Author Ashley Howland's Interviews and Reviews
March 4, 2014
Hi everyone my author and Stitch Says blogs now have a new home!!!!
http://ahowland.org/wordpress/
Here you can find everything. It’s still a working process, but all the blogs and comments are there. You can link to other social media and still enjoy my blogs!
Author Ashley Howland
Thank you for joining me here – I look forward to seeing everyone commenting on my new site. As always have fun!
February 25, 2014
Author Interviews Author Ashley Howland Interviews, ChabooCha, Chapter Book Challenge, Children's author, Melissa Writes, Stitch Says Interviews 1 Comment
Today we get to chat with another Chapter Book Challenge Author – Melissa Gijsbers. Another Aussie too, let’s hear what she has to say about writing…
When did you decide to become an author and what impact has this had on your life?
When I was in high school, I found that writing was something I loved to do, and I was good at it. At the time, I was told that wasn’t a career option and went another way for a while. A few years ago, I rediscovered writing fiction and my dream was rekindled. The biggest impact has been trying to fit writing in around work, kids, and life. I now carry a notebook with me to write down ideas as they come and spend as much of my spare time as possible writing.
It certainly is difficult to fit it all in….
Tell us about your latest work and what motivated you to write it:
I’m currently working on a chapter book that was written during the 2013 Chapter Book Challenge. It’s a story about a girl who just wants to fit in at a new school and is bullied. This is what she does about it. It’s a mix of my experiences and those of my now 10 year old son. The idea came to me when my son had an incident where he was being bullied and fought back by hitting the bully. He was punished and the bully wasn’t. He thought it was unfair. I used this as inspiration for the story and I’m sure it will resonate with kids.
We’ve all been there, I can’t wait to see you get this book published.
What are your future aspirations as an author?
To write books that will be enjoyed by readers – both children and adults. So far, I’ve had eight stories published in three anthologies, and I’m hoping these are the first of many published works.
I’m sure it will be the start of something big.
Where do your ideas come from? What experiences or aspects of your life influence your writing?
My ideas come from all sorts of places. Some are based on my experiences as a child, some on my kids and the things they do. Others come from writing prompts or things that I’m interested in. Still others seem to come from nowhere! I’ve learned to never ignore an idea, no matter how weird it may be, and I have notebooks full of ideas for future stories.
Gotta love those notebooks.
What do you do to improve yourself and a writer?
I write as often as I can. I take part in challenges and writing exercises to help improve my writing and develop some of the stories that are in my ideas books. I am also collecting and reading a number of craft books as I would love to attend writing conferences, however it’s not practical right now.
There is only so much time in a day and too many other things that need to get done.
What inspires you to write?
With my kids books, a lot of my inspiration come from my kids and the sorts of stories I wish were around for them to read, or that I wish had been around when I was a kid.
Kids are the best inspiration (oh and dogs – sorry Stitch and Chewie!)
Where can people contact you?
My blog is http://www.melissawrites.com.au and my Facebook page is http://www.facebook.com/MelissaWrites.com.au
Wonderful blog – you should all check it out!
What works best for you when writing? Meaning do you outline or write freely when you feel inspired to do so?
I find that having a firm outline doesn’t work for me as I stress over it too much and then get worried if or when the story goes off course. I prefer having a rough outline, knowing how the story starts and where I want the story to end up, and write so the story will get there.
Excellent to have some flexibility when planning a story.
Thanks for joining us Melissa, we look forward to hearing more from you in the future. Remember everyone keep reading, keep writing!
February 22, 2014
Book reviews Author Ashley Howland Reviews, Book Review, Charles and Hero, Childrens books, Douglas Quinn, Stitch says reviews Leave a comment
Now it’s time for the second of Douglas Quinn’s books:
Charles and Hero – Isle of Mists
This is a great chapter books for boys (girls will also enjoy it). Charles and Hero the dragon fly into a rescue mission with a difference. They need to save a whole village. This story is engaging, has plenty of action and great characters. Everything you need in a good chapter book.
Stitch Says gives it 5 woofs!
To check it your for yourself go to: http://www.amazon.com/Charles-Hero-Isle-Mists-Douglas-Quinn/dp/1493542885
In the mean time keep reading, keep writing!
