begs the question: Will they ever get out?
Coming February 2017
Author Rachael Anderson
A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Giveaway
Ends 1/25/17
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The post Cover Reveal: The Rise of Miss Notley by Rachael Anderson appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
December 31, 2016
Happy New Year and more news
I hope each of you are having a great start to 2017. I want to thank each and everyone of you that has been with me for the past six years. I am sorry that last few months have been sporadic in posts. Launching a new Cozy Mystery site Sleuth Cafe took time to get going and maintain. Now that I have a system and a partner, Babs Book Bistro will be back to normal. I hope we all have a great year, great reads and books.
Happy New Year!
Babs
The post Happy New Year and more news appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
December 25, 2016
Mischief & Manors by Ashtyn Newbold blog tour and review
About the book:
When Annette Downing and her mischievous little brothers are sent to Kellaway Manor for the summer, she hopes for a relaxing escape. But Annette finds her closeted heart in jeopardy when reunited with the handsome Owen Kellaway, a childhood acquaintance and respected gentlemen. When Owen is enlisted to help the boys with their behavior, Annette wonders if he has just as much mischief up his sleeve as her brothers. Bound by a promise she made to her late parents, and amid a frightening mystery, Annette faces a difficult decision when she finds herself falling for Owen’s charm.
My thoughts:
This story was more than a romance it was about devotion and love. Annette takes care of her younger brothers who loved getting into trouble. When the boys guardian decides to send them to an orphanage she has to turn to Owen who helps save the boys and tries to help.
I loved Annette and Owen’s characters the author did an excellent job in the writing. It was nice to see them both open up and share things. The boys are a hoot to read about and can keep the reader entertained.
The author knows how to write a great story for the readers to like and dislike the right characters and keep the reader glued to the pages.
The post Mischief & Manors by Ashtyn Newbold blog tour and review appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
December 18, 2016
Get Me To The Grave On Time by D.E. Ireland book review and tour
Get Me To The Grave On Time
by D.E. Ireland
Fascinating characters, a thrilling mystery, and a possible Indian curse are only some of the reasons to read GET ME TO THE GRAVE ON TIME. D.E. Ireland continues the lives of these memorable characters in a fresh new mystery filled with laughter as well as danger.
~Cozy Up With Kathy
If you appreciate opulent weddings plus both customs and a bit of political tampering, some treasure hunting and dysfunctional family get-togethers, you’ll have a blast with this series.
~Laura’s Interests
Get Me to the Grave on Time is part of the Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins mysteries, a cozy mystery series that is unusual, delightful, and refreshing.
~The Power of Words….
I have to confess that even if I don’t like very much history books I liked how D. E. Ireland makes the reader enter to their world so easily and ready to enjoy a killer wedding.
~Varietats
What a fun cozy! Besides the fact that Eliza and Henry feel like they walked right off the screen and into this story, the weddings and traditions were a pleasure to read about.
~The Book’s the Thing
Mayhem, mystery, and hilarity ensue when you mix four weddings, a couple of murders, and an old Indian curse together under the English sun. Get Me to the Grave on Time is just delightful!
~Valerie’s Musings
This book in one word? Perfect! Weddings and murders and glorious mayhem are in store for readers of GET ME TO THE GRAVE ON TIME.
~Lisa Ks Book Reviews
Get Me To The Grave On Time
(The Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins Mysteries)
Publisher: Grainger Press (November 15, 2016)
Print Length: 274 pages
ASIN: B01MDQEG27
SynopsisAlthough Eliza still refuses to marry Freddy Eynsford Hill, everyone around her seems headed for the altar. Not only is her cousin Inspector Jack Shaw about to wed his sweetheart, but Freddy’s younger sister Clara is engaged, along with the niece of Henry Higgins. Another blushing bride is the sixty-year-old Duchess of Carbrey, who plans to marry a handsome fellow half her age. But when the groom is found dead, a jealous mistress is blamed for the murder. However, the death may also be connected to the stolen treasure of an Indian temple.
Disaster strikes next at Jack and Sybil’s wedding. Soon after, the wedding reception of Higgins’s niece takes a lethal turn. Someone is targeting bridegrooms, and the wedding of Freddy’s sister is next. Before another bridal bouquet is tossed, Higgins and Eliza must track down the killer. Otherwise, Clara’s bridegroom – and perhaps the bride herself – may be murdered before they can get to the church on time.
