Shari Lyle-Soffe - Children's Books and More

Guardian Angel Kids - Children's Ezine

2011-12-07T08:30:00.001-08:00

Bands of Color by Karin Larson, multicultural beliefs about rainbows. #GuardianAngelKids #Children’sEzine http://tinyurl.com/ckrj4b3

Guardian Angel Kids: December 2011

2011-12-02T14:39:00.001-08:00

Share Your Joy by Guy Belleranti – Joyful sounds and helping hands make a perfect blend. #GuardianAngelKids http://tinyurl.com/ccwo79w

Where do you stand?

2011-11-22T14:03:00.001-08:00

Have you noticed that all the people who are in favor of abortion have already been born? (author unknown)

2011-11-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

Poodle and Doodle by Donna Shepherd and illustrated by Jack Foster http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/poodle&doodle.htm

Check it out!

2011-11-02T16:00:00.001-07:00

Children’s Ezine #GuardianAngelKids: November 2011 – the antics of dogs and their history http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/

Have you looked at the November issue of GAK ezine?

2011-11-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

Crash! Flip Book by Mayra Calvani http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/CRASH-flip/index.html

DON'T THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER!

2011-10-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have subscribed to Netflix for a long time. They have always been very efficient and shown great concern for good service and customer satisfaction. We have often wondered how they could do that and do it at the price they were charging.

Recently they announced they would be splitting the company in two; Qwikster for DVD service and Netflix for streaming. They also were charging for both services separately making the cost almost double what we had been paying. They gave customers the option of taking both services or choosing just one for half the cost. We were a little disappointed. We would have preferred a gradual price increase, but we felt a price increase was probably necessary.

Soon the CEO of Netflix, Reed Hastings. apologized, admitted this had been a mistake and backed off on plans to split into two companies. Unfortunately the company has paid dearly for the mistake; Netflix stocks dropped and something like 300,000 subscribers abandoned ship.

But....we will stay with Netflix! They are the most conscientious company we have ever dealt with, often contacting us to make sure DVD's are arriving in a timely manner, etc. Cancelling our subscription would be a little like throwing out the baby with the bathwater! I think companies should be rewarded for providing good service and caring about their customers satisfaction.

I sincerely hope many of those who abandoned ship will reconsider and come back to Netflix. In any case we are staying.

IT ALL ADDS UP!

2011-10-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

Read my article "It All Adds Up". Click on the link below:

http://www.momblogsociety.com/page/it-all-adds-up

BOUNDLESS ADVENTURES OF SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES

2011-10-02T08:47:00.000-07:00

Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: October 2011 – boundless adventures of sports and activities http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com

Check it out!

2011-09-01T13:36:00.000-07:00

Children’s Ezine Guardian Angel Kids: September 2011 – Engage your children in good behavior http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com/

Vote for Dogs for the Deaf

2011-08-30T10:12:00.000-07:00

Help Dogs for the Deaf win a grant. This wonderful organization trains dogs to assist the severely hearing impaired, autistic children and others by rescuing dogs from shelters and training them to help the disabled.

Vote for Dogs for the Deaf http://bit.ly/jQ48xE

Don't Cut Social Security and Medicare

2011-07-23T15:42:00.000-07:00

Not everyone has a cushy retirement income. Some of us are barely scraping by on Social Security that we were forced to pay into all the years we were working. Cutting Social Security and Medicare would be shameful. Why not tax the very wealthy...they can certainly survive paying taxes after all we did. Tax cuts for big business certainly will not help the economy...they farm all of the jobs out to foreign countries. How about cutting some of the benefits that are paid to congress? I understand they get Social Security without having to pay into it.

If you are opposed to cutting Social Security and Medicare sign the petition in the left-hand column. Thanks!

HOW DID YOU NAME YOUR PETS?

2011-07-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

This is Buddy!

I think that the names people give their pets are interesting and, although I am not qualified to analyze the choices they make, I'm guessing the names we choose probably say a lot about us.

What kind of pets do you own? What did you name them? Is there a rhyme or reason to your choice? I would love to know about it.

Question for the day:

2011-06-27T14:04:00.000-07:00

What character trait would you most like to instill in your child? What character trait do you think is more important than any other? Why???

BOOKSIGNING SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH

2010-09-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Shari Lyle-Soffe will be signing her children's books at the Grand Opening of the new Oregon Books Store at 7th and "E" Streets in Grants Pass, Oregon. The event is Saturday, September 25th from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM. There will be lots of giveaway items for the kids and a prize drawing.

Dogs Know How to Get Along With Others

2010-07-08T08:39:00.000-07:00

Want to learn how to get along with others? Read this interesting article "The Secret According to Dogs". Advice from a Human Behavior Consultant and Veterinarian.

Then read my picture book "Shoo Cat!" about a cat with a talent for getting along.

Writing Prompt - Childrens Writers

2010-06-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

The key to avoiding writer's block is to start writing and don't stop.

Today's prompt: You are at the zoo and you get separated from the rest of the family. Where do you go? What do you do? Tell us what happens. Remember to include sights, sounds, smells, etc.
You will know when to stop writing about this and move on to something else.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

2010-06-19T09:28:00.000-07:00

I want to wish a Happy Father's Day to all fathers. I especially wish a Happy Father's Day to my husband, the father of my children. This is not a recent photo, but isn't he handsome!

Service Dog in Training for Asperger's

2010-06-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

Follow this link to learn about a dog being trained as a service dog for a child with Asperger's. Animals never cease to amaze me because of their devotion and usefulness to humans.

My children's books reflect my love for animals. My newest book Shoo Cat! has a dog and a cat in it and wonderful illustrations by Jack Foster.

Remember to have your pets spayed or neutered to help reduce the number of animals in shelters.

Dog Helps Parkinson's Patient

2010-06-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

We all have heard of seeing eye dogs, dogs for the hearing impaired, and other service dogs. Read this story to learn about a service dog helping a Parkinson's Disease sufferer. Apparently pets of all kinds benefit adults and children alike in more ways than we know!

A family pet.

Adopt a Shelter Cat Month!

2010-06-10T09:24:00.000-07:00

This is Adopt a Shelter Cat Month. I highly recommend that you adopt your pets from shelters. Often pets that are not adopted are euthanized. sad but true.

In honor of Adopt a Shelter Cat Month I am presenting the trailer for my new book SHOO CAT! The star of this book is a stray cat. I hope you will enjoy the book.

Meet Ruby!

2010-06-08T09:21:00.000-07:00

Meet Ruby. Ruby is a resident of Wildlife Images, a wildlife rehabilitation facility in Grants Pass Oregon. Wildlife Images is not a zoo. When animals come in injured or possibly orphaned as babies, Wildlife Images heals their wounds or raises them until they can be released into the wild. Unfortunately on occasion an animal cannot be returned to the wild either because of disability or for some other reason. Then it is housed at Wildlife Images and is used for educational purposes

Ruby was brought to Wildlife Images as an orphan late one fall. She was cared for over winter in hopes that once she was old enough to live on her own she could be released. Sadly, by the time Ruby was old enough to live on her own she had become way too friendly to humans, not a good thing for a wild animal. So Ruby could not be released. Ruby and other animals that cannot be released are able to do a lot to educate children and the general public about their species, and about animals in the wild. Tours are given at Wildlife Images for the public and for school children. The animals also appear at fundraising events to keep Wildlife Images going so that they can continue to do good work. If you are ever in Grants Pass pay Ruby a visit or click on Wildlife Images to visit them online.
My childrens picture book series Rooter and Snuffle is about brother raccoons and their friends.

A HORSE OF COURSE!

2010-06-04T09:20:00.000-07:00

Click on title to view A Horse Of Course book trailer.

Writing Tip - Writing for Children

2010-06-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

The hook - Your first line should hook the reader. It should reel the reader in and make them want to know more. Look at your work in progress. Does your first line make you want to read on?

Do some research. Look at favorite books in your genre, do the first lines make you want to keep reading? Go to the library and pull books off the shelf. Which ones would you like to read?

Read the first line of Charlotte's Web. Fiction by E.B. White
First line: "Where's Papa going with that ax?"
Read the first line of A Horse of Course. Fiction by Shari Lyle-Soffe
First line: The very best gift at Aaron's birthday party wore a big red bow and a tag that said: 'Happy Birthday from Grandpa Roy'.
Read the first line of Earthquake. Non fiction by Susan J. Berger
First line: I hate to tell you this, but you can't dig to China.

Do their first lines intrigue you?

Writing Prompt - Childrens Writers

2010-06-01T09:09:00.000-07:00

Write about the best summer vacation you ever had as a child. Write down everything you can remember. There just may be a story in there that you can use. Include sights, sounds, smells, and feel.

Remember to start writing and don't stop until you run out of things to write.

Review - Sully's Topsy Tale

2010-05-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

Sully’s Topsy Tale is a wonderful rhyming story about a solo singing snake with laryngitis. Children will be thrilled as Sully’s friends all try to help him with his problem. In the end Sully recovers and discovers in the process that it is good to have friends as they make beautiful music together..

Donna J. Shepherd’s rhymes are delightful and have a wonderful message about friendship. Kevin Collier’s illustrations are colorful and humorous, and will definitely make children giggle. Donna and Kevin are a winning partnership.

This is the third book in the Topsy Tales series. This book is suitable for children ages 3 to 7. The back cover includes definitions of musical terms used in the book. The book is endorsed by a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist for use in articulation therapy for the letter “s”.

COMING SOON: Sully’s Topsy Tale is a Littlest Angels Book from Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

For a FREE coloring page go to Sully's Topsy Tale

Parenting Tip - Feeding the Family

2010-05-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

When you are feeding a family it is easy to slip into a rut. The same meals are repeated over and over again because they are easy to fix, or inexpensive, or just things you know everyone will eat. For good nutrition it is important to have variety in your meals. Don't eat the same things all the time, it becomes boring. Include meals that are new and interesting.

If your family likes tacos don't always have the same kind of tacos. If you normally use ground beef in your tacos try chicken, or fish. If your children like fried chicken there is a good chance they will like chicken cacciatore or lemon chicken. Hamburgers come in infinite varieties just look in a cookbook or watch Rachel Ray on television. I think she may just possibly be the Queen of Hamburgers.

Having variety in your meals creates interest and makes food more appealing. Don't forget the value of making food look attractive on the plate. If you have ever watched a cooking competition on the Food Network you know how much value is placed on plating. Food that looks good tastes better.

Just changing the shape of food can peak a child's interest. Instead of carrot sticks make carrot curls. Instead of serving hamburgers on hamburger buns shape the meat into long patties and serve them on hot dog buns.
Providing a dipping sauce can make food more attractive to kids, too.

Give it a try and tell me what you think.

WEDNESDAY - A WRITING PROMPT

2010-05-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

The key to avoiding writer's block is to write everyday. Every week I will post a writing prompt for childrens writers. Using the prompt write anything that comes to mind. Write until you run out of ideas, then set this aside and work on your current work in progress.

TODAY'S PROMPT:

Write about the most embarrassing event in your childhood.

WRITING TIP OF THE DAY

2010-05-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

This writing tip comes from my mother. My mother wasn't a writer but she was very wise. My mother said, "If at first you don't succeed try, try again." That is perfect advice for a writer. Your first draft will not be your last. Try, try again. Your first submission should not be your last. Try, try again. You can be certain your first "rejection" will not be your last. Try, try again, and again, and again.

MY NEIGHBORS ARE THERAPY HORSES

2010-05-17T09:53:00.000-07:00

I live in the country and I have some interesting neighbors. My neighbors are therapy horses. Miniature horses named Doodlebug and Miss Daisy. Doodlebug is the dark horse and is 8 years old. Miss Daisy is the white horse and is 5 years old.

Miniature horses live to be 20 to 30 years old. They eat hay and alfalfa and enjoy apples and carrots for treats. They don't require a lot of care but do need their hooves trimmed every 6 to 8 weeks and shots once a year. They can be riden by small children but are more often used to pull carts

The horses are used by their owner, Ms. Johnson, a school teacher to help her Special Ed students. She trailers the horses and takes them to school, or to rehabilitation centers, and retirement homes to visit with the residents. Hanicapped, Autistic children, and children with Cerebral Palsy often respond to a visit from these miniature horses and perk right up when they see them. Her students go with her and they benefit right along with the people they visit.

If horses interest you I am sure you will enjoy my picture book, A Horse Of Course, with humorous illustrations by Eugene Ruble and written by Shari Lyle-Soffe. This story of a full grown horse in the house will delight young children up to age 9 years. It is available in ebook formats and soft cover. Click here for free coloring pages and purchase information.

Raccoons Visit White House

2010-05-14T09:51:00.000-07:00

Having written a series of childrens books about brother raccoons I was interested in this news story. In my three books; The Misadventures of Rooter and Snuffle, On the Go With Rooter and Snuffle, and Trouble Finds Rooter and Snuffle, brother raccoons are always getting into mischief. However Rooter and Snuffle haven't invaded the White House in Washington D.C., at least not yet. Check out this story and pictures.

Raccoons visit White House.

For more information about the Rooter and Snuffle series, illustrated by Kevin Scott Collier, and where they may be purchased go to http://rooterandsnuffle.blogspot.com

Animal Cruelty - Valentine Survives

2010-05-11T10:55:00.000-07:00

I am an animal lover so any form of animal cruelty is appalling to me. The following cat story got my attention and I wanted to share the link with my readers. This story has a happy ending. I wish they all did.
Valentine's story

Parents, please teach your children to respect all life. Animal abuse seems to be rampant in this country and the stories are heartbreaking. Animals feel pain. Animals have emotions. Animals are living, loving creatures who often want only to please the humans they love. Just look at all of the positive roles animals play in our lives by providing transportation, aiding the disabled, giving comfort, saving lives, protecting us, etc. Animals have served man for centuries and are deserving of our loving care.

In my new book SHOO CAT! Ethan thinks he wants a dog, but a persistent stray cat wants to convince him that a cat would be a better pet. Read my picture book to find out if the cat succeeds. The book has wonderful illustrations by Jack Foster and includes puzzles in the back. Children will want to hear this story again, and again. This book is available in soft cover or e-book formats. Buy at Amazon. Buy at Guardian Angel Publishing.

Man Marries Cat!

2010-05-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

My picture book Shoo Cat! is a story about a determined cat and the boy who keeps rejecting him. It is a fun story with a funny ending. Ethan didn't want a cat. He wanted a dog, and nothing was going to change his mind.

The man in the news story below is not like Ethan, he loved his cat so much he married it. Strange but true. I love my cats but I couldn't take things this far. Take a look at this story of love between a man and his cat. This man married his cat. Then go to Shoo Cat! and print out your free coloring page. Shoo Cat! is available from Amazon, Guardian Angel Publishing, and others.

WORLD'S SMALLEST HORSE

2010-04-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

When I wrote my children's picture book A Horse Of Course, about a horse living in the house, I wasn't thinking of a horse like Einstein. I was writing about a full grown horse and the problems that would arise if he lived in the house with Aaron and his family. Of course my book was all in fun and written for the delight of children.

Einstein is in the news these days and one look at his pictures will show you why. Take a look at the world's smallest horse . Then go to A Horse Of Course to see Horace, the horse in my book. Download a free coloring page while you are there.

My book is available in both print and e-book formats. To purchase on Amazon click on the widget in the left-hand column.

Redwood Tree

2010-04-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

One dewy morning in the forest
We walk a path that winds before us.
As we quietly explore
We find the peace that we hope for.
A tiny frog sings a noisy song
While crickets try to play along.
The woods are thick with ferns and vines
Beneath the chinqopin and pines.
And high above my dog and me
Towers a mighty redwood tree.
Together we are safe and sure
Our natural world feels quite secure.

(c) 2010 Sharon Soffe

Celebrate the Earth! Eat Healthy!

2010-04-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

One way, this Earth Day, to get your kids to eat healthy is to have them grow their own food. Often a picky eater will eat food he/she has grown in their own garden. A garden doesn't have to be a plot of land. All kinds of containers can hold a garden. I have grown vegetables in a boxed bed, old tires, and even garden pots. I have seen gardens planted in a sack of planting soil. Think creatively.

Make it a fun project. Let the children plan what they will grow. Help them learn the proper time and way to plant seeds or vegetable starts. Watering and tending tender vegetable plants is a wonderful learning experience. If you are lucky enough to have a small plot of land to garden there is the added benefit of fresh air, sunshine, and healthy exercise. Be sure to grow things that they can eat right from their garden. Cherry, and other varieties of tiny tomatoes are sweet and tasty right off of the vine. Sugar snap peas are a crunchy and sweet treat to eat out of hand. Make a chocolate zucchini cake from home grown squash to peak their interest.

