tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28745014776209143752024-03-16T14:53:00.456-04:00YA Authors You've Never Heard OfWe're a group of YA authors published by small presses, and we're getting the word out about our books, talking about writing, the world of kid lit, and anything else that pops into our pretty heads.Christine Norrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05657651210128892443noreply@blogger.comBlogger725125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-23408549098284891112018-03-17T00:00:00.000-04:002018-03-17T00:00:00.206-04:00Worldbuilding Resources<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbF9YgOS3tvdne73_-vLVeAxbHo2JgRGefnTBdNtSi-rw3xrfbfofWXmXEK1s6Q-UVAMPBgVL6Kd8vgWPHAV-T_HdhyfPLeFo7Qn5E_UuhvCMc7iaC76jNbDnSr146gF5EgsSCbQTWXM/s1600/Us-map-clip-art-free-clipart-image-5-4-clipartbold-2-clipartcow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwbF9YgOS3tvdne73_-vLVeAxbHo2JgRGefnTBdNtSi-rw3xrfbfofWXmXEK1s6Q-UVAMPBgVL6Kd8vgWPHAV-T_HdhyfPLeFo7Qn5E_UuhvCMc7iaC76jNbDnSr146gF5EgsSCbQTWXM/s320/Us-map-clip-art-free-clipart-image-5-4-clipartbold-2-clipartcow.jpg" width="320" height="240" data-original-width="400" data-original-height="300" /></a></div>It's been a year since my last blog post about <a href="http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2017/03/worldbuilding.html" target="_blank">Worldbuilding</a>, so it's probably time to update some of the resources I use. At MarsCon 2018, I was on the "Resources for Speculative Fiction Writers" panel along with S.N. Arly, Naomi Kritzer, and Ozgur K. Sahin. S.N. Arly compiled all the websites we shared into several posts on her <a href="http://s-n-arly.tumblr.com/Resources" target="_blank">tumblr</a>. Links cover not only worldbuilding, but clothing, names (actual as well as generated), science, and highlights from the panel discussion.
<p>
Rather than going over everything on the list, I'll just say, check it out and make a note of it (I've put a link to it on my own writing aids website) for later use. There are a number of valuable links there.
<p>
Societies, of course, also have their own sets of <a href="http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2012/10/manners.html" target="_blank">manners</a> and <a href="http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2010/12/fashion.html" target="_blank">fashion</a>, both of which, again, are dependent upon elements such as technology, resources, religion, and environment.
<p>
Martha Wells has a <a href="http://www.marthawells.com/writingguide.htm" target="_blank">writing guide page</a> that has diversity suggestion links as well as basics on submitting and promotion.
<p>
For middle school and high school beginning writers, Jeffrey A. Carver has <a href="http://www.writesf.com/" target="_blank">"Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy"</a>, a step by step website with examples on worldbuilding.
<p>
I've found <a href="http://www.technovelgy.com/" target="_blank">Technovelgy</a> useful not only as a place to check when certain technology appeared in science fiction (1898 for asteroid mining, btw), but also as a gathering spot for recent technology news and inspiration.
<p>
What resources have you found useful? Any links to add?Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-83015649955525419102018-02-12T12:47:00.001-05:002018-02-12T12:47:28.749-05:00Originally posted: http://shannon-muir.com/guest-post-featuring-kim-baccellia/<br />
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<strong>Every Monday, MYSTERY OF CHARACTER FEATURING SHANNON MUIR
focuses on the art and craft of writing, from Shannon’s perspective or
that of guest authors. </strong><strong>To catch up on all posts, check out the <a href="http://shannon-muir.com/category/mystery-of-character/">MYSTERY OF CHARACTER FEATURING SHANNON MUIR</a><a href="http://shannon-muir.com/category/animated-insights/"> </a>portion of the website! </strong><br />
<strong>This week welcomes a guest post from author Kim Baccellia.</strong><br />
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<h2>
Guest Post from the Author</h2>
BUILDING A WRITING ROUTINE<br />
As an educator, it’s been drilled into me to have schedules and
goals. Even then, I’ve personally found that I need to have a plan
whenever I start a new writing project. Otherwise, nothing gets done!
Here’s some things that have worked for me.<br />
<ol>
<li>Write everyday</li>
</ol>
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We’ve all heard this one. That in order to be an author, you have to be willing to write every day.<br />
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<br />
Well, I have a confession. I don’t write on the weekends. I do write
during the weekdays though. One of my author friends shared something
that works for her. Carry a spare notebook with you. Whenever you have a
spare moment, pull that notebook out and write. It doesn’t have to be
much, but it’s something. You can use a notes app on your cell phone
too.<br />
Make a small goal. Maybe write an hour. Or more. Start small and build from there.<br />
<br />
<ol start="2">
<li>Have a writing space</li>
</ol>
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<br />
My husband works from home which means it can be really hard to
concentrate and write. I ended up taking over the guest room and made it
into my writing office. I also write at the coffee house. I take ear
bubs and listen to a Playlist I created for my book and write.<br />
My favorite coffee house has to be Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf which just happens to have the most amazing ice tea lattes.<br />
<br />
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<br />
<br />
<ol start="3">
<li>Mapping out story</li>
</ol>
<br />
I happen to be a Plotter. I use a story map to plot out my stories.
In my writing office, I have this huge whiteboard. I got this one at
Costco. I have different color markers which I use for each different
POV.<br />
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<br />
<ol start="4">
<li>Read</li>
</ol>
<br />
I think it’s important to read. I never understood those writers who
say they don’t read. I read books that help with setting. I read for
inspiration. I also read books outside my comfort zone. Right now I’m
reading lots of romances and books that deal with WWII women resistance
fighters.<br />
<br />
<ol start="5">
<li>Early or late at night</li>
</ol>
Find a time that works best for you. When I was teaching full-time, I
was able to write during my lunch break at the nearby Burger King. Now
that I’m at home, I find that writing midmorning to early afternoon
works best for me. I also am a morning person, so I tend to write better
during that time. Someone else though might find that writing after
work, or when the kids are in bed, works best for them.<br />
<br />
<ol start="6">
<li>It’s okay to say ‘no’.</li>
</ol>
This one is huge. I try to not let someone guilt trip me into
thinking that my writing time isn’t important. It’s okay to say ‘no’.
Really, it is.<br />
<br />
<ol start="7">
<li>Writer’s Block</li>
</ol>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
This happens to the best of us! I totally believe in getting up and
walking or doing some physical activity. For me, I power walk or go to a
movie. Or to watch Netflix shows. It’s okay to take a break now and
then. Some of my best writing came when I did this. And sometimes, I
just write to get through it.<br />
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<br />
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The big thing is to find out what works for you!<br />
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Check out my other guest posts and reviews this week over on: http://blogtours.yareads.com/2018/01/02/blog-tour-sign-ups-crossed-fire-book-2-crossed-series-kim-baccellia/<br />
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<br />Kim Baccelliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304806976633973536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-86322187100516858252018-02-04T00:00:00.000-05:002018-02-04T00:00:00.177-05:00Watch Me Pull a Rabbit Out of My Hat(a guest blog post by Kelly McCullough)
<p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztvphGkdhLHEW1m8LnYmVtR5xzauhUe1If5KOhYU8nuDubm4-Ili7blrMVual_BeJdRlLCvDPgMvXnnai__m2p8bOXL4JieDn66dzAYWAku3FWPIF8ims8NR8Qc5IrM2li4bINvXIml0/s1600/9781250107831_p0_v1_s550x406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgztvphGkdhLHEW1m8LnYmVtR5xzauhUe1If5KOhYU8nuDubm4-Ili7blrMVual_BeJdRlLCvDPgMvXnnai__m2p8bOXL4JieDn66dzAYWAku3FWPIF8ims8NR8Qc5IrM2li4bINvXIml0/s320/9781250107831_p0_v1_s550x406.jpg" width="212" height="320" data-original-width="269" data-original-height="406" /></a></div><i>Magic, Madness, and Mischief</i> is an attempt to mince my childhood fine, add in some magic and an actual plot, and serve the result up for your entertainment. This book isn't autobiographical, but it draws on my experiences in ways that none of my previous books ever have. I'm not sure what made me decide it would be a good idea to try to write a fast, funny, fantasy novel about growing up in a house with a parent with serious mental health issues and going to an Open School, but I'm glad that I did.
<p>
I think it started with the first line of one of my bios: Kelly McCullough was raised and educated by free range hippies. Over the years a lot of people have asked me about how that worked, and to some extent this book is my answer. It was weird. Really, really weird, and occasionally magical. I wanted to try to capture some of that with this story about the oh-so-subtly named, Kalvan Munroe.
I gave Kalvan some things that I had; a mentally ill parent, a hippie school, a gift for getting into trouble, and a sharp tongue. I also gave him some things I didn't; a snarky magical hare for a sidekick, elemental powers, and very real enemies who would quite happily murder him.