My Review:
The authors know how to write a book to keep the reader interested. The story will keep you guessing until the end. A great read I did not want to end. The reader will not want to miss any books by these authors. I love this series if you love My Fair Lady or any other movie likeit, you will love this series. A winner all the way around.
About The Authors
D.E. Ireland is a team of award-winning authors, Meg Mims and Sharon Pisacreta. Long time friends, they decided to collaborate on this unique series based on George Bernard Shaw’s wonderfully witty play, Pygmalion. While they admit the lovely film My Fair Lady and its soundtrack proved to be inspiring, they are careful to stick to Shaw’s vision of the beloved characters from Eliza to Higgins to Pickering and Freddy Eynsford Hill. They’ve also added a cast of new characters to flesh out their own version of events post-Pygmalion. They both have patient husbands, brilliant daughters, and share a love of good books, tea and history.
Website: www.deireland.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DEIrelandAuthor/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DEIrelandAuthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/deirelandauthor/
The post Get Me To The Grave On Time by D.E. Ireland book review and tour appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
October 12, 2016
Crepe Factor by Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran blog tour, guest post and giveaway
Crepe Factor
by Laura Childs
with Terry Farley Moran
Author Laura Childs is a superb writer and is now joined in writing this series with another of my favorite authors, Terrie Farley Moran! They make a perfect fit for sure. Reading the books, you’d never know two writers were contributing. The quality storytelling in CREPE FACTOR is of a standard that many authors can only hope to achieve.
~Lisa Ks Book Reviews
CREPE FACTOR is not only a fun, madcap romp through New Orleans and the bayou with memorable characters, the book provides inspiration and tips for scrapbooking along with several delicious recipes.
~Cinnamon, Sugar and a Little Bit of Murder
This is a lively read. Carmela and Ava are fun characters, and I loved their scenes together. The dialogue is sharp and quick, and really moves the story along.
~View from the Birdhouse
Laura was my first cozy mystery author I read and it was this series I started with. She is who got me hooked on cozy mysteries and why I keep coming back to them.
~A. Holland Reads
Crepe Factor is quirky, fun, and entertaining. It is well written by seasoned authors, and their dual contribution flows seamlessly.
~The Power of Words
The descriptions of this New Orleans community makes the reader feel like they are right there…I did enjoy the book, well written with a touch of humor.
~CelticLady Reviews
I found this book a delight!…The mystery was lots of fun.
~I Wish I Lived In a Library
I have followed this series from the start and when you put both of these authors together , their writing styles go so well together that you get an outstanding read.
~Shelley’s Book Case
This book really pulled you in wanting you to figure out who killed him and why. I loved going on the adventure with them.
~Community Bookstop
This was an entertaining and fun read. It had the right amount of humor in it that made me chuckle at times.
~Melina’s Book Blog
Crepe Factor
(A Scrapbooking Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
14th in Series
Berkley (October 4, 2016)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0425266700
E-Book ASIN: B01AHKY37I
Synopsis
The Winter Market in the French Quarter is in full swing, but murder isn’t taking a holiday in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Parchment and Old Lace
…
The holidays are a busy time for scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand—but not so hectic that she doesn’t have time to enjoy browsing the booths at the Winter Market with her best friend Ava. The last thing the ladies expect to see is a lurching man stabbed by a serving fork, dying in front of them.
The victim is loathed restaurant critic Martin Lash, who posted his scathing reviews on the Glutton for Punishment website. And the prime suspect is New Orleans restauranteur Quigg Brevard—who was seen giving the critic a tongue-lashing minutes before someone stuck a fork in him. An old flame of Carmela, Quigg asks for her help, which does not please her current beau, Detective Edgar Babcock, to say the least.
Before her relationship is the next victim, Carmela needs to find a murderer who had no reservations about punishing the culinary curmudgeon…
Scrapbooking tips and recipes included!
Guest Post:
New Orleans is well known for celebrations. And what could be more joyful than the winter holiday season in the town that has it all: exquisite food, twenty-four hour music and gorgeous but never garish decorative lights.
