Thursday, 11 December 2014

BookElves Anthology

I have another exciting development.
Some awesome author buddies of mine have put together a Christmas anthology.
The BookElves Anthology Volume 1 is now available at the following locations as an ebook:


B&N 

It is also coming soon at other online retailers worldwide including txtrr, Scribd!, Oyster and Flipkart.
Read more »
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Wednesday, 10 December 2014

Billy And Monster's Golden Christmas

Got some news for you today.
My buddy David Chuka has released a book just in time for Christmas.

Billy and Monster's Golden Christmas



  Billy and Monster’s Golden Christmas is now available to download on Amazon.

I had the pleasure to be interviewed on David’s blog last year and it was fun answering his questions. You can actually read the full interview here.
 
In this book, which is the fifth instalment in his bestselling series – The Adventures of Billy and Monster – David addresses that scenario we sometimes face during the Christmas: What do we do when we get a gift we don’t really like.
 
Billy gets a golden pen from Uncle Leland from England while his cousin Bob gets a Monster truck. Billy’s doesn't show any gratitude and his attitude makes his Dad mad and his uncle sad. An incident at the refrigerator while reaching for Grandma’s chocolate caramel pecan pie leads Billy filled with snow and colourful monsters. While he learns about one of the most important things about Christmas.
This sounds very cool so hop on over to check it out just in time for Christmas.
 
Connect with David
  Blog   
    Amazon Page

   
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Wednesday, 3 December 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #50


 
Kid Lit Blog Hop

Welcome to the 50th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! We are pleased to be welcoming a new Permanent Hostess to the Hop. Please welcome Naila from Reading Authors, a fabulous book blog. Welcome Naila! Also, please note that for the month of December, we will only be hosting one Kid Lit Blog Hop which will be open for 2 weeks, instead of one.

Today I have a wonderful new book, from an Australian Independent Author.

Digby's Moon Mission
 
By Renee Price
Illustrated by Anil Tortop
 
 
 
 
Digby Fixit awakes in the sleepiest part of the night with a fright, asking an age old question. "Why is the dark so dark?"  Peering out his window, he finds the answer in a flash. The moon is so banana thin it barely makes a glimmer.
 
Well, lucky Digby Fixit is on the case. He sets about a clever plan involving all his friends. A mighty cooking extravaganza begins with muffin treats, kiwi tarts, thausage rolls and wonton soup, to name a few. By weeks end, the gang are ready and they load the catapult in Digby's yard. With a cheer, they send their sumptuous feast towards the moon. 
 
 
 
Night after night, Digby checks the lunar phases with his trusty measuring tape. By seven sleepless nights, voila, the moon is a plump as a pie, lighting the sky. Digby lays content in his bed, as the dark is no longer so dark. But wait. "What is that noise and why is it so noisy?" Digby ponders.....

 
This was a delightful moon mission book with a twist. When I first read the title, I thought Digby would be visiting the moon.  Upon reading, we realised that the moon's well being, was actually Digby's mission.  This was a very clever way of introducing words that have dual meanings. The story is spliced with simple rhyme that kids will no doubt enjoy, as they journey with Digby and his friends in their mission to plump up the moon. I absolutely loved the illustration style and with each delicious new page, I felt my tummy rumbling.  Young children seem to be enamoured with the moon in all its phases, so I loved the premise of this book.  It gives a great talking point for all those little star gazers out there.
 
What impresses me more about his book is that the author funded the entire production through crowd funding.  It just goes to show that dreams can come true, and those of us who long to see our words in little hands, can find a way.
 
 
 
No off you hop!!!!
 
 
Welcome to the 48th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! We are pleased to be welcoming a new Permanent Hostess to the Hop. Please welcome Naila from Reading Authors, a fabulous book blog. Welcome Naila! Also, please note that for the month of December, we will only be hosting one Kid Lit Blog Hop which will be open for 2 weeks, instead of one.

