Nancy I. Sanders's Blog, page 86

Book Launch Party: Frederick Douglass for Kids

Welcome back to my book launch party to celebrate the release of my newest book, Frederick Douglass for Kids!

LET’S PARTY!

Today’s stop on my virtual Book Launch Party is taking place at the site Just Kidding: On Writing for Children and Other Life Stuff by children’s author Jody Shaffer. Hop on over there to say hi and learn more about Frederick Douglass and about how to take photographs for using in articles and books like I did for my new book Frederick Douglass for Kids.

PRIZES

The prize that you can enter today for a chance to win is a set of autographed full-color bookmarks for my new book, Frederick Douglass and Kids! Just e-mail me at jeffandnancys@gmail.com and tell me you’re following this celebration, or post a comment here today to answer the question below and I’ll put your name in the hat today for a chance to win the prize. (A winner will be announced on Monday, June 11 here on my blog.)

Question:

Many people, such as his future wife Anna, helped Frederick Douglass escape on his journey to freedom. Has there been someone in your own life who has helped you along your own personal life’s journey?

About Frederick Douglass

Here on my blog during the book launch party, I’m sharing photographs I took with my husband Jeff and our son Ben as we traveled through the eastern states where Frederick Douglass once lived.

In Baltimore, MD we visited the Frederick Douglass – Isaac Myers Maritime Park Museum where we learned more about the life and times of Frederick Douglass. There were beautiful murals inside the museum. This one shows a picture of Frederick Douglass and Anna Murray. They met in Baltimore and fell in love. Anna, who was free, helped Frederick escape from slavery.

Frederick disguised himself as a sailor and escaped traveling by train and boat north to the free state of Pennsylvania. He wore a tarpaulin, a type of sailor’s hat, as part of his disguise. In my new book, there’s an activity where kids learn how to make a tarpaulin. Here’s a picture of when I was making the tarpaulin as an example for in my book.

This is a picture of the completed tarpaulin. You can make this hat, plus engage in all 21 historical activities with your children or students when you purchase Frederick Douglass for Kids. A great resource for families, homeschoolers, and educators!

Frederick Douglass reached Philadelphia and for the first time in his life stepped onto free soil. My family and I visited the African American Museum in Philadelphia where we learned all about this great history and the African American leaders who lived here in Philadephia since before the American Revolution.

One of the greatest leaders in Philadelphia was Richard Allen. He was the Martin Luther King Jr. of the years when our nation was founded. You can learn more about him and other famous founders in my book America’s Black Founders.

This is a photo of the church in Philadelphia that Richard Allen founded, Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. It was such a blessing to visit it on Sunday morning when we were in Philadelphia on this trip and attend church services that morning.

This is a photograph of one of the beautiful stained glass windows in the sanctuary of Mother Bethel.

Little did Frederick Douglass know as he hurried secretly through the streets of Philadelphia, fearful that he would be caught by slave catchers, that one day he would return to Mother Bethel as a famous orator to speak to a large audience eager to hear his every word. This sign is in the must-see museum in the basement of Mother Bethel.

Frederick Douglass hurried from the docks to the Willow Street train depot that once stood on this very site here in Philadelphia.

As I took this photograph of the street sign, I realized that I could see Independence Hall in the background. How poignant this was to know that Frederick Douglass stood on this very spot and saw Independence Hall, too, as he bought a ticket for New York City where he planned to reunite with Anna on his dangerous escape to freedom.

Book Launch Party: Frederick Douglass for Kids

Welcome back to my book launch party to celebrate the release of my newest book, Frederick Douglass for Kids!

LET’S PARTY!

Today’s stop on my virtual Book Launch Party is taking place at the site of children’s author Mary Cronk Farrell.

Visit her site to learn more about Frederick Douglass as well as the important role black troops had in the Civil War!

PRIZES

The prize that you can enter today for a chance to win is a set of autographed full-color bookmarks for my new book, Frederick Douglass and Kids! Here’s what to do to get your name in the hat today for a chance to win the prize. (A winner will be announced on Monday, June 11 here on my blog.)

