I would like to reach out to kid lit authors and book bloggers to get quality books into the hands of deserving kids.
Throughout the month of March, I am collecting new children’s books to benefit children of incarcerated parents. Authors, I hope you will consider donating signed copies of your books. Book bloggers, please help us by sharing this information with your readers.
I am a children’s author, teacher, and mom who is passionate about children’s literacy and the power of children’s books. When I learned nearly 2/3 of children, living in poverty, DO NOT own books, I was moved to act. I founded the literacy initiative, Picture Book Pass it On, to raise awareness for literacy issues and get books to kids in need.
Three years ago, the Picture Book Pass it On initiative grew to include a month-long book drive called MARCHing Books to Kids.
Throughout the month of March, MARCHing Books to Kids collects books (ages birth-17 years) for the VNS of Iowa Storybook Project. https://www.vnsia.org/mothers-children-families/volunteer-to-help-children/
VNS of Iowa volunteers travel to The Iowa Correctional Institution, in Mitchellville, once a month. With the aid of volunteers, mothers select one book per child to read via a digital voice recorder. The audio CD and book are mailed to the child to keep. The mission is to strengthen the bond between parent and child, during incarceration, while promoting reading and literacy.
Since 2015, MARCHing Books to Kids has collected more than 1,500 books. Over the years, the drive has received signed donations from notable children’s authors such as Robert Munsch (Love You Forever) and Nick Bruel (Bad Kitty series). Last year, more than 30 children’s authors donated signed copies of their books. Owning a book, let alone a book signed by the author, is a joy most of these children have never experienced.
I believe that every child’s Bill of Rights should be indelibly inked with the right to have books read to him/her and to own their very own books. Many of us take for granted the sacred ritual of cracking open a book and cuddling together while the words and pictures collectively take us away. You can probably recall having been read to by your parents or caregivers. You likely hold a special book, from your childhood, close to your heart. And, until now, you’ve probably not given much thought to how profound that experience can be…
Imagine, never having that.
To participate in MARCHing Books to Kids, please follow the 3 calls to action:
#1 Pledge to donate a new book/s to Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Storybook Project. Authors are invited to sign their books.
When packing your book/s, please include a note stating that your book is part of the MARCHing Books to Kids initiative. Books may be mailed to:
VNS of Iowa, Storybook Project
c/o Tabby Kuehl
1111 9th Street
Suite 320
Des Moines, Iowa 50314
#2 Post your pledge on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO . Share it on your blog and on social media. Please include our badge and tags #PBPiO and #MARCHingBookstoKids
#3 Pass it on. When you post about your pledge, challenge one or more friends to join your #MARCHingBookstoKids giving chain. Encourage them to take the pledge and keep passing it on…
I appreciate your help spreading the word. Thank you for making the difference in the lives of children and families in need.
Happy summer, everyone. I have been taking a break from writing to spend time with my son; however, I wanted to take a moment to spread the word about a new kid lit site, Storytime Pup. You can also find Storytime Pup on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube.
In addition to their kid-friendly web site, Storytime Pup hosts a You Tube channel featuring children’s books.
I was delighted to have my book, The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale, featured last week https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB_XIeuFdFg/
Storytime Pup was created by Bill McManus. Bill lives in upstate NY with his wife Diane and his 3 kids: Ryan, Colin and Shannon. He is the creator of Storytime Pup. He is also an author, entrepreneur, inventor and actor. He enjoys entertaining and writing books for children because their joy makes him happy.
If you are a published children’s author (traditional or indie), I encourage you to contact Storytime Pup for submission information. There is no charge for having your book/s featured on the site.
I wish you all a wonderful summer!
I posted this a while back, but with the summer slide upon us, it seems fitting to revisit.
Are you, or someone you love, a book nerd? If so, how did it happen? Was it nature or nurture?
My son has always been surrounded by books. Even before he was born, his bookshelves bore the weight of the legions of titles I had collected for him. With few exceptions, he has been read to/with every day of his 10 years on this earth. Each week, we visit the library and heap our bag to the top with books. He receives books at Christmas and on his birthday, and for no reason at all. He delights in choosing titles from the Scholastic book order forms sent home from school, and we are regulars at Half-Price Books. Books are ever-present in his day to day operations. In theory, he has all the makings of a book nerd. But, he’s anything but that. He will, on occasion, crack open his copy of Ripley’s Believe it or Not, or his Guinness Book of World Records to entertain himself. But, rarely does he deliberately choose to read for pleasure. Where did I go wrong? Why isn’t my boy a book nerd?
I, on the other hand, grew up with no books in our house. I, honestly, don’t know if I laid my eyes on a book until I was in elementary school. We were poor, and my parents were teenagers. I was raised on reruns of Batman and Gilligan’s Island. I was also a PBS junkie (we had only 4 channels back then). In my parents’ defense, books were not as readily available as they are today. They were not crammed onto the shelves of Target and Walmart (we didn’t even have Walmart back then). For whatever the reason, no one read to or with me. Nevertheless, I sought out books. I couldn’t wait until the Book Mobile pulled up, in my neighborhood, and I could climb aboard and select my 2 book limit. I read whatever I could get my hands on. I read books beyond my years, and books I probably shouldn’t have read. I was not “nurtured” to love books-but I did, and I do.
So, I ponder the question: Are book nerds born or made? Clearly, despite my efforts, I’ve not nurtured a book nerd. And, despite my parents’ lack of effort, I am a book nerd.
I welcome your thoughts on this topic. Please leave a comment, nerdy or not…
I posted this piece a while back…
With my son’s 4th grade year coming to an end, I find this information more timely than ever.
I love picture books, and I often write about them. In my post, Top 10 Reasons Picture Books Rock, I touch upon the importance of continuing to read aloud to your child even AFTER he/she is able to read independently. Please note that although children may be ready for early readers and chapter books, I implore parents to continue reading picture books with/to your children. There is no better way to connect at the end of a hectic day than to get lost in a picture book together. This ritual is one you can continue well into their teen years (yes, really, I promise). A child should not be denied this sacred time with you, just because he has “grown up”. Reading and/or revisiting picture books is a comforting ritual for children, and picture books have a magical way of opening dialogue and accessing feelings that older children may not otherwise share with you. So, crack open a picture book and enjoy!
If you are making this transition, you may find the following articles helpful.I hope you’ll discover something to enhance your family’s shared reading experiences.
Suggested articles:
7 reasons why reading aloud to older kids is still very important
1. Children listen on a different level than they read.
2. Life Lessons.
3. Enjoyment.
4. Reading aloud with older children helps builds vocabulary.
5. Physical closeness.
6. Sense of security.
7. Sense of belonging.
The hidden benefits of reading aloud – even for older kids
Here is another great resource for reading to your older child. This article includes an extensive list of recommended books.
Reading Aloud With Children Twelve & Older
Do you read aloud with your older child? I’d love to hear about your experience.
April is overflowing with literacy-related events. Rhyming Picture Book Month, National Library Month, and DEAR.
Beloved children’s author, Beverly Cleary is 100 years young today!
Cleary wrote about D.E.A.R. in her book, Ramona Quimby, Age 8. Since then, “Drop Everything and Read” programs have been held nationwide on April 12th in honor of Mrs. Cleary’s birthday. Learn more about Cleary and DEAR at http://dropeverythingandread.com/
I’m celebrating DEAR and the personal influence Cleary has had on me by offering my free children’s ebook.
Here are some fun facts about this American treasure (borrowed in part from mental_floss):
SHE’S A CAT LOVER.
I know many of us can relate to this one-
Cleary’s owned several pet cats over the years, one of whom used to resent having to compete with her typewriter for attention and would sit on the keys in protest.