February 19, 2014
Book reviews, Dogs Author Ashley Howland Reviews, Book Review, Childrens books, Dog books, Douglas Quinn, Stitch says reviews 1 Comment
The Undercover Beagle and her sidekick Boston Blackie – The Egg Thief by Douglas Quinn
I grew up with beagles, so my labs have always played with them. I was really excited to read this book and my 6-year-old love reading it too. Here is the Stitch Says Review:
I love dog books, as do my kids. However they need to have more than just a dog. Like any children’s book they need a good, but simple story line. The Undercover Beagle has exactly that. It is simple, easy to read and lots of fun. The characters are cute and the farm setting can lead to many more adventures. This is great because I know my kids want to read more stories. The Egg Thief is perfect for dog lovers who are beginning to read chapter books.
Stitch Says gives it 5 woofs!
To check out Gracie for yourself go to: http://www.amazon.com/Gracie-Undercover-Beagle-Sidekick-Blackie–The/dp/1492942405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392768416&sr=8-1&keywords=gracie+the+undercover+beagle
More great interviews and reviews to come – keep reading, keep writing!
February 18, 2014
Author Interviews Author Ashley Howland Interviews, Author Interviews, Children's author, Douglas Quinn, Stitch Says Interviews Leave a comment
Amazing how time flies… this interview was meant to be posted last week, but things (life) just got in the way. So here it is. Stitch would like you to meet children’s author Douglas Quinn:
When did you decide to become an author and what impact has this had on your life?
I really didn’t just decide to become an author. It evolved out of a family history/genealogy project my dad and I worked on. We had so much interesting information and family stories to share, my dad and I decided to organize it all into something we could publish and share with others who were researching the same family. I love family stories. Once finished with the first two family history books, I began thinking about writing fiction. Naturally, my first novel idea came from another family story, an “almost” happening involving my children and a trip to Spain.
As for an impact on my life, it has become all consuming. I live to write.
Awesome reason to live.
Where do your ideas come from? What experiences or aspects of your life influence your writing?
As I mentioned, the idea for my first novel, a suspense/thriller titled The Catalan Gambit, came from an “almost” happening. Students, my boy and girl twins included, from the school system had signed up for a chaperoned trip to Spain. At that time, airplane hijackings had become a popular sport for terrorists. Because of this, the trip was cancelled. I began to think, what would happen if they’d gone on the trip and their plane was hijacked. As a father, what would I, what could I do to save them? My “tag” line was “How far would a father go to save his children.” I followed up with two more books in what I called The Ellis Family Saga.
I enjoy mysteries, so for my Webb Sawyer Mysteries, I set these stories in the Outer Banks and Albemarle Sound areas of northeast North Carolina (USA) where I live. As they say, “write what you know,” and I love and know this area and its people quite well.
For my Ancestry Series, I went back to the research done on my ancestors and, using the facts and stories my dad and I had collected to create a historical fiction/adventure-based novel of the original emigrant ancestor’s life. I just completed book two of the series based on his son. Books three and four are in the queue.
When my two youngest grandsons asked me, why don’t you write children’s books (with them as the heroes, of course), I indulged them. It was easy to write in “their voice” as I used to have lunch in the school cafeteria with them and their friends once a week, where I opened discussions, listened and observed.. Now I have three different series going.
My newest series, Little Books for Little Readers (written, illustrated and marketed for ages 4-6), are based on experience with our four-legged kids, our cats and dogs.
Dogs make the best characters. As an interesting note Beagles and Labradors seem to make great friends!
Tell us about your latest work and what motivated you to write it.
Boy! Not sure where to start, because I work on several book projects at a time, one for each of my genres. I’ll give a brief answer for each one of them.
I am currently writing my fourth Webb Sawyer Mystery. Each of the titles for this series have birds in the titles: Blue Heron Marsh, Pelican Point, Swan’s Landing and the latest, Egret’s Cove. In Egret’s Cove, my protagonist, Webb Sawyer, drives from his home at Blue Heron Marsh in Nags Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to go fishing with his long-time grade-school friend who lives on Ocracoke Island. When he arrives she is nowhere to be found. Evidence indicates she’s been kidnapped. But how? And why? And where is she? And is she all right? There is no ransom note and Webb is frantic to find his friend before it’s too late.
I just finished the second book of my Ancestry Series, Samuel The Pioneer. Samuel is the son of Cornelius The Orphan. As I mentioned before, these historical fiction/adventure novels are based on my own ancestors.