Have the children use recyclable materials to make row markers to identify their garden bounty. Grow pumpkins for the next Halloween. Make a bean teepee to support the beans and provide a wonderful hiding place. Let your imagination and theirs run wild. I bet you will grow some healthy eaters in your garden.

The Road to Better Health is Bound to be Bumpy - Healthy Eating

2010-04-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

Obesity is epidemic in this country and the news is full of stories about the excesses that are ruining our health and shortening the lives of our children. Before you get defensive you need to understand that as parents we are only partly responsible for the situation. Food manufacturers and restaurant owners, and yes, our government must share the blame, but we need to do something about it.

Everyday there is a news story telling us that what we were once told about a particular food is now considered incorrect and what we once thought was good for us is now thought to be bad for us. While the government is telling us obesity in children is a major problem, fast food restaurants are advertising bigger, fatter, more calorie-laden options. It is confusing for all of us. How can we keep up? What can we do about it?

I believe certain basics are true. I believe the closer our food is to its natural state the better it is for us.That doesn't mean meateaters should eat their meat raw, but if it isn't covered with cheese or creamy gravy it is probably better for you. I personally believe we eat too much meat in this country but this post isn't about that. I am not interested in changing meateaters to vegetarians. This post is about healthier eating and making changes toward better health.

I married a meat and potatoes man. One day I decided, after a lot of reading on the subject, that we should become vegetarians. Vegetarian cookbooks that were available at the time were not encouraging. Becoming a vegetarian seemed to involve mixing and matching different kinds of protein foods to get the right combination to make up for not eating meat. After reading the cookbooks I was sure there was no way I would be able to convert my husband to a vegetarian lifestyle. I almost gave up, but I had the cookbooks so I figured I had to at least try a few recipes. I did and I was right, hubby wouldn't eat them.

Then it dawned on me! I could fix most of the dishes that we were accustomed to eating but make them vegetarian. And that is what I did. If I removed meat from a recipe I replaced it with something else to make up for what was missing. (Portabello mushrooms have a texture similar to meat. Today the stores have many meat substitutes.)I didn't worry about complementarity but instead I concentrated on preparing good meals, that tasted good and that fit our style but without meat. Why should this matter to you? Read on...

On the road to healthier eating you have to expect a few bumps, but that shouldn't stop you. It is a retraining of our thinking and our tastebuds. If you are used to eating food that is drowning in cheese sauce it will take a while to adjust to the idea of eating food without cheese sauce, but it can be done. Make changes slowly. Perhaps you will need to slowly reduce the amount of cheese in the sauce, and reduce the quantity of sauce in a serving. Look for other healthier ways to season your food, and eat the less-healthy choices less often until you can elimate them completely. Concentrate on the foods that you like that are healthier choices.

Lightly salt foods before serving and take the salt off of the table. Make eating healthier a family project and get the kids involved. Teach them, and yourself, to read product labels. Know what unhealthy things to look for (high fructose corn syrup, all kinds of sugars, sodium quantities, chemical additives you can't pronounce, etc) and make better choices. The shorter the ingredient list the better. If you can't pronounce it, and don't know what it is, you probably shouldn't eat it.

Try to reduce fats, salt, sugar, white flour, and excess cheese from your diet. Use healthier fats. If you are switching from white rice to brown rice do it gradually. Mix the two together and when your family has had time to adjust to the change you can increase the brown rice and eliminate the white rice. You can do the same thing with pasta. Look for a blended pasta or use half white and half whole wheat pasta. Increase your family's fruit and vegetable consumption by adding them to casseroles, sauces, breads, etc. where they are hidden.

The health of our children is our most important responsibility. Don't give up on making changes just because the family balks, or the changes are difficult. Be patient and make changes gradually. I have heard that because of obesity many of our children will not live as long as their parents. How sad.

Also limit the fast food meals and if you must go out to eat watch those choices. Some places will let you modify your order. When fast food commercials come on teach your children why bigger isn't better, and more cheese and bacon is unhealthy for everyone. Tell your kids restaurants are in the business of making money not taking care of the health of customers.

Portion size is out of control in this country! Eat smaller portions. Maybe your children aren't cleaning their plates because you gave them too much. Try giving them less. When you dine out you can even split a meal between two of you. My husband and I do this often. Some restaurants give you entirely too much food, and I still can't waste food when so many in this world are starving. Ironic isn't it? While much of the world goes hungry, our problem is obesity. We need to change our ways and our thinking about food.

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month

2010-04-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

April is Parkinson's Awareness Month. Do you know about Parkinson's? Do you know someone who has Parkinson's? Did you know that Muhammad Ali and Billy Graham both have Parkinson's Disease? You have undoubtedly heard of Michael J. Fox who has Parkinson's but do you know what it is and how it affects those who have it? Take a look at the Team Fox website to learn more.

I have Parkinson's Disease and my brother and stepfather both had it. I just received an email from dear friends who will participate in the Walk for Parkinson's Awareness in San Diego this weekend. God bless them and all those who participate.

Check your local newspaper to see if there are any activities you might participate in this month the make others aware of Parkinson's Disease.

Animal Lovers - Stamps feed shelter pets

2010-04-12T08:40:00.000-07:00

If you follow my blog or read my books (The Misadventures of Rooter and Snuffle, On the Go With Rooter and Snuffle, Trouble Finds Rooter and Snuffle, A Horse of Course, Nothing Stops Noah, and Shoo Cat) you know I am an animal lover. As a follower you must be too. A friend told me this wonderful news. Please help and tell your friends too.
Starting April 30th you can buy stamps at the post office that help to buy food for shelter pets. You can pre-order them online.

http://www.stampstotherescue.com/

No Wonder Our Children Are Obese!

2010-03-27T09:47:00.000-07:00

If you viewed the television show that debuted last night starring Chef Jamie Oliver you are probably as appalled as I am. I was shocked to see and hear what the FDA thinks our children should be eating everyday. It is time for us to "wakeup and smell the coffee".

If we are using our heads we know what healthy eating is and we don't need the government to decide what we should be eating or feeding our kids. Truly disturbing was the realization that we are raising a generation of children that can't even identify common vegetables. Have we handed over the job of raising healthy children to Fast food restaurants, food manufacturers, and government agencies? U.S. citizens were once fiercely independent and, though not always correct in everything they did at least, they didn't turn the health of their kids over to strangers.

Find out what is in the food your children are eating at school. Don't trust that the schools are doing the right thing, make sure they are feeding your children healthy foods. Make sure they are eating the food and not throwing it away. I use to believe the government and all of its agencies were looking out for our well being. I was very naive, and yes, gullible. Ordinarily I am not a rebel, blasting everything the government does, but in this case at least I must shout "PARENTS WAKEUP!". I am not a health nut, but I don't believe the twenty or so ingredients on most food labels that I don't recognize as food are good for us. I don't think our government knows what is healthy for us, if they did they wouldn't keep changing the food pyramid and altering the advice they have been giving us.

These days I find myself craving fresh, simple foods that don't come in a box and are not packed with chemicals, fats, sugars and salt. The goal of fast food restaurants and manufacturers is to fill their wallets not worry about our health. The proof of that is in television commercials that keep telling us that larger sizes and more fat are better even as we are hearing about an epidemic of obesity in this country. I urge parents, working or not, to take a look at what you are feeding your family. Unhealthy eating is shortening our children's lives. Fast food and packaged convenience foods are prepared in a way that will make them appeal to the taste buds and feed you quickly with little work or preparation on your part. We accept that because usually both parents are working and time is at a premium. But...

Fresh healthy foods should be a family affair. Let the first parent to arrive home start the dinner preparation. Enlist the help of the children in the preparation and table setting, etc. The second adult to arrive home should join in the finishing of the meal. This is a time for families to work together, laugh, share stories and learn what is good food and what isn't. Let the children help with the meal planning but always with the healthy guidance of an adult. I know you are tired after work but that doesn't excuse your responsibilities as a parent. Sit down at the dinner table and enjoy a quiet, healthy, relaxing meal as a family.

Try this recipe for chicken nuggets at The GAP Family Blog!

DO YOU KNOW WHO IS LISTENING?

2010-03-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

When you are talking do you know who is listening? Look around. Are there ears in the area that you didn't know where there? Are you spewing garbage that isn't meant for innocent ears?

When I was a teen my mother and I were visiting a neighbor when my mother related a story about a prowler we had. She told about seeing him run out of our back yard one dark summer night and not telling me because she was afraid I wouldn't babysit my younger siblings anymore. Now I don't agree with what she did but that is not the purpose of this post. The point is when she told this story she forgot I was in the room!

How often do we adults say something that we did not intend for young ears without checking to see who is listening? Some things shouldn't be said at all in any company much less in front of children. Have you ever threatened violence or wished an accident on a driver who cut you off or was driving too slow? Did you have children in the car at the time? Have you ever muttered something under your breath about your spouse? Do you call salespeople offensive names when they are out of range but your children are not? Children are impressionable. They are little sponges soaking up everything their parents say and do.

This morning I heard on the news about threats of violence made against politicians who voted for the Health Care Bill. It doesn't matter which party you belong to, making threats of violence against another human being for disagreeing with you is wrong. Making threats of violence against anyone is wrong. Making threats in front of your children could be disasterous! Too many people express their anger, or feelings of weakness, in terms of violence. I know that often these threats are said in the heat of the moment by people who feel powerless and would never do the things they suggest, but the listener, young or old, may take that threat seriously. In part this may be why children turn to violence against friends or schoolmates. Children take things literally.

We screen the programs our children watch on television for language and violent content, but what about the words spoken by the most influential people in our children's lives? Children are copycats...they may do what they hear you say. Think before you speak and then look to see who is listening.

COMING SOON... SHOO CAT!

2010-03-05T08:52:00.000-08:00

READ A REVIEW OF MY SOON TO BE RELEASED PICTURE BOOK, SHOO CAT! WRITTEN BY SHARI LYLE-SOFFE AND ILLUSTRATED BY JACK FOSTER. PUBLISHED BY GUARDIAN ANGEL PUBLISHING, INC.

VISIT TC&TBC - http://childrensandteensbookconnection.wordpress.com/

THE TRAVELING CAT MYSTERY SOLVED!

2010-02-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

My father was a writer and I am a writer. Writing and reading are in my blood. My grandchildren love to read and I am so glad because reading truly enriches your life. We have bookcases in almost every room of our house loaded with all kinds of books, paperbacks, hardcovers, board books, books for all ages and all purposes. Books can entertain or educate. And some books even travel.

One book in our house does that. It is a board book, shaped like a cat, with a springy tail topped with an orange pompom, and big googly eyes. We have had this book since the granddaughters were very young. In recent months it has mysteriously begun to travel. Instead of remaining in the bookcase in our family room it somehow manages to move about the house, finding its way to a new location every morning when we wake. It is always somewhere between the kitchen and our bedroom. It is usually in the pathway but sometimes is in our bedroom or even in the bathroom. Every morning it is in a new location and no one knows how it got there.

At first we found this a little creepy, spooky, eerie or just plain strange. Last night however the mystery was solved. While my husband was brushing his teeth, preparing to go to bed, he heard a noise outside the door. Curious, he opened the door and this is what he found. He took a picture so there would be evidence to back up his discovery.

If you have a family of readers don't be surprised if your books begin to travel. Reading is contagious as you can clearly see! Even our pets are hooked on reading.

SOMEHOW THEY FIND US - PART THREE

2010-02-19T10:47:00.000-08:00

Meet Buddy, aka Budward, Butterkins, and @#&%* cat! Buddy entered our lives very much like Amber. My husband was standing in the front yard talking to a gardener when this little ball of fur showed up. The gardener thought the kitten was ours but my husband assured him it "was not". Bob carefully carried the critter across the street to the neighbors yard. (Does this sound familiar at all?) Of course by the time he returned to the house the kitten was in our "backyard" yowling and trying to get in the door. After two attempts to convince the kitten it did not live here Bob came in the house and announced, "It has happened again." I went out and took a look, and sure enough the kitten convinced me he was not giving up. So...we took him in. He looked harmless enough.

Amber was not thrilled with this new addition and Dallas was sure we already had more than enough cats. Buddy however was just as sure this was where he was supposed to be and literally took over the house.

Now this is not a big house, but cats fly from one end to the other snarling and chasing each other several times each day. Meanwhile Dallas hides under a table and covers his head. Amber was slow to accept this intruder until the "kitty city", mentioned in a previous post, made things more interesting. Then the chasing became more fun. They chase each other in and out of the city and try to remove the balls that I keep putting in the box. Now Amber, when she is in a good mood, washes Buddy and is his forever pal. When she is in a bad mood she simply ignores him.

Fortunately we have a king size bed. Yes, all three animals sleep on the bed with us. Buddy did a lot of walking around on the bed, and us at first, but he has finally settled down and no longer tries to sit on my head while I am sleeping. (It did make breathing very difficult.) I am grateful they don't jockey for position on the bed.

We on the other hand are tearing our hair out because we can't keep the little monster, Buddy, off of the kitchen counters or my ceramic-top stove. This makes it necessary to disinfect the aforementioned items, and the dining table, several times a day.We have strategically placed water bottles with spray tops, all over the house to shoot him with when he misbehaves. I think all they do is encourage him. The most aggravating part of this is when scolded he just looks at you and continues with his had behavior. I am open to suggestions other than the obvious "stop taking in strays".

These are not the only abused or thrownaway pets we have taken in, but I'm not going to tell you about all of them. These are just the three we have now. Our granddaughters adore them all, and so do we, that is the important thing.

SOMEHOW THEY FIND US - PART TWO

2010-02-18T09:19:00.000-08:00

We missed our precious Lhasa Apso/poodle, Toby, so much that we wanted another small dog to fill the hole in our lives. My husband spotted an ad in the paper for a free Shih Tzu. It was in our price range so we called the number. Sadly, the advertised dog was gone...but they did have another Shih Tzu they were considering giving up. We asked if we could see him and the owner offered to bring him by the house. She delivered a ragged, semi-clean dog of questionable health. His name was Dallas and he didn't move a muscle when I removed him from the owners arms. He was seven years old and very small...less than eight pounds. We said we would take him on the condition that he passed a Veterinary exam. The owner hesitated but then she agreed.

We took him into the Vet's office and quickly received the bad news, fleas, worms, tapeworm, malnourished, dehydrated, and a severe infection in both ears. In addition he had a heart murmur. I started to cry. Toby had a heart murmur and I couldn't face going through the expense and the sadness again. That was when the Vet said "This is abusive treatment, whatever you do, do not give this dog back to those people!" So there we stood, between a rock and a hard place. My husband and I looked at each other and we knew we couldn't turn back. Dallas was now our dog.

(The picture above is of Dallas. I apologize for the glowing eyes, they are actually black. I'm not a photographer.)

It is expensive to own a pet. Animals need health care just as people do, and if you can't afford to take care of a pet you shouldn't own one. They need regular exams and vaccinations, and treatment when they have health problems. Animals also have feelings, they are not like stuffed animals, they feel pain and fear. They deserve to be treated with respect.

I didn't like Dallas' name so I call him Dustbunny, although his name is still Dallas. He is a pretty quiet pet unless he wants something, then he becomes very vocal. He doesn't like to be left alone so he usually travels with us when we go to the coast for a few days. He travels well in the car and is good in the motel, but he llimits our ability to go into food establishments. We travel in warm weather so we pick places where we can eat outside...or occasionally in our car.

Shih Tzu's have bug eyes and they are very suseptible to injury. Sadly an accidental injury made it necessary to have Dallas's eye removed recently. He still gets around okay, but he looks a bit like a pirate.

We have had Dallas for three years and we were feeling that Amber and Dallas made for a good sized family...then it happened again.

To be continued...

SOMEHOW THEY FIND US

2010-02-15T09:55:00.000-08:00

A few years ago my husband and I were harrassed one summer night by a kitten. This kitten wanted in our house late at night and spent the night climbing our screen door and yowling to be let in. Since it was very hot we couldn't close our sliding glass door to shut out the noise. There had to be another solution. Thinking that the kitten belonged across the street (the neighbors had some cats) my husband picked it up, grabbed his flashlight, and walked it "home". It was dark and this was not a short walk because we, and our neighbors, all have at least an acre of land and very long driveways. By the time he got back to our house the kitten was right on his heels. He tried once more to "take it home" but she was too fast for him and was waiting at our door when he got back.

