Video Fun

It’s time to take a break from reading and watch some videos! I know — that’s heresy coming from an author. But videos, as we all know, can be informative and FUN. So enjoy this small collection of videos, some of which are new and some of which are oldies but goodies. They are a mixture that includes a video on how, as a White, straight, CIS woman, I write diverse characters; a video review of my new novel from a popular podcaster; and a reading of excerpts from my kids’ chapter book Shannon’s Odyssey.

And be sure to check out USA Today bestselling author Amy Vansant’s new “cozy animal mystery” — see details at the end of this post.

Milestones

But first, a quick and heartfelt thank you to all who helped me reach two big milestones since Beautiful and Terrible Things was published last summer: More than 1,000 subscribers have signed up to follow my books news. The number is actually more than 1,300!

And I am closing in on 100 reviews on Amazon. (I had hoped to be there by the time this post published, but I’m at 95.) Read the newest reviews here. (I recommend skipping the one by Sundance Kid, not because it’s two stars — I’m OK with mixed reviews and no one book is right for everyone — but because it has a major spoiler, and a lot of inaccuracies…)

I thank each and every one of you who have subscribed and/or reviewed the book. Or as Ted Lasso would say, “I appreciate you.” (I finally got myself Apple TV so I could watch the show everyone raves about!)

Fun New Videos

Now on to our video fun!

As I mentioned in my last post, I was honored to be the guest on Karen E. Osborne’s podcast What Are You Reading? What Are You Writing, which aired April 1. (Watch the full episode here.) Below is a short excerpt from that interview, containing Karen’s Book Review of my Beautiful and Terrible Things, which she reads as an intro to our discussion:

This next video contains my conversation with Karen about cultural appropriation in literature and the use of sensitivity readers to achieve authenticity. I like to call this video: How the Heck Does a CIS, White, Straight Woman Write Diverse Characters Such as Bisexuals, Black, Immigrants and People with Mental Health Conditions?

And this video answers the burning question, What the Heck is a Novelette? — the genre my book The Wallace House of Pain falls into.

Oldies But Goodies

Our video fun continues with a few older ones. In this video, I relate a quick story about How A Reader Made My Day at a book event last year:

I would be remiss to not include the Official Trailer for Beautiful and Terrible Things in this collection of videos, in case you haven’t seen it yet:

Finally, if you’re interested in children’s books, this video is a virtual reading I gave to a Rhode Island school, of excerpts from my Middle Grade chapter book, Shannon’s Odyssey — complete with fun animal pictures. Shannon’s Odyssey is an adventure story featuring a spunky 11-year-old, animal communication and a touch of magic.

New Read from Bestselling Author

Just in time for Easter, USA Today bestselling author Amy Vansant has released Pineapple Easter Egg, which is full of hidden “Easter eggs” for you to spot, adding to the fun of the story itself. The brand new book is already at #15 on Amazon’s list of “cozy animal mysteries.”

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