I have two more Children’s Chapter Book Series (for ages 8-12) that are completed and are in the editing process. One, The Adventures of Quinn Higgins: Boy Detective—The Case of the Gray Ghost’s Belt Buckle is the sixth Quinn Higgins book. The other one, The Adventures of Summer McPhee of Ocracoke Island—The Pink Lady is the third Summer McPhee book. I am also am over halfway finished (it will probably be completed when this interview runs) the third book in my Purple Dragon Fantasy Series, Charles and Hero—The Dreadmen. As I mentioned, I wrote these at the request of grandchildren, but now my readers motivate me to continue on with them.
And, finally, I’ve completed my second Little Book for Little Readers titled Solstice the Determined Beagle—Long Way Home. This book is now with my illustrator, who is doing pen-and-ink drawings for the text chapters. This story comes from the time Solstice (now deceased) got lost in a storm ten miles from home and, over ten days, found her way back home.
Wonderful a to do list that looks like mine… too many things to do!
What are your future aspirations as an author?<
When people ask me what I do for fun, I tell them I write. “Writing seems like hard work,” they say. The hard work is the editing process. The writing, for me, is not only fun, but fulfilling. It gives me a sense of accomplishment to tell stories and share them with others. This, and a dedication to my characters, will keep me writing until, one day, I keel over, my fingers still on the keyboard. If I have the premonition, maybe I will quickly type in (to be continued by the next person).
Ha that’s a good idea. You are right editing is the hard part – see my other blog for some tips:http://ghostnapped.wordpress.com/
What do you do to improve yourself as a writer?
I read, I research, I do crossword puzzles, I listen, I observe, I talk to people, ask questions, discuss ideas, but most of all I write, write, write, write . . . .
Where can people contact you?
My website is http://www.obxwriter.webs.com, where you can find a listing of all of my books, novels and children’s book, included. Please feel free to join up and/or contact me through the site with your questions, comments, what you thought about my books, etc. I answer all queries.
Tell us a little about your next work/s in progress.
I always have several projects in progress. Readers, even other writers, ask me how is that possible. How can I concentrate on more than one book at a time. My answer is, I really don’t know. I think I’ve been gifted with the ability to compartmentalize information, work on it, store it, bring up something else, moving from one project to another without confusion. Holy-moley, I sound like a computer.
Right now I’m only writing two books, Egret’s Cove: a Webb Sawyer Mystery and Charles and Hero–The Dreadmen. I’m also reading and researching for four other books. So many stories to tell, never enough time.
We wish the best of luck with all your projects.
Do you read the reviews of your work and how do they affect your writing?
I always read the reviews of my work. Fortunately, the vase majority of them have been very positive. Reviewers bring their own likes, dislikes and prejudices to their assessment. One reviewer loves the detail and the descriptions of the settings and characters, another one says there is too much detail. Another reviewer feels the need to point out a misplaced a comma on page 212. Another one may claim there were inconsistencies with the capitalization of the word “mother,” even though they were incorrect and didn’t understand the rules. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Readers don’t really care about niggling and nitpicking. They want to know if the reviewer believes that story, the setting and the characters will grab them. Here’s my thought: If you get an unfavorable review, or the review has aspects that you dislike or don’t agree with, let it go. I’d rather have a review that I wasn’t pleased with than be ignored.
I always figure if they took the time to review your work there is something worth while!
Stitch Says has had the privilege of reading four of Douglas’ books and will be posting reviews over the coming week or two (that thing called life may get in the way!). So watch out for them. Thanks for joining us Douglas and remember keep reading, keep writing!
February 11, 2014
Author Interviews Author Ashley Howland Interviews, Author Interview, ChabooCha, Children's author, Stitch Says Interviews 2 Comments
Today we get to chat with author Becky Fyfe. Becky does an amazing amount of writing, editing and everything else in her life. She’s a superstar and the founder of the Chapter Book Challenge: http://chapterbookchallenge.blogspot.com.au/
Here’s what Becky had to say:
When did you decide to become an author and what impact has this had on your life?
I have wanted to be a writer ever since I was a child, but somewhere along the way, I lost the confidence to continue along that path. I managed to get my BA degree in English Literature and an AA degree in Child Development, but I stopped writing creatively for many years. Instead I concentrated on raising my children (all seven of them).