Carmela Bertrand owner of the Memory Mine scrapbooking store located in the heart of the French Quarter and her BFF, the always-up-for-anything Ava Gruiex are two gals out for a night at the charming Winter Market set along the Mississippi River with the graceful Jackson Square as its backdrop. The evening is ruined when a dead body drops at their feet. The deceased is a restaurant critic named Martin Lash. It doesn’t help that Carmela and Ava saw Lash in an argument just a few minutes earlier with none other than Quigg Brevard, a restaurateur Carmela once dated. Carmela has always denied any serious interest in Quigg but her current flame, Detective Edgar Babcock of the NOPD is not happy to find both Carmela and Quigg at the scene of the crime.
Babcock issues a forceful warning to Carmela, under no circumstances is she to meddle into the murder investigation. Of course Carmela agrees if only to keep Babcock from fussing. But in an oh-so-romantic setting Quigg begs Carmela for her help. And the next thing they know, Carmela and Ava are asking questions and getting evasive answers anywhere they can: fancy dress balls; restaurants both upscale and down; and at the victim’s funeral, which is held in one of the strangest places in New Orleans. But you just wait until the ladies go motor-boating in the bayou. The best fun ever. And every reader will be glad to be along for the ride
About The Authors
Laura Childs is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tea Shop Mysteries
, Scrapbook Mysteries
, and Cackleberry Club Mysteries
. In her previous life she was CEO/Creative Director of her own marketing firm and authored several screenplays. She is married to a professor of Chinese art history, loves to travel, rides horses, enjoys fund raising for various non-profits, and has two Chinese Shar-Pei dogs.
Laura specializes in cozy mysteries that have the pace of a thriller (a thrillzy!) Her three series are:
The Tea Shop Mysteries 
– set in the historic district of Charleston and featuring Theodosia Browning, owner of the Indigo Tea Shop. Theodosia is a savvy entrepreneur, and pet mom to service dog Earl Grey. She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on coincidences or inept police work to solve crimes. This charming series is highly atmospheric and rife with the history and mystery that is Charleston.
The Scrapbooking Mysteries
– a slightly edgier series that take place in New Orleans. The main character, Carmela, owns Memory Mine scrapbooking shop in the French Quarter and is forever getting into trouble with her friend, Ava, who owns the Juju Voodoo shop. New Orleans’ spooky above-ground cemeteries, jazz clubs, bayous, and Mardi Gras madness make their presence known here!
The Cackleberry Club Mysteries
– set in Kindred, a fictional town in the Midwest. In a rehabbed Spur station, Suzanne, Toni, and Petra, three semi-desperate, forty-plus women have launched the Cackleberry Club. Eggs are the morning specialty here and this cozy cafe even offers a book nook and yarn shop. Business is good but murder could lead to the cafe’s undoing! This series offers recipes, knitting, cake decorating, and a dash of spirituality.
Laura’s Links:
Webpage – http://www.laurachilds.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/laura.childs.31
Short-listed twice for The Best American Mystery Stories, Terrie Farley Moran is delighted to introduce mystery fans to the Read ’Em and Eat café and bookstore, which debuted with Well Read, Then Dead
. followed by Caught Read-Handed
and Read to Death
released in July of this year. The only thing Terrie enjoys more than wrangling mystery plots into submission is playing games and reading stories with any or all of her grandchildren.
Terrie’s Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/terrie.moran.9
Blog: www.womenofmystery.net
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23186092-terrie-moran
Purchase Links:
Amazon B&N Goggle Books IndieBound
The post Crepe Factor by Laura Childs and Terrie Farley Moran blog tour, guest post and giveaway appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
October 11, 2016
Writing for Children and Young Adults by Marion Crook, blog tour and guest post
Why did I start writing?
I started writing because I lived on a ranch with no neighbors for a quarter of a mile and two little children and it was lonely. I invented characters who talked to me and had a lively life in my imaginary setting. Their concerns, loves, hates and angst kept me involved in an interesting world. When I moved from the ranch I found that I couldn’t ‘stop creating those worlds and still loved them. I loved those dynamic plots, intrepid characters and sharp dialogue. If I was crazy so were the other authors I met when I began to go to conferences and writing groups. Perhaps writing was a socially sanctioned parallel universe?