<p>
The book kicks off with the start of a new school year and the first stirrings of Kalvan's fire magic. Not long after that he accidentally summons the world's most sarcastic fire hare and they head off for wild adventures like skipping class, hanging around with selkies, and nearly being devoured by giant anthropomorphic badgers. Figuring out which of those things I have the most experience with will be an exercise left to the reader. Hint, it's the badgers. Those things were the bane of my existence as a kid. But, you probably know how it is.
<p>
Okay, so maybe not, but, hopefully that gives you a bit of the flavor of the thing. It's a book about being an outsider and how to have a happy childhood in the face of challenges both mundane and esoteric. It's about learning how to be kind and strong even when you're angry and confused and loving your family even on the days you don't particularly like them.
<p>
All of which might come off as kind of heavy for a middle grade adventure novel, if my family motto weren't: that which doesn't kill us makes for the best jokes. Since family rule one is: don't die, that makes for lots of material. Rule two is: don't walk in front of the cannon. You probably won't need to worry about it for purposes of reading this book, but, if the opportunity comes up, it's still a good thing to remember.
<p>
To bring this essay to its somewhat surreal, but still terribly on-point ending, if you like Magic, find Madness interesting, and enjoy Mischief, this might just be the book you've been looking for. If none of that is true, you should still probably buy a copy and read it simply because it's a fast fun romp through a world a few degrees off from our own.
<p>
More information on Kelly and his work can be found at <a href="http://kellymccullough.com" target="_blank">kellymccullough.com</a>. His books can be found at many bookstores and ordered pretty much anywhere. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1250107830/kellymccullou-20/ref=nosim" target=_blank">Amazon</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/magic-madness-and-mischief-kelly-mccullough/1124116048?ean=9781250107831" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a>, <a href="http://www.unclehugo.com/prod/ah-mccullough-kelly.php" target=_blank">Uncle Hugo's</a> (can usually get signed books), <a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250107831" target="_blank">Indiebound</a>.
<p>
<b>Bio:</b> Kelly McCullough was raised and educated by free-range hippies. Later he received a degree in theater and worked in improv. That combination was the perfect preparation for his current career as author and cat herder. He is the author of more than a dozen novels including <i>School for Sidekicks</i> and the adult fantasy series <i>Webmage</i> and <i>Fallen Blade</i>. His short fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. His microfiction series <i>DragonDiaries</i> and <i>Badnoir</i> can be found on his webpage or by following him on Twitter or Facebook. He also does a fair bit of silly performance art which can be found at: <a href="https://kellymccullough.com/shenanigans/" target="_blank">https://kellymccullough.com/shenanigans/</a>Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-18446535099828141212018-01-26T00:00:00.000-05:002018-01-26T00:00:24.948-05:00Author at a Career Fair<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBe9zYJp-Uv3t-GBO0tic_U7BQ5D89rkMS_9PYDS0Xna4L3bIHuLaQGYURyT8-QAa-SsHEkS4PG2Ry9iAGK1VckPecz7Xd93-xS0WaEbPDaj5JHkVpANfejZvvvAYsUXke_L1HKfm-9sA/s1600/741526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBe9zYJp-Uv3t-GBO0tic_U7BQ5D89rkMS_9PYDS0Xna4L3bIHuLaQGYURyT8-QAa-SsHEkS4PG2Ry9iAGK1VckPecz7Xd93-xS0WaEbPDaj5JHkVpANfejZvvvAYsUXke_L1HKfm-9sA/s320/741526.jpg" width="320" height="98" data-original-width="1458" data-original-height="446" /></a></div>
<p>
I've been asked to be the designated author at a Career Fair in February. Students wanted an author as one of the choices.
<p>
So, of course, I'm doing research beforehand. This Career Fair will only be two hours, so already I see I don't have to do the elaborate presentation that an all-day event would supposedly need. I checked with the person who contacted me if I could bring some of my books and awards as examples and got the okay on that.
<p>
So what else will I have? Not a banner - I still haven't invested in one because I'm still waiting on the re-releases of books with new covers. Books to display (both my own and how to write), check. Awards, check. Promo bookmarks for my books and short stories in case anyone wants one, check. Business cards in case they might have questions later and wish to contact me, check.
<p>
What else would I need? It sounds like students will be able to wander from table to table and ask questions, so I don't need to have a lengthy presentation. How to prepare for what questions might be asked during those two hours?
<p>
Before I retired from my day job as a university librarian, one of the classes I used to talk to about doing research was a Counselor Education class on, luckily, Career Education. I set up a website that the class could use to find out information about occupations. So I know some of the information that that class used to have to find. This Career Fair will be held at the Senior High School, so I'll probably get a mixture of very general questions and perhaps more specialized ones.
<p>
Basic questions students need to find out about an occupation: what do you do, what are the requirements, what's a normal salary, what's the job outlook. Answers can be found in the <i>Occupational Outlook Handbook</i>, though the entry for <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/writers-and-authors.htm" target="_blank">Writers and Authors</a> has some interesting responses. So far I only know I'll have a table, so I'll have a printout of that entry I can refer to in case I get those basic questions.
<p>
As a small press author, I found the salary in the entry rather optimistic. But I'll also have a printout of <a href="http://www.jimchines.com/2018/01/2017-writing-income/" target="_blank">Jim Hines' 2017 Writing Income</a> blog post, so a more traditionally published author will be represented. And, since not everyone is J.K. Rowling or James Patterson, the importance of a day job needs to be mentioned. Though when I decided to be a writer at age 14, I was convinced I would only need a day job until I became an established writer. So I expect to be ignored about that. But it will be mentioned.
<p>
I'm published with a few small presses, so I can definitely talk about my experiences with those. I know a very little bit about self-publishing, as I have a couple of short stories published that way on Amazon Kindle.
<p>
For other questions, I have a handout of websites about writing science fiction and fantasy, lists of useful books, markets, and such that interested students can take. Some of the websites are listed on my <a href="http://kathrynsullivan.com/interests" target="_blank">Interests</a> webpage under "Writing Aids".
<p>
Have you presented at a Career Fair? What types of questions did you get? What would you have liked to have known?
<p>Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-22209194106065761182017-12-29T00:00:00.000-05:002017-12-29T00:00:04.820-05:00Getting the Word Out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfTvAJTgb_mjufhD1toMmSMimCDbnk6bh7UGjZE408X-RIVkidO7AJzHjC1Qc4cL24ZOohPCJC8tAZVSFzYTGbP1_-BjZ_uoGwvKShO_rF_2e7unuEUEVGCBwbbQAc_9BLzfWkl818gk/s1600/kiMbGk4LT.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfTvAJTgb_mjufhD1toMmSMimCDbnk6bh7UGjZE408X-RIVkidO7AJzHjC1Qc4cL24ZOohPCJC8tAZVSFzYTGbP1_-BjZ_uoGwvKShO_rF_2e7unuEUEVGCBwbbQAc_9BLzfWkl818gk/s320/kiMbGk4LT.png" width="320" height="148" data-original-width="433" data-original-height="200" /></a></div>
Is there anything new in book promotion? What works for you lately?
<p>
It seems like so many different things are hyped as the one definite way for people to learn about a new book. Some of those are actually old, but have cycled around to become the hot new thing.
<p>
<b>Book trailer videos</b> - good if you have the skill, but if you don't... well... I looked at a few when the fad first started and knew right away I didn't have the skill level for any of it - art, audio, pacing.. What has been your opinion on this?
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<b>Reviews</b><br>
When my first book came out, reviews were what you had to focus on. At that time there were numerous book review sites, all looking for new books to review. Some of them are still out there, but finding them has become difficult. And if you can't find the sites, how many readers are actually following them? My old publisher and my new publisher were good at sending books out to their lists of reviewers, but they also want their authors to get reviews.
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Places like Amazon and GoodReads are fussy about what reviews they accept. (are you friends with the author, did you buy the book from Amazon...)
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<b>Book Announcements</b><br>
When I consider myself <a href="http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2013/12/finding-books.html" target="_blank">how I find out about new books</a>, I realize how much I'm probably missing. I follow <i>Shelf Awareness</i>, though actually it turns up in my email, because I supported an independent bookstore which has since closed. Looking at their <a href="http://www.shelf-awareness.com/submissionguidelines.html" target="_blank">submission guidelines</a>, they don't want ebooks or those without national distribution, so that limits them.
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For science fiction books I check <i>Locus</i>. They have several review sections, but also a big section on "Books Received", which I actually pay more attention to than their reviews. I've had my books appear in the "Books Received" section as it's <a href="http://locusmag.com/aboutlocusonline/contact/" target="_blank">easy to send them a copy</a>. I've noticed a slight bump in sales after an announcement there. There's also a remote possibility that a book they receive might be selected for a review.
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And, of course, never forget to send a book announcement to your local paper, university newspages, Facebook Author page, or other such sources.
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<b>Book Listings</b><br>
I recommend that authors set up their own author page on <a href="https://authorcentral.amazon.com/" target="_blank">Author Central</a> on Amazon. It helps readers find your books from various publishers and gives you an idea of how sales are doing through Amazon. B&N used to have author pages, but I can't find any links to them now.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/" target="_blank">GoodReads</a> is another important place to have your author profile set up and your books listed. I'm lucky in that some of my publishers make sure new books are listed quickly. Unfortunately I also have a few publishers with multi-author publications that forget to have all the authors listed for a book, which makes it a bit difficult to add to the author profile. Make sure to check on your author profile so that any books written by an author with a similar name don't turn up there. There are helpful people at GoodReads who will correct the problem when you alert them (too many Kathryn Sullivans write books).