Now this kitten was no dummy. This orphan knew for sure that our house was "her house" and she was not going to leave until we understood and took her in. My husband finally gave up and went back to bed, where neither of us slept because of the yowling and the pockety, pockety sound that kitten claws make in screen doors as kittens climb up and down.

By morning I was exhausted and decided get up and take a look at this kitten. I brought her inside and put her in my lap. (I convinced myself that as long as I didn't let her run around it wouldn't be a problem.) She was a beautiful domestic shorthair. Her coloring has black, orange, and gold and she had stripes and patches and beautiful green eyes. We have been told she is a tortoise shell but some dispute that. If she is a Tabby, she is the most beautiful Tabby I have ever seen. She immediately curled up in my lap and went to sleep.

I was still grieving the loss of our "Toby" a darling Lhasa Apso/Poodle mix that we had loved and lost the year before after a long battle with heart disease. So needless to say, I felt sorry for this tiny kitten who needed me as much as I needed her. I knew she must have had been taken away from her mother and dumped in the woods behind our house in the middle of the night. This is a common occurance in rural areas. She had to be terrified and desperate. She could have been eaten by a coyote, cougar, or an owl and she would have been defenseless.

I will never understand how people can be cruel enough to dump cats and dogs and think they can take care of themselves. Contrary to what they tell themselves there isn't always someone willing to take them in. If a wild animal doesn't get them they usually are hit by a car or die of hunger and thirst. What a horrible example these people are setting for their children about the value of life.

Anyway, I did what you should never do when you are trying to get a kitten to go away, I fed her the only thing I had, dog food. She gobbled it up like she hadn't eaten in a month. So..........what could we do? We had a vet check her out and we kept her ,even though I had sworn I would never have another cat. (We did ask the neighbors if she belonged to them and they said "no".)

After much trial and error we settled on the name Amber (Historical romance: Forever Amber) and it stuck. She is almost six years old now. She loves us but she has made it clear that she is royalty and will only tolerate so many rules. She has a quiet, regal nature most of the time, but she does talk to us and I'm sure she understands every word we say, even though she often ignores them.

You may have seen her picture on here. She is now neutered, declawed and loving life. She has a bed on a table in my office. She can curl up and watch the birds outside of the window (birdfeeder/babysitter) and she loves it.

The problem is....I love "dogs" and I was ready for another one. To be continued

PET PEEVES - MURPHY'S LAW - ETC.

2010-02-05T04:56:00.000-08:00

I feel compelled to bring up the subject of pet peeves today. I believe if two or more people live or work in the same space pet peeves are inevitable. After you read this I hope you will tell me about your pet peeves, it might make me feel better.

Most of us have a preferred way to hang up the toilet paper roll. I guess some pretty nifty household battles have occurred when an "over" is forced to live with an "under". They even made a television commercial about the differing views.

I personally am an "over" person and thought the reasoning should be obvious to everyone. Then we adopted a stray cat and quickly learned that "over" definitely is easier to unroll and that is "not always" a good thing. After removing a pile of toilet tissue (the whole roll) from the floor twice I decided "under" was the best way.

How come we never hear about my real pet peeve? Pencil cups! I like nice sharp pencil points. I am a point up kind of person. After all the time spent sharpening pencils to a fine point why would I stick the point down in a cup?
Life being what it is....I live with a point down person.

Imagine my frustration when I'm on the phone and must take down a message. I reach for a pencil and find it is upside down in the cup and the point is broken. This is not the most opportune time to look for a sharpener, so I grab another pencil from the cup...same result. Now steam is beginning to come out of my ears and I begin grinding my teeth as the person on the other end of the phone loses patience with me for wasting their time. I remove pencil after pencil, and then pen after pen, from the cup until I find something to write with. What I end up with is a ball point pen that writes intermittently.

Pet peeve #3 - why are we keeping pens that are out of ink? I scratch the telephone message across the notepad. Now I know why they call them "scratch pads". This was the last straw! I must make my feelings known to one and all. This is a serious matter.

As I contemplated blogging about my pencil peeve I sharpened the damaged points and then while forcing them, point up, into a cup that was already overstuffed with pens that don't write, I shoved one of the sharpened pencils into my thumb. I searched furiously for a tissue to blot the free flowing blood and added MURPHY'S LAW to my list of pet peeves.

Thanks for listening. Now tell me about your pet peeve.

(c)2010
Sharon A. Soffe

Book Review - Katydidn't

2010-02-04T05:16:00.000-08:00

Katydidn't

By Colleen L. Reece
Illustrations by K.C. Snider
Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

This delightful book tells of Katy Witherspoon, a little girl living in the country with six brothers and sisters. As happens in families each child is different and Katy may be the most different of all. They all have things they enjoy doing, but the things they enjoyed Katy didn't and she lets us know why. Because Katy didn't she found herself alone and lonely, until she remembered something Jesus said.

Children will love this book with its repetitions, and the interesting differences between the brothers and sisters. Katy finds her own solution to her loneliness and shares a secret with the katydids that sing her to sleep at night. There is a valuable lesson in this book that children will pick up as easily at Katy did.

Colleen L. Reece lives in Washington and is a wonderful author of over 140 books for all ages selling over six million copies.

The illustrations by noted artist K.C. Snider are wonderful. Well known for her Western Art, K.C. is making a name for herself in the illustration of childrens books too.

Sharon A. Soffe

INTRODUCING NEW INTERACTIVE EZINE FOR KIDS!!!!

2010-02-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

The first issue of the new interactive ezine Guardian Angel Kids is now available online. http://guardian-angel-kids.com/ Children will the love the mascot, an adorable angel gecko named GAK. Stories, games, puzzles, activities, videos and more to entertain and delight your youngsters. This is a site you and your children will want to return to again and again.

This darling angel gecko, GAK, is drawn by Kim Sponaugle.

This first issue contains one of the stories from my book The Misadventures of Rooter and Snuffle for you to read. Listen to The Sister Exchange or read Tracking the Twitchy Itch. There are drawing instructions and drawing boards where you can draw your own pictures.

Oh yes, you will also find articles for parents and teachers.

This is only the first issue and it promises to get better and better and better. http://guardian-angel-kids.com/

SAVE YOUR PENNIES - KITTIES PLAY FOR FREE!

2010-02-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

(picture of my cat Amber.)

Today we are all looking for ways to save money and I love this one. If you have a cat of any age, or especially if you have multiple cats, as I do, you will love this too. Cat toys are expensive but cats and kittens need to be able to entertain themselves so I am offering some tips today on how you can make lots of playthings from things you have around the house.

#1. Make paper mice...fold a sheet of paper in half, and half again (computer paper is perfect).Cut or tear on fold lines into 4 pieces. Roll each quarter sheet of paper into a small tight wad or ball. Hold in the open palm of your hand and with the fingers of your other hand flick it across the room while saying "Get the mouse!" Flicking it is important because it gets the cats excited. Cats love to retrieve things and they love paper mice. (If you see your cat trying to chew up the mouse, take it away and say,"No!".) You will find yourself making a lot of these. Cats and kittens especially love to play with these under chair rungs in the kitchen or dining room.

#2. Save paper towel or toilet tissue tubes...kittens love to pounce and wrestle with things. Be careful not to offer your fingers or toes for this purpose, because kittens have sharp teeth and claws. Cardboard tubes are perfect for wrestling. Rolled up socks are also good wrestling toys. You can also insert a paper mouse inside to make the tube more interesting.

#3. A brown paper grocery bag...can be a wonderful place to hide. Open the bag and stand it up so that you can roll the top down an inch or so making a cuff. When you lay the bag on its side it will help hold it open for play. Toss a paper mouse inside and watch the fun. Kitty will run in and out and bat the mouse around.

#4. Kitty House or Kitty City(drawing at left)...You will need a cardboard box big enough for the cat to move around in. Tape one long flap closed. and one or two short flaps closed. The other long flap can be left loose and used as an awning. (Not shown in drawing) This should leave an opening big enough for the cat/kitten to jump in the box when it is laid on its side. Have an adult carve a door on the opposite side of the box just big enough for the cat to go in and out. The house now has a front door and a back door. Holes a little larger than paw-size can be carved on either end. If you have the space you can put a group of these houses together and watch as your cats go in and out with their toys and have great fun. You can join in the play by crouching down and scratching on the box while your cat is inside. (Warning: keep your face away from the openings so that you don't get your face or eyes scratched.)

#5. Babysitter Bird Feeder (drawing at right)...Have an adult help with this project. You can recycle a large creamer bottle that has been well washed and dried for this craft project. Using an awl, have an adult poke a hole through the neck of the bottle below the cap. Insert a quarter inch dowel, six inches long, through the holes in the neck. Use a wire coat hanger to make a hanger for the feeder. Have the adult hold the hanger by the hook that goes over the clothes rod. Measure down from the hook to the dowel on the bottle neck and cut wire leaving enough wire to wrap securely around the dowel (one wire on each side of bottle). Measure up about 3 inches from bottom of bottle and cut an arch big enough for a bird to poke its head inside. Just above the bottom of the bottle punch another hole all the way through and insert a quarter inch dowel to provide a perch. Make sure dowel is through both sides to provide stability for the bird. Fill with birdseed and hang outside of a window where the cats can watch the birds. Now you have a babysitter for your cats.

I would love to hear if you have some free cat play ideas.

BOOKS ABOUT CATS:

CATS OF MANY COLORS

A Wings of Faith Children's Book excerpt page

Author: Carol J. Douglas www.caroljdouglas.com

Artist: Eugene Ruble
Print ISBN 13: 978-1-933090-67-2
eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-935137-08-5

COMING SOON:

SHOO CAT!
By Shari Lyle-Soffe
Illustrated by Jack Foster
Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.

(c) 2010 Sharon A. Soffe

EARTHQUAKES - PREPARED IS LESS SCARED

2010-01-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

We are hearing a lot about the damage, injuries and life lost in Haiti because of a major earthquake. I am sure many children have been made fearful by the news coverage. We need to give them information to take away their fear. I would advise parents to allow their children to participate in efforts to help the people of Haiti. When we are helping others we are less worried about our own well-being. Susan Berger has written a wonderful book about earthquakes so I asked her to share some of her knowledge with the rest of us.

SHARI: Susan, if I’m not mistaken you live in Southern California, a place known for some major earthquakes, have you ever been in an earthquake? Can tell us about it?

SUSAN: We are well known as Earthquake country. However the only quakes we need to worry about are the big quakes. That would be an earthquake measuring over 6.2 on the Richter scale. The lesser quakes are scary, but rarely do significant damage. A 5.5 to 6.1 is considered “Very Strong” according to the USGS chart. Any quake over 5.5 can cause your electricity to snap off and may cause damage to a building. .

Oddly enough I do not think Sacramento gets earthquakes. But the coastal cities certainly do. Northern California had a 6.5 two weeks ago. The last major quake in Los Angeles was in 1994. We are overdue for another one.

SHARI: I use to live in Southern California myself, but I was fortunate to be away when big quakes struck. I did experience some less intense quakes. I think the largest was a 3.6 in the San Fernando Valley in 1963. I recall waves in the swimming pool and light fixtures swinging back and forth, but I don’t think there was any damage. Earthquakes are not exclusive to California and Haiti. Where else do they occur?

SUSAN: Here is a map from FEMA showing earthquake probability in the United States. As you can see, activity is fairly wide spread. There are only four states which have not had an earthquake. However most of them are too small to be noticed. Humans rarely feel an earthquake lower than a 3.0

This is a map from FEMA showing Earthquake probabilities.

Here is a global map for Earthquake probability. As you can see, China, Japan and a great part of Europe are Marked in red as is the entire North and South American coast

SHARI: Are some places better equipped to deal with earthquakes than others? Why?

SUSAN: Yes. California, Alaska, Oregon and Japan know they will have earthquakes. They spent a lot of time and money preparing for earthquakes. The seismic building code is frequently updated.

Some parts of the world such as Haiti, and Italy, Czechoslovakia and Mexico rarely see devastating quakes. Many of the building structures are very old and no one thought of upgrading the structure to make them safe for earthquakes. In our own country there was an earthquake in New Madrid Missouri which was probably an 8. something in 1811. (Of course we were not measuring them at that time) This series of quakes caused the ground to shake for eight days and caused the Mississippi to run backward. There is a strong possibility that Missouri might have another large quake. I am not sure that buildings in that area have been retrofitted to withstand a large quake.

SHARI: Are there ways to prepare for earthquakes, even if you don’t know when they are coming?

SUSAN: Yes. There is a wonderful emergency list in my book. I took the lists you can find on www.usgs.com and www.fema.com and added to them. When I was in a major quake, I realized none of us wanted to eat canned beans. We wanted comfort food. We wanted chocolate.

When you are preparing, do not forget to stock your car. I know how hard it is to be prepared day in and day out for something that may occur every 20 years, but it is a good idea. There are lots of kinds of emergencies. Your car should have a flashlight, extra unopened batteries, a cell phone charger, water, a map, jackets and food bars and/or canned nuts and drinking water. Solar blankets are small and also a good idea. I mean you could get caught in a blizzard, or a heavy rain and these things would come in handy, so why not do yourself a favor and keep your car supplied?

SHARI: That is a wonderful idea. What should we do if the earth starts to shake? Where should we go?

SUSAN: In a strong quake, you are not going anywhere. It is too hard to stand. Where you should go depends on where you are. Here is the link to the FEMA list of what to do in an earthquake: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_during.shtm

SHARI: How can we prepare our children for what to do during or after an earthquake? How can we empower our children so that they don’t live in fear?

SUSAN: That is why I wrote the book. I am hoping it will be a resource to empower children

SHARI: I’m not a psychologist, but I would think children who practice for what to do during an earthquake would be less fearful. Do you think home earthquake drills would be a good idea?

SUSAN: Absolutely. Well prepared equals less scared.

SHARI: Having reviewed your book “EARTHQUAKE!” I know it is full of useful information about earthquakes and how to prepare for them. I highly recommend it to parents, teachers, and librarians. Children who are fascinated with science will love it too.

EARTHQUAKE! By Susan J. Berger won honorable mention in the Wild Card Category at the 2009 GREEN BOOK FESTIVAL.
It is available as an E Book or Print Book from http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/earthquake.htm
The Print Book is also available online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Borders. The E book is also available at Fictionwise.

SHARI: Is there anything else you would like readers to know about your book or what you are up to right now?

SUSAN: I wrote the book to empower children. I would love to get it into the schools. I am working on a website to accompany the book. It will include:

Danger Will Robinson! Identifying Hazards in the class room)

Earthquake Hide and Go seek. (Find the pictures of things that should be in your emergency kit.)

Earthquake legends. The stories made up to explain earthquakes in the olden days (This includes make up your own story)

Make your own disaster plan.

Earthquake word search

How big is it? (Understanding. earthquake numbers A tactile measuring exercise)

I also posted the emergency supply list and plan on a tab on my website. http://www.susanjberger.com/ .

My next book is called “Growing Up Dreams. It is a rhyming book which I hope kids will find amusing – adults too.

SHARI: The website sounds wonderful, both fun and informative. Thank you for giving us the tools to cope with this natural occurrence. We will look forward to your new book.

Question for the day

2010-01-28T05:50:00.000-08:00

If a plant grows from seed (tomato, watermelon, etc.) how do they grow seedless ones? I was just looking at Burpee Seeds online and noticed they have a new seedless tomato. How can they sell me seed for a seedless plant? I know it is done but it seems like you would get one crop of "seedless" and be out of business. Where is the next crop going to come from?? What next, seedless avocado?

COMING TOMORROW: EARTHQUAKES

How Does Your Garden Grow?

2010-01-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Whether you are cooped up because of snow, rain, or just plain cold, this is the time to start dreaming about this years garden. Do a search for seed catalogues. Get busy and order one or more seed catalogues to peruse in front of a cozy fire. Children love to garden. Make garden planning a family affair.

Just about everyone can find space for a garden, whether you live on an acre or in an apartment. Step one: Decide where you will put your garden and how big it will be. Gardens can be planted in pots, or plots it is up to you.

Try a theme garden. A salsa garden might have tomatoes, onions, tomatillos, peppers and cilantro. An herb garden would contain your favorite herbs, basil, parsley, thyme, mint, oregano, etc. You might want a salad garden for crisp, cool, summer salads with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, scallions, carrots, spinach. Maybe just a favorite veggies garden is your thing. What theme would you choose?

After you and your children choose the space, and the theme, you will have to go through your catalogues and choose the specific varieties and order them. Be certain you check the planting time and best plants for your gardening zone.

