Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Poison Apple Pie is in the MeeGenius Final's Round!

    Today is an exciting day for me. My story Posion Apple Pie was selected to move onto the finalist round of the MeeGenius Author Challenge 2011. They edited my story and illustated it this past month! 

    Here is the link to vote: http://meegenius.com/challenge/book/6067/poison-apple-pie-by-jennifer-young/

    Voting began at 9am on January 31st for the finalist round. The MeeGenius staff only picked 10 entries (not including 4 popular voted books) to move on to the finalist round. And my fairy tale entry Posion Apple Pie was one of the 10 staff picks.  I was not able to share this news for a whole month on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, etc. I'm so excited to post this and finally share the news with you guys. I also wanted to thank everyone who voted for me last round. I truely appreciate your support.

Some information on why I entered the contest: 

   The grand winner will win an entire library full of free eBooks from MeeGenius. Also, the winning stories will be professionally edited, illustrated and enhanced with MeeGenius! It will be featured, and then published to the iPhone, iPad, Android, Google TV and the Web. In addition, the grand prize winner will receive a $1,500 cash prize for their manuscript. MeeGenius is a New York City based digital publisher and they are having a competition taking place nationwide.

What my story is about:
    Not all witches are good at their day jobs, especially Winka. She continues to look until she finds the right job in Fairy Tale Land.  (a picture book in rhyme)



 You can vote for Poison Apple Pie before February 21st, 2012:

http://meegenius.com/challenge/book/6067/poison-apple-pie-by-jennifer-young/

Thank you for your time and support everyone!

Monday, January 30, 2012

My Second Liebster award!!!

The Liebster Award and Celebrating over 100 Followers

   First off the Liebster award is an award designed to bring traffic to bloggers with fewer than 200 followers.


      I received the Liebster award from Melissa Sugar over at her wonderful blog that you must check out-  Have You Heard. Thank you Melissa, I'm very happy to receive this from you and it could have come at a better time. I was trying to think of a way to celebrate my 100 followers and now that's solved.  This award is to help others get blog followers so please check out the following five blogs that I pass this award onto.  When you receive this award you are supposed to say five things about myself as well.

Here are my five personal things in no particular order:
1. I'm more of a salt person vs sweet
2. I'm a member of the 12 x 12 in 2012 group (see next paragraph below for more details)
3. I love to write in rhyme
4. I have three children- my oldest is eight
5. I like to ski but haven't gone in three years :(

 Info on a writing challenge: 12 x 12 in 2012 is going on this year, just stop by and check out Julie Hedlund's blog:   http://writeupmylife.com/2012/01/29/important-information-for-12-x-12-in-2012-participants/

Now lets meet the five bloggers I pass the Leibster award to:





Please take the time to visit all five of these blogs if you are not already reading them.


So what are you waiting for? Go frog hopping....I'm mean blog hopping! 

Friday, January 27, 2012

Perfect Picture Book Friday - Night Shift




This review is part of Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book series. Visit her site to see the other books recommended.

Title: Night Shift

Author & Illustrator: Jessie Hartland

Publisher: Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children’s Books October 2007

Suitable for: 4 and up

Themes: Jobs people do at night, human resources, employment

Opening Sentences:

“Late at night when the owls are out,

and the raccoons are diving into trash cans...

There are people out there awake doing all sorts of interesting things...

They are on the night shift.”


Synopsis:

   The book covers a total of fourteen nighttime jobs. Each job is described with appropriate and interesting information accompanied by spirited character illustrations which are double-spread. Some of the jobs you'll find in Hartland's Night Shift are; window dressers, a late-night radio DJ, and bridge painters.


Why I Like This Book:

   I like all job books for kids and that’s why I chose it. Night Shift is both informative and humorous. I like how over the wee hours of the night the story progressively moves towards morning with the author posing a question that leads to the next worker. Also parents and teachers can find this valuable because it teaches children about human resources and different types of employment.