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hosts. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you!
4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links!
5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? If you've joined us before, you are welcome to join us again! Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!
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Wednesday, 19 November 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #49


Welcome Back To The Kid Lit Blog Hop #49
I am so excited to bring you a review today after a few weeks away.
It is no secret, that I am obsessed with middle grade mysteries.

I saw a post about a book launch for this book, but unfortunately we were away on holidays. The cover caught my eye and I was delighted when I found a kindle edition, even before the launch hurrahhhh.

 It was spectacular,  plus you know I am a fan of finding authors on Facebook and Twitter and asking them for interviews.  I was so excited when Judith Rossell replied, plus she lives in my home city, hurrahhh.


Book Blurb:

High on a cliff above the gloomy coastal town of Withering-by-Sea stands the Hotel Majestic. Inside the walls of the damp, dull hotel, eleven-year-old orphan Stella Montgomery leads a miserable life with her three dreadful Aunts.

But one night, Stella sees something she shouldn't have ... Something that will set in motion an adventure more terrifying and more wonderful than she could ever have hoped for ...

My Review:

We begin with Stella, hiding behind some ferns in the conservatory. She is studying an atlas, her most prized possession. Within its pages, are hopes and dreams, that Stella may one day escape her horrid aunts and go on an adventure.


When poor Mr Filbert, an elderly gentleman staying at the Hotel Majestic, scurries in and hides a tiny package under a fern, Stella has no idea that adventure has just found her.
She retrieves the package, but is somewhat perplexed. It is just a tiny bottle, but within the bottle, something lurks.  Later that night, Stella finds herself the only resident awake in the whole Hotel Majestic. It is then that she witnesses a most heinous crime.  The perpetrator of the crime and his men, will do anything to find the package, including kidnapping Stella and forcing a young boy to scry for its location.
In a sometimes nail biting adventure, Stella must defeat the villain and the evil that lurks in the bottle, rescue her new found friends, and find a way home. A tall order for a young girl, but Stella is not just any young girl.  She is a mystery herself.
I really enjoyed Withering-by-Sea. The Victorian setting was rich, drawing you deep into Stella's unhappy life with her absurd aunts. There is a colourful cast of characters to enjoy along the way and the scenes in the theatre were delightful. The illustrations were enchanting, and I found myself wishing for more and more, with every new page. The mystery of Stella's origins is left open, which I hope will be resolved in further books to come.

There were some dark and creepy moments, so for kids who love a mystery that will occasionally make the hairs on your arms stand up, this will be a winner. I believe this would suit confident readers aged 9-12.   
  
Now, I have the pleasure of welcoming the author, Judith Rossell to join us.

1. How did you get your start in publishing?

I began as an illustrator. My first books (many years ago!) were for Allen’s music. I illustrated a series of books for children who were learning various musical instruments. Then I got some work in educational publishing, illustrating school readers and books about things like Japan and rugby. My first trade books were maze and puzzle books. The first book I wrote was a maze book called “The Lost Treasure of the Green Iguana”.

2. Withering-by-Sea. How did the premise of the book begin?

I am a bit obsessed with Victoriana. I had a very clear image in my head of a girl, hiding in a conservatory, reading an Atlas, who sees something she shouldn’t have. That is the first scene in my story.

3. Set in the Victorian era, how much research did you do for the characters and settings?

Lots and lots! I really enjoy research. I read heaps of history, as well as writers from the era (Rudyard Kipling, Conan Doyle, Wilkie Collins, Dickens etc). Recently, I’ve been visiting the big Victorian mansions in Melbourne, like Rippon Lea and Como.

4. Do you use beta readers before presenting a manuscript to your agent?

I don’t have any formal arrangements. A writing friend offered to read a draft of my story, and she gave me heaps of great feedback. An English friend also read it, and she managed to find an Australian phrase that I had overlooked. (‘Rugged-up’ – who knew this was Australian slang??)