When the seed come you will want to check the packets and find the best time for starting the seeds. Seeds can be started indoors in a sunny location. You can buy containers for starting seeds or you can recycle plastic containers (yogurt or pudding cups, styrafoam cups, egg cartons, cut down milk and juice bottles, etc.). You will need some soil for starting your seeds and the nurseryman should be able to advise you what to buy.

There are lots of resources available to help you with planting and growing information. Search the web for answers to your questions.

This is supposed to be a fun family project. Take pictures of the work and the progress. Make sure everyone gets to participate (hands on). Have the whole family take part in the growing, harvesting, and preparing the food to eat. Young gardeners usually are not picky eaters. Have fun!

CLEAN YOUR ROOM!

2010-01-25T10:44:00.000-08:00

How many times did I say that to my kids? More times than I can count. I hope I can offer some suggestions and tips that will make it easier for parents and kids to get the bedroom clean with minimal friction.

Parents: Make your child's room an atmosphere they will want to keep clean. Sometimes we decorate our kid's rooms as we would want them. Be sure the decor is pleasing to the child, not just to you. Ask them what they would like, and let them make color choices, ( within reason. Our son wanted to paint his room black. I put my foot down on that one.) Allow your children to browse through magazines and look for rooms or features they would like to have.

"A place for everything and everything in it's place" is a valuable reminder of how to keep order. I sometimes come across items when I am cleaning house that just don't seem to have "a place". You can waste a lot of time trying to figure out what to do with that item. Adding it to a designated place where it doesn't belong can throw your order out of whack and can become a slippery slope to chaos.

Children need colorful baskets and bins that are designated for specific items. They may need labels to remind them what goes where. Make it easy for children to keep things in order. Put things at your child's level so they don't have to throw things up high where they can't reach. They need convenient hooks for handing up jackets, caps, mittens, backpacks and they should be within their reach.

Rooms need to be set up with designated areas for specific purposes. If your child plays in his/her room you will need to arrange for areas for art, puzzles and games, clothes, school work and supplies, collections, etc.

Children need different things at different ages. Keep that in mind when planning the room. Make sure furniture is the right size for the age of the child. Give them adequate light for working on homework or puzzles, etc. Organization is more important than cutesy themes, although they can sometimes go together, but keep in mind that you want the kids to learn to clean up after themselves so make it fun and easy for them. Make sure the space or container is large enough and the right shape to hold the things that are supposed to go in it. A round basket is not a good holder for rectangular coloring books.

Re-evaluate the plan periodically. Remember children grow, needs and interests change. Always include your children in the changes and the planning, even in the implementing. Do they need larger furniture now? Are they more interested in reading than in art? Do they need a computer and a place to use it?

Make it a good experience for the child when it is time to give up something that is outgrown. Have children help with selection, repairs and mending of old furniture, toys and clothing. This is the age of too much help your children learn to live comfortably with less. Thin out and get rid of the items that are not repairable or useable any more. Make the sorting purposeful. "You have outgrown these things but there are other children, less fortunate,who can use them. Let's fix them up and donate them to others."

Decorating a child's room doesn't have to be expensive. Often useful pieces of furniture that are good for display or storage can be found at yard sales or second hand stores, or even swap meets. Scratches, and damage can be mended or repaired, and colorful paint will make it look like new. Creativity and imaginations are key ingredients. Always keep the size of the child, the size of the room, and the storage needs in mind when you shop and plan.

If you have children sharing a bedroom, be sure you allow each to express their individual personality. Perhaps the room can be divided, or the bedding can be different for each child of his/her own choosing. Perhaps containers for personal items can be a different color for each child. Sharing a room shouldn't be a burden. In my first book, The Misadventures of Rooter and Snuffle, the raccoon brothers share a room and Rooter is asked to cleanup the room before going outside. Don't forget the value of children's books to set a good example for desireable behaviors.

When my son was a teenager I got tired of nagging him to clean his room. I realized he was rebeling against authority and asserting his independence, so I gave up. I posted a sign on his bedroom door while he was at school. The sign read "This room condemned by authority of the health department". It made us both laugh and made me relax and accept that it was time for him to be given the right to clean his room when "he" wanted to.

Please help your children clean their rooms in the beginning, and even later on if help is needed. Keep a dialogue going that teaches the right way to do things and the reasons why they need to be done. Keep your attitude joyful and your children will learn that cleaning can be a pleasure. Don't forget to give them praise and a big hug for a job well done.

January is also National Bird Feeding Month!

2010-01-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Outside my office window is a feeder like the one in the picture on the right. Sometimes that feeder has ten or more birds on it at one time. Birds of many sizes and colors visit all year round at my feeder. My husband, Bob, has to fill the feeder once each day with black oil sunflower seeds to keep the birds happy. (We call this feeder the "babysitter" because our cats sit on the window ledge inside and watch the birds for hours.)

We live on the edge of a woods (The Cathedral Woods that I write about in my Rooter and Snuffle Books.). When we moved here there was almost no vegetation on our property. No vegetation means no wildlife, or birds of any kind. It made me very sad. :-(

We investigated to find out what kind of trees and plants would attract birds and wildlife. Slowly but surely we planted as many of these plants as we could find. Plants that attract birds must provide a food source that birds like, and provide shelter from the elements and preditors. Sometimes it takes months or even years for plants to grow enough to be attractive to birds. We needed help now.

We built different kinds of bird houses and feeders and set them up around our property. We bought different kinds of bird seed mixes to fill the feeders. We bought suet blocks to hang in the trees during the colder months. We tried putting out fresh fruit pieces for the fruit loving birds. Hummingbird feeders are a wonderful source of entertainment as the colorful birds dart back and forth from flowers to feeders, often chasing each other away from a favorite spot. We scattered cracked corn on the ground to attract pheasant and quail. The quail would remind us when they ran out of food with a call that sounded like "Where's my corn? Where's my corn?"

Question: What food did Noah use in my children's book "Nothing Stops Noah" to get the birds to return to their cages?

Recipes abound for food you can make for the birds. Most important: Provide places for birds and other wildlife to bathe and drink. If I were starting over I would do this before I did anything else. When you are done you will find birds of unimaginable variety visiting your yard. I recommend you find a good book for identifying the birds in your yard. Take pictures of the birds that visit. Use a recorder to record their songs. Have fun!!!

2010 (c) Sharon A. Soffe

Today is National Hugging Day!

2010-01-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

There is nothing better than a hug! We love to get them and miss them when we don't. Hugs validate us. Hugs say: "I care about you", "You matter", "I see you". Human contact is important to good health. When you are hugged you feel better, and it makes you smile.

If you are an environmentalist, hug a tree! If you are really shy, hug a pet. Hug your mom, your dad, your brother and sister, your teacher, your minister, your best friend, your kids...hug anyone who needs a hug.

Today's assignment: Give as many hugs as you can. Don't be shy. Ask, "May I give you a hug?" I bet you will get more "yes" answers than you will "no's".

Make it a competition. See who can give the most hugs today. *Compete to see who can draw the best picture of a hug. Buy smiley stickers or heart stickers to give to the people you hug today.

Visit a nursing home and give out hugs and stickers. Older people love to give hugs but don't always get as many hugs as they deserve.

If you really need a hug, and there is no one else around to give you one...give yourself a hug!!!

Can you think of some terrific ideas to help celebrate National Hugging Day? What kind of food would you serve? Weiners hugged by buns? What do you suggest? What kind of game would celebrate hugging? I want to hear what you think.

NATIONAL SOUP MONTH!

2010-01-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

I love it! It is National Soup Month. Speaking for myself, I love soup, especially during cold weather. First of all soup is so versatile. I couldn't begin to guess how many different soups there are for our pleasure. Soup warms you from the inside out on a cold day.

I had a neighbor years ago who refused to feed her family soup, canned or homemade, she thought soup was worthless. Can you imagine?? I actually felt sorry for her family.

Soup can actually be a family project. Read "Stone Soup" to your children. It is a wonderful story about the value of sharing. After you have read the story take the kids to the local market and have each member pick out something to put in your own version of Stone Soup (Nix on the chocolate bars, marshmallows, etc. They may need a little bit of supervision but not too much.) When you get home have each member of the family prepare their ingredient to go into the pot. You may want to start with some prepared stock or broth. Choose some tasty toppers: shredded cheese, crumbled bacon, sliced scallions, a dollop of sour cream, use your imagination. Serve it with: crackers, hard rolls, bread sticks, tortillas or sandwiches if you wish.

If this doesn't appeal to you try this Stone Soup Recipe from the Food Network.

Have a soup party to celebrate National Soup Month! Invite your friends for a soup potluck. Have each guest or family bring a crockpot of their favorite soup. Ask them the bring a few copies of the recipe for those who might want to make it themselves. You can provide the toppers and go alongs. Provide bowls and mugs (plenty of spoons too) so everyone can try them all. Ask the guests to bring a can of food or non perishable food item to be donated to the local food pantry.

A soup party would be a good fund raising event for your church congregation to help the homeless or other helpful organizations. Maybe your church could start a food pantry. My church did this a few years ago, starting in a shed behind the church, and is now serving over 2,000 people from a building they purchased from donations.

Talk to your children about the Great Depression. Find pictures and information online or at the library to show the kids what it was like. Explain that there are soup kitchens even today. If you have a soup kitchen or food pantry in your town see if there is some way your family can be of help. Helping at a food pantry or soup kitchen is a wonderful learning experience for children. If there are no opportunities to help serve maybe you can make a food donation.

Craft idea: Have each child cut a round bowl from construction paper. Now cut brightly colored vegetables and glue them in the bowl.

Donation tips: When your local supermarket advertises BOGO sales use the opportunity to give the free one to a local soup kitchen or food pantry. When a sale requires that you buy more than you can use, give the excess to a local charity. When you find a good buy on toilet articles, etc. buy extra to give to local missions or places that care for battered women and children. You can use coupons for the same kind of giving. We have strayed from National Soup Month but God will forgive me for that and I hope you will too.

2010 (c) Sharon A. Soffe

RID THE WORLD OF FAD DIETS AND GIMMICKS DAY

2010-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

The picture on the right is of my beautiful daughter, Michele, on her first birthday. Birthday cake is not diet food, but it is possible for birthday cake to be part of a healthy diet. It depends upon the cake, the quantity and how often you eat it. We didn't let Michele eat the whole cake.

Mirriam Webster's Deluxe Dictionary says "diet" is food and drink regularly provided or consumed. Diet has become a dirty word because so many have made money telling us "diet" is all about losing weight by eating the strange things they recommend. I won't repeat the strange weight loss ideas some of them suggest, because they don't make sense and I don't want to give anyone the idea that they do. At some time in my life I have probably tried them all. This article is "not" about losing weight, it is about being healthier.

The diet industry has really done a job on the self esteem of women and girls especially. Television, motion pictures, and magazines have distorted and often altered the image of the perfect body. (That body you want to imitate probably has been retouched beyond reality, so how could you possibly hope to look like that? I wonder what affect the movie "Avatar" will have on our body image?) There is no perfectly "shaped" body to my knowledge, there is however a "healthy body". We are all meant to be shaped differently. We are not "cookie cutter" images, we are people, and each of us is perfect in our own way.

Listen everyone, young or old, life isn't about "FAT" life is about "FIT".

I am not a doctor, nutritionist, or dietician. I am not a trainer or exercise guru. But I have some suggestions for a fit life, and if it sounds good to you, "ask your doctor" if it is right for you.

Most people can eat everything in moderation. Portion control is not about counting calories, in my opinion, it is about the size of the serving. Stop and think....just how big do you think your stomach is? How healthy can it be to repeatedly stuff it beyond its intended capacity? Measure your portions if you must, but don't overeat. It is better to eat more smaller meals instead of three enormous meals each day.

Take smaller bites and chew your food well, and no second helpings. Eat slowly. Have a pleasant conversation with friends or family while eating. It takes time for your body to recognize that it is full. Chewing your food longer will make it easier to digest and will cause you to eat less. Pay attention to what you are eating. Enjoy the taste and feel of your food, but slowly. There seems to be some controversy about whether you should drink with your meals. If you want something to drink with your meals make it water and sip, don't gulp.

Eat a wide variety of foods, being in a rut can be a real roadblock to healthy eating. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables as much as possible, and try new foods. Don't eat the same thing day after day. When you can, eat raw fruits and vegetables instead of cooked. They are better for you, and your body will feel better for it. Eat locally grown and in season as much as possible. Eat organic if it is available, and affordable.

Restaurant and Fast Food portions are out of control, and they have the nerve to brag about it in their commercials. When you order ask for a box to put half of your meal in, then take it home for the next day. Better yet, split the meal with your spouse, child or a friend. That will keep you from overeating and save you money at the same time.

Don't deprive yourself of the foods you like, but do eat sensibly. Eat a sliver of cake not a wedge, and savor each bite. Eat one or two candy kisses not the whole bag. Eat fewer high fat foods. If you are a meateater, eat smaller portions, and eat it less often, especially red meat. Eat high fiber foods often, such as; nuts, beans, and whole grains.

Teach your children to eat good food right from the start. Make the food with kid appeal. Arrange the food in funny faces or animal shapes. Let them eat finger foods and dip them in healthy sauces.

MOVE THAT BODY

You don't need to spend your hard earned money on the latest gadget for exercising your body. Those expensive pieces of exercise equipment often don't work, may cause injuries, and clutter up your house. I love computer games as much as the next person. They are fun but I doubt they are very healthy. Wii is an exception that makes you exercise your body as you play. I don't have a Wii but they seem to give you a workout. Get outside, people need fresh air, sunshine and to exercise more than a thumb or finger.

In my humble opinion the best exercise is walking, and after that it is whatever activity you love enough to do on a regular basis, for pleasure. I'm not a big fan of children playing a sport where parents are screaming at them to do better and fighting with coaches about how their kid was wronged.

I am a big fan of families playing ball in the yard or at the schoolground or park. Laughter is great medicine and playing ball for fun is great exercise and brings a family closer together. Taking long walks with your kids is enjoyable, nature walks are great. Gardening with your kids is good for everyone. Dancing with your kids is good exercise and seeing you act silly in front of others just might make your children less self concious. Not all activities have to be organized or cost money. The important thing is that you all do it together. Don't be a passive-bystander-parent. Get in there and set a good example.

Diet and exercise don't have to be dirty words. What is your favorite "free" exercise?

2010 (c) Sharon A. Soffe

TA-DAH! NATIONAL GET ORGANIZED MONTH

2010-01-18T09:40:00.000-08:00

I'm back...or on my way back. As you can see this is National Get Organized Month. You may think getting organized stinks...but once it is done you can breathe again. I am struggling to get organized with my blog and my new website. I decided it was time for a change of direction so fasten your seat belts...this could be a bumpy ride.

It may take me a while to get into the swing of this new venture. I hope you will all be patient with me. I have lots of ideas swirling around in my head, but catching them, and putting them to work, is like catching butterflies without a net. Please keep checking in to see how things are progressing. If you like what you see tell a friend and please let "me" know what you think. I am hoping there will be something here for kids, parents, homeschoolers, teachers, librarians and Angels, too. 0:-)

Today is "Pooh (Winnie the) Day"! If you haven't read A.A. Milne's book to yourself or to your kids, do it now. If you have, then do it again.

Suggestions for today: Read Winnie the Pooh, have a Pooh party, Bake a honey cake, talk about your favorite "Winnie the Pooh things" at the dinner table, Have a Winnie the Pooh drawing contest or use coloring pages. Read a book about honey bees. Bake bear shaped sugar cookies. Have a talk like Pooh competition or a dance like Tigger competition. You are never too old to celebrate "Pooh Day"!

Say Something Nice

2009-11-16T11:45:00.000-08:00

Have you ever noticed how your mood and attitude changes according to the things people say to you? My poem "Say Something Nice" is in the November 2009 issue of The Friend Magazine. It is a good reminder to say nice things to others to brighten their day. Saying something nice is contagious! Pass it on.

November 9 - 13 National Young Readers Week

2009-11-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

Schools around the country will be celebrating National Young Readers Week from November 9th to the 13th.

Parents, grandparents and homeschoolers can do the same. Have reading contests. Encourage your children to read aloud to the family. Make lists of your favorite books. Be creative.

SIX REASONS TO READ WITH YOUR CHILDREN

1. Good readers will do better in other subjects, too.

2. Reading aloud to each other is comforting and creates a bond between parent and child.

3. Reading encourages the imagination as your mind sees the pictures that are not on the page.

4. Reading makes it possible to travel and have experiences through books that may otherwise be out of reach.

5. Reading is a quiet, peaceful endeavor. There are too few of those today. You can read almost anywhere if there is enough light, even under the covers with a flashlight. ;o)

6. Reading makes pleasant memories for a lifetime. I still have wonderful memories of my teacher reading The Little House Books, and White Fang to our class.

