Author Interview: Katja Vartiainen, Author of Half Done Fun

Katja Vartiainen is a Master of Fine Arts, painting. She calls herself a multi-dilettante because she  has done doodle books, illustration, two graphic novels, teaching, and even upholstery. Her visual inspiration comes from fine arts as well as from everything on this curious, tragicomic piece of  a rock, and its creatures floating in space.

With her husband they share a taste for humour, cats, and nature. They live in Southern Germany.

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/a storyteller?

Well, let's put aside the fact that I have been foremostly a painter, and every picture is worth a thousand words. Or so they say...

My husband and I joked about our kitchen's messiness. Clearly, the elves hadn't done their job- and then that led into a picture book that my husband wrote and I illustrated. I realized then, that I had all these extra plot twists and ideas, and so, I decided to continue the story and did my first graphic novel. So, I started late, that was 2015, I was 40 round years old.

What motivates you to write and where does your inspiration come from?

Some ideas don't seem to leave me alone. So, I have put them into creative work. I would like to wake people up to the ecological mess we are in, but I don't want to get too preachy. Humour helps to get the medicine down. I hope.

I believe everything influences everything. My inspiration is thus everything I have come into touch with.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

My last book, 'Half Done Fun', is actually a drawing book. The third one. It came about when I realized that people want draw, and rehearse drawing, but don't have the energy to start or to choose what to draw. So, in 'Half Done Fun', as the title hints, the pictures are vertically half done. You can relax and concentrate on the drawing.

What question do you wish that someone would ask about your book(s), but nobody has? Write it out here, and then answer it.

Isn't this too difficult for kids of 11, 12 etc years old?

No. Many people think that you can  give kids bad paper, cheap colors, insufficient models and tacky exercises to teach them art and creativity, but this is all wrong. Even though the 11 year old doesn't know how to finish the picture perfectly, you give her/him the correct example. And decent materials!

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

Yes. Writing is new to me. Painting has always been easy to start, but since I've written two graphic novels with my second language, I have had a feeling of inadequacy at times. Also, since I do both the text and the illustration, I have hard time choosing which to start first.  What to do? Just do. Write, write, write. What a waste of time thinking about that you can't write, when you could be writing.

What are your current/future projects?

Current/future project is an old story, or myth, or teaching, I want to rewrite and draw. Graphic novel meets maybe a picture book kind of thing. But it will take time.

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more than one, how do you balance them?

It seemed that comics/graphic novels would be the perfect medium for me,  a painter, who wants to tell a story. And even though I had clear panels in my books, the possibilities to play with a page seem endless. As for the doodle books- well, I feel a bit of a missionary. I also have studied art pedagogy for a year. To draw is so amazing and fulfilling, I want people to try it and find new sides of themselves. Especially in our age of swiping screens.

As to the field IN graphic novels/comics, I naturally went into comedy, parody, because I like to laugh. I find the world a tragicomic. Through comedy one can tackle a lot of serious stuff, but it is difficult. Real humour requires intelligence but can't lack character either.

Are you traditional or self-published, and what process did you go through to get your book published?

I'm indie, I guess because I could not wait to get my stuff out there. The internet and digitalization has brought wonderful possibilities and I wanted to take advantage of them. We did try to publish our picture book (for adults, but no sex) traditionally, and I realized how difficult it is for books with colours and the whole concept. It seemed valuable time was waisted, so we went through Createspace, Amazon, and I continued with that. I also realized I enjoyed to have the control of it all. But I'm not a fanatic, I could publish traditionally if contracts were good. It definitely seems to have its benefits.

How do you think you have evolved as a person/author because of your writing and do you believe your writing has helped others, how/why?

I found perseverance in myself, in amounts, I could not believe, in doing my books. I learned how to make comics digitally, from the internet.  I learned layout programs, speech bubbles, etc etc. I made lots of mistakes. I learned a huge amount of technical stuff, and then the whole 'getting the message out there' side. It has been very interesting, time consuming, but rewarding. I hope my husband agrees, ha ha. I've also found new authors and comic book creators whose work I enjoy.