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If you're a YA or children's book author, <a href="http://www.yabookscentral.com/" target="_blank">YA Books Central</a>, is another spot to consider listing your books. They also <a href="http://www.yabookscentral.com/component/content/article/25-info/10182-faqs" target="_blank">review books</a>. (And if you write reviews, you can sign up to be a reviewer).
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<b>Blogs</b><br>
I've been told that blogs are dwindling in popularity. I still follow several myself, and you're reading this here, so I guess you do, too. I still hear from authors setting up blog tours or asking for blogs willing to sponsor guest posts.
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Jane Friedman recently wrote a very helpful <a href="https://www.janefriedman.com/blogging-for-writers/" target="_blank">blogging for writers</a>, where she covered content, frequency, whether to have your own blog or share one with other authors (hello, YA Authors You Never Heard Of) and several other topics.
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<b>Interviews</b><br>
Newspapers and radio stations are still good for interviews, but podcasts like <a href="http://www.writergroupie.net/" target="_blank">Writer Groupie</a> are looking for people with stories to tell.
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<b>Contests</b><br>
I've posted about <a href="http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2013/11/how-awards-matter.html" target="_blank">awards</a> before, but there's been news about a recent <a href="https://fozmeadows.wordpress.com/2017/12/27/new-york-literary-magazine-a-series-of-unfortunate-events/" target="_blank">scam contest put on by a fake literary magazine</a>. There are still good contests out there, like the <a href="http://epicorg.com/competitions/epic-s-ebook-competition.html" target="_blank">EPIC eBook Awards</a>, and an author should check sites like <a href="http://accrispin.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Writer Beware</a> and <a href="http://accrispin.blogspot.com/2007/01/victoria-strauss-evaluating-literary.html" target="_blank">evaluate</a> before submitting.
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<b>Ongoing Promotion</b><br>
Don't think that promotion is "one time and done". And yet you don't want to be "one of those" authors on Facebook whose constant refrain is "buy my book, buy my book, buy my book". Consider more subtle means of promotion, like <a href="http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2015/11/promotion-items.html" "target=_blank">swag</a> on freebie tables at conventions, pens or bookmarks you can hand out. I even have a little sticker I put on the back of envelopes I mail. Not sure if any of the companies I pay bills to notice a sticker about my books, but it's there.
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Fellow authors are also sometimes willing to give others a boost. John Scalzi often has a Christmas guide where one day is devoted to indie authors to list their books. <a href="http://file770.com/" target="_blank">File770</a> not only sometimes has announcements about new science fiction and fantasy books, but people posting in the comments (one of the few places where you want to read the comments) also recommend books.
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I set up my Facebook Author page awhile back. Some authors set up separate pages for each book, which to me seems overkill. Having an author page separate from my own FB page though, allows me to talk about different things. I also have a Google Plus page, though I don't post there as often. I know other authors have a Tumblr page and Twitter accounts. Which do you feel works better for you?
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What other means of getting the word out about your books works for you? What do you notice as a reader?
Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-58069282956403367612017-11-29T05:00:00.000-05:002017-11-29T05:00:08.652-05:00TIGER'S TALES<div style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", Trebuchet, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;">Hi, my name is Tiger and I'm in charge today. My mom turned the blog over to me. So I have a tail, um, a tale for you.</span><br style="text-align: start;" /><br style="text-align: start;" /><div>
Some of you readers may have already met me.</div>
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If you haven't, I'm pleased to have new friends.</div>
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One of my favorite things to do is ride on the lawnmower, as long s it's sitting still. It sort of spooks me when the motor is running. It makes so much noise. When my brother, Mom's human son, cuts the engine, I hop aboard. Then Mom takes my picture. She does that a lot. I don't know why.</div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">I also like to sit on top of the van and look at the world. Birds fly by. The wind blows leaves across the grass. A butterfly lights on a flower to eat its dinner. A cottontail rabbit runs across the field. </span></div>
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But the most fun of all is climbing the giant mesquite and elm trees. From the high branches I can see the whole world.</div>
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Then the sun sets, and Mom makes me come inside the house. No fun. I want to chase the night creatures. But she tells me it's bedtime. I sometimes run from her, but she knows how to get my attention. She rattles the sack with treats inside. Oh, yummy. How can a guy resist?</div>
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And there is my tale for today.</div>
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What about you?</div>
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Do you like to mow the grass?</div>
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Do you like to climb trees?</div>
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Do you like to chase the night creatures?</div>
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What is your favorite thing to do?</div>
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Beverly Stowe McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02176195451841801819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-64594296003464843952017-10-22T22:48:00.002-04:002017-10-22T22:48:53.520-04:00Friday Five1. Had a great time Saturday with other Indie and small press pubbed authors! The librarian did a great job!<br />
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I had little swag bags filled with bookmarkers, a 'What Would Audrey Do' buttons, and a Blow Pop( Selena's favorite candy!). The swag bags were a hit. So were the new covers to the Goddesses series!<br />
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2. Been reading!<br />
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Love this collection of short stories that deal with the theme of teen love triangles.<br />
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Think YA meets <span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , serif; font-size: 14px;">Talented Mr. Ripley. Twists and turns throughout this novel with a very twisty ending.</span><br />
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Totally loved this story of a teen who blames himself for the tragic death of his three best friends after he texts them while they are driving. Mostly though this is a story of forgiving, not only what happened, but yourself. Highly recommend!</div>
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Satisfying twist on the whole premise of murdered teens getting revenge. Fast-paced ghostly tale of not only revenge, but redemption.</div>
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**Guilty Pleasure:</div>
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Plan on getting reading for Saturday's OCCRWA Birthday Bash! Love these events! I especially love the PJ parties that are held during the evening. Plus, I love being able to stay overnight at the hotel and work on my writing too. Double win!</div>
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Kim Baccelliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304806976633973536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-698051369338592292017-10-14T00:00:00.000-04:002017-10-14T00:00:07.006-04:00Con PreparationAfter the release of <i>Agents, Adepts, & Apprentices</i> in time for FenCon and Archon the following weekend, I finally had time enough to get organized on the other things I feel I need for conventions: promotion material!
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It feels odd to have to mention this, but often it isn't enough to have a book physically available at a convention. Yes, having a cupcake launch party will create interest (and some people did stop down to the Zumaya Publications table in the dealers room afterwards), but often you need to have some means of generating awareness. Just having signs posted around the convention (with pictures of the beautiful cover) before the party had people coming up to me later during the con saying things like "Oh, you're the cupcake lady! Is that the book?" "Sorry I missed the party, where can I check out the book?"
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Fortunately, I had already prepared enough ahead of both conventions to have promo pens I could hand out for those times I wasn't at the table. Because I'm still a newbie with my smartphone and get easily frustrated with my fingers not hitting the right keys on the screen (how can people type so quickly on those things?), I decided to have stylus pens, which seemed to be popular. They've got my book title, my name and website on them just in case people decide to check out the book (and if people don't want to, they still have a good black ink pen with a useful stylus).
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8pL98eGGyN6QUV3Gw74MzU7n3nS3dQO9JREjjQwvN7qPiSRqAAOVfJPA7lk8sLxtq9T8qXGDByf20NbCjvQvuM8AIlqdf6NCkVPYyvbdGoMyiX6sohdSzjkOiRNIxyl1753QhvQCkqc/s1600/aaapromo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ8pL98eGGyN6QUV3Gw74MzU7n3nS3dQO9JREjjQwvN7qPiSRqAAOVfJPA7lk8sLxtq9T8qXGDByf20NbCjvQvuM8AIlqdf6NCkVPYyvbdGoMyiX6sohdSzjkOiRNIxyl1753QhvQCkqc/s320/aaapromo.jpg" width="320" height="178" data-original-width="960" data-original-height="533" /></a></div>Unfortunately, I forgot to update my business cards with the new book title. And I didn't have time after approving the book cover to design and order cards for the new release. But I had time enough after Archon to fix that, and my new promo supplies have arrived. I'm trying <a href="http://www.vistaprint.com/" target="_blank">VistaPrint</a> this time for my paper promos, rather than the company I used in my previous blog post about <a href="https://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2015/11/promotion-items.html" target="_blank">promotion material</a>. For some reason this year VistaPrint had a better selection of business card designs and an easier setup method for double-sided postcards. The stylus pens are from <a href="http://www.pens.com/" target="_blank">National Pen</a>, which I've had good luck with over the years.
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So now I'm all set for the next month's worth of conventions, library workshops and bookstore events.
