Janelle Diller's Blog, page 16

Children’s Book Week: A Fun Book Pick

It’s Children’s Book Week! To celebrate, we’re sharing some fun book picks for kids. We’re also throwing a bit of a party ourselves. If you sign up for the Pack-n-Go Girls Insider List, we’ll put your name in a drawing for Mystery of the Thief in the Night, the first Pack-n-Go Girls Adventure in the Mexico series, available May 28 from Amazon.

This past winter, with the Winter Olympics just around the corner, I ran across a fresh, new chapter book series that’s fun enough to share. G.G. Snowboards, the first in a new series by Marty Mokler Banks, treats the young reader to discovering the thrill of learning to snowboard.  Eight-year-old G.G. is spunky and brave. She’s positive she’s going to be shredding the mountain from the getgo.

Banks’ writing is witty and holds just the right tension for an early chapter book reader. I especially love that G.G. is an inner city Hispanic girl. Banks has also created an interesting twist with the illustrations. Instead of the usual drawings, she’s used photographs. Alisa Mokler Harper, Banks’ niece and former member of the U.S. Snowboard Team, has deftly captured not just the scene but also the mood of the first day on the snow with her black and white photos.

While I’m looking forward to more in the series, I’m also enjoying Banks’ Chapter Book Chat. In her weekly blog, she reviews kids books and book series, and—even more valuable—shares her reflections on the state of literature for early readers. I’ve found her posts to be candid and insightful. These days, we all have so much that clutters our inboxes, but if you’re a parent or teacher or you just love the genre, you’ll find Chapter Book Chat to be one you’ll actually read.

Now go find a book to celebrate the week with your child! ~Janelle

G. G. Snowboards

By Marty Mokler Banks, illustrated by Alisa Mokler Harper

Published by Switch Monkey Press

Available in paperback and Kindle

Book Trailer Premier: Mystery of the Thief in the Night

Check out our book trailer premiere for Mystery of the Thief in the Night, the first in the Mexico series that is coming out later this month! Watch now or check out the trailer on YouTube or our website.

We tapped into the sound of Mexico as part of our goal to continue to educate girls about the cultures of the countries we are writing about.

We would love to know what you think!

The book can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com right now. The paperback and ebook will be coming out later this month.

(And if you have not started the Austrian series, the Kindle edition of Mystery of the Ballerina Ghost is FREE on Amazon this week. And the second book in the series, Mystery of the Secret Room, is on sale on Amazon for $1.99 right now!)

Enjoy Children’s Book Week and pick up a book to read to your child!

 

Celebrating Children’s Book Week

We will be celebrating Children’s Book Week this week! That means, yes, some promotions. So take advantage of these offers this week!

Mystery of the Ballerina Ghost – FREE eBook This Week!

If you have not already read Mystery of the Ballerina Ghost, the first book in the Austrian series, the ebook will be available FREE this week on Amazon.com.

The second in the Austrian series, Mystery of the Secret Room, is on sale for $1.99 right now as well!

Mystery of the Thief in the Night – Double Your Chances with TWO Giveaways!

To get ready for the release of our latest book, Mystery of the Thief in the Night, we are offering two great giveaways!

Izzy’s family sails into a quiet lagoon in Mexico and drops their anchor. Izzy can’t wait to explore the pretty little village, eat yummy tacos, and practice her Spanish. When she meets nine-year-old Patti, Izzy’s thrilled. Now she can do all that and have a new friend to play with too. Life is perfect. At least it’s perfect until they realize there’s a midnight thief on the loose!

Giveaway #1 – If you are a GoodReads fan, you can enter a drawing on GoodReads starting today to win a signed copy of Mystery of the Thief in the Night. If you have not explored GoodReads, what better time to check it out than now!

Giveaway #2 – Sign up for the Pack-n-Go Insiders List and be eligible to win a FREE signed copy of Mystery of the Thief in the Night. This offer is only good this week, so check it out now!

 

The New Definition of “Expiration Date”

True story.

I’d just left my job of eight years with a high-tech company and was venturing into the world of contracting. It was scary because if they didn’t love me, they’d leave me. No notice, no severance pay, no unemployment benefits. I had to rock from the first day.

My first gig for the company was in Singapore, land of illegal chewing gum notoriety. It was January and I was thrilled to be in a tropical climate instead of the Colorado snow. I arrived at the airport about midnight, which was noon the previous day according to my body. I’d been traveling for somewhere around 20 hours, though, and admittedly was pretty confused about what time it actually was.