5. Were there any choppy waters, on the road to publication?

The only choppy waters were caused by my slow progress. I am a slow and angst-ridden writer. The publisher might have lost interest, because they had to wait so long. Fortunately, they were very patient. I’m hoping I will finish the second book more quickly.

6. Dispel a myth for me. Once a manuscript is provided to a publisher, is that it for you. Do you have to do any proof reading? (Can you tell I loathe proof reading)

Haha. No… A good editor (and I had a lovely editor) will help you improve your story so much. Not just tiny corrections, but suggestions about plot and characters as well. It’s great to work with a good editor, because then the story becomes better and better. But it does involve a certain amount of proof reading…

7. You are also the fabulous illustrator of the book. How did you decide on the images you wanted to portray?

That part was easy, because some of the scenes in the story were very clear in my head, so they were easy to illustrate. I really enjoyed doing the artwork for this book.
8. Do you provide actual sketches to the publisher, or are you a digital fan?
For this book, I drew the pictures on paper, scanned them, and sent the scans to the publisher. I made a few corrections digitally. I’m improving my digital skills at the moment. I have been having some photoshop lessons!

9. There were some nail biting moments in the book. How do you determine the level of darkness appropriate for a middle grade audience?

I think you just have to go with your own feeling, but there has to be something at stake. You have to put your characters in some kind of peril. For me, when writing for this age (8-12 year olds), I didn’t want anything really awful or upsetting to happen. For example, there’s a kitten in the story. That kitten was always going to be quite safe! And although there is a murder in my story, it happens ‘off stage’, and we hear about it later. But I think children are pretty tough, and sometimes enjoy being frightened by the stories they read.

10. There were a couple of unanswered questions in the book that will no doubt keep the kids coming back for more. Have you planned a sequel and will Stella’s secrets be discovered?

Yes, I’m working on the second book now. I’m not sure how many of Stella’s secrets will be discovered! But she is sent away to stay with some cousins and their governess, in a large house in the country. And there’s something lurking in the forest! Something scary. The title of the second book will be “Wormwood Mire”.

11. Do you do school visits, and if so, what does a session entail?

I do some school visits, but only a handful each year. Usually, I do illustration workshops. For the youngest children, I might read a few picture books, and we will all do some drawing. For older kids, I might do a session about drawing a maze, or something like that. I also teach writing, at RMIT and at the Australian Writers’ Centre. It’s always a treat to get out of the house!

Thank you so much Judith for joining us on the Kid Lit Blog Hop.

For more of Judith's exciting work, drop by
http://judithrossell.com/

It was an absolute pleasure getting to know you a little better.
 NOW OFF YOU HOP!!!!! 



Welcome to the 49th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! *** We are looking for a permanent host who is willing to be part of our regular group. The responsibilities include posting about the Hop, entering your link early in the Hop, and hopping around to between 10 and 15 blogs as ambassadors of the Hop and leaving comments on links entered in the linky list. Please contact me if you are interested. ***

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hosts. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
 
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you!
4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links!
5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? If you've joined us before, you are welcome to join us again! Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!
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Wednesday, 15 October 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #47

Welcome back to the Kid Lit Blog Hop #47
 
 
Today, I don't have a review for you, so I thought I would share 6 impossible things before breakfast....
 
 
  1. Frankie Dupont was accepted for a Book Bub promo, so it will be going free on October 16-20 on Amazon.
 
http://amzn.com/B00LPPEA0A
 

For anyone who doesn't know what a Book Bub promo is. Book bub is a free and discounted book site. They have over 2 million subscribers, so if you want to get your book selling and ranking, many people do Book Bub promo's. It's extremely hard to be accepted for a promo, so I think that is an achievement in itself.
 
2. Book 3 "Stellarcadia" in my Caramel Cardamom series has been edited and is now ready for the painstaking task of proofing and formatting.


 
3. Frankie Dupont And The Lemon Festival Fiasco ( Book 2) first draft is down. I am doing a thorough review to get it ship shape and ready to face my beta readers.