Slowly over time, I gained a lot of weight. I was clinically described as morbidly obese. That may not seem to have anything to do with my writing, but when I started actively trying to lose the excess weight and become healthier, I decided to begin blogging about the journey on a blog called Skinny Dreaming. I was very successful with my weight loss, losing more than half my body weight and reaching a healthy BMI. This also increased my confidence in myself by showing me that I could achieve what some considered impossible if I was just willing to put in the hard work towards it.
Through Skinny Dreaming, I was contacted by a start-up parenting magazine out in California that wanted me to be a regular writer for their monthly magazine on the topic of raising healthy children. I continued to write for the magazine for over a year. This added another cog in my self-confidence, especially in regards to my writing. Between the blog and writing for the magazine, I came to the realization that I still very much wanted to be an author.
What an amazing journey – not to mention you did all that while raising seven children… The mind boggles!
Tell us about your latest work and what motivated you to write it:
I have several projects on the go right now. I originally planned on writing the Skinny Dreaming book on health and fitness, but I have only managed to write the first few chapters and an outline for it. My true love is writing fiction, and I currently have one urban fantasy novel, one YA novelette (also urban fantasy), six picture books, a middle grade book and a chapter book in the editing stages.
The current works I am writing at the moment are one chapter book titled “The Day My Shadow Tried to Kill Me” and one non-fiction book called “The 28-Day Fitness Challenge” based on a challenge I am running on the Skinny Dreaming blog.
“The Day My Shadow Tried to Kill Me” came to me while I was busy writing an adult novel for National Novel Writing Month last November. It took my attention away from my NaNoWriMo novel, but I loved the idea so much that I couldn’t stop myself from sitting down to write it. It’s actually the first in a series. Here’s the brief synopsis (which is still a work-in-progress):
Gabby is just an ordinary girl living an ordinary life until one day, she isn’t. Magical things start happening around her, beginning with her shadow taking on a life of its own. Gabby would think this was cool, if it weren’t for the fact that her shadow was trying to kill her. Can Gabby stay alive long enough to figure out why these strange things are happening and how to stop her shadow?
Wow that list is actually longer than mine, can’t wait to see them all completed!
What are your future aspirations as an author?
I plan on publishing my novels someday, when they are ready. I haven’t decided yet whether I will self-publish them or go the traditional route, although I will have to go the traditional route for my picture books as I am not an illustrator.
I run my own Indie publishing company, Melusine Muse Press, that I have published some anthologies through, and I am hoping to expand the business model to begin bringing more authors’ works into the limelight, and I eventually hope to employ some illustrators.
Having some illustrators would be fantastic, they are hard to find.
Where do your ideas come from? What experiences or aspects of your life influence your writing?
Everything influences my writing and can bring me fresh ideas. My children are my biggest inspiration though. Aside from the ideas that come to me when I am with my children, ideas tend to come to me whenever it’s quiet. When I’m outside walking the dog or taking a relaxing bath, these are the moments when I have time to reflect and ideas will often light up in my mind. I also find that art and music have the tendency to inspire fresh ideas.
Quiet moments are the best – just where to collect them. I think we should bottle them up and send them around when required!
What do you do to improve yourself as a writer?
I read many books on the craft of writing. I read many books just for fun and enjoyment. I read blogs on the craft of writing. I write; I find that the more frequently I sit down to do some actual writing, the more my writing improves.
My biggest downfall is my tendency to procrastinate. To that end, I started hosting the Chapter Book Challenge (ChaBooCha) in March of 2012, with the goal of helping myself and others learn more about writing chapter books for children and to give us all that extra push to write the stories. The challenge is to write a complete first draft of a chapter book, middle grade book or YA novel from March 1st through March 31st. This March will be its third year running and the group has continued to grow.
I’m also hosting a new writing challenge in April this year, Blog Your Book in 30 Days. This challenge is mostly to get me working on my non-fiction book idea, but it will work for fiction books too. The challenge will give me the drive I need to write a chapter a day during April.
I am a member of the 12×12 picture book writing challenge, hosted by Julie Hedlund. The challenge keeps me writing a new picture book every month.
I find challenges very helpful in motivating me to stop procrastinating and to sit and write.
Yep that’s why I joined the Chapter Book Challenge – love to actually get something done.
What are the names of your books?