**Yesterday I signed my new book, A Horse Of Course at the local bookstore. In addition to signing books and meeting and talking to people, I had an opportunity to encourage a young man who wrote a book he wants published. I told him to checkout Guardian Angel Publishing. They sometimes publish books by children. I also received a note, entirely unexpectedly, from an acquaintance I hadn't seen in quite awhile. She wanted to bring her children to the signing but was going to be out of town. She mentioned that her young daughter has decided she wants to be a writer. It was a delightful afternoon.

**I was surprised to receive an envelope with two copies of The Friend magazine. The November issue has my poem, Say Something Nice, in it.

**Another surprise when the children's librarian of our Josephine County Library asked me to come read my book to the children at an event this weekend.

What do you like to read? How do you encourage your children to read?

November 2 thru 8 Go Green!

2009-11-03T08:14:00.000-08:00

Did you know November 2nd thru the 8th is National Split Pea Soup Week? How appropriate as our weather is turning cold and wet, or maybe even icy. A nice hot bowl of homemade split pea soup will warm and comfort you from the inside out. Perhaps the children have a favorite garnish that they can prepare for the meal like oyster crackers, or sour cream, chopped chives, or crumbled bacon, whatever suits their fancy.

Don't forget to eat plenty of green vegetables. Eat them raw with a fat free dressing for dip, or eat them cooked lightly so they still have a little crunch.

Another green thing for the kids, use both sides of the paper used for drawing or writing stories. My mother always said "Waste not, want not."

Save the paper plates and cups for picnics and use washable and reusable dishes for everyday...it's greener too.

Make sure the things you throw away go into a trash can and not on the ground. Wildlife is harmed everyday by the things we discard carelessly. How are they harmed? Read my children's picture storybook Trouble Finds Rooter and Snuffle to learn more.

I would like to hear your "green" tips for this week.

First Lady Sets an Example for Parents and Children

2009-10-22T08:23:00.000-07:00

This morning as I watched GMA I was reminded of time spent with my parents playing baseball, shooting hoops, throwing a football. Oh none of us were very good but what fun we had together. I worry that too many children and parents in this hectic world are relying on television and video games for entertainment and down time. Michelle Obama sets a wonderful example for all of us.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8888172

What can you and your family do together that will exercise your bodies, fill your lungs with fresh air, and bring a smile to your faces? Wii is not the only way. I would love to hear your comments on this issue.

Shari ;o)

Rhythm and Movement Keep You Feeling Good

2009-10-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

Kathy Stemke has a newsletter for teachers, parents and kids with ideas to prevent the next generation of couch potatoes.

Go to http://educationtipster.blogspot.com/ and sign up for this wonderful newsletter. It is full of ideas for getting children moving more than just their thumbs on a video game, and it is free. Parents will appreciate this on those rainy days when everyone is playing indoors and getting grumpy. The kids will too.

Shari ;o)

National Food Bank Week begins (Oct 11-17).

2009-10-09T13:01:00.000-07:00

I would like to urge everyone to contribute to the food bank in your area. The need is on the increase. I also urge you to volunteer to help at the food pantry. It is very rewarding. You may be surprised to learn the people who come there are mostly families and genuinely in need. If you love children support your local food bank with donations of money or food, the choice is yours.

Shari

Book Review - Wright On Time - Arizona

2009-10-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

WRIGHT ON TIME – ARIZONA
Wright on Time Books an Imprint of Do Life Right, Inc.
By Lisa M. Cottrell-Bentley
Illustrated by Tanja Bauerle
ISBN 978-0-9824829-0-2

The Wright Family makes the first stop of their RV trip around the United States in Arizona where they will explore a private cave. Aidan and Nadia are homeschooled and every adventure provides a learning experience. Aidan is hopeful that he will see bats in the cave. Nadia wants to look for gems and minerals.

All set with food, water and the equipment needed to safely explore the cave Aidan, Nadia and their parents set off with instructions from Bob, the cave’s owner, to be out of the cave by dusk or they will be locked in. What will they find? Will they make it out in time? I would recommend you read to book to find out.

This is a delightful story of cave exploration, with descriptions of stalagmites, stalactites, gems, minerals, and much more. In addition to learning about what is in a cave there is suspense and adventure as they split into pairs and go in different directions. This first book of a new series is a wonderful resource for anyone learning about Arizona.

Review 10/01/09 Shari Soffe

My Newberry Award

2009-09-25T13:18:00.001-07:00

Ah yes! I have been awarded the Newberry Award. This "spoof" award was made up by our publisher for all those who attended the Guardian Angel Publishing get-together in Redmond Oregon. Part of the event included a trip to Newberry Crater, thus the name of the award. I always wanted to win a Newbery. For now I am happy with this reminder of a wonderful time spent with other authors and illustrators.

A Great Time for Authors and Illustrators at Barnes and Noble in Bend Oregon

2009-09-22T09:19:00.000-07:00

Front row: Lynda S. Burch, publisher, and K.C. Snider, illustrator.
Second row: Sue Berger, Janet Collins, Janie Robinson, Shari Lyle-Soffe, Mary Jean Kelso (authors).
Back row: Bill Kirk, author, and Susann Batson, author/illustrator.

Guardian Angel Publishing had its first GAP West gathering of authors and illustrators in Redmond, Oregon. Events started September 17th and continued through September 20th. Lynda S. Burch, publisher, flew to Oregon for the event. In attendance were K.C. Snider, Sue Berger, Susann Batson, Mary Jean Kelso, Bill Kirk, Shari Lyle-Soffe, Janet Collins and Janie Robinson.

K.C. Snider hosted the event and the planning and organizing was handled by her publicist, Claudia Valiquet. Food was catered by K.C.'s niece, Bonnie Ellis and lots of helpers. K.C.'s husband, Fred, was in charge of keeping all of the equipment working smoothly. There was wonderful food and entertainment, tours and shopping sprees. A great time was had by all.

The highlight to the weekend was a Guardian Angel group booksigning and reading at the Barnes and Noble in Bend Oregon where we were all treated like royalty.

What a thrill it was to finally meet so many of our friends in person and have a chance to get to know them. Hundreds of photographs were taken by Claudia's husband, Steve. Hopefully I will have some to show you soon.

Book Review - The Peril of the Sinister Scientist

2009-09-08T09:56:00.000-07:00

THE PERIL OF THE SINISTER SCIENTIST
Janet Ann Collins
Guardian Angel Publishing Inc.
ISBN 978-1-935137-79-5
$7.95 US

In a moment of panic Joshua’s Mom sets into motion a series of terrifying events that have Joshua on the run and questioning his real identity. As Joshua attempts to live up to what he believes is his genetic makeup he learns valuable lessons about life.

This suspenseful book will have kids on the edge of their seats as Joshua runs from a sinister scientist and tries to figure out why he is being chased and who he can trust. What about Mom, has his pursuer controlled her mind? Joshua angers friends and enemies alike as he tries to avoid being captured.

This is an imaginative tale kids are sure to love to the very end.

Review 9/08/09 – Shari Soffe

BOOK REVIEW - THE VANISHING SCULPTOR

2009-09-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

The Vanishing Sculptor
A Novel by
Donita K. Paul
Waterbrook Press
ISBN 978-1-4000-7339-9
$13.99

When Tipper’s father disappeared it became necessary for her to take charge of the family estate in his absence. Tipper has resorted to selling off her father’s precious artwork to make ends meet. This innocent act has put her father’s life in danger and threatens to unbalance the world. With the help of an unusual collection of supporters Tipper sets off on a quest to set things right, and through trials and tribulations she eventually learns of the power and love of Wulder.

This fantasy by the author of the DragonKeeper Chronicles takes place in a different country and an earlier time. Well written and full of fascinating characters, this book will be tough to put down. Fantasy lovers will find it hard to resist the wizard with all sorts of curious things spilling out of his robes, his librarian, and other irresistible characters, among them minor dragons and riding dragons.

Donita K. Paul demonstrates an amazing imagination and writing talent with her creation of a world unlike any you’ve ever seen.

Review 9/02/2009 ....Shari Soffe

Book Review - The Golden Treasure

2009-08-21T14:27:00.000-07:00

THE ANNA-MAE MYSTERIES – THE GOLDEN TREASURE
By L.S. Cauldwell
A Star Publish Book
Young Adult adventure mystery
ISBN 978-1932993-98-1
$15.95

In this tale of school intrigue, buried treasure, and paranormal occurrences three friends strive to make sense of confusing events. Anna-Mae is at first frightened by the strange things that seem to happen always to her. But when Granma Zora hears about it she sheds some light on Anna-Mae’s predicament. What is the meaning of the levitating black fist and the odd root? Anna-Mae, Raul, and Malcolm will just have to find out as they follow a trail for buried treasure from the Civil War and attempt to clear Anna-Mae of a crime she didn’t commit.

This is the first in a series of Anna-Mae Mysteries. L.S. Cauldwell tells a colorful tale of life in middle school. This story is sprinkled with bits of information from the legend of what happened the the gold Jefferson Davis had borrowed to fight the war and was supposed to pay back. School bullies, a fire drill, and then a fire add to the mystery and the danger.

- Review August 2009 Shari Lyle-Soffe

Interview with Illustrators Cherish Flieder & Benjamin Hummel

2009-08-18T14:41:00.000-07:00

Shari: I have never met an illustrating team. Have you been working together very long?

Cherish/Benjamin: We have been working together on illustration and design projects for about 11 years now, seven of those years as a married couple. However, our favorite joint projects are definitely children’s books. We met at Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design when Cherish was coming in as a Freshman and Benjamin was graduating as a Senior. We immediately became friends since we had so much in common from our Christian faith to our love for children’s book illustration.

Shari: Marriage is tough enough, so I would think working together would be difficult.

Cherish/Benjamin: It was a little challenging at first, but as we worked together as a team we learned ways to better communicate. We try to continually respect each other's professional opinions and not take things to heart. There is art and then there is business, when we work together we have a rule that “the best idea is boss,” no matter who came up with it. Marriage is not tough when both people make a decision to put their partner’s needs ahead of their own. When couples make an effort to serve one another, things flow more smoothly. We also have been through many life and death situations together, so when you look at the big picture, some things matter more than others. We always aim for excellence, but we don’t sweat the details, especially when doing so can create hurt and dissension.

Shari: How do you work together? Do you have the same vision for each work? Does one do the background and the other the characters, or what?

Cherish/Benjamin: When we approach a new assignment, we look at the entire challenge conceptually, ranging from a technical perspective and considering the target market as well. After we spend time brainstorming together, we each will start sketching out our ideas for particular scenes. When we come together to share our concepts, we will often look for ways to enhance each other’s idea. It is a fun way to start a project and is always full of energy and enthusiasm.

After our client approves the sketches, Benjamin will work on character development by creating model sheets based on the clues in the story. His ability to turn forms around in his head and draw them as well as his ability to create dynamic expressions, makes him the perfect artist for the job. In the meantime, Cherish will take the approved sketches to her drafting table and work up color arrangements using pastels. It is fast and to the point, although it can be dusty. After color compositions are complete, Benjamin will work with photo reference to create tight drawings to scale. Then we begin the process of transferring the drawings to watercolor paper. Cherish will be the first to start on the paintings, she has a very relaxed and colorful approach to watercolor that creates depth and beauty within each piece. She will do a first pass at the images blocking in a complete under-painting. After that, she paints all the characters, props, and everything else to the extent that watercolor medium allows. Once we are both satisfied with the watercolor paintings, Benjamin will go in on top with oils, acrylics and/or colored pencils to pull out the details and enhance the dark values that watercolor couldn’t express. We will continue the pass the paintings back and forth, working on them until we both feel that they are finished.

Shari: Is working together easier or more difficult than working alone? Have you ever illustrated children’s books alone?

A children’s book project is a monumental task, and it is nice to have someone with which we can share the responsibilities. When we met, Benjamin had already published his first children’s book, but since then we started illustrating children’s books together in this semi-realistic style. We also complete illustration assignments individually in our own unique styles. For example Cherish has a watercolor embroidery technique called Something to Cherish ® (http://www.somethingtocherish.com/) and Benjamin has a illustrative/cartoon style that can be seen at http://www.hummelillustration.com/.

Shari: What children’s books have you done together?

Cherish/Benjamin: Together we have illustrated two books, but we are excited to do more.

What Would You Like To Do Today? by Larry Grizzell and Prayer Posies by Barbee Lux, both can be ordered at http://www.paintingforlife.com/.

Shari: Tell us a little about your training?

Cherish/Benjamin: Other than our BFAs from Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design, we continue to educate ourselves by interviewing other established artists, taking additional classes and seminars, visiting art shows and museums across the country, staying aware of current trends. We also both teach various illustration classes, as nothing refines one’s knowledge of a subject quite like teaching.

Shari: I am always curious about the workspace of creative people. Tell us about your workspace, please. Do you play music or do anything to get inspired?

Cherish/Benjamin: Our studio exists in an attic above our 1920’s Art Deco style cottage. We sacrifice space in order to live in the beautiful city of Golden, Colorado, leaving our combined living and working quarters very small. It is always a juggling act to decide who gets to use the drafting table or scanner, while the other the light box, easel or computer. But, we always manage to figure it out and everything always seems to come together.

We aspire to start every morning a good breakfast and a nice quiet time together as this is a key factor in getting us through our long days. Once we are both in the studio, we decide on a playlist or radio station (or not, which is when we break out the headphones) and crank up the volume to get us going. Taking breaks is really important as well with it comes to cultivating creativity. We will often walk to the creek, park, post office, bank and library to take in some culture, nature, exercise and inspiration while completing our errands at the same time.

Shari: Children’s books are not your only work. How did you get into illustrating children’s books?

Cherish/Benjamin: We actually started with the aim of illustrating children’s books since that was our focus in college. Also, we have always offered graphic design services as a part of our package and work with our clients to fine tune their marketing messages. When we started having increased demand for our artwork, we branched out into fine art, cards and gifts with a retail division called Painting for Life (http://www.paintingforlife.com/). In the last two years we began to more seriously pursue art licensing when Cherish developed the style for Something to Cherish ® (http://www.somethingtocherish.com/). Since then, she has started a group of over 1,000 professionals in the art licensing field, encouraging them to connect and network on LinkedIn (http://www.artoflicensing.com/).

Shari: What are you working on now?

Cherish/Benjamin: We actually just released and started promoting our children’s book with read-along audio CD, Prayer Posies. We are gearing up for a gallery show and book signing where we are going to showcase the children’s book illustrations along with a collection of Hawaiian themed fine art. We are also looking to take http://www.paintingforlife.com/ to the next level with a brand new shopping cart system, so it will be easier for our fans to order from us online. Hopefully this will be completed in time for the Christmas card rush!

NEW RELEASE!

2009-08-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

A HORSE OF COURSE

It's Aaron's birthday and Grandpa gives him the gift he has always wanted, a horse. Aaron doesn't live on a farm so where will he keep his horse? In his house of course! The challenges of living with a horse in the house are many and even the horse isn't happy. What is the answer to this nagging dilema? To find the answer you will have to read the book.

ISBN 978-1-935137-82-5
$10.95

BUY THE BOOK AT:
GUARDIAN ANGEL PUBLISHING
AMAZON.COM

BOOK REVIEWS
Aaron is thrilled when Grandpa Roy gives him a horse for his birthday. After all, that's what Aaron wanted more than anything in the world. However, living with Horace the horse isn't as easy as Aaron predicted. To start with, Horace eats Aaron's strawberry cake and is incredibly messy. He spills food and drink all over the place. To make matters worse, Aaron has to clean up after him. But that's not all... Since Horace has the remote control, now they're all stuck watching horse racing. Aaron would rather watch cartoons! But sweet Horace pushes this further, stealing Mom's toothbrush and even Aaron's bed. Poor Aaron must now sleep on the floor!Perhaps keeping a horse at home isn't such a good idea, after all. Or is it?
You'll have to read the book to see all of Horace's naughty antics and to find out what Aaron decides. A Horse of Course is the latest children's picture book by talented Oregonian author Shari Lyle-Soffe. Soffe really knows what appeals to young children and this is portrayed in her delightful books. The story is cute and quirky and will keep children's eyes glued to the pages as Horace's antics grow from silly to outrageous. I loved the artwork in this book, it just goes so well with the story. The illustrations, done in colored markers, pens and crayons, have a cartoonish style and are as whimsical as the tale. This book will not only be enjoyed by children who love horses, but by all, young and old, who love a good humorous story.