SHE KNOWS KIDS AIN’T PERFECT.
and this one-
Cleary was annoyed with the books in her childhood, “…because children always learned to be ‘better’ children and, in my experience, they didn’t. They just grew, and so I started Ramona … and she has never reformed. [She’s] really not a naughty child, in spite of the title Ramona the Pest. Her intentions are good, but she has a lot of imagination, and things sometimes don’t turn out the way she expected.”
SHE’S ALWAYS SYMPATHIZED WITH STRUGGLING READERS.
Getting put into the lowest reading circle in first grade almost made her resent books. Phonic lists were a drag and being force-fed Dick & Jane-style narratives was flat-out excruciating. “[We] wanted action. We wanted a story,” she lamented in her autobiography. It was an experience Cleary never forgot. Since then, she claims to have always kept children who might be undergoing similar trials in mind while writing.
SHE’S NOT RAMONA THE PEST.
Although Ramona and many of her beloved books are about sibling rivalry and relationships, she grew up as an only child.
I grew up loving her books (although I think I referred to her as Beverly Clear-ly until early adulthood).
What’s your favorite Beverly Cleary book or fact?
April is Rhyming Picture Book Month, so I thought I’d celebrate by giving away my newest picture book, Dust Fairy Tales: Absolutely Aggie.
Download the ebook for FREE, this week, on Amazon. Here’s the link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0155J4Q7I/
I just discovered that UK Amazon customers are eligible for the free offer as well.
Happy Reading!
Here are some other literacy celebrations going on this month:
This April marks the 20th anniversary of National Poetry Month, which was inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996. Over the years, National Poetry Month has become the largest literary celebration in the world with schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets celebrating poetry’s vital place in our culture.
National Library Week April 10-16, 2016
First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support.
Children’s Day/Book Day – El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Día) April 30, 2016
Children’s Day/Book Day, also known as El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Día), is a celebration of children, families, and reading and held annually on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of advocating literacy for every child regardless of linguistic and cultural background.
When I learned that nearly 2/3 of children living in poverty do not own books, I started my literacy initiative, Picture Book Pass it On. My intention was to celebrate picture books and encourage people to donate books to kids in need. Fast-forward, a year later, and the grass-roots effort I began has grown into something truly remarkable.
Last March, I created a special initiative to collect books for children of incarcerated parents in Iowa. I reached out to friends, online and in person, to help with the month-long book drive called MARCHing Books to Kids. The books benefit the VNS of Iowa Storybook Project. Each month, the Storybook Project volunteers record incarcerated parents reading aloud to their children. The audio CD’s and books are then mailed to their children to keep.
In just one month, we collected over 350 books, 450 incarceration-themed Sesame Street book/CD sets, and loads of books signed and donated by children’s authors from across the US and several countries outside of the US.
This year, MARCHing Books to Kids is going strong. I reached out to authors I know, and they came through in a big way! So, I thought I’d reach out to some authors I don’t know and see what happens. Well, this is what happened yesterday…
I was delighted to learn that Nick Bruel, author and illustrator of the Bad Kitty series, donated a bundle of his books. Not only did Nick donate his books, he signed and added a doodle inside each one.
Owning a book signed by an author may not seem like a huge deal. But, the children and families served by the Storybook Project would likely never know that joy.
I truly believe books have the power to change lives. I am grateful to all of the authors who have already donated books to the 2016 MARCHing Books to Kids drive. Thank you for making a positive impact in the lives of kids in need.
The VNS of Iowa Storybook Project serves children birth-17 years of age. You can post your own pledge and learn more about the project at https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO/ If you’d like to donate a new or like-new book, please mail it to the address below.
VNS of Iowa, Storybook Project
c/o Tabby Kuehl (MARCHing Books to Kids)
1111 9th Street Suite 320
Des Moines, Iowa 50314
WARNING-
This post contains a shameless plug for my new children’s picture book…
What’s cuter than kitties in bunny costumes?
My new picture book! And it makes a much more practical Easter gift. For a chance to win a copy, head over to my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/michelleeastmanbooks/
Post your favorite bunny picture on my Facebook page, and you are entered to win a free hard cover book and the audio book CD (US residents).
Meanwhile, the real Easter bunny will be kissing winter good-bye…hello razors!
MARCHing Books to Kids is underway! Throughout the month of March, I am reaching out to all of the book lovers, reviewers, bloggers, and authors who’d like to help get quality books into the hands of deserving kids. Happily ever after starts with one book and one child…
Last year, I started the literacy initiative, “MARCHing Books to Kids” to raise awareness and collect books for children of incarcerated parents. I was delighted to have authors and lit lovers from all over the world support this cause. In fact, we received books from generous people in 11 different states and 4 countries! I hope this year will be just as great! The feedback from the participating families was incredible. They were especially touched that authors signed books for their children. That was a new experience for most of the families.
According to Reading is Fundamental (RIF), Nearly two-thirds of low-income families in the U.S. DO NOT own books. That is just plain wrong. But, we can help fix it.
I believe that every child’s Bill of Rights should be indelibly inked with the right to have picture books read to him/her and to own their very own books. Many of us take for granted the sacred ritual of cracking open a picture book, and cuddling together while the words and pictures collectively take us away. You can probably recall having been read to by your parents or caregivers. You likely hold a special picture book, from your childhood, close to your heart. And, until now, you’ve probably not given much thought to how profound that experience can be.
Imagine, never having that.
I CAN imagine a child, growing up, never knowing the power of a picture book. I WAS that child. I DO want to lead the charge to ink “Picture Book” on every child’s Bill of Rights. I’m a mom, teacher, and children’s author who believes, passionately, that we should never, ever, underestimate the power of a picture book.
I celebrate the power of the picture book through my Picture Book Pass it On (#PBPiO) project where I share literacy information and resources and encourage people to donate books to kids in need.
Throughout the month of March I invite you to participate in a special initiative called “MARCHing Books to Kids”. Book lovers can donate a favorite children’s book, and we invite children’s authors to donate signed copies of their books to the Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Storybook Project.
The Storybook Project recruits, screens and trains volunteers to work with incarcerated parents and/or grandparents at the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women (ICIW) in Mitchellville, Iowa and the Newton Correctional Release Center (CNRC) in Newton, Iowa. Once per month, volunteers work with the mother, grandmother or father. The parent/grandparent and volunteer choose a book from the Storybook library that is appropriate for the child. The parent or grandparent reads the book while the volunteer records the reading onto a digital voice recorder. The book and CD are mailed to the child.
To participate in MARCHing Books to Kids, please follow the 3 calls to action:
#1 Pledge to donate a new picture book/s to Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Storybook Project. Authors are invited to sign their books. We accept books for kids birth-17 years of age, so the sky is the limit!
Books may be mailed or sent via Amazon to:
VNS of Iowa, Storybook Project
c/o Tabby Kuehl (MARCHing Books to Kids)
1111 9th Street
Suite 320
Des Moines, Iowa 50314
#2 Post your pledge on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO . I share posts on my social media, so please include photos, book links, etc.
Share it on your blog and on social media. Please include our badge (see below) and #PBPiO, and #MARCHingBookstoKids.
#3 Pass it on. When you post about your pledge, challenge one or more friends to join your #PBPiO giving chain. Encourage them to take the pledge and keep passing it on…
If distance prohibits your ability to mail books to the Storybook Project. Please consider donating books to children in need in your own community. Oh, and be sure to share your giving story on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO We love to see how books are reaching kids all over the globe.
Please feel free to contact me at www.michelleeastmanbooks.com
I appreciate your help spreading the word! Please share on your blogs and social media. Thank you for making the difference in the lives of children and families!