The anthologies that I have stories in, published by Melusine Muse Press, are “Teapot Tales: A Collection of Unique Fairy Tales,” “Jingle Bells: Tales of Holiday Spirit from Around the World” and “SuperHERo Tales: A Collection of Female Superhero Stories.” I also have a couple of doodle colouring books out called “Doodle Your Heart Out” and “Little Book of Doodles.” There are other anthologies with my stories in them as well: “Once Upon a Time: A Collection of Unexpected Fairy Tales,” “The Dark Fairy Queen’s Writerly Bridal Shower,” “Tales By the Tree: An Anthology of Holiday Flash Fiction” and “Charms: Volume 2.” The anthology “Keepsakes” will be out sometime later this year.
My girls love the Doodle Your Heart Out Book!
Where can people contact you?
I have several on-line blogs, but the main ones are Skinny Dreaming, Imagine! Create! Write!, Chapter Book Challenge, Rebecca Fyfe Writes, Fairy Magic Gifts and, now, Blog Your Book in 30 Days.
I also have a Facebook profile and several Facebook pages. (This is just a handful of them.)
Becky Fyfe
Skinny Dreaming
Imagine! Create! Write!
Chapter Book Challenge
Rebecca Fyfe, author
Fairy Magic Gifts
Blog Your Book in 30 Days
Do you read the reviews of your work and how do they affect your writing?
I try not to read reviews, but I would really like to get some more reviews posted for the anthologies.
What works best for you when writing? Meaning do you outline or write freely when you feel inspired to do so?
I write freely. I keep planning to outline, but, other than a general directional idea in my head, I usually write without one. The exception to this rule is for my non-fiction books. For non-fiction, I tend to write in my chapter headings ahead of time, which is a form of an outline.
Writing freely is great, just can be hard to come back to it later. If only I had the time to finish something in one hit.
For other authors who may be struggling what advice can you give on handling rejection?
My best advice is to never give up. Stop listening to that critical inner voice that we all have and continue to write. Every author has fears and doubts about their writing, even the ones who have already written best-sellers. If we all let our fears or doubts keep us from writing, then there would be no books and no new worlds of our creation for readers to lose themselves in.
Excellent advice. Thanks for joining us Becky. It was wonderful to get to know you more. So many more great interviews, reviews and news coming up here on Stitch Says. Keep reading, keep writing!
February 11, 2014
Book Blast Author Ashley Howland, Book Blast, Chewie;s news, Children's author, Childrens books, Mother Daughter Book Reviews, Stitch Says Leave a comment
Chewie would like to introduce you to a book:
Title: The Bifrost Bridge | Author: James Bradley Clarke | Illustrator: Marcus Gran | Publication Date: January, 2013 | Publisher: Wynwidyn Press | Pages: 92 | Recommended Ages: 8+
Summary: The Bifrost Bridge is a Viking princess fairy tale intertwined with Norse mythology. Silya, the feisty ten year old Princess of Norway, eagerly awaits the arrival of her cousin and best friend, Princess Hedda of Denmark. The princesses are both looking forward to the summer solstice celebration, but trouble lurks in their future as magical villains see the girls as being vital for their deadly conspiracy. Hedda and Silya find themselves cast into a dangerous adventure filled with fire giants, female warrior angels and the God of Thunder.
“A delightful and endearing adventure that winds Norse mythology and two young girls through a whirlwind of danger, friendship and standing up to evil-doers. The Princess heroines, Silya and Hedda, engage the reader with their charming day to day life at the celebrated summer solstice festival in ancient Norway… The book moves along easily and the characters are likable at once. A fun read for the parents, and challenging enough for the children because it may have a few new words and characters they may not know. It is an adorable story that will soon become a favorite.” ~ 5 Star Review, Janet, Amazon
“Bifrost Bridge is a beautiful fairytale, mixing legend and adventure and creating a wonderful reading experience for both children and adults alike. I read this to my 7 year old daughter, and my 10 year old daughter read it for herself; both of them were captivated by the story. My 7 year old loved the idea of two princesses being such close friends, and my 10 year old loved all of the action and suspense in the story. I enjoyed the Norse mythology woven into the tale. It’s a wonderful family story. I will be reading it to my sons next!” ~ 5 Star Review, Rebecca F., Amazon
“When I first looked into this book, I was sure that the world of fairy tales had been overdone so many times that I wouldn’t see much difference between this one & my other classic favorites that I enjoyed over the years with my children… However, I was proven wrong.. This is such a beautiful and entrancing fairy tale! Mr. Clarke takes the often repetitive world of fairy tales and adds an elegant, dramatic twist to it, producing an epic and moving adventure that children will forever cherish! My daughter and I read it together and had many nights where we just didn’t want to put it down! His characters, including the feisty Silya, are memorable and seem so very real! It’s a hard thing to do that with children’s fairy tales and again, I commend Mr. Clarke for releasing a wonderful new fairy tale to pass on to generations to come!” ~ 5 Star Review, Vicky R., Amazon
James Bradley Clarke
James Bradley Clarke is a graduate of Hiram College, The University of Houston, and the University of Michigan. He currently resides in Oxford, Ohio, where he works as an academic librarian for Miami University. He grew up near Ann Arbor, Michigan, and he has spent most of his life in the Great Lakes region.