Author website: http://www.jessiehartland.com/

Fun jobs to check out - http://www.kids.gov/k_5/k_5_careers.shtml

Printables for kids

-Job activitieshttp://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/communityhelpers.shtml

-Job coloring pages: http://www.coloring-pages-kids.com/coloring-pages/family-people-jobs-coloring-pages/various-jobs-coloring-pages/various-jobs-coloring-pages-gallery.php

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Author Interview with Cheryl Velasquez

Author Interview
With Cheryl Velasquez

      Today's author interview is with Cheryl Velasquez. Cheryl is an aspiring children's book author. She just started her writer's blog called Book Nook, where she shares book reviews, information on fun writing contests, info on writing/reading challenges and her comments are genuine and sweet. I also wanted to add that Cheryl has been my critique partner for almost two years. (Since spring 2010)  She has been so supportive and helpful throughout the years and always there to lend a helping hand. I'm grateful to have her in my critique group and want to give her a big thanks.

Welcome Cheryl,
 
 
Cheryl Velasquez
Let's jump right into the questions:


 Do you have a favorite theme you like to write about? Not really, but I do enjoy writing about nature. I love to write in rhyme.


 Did you have a favorite book as a child? I did not like to read as a young child. But when I was in third grade my teacher introduced me to the author E. B. White. I fell in love with reading. I read all his books. My favorite was Charlotte's Web.

 How do you get inspired to write most of your stories? I love to sit outside and drink hot tea, yes even in the hot summer. I do this to relax, it helps me clear my mind so I can think. But my story ideas usually come from my children.


Do you do a lot of research when writing? I think I do, when I have an idea I search to see what other titles have been published about the subject. I visit my local library and read books about the subject too.


So far, what is the best advice you received about writing? 1) Find your passion 2) Read, Read, and Read some more, 3) Write tight!


Okay, here are just a few more fun questions that I happened to borrow.

What are you currently Reading? The Help
Do you use: Laptop or Desk top? Laptop
When do you write - Day, Afternoon or Night? night worker
Coffee or Tea? Hot Tea
While writing - Quiet or Music? Music
Describe yourself in 3 words? adventurous, creative, compassionate



Thank you so much for this interview Cheryl. I really appreciate your time.
 
If you like to learn more about Cheryl's and her writing visit her Nook Book blog at http://cherylvelasquez.blogspot.com/ 

Friday, January 20, 2012

Perfect Picture Book Fridays - Old Red Shoe

Perfect Picture Book - What Can You do with an Old Red Shoe?


Author: Anna Alter

Publisher: Christy Ottaciano Books, Henry Holt and Company March 2009

Ages: 4 and up

Theme: Hands on Recycling Projects; craft/activity book, creative ways to be "green"

Opening and Synopsis:

The waves came in creeping,
stealing and sweeping-
they snatched Sarah's flip-flop,
and took it away!
The shoe went afloat,
like a pink plastic boat,
and some lazy old crab
had a ship for the day!

   This is a green activity book about reuse. This book is colorful, inventive and full of adorable animals being creative. Before each activity, a back story in rhyme describes what happened to the item to be recycled.      
   Also, Anna provides the ingredients and recipes for twelve recycling projects that kids can do with their parents while using random things they don't use; like flip flops, tins cans, and shower curtains.

Why I like this book: The instructions are easy to follow and not loaded with supplies to gather. For example on the old red shoe project, Anna lists 6 items; a shoe, a dust rag, measuring tape, a small flower pot, a starter plant, and potting soil. My kids and I also enjoyed the rhyming story in the beginning of each project. It was a nice touch to add for this very crafty green book.



Resources: 

Author's book website- http://oldredshoe.com/

At this website you will find plenty of information that teachers can use or parents can print out at home. There is teacher projects, project guides, a parent curriculum guide, and coloring pages. There is also information on landfills, recycling, sewing, and tip for doing the crafts. Teachers may find this book very useful especially on Earth Day which is coming up in April.

You can also find more information at her other two websites:
 http://annaalter.blogspot.com/ 
 http://www.annaalter.com/



Click here To go to Susanna Hill's blog and see the complete list of books with resources for Perfect Picture Books! 



Wednesday, January 4, 2012

12 x 12 in 2012: Picture Book Writing Challenge


      I just signed up to participate in the 12 x 12 in 2012: Picture Book Writing Challenge at Julie Hedlund's blog, Write Up My Life.

    This means I'm going to have to write one picture book per month for each of the twelve months of 2012 but it doesn't have to be a submission ready piece. 

     If you want to join in on the fun too, there is still time to sign up. The deadline is JANUARY 29, 2012. Just click this link here to get started: http://writeupmylife.com/2011/11/30/12-x-12-in-2012-picture-book-writing-challenge/






   
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