At some point I should probably add a banner, as a number of my other author friends have done, but that should wait until I see the new covers for the upcoming re-releases from <a href="https://www.zumayapublications.com/" target="_blank">Zumaya Publications</a>. A banner would work for those conventions I drive to, but when I'm flying to a convention the weight limit for suitcases means I'd rather bring books than a banner. Maybe a custom designed tablecloth? Vistaprint immediately showed me what my postcard design would look like on a banner, a tablecloth, and a few other items. They all looked lovely and it was very tempting, but I don't know.
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What are your go-to items for promotion? What attracts your attention?Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-9774013268921244522017-09-25T13:16:00.000-04:002017-09-25T13:16:47.823-04:00Friday Five1. I'll be at here on October 14th:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVuCtg0NP9-S6-Jk5N7wdFxPJooZKS8nhXKR6oLv7iwcwoY1PwawK9SkNFqnIiqKyMSx_4xrL_XouaPXHi_insU_wj6-XnARX2cLG7DHh-K7dQWBV8pRLwL8sXbEunwEIz6Yj4DBu4r9W/s1600/Indie+AuthorDay_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1132" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVuCtg0NP9-S6-Jk5N7wdFxPJooZKS8nhXKR6oLv7iwcwoY1PwawK9SkNFqnIiqKyMSx_4xrL_XouaPXHi_insU_wj6-XnARX2cLG7DHh-K7dQWBV8pRLwL8sXbEunwEIz6Yj4DBu4r9W/s640/Indie+AuthorDay_Poster.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
I'll also do a book signing afterwards. I plan on bringing copies of GODDESSES CAN WAIT and a couple of NO MORE GODDESSES. Plus, some swag!<br />
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2. Just got the galley of CROSS FIRE!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUtAgzBIX863FBkNj9Sd0qTp1FxQKQUL7DkQvevP05R8AQDqr37KRcNmWqq4RI2mv31dhyphenhyphenXsoDtvQ1J8TlWSdurKDSeoxFfbR1EU8129pVF1auuJ3NuAFdqzb-BuTSG13ZrcQ4KC_bkMW/s1600/happy+dance2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="236" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUtAgzBIX863FBkNj9Sd0qTp1FxQKQUL7DkQvevP05R8AQDqr37KRcNmWqq4RI2mv31dhyphenhyphenXsoDtvQ1J8TlWSdurKDSeoxFfbR1EU8129pVF1auuJ3NuAFdqzb-BuTSG13ZrcQ4KC_bkMW/s400/happy+dance2.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
Need to go over it and write up an acknowledgement and dedication. Can't wait to see the cover of this one!<br />
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3. Also working on revisions of CANDLE. Hope to be able to query this out by the end of next month!<br />
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4. One sad note: Sunni pulled his one foot and hasn't been walking very well. Took him to the vet and he had an xray. Doctor said the good news is it's not broken or fractured. The not too good news is he's not walking without using his beak to get around. Doctor gave me some inflammatory meds to help with the pain. Please, send some positive, healthy vibes his way.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-X-6Oque99tfR7wUTZu1OhGyJXJP73aYNb5fklovTW6MqfAkR7O_S73qVj4bJnABRvvn-x3vQUG55BPK94a7cYksaHKok4NKZpGO7_sOCTG6EI-_OCmfbI_oh2Dpn85Zy2M425LMuuCV/s1600/sunniselfie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="542" data-original-width="405" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-X-6Oque99tfR7wUTZu1OhGyJXJP73aYNb5fklovTW6MqfAkR7O_S73qVj4bJnABRvvn-x3vQUG55BPK94a7cYksaHKok4NKZpGO7_sOCTG6EI-_OCmfbI_oh2Dpn85Zy2M425LMuuCV/s400/sunniselfie.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
5. I was beyond excited when Penguin teen sent me DEAR MARTIN:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBt6u7jWOQQuv6inANwMXaQPYwQAPW2rwxDisLbhUqPPI4ErMNDXxxsCjPNVTW5xECu8U8_ByBkheNhIcVL_9TimMYAiIRi4VJzIwz8Ew6WbaxbXe69tBIH5CjxWLh0cSpaMQcgXI7pIVs/s1600/Dear+Martin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBt6u7jWOQQuv6inANwMXaQPYwQAPW2rwxDisLbhUqPPI4ErMNDXxxsCjPNVTW5xECu8U8_ByBkheNhIcVL_9TimMYAiIRi4VJzIwz8Ew6WbaxbXe69tBIH5CjxWLh0cSpaMQcgXI7pIVs/s400/Dear+Martin.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
Link to YA Books Central review: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/21791-dear-martin<br />
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Teaser: <span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">There's lots of topics discussed in frank detail; racial profiling, racism, prejudice, and police brutality. This book would be perfect for high school libraries and for classroom discussions. I seriously feel these topics should be discussed and not avoided.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-size: 13px;">**Added: After the recent controversy this weekend, I found this which also ties in with this book:</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">https://twitter.com/TheUndefeated/status/911682699819208704/video/1</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">**Guilty Pleasure:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Omg, have any of you had one of those Starbucks Salted Caramel Mocha drinks yet?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">They are to die for!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><b>Photo courtesy of Starbucks.com</b><br />
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Kim Baccelliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304806976633973536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-15758504235511706332017-09-20T00:00:00.000-04:002017-10-13T11:09:47.109-04:00Agents, Adepts, and ApprenticesI am excited to announce that <a href="https://www.zumayapublications.com/ebooks/thresholds-imprint-ebooks/" target="_blank">Zumaya Thresholds</a> has released my short story collection, <i>Agents, Adepts, & Apprentices</i>. This is an expanded version of the collection previously published by Amber Quill Press, with a few more stories about my interplanetary agents, as well as additional fantasy and science fiction stories (some of which appeared in anthologies by other publishers).
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For those new to the collection, there are fantasy stories about wizards, elves, talking horses, and dwarves as well as humans trying to deal with magic. There are also science fiction stories about psi powers, interplanetary agents, aliens attending college on Earth, and aliens attempting to figure out Terran slang. And, as indicated by the title, there are experts, and there are those trying to learn, with mixed results.
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<i>Agents, Adepts & Apprentices</i> is currently available through <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B075Q9BXQT/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1505768937&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Kindle</a>, <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/agents-adepts-apprentices-kathryn-sullivan/1127115382?ean=2940158649943" target="_blank">Nook</a>, and <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/agents-adepts-apprentices" target="_blank">Kobo</a>, with other formats available soon.
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The paper version is planned to appear at <a href="http://www.fencon.org/" target="_blank">FenCon</a> in Dallas. I have a cupcake party (short stories = cupcakes) scheduled to celebrate there. This works out extremely well as Zumaya Publications will be at the convention as well. So I'll be able to hang out with publisher Elizabeth Burton and fellow authors Gloria Oliver and Rie Sheridan Rose.
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By that time I should also be calmed down from running around town and showing off the new cover to people (so far the librarians at the local library, the local bookstore owner, people at the post office who hand out my pens, people at my credit union - and one must not forget friends on Facebook). Or do you know authors who don't get excited about new book covers?Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-61654508223724230382017-08-31T00:00:00.000-04:002017-08-31T00:00:21.446-04:00Young Adult Award (not a Hugo) Ratified!Those who have followed this blog over the years know that I’ve been pushing for a YA Award to be a part of the Hugo Awards for a few years. Previous reports about it can be found via the links at the bottom of this post.
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During Worldcon 75 this year in Helsinki, Finland, the question of a YA Award came up again at the business meeting. The previous year's YA Award Committee <a href="http://www.worldcon.fi/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/YA_Award_Full_Report.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> was to cover its decisions on the following questions:
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Will the award be named for a person?
Will the award be called ‘YA’, ‘teen lit’, or some other such thing?
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Alex Acks reported on <a href="https://bookriot.com/2017/08/23/hugo-awards-rules-2017/" target="_blank">the Hugo Awards rules changes</a> at the Business Meeting – nominations, Best Series, and, most importantly, the Young Adult Award.
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The committee report given last year at Sasquan had a good breakdown on how various other awards determined what was YA, what was middle grade, and the pros and cons of using marketing categories. The YA Committee decided that the Award should be treated like the Campbell Award (not a Hugo), so that a strict definition of what constitutes YA wouldn't be needed, nor would a word limit (which is what determines several of the categories of the Hugos).
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However, the Committee couldn't decide on a name for the award. They created a committee to collect and evaluate name ideas.
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The <a href="http://www.worldcon.fi/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/YA_Award_Full_Report.pdf" target="_blank">report</a> from the YA Award Study Committee listed the names they collected via several surveys. It went into their naming considerations: should the award be named for a person or an idea, were there other awards already using the proposed name, and several other points. One point that a few people missed at the Business Meeting was that, if a personal name of an author was suggested, the committee also looked at whether the author's other works would somehow reflect negatively on the award. They eventually decided against personal names for the award.
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The Committee came up with ten names on their shortlist. Those ten names were run past a group of people knowlegeable in cultural diversity and cross-cultural sensitivity. Those ten names were then put on a Public Shortlist Voting Survey which people could vote on from January 15 through March 15, 2017. They had both a Facebook and a Twittter page from which they promoted the survey, and those of us following the whole award debate also passed on the news about the survey. The final name chosen by the Committee after all that was Lodestar.