The Bifrost Bridge is Clarke’s first work of fiction. The children’s book was first developed as stories Clarke started telling to his two daughters back in the summer of 2003. Both girls shared a love for classic princess fairy tales, so he invented original princess characters for both of them. As residents in Riverside, Illinois, Clarke’s family lived in walking distance of the Brookfield Zoo where the girls regularly admired the Norwegian fjord horses. When he learned this ancient breed of horse was used by the Vikings, a specific medieval setting for the stories came into focus.
As a Hiram College student, Clarke had developed a love for the epic poems of Homer and Virgil, so he chose to borrow from mythology to provide magical elements. The girls became instantly enamored with these stories and they insisted on developing new adventures for the two Nordic princess characters. The first draft of a manuscript was produced during the summer of 2005. Clarke’s daughters were delighted with the bound copy they received as a Christmas gift later that year, so he began the process of becoming an author. Clarke has a love for history and a taste for plot driven stories about extraordinary individualism. Themes of fortitude and self-determination lay at the heart of Clarke’s writing interests.
Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)
Contest runs: February 10 to March 9, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, James Bradley Clarke and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
Lots more exciting interviews and reviews to come – keep reading, keep writing!
February 5, 2014
Book reviews Author Ashley Howland Reviews, Book Review, Childrens books, Fox talk, Non fiction for children, Stitch says reviews Leave a comment
Yesterday we met L.E Carmichael, now it’s time to review Fox talk:
Fox Talk by LE Carmichael
This was a great book that explains an in-depth scientific research project in simple terms. Children will enjoy reading and having a go at some of the experiments. Kids with a passion for biology and experimentation should read this book!
Stitch Says gives it 4 woofs!
So go and check out your copy today: http://www.amazon.com/Fox-Talk-L-E-Carmichael/dp/0988163853
Lots more to come on Stitch Says – keep reading, keep writing!
February 4, 2014
Author Interviews Author Ashley Howland Interviews, Author Interview, Children's author, Fox Talks, Mother Daughter Book Reviews, Stitch Says Interviews 4 Comments
Title: Fox Talk
Author: L.E. Carmichael, PhD
Book Designer: Michael Penman
Illustrator: Jody Bronson
Photography: Brian Dust
Publication Date: August 8, 2013
Publisher: Ashby-BP Publishing
Pages: 62
Recommended Age: 8+
When you talk to a dog, does the dog talk back? Many people think so. But for a long time, scientists didn’t know how our furry friends learned to communicate with people. Luckily, Russian scientist Dmitri Belyaev had a plan. If he could tame wild red foxes, he could learn how dogs first came from wolves. By studying the way these foxes changed during domestication, the mystery of communication would be solved at a last. More than 50 years after the experiment began, Belyaev’s foxes have become so tame, you can have one as a pet! Packed with eye-popping photos and first-hand research, FOX TALK reveals the story of these amazing animals… and everything they’ve taught us about wolves, dogs, and communication.
Those day jobs can be tough.em>
I knew that the only way for me to start being a writer, though, was to stop being a scientist. So I finished my degree and now I write about science instead of doing it. It meant taking a massive pay cut, but I’m so much happier.
Money really isn’t everything.
Tell us about your latest work and what motivated you to write it:
Fox Talk is about one of the greatest experiments that’s ever been done in the field of biology – the intentional domestication of foxes. By studying generations of foxes as they went through the evolutionary process, scientists discovered how we got dogs and other domestic animals in the first place. And now, these amazing animals are teaching us how dogs learned to communicate with humans, which when you think about it, is an incredible ability considering the differences between the ways animals communicate and the ways humans communicate.
I was in my first year of graduate school, in 2000, when I read an article about these foxes written by one of the scientists on the project. My first thought was “I want one!” Then, I became totally fascinated by the science in the experiment and what it all meant. I am thrilled that I’ve had a chance to share this amazing story with kids!