Visit Goodreads and read portions of the book in their Google preview. Then post a 5-star review of Frederick Douglass for Kids at Goodreads!

Visit Amazon and read portions of the book in their “Look inside the book” feature. Then post a 5-star review of Frederick Douglass for Kids on Amazon!

Just post one 5-star review and e-mail me at jeffandnancys@gmail.com to let me know. I’ll put your name in the hat for a chance to win a free set of autographed bookmarks.

And if you post two 5-star reviews (at both Goodreads and Amazon)…well guess what?! I’m offering a new prize just today for a free critique of the first page of your manuscript. I know I have some readers around the world in different timezones, so just e-mail me when you read this and I’ll put your name in the hat. I’ll announce this winner on Monday, June 11. People pay big bucks for a first page critique like this so don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to get a free critique AND help spread the news about this important book.

About Frederick Douglass!

Here on my blog during the book launch party, I’m sharing photographs I took with my husband Jeff as we traveled through the eastern states where Frederick Douglass once lived. Midway through out trip, one of our sons, Ben, joined us, too.

One of the places we stopped at was a historic site called Mount Misery. It is now a private residence of someone quite well-known, so we didn’t ask to come inside. But we stopped at the driveway and took the photo above. It was here that Frederick Douglass experienced some of the darkest days of his life. After living in Baltimore as a house slave, he was moved back to the Eastern Shores of Maryland during the settlement of estate when various property was divided up among family members. The family member Frederick was sent to live with, Thomas Auld, determined that city life in Baltimore had made him unfit to be a slave. So he was sent to live here at Mount Misery with a “slave-breaker” and the brutalities and extreme exposure he experienced during that time plummeted him into darkness and despair.

After various series of events that I explain in detail in my new book Frederick Douglass for Kids, Frederick Douglass tried to escape, but was caught and sent back to live in Baltimore, once again, with his former master, Hugh Auld. Once back in Baltimore, Frederick Douglass learned the trade of being a caulker.

After our visit to the Eastern Shores of Maryland, we traveled to Baltimore to visit the Douglass-Myers Maritime Park and Museum. What a great resource this museum is for learning more about Frederick Douglass and his life in Baltimore as a young man!

This is a mural at the front of the museum. Everyone at the museum was so helpful, and graciously permitted us to take as many photographs as we wanted to use in my new book. That isn’t always the response I get from museums, so I was very, very grateful for their help.

Here’s a display that was inside the museum that shows what the harbor in Baltimore looked like over 100 years ago.

And here’s a display depicting Frederick Douglass working as a caulker, the job he learned as his trade. As a caulker, he made ships that were being built watertight to withstand the long ocean voyages.

And here’s a beautiful quilt on display at the museum when we visited.

This quilt artist also depicted a caulker in her project.

I highly recommend that if you’re ever in the Baltimore area to stop in and explore this museum. It will give you a much deeper understanding and appreciation for Frederick Douglass and the workers in the maritime trade during these years in our nation’s history.

Book Launch Party: Frederick Douglass for Kids

Welcome back to my book launch party to celebrate the release of my newest book, Frederick Douglass for Kids!

As a young boy, Frederick Douglass was sent to live in Baltimore with Hugh Auld, his wife, and son. “Freddie” was to be a playmate for the Aulds’ little son. His duties would also include running errands and helping out as he was needed. This sign marks the place where Douglass lived for the next few years in the Auld household.

Here’s a view of the street as it looks today. I’m not sure if these buildings were there in the mid-1800s when Frederick Douglass lived in Baltimore, but this is what the street looks like now. See the sign on the corner?

One day, Hugh caught his wife teaching Frederick Douglass to read. Reacting with anger, he ordered her to stop, saying that he would be forever unfit as a slave.

That event made a huge difference to Frederick Douglass for it was then that he realized the power of learning to read. He determined to learn to read no matter what the cost. And he did. Sent frequently on errands throughout the streets of Baltimore, he asked his young friends he knew throughout the town to help him learn how to read…and he learned how to write by writing on board fences (like the one in this photo) to copy another boy’s letters.

This is a photo of the brick buildings down by the wharfs and docks at Fell’s Point in Baltimore.