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I recommend that anyone interested check out the Committee's report. There were quite a few names suggested by people and the Committee did a fantastic job checking and evaluating each one.
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The name will be ratified at the 2018 Business Meeting in San Jose. The Business Meeting in Helsinki (after a lot of procedural backs and forths*) voted to ratify the Young Adult Award (Not A Hugo) 65-27. And there was much cheering. The Young Adult Award will be on the Hugo nomination form for the 2018 Hugos. Yayy!
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Hopefully the Business Meeting in 2018 in San Jose will ratify the name as the Lodestar Award. Which will work out nicely for the <a href="https://dublin2019.com/" target="_blank">2019 Worldcon</a>, which will be held in Dublin, Ireland. The Guest of Honor for that Worldcon has already been announced, and the GOH will be <a href="https://dublin2019.com/guests/" target="_blank">Diane Duane</a>! (I highly recommend her YA Young Wizards series)
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What do you think of the YA Award (not a Hugo)?
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* Seriously, a <b>lot</b> of back and forths. If you really want all the details, Alex Acks detailed it in a <a href="http://katsudon.net/?p=5646" target="_blank">liveblog</a> starting at 1116. And running until 1245 (whew).Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-3380931721383828052017-08-27T10:52:00.003-04:002017-08-27T10:52:38.697-04:00Virtual Tourist - Secret World Legends 8/27/17Morning!<br />
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Things eased up a little this week at the day job, but I felt crappy on Friday, so no movie review... Again. So here's a quick one.<br />
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<strong>The Hitman's Bodyguard</strong> - (Rated R - mostly for language and graphic violence - so definitely NOT for younger kids). Excellent stunt work and they even had some really fun and fresh ideas in several spots. When the two guys meet for the 1st time face to face - awesome! Then when AAA complains to the bartender at the outside bar, more super awesomeness appears! The movie was a ton of fun, and the soundtrack totally rocked! Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's rating: Pay Full Price to See Again!)<br />
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<b>Secret World Legends</b><br />
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View at the top of the central tree. A lot of energy and light float around it.</div>
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Too weird not to take a picture of. Man of gold? Behind him is a portal leading to another location on Earth.</div>
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Other locations on Earth and their portals.</div>
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The other side of one of the portals. Hello, New England!</div>
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We've arrived at Kingsmouth Town. The glowing area is a spawn point.</div>
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This fellow fills you on what is going on around here. It isn't good. Major paranormal stuff is going down!</div>
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The Sheriff - one of the few survivors in town after the fog rolled in. They've fortified the police station until more substantial help comes.</div>
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View of Kingsmouth Bay. Zombies and worse roaming everywhere.</div>
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The view when looking to the left of the bay. </div>
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Hope your Sunday is productive and restful!Gloria Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07170079541864985683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-78114107631098171472017-08-16T00:00:00.000-04:002017-08-16T00:00:21.578-04:00Brenda Cooper - The Silver Ship and The SeaGuest blog post by Brenda Cooper
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<b>The Silver Ship and the Sea: 9-90’s Fiction and YA</b>
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I believe you can write fiction for all age groups that will appeal to a YA audience. By the time I was thirteen, I often went to the adult shelves to find books to read.
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I think there are two reasons for this:
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This book is “otherness.” It’s about six genetically enhanced children left behind on a planet that detests genetic modification. While the theme of “otherness” is appropriate to people of all ages (and currently a major point of our national conversation), it is perhaps most germane to teens. For many, one of the most import tasks is to find their chosen tribe and then find a way to belong there. I know that I tried on many personalities and social circles, and also tried to join some I just couldn’t quite reach for. At that age, every social rejection mattered, every time I was referenced as a “geek” or a “smart kid” or a “mentally gifted monkey.” Yes—that was a thing in my life—being called a “Mentally Gifted Monkey.” I’m pretty sure teens are called worse things now.
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<i>The Silver Ship and the Sea</i> is narrated by a teenager. Chelo Lee is the oldest of the teens, and the one who feels like she has to get her little tribe through its dangerous existence. This is also a very teen thing—a chance to explore taking responsibility as a leader and to feel what that might be like.
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Even though it has always been shelved in the adult science fiction section, teen readers have found it and commented on it to me at conventions. So there are other teens now who are like I was—looking to the adult sections to find works that might appeal to them.
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Brenda Cooper writes science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories, and sometimes, poetry. Her most recent novel is <i>Spear of Darkness</i>, from Pyr and her most recent story collection is <i>Cracking the Sky</i> from Fairwood Press. Brenda is a technology professional and a futurist, and publishes non-fiction on the environment and the future. Her non-fiction has appeared on Slate and Crosscut and her short fiction has appeared in Nature Magazine, among other venues. See her website at <a href="http://www.brenda-cooper.com" target="_blank">www.brenda-cooper.com</a>.
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Brenda lives in the Pacific Northwest in a household with three people, three dogs, far more than three computers, and only one TV in it.
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Brenda currently has a <a href="http://tiny.cc/FremontsChildren" target="_blank">Kickstarter for a short story collection based on the same universe as The Silver Ship and the Sea</a>. Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-29400617051923057532017-07-30T20:54:00.000-04:002017-07-30T20:54:20.165-04:00GODDESSES CAN WAIT book blog tour-Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">Review of <i>No More Goddesses</i></span></b><br /><b><br /></b>Jordan has a romantic heart and a deep love of everything Audrey Hepburn. One day, Jordan discovers that her grandmother is keeper of a gorgeous bracelet and a secret: that one of Audrey’s roles, the main in Tessa’s Treasure, was based on reality, and this reality featured none other than a great aunt Jordan never knew. What appears to be a lovely vintage bracelet, reminiscent of all the romantic happenings of Audrey’s cinematic life, soon turns out to be very un-fortuitous for Jordan. The bracelet has the power to give love, which Jordan is at first fascinated by because she has her heart set on a certain boy she previously thought was out of her league. High school girls always love a good romantic story. But this was before Jordan knew there was a vengeful Goddess, Hathor, eager to play around with the mortals in possession of her bracelet. By the time Jordan realizes that the bracelet is not all fun and games, it was too late. The bracelet was locked onto her wrist and Hathor’s games were underway… bugs, glitter, even a grand transformation of high school into Egyptian temple. Jordan has to find a way to rescue her friends and give Hathor her bracelet back so that normalcy can once more be restored, even if that means not getting her high school romance.<br /><br /><br />I really love a good mythological story. The old stories of Greek/Roman and Egyptian Gods never get old, and there are so many interesting characters that authors can have a lot of fun incorporating. So, it was really nice to read a story that found a way to fuse some old tales with new, and even to weave in some classic cinema. What I also want to praise about <i>No More Goddesses </i>are the unexpected turns the story took. You think you know a bit how the story is going to end up, but the author throws a few twists in at the end to give you just a bit of delighted surprise. I really like that it wasn’t an entirely predictable ending. Definitely a charming read, and worth a read. I am going to be reading book 2 next, and I look forward to seeing what clever takes the author has in store.</div>
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Kim Baccelliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304806976633973536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-29906651206563157402017-07-12T05:00:00.000-04:002017-07-12T05:00:14.174-04:00PRINCESS BREEZE VIRTUAL TOURWelcome to Wednesday. I'm excited to share my latest news with you awesome readers. My YA novel, PRINCESS BREEZE, is on tour. In case you're interested, I've listed the links below where you can visit the fabulous hosts of the tour and learn more about me and my story. Scary thought, huh?<br />
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<em style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">For months, Breeze Brannigan has heard nothing from Cam, the prince she met at school and who disappeared one night, without telling her goodbye. On the night, she graduates from middle school, however, he contacts her and invites her to visit Isla del Fuego, his home. Who could refuse such an invitation?</em><em style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Breeze along with her whole family and best friends, Amy and Allison, soon sail to the island, where she and Cam renew their friendship. But danger lurks; a legend comes to life, and Breeze finds herself in the middle of a battle that can have one winner.</em></div>
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<em style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; font-family: inherit; font-style: italic; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">PRINCESS BREEZE</em> is available at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ybpt23px" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://tinyurl.com/y9b7wo75" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Barnes and Noble</a>, and <a href="http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/mcclure.php" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #aaaaaa; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: dotted thin; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4RV Publishing</a>.</div>
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Here is the schedule. Hope to see you there.</div>
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July 10 –<a href="http://www.junetakey.com/posts/princess-breeze-by-beverly-stowe-mcclure/" rel="noopener" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"> Juneta @ Writer’s Gambit </a>– Guest Post</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #404040; font-family: Alegreya, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="http://mythicalbooks.blogspot.ro/2017/07/a-legend-comes-to-life-princess-breeze.html" rel="noopener" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Mythical Books</a> – Guest Post</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #404040; font-family: Alegreya, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.writersandauthors.info/2017/07/the-wonderful-world-of-writing.html" rel="noopener" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Writers & Authors</a> – Guest Post</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #404040; font-family: Alegreya, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<a href="http://www.alexjcavanaugh.com/2017/07/spiderman-homecoming-review-princess.html" rel="noopener" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Alex J. Cavanaugh</a> – Guest Post</div>
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July 11 –</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #404040; font-family: Alegreya, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