I stepped up to the immigration officer, handed him my passport, and cheerfully said hello. It wasn’t my first time in Singapore, so I wasn’t chewing gum.

The passport officer looked at me. Looked at my passport. Did not do the usual bam, bam, “Welcome to Singapore.” Instead, he looked at me again and said, “I can’t let you into the country. You’re traveling on an invalid passport.”

My brain, scrambled from too many hours of travel, couldn’t process this information. “What?” I said.

“Your passport is expired,” he said.

“That can’t be right. It doesn’t expire until June.”

“That’s right,” he said a bit too self-righteously for my body clock. “We don’t allow anyone in the country with a passport that will expire in the next six months.”

“What?” Brain fog severely limited my vocabulary. However, even in the moment it seemed to me that this was an entirely new definition of the word “expiration.”

“Where are you going after this?”

“Thailand.” Small things to be grateful for: I could remember the next country on my itinerary.

“Oh, well,” he huffed. “Thailand is much stricter than Singapore when it comes to expiration dates. They definitely won’t let you in.”

As you can imagine, we had quite the spirited conversation the next few minutes since if I couldn’t get into the country, I would be fired before I ever started my job. It ended on an unexpectedly happy note. He let me into Singapore to do my two weeks of work as long as I promised to take care of my little passport expiration issue. I would have kissed his feet, but he was in a booth and the door was locked.

I was lucky. I skipped a morning of work and grabbed a cab to the American Consulate. Apparently no strangers to Passport Renewal Panic, they were prepared. They even had one of those instant photo booths.

I got my picture taken, filled out the paperwork, and a week later picked up my renewed passport.

I was legal again.

I checked my new passport, thinking perhaps I’d missed the fine print. Nope. Nothing there. If this hadn’t been forever branded onto my brain, I wouldn’t be reminded of the information from perusing my passport.

After the trauma passed, I started checking with other frequent travelers. Here’s my unofficial tally of people who knew the six-month expiration rule:

Americans: 0%

Canadians: 0%

Europeans: 100%

Asians: 100%

Australians: 100%

I don’t know about you, but this suggests to me that perhaps there could be more communication about this. It turns out that not every country requires a six-month cushion. That’s the good news. The bad news? No one is going to tell you about the passport requirement before you get on the plane.

Consider this a public service announcement. ~Janelle

What Do Third Graders Think of Pack-n-Go Girls?

Pack-n-Go Girls visited a third grade classroom in Colorado Springs this week as part of a discussion on entrepreneurship. After showing the Pack-n-Go Girls book, purse playset, and dolls concept to the third graders, they took part in a challenge to provide their comments for our blog. They are excited to see their blog comments live on the internet tomorrow. So here it goes!

“I think Pack-n-Go Girls are cool and unique. I think that it is cool because it has a built in doll set,” wrote one little girl. A couple of other girls liked the dolls and playset commenting, “the dolls are very cute,” “really cool dolls for girls,” “you get to play with Brooke and Eva while you read the book,” and “there is a cool playset.” Another third grader didn’t want to leave out some of the other kids at school and commented, “2nd grade girls will also love to play.”

We showed our prototype purse using locally sourced materials, which we hope to be even more colorful when we have a fully manufactured product. And, of course, there are always opinions on colors: Pack-n-Go Girls is interesting “because it’s pink and purple and mixed with a mystery.” While another contradicted this saying the house was too pink. She told me she would like more blue included.

Some of the boys in the room had a good time laughing and joking around about having to comment about a girls toy and book. They wrote, “It doesn’t look fun,” “it’s fun and funny,” and “it’s interesting because its really weird.” But some of them thought mysteries were fun to read (well, maybe not ones about girls!).

We also had some real sales and marketing professionals in the room who commented:

“Pack-n-Go Girls are really cool. You can go anywhere and they’re handmade. Also the books are cool. They’re mysteries and they’re in different places.”

“It is a convenient way for girls to get to read more often, and girls can play with it on the go.”

“Pack-n-Go Girls are a great idea. First, if you get bored, you can play with the doll anywhere you go and read the books and there are purses. I think the Pack-n-Go Girls are awesome for many reasons.”

And last but not least, “Pack-n-Go Girls should be in a movie. And they should make more books because it’s so interesting to little girls.”

