Award Winning Author Laura Eckroat

It has been my pleasure to read not one but two of Laura Eckroat's children's books. Her book, Life of Bud, is a beautiful tale of the seasons as experienced by a new bud. Her second book, A Simpler Time, is my personal favorite. A Simpler Time took me back to my childhood, a time before computers, cell phones, and video games where kids amused themselves and found joy in the little things. Laura has a simple yet entertaining way of telling a story, so it is no surprise to me that she is an award winning author. If you haven't read her books yet, I suggest you think about doing so because she is definitely an author worth reading. It is with gladness that I share with you some questions Laura has taken the time to answer for me.



1. When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? What made you want to choose this career path?

I have always wanted to have a book published. When I was little it was my dream to have a book published and soon I will have 3 so that is extremely exciting! At present, it’s not a career for me. I would love for it to be my career … maybe someday!

2. Who are some of the authors that greatly influenced your writing style? What were some of your favorite books as a kid?

No authors have really influenced my style. I feel I have my own style of writing. I like all kinds of books and all kinds of genres. I always finish reading a book … even if I don’t like it. I figure that someone took the time to write it, I can take some time and read it. Ted Kerasote is a great writer and I love his books. As for children’s books that I love …. Hmmmmm – I read at a very young age and read The Little House on the Prairie books – I loved those! I now love books that have beautiful illustrations … Jan Brett and Cynthia Rylant are a few of my favorites. When I was teaching Kindergarten I became a fan of Mo Willems and the PIGEON books … those are awesome.

3. How long did it take you to get your first book published? Were there ever moments when you became discouraged?

It took about 2 years to get my first book published – but it also took 10 years before that for me to finish writing it! I was discouraged at times, but I figured that if it was meant to happen it would.

4. What made you decide to write for Children/YA age groups? Do you still feel connected to your "inner child"?

I love working with children and so writing children’s books that adults can also relate to was a natural for me. Every day I get to be a little silly … so I suppose I am still a child at heart.

5. What are some of your hobbies, other than writing?

I love reading, playing with my dog Muffin (who is the main character in my new book), I love volunteering at the Fort Worth Nature Center, and I guess just hanging out enjoying nature.


6. Do you have any advice for new authors who are just entering the field?

Don’t give up!!! And write down all your ideas … even if you think they are not that good … you may need them someday!


7. Do you hold any other jobs outside of your writing? If so, do you find that this helps your writing or gets in the way?

I’m the Child Care Coordinator for the Northwest YMCA … I work with their Afterschool Program and Summer Day Camp programs. I don’t have a huge amount of time for writing, but I have always kept a journal so when something comes to mind, I make sure it gets into the journal. I am around children a lot, so I feel it helps me with my writing. The kids also think it’s pretty cool that I’m an author!

8. If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

I got to meet Ted Kerasote, author of Merle’s Door and PUKKA. I loved his writing and on a whim I emailed him and told him about my book, A Simpler Time. The book was still in the writing phase and I asked him if he would read it, and possibly endorse it. He DID! I couldn’t believe it. He also gave me some suggestions to make the book better! I was shocked that someone like him would take the time to actually read my work and give me suggestions! We have kept in contact and when his book PUKKA came out he invited me to come to one of his book events. I was able to go and I had him sign PUKKA for me and I also had him SIGN a copy of my book … A Simpler Time … so the author who endorsed it … signed it! VERY COOL! And, I was able to give him a copy of A Simpler Time. It was a very thrilling moment and I am glad for someone like Ted who gave me a shot and helped me out!

9. Do you have children of your own, and if so what do they think of your author status and book/books?

I have one daughter, Ashley, who is 18. She thinks it’s pretty cool that I’m a published author. She has supported me and has attended several events. My book, A Simpler Time, is actually about Ashley when she was in 2nd grade. I’m so glad that she was at the Massachusetts Reading Association Conference in April of 2010, where I debuted A Simpler Time. The people who attended the Evening With Authors, loved meeting Ashley, the character from the book. I was so glad she was able to share that moment with me. I will always remember looking at her face as I was reading the book! It took all my energy not to cry …. (happy tears!)

10. Do you have any other information you would like to share, such as a website, author page, awards won, etc…?

My book, The Life of Bud, won Best Children’s Book at the North Texas Book Festival, in 2010, and was also featured in Dallas Child Magazine in September, 2010.

My newest book, Went Out To Get a Donut, Came Home With a Muffin, will be released by the end of the year. Muffin and I will be doing lots of fundraising with animal shelters and rescue dog facilities across the country – which is very exciting!

I have presented at the Western Massachusetts Homeschooling Conference, Massachusetts Reading Association Conference, and State of Maryland – International Reading Association Conference.

I have spoken to thousands of children in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Indiana, Alabama, & Texas. I enjoy presenting the writing process to children and if anyone is interested in having me at their child’s school, they can contact me at thelifeofbud@aol.com

At present, my web-site is under construction, but I would love fans to check out my facebook page. Life of Bud.

Hooray For Liebster Awards!