July 12 – <a href="http://rockinbookreviews.com/" rel="noopener" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Rockin’ Book Reviews</a> – Review & Interview</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #404040; font-family: Alegreya, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
July 13 – <a href="http://stephie5741.blogspot.com/" rel="noopener" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Stephanie Faris, Author</a> – Guest Post</div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #404040; font-family: Alegreya, serif; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 300; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px 0px 1.5em; orphans: 2; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
July 14- <a href="https://mellojune.com/" rel="noopener" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Mellow & June, It’s A Book Thang</a> – Feature</div>
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July 17 – <a href="http://muretbookworm.wordpress.com/" rel="noopener" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">The Bookworm Chronicles</a> – Excerpt & Feature</div>
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July 18 –</div>
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August 1 – <a href="http://www.writersandauthors.info/" rel="noopener" style="border-image: none; border: 0px currentColor; color: #c3440d; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank">Writers & Authors</a> – Interview</div>
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Happy Reading!</div>
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<br />Beverly Stowe McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02176195451841801819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-28423158728266814362017-07-03T14:30:00.001-04:002017-07-03T14:30:50.938-04:00YA Books Central Giveaway of GODDESSES CAN WAIT<br />
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YA Books Central is hosting a giveaway of my latest book GODDESSES CAN WAIT!<br />
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Goddesses Can Wait (US Only)<br />
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About the book:<br />
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Jordan Lake, a fifteen-year-old Audrey Hepburn-olic who's a magnet for goddesses, has a chance to go to Paris with her grandmother and BFF Selena Garza. Even though she senses something is off, she decides to make the trip.<br />
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But when she kisses a cute Parisian boy a la Roman Holiday, she switches bodies with Aphrodite and is sent to the Greek netherworld. She must enlist the help of the Greek god (in more ways than one) Ares then complete seven trials set by his sister Artemis in order to return home.<br />
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Except time is running out, and if she can't get Aphrodite back to the Eiffel Tower by midnight, she'll be stuck in Greek mythology forever.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt;"> About the author: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">When
writing Goddesses Can Wait, Kim Baccellia watched almost all of Audrey
Hepburn's movies and learned to love this famous icon after watching and
reading all she could about her. Two of her all-time favorite movies,
Roman Holiday and Funny Face, are the inspiration for Jordan's trip to
Paris. What teen girl wouldn't love to have a romantic moment on the
Eiffel Tower?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">A
member of RWA, Kim is currently putting the finishing touches on a YA
multicultural thriller. She lives in Southern California with her
husband and son.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Giveaway Details:</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: 14pt;">1 winner will receive the first book in the series and some swag.</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Entering is simple, just fill out the entry form below. Winners will be announced on this site and in our monthly newsletter </span><span style="font-size: 14pt;">within 30 days after the giveaway ends.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 14pt;">During
each giveaway, we ask entrants a question pertaining to the book. Here
is the question they’ll be answering in the comments below for extra
entries: <b>What do you think of the cover & synopsis?</b></span><br />
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Go to YABC site to sign up for the newsletter and a chance at winning this swag!<br />
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Originally posted at http://www.yabookscentral.com/blog/giveway-goddesses-can-wait</div>
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Kim Baccelliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304806976633973536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-4056771853921617682017-06-14T05:00:00.000-04:002017-06-14T05:00:35.344-04:00COVER REVEAL PRINCESS BREEZEHi, dear loyal readers. I hope you enjoy my post today. It's been awhile, but you know how life gets in the way and time passes. Anyway, I'm excited to share my good news with you. My YA novel PRINCESS BREEZE now has a cover. The awesome Aidana WillowRaven has created another great one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QE7J851V9YbvqKR9Sb1hyrZH-eMJdTrZz7nHYaZ67qgYsiJeeG-A32AtzLSAeUZcH7HF6mIpuBs0Ijyn5K8iGXFqVUNSW0mcVqxazWHf8Eyz2wra2vDPvh_d6NuR7VBtSx6qpA6lVNg/s1600/PrincessBreeze5.5x8.5PBFRONTCOVER-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="840" data-original-width="524" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9QE7J851V9YbvqKR9Sb1hyrZH-eMJdTrZz7nHYaZ67qgYsiJeeG-A32AtzLSAeUZcH7HF6mIpuBs0Ijyn5K8iGXFqVUNSW0mcVqxazWHf8Eyz2wra2vDPvh_d6NuR7VBtSx6qpA6lVNg/s320/PrincessBreeze5.5x8.5PBFRONTCOVER-web.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>
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Yep, the red head is back. Perhaps you met her in JUST BREEZE. I never planned to write a series or even a sequel. Remember, never say never. So, once again, Breeze is telling us her story.</div>
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Back cover blurb for PRINCESS BREEZE<o:p></o:p></div>
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For months, Breeze Brannigan has heard nothing from Cam, the
prince she met at school who disappeared one night, without telling her
goodbye. On the night she graduates from middle school, however, he contacts
her and invites her to visit Isla del Fuego, his home. Who could refuse such an
invitation? <o:p></o:p></div>
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Breeze along with her whole family and best friends, Amy and
Allison, soon sail to the island, where she and Cam renew their friendship. But
danger lurks; a legend comes to life; and Breeze finds herself in the middle of
a battle that can have one winner.<o:p></o:p></div>
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PRINCESS BREEZE will be out any day now. I have no links, but soon, I hope.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Q6ok8592-tXNbzshaWHsw_-gFmLn-qnltb68C6AeizWq2ekB7Nr0g3Xuct7LhU7PVilFM9P8qZy44pze2Qr6aiCYDbaz6dwueu1Q6ntvGzaOq3MNPMr7SjTZ8ElqhGmYDF-kO3F9PvY/s1600/Just+Breeze.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="325" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Q6ok8592-tXNbzshaWHsw_-gFmLn-qnltb68C6AeizWq2ekB7Nr0g3Xuct7LhU7PVilFM9P8qZy44pze2Qr6aiCYDbaz6dwueu1Q6ntvGzaOq3MNPMr7SjTZ8ElqhGmYDF-kO3F9PvY/s320/Just+Breeze.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
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This is the story that started it all.</div>
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Tween/teen contemporary novel</div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Just-Breeze-Beverly-Stowe-McClure-ebook/dp/B004LGTI5W/ref=sr_1_10_twi_kin_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497293958&sr=1-10&keywords=beverly+stowe+mcclure" target="_blank">AMAZON</a> and other places where novels are sold.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Beverly
Stowe McClure bio<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Most of the time, you’ll find Award-Winning Author Beverly
Stowe McClure at her computer, typing stories young voices whisper in her
ears. When she’s not writing, she’s
snapping pictures of wildlife, flowers, and clouds. She’s affectionately known
as the “Bug Lady.” She’s not telling why. To relax she plays the piano. Her fur
babies don’t appreciate good music and hide when she tickles the ivories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Beverly is a member of the Society of Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators. She also teaches a women’s Sunday school class at her
church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Visit Beverly at:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Blog: <a href="https://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com/">https://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Site: <a href="http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com/">http://beverlystowemcclure.wordpress.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Twitter @beverlymcclure<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Thank you for stopping by.</div>
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Happy Reading and Writing!</div>
Beverly Stowe McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02176195451841801819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-88553418116415896312017-06-05T01:39:00.002-04:002017-06-09T10:10:44.139-04:00Friday Five**This is from my weekly Friday Five blog post.<br />
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1. So the plague has hit. I've been sick since Tuesday, plus son's still under the weather.<br />
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Oh, joy.<br />
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Lou Nelson, my writing mentor, suggested taking zinc. So I'm doing that plus resting while teen is at school.<br />
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2. So I haven't done much writing but plan to get back to it soon!<br />
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3. Been reading though. Latest:<br />
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I've been a fan of THE CAGE series since I was lucky enough to score a galley from YABC. This is the third and final book in the series and it's FRICKIN' AMAZING! I got to host Megan for a YABC Author Twitter chat a while back. Her books are so good! I totally recommend this TWILIGHT ZONE meets MAZE RUNNER.<br />
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4. 16 WAYS TO BREAK A HEART by Lauren Strasnick<br />
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My YA Books Central review: http://www.yabookscentral.com/yafiction/21364-16-ways-to-break-a-heart</div>
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Teaser: <span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">What I do like is how neither of these characters is the 'saint'. Each one has faults, insecurities, and selfishness. Natalie is high strung and very insecure with her border-line paranoia of Dan cheating on her. **Readers find out she might be right on this but the ways she goes about it, shows me a girl who has Fatal Attraction tendencies. One of Dan's BFFs, Ruby, calls Natalie a 'emotional vampire'. I tend to agree.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">5. Just watched this and really loved the sharp dialogue and teen angsty: Totally recommend. It's available on NetFlix.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vswj96INhmo/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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**Also I still have my GoodReads giveaway going on until June 12th! </div>
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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28046701-goddesses-can-wait?from_search=true</div>
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**Guilty Pleasure:</div>
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Well, son's 16th birthday is tomorrow! So he wants to go to Denny's tonight for their Grand Slam breakfast. </div>
Kim Baccelliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304806976633973536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-6120281206906958312017-05-12T12:51:00.003-04:002017-05-12T12:54:14.235-04:00Friday Five1. Finally updated my website! Check it out: www.kim-baccellia.com And thanks to Little Willow for doing that for me!<br />
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2. Check out my GoodReads giveaway!<br />
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I'll giving away one signed print book!<br />
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Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28046701-goddesses-can-wait<br />
