Friends

Everybody wants to find a really good friend or two, and while I do have a some very wonderful local friends, I've also been blessed with a small group of literary besties. It has been my good fortune to be able to meet and hang out with these  fantastic people at events I attend. This weekend I attended such an event when I participated in the Marion Library's Read Local Author Fair, and I was thrilled to see my fellow Ohio author bestie Deborah Bence Boerema, proud book mother of The Innkeeper's Dog.

Deb and I met several years ago through our publisher and have since formed a close bond. We are sounding boards for each other when things seem bleakest. We are cheerleaders for each other, encouraging continued growth in our writings. And we even share the occasional recipe. Deb's Cinnamon Raisin English Muffin Bread is divine!

Deb and I usually only see each other in the fall and once in a blue moon in the spring, but this year we are planning on attending Nerd Camp this July, and I can hardly wait. Not only will we connect with teachers, illustrators, and other authors, this will be the first true test of our friendship__ we will stay overnight in a hotel. Here's hoping that neither of us snore.

At this weekend's event, I also met my social media friend Meghan Colvin for the first time. I can already tell that Meghan is going to be part of my literary bestie group which includes Deb, author Laura Eckroat, author Lori A Moore, author Lisa Tortorello, author Phyllis Griggs, author/illustrator Mark Wayne Adams, author Gail Nall, author/illustrator David Biedrzycki, author Paul Czajak, and author David A Kelly.

 

 

 

 

This group of fabulously talented people makes me want to be a better writer, they cheer me on, they encourage me not to give up, they help me revise and polish my work, they put up with damp shoulders when I need a good cry, they give me tips for achieving better rhyme when mine stinks, and they never ever tell me I talk too much even if they're thinking it!

And so of course, this week's reading selection from my library pile is about (drum role please...) friendship. I know, shocking isn't it. The book I read is Friends to the Rescue by Suzanne Chiew. It is a beautiful story of Badger, Mouse, Hedgehog, Rabbit, and how they work together to help rescue their new friend mole. The illustrations are colorful and quite adorable to boot.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. Also be sure to drop by Literacy Musings Mondays for more great blogs as well as my personal website Fun With Aileen where you will find more on reading, writing, and my very own chapter and picture books. And finally, you can find me on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days.

Children's Author Blog Hop

I'd like to welcome everyone to the Children's Author Blog Hop where I will be introducing some sensational children's authors you might not know yet, but should be reading!

A hearty thanks to author Phyllis Griggs at Indie Chatter Blogspot for  inviting me to participate. Phyllis is the author of  Bob Beetle Book Bug and is an avid promoter of  giving children the gift of reading. Please be sure to stop by Phyllis's blog and give her some great comment love.

The blog hop rules are simple. Each author answers four questions and invites three other children’s authors to participate during the following week. My author invitations  have gone out to three very entertaining and talented authors. You will see their names, book titles and links to their sites below.

But before we get to that,  it is my job is to answer those blog hop questions!


What are you working on right now?

Currently I  am working on a YA Mystery with just a touch of romance, titled Anchovia's Quest. It is quite a departure from the middle grade chapter books and picture books I have been working on recently, and will probably take me considerably longer to finish.

How does it differ from other works in its genre?

It differs in that it will be a clean YA read. There will be no sex, no graphic violence, and no vampires, wizards, or zombies. The premise is that a teenage orphan named Anchovia longs to know something about who she is and  from where she has come. On her quest to find answers, she makes a new friend who aids her in her search for the truth. A truth, that is quite different then anything she ever imagined possible.


Why do you write what you do?

I write children's books because I have never outgrown my love of children's literature. I write children's books because I want children to know that "Kids Who Read Can Do Anything!"

What is the hardest part about writing?

The hardest part about writing is actually what I have to do after I am done writing, and that is to market myself, my manuscripts, and my already published book Fern Valley - A Collection of Short Stories. Facing rejection from agents and publishers is a disheartening but necessary evil, and trying to get people interested in my book is hard work indeed. But I am a persist ant soul  and just too stubborn to give up anytime soon!


Now that you all know me a little better, I'd like to introduce my three invitees...

My first author invitation went to Lisa Tortorello. I met Lisa at an author expo we both attended a few years ago, and we exchanged books. Her first book My Hero, My Ding was a memoir about the relationship between her and her Grandfather. It made me laugh and cry, and is still by far one of my favorite non-fiction reads. Lisa then went on to write a children's book called Moose At The Manger. She is currently in the process of having her second children's book published, but I will let her tell you all about that on Monday when she posts at her blog Lisa Tortorello ~ Author and Teacher.

My second invitation went to the the multi talented Bruce Hale. Bruce was nominated for an Edgar Award and is passionate about inspiring reluctant readers to read. He has written or illustrated more than 25 seriously funny books for children, including the popular Chet Gecko Mysteries series and the comics-novel hybrid, Underwhere, as well as picture books like Snoring Beauty. His most current offering is Clark The Shark whose cover alone makes me want to read it. Be sure to stop by Bruce's Blog on Wednesday of Thursday when he will be answering his four questions.

 

And last but not least, is my third invitee,  Amberly Kristin Clowe, who is known to friends as Krissy Clowe. Krissy is the author of  I Really Love You, Ava. Not that long ago Krissy asked me if I would be willing to give her an honest review. I managed to squeeze this cute picture book into my lineup and was very glad that I did. I Really Love You, Ava is an extremely well written book about a little girl searching for real love. Her mother tells her she will know it when she sees it and Ava does just that. I loved the concept of Ava not just hearing that people loved her, but that she was able to identify love when she saw it. I hope to see more books by Krissy in the near future. Please stop by her blog The Brain of A Children's Author this Friday and find out just what goes on inside her brain.

Signing off for now with wishes for a bright and beautiful day!