And this is a shot of one of the wharfs today. It was here in this area that Frederick Douglass first watched shipbuilders building ships and noticed that they marked the pieces of wood they were working on with L for Larboard, S for starboard, F for forward, and A for aft. Frederick copied these letters as the very first ones he learned to write.

LET’S PARTY!

Today’s stop on my virtual Book Launch Party is taking place at the site Random Acts of Writing, hosted by Lori Mortensen, children’s author of the delightful new picture book, Cindy Moo.

Visit her site to learn more about Frederick Douglass as well as famous abolitionists of his day!

PRIZES

The prize that you can enter today for a chance to win is a set of autographed full-color bookmarks for my new book, Frederick Douglass and Kids! These bookmarks are just perfect for all the readers in your family, both young and old. Especially with summer reading coming up, they’re a great way to track which page you’re on. Just e-mail me today at jeffandnancys@gmail.com to let me know you’re following along on my tour or post a comment here to answer the question below to get your name in the hat for a chance to win the prize. (A winner will be announced on Monday, June 11 here on my blog.)

Question:

Have you ever visited a historic site where you walked in the footsteps of a great American such as Frederick Douglass? If so, where did you go and what did you experience?

Book Launch Party: Frederick Douglass for Kids

Welcome back to my book launch party to celebrate the release of my newest book, Frederick Douglass for Kids!

As I mentioned in previous posts, my husband Jeff and I drove through the countryside of Maryland’s Eastern Shore to take photographs of where Frederick Douglass was born.

Years later, after Douglass escaped from slavery and became the leading black abolitionist of his day. After the Civil War ended, Douglass became a famous statesman. It was in this time of his life that he returned to the place of his birth as an honored guest and acclaimed speaker.

During one of these visits, Douglass was unexpectedly invited to visit with his ailing and elderly former master, Thomas Auld. He visited with him here in the home of Auld’s daughter and her husband.

As Jeff and I saw this house it was hard to imagine the depth of emotion felt by both Douglass and Auld. For a moment neither could speak. But when they did, it was to affirm that the evils of slavery had harmed both blacks and whites in its terrible path of destruction.

Douglass later returned to Maryland and lectured at the Talbot County Courthouse (above) in Easton as well as local churches such as the Asbury A.M.E. Church (below).

Frederick Douglass was a man who dedicated his life to bringing an end to slavery and then helping the newly freed. He is a true American hero and one of the most brilliant orators who ever lived. An inspiration to us all, his story is a story every student should learn about when studying American history. Perfect for classrooms, homeschoolers, and families, Frederick Douglass for Kids tells about the life of this great man and also features hands-on activities to make the learning come alive. You can purchase Frederick Douglass for Kids for your own use or as a gift for a child or teacher you know. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.

LET’S PARTY!

Today’s stop on my virtual Book Launch Party is taking place at Terri Forehand’s great site, Writing and Other Ways into the Heart.

Visit her site to learn more about Frederick Douglass as well as how great this new book is for homeschoolers and homeschooling families!

PRIZES

And our first contest to win a free query critique already came to an end! I can hardly believe it! The winner is (drumroll please):

Rosi Hollinbeck!

Congratulations! Woot! Woot! Please send me an e-mail with your query or cover letter and I’ll critique it and send it back to you. You may e-mail me at: jeffandnancys@gmail.com

Today starts a new contest and a new prize…a set of autographed full-color bookmarks for my new book, Frederick Douglass and Kids! These bookmarks are just perfect for all the readers in your family, both young and old. Especially with summer reading coming up, they’re a great way to track which page you’re on. Just post a comment here to say hi or answer the question below to get your name in the hat for a chance to win the prize. (A winner will be announced on Monday, June 11 here on my blog.)

Question:

What book have you read recently that has made a difference in your life?

Book Launch Party: Frederick Douglass for Kids

Welcome back to my book launch party to celebrate the release of my newest book, Frederick Douglass for Kids!

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, my husband Jeff and I drove through the countryside of Maryland’s Eastern Shore to take photographs of where Frederick Douglass was born.