I am thrilled to count myself among the ranks of children’s picture book writers. I believe, whole-heartedly, in the power of picture books. Of course, there are thousands of reasons to love picture books, but I’ve compiled my top ten.
My Top Ten Reasons Picture Books ROCK:
- Picture books provide an ideal setting to connect with your child. Reading picture books provides a time for parent and child to just be, together. There is no better way to connect, at the end of a hectic day, than to get lost in a picture book together. This ritual is one that you can continue well into their teen years (yes, really, I promise). Trust me, these shared moments are what kids look back on. That child becomes a parent who reads to his/her child, and so on, and so on…
- Picture books are funny. Where else can you laugh, out loud, about a pigeon begging to drive a bus or a “crack-up” over a dog, who despite his farting habit, becomes a hero?
- Picture books are serious. Some of the heaviest social and personal issues seem more approachable when told through a picture book. This can be a fantastic opportunity to explore situations, fears, and events that children might otherwise be reluctant to explore.
- Picture books are art. You don’t have to be an art expert to enjoy the limitless artistic styles waiting to be explored within a picture book.
- Picture books are ideal for reluctant readers. The illustrations in picture books help children understand the story better by providing visual clues of what is happening in the story and what might happen next. While a chapter book, filled with lines of text, might be intimidating-a picture book welcomes us to step inside-no special skills required. And wordless picture books provide an excellent opportunity to explore a story, without reading a single word. Wordless picture books can also be a great tool when working with English language learners.
- Picture books teach. I challenge you to find a non-fiction topic NOT explored in picture books. From world cultures and traditions, to life-cycles, or politics, picture books have it all. Teachers often use non-fiction picture books to supplement a specific topic or concept.
- Picture books are accessible. There is a reason librarians place picture books in bins on the floor and on low shelves. Picture books can take it, they are meant to be handled.
- Picture books make kids better readers. When we read picture books with our children, we are laying a strong foundation for their emergent literacy skills. The simple text helps them become skilled at sounding out words. They learn about the context and structure of stories, and recognize the relationship between cause and effect. All of these skills are crucial to becoming fluent readers.
- Picture books are NOT just for young children. As children get older, reading becomes a solitary adventure. We often push them (too fast, too soon) into chapter books and novels. But your child should not be denied this sacred time with you just because he/she is “growing up”. No one, nope, no one is EVER too old for picture books.
- Picture books are empowering. Children depend on adults for so much. We tell them what to eat, how to dress, what to say, and when to play. There aren’t a lot of opportunities for children to feel empowered. Going to the library, and allowing your child to choose his/her own picture books, is a great opportunity for him/her to feel independent. Very young children are able to memorize their favorite picture book stories. I don’t believe there is any better feeling of accomplishment than when a child can “read” a picture book to his/her parent. Can he/she truly read the words? No, but “reading” what he/she has memorized means he/she is internalizing the structure of a story. He/she knows it has a beginning, a middle and an end. He/she knows how to hold the book, and to turn the pages at the appropriate time. And this tiny person is reading, to you, all by him/herself! How cool is that?!
I hope my top ten list encourages you to crack open a picture book, with your child or loved one, and enjoy! Please feel free to leave a comment and share what you love most about picture books. I am interested to know how picture books impact you and your family.
I posted this piece a few months ago…
Writing is a solitary vocation. I spend a lot of time alone, pondering and reflecting, constructing and connecting. Most recently I connected my life, as a writer, to a well-known poem by Robert Fulghum. http://www.robertfulghum.com/ In the poem, Fulghum reflects on his days in kindergarten and how those lessons prepared him for life.
As I read his words, I began to ponder how becoming an author has enriched my life. I may not have learned “All I really need to know”, but I am constructing my journey one keystroke and lesson at a time. Here’s what I know…
All I really need to know…I learned writing kids’ Books
Share everything-
Give back to your fellow writers. Share articles and resources. Share your failures; they matter too. Lift someone up; show him the way. Give your books away to kids in need. Give back to your community.
Play fair-
I have dues to pay, like everyone else. There are no short-cuts or secret formulas to getting your books published or noticed.
Don’t hit people-
over the head with book promotions. It’s a fine line we walk when we promote our books. When in doubt, less is ALWAYS more!
Put things back where you found them-
Being an organized writer leads to being a productive writer (took me a long time to accept this one). This rule also applies to cats sleeping on your lap while you write. If you must disturb them, return them to your lap immediately.
Clean up your own mess-
I am a better writer when I can see the top of my work space (fought this one for years). Cats sitting on your work space are exempt.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours-
Whenever you quote or reference someone else or his/her work, give him/her proper credit.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody-
For me, this pertains to my husband. He is often on the receiving end of my writer’s block crankiness and endures my need for isolation when the block gives way.
Wash your hands before you eat-
A good practice on those rare occasions when I pry myself from my WIP to eat.
Flush-
Sometimes I have to let go of an idea that is not working to create space for a new one.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you-
And they make for delicious refreshments at book signing events.
Live a balanced life-learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some-
Okay, I’m still working on that one.
Take a nap every afternoon-
My cats handle this one for me.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together-
I am blessed to go out into the kid lit world, holding hands with some of the best people I know. Winding our way through the streets of the publishing world; we stick together.
Be aware of wonder-
Without wonder, how would we create anything new?
Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup; The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup-they all die. So do we-
The wonderful thing is that, as writers, we can make these moments matter. And what we write can matter to someone in a profound way.
And remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned-the biggest word of all-LOOK-
My greatest joy, as a children’s author, is seeing my words reflected through another person’s eyes. In that book, for those few moments, we look at the world together.
What has your writing journey taught you? I’d love to hear about it. Don’t be shy, leave a reply.
The number of kids with incarcerated parents has increased nearly 80% in the last 20 years, according to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. More than 2.7 million children have a parent who is incarcerated, and parents of another 10 million children have been incarcerated at some point. The experience can be profoundly difficult for children, increasing their risk of living in poverty and housing instability, as well as causing emotional trauma, pain, and social stigma. http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/article/reading-inside
But, through programs like the Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa Storybook Project, some of that stress melt away when kids and parents are able to share a special book together. Through an audio-tape reading program wherein imprisoned parents/grandparents read books to their children/grandchildren on tape, family bonds are strengthened and literacy skills improve as parents encourage their children to read with them and in their absence. Read this touching NY Times article to learn about the impact these programs have, from an incarcerated mom’s viewpoint. http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/07/07/behind-bars-finding-meaning-in-a-book-read-aloud/?emc=eta1/
How can you help? Donate a book. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3…
Now, through the month of March, Picture Book Pass it On is launching a special initiative called “MARCHing Books to Kids”.
We encourage book lovers to donate a favorite children’s book, and we invite authors and children’s authors to donate signed copies of their books to the Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Storybook Project.
The Storybook Project serves children Birth-17 years. They welcome donations of board books, picture books, early readers, graphic novels, chapter books, novels, non-fiction, etc. The sky is the limit!
To participate in MARCHing Books to Kids, please follow the 3 calls to action:
#1 Pledge to donate a new or very gently used children’s book/s to Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Storybook Project. Authors are invited to sign their books. Please include a note stating that your book is part of the MARCHing Books to Kids initiative. Books may be mailed to:
VNS of Iowa, Storybook Project
c/o Tabby Kuehl
1111 9th Street
Suite 320
Des Moines, Iowa 50314
#2 Post your pledge on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO. Share it on your blog and on social media. Please include our badge and #PBPiO, and #MARCHingBookstoKids
#3 Pass it on. When you post about your pledge, challenge one or more friends to join your #PBPiO giving chain. Encourage them to take the pledge and keep passing it on…
If distance prohibits your ability to mail books to the Storybook Project, please consider donating books to children in need in your own community. Oh, and be sure to share your giving story on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO We love to see how books are reaching kids all over the globe. So far, we have people “Passing it On” in the US, the UK, Australia, and Greece!