--Mayra Calvani, Midwest Book Review

Book Review - Andy and Spirit in the Big Rescue

2009-07-31T10:10:00.000-07:00

Andy and Spirit in the Big Rescue
By Mary Jean Kelso
Illustrations by K.C. Snider
Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
Ages 0 to 12
24 pages

Andy and Spirit are different. Andy is in a wheelchair and Spirit is an albino horse. Both tend to attract a lot of attention wherever they go. Sometimes they are teased and bullied for being different.

In this their second trip with 4H club to the Nevada State Fairgrounds people and horses are endangered by a rampaging bull. Andy and Spirit find themselves in the path of the frenzied animal and Tracy jumps up behind Andy to help them escape danger.

Mary Jean has written another exciting book. Children will love learning about 4H and what it is like to participate. The book is filled with the sights and smells of the fairgrounds. Children will get a look at what it is like to be “different” and that it is how we are alike that is important. At the back of the book is a section explaining hippotherapy, the use of horses to strengthen and stretch the muscles of the rider.

K.C. Snider does not disappoint, with her beautiful illustrations. K.C. has won awards for her Western art. A look at this book will show you why. Her illustrations have power and movement. They make you feel you are there.

Mary Jean and K.C. are a perfect pairing, as are Andy and Spirit.

Review by
Shari Lyle-Soffe, author

2009-07-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

I opened my email this morning and discovered I had been awarded the Humane Award! I would like to thank Donna Shepherd for this award.

The Humane Award honors certain bloggers who are kindhearted individuals who regularly support blogs with their sweet comments. They have tastefully done blogs that are updated on a regular basis.

So many have visited my blog and left comments that it is hard to choose, but these people definitely are winners. I am passing the award on to: Joy Delgado , Jessica Aday Kennedy , Christina Rodriguez , Kim Chatel

Review - Color Me Happy

2009-07-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

Color Me Happy
By Sally M. Harris
Illustrated by Cecilia Paplinskie
Guardian Angel Publishing Inc.
Ages 2 - 6

A series of events leave Sadie feeling more and more sad and blue. Nothing seems to cheer her up until she has an idea. Sadie's actions turn things around and fill her day.

This delightful picture book, written in rhyme, is a perfect way to show children how to be proactive in changing your mood when you are feeling down. At the same time it will help children learn their colors. I am sure this story will get many requests for “read it again” and will have children running to get their paints so they can color their own day.

Cecilia’s illustrations are sweet and colorful. They perfectly portray the story.

Review – Shari Lyle-Soffe

Book Reviews

2009-07-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

I will no longer be writing interviews or book reviews for this site due to time constraints.

However, if you have sent me a book for review it will be reviewed and posted here as soon as possible, and at Amazon.com, as promised. The book will be donated to the Josephine County Library.

INTERVIEW WITH CHERYL MALANDRINOS

2009-07-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

SHARI: CHERYL, PLEASE TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.

CHERYL: Thanks for having me here, Shari. I’m a married mother of three kids, ages 22, soon to be 8, and 5. I’ve lived in Western Massachusetts all my life. We actually live in the town my husband grew up in, though where I lived is only 20 minutes away. Our home also includes three adorable cats.

SHARI: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING? HAVE YOU TAKEN ANY COURSES IN WRITING? WHAT WERE THEY AND WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THEM?

CHERYL: I’ve been writing since I was a teenager, but didn’t begin my career until I became a stay-at-home mom five years ago.

When I decided to take my dream seriously, I enrolled in an article writing program offered by Long Ridge Writers Group. Breaking into Print showed me how to create marketable articles and how to draft queries. I highly recommend them. I had the chance to work with a multi-published author and writer, one who they matched me with based upon the answers on my application. We clicked instantly and I learned a great deal.

SHARI: I UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE A BOOK COMING OUT IN 2010. HAS IT BEEN A DIFFICULT ROAD GETTING TO THAT FIRST CONTRACT? WHAT KIND OF BOOK IS IT? PICTURE BOOK, EASY READER, MG????

CHERYL: Yes, I do. The Little Shepherd Boy should be out late next year from Guardian Angel Publishing. My book is a Christian children’s picture book about a young shepherd boy named Obed, who visits Baby Jesus on the night of His birth.

I don’t know that I would say difficult, as much as I would say that it required me to decide if I had it in me to write a book and submit it to a publisher. We don’t realize how much power we have. We can be our own worst enemies, throwing up all types of obstacles to prevent us from ever submitting that first manuscript. I didn’t want to be the person who always had an excuse for why I wasn’t published; so I made the time, listened to feedback, made revisions and sent out that query.

SHARI: DID YOU START OUT WRITING FOR CHILDRENS MAGAZINES OR WERE BOOKS ALWAYS YOUR TARGET?

CHERYL: I actually haven’t written for children’s magazines. Most of my articles focus on time management and organization tips for writers. I do, however, write reviews of children’s books at my blog, The Kids Book Connection, and have contributed to Musing Our Children’s quarterly newsletter, Pages & Pens in the past.

SHARI: YOU ARE EDITOR OF THE MUSING OUR CHILDREN NEWSLETTER. TELL US ABOUT THAT AND HOW IT CAME ABOUT.

CHERYL: Musing Our Children is a group of authors, storytellers, editors and illustrators dedicated to encouraging a love of reading and writing in young people through school visits, workshops and our quarterly newsletter, Pages & Pens. Our founder, and my good friend, Lea Schizas is so talented that she is constantly involved in a multitude of projects, and needed to relinquish her duties as editor for Pages & Pens. I strongly believe in Musing Our Children’s mission, and therefore, I stepped up to the plate to take on the role once filled by Lea. I only hope I can do as good a job as she.

SHARI: YOU WERE A CONTRIBUTOR TO THE MUSE ONLINE WRITERS CONFERENCE LAST YEAR. IT IS A WONDERFUL RESOURCE FOR WRITERS. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE A CONTRIBUTOR?

CHERYL: Here again I must sing Lea’s praises because without her efforts, I doubt the Muse Online Writers Conference would run as smoothly and be as wonderful as it is. I have attended since the first conference and am already signed up for this year’s conference. Registration ends on August 1st, so anyone who is interested should sign up now!

It was exciting and scary being a first time presenter. I had never presented at any writers conference before so this was all new territory for me. I wanted to provide attendees with enough information to keep the discussion flowing and offer interesting assignments that would allow them to make changes in how they managed their time, set goals and organized their writing space.

The other challenge was that I also signed up for several workshops. Juggling homework and running a workshop required me to make sure I didn’t waste any time during that week. Thankfully I am a very organized person and goal setting is something I’ve done most of my adult life.

SHARI: YOU ARE A REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO WRITER2WRITER. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THAT?

CHERYL: Working with Cheryl Wright of Writer2Writer came about as a result of the first Muse Online Writers Conference in 2006. A discussion began about whether it is a good idea to write for non-paying markets to secure clips. I mentioned I had written a series of time management articles geared toward writers for a now defunct Ezine, for which I received only clips. Cheryl contacted me about them and my first article appeared in December 2006.

SHARI: HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THESE THINGS, HOW DID YOU LEARN ABOUT THEM?

CHERYL: The Muse Online Writers Conference is a great way to network. That’s how I find out about a lot of things. It is also how I ended up submitting my first children’s book manuscript to Guardian Angel. I tend to travel in a lot of the same circles as my fellow Musers.

I work as a virtual book tour coordinator for Pump Up Your Book Promotion, which has allowed me to meet so many talented writers. Relationships are forged and friendships made, things can flow out of those moments. And since I am a blogger and book reviewer, I have publishers and publicists contacting me on a regular basis. This helps keep me in tune with what’s going on in the industry, what books are out there, and what publishers are looking for.

SHARI: WHAT IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU CAN GIVE TO A NEW CHILDREN’S WRITER?

CHERYL: I’m not sure I’m the best one to be giving advice since I still have so much to learn, but one thing I remind aspiring authors of is that they have the power to make their dreams come true. They need to use it. Stop letting lack of time, fear of failure and self-doubt get in the way of accomplishing what they want. You need to face that person in the mirror and ask, “Do I want this badly enough?” If the answer is “yes” then you’ll find a way to make it happen.

SHARI: WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST WRITING OBSTACLE YOU HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH?

CHERYL: With two young children at home and working full-time, there isn’t a lot of time left for me to focus on my writing. Even as organized as I am, I still get overwhelmed at times—usually because I’ve overcommitted myself. I make a point to write weekly to-do lists, revisit my goals quarterly and am trying to train myself to say “no” more often.

SHARI: IF YOU COULDN’T WRITE, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE DOING?

CHERYL: This is a hard question because I’ve always loved writing. Even before I was a teenager writing Scooby-Doo type mysteries, poetry and angst-ridden stories about young girls losing their mothers to cancer as I did, I enjoyed writing book reports and essays. I can’t imagine not writing.

If for some reason God hadn’t given me that gift of words, I still think I would work in book promotion. Coordinating virtual book tours has introduced to me many great books I never would have discovered otherwise. I truly love my job!

SHARI: DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL WRITING SPACE? TELL US ABOUT IT.

CHERYL: Right now I do. Whether I keep my office depends upon whether or not we have another baby. The smallest upstairs bedroom is where I hang my writing hat. My desk doesn’t have much on it because I don’t like the clutter. It faces the windows so that I can see our children playing in the backyard and also catch a glimpse of the woods, whose trees turn all sorts of glorious colors in the fall.

Our old changing table serves as a cabinet for the books I need to review, office supplies and writing craft books that I refer to from time to time. Behind my desk, on the other side of the room is my two-drawer lateral filing cabinet. The top holds my dancing and bowling trophies and some nautical décor. I also have a shadow box picture that I bought on the Outer Banks of North Carolina one year, and a beautiful painting created by one of my book tour clients is on another wall. He lives in North Carolina and knows how much we enjoy the Outer Banks.

SHARI: WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW? DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER BOOK IN THE WORKS?

CHERYL: Most of my time is spent on virtual book tours, but I am working on the revisions to another Christmas-themed book titled, My Visit with Santa. I have a few other projects in various stages. I am also currently editing a book for a client.

SHARI: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR VISITING WITH US!

CHERYL: Thanks again for having me here Shari. I enjoyed spending time with you and your readers.

Interview with Illustrator Jack Foster

2009-07-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Shari: Jack, please tell my readers a little about yourself.

Jack: I married the most wonderful, beautiful woman in 2005. Her name is Aleithia. I have 5 terrific grown children, Jenny, John, Alex, Eric and Beth, and 4 adorable grandkids. My wife and I recently moved to Lisle Illinois to be closer to my mother-in-law who is battling cancer. I am a huge Chicago Cub fan. I love kids and teach Sunday school at our church. I love to draw for kids. I even incorporate it into the lessons. I'm a Christian and very involved in the church. So I guess when someone gets to know me, I hope they'd say "He loves God, he loves his wife, he loves his kids, he loves his grandkids, he loves his neighbor....and he's not a bad illustrator either.

Shari: How long have you been illustrating children’s books? Is it a difficult field to break into?

Jack: Actually I've only been doing Children's book illustrating since March of this year when Guardian Angel Publishing contracted me to illustrate two books. I just recently finished them and the release date has not been set yet. I had so much fun, so when GAP contacted me about another book I was thrilled. The two books I recently finished illustrating were Poodle and Doodle by Donna Shepherd and Shoo Cat! by an author you may have heard of named Shari Lyle-Soffe. (Shari: I can't wait to see the finished book.) As far as difficulty breaking into the biz...it only took me 34 years.

Shari: What made you choose that aspect of illustrating?

Jack: Well Shari, it's a long story. I originally wanted to have a syndicated comic strip in the newspapers, however years and years of submitting material only got me file cabinets full of rejection letters. Some of the letters contained critiques about my work, so those were helpful. I learned a lot about shading and composition. Many of the letters said that my style was too "cute" for the papers. Instead of switching markets (like children's books), I tried to ugly up my style and keep trying the syndicates. I have a hard head sometimes. By this time I was renting storage space just for the rejection letters! I finally switched gears. I started doing signs and decorations for children's parties. I really enjoyed putting a smile on a kid's face. Then I began doing murals for kid's rooms. I really liked when the little boy or girl would try to communicate exactly what they wanted on their walls. A couple of years ago, the light finally went on. Children's books! I started researching styles, artists, formats etc... I was computer ignorant at the time and had to take some computer art classes. I was so embarrassed at my first class when the teacher said, "Turn on your computers", and I had to ask for help.

Shari: How do you earn a living? Do you do other kinds of illustrating? Tell us about them please.

Jack: I am a letter carrier to put dinner on the table and an illustrator to put dessert on the table. I'm hoping to do dinner and dessert as an illustrator soon. I,ve been selling cartoons on several websites for the last year and a half. I have sold over 2000. A couple of the sites are Fotolia.com and Bigstockphoto.com. I'm listed under the name Jacktoon. I've also been doing a lot of creative work for our church like CD covers, murals, drama backgrounds etc. I've also been illustrating for an online magazine called Stories for Children.

Shari: I am not an artist. Will you tell me how you work? What materials do you work with?

Jack: I have cheap sketchbooks everywhere. In my livingroom, bathroom, car and work. I always have a small notepad in my pocket for ideas and pencils, pencils, pencils. I scan my pencil sketches onto the computer. I don't use outlines in my work. I create my illustrations using shapes and shading. So after I build the shapes over my pencil sketch, I delete the sketch and put the finishing touches on the illustration.

Shari: Do you have a studio? Describe your workspace?

Jack: We just moved and I finally have a studio, although it is a maze to get around in here as we haven't finished unpacking yet. For the last 3 1/2 years my workspace was a small corner of our bedroom. We were renting a small 4 room coach house. I had to decide whether I wanted a dresser or a workspace. Workspace won out of course.

Shari: Will you tell us where we can look at some of your illustrations?

Jack: I'm having fun with a blog which has links to some of my other work. Stop by at http://jacktoon.blogspot.com/ and leave me a comment or two.

Shari: What are you working on now?

Jack: I have just recently been contracted by GAP (Guardian Angel Publishing) to illustrate a delightful book by Jessica Kennedy named Klutzy Kantor.I'm very excited about it. Jessica is a very special author.

Shari: Where did you get your training to become an illustrator?

Jack: My oldest daughter, Jenny, is a graphic artist. She just recently had a baby, and now is doing a lot of freelancing. (she has an Etsy store with a lots of goodies named Zuq and Zoe) She knew that I was left behind as far as digital art was concerned. She urged me to take some college courses and "catch up" so I did. I spent a few nights a week at a community college in Des Plaines. Going back a few years (about 30), I attended The American Academy of Art in Chicago. They actually offered cartooning classes.

Shari: Do you have a writing mascot?

Jack: Yes Shari, We have a 15 year old full-sized pomeranian. He is about 25 lbs. and his name is Tucker. He resembles a cross between a fox and a harp seal, so we call him our little seal-fox. He is blind, but he gets around pretty well. Tucker has been the subject of a few of my doodling sessions.

Shari: If you were not an artist/illustrator what would you be?

Jack: When I am channel surfing, if I see the word "forensic", I'm hooked. I love the way crimes are solved using this technology. So if I wasn't into chilren's book illustrating, I think I may have tried my hand at forensic crime solving. Hey Shari, maybe I can combine children's art and forensics and try to figure out if Humpty Dumpty really fell off that wall or if he was pushed. (Children would like to know.)

Shari: What would readers be surprised to learn about you?

Jack: That I was lost in the woods as an infant and raised by a family of squirrels. I still store food in my cheeks and climb trees. ...I guess it would be that I'm a math wiz. Since I could remember, I never got less than an A on my report cards for math.

Shari: Thank you for visiting with us. I'm sure we will be hearing more about you in the future.

Interview With Author/Publisher V.S. Grenier

2009-07-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

Shari: Virginia please tell my readers about yourself.

Virginia: Hi Shari, thanks for having me on your blog. Well . . . I live in Southern Utah about 2 hours north of Las Vegas. So, if I get tired looking at all the red mountains and laid back life style, I can hop in my car and head to one of the cities that never sleep for some fun.

I have been married for almost six years and I have two wonderful children with a new baby on the way. But if that doesn’t keep me busy, our dog and cat sure do. We’re a busy family with things always going on and with grandparents, uncles, and aunts nearby as well . . . you can say life is never boring and the ideas for stories are never ending.

Shari: How long have you been writing? What inspired you to write?