I have gotten really good feedback from my doodle books. The comics as well, but they are a weird genre. They have an ecological message with a smile, and I hope people find them.

Do you believe there is value in a review? Do you believe they are under rated, over rated, or don’t matter at all?

If you have no reviews, it's as if your book seems to have lethal, infectious disease, and everyone avoids it. Regarding Amazon, there's a certain amount of reviews  that makes your book appear more frequently in the search.  It would be great that people would take a risk with a book, but we so often want the pros and the cons...Reviews do count. With comics it's also word to mouth that puts your work out there.

What is the intended audience for you book?

For 'Half Done Fun', 11 years upwards, also adults, who want to practice drawing, or relax by doing something  a bit creative. The graphic novels have some cursing, so +12.

If you had the chance to get one message out there to reach readers all over the world, what would that message be?

Express yourself, AND save the planet!

What would you like to write about that you have never written about before?

An actual fictional book, with text only, and no support from images.

Do you have a subject/genre you would never write about, why?

Never say never, but I think there's a few! Zombies/horror/gore- they give me nightmares. Romance, maybe. But, I feel it's a crime to make big statements of this kind.

What makes your book stand out from the crowd?

This and the previous doodle books are pretty neutral in style. It's on purpose, because the idea is not that you draw like me, but you find out HOW YOU draw. My books are hopeful.

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style?

I read all the time. I have several books I am reading in the mornings and evenings, and I love to read. There are so many good authors. From the traditional, I find myself fascinated at the moment by Doris Lessing's sci-fi, Ursula K. le Guin, Kurt Vonnegut, Rosa Liksom. Joseph Campbell, although non-fiction. I've enjoyed from comics: The Mountain, Papergirls, Saga- and so many more. This is impossible! Jonathan Dunne is an indie favourite, and then there's poetry, and all these preferences change during months.

Tell us three fun facts about yourself/ your book.

I'll mix them. 1. I love cats 2. I do homages in my graphic novels to my favourite  series etc.  3. Half Done Fun got started by the title. It just popped I to my head, so a book had to follow.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

I post my art every Thursday on social media, and my web page, for you to enjoy. And my news! And I'm in Goodreads, etc etc, meet you there! Thanks for the Interview, this was fun!

Half Done Fun is an entertaining drawing/doodle book that makes it easier for those who want to practice their drawing and observation skills. It offers symmetrical (or closely symmetrical) things, humans, and animals that are half drawn so you can focus on finishing the other half and not worrying about 'what to draw'.

For children over 11 years and adults, as well.

Amazon

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Thank you for this amazing interview! I wish you success for all your future works. Keep writing!

Author Interview: Mayra Calvani, Author of Mamá Graciela’s Secret

About the Book

Mamá Graciela’s TENDER, CRUNCHY, SPICY bacalaítosfritos are the best in town... 

Local customers (including stray cats!) come from all over the island to enjoy her secret recipe. But when the Inspector discovers that Mamá secretly caters to so many cats and he threatens to close her tiny restaurant, Mamá must come up with a plan to save it—and all of the animals she loves. 

About the Author

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her children's picture book, Frederico the Mouse Violinist was a finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards; her anthology Latina Authors and Their Muses was a First Place winner at the 2016 International Latino Book Awards; her nonfiction book, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing, was a Foreword Best Book of the Year winner. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications like The Writer, Writer's Journal, Multicultural Review, Bloomsbury Review, and others. 