 
4. I have hired another illustrator to do Stellacadia's Cover. I can't wait to see what he comes up with. Stay tuned for a cover reveal hopefully in November with a release early December.
 

 
 
5. On November 1, I will be joining with 12 other Authors and Illustrators for Inside Story.  Check out the promo I managed to put together.  Thank you Cool Mom, ( Aka StanleyNKatrina's tec guru) for introducing me to http://www.picmonkey.com/ 
 
Even a luddite like me can use it! 
 
 


 


6. I recently completed a 4 week picture book course, with Jodell Saddler. It was fantastic and I highly recommend it. I learned so much and I hope one day to get my picture books noticed by a publisher.
 
 


 



That's all folks. What are your six impossible things, share them with me in the comments!



Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!
Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hosts. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
Co-Host:
 
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you!
4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links!
5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? If you've joined us before, you are welcome to join us again! Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!
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Wednesday, 1 October 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #46


Welcome back to the Kid Lit Blog Hop #46
 
 



It is no secret that I have a major obsession with middle grade mysteries, so when I saw this one on Amazon, I snaffled it up
 
The Curious Disappearance of Professor Brown
by Tim Flanagan and illustrations by Dylan Gibson.
 
 
I was not disappointed. 




18 year old Lawrence Pinkley is Whitby's top private detective. Well actually he is the only private detective, complete with wardrobe of beige trenchcoats and trilby hats. When his father dies and leaves him a large inheritance, Lawrence can't touch it until he runs PIG for 5 years. ( Pinkley Investigation Group) So he sets out to follow in his father's footsteps and what follows is a laugh out loud adventure, with a cast of characters whose names often had me chortling.
 
 When Russet Brown arrives on Pinkley's door step, desperate to find her father Professor Brown, little does Lawrence know just how much of pumpkin of an investigation he has landed in. Mysterious notes begin finding their way into his office, and two thugs are watching his every move. Lawrence soon learns that this private detective gig is not as easy as he thought and he finds himself in one huge pickle, but not to worry. With a little help from some new friends, our dashing detective outsmarts the crooks and lives to investigate another day, just in time for his date with the lovely Vicky, his cafe crush.

This was one fun mystery, that had me laughing all the way to the end. I absolutely loved the colour illustrations by Dylan Gibson and found myself taking extra time to study each one, with their intricate and often hilarious details. I would recommend this to upper middle grade 12+ due to some of the events included and I am certainly looking forward to the next Lawrence Pinkley mystery.
 


Happy Hopping folks


Welcome to the 46th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! We are pleased to be welcoming a few co-hosts this week: Stanley & Katrina, who have just released their latest book, The Observations of the Obstreperous Animals (Stanley & Katrina Book 2) and Rebecca, the author behind the book blog, A Book Long Enough. Welcome to Stanley & Katrina and Rebecca!

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hosts. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
Co-Hosts:
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you!
4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links!
5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? If you've joined us before, you are welcome to join us again! Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!
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Tuesday, 30 September 2014

Roxy Rogers Your Destiny Is Calling Book Blast

Roxy Rogers cover  

About the Book

Title: Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny is Calling | Author: Emily Siskin-Toy | Illustrator: Brian C. Krümm | Publication Date: August 24, 2014 | Publisher: Three-Bug Books | Pages:32 | Recommended Ages: 6 to 9
Summary: What happens when a young girl with a Hall of Fame baseball pedigree breaks the family mold and follows her dream to become a soul singer? "Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling", a picture book for ages 6 - 9, lets children see that their families will love them just the same when they pursue their true passions in life.

Everybody in Roxy's family--from her great-grandpa (played with Lou Gehrig), to her grandpa (played with Jackie Robinson), to her mother (super-star college softball player), to her father (was a Los Angeles Dodger), to her sister (won a Gold Medal for Team USA Softball, and so on)--famously played ball, and Roxy is next in line. The only problem is that Roxy dreams of singing soul music like her idol, Aretha Franklin! A historical addendum provides information about the Hall of Fame baseball players who turn up in the book, as well as Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul music.