When Douglass was born into slavery, he was the property of an overseer who lived near the main house (called Wye House) on a large and prosperous plantation owned by Colonel Lloyd. Wye House still stands today and descendants of Colonel Lloyd still live there.

The owners of Wye House were very gracious to allow Jeff and me to drive onto the plantation and take pictures of the house and grounds. We had called beforehand to ask them if we could drive onto the private property and they were very willing to help me with the work I was doing.

It was a deeply moving experience as Jeff and I entered grounds of the former plantation and drove down the lane under the ancient trees. It was just as Frederick Douglass had described it in his autobiography about the days he once lived there. White pebbles from the beach covered the lane and stately trees arched overhead.

By the time we had reached the house, it was pouring down rain. I snapped this picture through the car window as we waited hopefully for the downpour to stop. It didn’t. So I quickly rolled down my window, snapped a photograph of the beautiful old house, and hoped it would be a clear enough image to use in the book (and not covered by rain). It was!

Before we drove away, I also snapped a photograph of the sundial on the front lawn. It seemed a haunting reminder of older days, time long gone by, when Frederick Douglass lived and worked on this plantation as a slave. When he grew up and became a man, he escaped to freedom and dedicated his life to bringing an end to the slave trade.

Eventually after the Civil War abolished slavery in America, Douglass returned to this very plantation to walk inside Wye House and visit with Colonel Lloyd’s great-grandson as an honored and free guest. Today, the descendants of Colonel Lloyd work to help keep the fires of freedom burning by supporting archeological digs on their grounds and welcoming biographers such as myself to photograph their home.

If you’d like to see lots more photos and read more about Frederick Douglass’s life on this plantation and his journey back as a freeman, you can read about it in my book, Frederick Douglass for Kids. Purchase it for your own use or as a gift for a child or teacher you know. It’s available for purchase on Amazon.

LET’S PARTY!

Today’s stop on my virtual Book Launch Party is at the fun and informative site of children’s writer, Susan Uhlig. Visit her site to learn more about Frederick Douglass as well as the process it takes to write a nonfiction book for kids.

PRIZES

And yes! We have prizes to celebrate my book launch party! Yes!!! And the first prize is this: A free critique and evaluation of a 1-page query or cover letter for your book.

Today’s the very last day to enter to win a query critique. To get your name in the hat, post an informational on Facebook, Twitter, or other online group you belong to. Help shout it out about this great new book for kids. You can say what you want, or you can copy and paste the following:

Learn about Frederick Douglass, a true American hero. Purchase Frederick Douglass for Kids today. Available at Amazon.

After you help shout out the word today, e-mail me at jeffandnancys@gmail.com (or post a comment here) and I’ll put your name in the hat another time, too! Entries close at 10:00 pm PST today. After that, I’ll draw out a winner to receive a free critique of your query or cover letter and announce the winner tomorrow on Wednesday, June 6 here on my blog.

Book Launch Party: Frederick Douglass for Kids

Welcome back to my book launch party to celebrate the release of my newest book, Frederick Douglass for Kids!

When I first got the idea to write a book about Frederick Douglass, I knew I didn’t want to write it unless I could travel from my home in California to the East Coast where Frederick Douglass had spent his life. So for the first time in my writing career, I planned a 2-week photo-research tour to capture key moments of my subject’s life on film. It was an amazing journey, and one that I wanted to share with you here to help launch my book.

My husband Jeff and I started our trip by following a map put out by the Historical Society of Talbot County. We drove to the spot indicated on the map as the birthplace of Frederick Douglass. We parked our car at the corner of the road. (See above.)

Following the instructions on our map and referring to Frederick Douglass’s own words in his autobiography as a guide, we looked around until we spotted a small grove of trees where the cabin of his grandmother probably used to stand. It was there, in that cabin, that Frederick Douglass was born.

After leaving the site of his birth, Jeff and I drove around the area. We passed fields of corn, farms, and patches of green woods. It was a very moving experience knowing that this great man walked through these fields and woods first as a little child innocent to the tragedies of slavery, but later as a young man who suffered brutally under its terrible power.