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3. Son passed the written portion of his driver's test! Next Monday, he'll be starting driver's training.<br />
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4. Reading: SPELLBOOK OF THE LOST AND FOUND:<br />
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I really enjoyed THE ACCIDENT SEASON and Doyle's latest doesn't disappoint. Set in Ireland, three friends find pieces of a lost journal and a 'spellbook'. Events in their lives lead them to do a spell that sets off a string of events. <br />
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5.<br />
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** Guilty pleasure:<br />
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Need to finish this one educational project. Tomorrow I plan on going to my monthly OCCRWA meeting. I love my local RWA chapter as it always motivates me with my writing. For now though, I plan to grab a mocha swirl from Dunkin' Donuts to help me with scoring these essays.<br />
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<br />Kim Baccelliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304806976633973536noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-80939863138237172752017-05-07T19:09:00.001-04:002017-05-07T19:10:44.463-04:00My Big News!1. I have BIG NEWS!<br />
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READY?<br />
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GODDESSES CAN WAIT, the sequel to NO MORE GODDESSES is OUT. NOW!<br />
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Here it is!!!! **Isn't the cover pretty?<br />
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Here's the blurb:<br />
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Jordan Lake, a fifteen-year-old Audrey Hepburn-olic who’s a magnet for goddesses, has a chance to go to Paris with her grandmother and BFF Selena Garza. Even though she senses something is off, she decides to make the trip.</div>
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But when she kisses a cute Parisian boy a la Roman Holiday, she switches bodies with Aphrodite and is sent to the Greek netherworld.…</div>
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It's available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Goddesses-Can-Wait-Myths-Mayhem/dp/1612712975/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1493955333&sr=8-1&keywords=goddesses+can+wait<br />
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Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/goddesses-can-wait-kim-baccellia/1126271005?ean=9781612712970<br />
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2. And check out the new cover to NO MORE GODDESSES:<br />
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I'm so happy with both covers! I think this deserves an Audrey dance of approval, don't you?<br />
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**Check back as there will be giveaways, swag(who doesn't love Parisian goodies?), and more!<br />
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Kim Baccelliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05304806976633973536noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-68155738917256673042017-03-24T00:00:00.000-04:002017-03-24T00:00:00.162-04:00WorldbuildingWhen it comes to creating the worlds used in my stories, my favorite go-to webpage to remind me about the details is Patricia Wrede's <a href="http://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions/" target="_blank">Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions</a>. It makes me think about the economy, religion, geography, swear words, and a whole host of background details needed to make a world believable - but also don't have to be spelled out in numbing detail to bore the reader.
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Recently I came across another useful list <a href="http://mythcreants.com/blog/five-worldbuilding-mistakes-even-enthusiasts-make/" target="_blank">"Five Worldbuilding Mistakes Even Enthusiasts Make"</a> and a new blog that I can delve into (the related Mythcreants - check out the links there!) for even more ideas.
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Some of those mistakes listed were definitely part of lazy thinking and general assumption-making. Why should traditions in current culture and society turn up in another time and location? Even as a kid I was bothered by the Flintstones celebrating Christmas when they were supposedly in the Stone Age (B.C. does mean Before Christ). How many times is the Santa Claus story transposed into cartoon universes? Even though Santa Claus may be considered "secular" nowadays (enough so that penguins and lions and hippos can help him), there is still a religious beginning to the myth.
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Traditions change when they are transplanted out of the area where they first began. Palm trees originally decorated during the Christmas season look festive enough that some leave the lights up year-round, thus losing the meaning behind the decoration (if it wasn't already lost by changing trees - there was a symbolism behind chosing evergreens as a tree that stayed green when all others 'died' during the winter). Halloween in the U.S. would look a lot different if people had stuck with the Irish tradition of carving turnips rather than switching to the larger and more visible pumpkins.
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Traditions can also be lost the further away a generation is from leaving the land of their ancestors. My born-in-England-of-Irish-immigrants grandfather didn't pass along any traditions to my father that he passed along to his children, other than wearing green on St. Patrick's Day and eating corned beef and cabbage, both of which are Irish-American developments and not pure Irish (and the corned beef and cabbage custom died quickly when my siblings and I all hated it). My older siblings don't remember any customs my American-born-of-German-immigrants grandmother might have passed along to my father. So assuming customs and traditions will be carried on the same in the far future are they are in the present is not a sure thing. Each family will be different, of course.
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Mythcreants has a very useful <a href="http://mythcreants.com/blog/creating-realistic-cultures/" target="_blank">"Creating Realistic Cultures"</a> blog that covers similar elements as Patricia Wrede's Questions site. History, weather, communications, and health are all useful factors to think about when creating your world. <a href="http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2012/10/manners.html" target="_blank">Manners</a> and <a href="http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2010/12/fashion.html" target="_blank">fashion</a> are trendy lately, and I've enjoyed stories like K.B. Wagers' The Indranan War series, CJ Cherryh's Foreigner series and Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden Universe series where you can really see the differences in how those are depicted in those science fiction societies.
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Wildlife vs domesticated animals, crops versus plants city folk might have in their dwellings versus wild plant life - is a planet hostile to an alien colony? Has a culture evolved in sync with the rest of its world or does a society exist in danger of killing off all life that it doesn't find 'useful'?
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Does your world depend on magic or technology? Are there any limits on your <a href="http://mythcreants.com/blog/four-ways-to-limit-magic-technology/" target="_blank">magic</a>? What is the <a href="http://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions-commerce-trade-and-public-life/#0.7_sci" target="_blank">level of technology</a>? Does it fit with your <a href="http://www.sfwa.org/2009/08/fantasy-worldbuilding-questions-commerce-trade-and-public-life/#0.7_trans" target="_blank">transportation and communication</a> systems?
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Every writer has their own way of worldbuilding. Some plot out their world before they start writing; others dive in and add details later. There's no one right or wrong way. I have found Patricia Wrede's list great both for helping me think out details and for inspiring a story in the first place.
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What are some resources you use for worldbuilding?
Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-7662622536879838552017-02-22T05:00:00.000-05:002017-02-22T05:00:09.836-05:00MEME AND SPOTLIGHTWelcome Wednesday. I hope good things are happening in your life. Today, I'd like to share some thoughts with you. We'll start with this lovely quote.<br />
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You may like this too, or not, but most everyone that knows me is aware of how much I love butterflies. The Children's Literary Classics Awards designed a meme for me using my quote. See it below. Isn't it neat. </div>
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If you've read my YA novel Under a Purple Moon, you'll recognize the meme. The CLC also spotlighted me. If you need a laugh today, this ought to do it.<br />
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<span class="size10 Helvetica10" style="color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><strong>WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER AND WHY</strong>?</span><br />
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<span class="size10 Helvetica10" style="color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">When I was teaching fifth-grade, we read Newbery honor books. Seeing how much my students enjoyed the stories, what great reports they did, sometimes even dressing like the main character, I started wondering what it would be like to write stories young people loved. So, I took a writing course and discovered that writing a novel was even better than reading one. That was almost 20 years ago, and I'm still writing.</span></div>
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<span class="size10 Helvetica10" style="color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><strong>AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?</strong> </span></div>
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<span class="size10 Helvetica10" style="color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">A ballerina or an opera singer.</span></div>
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<span class="size10 Helvetica10" style="color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;"><strong>HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE?</strong> </span></div>
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<span class="size10 Helvetica10" style="color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">One day, a girl (I hear voices a lot) whispered in my ear that her mother criticized everything she did and all she wanted was her mother and father to love her. So, Eden's story was born, the story of a broken family and their struggles to find that elusive word: love.</span></div>
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<span class="size10 Helvetica10" style="color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">You can read the rest of the spotlight <a href="http://clcreviews.blogspot.com/2017/02/author-spotlight-beverly-stowe-mcclure.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff9900;">here</span></a>.</span></div>
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<span class="size10 Helvetica10" style="color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">Watch for more news about UNDER A PURPLE MOON soon.</span></div>
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<span class="size10 Helvetica10" style="color: black; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16px; min-height: 16px;">Happy Reading.</span></div>
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Beverly Stowe McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02176195451841801819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-84468186974531168292017-01-30T00:30:00.000-05:002017-01-30T00:30:08.577-05:00Amazing Animals and Where to Find Out About ThemThe Earth has many amazing animals. I usually mention this during my <a href="http://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2010/09/inside-others-skin-or-shell.html" target="_blank">"Human, Alien or Monster" sessions</a> at <a href="https://obscurekidlitauthors.blogspot.com/2012/01/young-writers-conferences_06.html" target="_blank">young writer conferences</a> when the 'Where do you come up with <i>that</i>?" question surfaces. Among the many books I bring to show as a resource is <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7074728-prehistoric-life" target="_blank"><i>Prehistoric Life</i></a> so I can display examples (via doc cam) of what lived on Earth billions of years ago.