Thank you for making the difference in the lives of children and families!
I was diligently writing my next book scrolling my Facebook feed, when I discovered today is National Hug Day. So, I thought I’d send a virtual one your way.
This is Artie, the main character from my first children’s book, The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale. As you can see, Artie loves his Dust Bunny.
In honor of National Hug Day, I thought it would be fun to host a mini giveaway. To enter, post a bunny-related photo of you or a loved one. I am not the most tech-savvy gal, so I have no idea if you are able to include a photo in a reply to this post. If you can, do it! If not, send one my way via my Facebook or Twitter (hashtag #DustBunnyHugs).
PLEASE post only G-rated photos. The winner receives a print copy of my book (US residents). A winner outside of the US receives the Kindle version.
Thank you, and Happy Hugging!
Here are a few of my own bunny shots:
.
![253767_4344717029769_390608544_n[2]](https://michelleeastmanbooks.files.wordpress.com/2016/01/253767_4344717029769_390608544_n2.jpg?w=540)
(Yes, unbeknownst to me, my son elected to have his face painted as a zombie at our annual Easter dinner/egg hunt-proud mom moment to be sure).
I am trying out the new Amazon Giveaway service. Andy Mulberry recently blogged about her experience, so I thought I’d give it a whirl.
Many authors have a love/hate relationship with Amazon, so I understand if you do not want to participate.
But, if you are willing to give it a go, Amazon tells me my giveaway is now live and I should, “Share this link to let the world know.” I am quite sure the world has bigger fish to fry…
but here it is:
https://giveaway.amazon.com/p/7483c0f0946705bc
I appreciate any feedback you have about the entry process. If you’ve used this service, please feel free to share your experiences/opinions.
You are all winners in my book! Thank you!
To say the past year has been a whirlwind would be an understatement.
I self-published my first children’s picture book around this time in 2014. Aside from my first year teaching, I have never worked so hard, or felt more inept. But, in both cases, I was determined to learn what I needed to know in order to be successful.
I set out to learn the best way to publish my book, but I gained much more than that. I started this blog, fumbled my way around Twitter and a few other social sites, and met a lot of truly wonderful people along the way.
Success is a relative term. And, for me, it has been a dichotomy. I have enjoyed many successful moments. But, for whatever reason, I still beat myself up about my shortcomings (not sure if that is an indie author thing or just an all-around author thing).
They say success breeds success, and despite my attempts to sabotage my own, I’ve managed to publish a second children’s book. I was blessed to work with the same illustrator on what we both feel is our best work to date.
I’ll host the book launch party for my second book tomorrow. And, I’ll also celebrate the one-year anniversary of the book that started me on this wild and winding path.
To mark the event, I am offering both books for $.99 on Kindle from December 4-11.
I’d like to extend a sincere thank you to all of my online friends and colleagues. Being part of this community has definitely been one of the best aspects of becoming an author.
I wish each of you joy in the things you love to do. I’d love to hear about your experiences. Please feel free to leave a reply about your joyful moments.
Here are some of the moments that have brought me joy:
![253767_4344717029769_390608544_n[2]](https://michelleeastmanbooks.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/253767_4344717029769_390608544_n2.jpg?w=387&h=258 "253767_4344717029769_390608544_n[2]")
I’m a mom, teacher, and children’s author who believes, passionately, that we should never, ever, underestimate the power of a picture book. According to Reading is Fundamental (RIF), Nearly two-thirds of low-income families in the U.S. own no books. That statistic is common in other developed countries as well.
That’s just plain wrong. But, we can help fix it.
Last November I launched the literacy initiative, Picture Book Pass it On (#PBPiO). I encouraged people to donate new or gently used books to needy kids, locally, and to challenge friends to do the same. It caught on in the US, and we also had people “Passing it On” in the UK and Australia. Many children’s book authors participated by giving local kids in need copies of their books.
With a few exceptions, the PBPiO charge is being led by an all-female squad of super-heroes (a.k.a. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Picture Books).
Frankly, I am thrilled to have anyone join me in getting picture books onto the laps of deserving kids. But, I’d like to welcome super-dads and picture book-loving dudes to join in the fun. Will you help celebrate the power of picture books and accept the PBPiO call to action?
It’s as easy as 1,2,3…
#1 Pledge to donate a new or gently used picture book/s to a children’s charity in your area.
#2 Post your pledge on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO/. Share your pledge on your blog and on social media. Please include our badge and #PBPiO
#3 Pass it on. When you post about your pledge, challenge one or more friends to join your #PBPiO giving chain. Encourage them to take the pledge and keep passing it on…
Please share your giving stories on this page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO/. We love to see how books are reaching kids all over the globe.
Learn more about Picture Book Pass it On:
https://michelleeastmanbooks.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/a-childs-picture-book-bill-of-rights/
We now have our own badge. Please feel free to copy and paste the badge. Add it to your blog, post it in your tweets, or use it however you see fit to promote Picture Book Pass it On.
I am celebrating the arrival of baby book number two, Dust Fairy Tales: Absolutely Aggie. So, I am offering a giveaway each week, leading up to the official launch party on December 4.
Both of my books feature mischievous fairies who enjoy making messes in our homes while we sleep. Legend has it that each fairy has his/her very own dust bunny. The dust bunnies accompany the fairies during the long, and sometimes lonely, nights. The legend also says, the fairies are sometimes careless and leave a dust bunny or two behind.
I advocate letting sleeping dust bunnies lie. If you agree, post a selfie or picture of the most active or interesting place YOUR dust bunnies hide.
Yes, this is a poorly-veiled attempt to plug my book.
But, I am donating $1 from each book sold to Operation Christmas Child. And, I am giving away a print copy of my book (or ebook for outside the US) to the winner of the “selfie-sweepstakes”.
Head over to my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/michelleeastmanbooks to post your entry.
Show Me the BUNNY!
Do you know that 2 out of 3 kids living in poverty have no books to call their own? Let’s fix that!
November is Picture Book Month. Celebrate by taking the Picture Book Pass it On #PBPiO challenge. It’s as easy as 1,2,3…
#1 Pledge to donate a new or gently used picture book/s to a children’s charity in your area.
#2 Post your pledge on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO/. Share your pledge on your blog and on social media. Please include our badge and #PBPiO
#3 Pass it on. When you post about your pledge, challenge one or more friends to join your #PBPiO giving chain. Encourage them to take the pledge and keep passing it on…
Please share your giving stories on this page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO/. We love to see how books are reaching kids all over the globe.
As an indie author, people are not exactly beating down my door to interview me. So, when someone is kind enough to offer, I happily say yes!
Thanks to Sondra Rymer for the recent interview on The Children’s Writer’s Guild.
It was interesting to reflect on my own process as an author. I hope you find something helpful or inspiring in the mix. You can access the interview here http://www.childrenswritersguild.com/an-interview-with-author-michelle-eastman/
Hello. I am a children’s author, and I recently released my second picture book. Although it is my second book, I am relatively new to blogging and publishing, so it is a challenge to solicit reviews. Friends and family will be “officially” introduced to my new book at the launch party on December 4. I value their input, but I’d also like to get reviews from people outside of my support circle.
If you are interested in reviewing my book on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog, Please contact me via the comments or at dmeastman (at) msn (dot) com to receive a PDF review copy.
Here is a little more information about the book and author.