As we drove through the area, seeds of story started to sprout and take root deep within my writer’s soul in a very powerful way. I knew that when this trip was over and I returned home to write the book, I could write this new book as I’d never written one before because I had felt, touched, and seen with my own eyes the setting in which this great American hero spent the first part of his life. I also knew this book was going to be very powerful because it would feature photos I was taking that had never before been published in a book about this great man.

If you’d like to look inside my new book, Frederick Douglass for Kids, and purchase it for your own use or as a gift for a young child in your life, you can do both by clicking here on Amazon.

LET’S PARTY!

Today’s stop on my virtual Book Launch Party is at the site of my cyberspace writing friend, Dori Reads. Visit her site to learn more about Frederick Douglass and why this new book about him is so special.

PRIZES

Did you know there would be prizes to celebrate my book launch party?! Yes!!! And the first prize is this: A free critique and evaluation of a 1-page query or cover letter for your book. Just post a comment here on my blog and answer one or both of these questions:

What hero has impacted your life? And why do you think it’s important for young children today to be inspired by heroes from America’s past such as Frederick Douglass?

I’ll put everyone’s name in a hat again who posts a comment here today. And if you post a comment on Doraine’s site today, e-mail me at jeffandnancys@gmail.com and I’ll put your name in the hat another time, too! In a couple of days, I’ll draw out a winner to receive a free critique of your query or cover letter and announce the winner on Wednesday, June 6 here on my blog.

Book Launch Party: Frederick Douglass for Kids

Welcome back to my book launch party to celebrate the release of my newest book, Frederick Douglass for Kids!

Yesterday while the celebration was going on in cyberspace, I was actually visiting the fourth grade students in my husband, Jeff’s, classroom! His elementary school was celebrating their 40th anniversary, so I joined in the special day to help them celebrate their big event, too!

And when I visit, I always love to share with Jeff’s students about my writing. They LOVE learning about what it’s like to be a writer. So many kids want to grow up to be a writer, too. And I got to show them my brand new book, Frederick Douglass for Kids.

These kids are smart. Many of them already know who Frederick Douglass was: A really important man who helped President Lincoln during the Civil War. It’s my hope that through this book, they’ll learn even more about him and that they’ll be inspired to make a difference in the world, just like he did.

And kids are so cute. At one point during the day, all the kids in the entire school got popsicles to enjoy after a special 1-hour lunch as one of the ways they were celebrating the 40th birthday of the school. One of the boys who wasn’t in my husband’s class saw me standing outside under the trees with some of the students. He asked me, “Are you Mrs. Sanders?”

I smiled and said, “Yes, I am!”

To which he smiled back in awe and asked, “Are you practically an author?”

I grinned even bigger this time and said, “Yes! I’m practically an author.”

Ahhh…kids! Don’t you just love them?

And to prove to you that yes, I’m practically an author, today for the second day of my Book Launch Party, I wanted to share with you an awesome book review that just came in for Frederick Douglass for Kids. It’s the first big review I’ve seen! I posted it on the official site for my book so you can click here and read it, too!

PRIZES

In case you’re joining in today for the first time, the first prize I’m offering during the celebration is this: A free critique and evaluation of a 1-page query or cover letter for your book.

Just e-mail one or more friends today (the more the merrier) and let them know about my book, Frederick Douglass for Kids, then e-mail me at jeffandnancys@gmail.com to let me know!

I’ll put everyone’s name in a hat who e-mails me today to say you e-mailed your friends to let them know about this important new book for kids.

In my next post, you’ll get another chance to win this prize, too. And on Wednesday, June 6, I’ll announce the name of the winner here on my blog.

Welcome to My Book Launch Party!

Welcome to my book launch party to celebrate the release of my newest book, Frederick Douglass for Kids!

Since July 23, 2009, this book has been a major part of my life. From the idea stage, to the 2-week photo-research tour, to the weeks and months researching and writing the text, to the submission and revisions stage, and now to the release of the book into bookstores and museum stores all across the nation, this has definitely been a journey of a lifetime!

I invite you to come along and help celebrate the birth of this book about this amazing man. Frederick Douglass has been referred to as a giant, a true American hero, a brilliant spokesman, and one of the greatest leaders of all time.