Additionally, a fun treasure hunt for clues about Roxy's true destiny runs throughout the book, giving readers an enhanced, interactive experience.  

Sneak Peek

Roxy Rogers Inside Page 3 Roxy Rogers Inside Page 2 Roxy Rogers Inside Page 1  

Purchase

Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Print) | Kobo | iTunes

 

The Early Buzz

"I just LOVED this little book. Empowering for young girls, and at the same time powerful for young boys... The illustrations are perfect for this book: fun and eye-grabbing, and I also love that it includes facts about popular icons like Aretha Franklin and Baseball legends. Well done! " ~ 5 Star Review, Mariana L., Amazon
 
"Roxie Rogers is an inspiring read for all ages, truly. It speaks to that little voice inside all of us telling us "come out" to the real you. The artwork brings the story to life, and the text is great for read-along or for young readers on their own." ~ 5 Star Review, Laura, Amazon
 
"I just read Roxy Rogers to my 5-year old daughter and we both loved the book! The story was fun and engaging filled with dynamic illustrations. Besides the great life messages woven into the story, I really like how the story reads. It is really nice to experience a children’s book that is not mind numbing in its repetitiveness (you know the type) with words that flow easily off the pages. " ~ 5 Star Review, Wendigo, Amazon
 

About the Author: Emily Siskin-Toy

Emily Siskin-ToyA U.C. Santa Cruz banana slug alum, Emily Siskin-Toy launched her writing career with posts at various film and television magazines in Los Angeles. After a break in the action to raise her daughter, Emily and her college sweetheart founded WOW! Music Studios, a successful children’s music instruction school in Mill Valley, California. But just like the character in her book, Emily’s true passion was something entirely different; she always dreamed of writing children’s books. Inspiration was everywhere for Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling. While coaching her daughter’s youth softball and basketball teams, Emily eventually came to realize that the world of sports was a passion of hers, not her daughter’s, who really wanted, of course, to be a singer. The plot of the story was right in front of her, and the surrounding details would be cultivated from her lifetime of love for the rich history of Major League Baseball and her daughter’s love of music.  

Website | Author Blog | Pinterest | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

* Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon $50 Gift Card Prize: One winner will receive a $50 Amazon gift card or PayPal cash (winner's choice) Contest closes: October 30, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open to: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the Emily Siskin-Toy and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com. a Rafflecopter giveaway MDBR Book Promotion Services  
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Wednesday, 17 September 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #45


Welcome back to the Kid Lit Blog Hop #45

This week Gigi and I went to a wonderful book launch.

The Great Garden Mystery.... 



By Renee Treml

SOMEONE IS EATING THE BEETROOTS,
WHO COULD THAT SOMEONE BE.....






With a very lively rhyme, and fantastic scratch design illustrations, we journey along with the animals in the patch, to unravel the great garden mystery.....

We had so much fun, learning about certain animals who do square shaped poo, and doing our very own scratch drawing.

We ate beetroot cookies and received our own magnifying glass and book mark, all very useful tools for solving mysteries, hurrah.


That's all from us today, now onto the hop.....

Someone is stealing the beetroots, who could that somebody be? Join us in the garden and we'll unravel this mystery.
- See more at: http://www.randomhouse.com.au/books/renee-treml/the-great-garden-mystery-9780857984166.aspx#sthash.iL6tD0Az.dpuf



 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hosts. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
 
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you!
4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links!
5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? If you've joined us before, you are welcome to join us again! Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!
Posted by at 6 comments:

Thursday, 4 September 2014

Kid Lit Blog Hop #44

Welcome back to the Kid Lit Blog Hop
 
 
 



Well, I don't know about you but I am exhausted....Just a few hours back from Book Expo Australia, where I exhibited and sold my books for 2 days. And, yes, I know you are wondering, where is the author in this shot, well, um, well, um, we didn't actually take a photo of me at the booth.
 