As someone who works with dogs I thought thus was an excellent resource book for kids!
What are your future aspirations as an author?
I’m going to keep writing nonfiction – I have so many ideas it will take a lifetime to get through them all – but I’d really like to publish a novel this year or next. I’ve got one that’s mostly finished and several that are started. I’ve always loved reading fiction, but I find nonfiction much easier to write. Novels will really stretch me as a writer, and that’s a challenge I’m looking forward to.
It’s great to know where you want to head and to have goals in different areas.
Where do your ideas come from? What experiences or aspects of your life influence your writing?
Getting ideas isn’t the problem for me – figuring out what to do with them is! For nonfiction, what usually happens is I’ll see a news story or something on the internet that catches my interest, and off I go. My training as a scientist is really useful, too – science is about being curious and asking questions, and sometimes all I have to do is observe something amazing in the natural world that I want to understand better. I understand things best by writing about them.
Since I write for kids and teens, my fiction ideas usually come from my own childhood or those of people I know. The final story usually ends up a long way away from its inspiration, though.
I agree – always have lots of ideas, it’s about time and focus.
What do you do to improve yourself as a writer?
I read. I read the kinds of books I want to write and study how writers much better than I am do what they do. I also read a lot of books about being a writer – the theory of writing and storytelling. And books on time management, because there are never enough hours in the day.
I also belong to a critique group, where other children’s writers read my stuff and tell me what’s not working. They are talented ladies and I learn so much from them. Writer’s groups and conferences are also helpful. Learning from other people’s mistakes is much faster than making them all yourself.
Both excellent ways to better your craft.
Tell us a little bit about your next WIP
In August, Ashby-BP will release Fuzzy Forensics: DNA Fingerprinting Gets Wild. It’s about the place where wildlife conservation and forensic science meet, and the main thread of the book is an elk-kidnapping case I helped with as graduate student. I’ve been working on this project since 2008 and I’m so excited to finally see it published.
Sounds interesting – I love forensic science books.
Where can people contact you?
The best place to start is my website, http://www.lecarmichael.com You can find information about all of my books, as well as the school visits and writing workshops I offer. My blog is hosted at that site, too. There is also a contact form for sending me messages and links to my social media accounts – I’d love to connect!
What works best for you when writing? Meaning do you outline or write freely when you feel inspired to do so?
I’m a planner. I have to have a solid idea of what I’m going to cover, in what order, and where I want to end up before I start. This is probably because my books are nonfiction – new information is very difficult to understand unless it’s well-organized.
Because most of my books are written under tight deadlines, I can’t wait for inspiration. I have to treat writing like a 9-5 job. If I don’t put in the hours, I won’t make the deadline. And if I’m late, all of the things that happen after me (editing, photo research, design, layout, printing…) will be late too, which could mean the book doesn’t get released on time – disaster!
Thanks for taking the time to share with us here at Stitch Says – we will post a review of Fox Talks soon and look forward to seeing more books from you!
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“Fox Talk is an educational non-fiction title exploring the domestication of dogs by studying fox behaviour and communication. The information is presented with beautiful photographs, illustrations, bubbles/boxes of brief information, and descriptions of the research findings using age-appropriate language. I think this would be an excellent resource in elementary schools or for homeschoolers in particular and I highly recommend it.” ~ 5-Star Review, Mother Daughter Book Reviews
L.E. Carmichael
Lindsey Carmichael never outgrew that stage of childhood when nothing’s more fun than amazing your friends (and correcting your teachers!) with your stockpile of weird and wonderful facts. Her sense of wonder came in handy during her career as a scientist, and in 2006, she received the Governor General’s Medal for her PhD thesis, Ecological Genetics of Northern Wolves and Arctic Foxes. Lindsey finds talking about science more fun than doing it, however, and now writes for kids, teens, and occasionally adults (a sense of wonder is essential for this, too). Lindsey publishes under the name L E Carmichael, and her work has appeared in Dig, Highlights for Children, Kiki, and Canadian Tales of the Fantastic. Her published science books cover everything from animal migration to hybrid cars. When not digging up obscure or wacky details for her next nonfiction project, Lindsey’s probably working on her young adult fantasy novel.