Dust Fairy Tales: Absolutely Aggie (Children’s Picture Book, ages 4-8)
Fairies, music, and dust! Oh my! Aggie is a little Dust Fairy with a big problem. She wants to join the fairy band, but they do not approve of her offbeat style. Aggie is determined to impress them, but that turns out to be harder than she imagined. Just when she thinks she will never find a way to fit in, Aggie discovers it might be more fun to stand out.
About the Author:
Michelle Eastman is the author of ‘Dust Fairy Tales: Absolutely Aggie’ as well as ‘The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale’. Michelle’s books take a lighthearted approach to the compelling desire kids have to fit-in. The stories validate the need kids feel for acceptance, while imparting a gentle take-away message of the joy that can come from embracing one’s individuality. The lively, rhyming stanzas and vivid illustrations appeal to boys and girls alike.
Michelle began her career as an elementary teacher in the West Des Moines School District. At Iowa Public Television, she wrote educational content for teachers and students. Her work with children, and passion for picture books, inspired her to found the literacy initiative, Picture Book Pass it On (#PBPiO). When she’s not chasing dust bunnies, or her two cats, she likes to cuddle up with a good book and her son. Michelle lives with her husband and son, in Waukee, Iowa.
If you have any tips or advice for seeking reviews, or helpful resources, I would love to hear from you. I enjoy connecting with fellow authors. I’m on Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Thank you for your time.
Hello to all. I am beyond excited to share my newest picture book, Dust Fairy Tales: Absolutely Aggie. I am running a Goodreads giveaway until October 5.
If you are a book reviewer, please contact me about receiving a complimentary PDF copy for consideration.
Here is the synopsis:
Fairies, music, and dust! Oh my! Aggie is a little Dust Fairy with a big problem. She wants to join the fairy band, but they do not approve of her offbeat style. Aggie is determined to impress them, but that turns out to be harder than she imagined. Just when she thinks she will never find a way to fit in, Aggie discovers it might be more fun to stand out. Lively, rhyming stanzas and vibrant illustrations come together in this magical tale. It is sure to delight boys and girls alike, while imparting a positive message about embracing one’s individuality.
https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/155813-dust-fairy-tales-absolutely-aggie/
My publishing journey has led me down some interesting paths. Along the way, I have met gracious, creative people like Brooke. It’s a pretty darn good feeling when someone likes something you’ve written enough to promote it. The fact that she happens to be a kid, and likes my kids’ book, makes it that much better!
Check out her Studio B channel on You Tube, and don’t forget to enter the Dust Bunnies book giveaway.
I am excited to be publishing my second children’s book. I created this short preview video, and I would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you!
Here is the synopsis:
Fairies, music, and dust! Oh my! Aggie is a little Dust Fairy with a big problem. She wants to join the fairy band, but they do not approve of her offbeat style. Aggie is determined to impress them, but that turns out to be harder than she imagined. Just when she thinks she will never find a way to fit in, Aggie discovers it might be more fun to stand out. Lively, rhyming stanzas and vibrant illustrations come together in this magical tale. The story is sure to delight boys and girls alike, while imparting a positive message about embracing one’s individuality.
I don’t know how I got so lucky as to have Kevin Richter beside me through the production of two books, but I am so happy he’s along for the ride. Here is the cover reveal for our forthcoming children’s picture book.
I am delighted to be featured as the Author Spotlight on Fairy Tales Imagery blog this month. I talk about my writing process, the challenges of marketing, and what success means to me. Be sure to scroll down to enter Sondra’s featured giveaway.
Sondra Rymer is a talented visual artist and fairy tale fan. In addition to being incredibly creative, Sondra is also extremely generous. She actively pays it forward and back, by promoting and supporting her peers. If you enjoy whimsical, enchanted images, be sure to visit her site http://www.fairytalesimagery.com/
I happen to be the mom of a kid who doesn’t really care for reading. An irony not lost on me, since I am a teacher/children’s author who has read to him every day of his life since birth, in a home overflowing with books.
If you are the parent of a “reluctant reader” (PC term for my kid would rather chew glass than read for pleasure), you may find some fresh ideas in Jane McFann’s article, Boys and Books.
Please feel free to post a comment and share book suggestions or advice for parents of reluctant readers.
Educators Cathy Mere & Mandy Robek created the annual event #pb10for10. Join the celebration and share 10 of your all-time favorite picture books today, August 10th, with the hashtag #pb10for10 (see the official rules here).
As an indie author, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of picture books from the talented pool of authors who work hard to produce high-quality, independently-published children’s books.
Author/illustrator, Mark Collins is one of the first people I met on the kid lit scene. His books are colorful and funny with just the right amount of gross-out humor kids adore. My son thinks Grandma Stinks is hilarious!
is another talented kid lit author who creates entertaining and educational children’s books. Barbara has written a series of Little Miss HISTORY books, highlighting America’s historical sites.
Author is making great books and treating readers to this one for free on his blog.
is one of my favorite people in the indie kid lit world. She is a wealth of knowledge, and her generosity inspires me to pay it forward and back in our online community.
is an indie from across the pond in the UK. In addition to writing books for kids, she supports fellow authors via @KidLiterature and her blog
Author is making a difference with her children’s book about Dyslexia.
My friend, and fellow Iowa gal, is making a splash with her new picture book.
Another Iowa author, , is helping ease kids’ anxiety with her book.
I recently met Australian author,
Rounding out my top 10 is a beautiful picture book by Brian G Chambers, Söndra N Rymer.
Lastly, I will toot my own horn. I am blessed to count myself among the many talented indie and traditional children’s book authors.
Join the celebration and share 10 of your all-time favorite picture books today, August 10th, with the hashtag #pb10for10.
Don’t be shy, leave a reply. Please feel free to add your favorites to my list in the comments below.
Happy Reading!
Here’s a great article from the Wall Street Journal…
The Great Gift of Reading Aloud
To curl up with children and a good book has long been one of the great civilizing practices of domestic life, an almost magical entry point to the larger world of literature.
Don’t be shy, leave a reply. What is your favorite read-aloud book or memory?
I can certainly brag about this guy!
Kevin Richter is the talented illustrator of my very first children’s picture book, AND he is currently working on the second book in the Dust Fairy series.
Dust Fairy Tales: Absolutely Aggie should be ready for release this fall. If you are not familiar with Dust Fairies, they are the little sprites responsible for the dust, crumbs, and other debris we try so hard to remove from our homes. Yep, they come out while we sleep and hold crumb-spitting contests, sprinkle dust, and leave behind their dust bunnies. It’s true-I read it in a book!
Aggie would love nothing more than to join the fairy band and play music while the Dust Fairies frolic and play. But, she has a hard time fitting in with the more dainty, girlie, Dust Fairies. Will she ever be good enough? Can she fit in AND stand out? Oh, did I mention she plays the bagpipes? You can follow Aggie’s progress and all things Dust Fairy at https://www.facebook.com/michelleeastmanbooks
Waiting for the illustrations is both torture and bliss-I am like a little kid at Christmastime. Thankfully, Kevin is kind enough to let me peek into his creative world before the book is finished. Here are a few of his whimsical designs.
Don’t be shy, leave a reply. What are you bragging about? I’d love to hear about your work.
Thanks to Shauna at I Love to Read and Review Books for the awesome review and for hosting a summer giveaway. Hop over to her site to enter to win my book and lots of other great stuff.
Here’s what Shauna had to say about The Legend of Dust Bunnies:
My Review
BUNNIES!
FUN!
My blogging has slowed to a trickle as of late. I won’t call it writer’s block, but I wasn’t feeling particularly inspired. As it tends to happen with me-just when I get stuck in a rut, someone happens along and gets the wheels turning again.