Virginia: I’ve been writing for just over three years now. I never thought I would be a writer, it just sort of happened. After the birth of my second child, I decided to stay home and quit working. At first, I was okay with being home all the time, but after awhile . . . well let’s just say you can’t go from working 50-hour weeks to not working. So I decided to write for a hobby and took a course at the Institute of Children’s Literature. Of course my hobby became more than that which wasn’t surprising to my husband. I have this tendency to take anything and make it into something else. So my writing become a job and now a company.

Shari: What was the first thing you ever had published? Publisher?

Virginia: A short story about my father as a kid called “Flying Upside Down”. It was published in the Ezine Fandangle Magazine back in 2006.

Shari: What training have you had to be a writer?

Virginia: I’ve only taken the one course at The Institute of Children’s Literature and then some workshops at conferences. Both online and in person.

Shari: What is the best writing advice you ever received?

Virginia: Only you as the author know what’s best for your manuscript, and to look at critiques and criticism with a grain of salt to help you hone your skills.

Shari: What prompted you to start Stories for Children Magazine? Was it difficult to get it started?

Virginia: LOL. Again, Stories for Children Magazine was going to be a hobby of mine as I worked on my own writing. I thought it would be fun to have a free site where parents, children, teachers, libraries could come and read some stories, article, and poems. I also thought it would be a great way to get new writers started in building writing credits. Of course, like all my hobbies, Stories for Children Magazine took a life of its own and has become the Ezine everyone knows today.

As for starting the magazine, it wasn’t all that hard. I use to do copy for a fashion catalog a long time ago, so I understood how to set up a website and do formatting for printers. So I used those skills along with my marketing background to get Stories for Children Magazine off the ground. But really it was Gayle Jacobson-Huset and Kevin Scott Collier who truly helped spread the word and gave me the support I needed. After that, I made many friends and great connections with other authors. All of whom have helped to make Stories for Children Magazine what it is today.

Shari: Tell us about your new book?

Virginia: My newest book is Babysitting SugarPaw. It's a picture book about a little bear named SugarPaw who hopes to get rid of his babysitter, Bonnie Whiskers, by getting her into trouble after making changes to his rules chart. As this loving story unfolds, SugarPaw learns about honesty and friendship. Babysitting SugarPaw, with its child-centered plot on getting to know others, is the perfect book for little ones scared of being left alone with a babysitter for the first time. This book will delight three-to-eight-year-old readers, especially those who like to create mischief.

Shari: Is your family supportive of your writing?

Virginia: My kids are pretty good about my writing. My hubby is until he’s home and all he sees is the back of my head. LOL. Actually, he’s been a great sport about the time I put in to run Stories for Children Magazine and get my own writing time in as well. I think he likes the fact everyday he has daddy time with the kids while mommy writes.

Shari: Tell us about your writing space?

Virginia: I have pretty big area compared to what most of my writing friends have. I’m lucky to have a bonus room in my house where my office is. Of course that means the whole family likes to join me from time to time or I get to listen to the play by play of my son's computer games. LOL. I have an L-shaped writing desk with drawers for all the SFC files, contracts, etc. Then, to my right is another computer desk. This where my kids do their homework, play online, and well my siblings come to get their college work done as well.

Then behind me is a futon couch, the TV with the Wii, and the air hockey table. You can say this office gets a lot of action and not all of it is writing.

Shari: Do you do first drafts on a computer or by hand?

Virginia: I do all my writing on the computer. The only thing I don’t do on the computer is my notes. I tend to jot my ideas and lose outlines in a notebook. I have about three of them around my office and bedroom.

Shari: What would we be surprised to learn about you?

Virginia: I went to college to be a fashion buyer and did that for just over 10 years before I giving it up to stay home with my children. I’ve worked for some really interesting places like Motherhood Maternity, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Hot Topic, Inc. (I opened the first 5 Torrid stores and helped design them.), L’Occitane, and Brighten Collectibles to name a few.

Also, in high school, I took freshman English three times and my highest grade in English was a C. However, when I did take exams and my S.A.T’s, I scored in top 10 for my class. My problem was I just didn’t want to do the work or go to class. Lesson I learned . . . If you don’t do it right the first time or really hate a subject in school . . . you just might find yourself doing it for a career. LOL.

Shari: Do you have any links we would be interested in?

Virginia: Oh, I have a lot of links I think your readers would be interested in. You can visit me and Stanley Bookman, the SFC mascot in the World of Ink at http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/

For those who love to write and want to learn they can visit our newest site Stories for Children Publishing, LLC at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/. Stories for Children Publishing, LLC is a great place to find information on workshops the SFC Team is offering, critique groups, writing services, etc. You can also sign up for our FREE newsletter, SFC Newsletter for Writers which is sent out monthly and is full of articles on writing, markets, contest, workshops, conference, and much much more. It was voted one of the 101 Best Websites for Writers in 2009 by Writer’s Digest.

If your readers would like to learn more about me, my writing services, school visits, and my books . . . they can visit me at http://vsgrenier.com/

And lastly, we have the SFC: Families Matter blog. Here families can get information on just about anything. We talk about vacations on a budget to helping children in school. Visit us each weekly or bi-weekly at http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com/

Shari, it was a pleasure to chat with you. Thank you again for having me on your blog.

All the best,

VS Grenier

Book Review - Davy Crockett Gets Hitched

2009-07-10T04:00:00.000-07:00

Davy Crockett Gets Hitched
Retold by Bobbi Miller
Illustrated by Megan Lloyd
Holiday House
(c) 2009

ISBN 978-0-8234-1837-4

$16.95

This delightful retelling of a legend is imaginative and fun. The illustrations will tickle the funny bone of any child. Megan Lloyd's pictures are filled with fun things to see. What child wouldn't be thrilled to find the raccoon hiding behind a tree for example.

A mishap puts Davy Crockett in competition with the boys of the valley who had all come to woo the fair Miss Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind. In a dance off to end all dance offs Davy shows a talent yet to be seen. Davy's reason for dancing is unique and the outcome is not what he had planned when he came to the party.

The language of this book will have children giggling as they try to repeat words like they have never heard before. It is sure to set their feet to tapping and some may even get up and dance.
This book is sure to be read again and again.

Review by Shari Lyle-Soffe

Interview with Illustrator Rosemarie Gillen

2009-07-08T04:00:00.000-07:00

　
Shari: Rosemarie, please tell my readers about yourself.

Rosemarie: I live in the panhandle of West Virginia with my 8 year old son Connor, my husband Bob, and our Collie, Riley. We are surrounded by farmland and a mountain range.

Shari: Your illustrations are so cute and kid friendly. How long have you been doing this professionally?

Rosemarie: Thank you. I have been a freelance professional illustrator for 4 years. I did my first picture book, "Tyler and the Spider" for a self publishing author. It was exciting to have my first paying illustrating assignment. It taught me how to work one on one with an author. And I finally got to utilize all the techniques I had learned in developing a picture book.

Shari: Do you only illustrate children’s books or do you also sell other kinds of art?

Rosemarie: Yes in my spare time, I paint reproductions of Great Masters which have been hung in Art Galleries in several states.

Shari: You are also an author. How long have you been writing? Which came first?

Rosemarie: As a child I would sit for hours painting and drawing so illustrating came first. About two years ago, I began to write for children. My son is a great source of inspiration in my writing .

Shari: What books have you illustrated? Author/illustrated?

Rosemarie: I illustrated a picture book for Living Waters Publishers called, "Where Is God, Grandfather?". I wrote/illustrated an e-book called, "Sometimes I Am" for Synergebooks. It is an e-book picture book which tells of a day in a child’s life and all the ups and downs a child can experience. And I have also illustrated several picture books for self publishing authors

Shari: What are you working on now?

Rosemarie: Right now, I am working on my second book picture book called, "Anything Is Possible". I am in the middle of creating the dummy book. It is a picture book about how you can do anything if only you try.

Shari: I don’t know much about illustrating. Will you tell us how you work? Do you work on the computer or with watercolors, oils, acrylics?

Rosemarie: Sure, I hand draw my sketches first with pencil and then scan it into Photoshop where I make adjustments and begin the coloring process.

Shari: I am always interested in hearing about an artists workspace. Do you have a studio? Will you tell us about it?

Rosemarie: At this point in time, I am working out of a spare room in my home. I am surrounded by bookshelves filled with all types of books from art to children literature . My walls are lined with the framed covers of picture books I have illustrated. I have a computer and wacom tablet sitting on my drafting table which is in front of a french door with a great view of a mountain range.

Shari: What would readers be surprised to learn about you?

Rosemarie: They would be surprised to learn that I am the mom who hangs with the neighborhood kids after school. My son and I met up with his friends who range from ages five to nine . We ride scooters, bikes, have foot races, and just sit around and talk and tell stories. It is great fun.
Shari: Where can readers learn more about you? Website, etc?

Rosemarie: My web site can be viewed at www.rosemariegillen.com I am also a part of the The Visual Storytellers Studio ( VSS ) group for illustrators which is a virtual online gallery consisting of 30+ of the best illustrators in the nation and I am in a professional private blog for writers titled the Yellow Brick Road.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - JANET ANN COLLINS

2009-07-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

Shari: Janet, please tell my readers about yourself.

Janet: I’m a bookaholic, a former teacher, worked in the dormitories at California School for the Deaf for many years, and have always loved kids. My husband and I raised three foster sons with special needs in addition to our birth-daughter, and I’m now a grandma. When we retired my husband and I moved to the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills in California, but we often go back to visit family and friends in the San Francisco Bay Area where I spent most of my life.

Shari: How long have you been writing? Have you only written for children?

Janet: I’ve been writing most of my life, and submitted my first things for publication about twenty years ago. I’ve always wanted to be the author of books for children but nearly all my previously published work has been non-fiction articles for adults. I used to write feature articles for a newspaper and have had things published in dozens of other periodicals and a few anthologies. Once I even won a poetry contest, although I don’t consider myself a poet.

Shari: I understand you have a book coming out soon. Is this your first book? Please tell us about it.

Janet: Yes, The Peril of the Sinister Scientist is my first book and it will be released in August, though I don’t know the exact date yet. It’s about a middle school student who thinks he was cloned from the blood on the Shroud of Turin because a scientist who had worked on that experiment is stalking him.

I also have a Christmas picture book that will be published near the beginning of October.

Shari: Did your publisher pick your illustrator or did you have some input?

Janet: Since this book is for middle-grade kids the only art is on the cover. The publisher chose the person to do it, but I have had some input.

Shari: What are you doing now to prepare for when the book comes out?

Janet: I’ve gotten involved with Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking, which has taken a lot of time to learn since I’m not good at technical things. I’ve already got some speaking events scheduled, and have made a list of contact information for schools, stores, media and other places to send information nearer to the release date. I’m working on bookmarks and will have some of those made as soon as I get the final version of the cover art.

Shari: Do you have a website or blog?

Janet: Yes, my website is www.janetanncollins.com and I have two blogs. The first one, http://onwordsblog.blogspot.com is about words, books, and kids. A few months ago I started a second one, http://janetanncollins.blogspot.com about special needs.

Shari: What is the hardest part of writing for you?

Janet: The hardest part is catching errors when I rewrite. Often I think I’ve solved all the problems, only to have a member of my critique group or an editor point out something I’ve missed.

Shari: What advice would you give to someone just beginning to write for children?

Janet: Know children well, read lots of books for children, and don’t give up. You’re not a real writer unless you have rejections.

Shari: Do you have a designated writing space? Tell us about it.

Janet: I have a bedroom that I use as an office. There’s a big window that looks out on evergreen trees and a bulletin board covered with photos and artwork to remind me of people and places I love. The rest of the room is absolutely jammed with books about writing, file cabinets, equipment, and piles of papers that never stay organized for more than a few days. It’s sort of like my brain in that respect.

Book Review - KRUMBUCKETS

2009-07-03T04:00:00.001-07:00

Krumbuckets
Author L.C. Mohr
Art by Erica Musheno
Blooming Tree Press
© 2007
ISBN 0-9769417-6-7
Ages 7 & up

This fun science fiction book will delight kids with a look into the year 2106. It’s a time when children drive to school and books tattle if they don’t get read. Latchkey kids have robots to look after them, and the robots have personalities.

Nick and Lisa are best friends. Nick has a S.A.M robot that is always in need of repair because of age and rough treatment, and Lisa is the girl to do the job. Their school is expecting a special visitor, the president. An important issue is being discussed and the students are taking a stand. There are debates and protests. Should a computer program decide the future occupations of all the students? The students want Nick to speak on their behalf about the issue. When it becomes obvious that an imposter has replaced the president, Nick and Lisa determine to put things right with Sam the robot’s help.

This book is well written. Children will love the government intrigue and mystery. The characters are quirky and interesting. When I started reading the book I didn’t want to put it down until I had finished it.

7/2/2009 review - Shari Lyle-Soffe

Available at Amazon.

Join Zebee's Summer Zoo Camp!

2009-07-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

Just In Time to Beat Summer Time Boredom: Zebee's Summer Zoo Camp is Almost Here!Sign up today.

Keep your child happily busy all summer long.

V Zoo, Cyber Space – July 1, 2009 -- Calling all parents, teachers and caregivers with children between the ages of 5 and 8. Do you need some fun educational activities for your children this summer? Can't afford to send them off to a zoo camp? We have the answer. Starting July 6, 2009 we are holding a Virtual Summer Zoo Camp. It's online and it's totally FREE. All you have to do is sign up.Eight weeks of Zoo animal fun!

July 6-12 Meerkat Mania

July 13-17 Leaping Lizards

July 20-24 Virtuous Vultures

July 27-31 Fascinating Frogs

August 3-7 Observant Okapis

August 10-14 Playful Penguins

August 17-21 Slithery Snakes

August 24-28 Amazing Antelope

We will be giving away some prizes too, all FREE.What else will this summer camp have? There will be Games, Animal Trivia, Arts and Crafts and all kinds of Puzzles.So what are you waiting for? Hop over to Zebee's Summer Zoo Camp and sign up today.

Reading on a Shoestring!

2009-07-01T11:14:00.001-07:00

Money is tight for most of us right now, and with young families even more so. That is no reason to skip one of the most important things in a young child's life. Reading! So let me suggest a few ways to find reading material for your children.

Garage sales are great places to find books for children and cheaply too. We were lucky enough to find children's books listed in an ad for a garage sale and went to check it out. Eureka! The garage sale was at the home of a retired bookseller. It was like walking into a book store. Not only did he have a plentiful supply but he wanted to move them so the prices were very affordable.

Moving sales are terrific. People want to transport as little as possible so they thin out their books along with everything else.

Estate sales may contain some classic old children's books. No harm in checking it out.

Thrift shops are another good place to find books for kids. They may not have a large supply but if you check it frequently you may find some real bargains.

Used book stores. They have books for adults and children at low prices.

Start a book exchange with other families. When their kids outgrow the books they've got they will gladly pass them on to you for your children. You can do the same for another family and so on.

Don't forget to watch for library sales. When they clear out old books or donated books they can't use you can benefit from their bargain prices.

Keep your eyes and ears open for other sources of children's reading material. Reading is too important to be cut out of your child's life. Think of the adventure your family can have searching for them.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - DEBE BRANNING

2009-06-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Shari: Debe, please tell us a little about yourself. (Family, location, interests, etc.)
Debe: I live in the Phoenix, Arizona area with my partner Kenton Moore. We have three Labradors that keep us busy. My children are grown and I have two grandsons that live in Omaha, Nebraska. I retired from the DMV last year and now I have way too many hobbies, activities and interests! How did I ever manage before? Besides writing, I collect celebrity dolls (I own about 460 dolls), I am an adult Girl Scout, I go to Jazzercise 3 times a day, I am on the board of directors of the Pioneers’ Cemetery Association, I travel all over Arizona collecting ghost stories and do paranormal investigations.

Shari: How long have you been writing for children?

Debe: I have been writing the Chickolet Pigolet series of books for over 30 years. I have friends who are school teachers that use to read the “raw manuscripts” to their first and second grade readers and the classes urged me on to write more.

Shari: Is Chickolet Pigolet: The Bribe of Frankenbeans your first book? What a delightful title! Where did the idea come from?

Debe: Chickolet Pigolet: The Bribe of Frankenbeans is my first children’s book published. I have recently submitted a second one “Murmur on the Oink Express” and waiting to hear if it will be published. Chickolet Pigolet is really ME in my crazy life. Many of the events in the stories are adventures I endured in the past.

Shari: Do you write in other genres? Tell us about your other writing please.