Periods of crisis forced me into a better paying world–some of the time, and I enjoyed it as well: researching education theory, practicing as a community health nurse and teaching nursing—all had their joys and interest, but writing was my first love. It’s the world that pulls me in and makes me grow.
When I first started writing full time I sold ten novels one after another and ten non-fiction books. It was exhausting, but exciting. Even when a book didn’t sell, I still loved writing it. And sometime a book didn’t sell. I have worked just as hard at a novel that didn’t find a publisher as those that did.
Finding an agent and finding a publisher is important because it allows me to justify (in my ancestral Scottish conscience) spending so much time writing. If someone pays for it, it must be worth doing. And having someone pay for it with advances, royalties and sometimes grants allows me to continue to write. Authors have a compulsion, in common with actors and musicians, to practice our craft. We will work hard and hope that society will support us so that we can continue to create. It’s all about that wild world in our minds. We want to share.
Writing for Children and Young Adults by Marion Crook
Self-Counsel Press Reference series
About the Book:
In addition to the expert advice author Marion Crook shared in earlier editions of Writing for Children and Young Adults, in this vibrant new edition, Crook explains some of the nuances and choices about the writing world online.
As well, she revisits the fundamentals of writing: establishing character, creating lively dialogue and developing plot with updated worksheets and examples. This edition shows the writer how to begin a story, plan plot, develop and hone the work for an agent or publisher, and how to make the crucial submission for a book that agents want to represent and publishers want to buy!
Writing for Children and Young Adults helps you create the manuscript that sells!
Release Date:
September 20, 2016 (ebook)
October 2016 (paperback)
Book Links:
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29362939-writing-for-children-young-adults/
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Writing-Children-Young-Adults/dp/1770402764/
Barnes&Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/writing-for-children-young-adults-marion-crook/1123486620/
Chapters Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/writing-for-children-young-adults/9781770402768-item.html/
Excerpt:
Telling stories is an ancient skill practiced in public at community festivals,around the campfire, in religious rites, and in private at the cradlesof the young. It involves an innate ability to pick dramatic wordsin a way that paints a mental picture and gives the tale a sense of paceand tension. The story becomes important, even if only for a short time, to the one who hears it or reads it. It is a way of communicatingexcitement and the optimistic belief that the world is a remarkable andknowable place. Many writers have an enthusiastic following of readerswho want to share in their adventures.
Telling stories is also an age-old method of communicating moralitylessons to ensure that a point of view spreads in a palatable manner.Writing can be a way of instructing, advising, and guiding others. Mostchildren don’t want to read stories that are written with such motivation, but many writers believe that teaching justifies their stories. Aa “moral” story isn’t necessarily a good story. The danger in writingmorality tales is that the writer may ignore the needs of children andwrite from behind a screen of righteousness that thinly hides a lecture. As you may remember from your school years, most of us hate lectures.
Stories also offer an illusion of control as if the world can be controlledby the way we interpret it. Most writers offer stories that havebeginnings, middles, and ends describing life as neatly compacted andlogical. Perhaps this illusion of controlled life gives readers a sense of order.
You want to write a book that will delight many years later. Youwant your book to be the best you can produce, written in a style thatis uniquely yours, perhaps using ideas that have never been writtenabout or in a format that has never been tried. Writing is about creating.
Author Bio:
Marion Crook has written many books for young adult and middle-grade readers. Here, she offers advice on writing, publishing, and marketing. Crook’s background in child development education as a nurse and her Ph.D. in education give her solid knowledge, but she maintains that a keen observation of people, places, and events can be the author’s most useful tool. An experienced teacher and writer, she gives her readers clear and practical tips, with humor and obvious understanding of what it’s like to write and publish.
©Imaging by Marlis 2012
Permission granted to Marion Crook for personal and promotional use
Website: http://crookpublishing.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/author_mcrook/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13126.Marion_Crook/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarionCrookAuthor/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Marion-Crook/e/B00IPXPH9I/
The post Writing for Children and Young Adults by Marion Crook, blog tour and guest post appeared first on ~*~Babs Book Bistro~*~.
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