I crossed paths with kid lit author Amy Chung when I was working to finish my first children’s book. She was beginning her publishing journey as well. Fast forward 9 months, and we recently re-connected and exchanged reviews of our finished books.
That exchange prompted me to start a weekly feature, “Off the Shelf Thursday”. My goal is to highlight a new children’s picture book (or new to me) each week.
This week I am sharing Amy’s book, Wishful Wedding.
Here is my review:
The rhyming text and colorful illustrations work together to share a little girl’s mixed emotions about her aunt’s wedding. Although she is happy for her aunt and excited to serve as her flower girl, she wishes her two fathers could declare their love at their own ceremony. Chung does a great job of exploring the topic of same-sex marriage from a child’s point of view. It’s a great book to share with children to spark conversation about the similarities and differences between our families and the universal nature of love.
You can find Amy’s books on Amazon:
You can connect with Amy here:
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale
by Michelle R. Eastman
Giveaway ends July 04, 2015.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Celebrate summer with a great new kids’ book-for FREE. The Goodreads giveaway is now live. https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/141587-the-legend-of-dust-bunnies-a-fairy-s-tale
I hope you all have a wonderful summer filled with magic and laughter!
Traveling the indie publishing road can be a daunting and lonely journey. For the novice, there are plenty of opportunities to take a wrong turn, stumble, or lose sight of your destination. The entire experience practically begs you to throw yourself an occasional Pity Party, or two, or three.
I have hosted some killer woe-is-me celebrations. Instead of a hangover, these blow outs always leave me in a funk. My last, and most impressive, fete was a month-long celebration after the rush of my book launch abruptly came to a halt. I won’t liken it to post-par tum depression (not out loud anyway), but it was pretty miserable.
Everything leading up to the launch of my book was exhilarating. I had the launch party to plan, books to order, swag to buy. The launch party was a huge success. I sold hundreds of books that month and scheduled a handful of author visits. I received scads of 5-star reviews, and my book was featured on a few blogs. People were buzzing about my book, and I was on cloud nine. Then…crickets. Nothing happened. I went from living and breathing my book to staring at a pile of them. Cue the Pity-Party music and back-up dancers.
Gloom and Doom became my BFF’s. I beat myself up for not selling more books. I couldn’t think of anything to write. And, to make matters worse, I had spent a lot of money on self-publishing a book I was sure would never again see the light of day.
Since I couldn’t write, I read. I went to the library. I started reading picture books again. I found solace in the kid lit community. I read blog posts and articles, tweets and memes.
One of the articles I stumbled upon helped me kick those heifers, Gloom and Doom, to the curb.
The author’s message helped me alter how I perceive my success and allow myself to appreciate the little moments as much as the big ones. That paradigm shift removed a huge roadblock in my writing career-a roadblock constructed by me.
My Pity-Parties are now (mostly) Pinch-Me Parties.
Instead of complaining that only 5 people showed up at my Barnes and Noble author event, I pinch myself. I look around and think, “OMG! My book is on the shelf at Barnes and Noble!” Rather than beating myself up that my online sales are not in the thousands, I take pride knowing a book I wrote is in the hands of hundreds of people around the world.
Not that I’m a masochist, but I kind of like this whole pinching thing. It seems the more I do it, the more “pinch able” moments come my way. My book is on the shelves of several book stores and libraries (pinch). I’ve been interviewed by our local TV and newspaper (pinch, pinch). The Horn Book Magazine reviewed a collection of indie books for the first time in the history of the magazine, and my book was included (bad pinch on that one-Roger Sutton is not a fairy fan). School children in the UK chose to dress up as Dust Fairies (complete with matching dust bunny dolls) for World Book Day (pinch). My book has been a #1 Kindle on Amazon (pinch). I started a successful literacy initiative, and we’ve collected more than 300 books for children of incarcerated parents (pinch).
But, the best “pinches” by far, are all of the incredibly kind, gifted, generous people I have met on this journey. Thanks for your inspiration, humor, and support.
I love hearing from you. Tell me your best pity or pinch party story!
Here’s my original blog post from last December:
I am a writer. I have met a lot of writers. Most of us are very hard on ourselves. Working in solitude affords us the time to self-reflect, which often leads to self-loathing. For many of us, our goals start small…finish a novel, get a book published, get a review, etc. Unfortunately, rather than savoring the small fruits of our labor, we are compelled to reach for the next branch. This New York Times article is a fitting reminder that those clusters of fruit, we take for granted, are a delicacy some will never taste.
As the Eagles proclaimed, “…Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can’t get
Desperado…”
Don’t quit your day dream. Pull up a chair, heap your plate full, and enjoy your fruit-no matter how small.
Thanksgiving Weekend Blues
RIDGEWOOD, N.J. — THANKSGIVING weekend in 1990, I spent two hours at the loneliest place in the world for an obscure novelist — the book-signing table at a Waldenbooks in a suburban New Jersey mall.
I sat at the table smiling like a game show host. Store patrons scurried past me, doing all they could to avoid eye contact. I kept smiling. I straightened out my pile of free bookmarks for the umpteenth time, though so far none had been taken. I played with my pen. Authors at signings like this get good at playing with their pens. I pushed it to and fro. I curled my upper lip around the pen and made it into a makeshift mustache. I clipped it to my lower lip, pinching said lip in an almost masochistic way, and was able to click the pen open by moving my jaw and pressing it against my nose. You can’t teach that skill, by the way. Practice. At one point, I took out a second pen, rolled up a spitball, and then let the two pens play hockey against each other. The Rollerball beat the Sharpie in overtime.
During the first hour of my signing, a grand total of four people approached me. Two asked me where the bathroom was. The third explained his conspiracy theory linking the J.F.K. assassination with the decision by General Mills to add Crunch Berries to Cap’n Crunch breakfast cereal. The fourth asked me if we had a copy of the new Stephen King.
I kept smiling. Four copies of my brand-spanking-new first novel — Waldenbooks knew not to order too many — stood limply on the shelf behind me. I missed the Barcalounger in my den. I longed for home and hearth, for stuffing my face with leftover turkey, for half-watching football games in which I had no rooting interest. Instead I slow-baked under the fluorescent Waldenbooks lights, the Early Hipster booksellers glaring at me as though I was some kind of pedantic squatter. I had become the literary equivalent of a poster child — “you could buy his book or you could turn the page …”
Time didn’t just pass slowly. It seemed to be moonwalking backward.
Then, with maybe 15 minutes left before I could scrape up the scraps of my dignity and head home, an old man shuffled toward me. He wiped his nose with what I hoped was a beige hankie. His eyes were runny. Odds were this was going to be a where’s-the-bathroom question, but this guy had all the makings of another conspiracy theorist.
The old man’s gaze drifted over my shoulder. “What’s that like?”
“Excuse me?”
“That’s your novel, right?”
He gestured at the four books on the shelf behind me.
“Right,” I said.
He shook his head in awe. “That’s my dream, man. Seeing my book on a shelf in a bookstore.” He lowered his gaze and met my eye. “So what’s that like?”
I paused, letting the question sink in, but before I could reply, the old man lifted his eyes back to the bookshelf, smiled, and shook his head again. “Lucky,” he said, before turning and walking away.
He didn’t buy a book. He didn’t have to.
I am blessed to be part of the online community of writers who share as much as they shine. Thank you!
WARNING-Shameless Plug to follow…
I’m celebrating the 6 month birthday of my first published children’s book. The whole experience has been more than a bit surreal. I never dreamed I’d see my self-published book on the shelves of libraries and bookstores, let alone that people would ask me to sign copies. I also never thought I’d come up with another idea for a book. But, Kevin Richter and I are currently working on book #2 in what has now become a series of Dust Fairy books. Needless to say, I am blessed.
