Autumn's Arrival

Autumn has officially arrived and with it fall festivals. This weekend we attended the Heritage Festival at Malabar Farms State Park. We saw a broom maker...

A blacksmith who let Emily blow the bellows.

 

 

Civil War Soldiers firing the cannons.

 

A log cabin and the Big House where Charles Bromfield lived.

 

 

 

And a bit of movie history.

 

 

 

We even took a horse-drawn wagon ride.

 

 

And all of this fun autumn entertainment made me want o read an autumn book. The book I chose was a super beginning science book called The Autumn Leaf. It is the story of a big oak tree who has arrived at the season of change and is loosing her leaves until only one leaf is left. Try as hard as she could, she just could not get that one last leaf to drop. The last leaf was scared to drop. That is until some friendly children came up with a plan to help the little leaf overcome his fear and drop gently to the ground.

 

 

I also read a fun book called Acoustic Rooster which is the story of a musical chicken who starts his own jazz band in order to enter the farmers talent contest. He's the rockinest chicken around and even though he doesn't win first place, he has a great time. There are lots of references to past musical legends and in the back of the book there is a great glossary of musical terms, a page of the musical legends mentioned, and a musical timeline.

 

 

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal website, Fun With Aileen, any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, my very own early grade chapter book, Fern Valley, the sequel, Return To Fern Valley, the soon to be released Cooking In Fern Valley (fall 2015)and my very first picture book, Quack and Daisy! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpse into my days. 

 

 

2013 A Year In Review

2013 was an eventful year for me as an author. I taught a children's writing workshop for kids in grades k-6. I even had one eight grader show up because he was so interested in writing.

I participated in the Southern Kentucky Book Festival where I once again met and hung out with author Mary McDonough, illustrator Mark Wayne Anderson, and author Debbie Dadey. I also got to meet and go out to lunch my good friend and author Amanda Stephan who came up for the writer's conference.

Mary and Me

Amanda and Me

I participated in the very first North Branch Children's Festival in Michigan where I met some lovely new friends like the talented sponsor Kevin White. It also turned out to be a great mini family vacation. My husband, daughter, and I visited the Dow Gardens on the way up and once there, we asked some locals where the best swimming area was and we were turned onto a lovely and secluded watering hole with amazing views.

I sold books every Saturday at the local farmer's market in my home town. The fellow vendors are all friendly and we became like an extended family. My daughter even tried her hand at commerce by making and selling magnets she made.

I was one of three YA judge in for the Grace Awards. And towards the end of the year, I was also able to meet fellow Ohio author, Deb Boerema, who lives just an hour and a half away from me. She graciously shared a table with me at a local event and then she took me out to lunch. I tried to split the check with her, but she insisted that I had given her lots of instruction since she was a new author and it was her way of saying thank you.

Deb and Me

I wrapped the year up by making it to the semi final round of the Author SdB Cover Contest and I started production on my second book, Return To Fern Valley. Not a shabby way to end up a perfectly respectable year.

And in-between, I read and reviewed many books; but my five favorites for the entire year were Mark The Missing Moose by Lisa Tortorello, When Grandma's False Teeth Fly by Mary Lee, Mortimer's First Garden by Karma Wilson, The Innkeepers Dog by Deb Boerma, and And Then The Rain by Karina Harris.

 

Yes, 2013 was a wonderful year and 2014 looks like it will be just as interesting.

Well, that about wraps it up for this week. Join me next week for another exciting episode, same crazy time, same crazy channel. And feel free to drop by my personal website, Fun With Aileen, any day of the week for even more on reading, writing, my very own early grade chapter book, Fern Valley, and my soon to be released sequel, Return To Fern Valley, coming summer of 2014! I'm also on twitter @AileenWStewart if you want an extremely brief glimpses into my days.