January 27
Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch)
Books Direct (Author Interview)
January 28
Victoria Simcox’s Blog (Guest Post)
January 29
Baby Bookworms in Black Words – White Pages (Review)
Giveaway Breaking News for Indonesia (Book Spotlight)
January 30
January 31
February 1
Cherry Mischievous (Guest Post)
We are the DinoFamily (Review)
February 2
February 3
Stitch Says (Author Interview)
February 4
February 5
Musings by Jay Faulkner (Guest Post)
February 6
Books, Books The Magical Fruit (Review)
February 7
Kay LaLone I Love Books (Review)
Bailey’s Book Blog (Author Interview)
February 8
On the Go With Zeppi (Book Spotlight)
February 10
Hershey Wishes and Kisses (Review)
February 11
Christy’s Houseful of Chaos (Review & Author Interview)
February 12
Christy’s Cozy Corners (Review)
Dawn’s Disaster (Review & Guest Post)
February 13
The Adventures of Lovable Lobo (Author Interview)
February 14
February 15
Crystal’s Tiny Treasures (Review)
February 16
Heart of a Philanthropist (Review)
Prize: One winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card (or PayPal cash) + a Skype visit to a school or library of the winner’s choice ($250 value).
Contest runs: January 27th to February 21, 11:59 pm, 2014
Open: Worldwide
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.
Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. The winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the publisher, Ashby-BP Publishing and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.
Lots more exciting interviews and reviews coming soon, keep reading, keep writing!
January 29, 2014
Author Interviews Author Ashley Howland Interviews, Author Interview, Author Profile, ChabooCha, Children's author, Stitch Says Interviews 2 Comments
Today we get to chat with Jennifer Swanson who writes Children’s fiction and non fiction books.
Here’s what she had to say:
When did you decide to become an author and what impact has this had on your life?
I started writing when I was in kindergarten. I used to write and illustrate my own stories and present them to the class. Many years later, I started writing again and it’s been wonderful. I really enjoy the creative outlet it provides and it’s just plain fun to see kids get excited about reading – especially when it’s a book that you wrote.
That is the best feeling in the world!
Tell us about your latest work and what motivated you to write it:
When I’m not writing to a specific deadline, I like to write my own stuff. Right now I’m finishing up a MG novel. It’s contemporary, humorous about a girl who’s an inventor, well, she tries to be. It combines science and fun – two things I love.
Sounds interesting as an ex science teacher I am very keen to read that one!
What are your future aspirations as an author?
To keep writing and get some of my own fiction published. I’m working on finding just the right agent to help me with my career. I write so many different levels and genres, it’s not easy.
Not easy, but worth it in the long run.
Where do your ideas come from? What experiences or aspects of your life influence your writing?
I get ideas everywhere! I watch movies, I read books, I just walk around and some sentence or scene in real life will hit me and bam – I have another idea. My problem isn’t getting ideas, it’s finding the time to write them all.
Never enough time.
What do you do to improve yourself and a writer?
I try to keep up with Twitter and Facebook and all of the awesome writing contests that are going on continuously. I participate in several critique groups and also go to SCBWI conferences.
Where can people contact you?
You can find me at http://www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com
What works best for you when writing? Meaning do you outline or write freely when you feel inspired to do so?
Well, I kind of do both. I usually do whatever grabs me at the moment. It depends on how the idea comes to me. Sometimes I see a scene very clearly in my head and I just have to write it down. I may not be sure where it’s going or how the rest of the story fits in, but that scene is important. Then, I may outline after that. But I don’t always stick to the outline. I have to write outlines for all of my nonfiction books first and I have the hardest time sticking to them, too – much to the dismay of my editors. I guess I’m just a “go-with-the-flow” type writer.
It’s good to do a bit of both.
For other authors who may be struggling what advice can you on handling rejection?
Hang in there! This is a TOUGH business. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong. Yes, there are those few lucky ones who seem to glide through it, but the majority of us are in the trenches, writing away – sometimes for years – before anything comes of it. If I could give everyone one piece of advice, I’d say to be open to anything. I know people who are trying to break in, but they put limits on what they will do. Like – I won’t do work-for-hire, I don’t want to write that topic, I only want to write picture books, etc. Limiting yourself can make your path to publishing much harder.
Excellent advice – thanks for joining us here on Stitch Says!
Thanks so much for having me. Happy Writing to all!
Jen is also part of the Chapter Book Challenge group – you can check out more information here:
Lots more exciting interviews, reviews and of course Chewie’s news posts coming your way, keep reading, keep writing!
Stitch Says 