She lives in Belgium with her husband of 30+ years, two wonderful kids, and her three beloved pets. When she's not writing, editing, reading or reviewing, she enjoys walking with her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family. www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com

About the Illustrator

Born in Queens, New York and living in Los Angeles since 1987, Sheila Fein has always been inspired by the changing world around her. Earning her BA in Design from Buffalo State College of New York, her concentration was on drawing, painting, printmaking, and photography. Sheila's education as an artist has taken her everywhere from Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia to Bath University in England. Today, Sheila Fein runs two figurative workshops, Imaginings Sketch in LA and People Sketchers in Thousand Oaks. She has been featured in numerous collections, magazines, books, solo and group exhibitions. Her paintings and drawings reside in public and private collections. Sheila loves to make the imagination of others a reality and has done so through her commissioned Fein Fantasy Portraits and Interactive Paintings. In addition to being a fine artist Sheila works as an illustrator. She just completed the book "Mama Graciela's Secret" for Maclaren-Cochrane Publishing.

Buy Link

Amazon

Author Interview

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/ a storyteller?

I started writing stories when I was about 12 years old and have never stopped since then. Writing is such a part of me that it isn’t what I do, it’s who I am. At that time, I was voraciously reading Agatha Christie’s mysteries, so I think that was definitely an influence. I was also a quiet and very introspective child. I could role play for hours at a time, so writing stories became a natural, organic extension of that. 

What motivates you to write and where does your inspiration come from?

I get ideas while writing. As I work on a novel, there are always wonderful surprises. I also get my ideas while doing routine, automatic activities such as walking, driving, washing the dishes, vacuuming, taking a shower, etc. Also, while listening to classical music and movie soundtracks. The music of James Newton Howard inspires me. I often write while listening to his movie scores.

Another thing that inspires me is reading the works of authors I admire: Anne Rice, Donna Tartt, Joyce Carol Oates, especially when I listen to the audiobooks. There’s something about audiobooks that make me want to rush to the computer and write.

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

Mama Graciela’s Secret is based on my grandmother! She was an avid dog lover and at one time had close to 30 dogs she had saved from the streets of Ponce, Puerto Rico. She was a deeply compassionate and giving person. I dedicated the book to her. Initially the story was about dogs but I later changed it to cats after an editor suggested it. 

What is your writing process? Do you follow a regular routine or do you have any weird, funny, or unusual habits while writing and what are they?

It may start with an image, a character, a name, a title. There are no rules, and it’s never the same with every book. Sometimes a single image simmers in my mind for years before it becomes the spark for a story.

Then I mentally play with ideas and the thing that was just an image begins to expand into a web. Simple at first. Then more intricate as I spend more time thinking about it. And I think about it. A lot. While driving, walking, taking a shower, doing housework, etc–routine, monotone activities, which are great for creativity. Once I can’t stop thinking about it, once I become obsessed, that’s when I know I’m ready to start jotting down words and sketching a rough plot.

Often I begin ‘discovering’ the story using Alan Watt’s “Unlock the Story Within” techniques. Once I have a more solid idea of the characters and where I want to go with them, my plotting gets tighter and more detailed, but never at the expense of staying flexible and open to change. In fact, what I love most about the writing process are those surprises that I never saw coming. For plotting, I like Alexandra Sokoloff’s method and Carol Hughes’ Deep Story method, though I don’t always use them for every book. 

Then, after some anxious procrastination, I put my ego aside and sit down and face the blank page. That is never easy. In fact, it is terrifying. Every time. But the need and passion to create is greater, I guess, because finally I just do it.

The plot keeps evolving as I write. I adjust and change things as needed.

Rituals and habits work for me. I write best in the mornings. Unless life gets in the way, I’m at my desk Monday-Friday from 9:30 am to noon. I put my timer and go, with breaks in between. There’s something about using the timer that really works for me. Sometimes I put my headphones and listen to a movie soundtrack, other times I need complete silence. Mostly I write at home in my office, but often with a writing partner at a café. 

Slow but steady. This pretty much describes my progress. I would love to be one of those writers who can cough up a whole novel in four months, but I’m not–not yet, anyway! At the moment, my goal is to increase my writing stamina so I can complete books faster. 

Once I finish the first draft, I spend an agonizing amount of time editing and polishing. My SCBWI critique partners are awesome at pointing out things that I can’t see. Also, I always hire at least two professional editors before I send my manuscript to an agent or publisher, or before I self-publish. I think a professional editor is a writer’s best investment. 