Debe: I have also written “Sleeping With Ghosts—A Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Arizona’s Haunted Hotels & Inns” which is basically a travel guide that tells you which rooms to stay in if you want to encounter a ghost on your vacation! Many people carry it in their car along with their maps! I also write a column for Examiner.com on Arizona’s Haunted Sites. I am divulging about 15 years of my ghost hunting secrets for the readers.

Shari: What are you working on now? Do you have something we can all look forward to?

Debe: I am working on “Dining With the Dead—A Ghost Hunter’s Guide to Arizona’s Haunted Cafés and Restaurants”……..”Gracie’s Diary”—a historical fictional novel about early life in Bisbee, AZ………Re editing 4 more titles in my Chickolet Pigolet series………always working on the Examiner.com column, and I am also doing a monthly column for a new paranormal magazine “Spirits of Cochise County.”
Shari: Have you taken any writing courses? What?

Debe: I have taken courses in Writing For Children several years ago. Recently I have been taking various courses in writing and journalism at Central AZ College.

Shari: How do you write? Do you outline? Do you use any special techniques to flesh out a story?

Debe: Let’s say, I talk to myself quite a bit while I am driving. If I like how the conversation sounds I immediately pen it out. Usually I know exactly where I am going with a fictional story. I write most stories in a notebook and transfer the magic on to the computer later. I often let friends read a few chapters to see if it draws their interest.

Shari: What is the best writing advice you ever received?

Debe: Write the stories as though the words were pouring out of my mouth speaking to a group of friends.

Shari: What is the hardest thing about being a children’s writer?

Debe: I think the hardest thing about being a children’s writer these days is making the parents understand how important it is to take time to read to the children or let them read to you. I try to write stories that inspire or teach a valued lesson so the parents or grandparents keep looking to see when my next book is coming out.

Shari: Do you have a special writing space? What would we find in your space?

Debe: At home in Mesa, I work in the room with the 460 dolls as my audience. There are books and reference material everywhere and I know exactly where to find every project. Other people look in here and think, “oh my!” In Bisbee, I have a cozy spot on the screened porch with a view of the mountains.

Shari: Do you have a writing companion? (pet?) Tell us about him or her.

Debe: Hmmmm…occasionally my dog Tanner comes and lays by my feet when the afternoon is getting long and he thinks it is time to stop and play ball with him.

Book Review - The Mommy Interviews

2009-06-26T04:00:00.000-07:00

The Mommy Interviews
By Kristy Stratton-Tolley
Tate Publishing
e-book
ISBN: 978-1-60462-847-0

This is a delightful story of the search for just the right parent. What child doesn’t wish for a different parent when they don’t get their own way? Lucy certainly does when it seems Mom always says “no”.

Kristy Stratton-Tolley tells a cute tale of Lucy’s search for a better parent, with Mom’s help of course. As the story unfolds we see what Lucy thinks makes a good parent and what isn’t so good. Which Mom will Lucy choose? Children will want to know.

This book is fun and one that every child will relate to. Kristy gives us imaginative characters and a story that makes sense. The illustrations are cute and funny. I think children will love this book as much as I did.

-Shari Lyle- Soffe
6/22/09

ILLUSTRATOR INTERVIEW - K.C. Snider

2009-06-25T09:19:00.000-07:00

Shari: K.C., I love your artwork. Please tell my readers how you got started professionally. What came first your paintings or book illustration?

K.C. I had been married six years when my husband, Fred, reminded me that I hadn’t been painting for quite awhile. So I searched for my supplies and started painting again. I started art school and joined an art group who asked me to show at one of their shows and found out my work would sell. It mushroomed from there. I started teaching at Lane Community College and I saw that my art would really sell after that. Although I intended to be an illustrator when I graduated (with honors) from art school, I had family obligations which precluded a career at that time. So I concentrated on my fine art pieces usually depicting Western life and was quite successful selling at art shows, in galleries and to private investors. I began illustrating four years ago as you will see in the answer below.

Shari: Will you tell us about some of your awards?

K.C.: I’ve won a number of awards during my career for my fine art pieces including the Snaffle Bit award, the Pioneer Award, and the Indian Heritage Award at the annual Winnemucca Western Arts Roundup where I show every year. I’ve shown in a number of other shows and fairs where I’ve received awards and my work is always well-received. But I am especially proud of my First Place Watercolors award at the 2008 Western Arts Roundup in Winnemucca for a triptych from Andy And Spirit Go To The Fair which now hangs in the Children’s Illustrated Art Museum in St. Louis, Missouri. That was the first award for my illustration work.

Shari: How did you get into illustrating children’s books? How many have you done?

K.C.: Mary Jean Kelso has been a friend for many years. Our daughters went to high school together and are still best friends. Mary started out writing children’s stories, but couldn’t get a publisher, so she was self-published with desktop publishing without much success. She began to write young adult western romances and mysteries and was successful at finding a publisher for those. However she still wanted to get her children’s books illustrated and published. So about four years ago, she asked me to illustrate The Christmas Angel. Her plan was to self-publish with a book printer. However after the illustrations were done, she submitted the manuscript to Guardian Angel Publishing unbeknownst to me. Well---success! Lynda accepted the book for publishing.
Shortly thereafter, Lynda asked me if I would be interested in illustrating The Magic Violin by Mayra Calvani. That was a very interesting project because at the time I didn’t even know how to open my email, let alone attach an image and send an email to Belgium. But with the help of my husband, Fred, I dove into the project and learned a lot. Mayra and I learned together. The results have been highly successful with lots of “Ooohs” and “Aaahs” for the illustrations.
From there my association with Guardian Angel Publishing has just taken off. I now have nine children’s books in publication with three authors, four more completed and awaiting publication and fourteen more planned, two of which I am working on currently, Baby Jesus Is Missing by Dixie Phillips and A Short Tale About A Long Tail by Marilee Crow. Along the way, I even persuaded my niece, Janie Robinson, to submit one of her children’s stories, Preston The Not-So-Perfect, which is now one of the books awaiting publishing due in August.

Shari: All of the paintings I have seen have a western horse and rider theme, but your illustrations are very different and cover many themes. How can you create in so many different styles?

K.C.: I’m a born artist with some training. When I was a child learning to draw and paint, I thought all artists drew people. So I drew horses, which I loved, and people. I made my spending money in high school drawing movie stars for other kids. I’d make $5 or $6 each which was quite a bit of money. Then my art instructor taught me that if you can draw and paint people you can draw anything. Being born and raised in Oregon, I love the Western life style and have found it a very rewarding subject for my art. There are a lot of buyers for Western art. However, I appreciate all kinds of art, especially Impressionism. Being a trained commercial artist, I know how to change subjects and styles easily and I can work in almost any medium. I am also a sculptor. You can see several examples of my sculptures on my website. I’m working on a piece now that will become a bronze someday.

Shari: Did you require a lot of schooling to get where you are today? What kind of education was necessary?

K.C.: I attended a two-year commercial art school course and graduated with honors, plus I have taken a few other classes here and there, but mainly it’s constantly working at my craft (almost eight hours a day, every day) that has honed my skills. In school, I learned to be quick and use shortcuts, so that was invaluable.

Shari: You do a lot of traveling to promote your books and I assume your paintings as well. Do you enjoy the travel? Do you think this is necessary for all illustrators to be successful?

K.C.: You have to travel with your art if you want to get anywhere. I’ve been all over the Western U.S. with my art. My art has even been sent to Hawaii! When I got to Colorado with my Western art, my sales just started snow-balling. If I can travel to promote a book and help promote an author, I’m helping myself. I’d love to go to Belgium and help Mayra promote her books, but that probably is not going to happen. The bottom line is I recognize that to be successful you’ve got to promote your work, period!

Shari: I love to hear where authors and illustrators work. Do you have a studio? Will you tell us about it, please?

K.C.: Yes, thanks to my husband, Fred, I do have a wonderful studio (attached to my home), with lots of natural light (and artificial), a great stereo sound system and a small kennel for Jack, my dachshund/whippet mix (nicknamed “Poop”). My daughter’s cat, McFatty, helps a lot too.

Shari: Which children’s books have you illustrated most recently?
K.C. Just published: Cart Wheel Annie. Alleycat written by Marilee Crow and Andy and Spirit In the Big Rescue (third in the Andy and The Albino horse series) written by Mary Jean Kelso. Awaiting publishing: Monster Maddie written by Susan Stephenson; Ruthie and the Hippo’s Fat Behind written by Margot Finke; RV Mouse written by Mary Jean Kelso; Preston The Not-So-Perfect Pig written by Janie Robinson.

For more about K.C. Snider.

Tuesday Author Interview - Bobbi Miller

2009-06-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

Shari: How long have you been writing for children? What age do you write for?

Bobbi: I am certainly a living cliché: I was reading and writing before I entered kindergarten. One of my favorite childhood toys was a typewriter, made with rubber bands! No kidding! Then there was this metal contraption that made a lot of noise. I wrote my first poetry in high school English courses, taught by Sister Alice Marie! It was my introduction into the emotive aspect of language. And, many of these poems were published in the local newspaper. My first short story was published after I graduated from undergraduate school, and Marion Zimmer Bradley was my first editor. It was my introduction into action/adventure fantasy with strong female protagonists!

Action adventure – pirate stories, hero tales, Robin Hood, King Author, James Fennimore Cooper, Edgar Rice Burroughs, and many, many more – was always one of my favorite reads. So, somehow along the way I realized that this is what I wanted to write for children: strong female protagonists with action adventures.

But, I also have a background in folklore (having studied it at the associates and undergraduate level), and realized that the best adventures are on our own landscape! The western frontier, the Mississippi, the Civil War, the Revolutionary War, New Orleans, Boston, Chicago, New York, the Midwest and the southwest, the coming together of many cultures, many languages and many stories – why, we have the BEST stories in our own front yard!

I went on to graduate school, first studying children’s literature at Simmons College (Boston), and explored this element – the folklore process in children’s literature -- in depth. I then went to Vermont College, and explored writing for children, using voice and perspective, engaging in the oral nature of tall tales, legends and myths. The organic nature of language really is enticing. I combined these studies to now investigate creating original tall tales and contemporary myths (can there be such a thing?) Vermont College (now Vermont College of Fine Arts) is an excellent program, and the faculty is wonderful. I studied with two masters, Marion Dane Bauer and Eric Kimmel, whom I credit for the direction my writing career has taken. Words are not BIG enough to express my gratitude for their continued friendship and support.

Shari: I understand you are a teacher. What do you teach? How long have you been doing that?

Bobbi: I began teaching as soon as I graduated from graduate school. While I have worked in book stores, and as an editor, proofreader, curriculum consultant (and everything else to pay the bills), this teaching of writing keeps me connected to language itself. I find that in the teaching of writing, I engage more in understanding and expanding my knowledge of writing. So, I teach composition for undergraduate and graduate level writers. I also teach undergraduate and graduate level online writing for children courses through LifeLong Learning at Union Institute (and for more information, contact Christine Linn Program Coordinator, Christine.linn@myunion.edu). And, of course, on occasion I teach a folklore survey course, Origins of Story, through Lifelong Learning.

Shari: Your topics are so interesting. What inspires you to write?

Bobbi: Well, just about everything inspires me. I think I’ve been engaged in the process so long, that my mind just works in ‘story-telling mode’ all the time. For example: I just went to Mystic Aquarium (CT), and enjoyed a whale encounter program. It was up close and personal with a beluga whale! Along the way, we passed the shark exhibit, a huge tank. And swimming in the middle of these nurse sharks and rays was a green turtle, Charlotte. Apparently, this turtle was run over by a boat, the propeller damaging her hind legs and making it difficult for her to dive. The condition is called ‘bubble-butt’. She survived, despite the odds, and learned to find her own way. Now, is that not a cool story!
It sounds so cliché, that everything can be an inspiration, but that is also part of the wonder of children’s books. The key is to become engaged in the life and landscape surrounding you. Inspiration and motivation does not come out of the ethers, and is not created in a vacuum. When I’m not teaching, I spend my time exploring the American landscape and the grand voices that make up the American Story. The language that creates these stories is as big and grand as the landscape itself. It is this audacious, bodacious, just splendiferous landscape and language that inspire me to write.

Shari: I featured One Fine Trade on my blog some time ago. Was it your first book? Tell us about your latest book?

Bobbi: I have had many articles and a few short stories published. ONE FINE TRADE was my first book. It was part of my creative thesis while I studied with Marion and Eric at Vermont College. In fact, I sold four books after graduation. It has taken nine years for the books to finally be released. The wait was worthwhile, however, because Will Hillenbrand did such an amazing job at visualizing these characters and landscape. He made my visions realized. And, Meghan Lloyd, the illustrator for my second book, DAVY CROCKETT GETS HITCHED, created an equally powerful vision. This is the story how Davy Crockett meets his match in Miss Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind. One would think that Davy Crockett wouldn’t have any problem wooing a gal. But a chance encounter with a bodacious bit of nature has him acting more like a clown than the king of the wild frontier. Davy Crockett must gather all his gumption to whirl his way into Miss Sally Ann’s heart. Meghan is also the illustrator for my next book, MISS SALLY ANN AND THE PANTHER, in which Miss Sally Ann discovers what it means to be a great and glorious friend.

Shari: Did it take you long to write this book? Was it difficult to find the right publisher for your book?

Bobbi: I am extremely lucky to have Holiday House as my publisher. Holiday House was the first one that I submitted these stories to, and they accepted them. I just love my editor, Eleni. We – in my opinion – make up the perfect dream team. As the manuscript was nearing completion, and we had some final edits, I enjoyed discussing language and ideas with her. It is a collaborative process between three distinct personalities, illustrator, writer, and editor, the editor being the nexus of that wheel. I’m sure every writer says the same thing about their editor.

Shari: I am always interested to know about the setting where an author does his/her writing. Do you have a designated writing space? Would you tell us about it?

Bobbi: I live in the woods, in a 1830s reproduction log cabin, a perfect place to explore larger than life characters! A picture of my cabin will be included on the flap for DAVY CROCKETT. I write in two places: in my loft, which overlooks my gardens, and in my living room, which is a grand room with skylights and big windows. So, I am surrounded by landscape, literally.

Shari: How do you write? Do you outline? Do you do rough draft in pencil? Use the computer?

Bobbi: It takes me so long to finish a book, even a picturebook. I use to become so impatient, and then try to hurry up the process. Sometimes, because I teach many classes, I do not have enough hours in the day to complete what I want to do, so I rush it along. This became counter-productive, of course, and I have learned to slow down, and take the time needed to create the book I want.

I begin every project with research. I research extensively. I’ve discovered that I like to do research, so I probably do more than required. BUT, I like having the information. For DAVY CROCKETT, for example, I researched both the myth and the man. I researched the historical context, including gender roles, so I have a feel for Miss Sally Ann. I also read his books to get a sense of his language and personality. My tale is a combination of my tales, some of which he told, and some of which were told by others. I highlighted the recurring motifs, engaged in the language, and then created a story from that.

I am currently working on larger pieces, middle grade historical fiction and middle grade historical creative nonfiction. For these projects, research is even more extensive. One, the story of girls who ‘gone for a soldier’, disguising themselves as boys to enlist in the military, has taken me six years. I went through several drafts with one editor, and learned much about the process, and realized that I want to expand the story to include not just the Civil War but the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Spanish American War. This includes researching photographs and illustrations as needed to create visuals.

Another project, a historical fiction, combines element of tall tale and history as I re-imagine the story of Annie Christmas, coupled with the War of 1812, life on a keelboat, river pirates and natural disasters. So, research for this has been extensive as I recreate the times and landscape of the times.

I then outline extensively, even the picture, to make sure I integrate what I feel is necessary to create a character, or a landscape, or a scene. Then, I write my first draft, usually with pen and paper rather than computer. It gives me a more intimate connection with the story. Once finished, I type it on the computer, and edit as I type. I could go through several revisions before I am completely satisfied with the manuscript, especially now. Before, in my previous impatience, I didn’t pay attention to this element, and the results were a rejection. So, the moral of the tale is: We need to give the story the time it deserves for the characters to do what they need to do. Stories tend to be organic, and sometimes outlines need to be tossed as characters take over. In which case, I follow along for the ride! Always the adventure. As Mark Twain once said, “Explore! Dream! Discover!”

Book Information: Davy Crockett Gets Hitched, retold by Bobbi Miller, illustrated by Megan Lloyd
· Reading level: Ages 4-8
· Publisher: Holiday House (August 2009)
· ISBN- 9780823418374

While the book is not released until July/August 2009, it is available for pre-ordering at:

amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Davy-Crockett-Hitched-Bobbi-Miller/dp/0823418375/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245773427&sr=8-1)

Borders.com (http://www.borders.com/online/store/)