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When you know what once existed (or still exists), you have a point to start from when designing your own fantasy creature or alien lifeform.
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In the days before computers I used to rely heavily on books to learn about various birds and animals. Magazines and journals like <i>National Geographic</i>, <i>Science</i> and <i>Discover</i> were also useful for information and photographs. I used to be able to count on nature programs on PBS and the Science Channel for additional inspiration, but now there's only the few shows like <i>Nature</i> and <i>Earth</i> (BBC).
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The internet has provided quite a few new resources, ranging from formerly book-based guides like online encyclopedias and identification guides like <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search/" target="_blank">The Cornell Lab of Ornithology All About Birds</a> to general science websites like <a href="http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/" target="_blank">IFL Science</a>. But usually all those are good if you already know what you are looking for. Sometimes you are instead looking for that flash of inspiration, that moment of serendipity when you see something new and can say, "Oh! I can use that! Well, maybe not that, but something like that...."
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I have several friends on Facebook who share marvelous videos such as <a href="https://youtu.be/rRiecAmGWHU" target="_blank">Marching Dinosaurs</a> (which, at five minutes long might be too long to share at a young writers session, but I <i>really</i> want to!) and the latest scientific discovery or dinosaur dig. (I love #13 of the <a href="http://www.eartharchives.org/articles/top-thirteen-fossil-stories-of-2016/" target="_blank">"Top Thirteen Fossil Stories of 2016"</a>.)
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There are Facebook pages as well, such as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/eartharchives/?fref=nf&pnref=story" target="_blank">Earth Archives</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheRaptorCenter/?fref=nf&pnref=story" target="_blank">The Raptor Center</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ScienceNOW/?fref=nf&pnref=story" targeet="_blank">News From Science</a>.
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I'm not on Twitter, so I just discovered two Twitter sources that I wanted to share. I'll definitely be looking more at them for inspiration. <a href="https://twitter.com/BirdPerHour" target="_blank">Bird per Hour</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/Strange_Animals" target="_blank">Strange Animals</a>.
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What are some resources you use, either for inspiration or to learn more?Kathy Sullivanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853773950136365293noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-13074593220067312912017-01-25T05:00:00.000-05:002017-01-25T05:00:10.813-05:00GIVEAWAY AND BIRDSI'm posting this from my other blog, <a href="https://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com/">https://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com</a> because I'm so excited I want to tell everyone my good news.<br />
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It's here. The audio book for UNDER A PURPLE MOON. Thank you, L. Diane Wolfe, my publisher, for the audio edition of the novel. This is my first audio book, and I want to share my happiness with you, dear friends, so I'm giving away two audio copies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgej0vQ8v25AyioWe3JVizWryaj5tgMu8yLycVe8yr7n0qbEZy5lHVq7r3zBEsChIazkrCS0em939yUpTaqODP0b56WCUdqav4qNbIsFFvYhz_NsKKS76ym3UhzzyABQxIAQ6HxySaIHhs/s1600/Under_A_Purple_moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgej0vQ8v25AyioWe3JVizWryaj5tgMu8yLycVe8yr7n0qbEZy5lHVq7r3zBEsChIazkrCS0em939yUpTaqODP0b56WCUdqav4qNbIsFFvYhz_NsKKS76ym3UhzzyABQxIAQ6HxySaIHhs/s320/Under_A_Purple_moon.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Silver Award Winner in the 2016 Children's Literary Classics, teen category</div>
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<em>Under a Purple Moon is a book about friendship, and in particular, about one young girl who comes to accept her own self-worth. Author Beverly Stowe McClure has done a splendid job depicting the wide and varied range of emotions experienced by Eden and her friends. Under a Purple Moon is a book which young readers will find to be very relatable</em>.</div>
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CLC Reviews</div>
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Here's how the giveaway will work</div>
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1. Leave a comment on this blog saying whether you like audio books or not.<br />
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2. Follow me on<span id="goog_707651130"></span> <a href="https://twitter.com/beverlymcclure" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff9900;">twitter</span></a>.<br />
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3. Follow me on my <span id="goog_525768187"></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beverly-Stowe-McClure/e/B001K7R9LA/ref=sr_tc_2_rm?qid=1484576123&sr=1-2-ent" target="_blank"><span style="color: #ff9900;">Amazon Page.</span></a><br />
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You earn one point for each thing you do. You can do one or two or three or none. Tell me in your comment how many points you've earned, and that's it. I'm giving away two audio copies. The giveaway will run through Jan. 31. Winners will be announced a few days later.<br />
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I'll write everyone's name that enters on strips of paper, one strip for each entry, put them in a basket, and my cat Patches will draw the winners. Don't laugh she's done it before. If she's too tired, I'll use a random drawing. <br />
Good luck. <br />
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It's winter where I live! Cold wind! Snow! Ice! Wait a second! </div>
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Right now, as I'm typing this, the temperature is 70 degrees.</div>
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A few rays of sunlight are breaking through the clouds.</div>
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Also a few drops of rain are falling from time to time.</div>
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This is winter? I'm not complaining, I love it. </div>
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The birds do too. Here are some recent visitors to my yard.</div>
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Cardinal</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kNZgUEBqwEpMb3Dov03NxOCVCJ6BYgHxVSmCWmIz0gLSEH7Nt68zVX_kRFSzgQzJYrLc_v14qkjMIjNQ8rmiJUOevMWiVIUlbrx4s6r3Oc7BwQDAyH7sYo__nWPkCPbt1agnG3R2XVI/s1600/DSCN0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4kNZgUEBqwEpMb3Dov03NxOCVCJ6BYgHxVSmCWmIz0gLSEH7Nt68zVX_kRFSzgQzJYrLc_v14qkjMIjNQ8rmiJUOevMWiVIUlbrx4s6r3Oc7BwQDAyH7sYo__nWPkCPbt1agnG3R2XVI/s320/DSCN0839.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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One afternoon, I looked outside and saw four cardinals in the yard. Knowing me, you can guess what I did. Yep, I got my camera and slipped quietly out the door. Three of the birds flew away. This little guy stayed so I could take his picture. Some people say that seeing a cardinal at a particular time in their life is a comforting signal from a deceased loved one. Whether this is factual or not, there is no doubt of the blessing received with a glimpse of a creature's beauty. Seven states have named the Cardinal their official bird. </div>
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Cardinals do not migrate. If you provide them cover and food, they will remain permanent residents. Their favorite food is black oil sunflower seeds.</div>
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Woodpecker</div>
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I'm not sure what kind of woodpecker this is, but he was outside my writing room window one day. A second bird was in the tree too, but they were moving so fast, eating insects in the tree, that I couldn't keep up with them. Was lucky to get this shot. It's dark because the day was cloudy, and if the flash comes on through the window, there's just a blur.<br />
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Have any birds visited you lately?<br />
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Don't forget to leave a comment for the giveaway.<br />
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Have a great week. Hope your weather is nice.</div>
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Happy Reading!</div>
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Beverly Stowe McClurehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02176195451841801819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2874501477620914375.post-31670198840861381242017-01-13T06:00:00.000-05:002017-01-13T06:00:18.218-05:00Food and Towels!Morning, all!<br />
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Two of the most fun things about Disney Cruises are the food and towels!<br />
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Food is a given. Not only does it taste good, but they make pretty too. And every night when you return to your stateroom, a neat towel figure has been placed on your bed to amuse.<br />
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915183741-308f0d8e-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915183741-308f0d8e-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Mmmm yummy creme brulee!</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915183745-e0d39547-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915183745-e0d39547-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Cheesecake!</div>
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A crab?</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915183930-941048a7-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915183930-941048a7-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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A bunny! So adorable!</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915184109-341299b6-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915184109-341299b6-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Couldn't you just frame this one? :)</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915184132-8649c9ec-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2016/09/15/20160915184132-8649c9ec-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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A frog!</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173206-e5605f91-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173206-e5605f91-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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I think it's a monkey or orangutan. What do you think?</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173208-89b89e04-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173208-89b89e04-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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A lovely elephant!</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173210-de44673a-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173210-de44673a-me.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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One night at dinner, they did the napkins like little suits. Adorable!</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173213-6a276331-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173213-6a276331-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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A ghostly pirate, perhaps? Or creature from the deep?</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173216-fb14a968-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173216-fb14a968-me.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Funky, isn't it?</div>
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<a href="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173218-931434ff-me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gloriaoliver.com/photos/_data/i/upload/2017/01/12/20170112173218-931434ff-me.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Pluto relaxing while his master's away?</div>
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Aren't they all just adorable? Which is your favorite? I can't choose!</div>
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Have a great Friday!</div>
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<br />Gloria Oliverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07170079541864985683noreply@blogger.com2