As I was upgrading my blog today, I notice that I received a Liebster Award from the wonderfully encouraging, Marja Meijers. My first thought was, That is so awesome, an award. This thought was quickly followed by, But what the heck is a Liebster Award? As I pondered what this award could mean, the words of a fellow blogger came to mind, "Thank God for Google!"

So a Googling I went, and I learned that Liebster is German for "Good Friend". Apparently people who have a blog with less then 200 followers are candidates for this award. It signifies that someone who has read and enjoyed your work believes that it warrants more attention then it is receiving. The condition for accepting this award is to share the five top blogs you feel also deserve a Liebster. You must then let the nominees know they too are award winners.

After thinking long and hard, and per the requirements of receiving a Liebster award, here are my nominees for great blogs that should have more followers:

~Fresh Insights On Ancient Truths by Marja Meijers

~A Woman's Voice by Dolores Ayotte

~The Eclectic Christian Blogger by Amanda Stephan

~Lisa Tortorello~Teacher and Author by Lisa Tortorello

And yes, I am aware that four is not quite the five I am supposed to come up with; but as a writer I figure I am allowed a little lee way. At least that's what I'm telling myself. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!

Interview With Houghton Mifflin Author Aaron Hawkins

Recently I had the great pleasure to read a book entitled The Year Money Grew on Trees,a superbly written story of a determined boy. Goaded into an agreement by his conniving neighbor Mrs. Nelson and trying to evade the summer job of doom lined up by his father, Jackson Jones works diligently to live up to the bargain of restoring a neglected apple orchard. Jackson enlists the help of his siblings and his cousins and spends a summer learning as he goes. Will he manage to grow a crop of apples worthy of selling? Will he be able to sell the apples once they are grown? Will he fulfill the bargain made with Mrs. Nelson and in return become the true heir of the orchard. The answers to these questions and many more await you in this wonderful book written by Aaron Hawkins.

Having finished this interesting and descriptive book, I became curious. What, I wondered, was the man behind the book like? On a whim I wrote Aaron to tell him how interesting I found his book, and during our correspondence he graciously agreed to be my first author interview. Not only do I hope you enjoy getting to know Aaron better, but I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of The Year Money Grew on Trees for yourself and your YA readers!



When did you first decide that you wanted to be an author? What made you want to choose this career path?

I had some great junior high and high school English teachers who convinced me that authors were the most significant thinkers on earth. That stuck with me, although somewhere along the way I learned that very few people survive writing books full time. Instead of a career, I consider writing an obsession.

Who are some of the authors that greatly influenced your writing style? What were some of your favorite books as a kid?

I’d feel unworthy to compare my writing style with anyone else’s, but the authors I have read the most are the standard American and British classics – Twain, Steinbeck, Hemingway, Dickens.

How long did it take you to get your first book published? Were there ever moments when you became discouraged?

Four years, from the time I started writing until it appeared in print. I felt discouraged most of that time, except for a handful of breathtaking phone calls and email messages.

Assuming that you write for children or young adults, what made you decide to write for those age groups? Do you still feel connected to your "inner child"?

I started writing based on my own experiences and I guess I felt my childhood was more interesting than my adulthood. I definitely still feel connected to my inner child. I think we all like to think of ourselves as teenagers most of the time.

What are some of your hobbies, other than writing?

I don’t have many. Most free time is spent hanging out with my kids.

Do you have any advice for new authors who are just entering the field?

Finish writing something before you worry about getting it published. Naivety about the publishing process is a luxury you should take advantage of.

Do you hold any other jobs outside of your writing? If so, do you find that this helps your writing or gets in the way?

I’m a professor of electrical engineering, which involves teaching, research, and a lot of technical writing. My engineering background probably colors my writing, but I like to think it makes it kind of unique.

If you could meet one author, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

Tolstoy. I’d love to hear how he created such vast settings and characters in his books.

Do you have children of your own, and if so what do they think of your author status and book/books?

Yes, I have three children. They won’t be impressed by a book I wrote until it gets turned into a movie.

Do you have any other information you would like to share, such as a website, author page, awards won, etc.?

My author’s website is www.aaronhawkins.com

Summer's Gone, What Next...

I usually don't go such a long time without blogging, but before I knew it August was gone and September had started. "Where did the summer go?" Is the question I have asked myself more then once. It seems like the previous school year just ended and yet suddenly here I am chauffeuring my daughter to school once again.

And of course with the onslaught of school also came the beginning of harvest. I have been a mad woman these past two weeks canning peaches, making pies, etc... and next week I start canning pears. My to do list just seems to grow with each passing day as well. I need to finish scraping and painting our shed, a project I started at the beginning of summer but had to abandon due to the extreme heat. I need to clean out the garage, repaint my kitchen cupboards, and start my Christmas shopping. I need to cut down all the dead perennials and prepare myself for the leaves that will soon be covering my yard like a golden blanket.

In between the never ending chore list, however; I plan to read and review a few more children's books, I plan to work on another Fern Valley sequel, I plan to market my current book, and I plan on interviewing some Children's/YA authors. So stay tuned because it should prove fun to see what someone besides me thinks about reading, writing, and life in general. Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!