The star of our newest book is Absolutely Aggie. She longs to join the fairy band, but she is too loud, too bold, and just too much for the more dainty fairies in the group. Aggie follows her heart, and she eventually discovers you don’t have to be perfect to find your perfect fit. You can read the latest Dust Fairy updates on Facebook.
I’m also blessed to enjoy the company of my awesome blogging buddies. Your support and encouragement means a lot to me.
So, here comes the plug.
In honor of the 6 month anniversary of my book, I am offering the Kindle version for 99 cents for 6 days. If you enjoy picture books with colorful pictures and subtle, yet sincere take-away messages, you won’t be disappointed in The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale.
Thanks to Chris, The Story Reading Ape for pointing out that I previously did not include the Amazon link. Be sure to check out his blog. It’s like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory for Indie authors! He is amazingly generous (not sure he’ll let you eat his dishes, though).
Here is the US Amazon link to get your .99 cent Kindle book:
The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NT6MXM0/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_awdm_KZKvvb1XC9JFF via @amazon
Here’s a preview of the book I created using Animoto:
Happy reading!
Are you celebrating something special? I’d love to hear about it. Don’t be shy, leave a reply!
An Indie Author Looks Back, 6 Months Into the Journey…
I officially began my self-publishing journey nearly six months ago. Not long before that, I clumsily made my way onto WordPress. Navigating both realms has been incredibly rewarding. Am I a success? Hmm…Have I sold thousands of books? No. Do I have thousands of followers on my blog? Nope. But, I am a richer person and writer because of the connections I’ve made and the opportunities that have come my way since I became an author and a blogger. I am grateful to be part of the kid lit and blogging communities. Here’s a “Throw-back Tuesday” post from a while back. The quotes and sentiments ring even truer as I reflect on the past six months.
What’s the secret to indie publishing success? It depends on the course you chart, and it rarely involves smooth sailing.
“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist…
View original post 110 more words
Writing is a solitary vocation. I spend a lot of time alone, pondering and reflecting, constructing and connecting. Most recently I connected my life, as a writer, to a well-known poem by Robert Fulghum. http://www.robertfulghum.com/ In the poem, Fulghum reflects on his days in kindergarten and how those lessons prepared him for life.
As I read his words, I began to ponder how becoming an author has enriched my life. I may not have learned “All I really need to know”, but I am constructing my journey one keystroke and lesson at a time.
All I really need to know…I learned writing kids’ Books
Share everything-
Give back to your fellow writers. Share articles and resources. Share your failures; they matter too. Lift someone up; show him the way. Give your books away to kids in need. Give back to your community.
Play fair-
I have dues to pay, like everyone else. There are no short-cuts or secret formulas to getting your books published or noticed.
Don’t hit people-
over the head with book promotions. It’s a fine line we walk when we promote our books. When in doubt, less is ALWAYS more!
Put things back where you found them-
Being an organized writer leads to being a productive writer (took me a long time to accept this one). This rule also applies to cats sleeping on your lap while you write. If you must disturb them, return them to your lap immediately.
Clean up your own mess-
I am a better writer when I can see the top of my workspace (fought this one for years). Cats sitting on your workspace are exempt.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours-
Whenever you quote or reference someone else or his/her work, give him/her proper credit.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody-
For me, this pertains to my husband. He is often on the receiving end of my writer’s block crankiness and endures my need for isolation when the block gives way.
Wash your hands before you eat-
A good practice on those rare occasions when I pry myself from my WIP to eat.
Flush-
Sometimes I have to let go of an idea that is not working to create space for a new one.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you-
And they make for delicious refreshments at book signing events.
Live a balanced life-learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some-
Okay, I’m still working on that one.
Take a nap every afternoon-
My cats handle this one for me.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and stick together-
I am blessed to go out into the kid lit world, holding hands with some of the best people I know. Winding our way through the streets of the publishing world; we stick together.
Be aware of wonder-
Without this, how would we create anything new?
Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup; The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup-they all die. So do we-
The wonderful thing is that, as writers, we can make these moments matter. And what we write can matter to someone in a profound way.
And remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned-the biggest word of all-LOOK-
My greatest joy, as a children’s author, is seeing my words reflected through another person’s eyes. In that book, for those few moments, we look at the world together.
What has your writing journey taught you? I’d love to hear about it. Don’t be shy, leave a reply.
Wow! That’s all I can say about the wonderful authors who donated books to MARCHing Books to Kids of incarcerated parents book drive. I dropped off another huge collection today, and I was able to spend time in the VNS library. It was great to see all of the books on the shelves, but the best part was seeing all of your books. I was able to “Drop Everything And Read” a few days late, and I read many of your awesome books for the first time! You authors are as talented as you are generous. It was a pleasure to read the books you’ve created. The VNS staff members are very appreciative of the outpouring of donations from authors in 12 US states, and 3 additional countries. I’ll have the final book count very soon, but I can tell you the sentiment outweighs that total by loads and loads. Tabby, the program coordinator, mentioned how touched the inmates have been by the kind gesture from so many people who do not even reside in our community. Thanks to you, it will be a very special Mother’s Day for these ladies. Many of the MARCHing Books to Kids donations are being distributed in May. I am so happy to have been a small part in the work the VNS is doing to serve these families. Thank you so much for your generosity!
UPDATE-We received over 312 books and 450 Sesame Street Books/DVD Kits (Little Children, Big Challenges: Incarceration)
Here’s a shot of VNS staff members proudly displaying some of the donations.
Here’s a shot of the VNS library. Every month 60-80 books are sent to children of incarcerated parents (along with an audio recording of the parent reading the book to his/her child). They serve children birth-17 years of age.
Here’s what I imagine the VNS staff and volunteers do every morning. They are awesome!
It’s never too late to donate. Learn more about the VNS Storybook Project and how they connect children of incarcerated parents with their children through the magic of books. https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO
You can donate books anytime. Your book donations may be mailed to:
VNS of Iowa, Storybook Project
c/o Tabby Kuehl (MARCHing Books to KIds)
1111 9th Street Suite 320
Des Moines, Iowa 50314
If you participated in MARCHing Books to Kids (in any way) or PBPiO, please feel free to post a comment below and include a link to your books or author page or blog.
If you are an author, you’ve heard it a thousand times, “Show, don’t tell.” So, why not go one better and let a video do the talking?
One of the best things about being a children’s author is visiting schools. I love reading to the children and answering their questions about my book and about being an author. One of the most common questions is, “How did you make the book?” As a self-published author, I had a hand in every aspect of the publishing process, so my answer to their question could get pretty involved. Since most of us have an attention span of a…”Oh, look, glitter!” You get the idea. I decided to create a video to give kids a peek inside the book making process.
I am not a tech-savvy gal, and I am not made of money. So, imagine my delight when I discovered I could create a video for FREE! Yep, free. And, wait for it…EASY!
I used Animoto to create a short preview video. It is free to create a video that is 30 seconds long. It doesn’t seem like you can get much out of 30 seconds, but I was able to create a trailer to suit my needs.I later upgraded to the $30.00 per year plan to create a longer preview and the “Making the Book” video seen below.
No, I am not getting a commission from Animoto (although, that would be nice). I am just excited to tell people about it, because I was intimidated by the prospect of creating a trailer for my first book. That changed when I found this site.
Yessss!
I love sharing things about my self-publishing journey with others. I hope this information is helpful, and I wish you well as you forge your own path.
I also love to hear from you. Don’t be shy, leave a reply. What cool things have you learned as a self-published author?