Up until now, it has taken me about two years to fully complete a full-length novel (about 90,000 words) that is ready for submission. As I said, I’m currently “training” myself to increase the length of my writing sessions. 

What are your current/future projects?

My agent is shopping around another picture book of mine. I’m also working on book 2 of my YA Egyptian mythological fantasy series that I write under my pen name Zoe Kalo (www.ZoeKalo.com) and which I hope will be released next spring. Besides these main ones, I always have various projects in different types of development going on, as well as ideas for other books simmering in my mind. People often ask authors how they get their ideas, but the question should be how they handle all the ideas they get. J One of my fears is that I won’t have the time to write them all. 

What do you do if inspiration strikes in an inconvenient place like (car, restaurant, bathroom/shower, etc..) and how do you capture that moment before it gets away from you?

I absolutely must write my ideas down because chances are I’ll forget them. If I have my phone handy, I’ll use the recording app. Otherwise pen and paper or the notes app on my phone. 

What is your biggest fear about having a book published?

That people won’t read it.

What are some events you have attended or participated in that has been a positive experience/influence on/for your writing?

Not events but my travels and upbringing have immensely influenced my writing. I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Then I went to college in the States. Then I lived in Istanbul and Ankara for four years, and I’m now settled in Brussels. All these different countries and cultures have colored my writing. My supernatural thriller, Dark Lullaby, is set in Turkey and is based on Turkish folklore. My YA supernatural thriller Chameleon (under my pen name Zoe Kalo) is set in a convent in El Yunque, the Puerto Rican rain forest. My YA fantasy/mystery, The Luthier’s Apprentice, is set in Brussels. And, of course, Mama Graciela’s Secret is set in Puerto Rico. 

Do you read? Who are your favourite authors and how have they influenced your writing style? 

I’m a bookworm! My favorite authors are Anne Rice, Donna Tartt and Joyce Carol Oates. Thanks to Rice I became enamored with the supernatural, from Tartt I learned about deep characterization and language, and from Oates I learned about form and structure. 

What is the best piece of advice you have received, as a writer, till date?

“A writer who waits for the ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word to paper.” –E.B. White

I have another favorite: “Beware of advice—even this.” –Carl Sandburg

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Protect your dream/vision and don’t let anybody or anything detract you from it. Do what you have to do to accomplish it. You can’t simply be interested in writing. You have to commit to it. Learn the craft, take courses and/or workshops if you have to, join writer organizations and a critique group. Interact with like souls who actually understand the creative spirit. Above all, read a lot and write a lot, as often as you can. Usually, the longer you stay away from writing, the harder it is to get back to it. And the more you write, the better you get at it.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with your readers?

Books make great educational gifts for children during the holidays. Mama Graciela’s Secret is a fun and whimsical story with a beautiful message. The story teaches kids (ages 3-7) about compassion for animals, sacrifice, problem solving, and ethnicity. It is available in dyslexic font and there’s an accompanying reading guide for it which is downloadable from my website at www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com. 

I’d also like to invite readers to follow me on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/mayra.calvani. 

Author Interview: Sybrina Durant, Author of 'The Blue Unicorn’s Journey To Osm'

About the Book:

“The metal horned unicorns are doomed!” That’s what Lauda Lead Horn wailed when she first saw the tribe’s new savior. OK, so his horn was not metal. . .and he did not have a magic power. . .and he was really a puny little runt. But doomed? Were things really that bad? 

Well, things were pretty bad in the land of MarBryn. Magh, an evil sorcerer utilized unicorn horns and hooves to create his magical potions and spells. Those he used, to increase his power and to conquer everyone in his path. All of the unicorns from the Tribe of the Metal Horn were now gone . . . except for twelve survivors. 