It was held at Olympic Park. Yes... Home of the 2000 Olympics.
 
 
 
I had a great experience and my new release, Frankie Dupont And The Mystery Of Enderby Manor was my best seller, hurrahhh.
  It is the first event like this in Australia, so there were a few teething problems, but all things aside, I had a great time, met some fabulous authors and bought home some booty.
 
 
Check out these awesome Aussie authors:
 
 
First, Gigi of course found a chicken book.... We can't wait to read this one.
 


Next we met an awesome powerhouse of an author called Susan Berran. Her Freaky series were a huge hit with the kids and I had a great time networking and swapping ideas with Susan.  It was truly great to connect with her.  









Then we of course found a penguin book by Jose Montano. Jose is from my home town, so we connected immediately, hurrah.
 
She has loads of traditionally published books, including some autism resources, so I hope you drop by her site.  www.booksbyjosie.com.au



 I got to meet Kim A Last, author of the awesome MG book Immagica. Check out that cover. I can't wait to read this....
 
 
But that's not all, Kim also writes YA, check out her series below...
 
 
 
 
 
Then there was Stacey Nash. Another fabulous chick, with a very awesome YA series, check it out.  
 

 
And of course, my favourite author/editor, Dionne Lister.  If you need a dragon fix, get yourself into this series.... It is epic....
 
 



We had a little holiday in Sydney before heading home.  Check out that view from our hotel window.

 
And no trip would be complete without staying in a mysterious manor on the way home.  Check this one out.  I wish I had gone there before I wrote Frankie Dupont...
 


 
 
Well, that is all I have the energy for folks.  Happy Hopping....


Welcome to the 44th Kid Lit Blog Hop where we continue to develop a dynamic and engaged community of children's books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists. So, you are always more than welcome to join us by popping in a post and hopping around to meet some of your fellow Kid Lit bloggers and authors! We are pleased to be welcoming a co-hostess with us this week, Stephanie Ward, the author of the children's book,Wally the Warm Weather Penguin. Welcome Stephanie!

Happy Hopping everyone and enjoy the Hop!

Kid Lit Blog Hop
 

Kid Lit Blog Hop Rules *Please Read*

1. We ask that you kindly follow your hosts. You can follow us any way you choose (Email, GFC, Twitter, Facebook, G+, Pinterest, etc.), but we've added our preferences below. If you could just give us a quick "follow" or "like" that would be much appreciated! Make sure to leave us a message if you are following us (i.e., on Twitter or Facebook or on our websites) and we will be sure to follow you back. Thanks! :-)
Hostesses:
Co-Hostess:
2. Link up any Kid Lit related post. This can be a link to a children’s book review, a discussion about children’s literature/literacy, or a post on a recently-read children’s book or one that you love from your childhood.
* Don't link directly to your blog, it must be a specific post.*
* For Authors, we prefer you to link to your blog if you have one. Please link unique posts each time ~ no repeats please. *
* Make sure you include an image relevant to the POST (e.g., book cover), not your blog button or photo of yourself.*
* Feel free to link more than one post.*
3. Please visit AT LEAST the TWO LINKS directly ahead of your own and leave them some love in the form of a comment. We are trying to build a community of bloggers, readers, parents, authors, and others who are as passionate about children’s literature as we are so please CONNECT and follow any or all of the blogs that interest you!
4. If you like, grab the button above and put it somewhere on your blog, preferably the post you're linking up. If you'd prefer, you can just add a text link back to this Hop so that others can find it and check out all these great book links!
5. It would really help us get the word out about the Kid Lit Blog Hop if you would be so kind as to tweet, share, and spread the word about the Hop!
Interested in co-hosting the Kid Lit Blog Hop? If you've joined us before, you are welcome to join us again! Please email renee @ motherdaughterbookreviews (dot) com and put Co-Hosting Blog Hop in the subject line.
Happy Hopping!
www.funkybooks.com.au
Posted by at 6 comments:
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