Join in the celebration I’ll be hosting here on my blog for the next two weeks as I share stories behind the story, tips for writers, suggestions for teachers and homeschooling families, and much, much more!

Join in the fun! There will be prizes to win. We’ll be visiting exciting blogs of other authors and friends.

Join in the journey to help launch Frederick Douglass for Kids to the hearts and minds of children, parents, educators…and the world!

The first stop on my Book Launch Party is at the newsy and informative site for writers, Cheryl Reif Writes. Visit her site to learn more about my new book and the publisher who brought it to life!

PRIZES

Did I mention there would be prizes to celebrate my book launch party?! Yes!!! And the first prize is this: A free critique and evaluation of a 1-page query or cover letter for your book. Just post a comment here on my blog today and answer this question:

If you already heard about Frederick Douglass, what makes him a hero in your eyes? And if you have never yet heard of him, name one thing would you like to learn about this true American hero.

I’ll put everyone’s name in a hat who posts a comment here today. Come back tomorrow for another chance to win this prize, too. And on Wednesday, June 6, I’ll announce the name of the winner here on my blog.

Welcome to My Book Launch Party!

Welcome to my book launch party to celebrate the release of my newest book, Frederick Douglass for Kids!

Since July 23, 2009, this book has been a major part of my life. From the idea stage, to the 2-week photo-research tour, to the weeks and months researching and writing the text, to the submission and revisions stage, and now to the release of the book into bookstores and museum stores all across the nation, this has definitely been a journey of a lifetime!

I invite you to come along and help celebrate the birth of this book about this amazing man. Frederick Douglass has been referred to as a giant, a true American hero, a brilliant spokesman, and one of the greatest leaders of all time.

Join in the celebration I’ll be hosting here on my blog for the next two weeks as I share stories behind the story, tips for writers, suggestions for teachers and homeschooling families, and much, much more!

Join in the fun! There will be prizes to win. We’ll be visiting exciting blogs of other authors and friends.

Join in the journey to help launch Frederick Douglass for Kids to the hearts and minds of children, parents, educators…and the world!

The first stop on my Book Launch Party is at the newsy and informative site for writers, Cheryl Reif Writes. Visit her site to learn more about my new book and the publisher who brought it to life!

PRIZES

Did I mention there would be prizes to celebrate my book launch party?! Yes!!! And the first prize is this: A free critique and evaluation of a 1-page query or cover letter for your book. Just post a comment here on my blog today and answer this question:

If you already heard about Frederick Douglass, what makes him a hero in your eyes? And if you have never yet heard of him, name one thing would you like to learn about this true American hero.

I’ll put everyone’s name in a hat who posts a comment here today. Come back tomorrow for another chance to win this prize, too. And on Wednesday, June 6, I’ll announce the name of the winner here on my blog.

Teachers Pay Teachers

I just finished uploading several free products to the site Teachers Pay Teachers.

I uploaded free printable bookmarks for my new book, Frederick Douglass for Kids.

I also uploaded worksheets for a teacher’s guide (or study guide) to use with students as teachers are incorporating my book into their curriculum.

It’s part of the “behind-the-scenes” activities I’m doing to help launch my book into the world.

One of the hardest markets to tap into is to find ways to let teachers use your book in the classroom. First you have to find a way to connect with teachers. Then you have to provide them with material that supports the standards and that they can actually use.

So at Teachers Pay Teachers, they offer study guides for various books for teachers to download and fun stuff like printable bookmarks that they can print out and distribute to their students. I figured it was a win-win situation to offer these products for free to encourage the use of my book. Not only does this connect with teachers and let them know about my book, but it gives them something they can actually use in the classroom, too.

I just designed a set of bookmarks and a teacher’s guide on my publishing program I have on my computer. I also offer them as downloads on my book’s website. You can see them and get ideas for making your own by clicking here.

If you’re a teacher, sign up for Teachers Pay Teachers today! Take advantage of this great connecting tool. And if you’re not a teacher, perhaps you know a teacher who would be willing to post your stuff on there, too. They even offer material for adult education if your books are for adults.