Before the blue unicorn was born, Numen told Alumna, the aluminum-horned oracle, that he had a plan to bring the tribe back home to Unimaise. His prophecy was, “Only the blue unicorn can join with the Moon-Star. Until then, no new unicorns will be born.” Blue was the last unicorn born. Twenty years later, his horn was still covered with a plain blue colored hide. There was not a glint of metal to be seen on it or his hooves. And he still didn’t have any magic. But he was no longer scrawny and he had his wits. Though no one else in the tribe thought he had a chance, Blue felt ready to make Magh pay for his evil deeds. And he went off to do it alone. That was Blue’s first mistake. If the entire tribe was not standing horn-tip to horn-tip at the proper time and the exact place to help usher the Moon-Star Spirit into Blue’s horn, he would die. Then, the rest of the tribe would really be doomed. 

Readers will follow along two journey paths in this book. Blue is joined in his travels by his mentor Gaiso, the Stag and his friend, Girasol the Firebird as they try to find their way across a danger-filled MarBryn to Muzika Woods. The rest of Blue’s tribe is forced to follow another route due to Nix Nickle Horn’s unfortunate incident with a Manticore. Nix, the great unicorn defender must safely lead the way for Ghel, the Golden-Horned unicorn; Silubhra Silver Horn; Cornum the Brass-Horned unicorn; Steel Horned Style; Cuprum the Copper-Horned unicorn; Tin-Horned Tinam; Dr. Zinko; Iown the Iron-Horned unicorn and the others in an action packed adventure to their destination in Muzika Woods. Both journey paths converge there in the Nebulium Circle.

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

About the Author:

I'm Sybrina. . .. . .Just one of millions of wannabe author/singer/songwriters out there but I hope, after reading or hearing my books and songs, you'll think my contributions to the world have as much value as any other famous artist out there today.

Fame is all in being in the right place at the right time but at least with the internet and venues like this, all of us have opportunities to share our creativity with the world. I'm so happy that I am able to share my works with you. That is awesome!

The books I’ve written span a wide range between illustrated picture books, coloring books and YA novels to technical and how-to books. If you’re so inclined you can read a little bit about the inspiration for each one below.

My latest effort is “The Blue Unicorn’s Journey ToOsm. It is a book I started writing 30 something years ago and never finished. At the time, it was meant to be an epic fantasy along the lines of novels written by Tolkien, Piers Anthony, Ursula K. Le Guin and other amazing fantasy writers. I’ve pulled out my notes, dusted off the outline and began rewriting and expanding upon the 50 pages I had began. This story is now available as an Illustrated Book for teens and older readers in full color and in black and white, too. The black and white version is a "Read and Color" book. Read a chapter, then color the following pages. How fun is that? There is also a picture book for pre-schoolers called Unicorns FromUnimaise - The Magical Metal-Horn Trobe. A longer version of the chapter book will soon be available as an Illustrated Novel with a companion glossary called, The Marbryn Compendium. All of the fantastic fantasy illustrations are by Dasguptarts. There is also a companion coloring/character description book, edited by Calyie Martin. It will introduce potential readers to the myriad of characters, places and things in the story.

Website * Twitter * Goodreads

Interview

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer/storyteller?

I’ve wanted to be a storyteller ever since I learned to read. 

How did you come up with the idea for your current story?

I came up with the idea for my current story nearly 40 years ago.  I had read some fantasy books about centaurs and fairies and unicorns and wanted to write one of my own.  I was also very interested in the science of things.  I started researching metals and different things about them.  What color would the flame be when a certain metal burned?  What medical or other industrial properties might the metal have?  I started cataloguing the information and decided to write a book about metal horned unicorns with magical powers related to the metals of their horns.  There would be 12 in all but one would have no metal and no magic.  The story would be his quest to find his power and to save his tribe from extinction.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

I think everyone has writer’s block from time to time. Re-reading what I’ve written helps me move forward with my writing. New ideas jump out at me and before long I find myself writing for hours without realizing the time has passed so quickly. Also, if I’m having a really hard time trying to figure out what should happen next in a story, I’ll sleep on it. I’ll make a conscious decision to dream about the book and will wake up with fresh ideas.

What are your current/future projects?