Of course, we won’t turn down the movie licensing when they coming knocking on our door

- Lisa

Pack-n-Go to South Florida

It’s that spring break time of year . . . and Florida is on the list for many families. Most people when traveling with kids to Florida think of Disney World or the beaches. While Disney can be fun, and the beach and the sun are a sure thing with your kiddos, take a few days and head south to check out a some very cool things South Florida has to offer. Here are a few of my favorites…

1. Save a Sea Turtle

Did you know that the Loggerhead Marinelife Center  is saving sea turtles every day? It’s FREE to go and check out the sea turtles they are taking care of. Sea turtles are found with injuries from propellers, fishing line, plastic bags, etc. You can check on Bianca’s progress from your house on the live web cam. Don’t miss the educational programs and, if you happen to be there, a turtle release.

2. Climb a Lighthouse

I haven’t been inside many lighthouses, but you can climb the one on Jupiter Inlet. It’s really cool, but not for the faint of heart (literally and figuratively)! There are 105 cast-iron steps that spiral around a central iron column. Learn about the 1860 Jupiter Light and check out the exhibits in the waterfront History Museum located in the restored WWII Naval housing quarters building. NOTE: Children must be at least 48″ tall to climb the Lighthouse and must climb under their own power. Carrying a child is not permitted in the tower.

3. Learn about the Cuban Culture

Travel down to Miami and visit Little Havana to practice your Spanish. Stroll down Calle Ocho and stop for an authentic Cuban meal. Check out Viernes Culturales if you are there the last Friday of the month.

4. Take an Airboat Ride

Nothing can surpass the thrill (and noise) of an airboat ride. A bit on the pricey side, but if you’ve got a little daredevil, this might be the ticket. Sometimes you can even spot some alligators! Check Yelp or TripAdvisor to find the best one near you.

5. Paddleboard at Gaunabanas

If you are in Palm Beach County, check out the paddleboarding that takes off from Guanabanas. it’s actually offered from the place across the street: Blueline Surf & Paddle. Boards are $20 each and small kids can ride on the front of your board. After you get your workout in, stay for lunch or dinner under the tiki huts and banyan trees.

6. Visit Kennedy Space Center

While not necessarily in South Florida, Kennedy Space Center is a great time for the kids if you are willing to drive a little. If you’ve got a budding astronaut in the family, they have lots of fascinating tours and experiences.

7. Get Wet at the Blow Hole

Are your kids into cool rock formations and getting a little wet? Check out Blowing Rocks Preserve. The preserve was named for its rocky Anastasia limestone shoreline – the largest on the U.S. Atlantic coast. At high tide, the waves break against the rocks and force plumes of saltwater up to 50 feet skyward! When it was time to go home, I had to drag my kids away.

8. Cruise the Intracoastal Waterway

For the cost of a drink and a tip, you can take a short 20-minute boat ride on the Intracoastal Waterway. Just show up at Panama Hatties in North Palm Beach and go down to the boat dock. I am not even sure if you have to buy anything to get on the boat tour, but I would stick with a drink and maybe an appetizer. The food is marginal, but the kids enjoyed the ride! For a more expensive option, you can always charter a boat. NOTE: Some of the boat tours can be quite lengthy and boring for kids, so check your options carefully.

9. Tour the Camp of the “Wildman of Loxahatchee”

Take a 2-hour boat tour with a stop at the restored camp of Trapper Nelson, the “Wildman of the Loxahatchee.” Tour around the grounds and buildings of a true Florida original, who made his living off the land as a trapper and fur trader. Once fame caught up with Trapper, however, he evolved himself and his home into one of the area’s first tourist attractions, “Trapper’s Zoo and Jungle Gardens.” Trapper’s unsolved death in 1968 gives a fitting sense of mystery to the site. Very, very cool piece of Florida history that is intriguing to adults and kids!

10. Relax.

Oh wait, can you do that with kids?

What can you add to this list?

-Lisa

A conversation with Adam Turner

Don’t forget: The FREE download for Mystery of the Secret Room ends Monday, March 24. Check it out on Amazon.

One of the really fun things about this whole writing process is seeing my words come to life with the illustrations. Pack-n-Go Girls found Adam Turner through business connections and then ran a focus group with second and third grade girls who also loved his illustrations. We knew from the start he was golden.

Adam and his daughter, Addie, arrived in Mexico today, pencils in hand to refine his illustrations for the next Pack-n-Go Girls adventure, The Thief in the Night, which takes place in Mexico. We sat down over a dinner of spicy enchiladas and silky smooth flan and we talked.

Janelle: When Lisa and I saw your illustrations for Mystery of the Ballerina Ghost, we were really pleased you’d captured the spirit of the book so well. How do you come up with your ideas for what the illustrations should be?