Tah-Dah…Here is my “Making the Book” video:
And, here is the preview trailer:
Thanks to everyone who was kind enough to indulge me in my shameless Easter Plug (re-posted below). We have a winner! I am happy to send a copy of my book and a dust bunny adoption kit to Clarike Bowman-Jahn. Everyone who “liked” or commented is welcome to a copy of the PDF version of my book. I’ll contact you to send that along.
Little more than a year ago, I was working to get my first children’s picture book published. At the same time, I was making a clumsy effort at starting this blog. Social media was a completely uncharted territory for me. Millions of clicks later, I am blessed to have made many friends online. I am grateful for the connections, laughs, and knowledge we share. I wish you all the very best in your endeavors.
Okay…another shameless plug…
I am currently working on the second book in the Dust Fairy series. I am pleased to introduce “Absolutely Aggie”.
WARNING-
This post contains a shameless plug for my new children’s picture book…
Something DUSTY is going on!
Head over to my Facebook page for the details. https://www.facebook.com/michelleeastmanbooks
I am offering a special Easter GIVEAWAY. You can enter for the chance to win The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale and an official Dust Bunny adoption kit. In this book, dust fairies come out at night and create all sorts of messes in our homes. The naughty nymphs hold crumb-spitting contests and fire soot from their slingshots. And they have a “fairy” good time doing it!
To enter to WIN, simply LIKE my Facebook page, and ANSWER the following question in the FB COMMENTS.
What messes do you blame on dust fairies?
Or simply like or comment below to win a PDF version of the book.
I was both nervous and delighted when Matthew Winner, The Busy Librarian, and all-around great guy, invited me to come on his Let’s Get Busy Podcast.
I was excited, because I had never participated in a podcast. It sounded like a lot of fun.
I was nervous, because Matthew typically interviews folks such as New York Times Bestselling Author, Ame Dyckman (Wolfie the Bunny), and Nick Bruel, author of The Bad Kitty Series. I’m just an indie author, from Iowa. Someone pinch me!
We talked about my strange journey into self-publishing The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale, investing time in building a presence on social media, and how connecting kids with books absolutely can make a difference.
If any of those things interest you, check out the podcast at http://lgbpodcast.blogspot.com/
Meanwhile, I will be doing this…
WARNING-
This post contains a shameless plug for my new children’s picture book…
Something DUSTY is going on!
Head over to my Facebook page for the details. https://www.facebook.com/michelleeastmanbooks
I am offering a special Easter GIVEAWAY. You can enter for the chance to win The Legend of Dust Bunnies, a Fairy’s Tale and an official Dust Bunny adoption kit. In this book, dust fairies come out at night and create all sorts of messes in our homes. The naughty nymphs hold crumb-spitting contests and fire soot from their slingshots. And they have a “fairy” good time doing it!
To enter to WIN, simply LIKE my Facebook page, and ANSWER the following question in the FB COMMENTS.
What messes do you blame on dust fairies?
Or simply like or comment below to win a PDF version of the book.
Why would anyone want to put a picture book in prison? I’ll give you 2.7 Million reasons why…
The number of kids with incarcerated parents has increased nearly 80% in the last 20 years, according to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. More than 2.7 million children have a parent who is incarcerated, and parents of another 10 million children have been incarcerated at some point. The experience can be profoundly difficult for children, increasing their risk of living in poverty and housing instability, as well as causing emotional trauma, pain, and social stigma. http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/article/reading-inside
But, through programs like the Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa Storybook Project, some of that stress melt away when kids are able to visit their parent and read a special book together. Through an audio-tape reading program wherein imprisoned parents/grandparents read books to their children/grandchildren on tape, family bonds are strengthened and literacy skills improve as they encourage their children to read with them and in their absence.
The Storybook Project recruits, screens and trains volunteers to work with incarcerated parents and/or grandparents at the Iowa Correctional Institute for Women (ICIW) in Mitchellville, Iowa and the Newton Correctional Release Center (CNRC) in Newton, Iowa. Once per month, volunteers work with the mother, grandmother or father. The parent/grandparent and volunteer choose a book from the Storybook library that is appropriate for the child. The parent or grandparent reads the book while the volunteer records the reading onto a digital voice recorder. The book and CD are mailed to the child.
How can you help? Donate a book. Visit https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO
The Storybook Project serves children Birth-17 years. They welcome donations of board books, picture books, early readers, graphic novels, chapter books, novels, non-fiction, etc. The sky is the limit!
Throughout the month of March, Picture Book Pass it On is launching a special initiative called “MARCHing Books to Kids”.
We encourage book lovers to donate a favorite children’s book, and we invite children’s authors to donate signed copies of their books to the Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Storybook Project.
To participate in MARCHing Books to Kids, please follow the 3 calls to action:
#1 Pledge to donate a new picture book/s to Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Storybook Project. Authors are invited to sign their books. Please include a note stating that your book is part of the Picture Book Pass it On/MARCHing Books to Kids initiative. Books may be mailed to:
VNS of Iowa, Storybook Project
c/o Tabby Kuehl
1111 9th Street
Suite 320
Des Moines, Iowa 50314
#2 Post your pledge on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO. Share it on your blog and on social media. Please include our badge and #PBPiO, and #MARCHingBookstoKids
#3 Pass it on. When you post about your pledge, challenge one or more friends to join your #PBPiO giving chain. Encourage them to take the pledge and keep passing it on…
If distance prohibits your ability to mail books to the Storybook Project, please consider donating books to children in need in your own community. Oh, and be sure to share your giving story on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO We love to see how books are reaching kids all over the globe. So far, we have people “Passing it On” in the US, the UK, Australia, and Greece!
Please feel free to contact me at www.michelleeastmanbooks.com
Thank you for making the difference in the lives of children and families!
Please consider sharing this message on social media to help spread the word about #PBPiO and #MARCHingBookstoKids.
I am celebrating the power of picture books through an initiative called #MARCHingBookstoKids https://www.facebook.com/PBPiO Please join us by donating a book to a child of an incarcerated parent.
The Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Storybook Project is collecting books for children birth-17 years of age. Each month, VNS volunteers record an incarcerated parent reading a book to his/her child. The book and the recording are mailed to the child to keep. Please include a note stating that your book is part of the Picture Book Pass it On/MARCHing Books to Kids initiative.
VNS of Iowa, Storybook Project
c/o Tabby Kuehl (MARCHing Books to KIds)
1111 9th Street
Suite 320
Des Moines, Iowa 50314
Thank you for making a difference to a family in need.
You have to spend money to make money, right?
How much money do you spend to sell your book?
How much time do you spend?
I self-published my first children’s picture book in November, 2014. I am happy to say that I have sold enough books to make back my initial investment (money that is-don’t know where the time went). To date, I’ve sold over 6 times the number of books in person as I have online.
Although my online sales have been low, I have benefited greatly from my time spent online. I have met many talented, funny, kind, people since I began blogging last year. I have also learned a lot. Surfing for articles and information about the writing world is daunting, but it’s rewarding. I have been able to share what I’ve learned about self-publishing and have, hopefully, helped some people along the way.
The best part of writing books for kids is the kids! It has been my pleasure to visit libraries and schools to share my book. Success? It’s relative. And when you are looking at 25 smiling faces, while you turn the pages of YOUR book, that’s the money shot!
I am interested to hear input from other indie authors. What is working for you? What isn’t?
![539284_2760626228489_1224200914_n[2]](https://michelleeastmanbooks.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/539284_2760626228489_1224200914_n2.jpg?w=350&h=262 "539284_2760626228489_1224200914_n[2]")
Michelle Eastman Books 