My current and several future projects all revolve around The Blue Unicorn. I think I must be crazy because I’ve never heard of another writer going to the extremes I have with this story.  It actually started out as a fantasy novel for adults. I had already written most of that novel but after being introduced to the incredible artwork of Sudipta Dasgupta, I put it aside and decided to create this illustrated version of the book for a younger audience. I re-wrote the text so that it would fit into the confines of 2 pages of text for every 2 page illustrated spread.  This book ended up with over 40 magnificent illustrations. The amount of illustrations brought on a unique problem that I had not anticipated. It made the cost of the printed book exorbitant. That was very disappointing for me because although the book is available in ebook and audio book formats - print is definitely the best medium for something so lavishly illustrated.  I didn’t want to split the book up into 2 or more volumes, so I came up with a less costly solution for print – a black and white illustrated version of the book.  It turned out an added bonus of black and white printing is that the book can function as a coloring book, too.  I call this version a “Read and Color” book. Read a chapter and color the following illustration.  How fun is that?  In a couple of weeks, I’ll be publishing a picture book to introduce little children to the Blue Unicorn called Unicorns From Unimaise – The Magical Metal-Horn Tribe. Then, next year, I’ll finally publish that original novel. In fact, the glossary for it is so long that I’ll be publishing it separately. It will be called the MarBryn Compendium.   

Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more than one, how do you balance them?

I absolutely love fantasy books so I wanted to try my hand at writing one to see where my imagination might take me.  But I also love to categorize information so I write technical documents and instructional books, too.  Writing in such opposite extremes actually helps balance your brain.  Although this book is fantasy, I’ve done a lot of research on a vast variety of subjects and categorized it in the best way possible to pull, thread, knit the story into the form it is today.

Are you traditional or self-published, and what process did you go through to get your book published?

I am self-published.  That is the most assured way for an author to get their books out to the public these days.  Oh sure, I’d love for some big publishing or film  company to discover my books and offer me a contract for the next great life-like animated movie but while I’m waiting I’m going to do as much as possible myself.  Along with being self-published I also get to decide how to promote and market the book and any book bling that I might come up with.  So far, I’ve got trading cards, mugs, t-shirts and more which are all available online.

How do you think you have evolved as a person/author because of your writing and do you believe your writing has helped others, how/why?

A long time ago, I went to a psychic who told me that I would help a lot of people with my writing.  I wasn’t even writing then so I wondered why she would say such a thing.  Years later, I wrote and self-published a very helpful illustrated book called “Learn To Tie A Tie With The Rabbit And The Fox”.  Her words came back to me and I wondered, “Is this the book she meant that I would help others with?”  Learning to tie a tie is something that most people have no interest in any longer so that’s probably not what she was referring to.   Whether her words will ever turn out to be true or not, I have written several other books since then and have always tried to keep the thought in mind that I’m supposed to be helping others some way with my writing.  It’s a good motivation for me.

Do you believe there is value in a review? Do you believe they are under rated, over rated, or don’t matter at all?

I believe there is great value in a review that has been written with great thought and consideration.  As a writer, I want to know what a reader really thinks about my work.  We live in an amazing time where, a book (well a self-published book anyway) never has to be in its absolute final state of publication.  If the words of a reviewer are truly valid or profound enough to inspire change, it could be the catalyst to do some rewriting to republish a better version of the story.  

What is your biggest fear about having a book published?

That no one will ever know that it exists.  Of course, that fear is alleviated to a great extent because of people like you who guide readers to new books.  Writers of book blogs are amazing and inspiring and can have a great impact on the reading lists of their followers.  But more than that they can literally guide them to books that might possibly be impactful enough to change their lives.

What is the intended audience for you book?

Teens and older readers are the intended audience for The Blue Unicorn’s Journey To Osm Illustrated Book.  I grew up devouring illustrated books like Brother’s Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.  The words of those stories drew me in but the illustrations took me places that my imagination had not yet conceived.  I wanted to offer that kind of experience to teens and anyone else who loves to drink in the imagery of an artist’s imagination.  