Adam: I read through the book once to get an overall feel for the context, environment, situations, and so on. Then I read through it a second time to gather the details and write down notes. I look for what elements are present in a particular scene (chairs, trees, ocean, etc.); what clothes they’re wearing in that scene (pajamas, shorts, glasses, etc.); and what their moods, emotions, expressions are. A visual emerges in my head. I sketch out what I see onto the paper to begin generating a composition that’s eye pleasing, expresses the mood of the moment, and is accurate to the text.

Janelle: You do this extremely well. I remember when I saw your first sketches for Ballerina Ghost, we had a conversation about how sad Eva looked in so many of the sketches. You pointed out to me that’s what you’d read in the story. You were right. It was an interesting moment for me that you so accurately captured the mood of what I’d written. I’m always impressed with how you capture other elements in the scenes, too. What kind of research do you do to make the illustrations accurate?

Adam: I’ll look up on the Internet for some location or attire reference, but generally, the look of my illustrations is driven by the imagery in my head. If I rely too heavily on reference, it alters the look and feel of individual images and breaks the flow of the style from one illustration to another. However, there are times that if elements in the image are too unlike their counterparts in the real world, it becomes distracting. For example, Mystery of the Thief in the Night has a sailboat in it. I had to be careful about just making up a sailboat from my imagination as it would have created a disconnect between the story and the illustrations. However, if I’m too meticulous about putting the details of a real sailboat into the illustration, the realistic quality compromises the art style and jolts people out of the story since it focuses their attention on unnecessary details instead of keeping the focus on the point of the story.

Janelle: It sounds like a real balancing act. How do you come up with the character illustrations? I would think that would be the hardest part of illustrating.

Adam: My own daughter was the original model for Brooke, from the Austria series, and a good friend of hers was the original model for Eva. In addition, I often use my daughter or her friends for posture or expressions, not so much to capture the exact representation, but to capture the idea behind the posture or the expression.

Janelle: What do you love about illustrating?

Adam: It’s mine. It’s a complete expression, mostly untainted, of whatever flows out of my mind. Does that sound selfish?

Janelle: Not at all. As a writer, I love that too. Say more about what that means from an illustrator’s perspective.

Adam: When I draw without boundaries, I draw anything. Usually it’s people, often it’s science fiction, but it’s whatever I want it to be. I draw until I don’t want to draw anymore and do it without restrictions. When it comes to drawing for other people or projects, the subject matter becomes more restricted, but the expression and interpretation of those are still completely free. Granted, there are types of illustration such as medical or technical illustrations there that are very regimented. The niche I’ve fallen into, though, is a much more open type of illustration that allows me as the artist to pour myself into the art. It’s liberating. Also, I’m able to generally get down on paper what I have in my head, so it’s also very rewarding.

Janelle: Looks like we need a Part 2 to this interview since the flan has arrived. I think we’re going to have a fun week together!

Trailer Premier – Mystery of the Secret Room

Today we are premiering our book trailer for Mystery of the Secret Room!

You can check it out on YouTube or on our Pack-n-Go Girls website.

Again, we tapped into the music of Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 as part of our goal to continue to educate girls about the cultures of the countries we are writing about. Since the works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and classical music in general have such a rich history in Austria, we thought that would be most appropriate for our Austrian series.

We would love to know what you think!

Don’t forget to get your FREE Kindle edition of Mystery of the Secret Room by March 24th! (And if you have not read the first book, Mystery of the Ballerina Ghost, yet, it’s on sale for $1.99 for a limited time!)

Win an Exclusive First-Run Pack-n-Go Girls Purse Playset

Sign up for the Pack-n-Go Girls Insider’s List by April 1, 2014, to be entered into a drawing to win an exclusive first-run purse playset and Mystery of the Secret Room paperback. You’ll be the first to know of new Pack-n-Go Girls releases!

Sign up now!

And, don’t forget to download your FREE Kindle edition of Mystery of the Secret Room before March 24th. (And if you have not read the first book, Mystery of the Ballerina Ghost, yet, it’s on sale for a limited time for $1.99.)

FREE Kindle Edition: Mystery of the Secret Room

The Kindle edition of Mystery of the Secret Room is here, and it is FREE for 5 days!

It’s raining so Brooke and Eva have nothing to do but play hide and seek in the castle’s attic. It’s just an ordinary game on an ordinary rainy afternoon. But then Brooke stumbles into a room everyone has forgotten for decades. A beautiful porcelain doll sits at a table set for tea for three. It’s as if she’s been waiting for Brooke and Eva to arrive.

Download the Kindle edition for FREE March 20-24.

Of course, if you want a paperback book to hold, you can also order one from Amazon anytime for $5.99. It’s a perfect gift for any little girl.

Buy now on Amazon!