Give us a fun fact about your book(s)?  

I offer free coloring pages from the fantastic book illustrations to anyone who wants them.  All you need to do is ask and I’ll send you a link to download them.  And I’d love to display your work on the book’s Facebook page.  Just send an email to Sybrina at Sybrina dot com with the subject line “Free Coloring Pages”. 

What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone that wants to get into writing?

Do it!  Start now! There is absolutely no reason not to.  For better or worse, today anyone can write and self-publish a book.  You can instantly place it on mediums where readers might potentially find it and you can do this for free.  Because of the tools we have available now and because of the internet, nothing could be easier.  But don’t think that just because your book is available for sale somewhere on the world wide web that others will find it on their own.  The competition for attention is immense.  In the US alone, literally hundreds of new books are offered for sale on online book stores every single day.  That is a mind boggling fact of the writing world.  It will be up to you to make it known.  From there - who knows how far it might travel.  The main thing is – if you have a story to tell and you want to share it – don’t let anything stop you from trying.  Anything can happen.

Book Review: Dominick And The Dragon by Anne K Edwards

Title: Dominick And The Dragon

Author: Anne K Edwards

Age Level: 4-8

Review

The youngest of three siblings, Dominick is small even for his age. To add insult to injury, his brothers never include him in any of their games. They tease him for being “little.” His constant plea to venture into the Dark Forest is met with snickering. Instead, his brothers regale him with a tall tale about two dragons who live in the forest and belong to a wizard.  Dominick longs to meet the dragons. So, imagine his surprise when he does. But the dragons aren’t what he hoped them to be. In fact, he must outsmart the dragon who is always hungry and wants Dominick to be served as soup.

The characters are rendered in subtle, evocative colors and with appropriate, often funny detail. Artwork throughout is subtle and elegant. The writing style is plainspoken as the narration, with simple and easy to follow vocabulary. The text could be a little more challenging in terms of language, but the story itself is enjoyable.

For young readers who can't get enough of dragon stories, this is one to titillate their imagination.

Buy Link

Amazon

About the Author

Anne K. Edwards enjoys writing tales for children when she’s not focusing on a mystery. Some stories are ideas taken from little misadventures of her cat who actually did fall off the porch and land on a large blacksnake as it was sunning itself. Both were more than a little surprised.

I'd like to thank the author for letting me review the book. I do hope you end up liking the book when you read it. Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading! 

Book Review: Changing Places by Anne K Edwards

Title: Changing Places
Author: Anne K Edwards
Age Level: 4-8

Review

A clueless house-cat, Whiskers, tries to make a new friend. He is confused by this peculiar looking tail-like creature. The creature is much like his own tail and yet different. For starters, the creature is much longer than his tail and is not furry.  But friendship knows no shapes and sizes. Whiskers finds the opportunity to speak with his new-found mate, the snake, and the two trade places.

A trip to the big world outside his known and protective world turns out to be full of ordeal for Whiskers. The same is true for the snake. The outside world is what appeals to him for he isn’t welcome in any household. There’s a lesson to be learnt here — the grass may appear greener on the other side, but it isn’t. That venturing out into the world on one’s own may not be such a great idea is another lesson to be learnt (for toddlers) through this delightful picture book.

Edwards employs brief sentences and the simplest of words to tell this slight tale. Words and pictures together create an utterly engaging picture book experience — eye-catching and just plain fun. The clear lines, bright colors, and cartoonish feel of the illustrations will surely appeal to the book’s intended audience. Well-tuned to the preschool sense of humor.

Buy Link

Amazon

About the Author

Anne K. Edwards enjoys writing tales for children when she’s not focusing on a mystery. Some stories are ideas taken from little misadventures of her cat who actually did fall off the porch and land on a large blacksnake as it was sunning itself. Both were more than a little surprised.

I'd like to thank the author for letting me review the book. I do hope you end up liking the book when you read it. Thank you so much for stopping by, and happy reading!