AUTHOR’S NAME: Nicole Weaver
TITLE OF AWARD WINNING BOOK: My Sister is My Best Friend: A Trilingual Story, in English, French, and Spanish
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING?
I have been writing for six years.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BEGIN WRITING?
My two older children attended college out of state and I started writing as a therapeutic measure to keep my depression at bay.
WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE?
I got inspired to write My Sister is My Best Friend after I met my half sister for the first time in 2008. We immediately became best friends. My imagination took off. I began thinking about what it would have been like if I had grown up with her. I came up with a very positive story that portrays twin sisters who get along and enjoy each other’s company instead of being yet another typical story about sibling rivalry.
IS THIS YOUR FIRST BOOK?
No, I have three other published books and one currently under contract.
WHAT OTHER BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED?
My Birthday is September Eleven and Other Short Stories
Marie and her Friend the Sea Turtle/ Maria y su amiga la Tortuga/ Marie et son amie la Tortue
Beauty and Other Traps
I have written a third trilingual book titled My Brother is My Best Friend, which is currently under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing. I do not know the date of publication. I am also working on a story about a boy girl twin.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF:
I am a polyglot. I speak four languages fluently, Creole, English, French, and Spanish.
I am a high school French and Spanish teacher. I love to travel.
TELL US SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOU:
I am a three times scholarship recipient. I got a full-ride to attend college and a second scholarship to study abroad from Syracuse University in Strasbourg, France. I lived with a French family. The final scholarship was from the Alliance Française of Houston. I received the scholarship because my students did extremely well in a language competition (The Texas French symposium) I lived on campus in Saint Nazaire , France. The six week teacher program afforded me a tremendous opportunity to meet 299 foreign language teachers from all over the world. This experience fueled me with the passion to start taking my students abroad. I wanted my students to experience the culture and language the same way I did while studying abroad.
WHAT DO YOU MOST ENJOY DOING IN YOUR SPARE TIME?
I love to write and read books. I also enjoy writing book reviews and interviewing other authors.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TV SHOW/MOVIE?
The Cosby Show/The Green Mile
HAS YOUR BOOK RECEIVED ANY OTHER AWARDS? (IF SO PLEASE LIST, IF NOT, LEAVE BLANK)
The Preditors & Editors Poll 2011
2012 Preferred Choice Award
2012 Creative Child Awards Program
WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE AS AN AUTHOR?
I am not a native speaker of English, so I have to be very careful on using proper grammar and punctuation. I am a daydreamer by nature, so I can come up with manuscript ideas very easily. It is one thing to have a great idea and it is another thing to communicate well in written form.
DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR OTHER ASPIRING AUTHORS?
Read, read, and read in the genre you want to be published in. Take classes. Join a professional organization for writers. Finally, believe in yourself and never give up! Create a platform, network and promote yourself as a professional.
CAN YOU OFFER ANY TIPS ON GETTING PUBLISHED?
Research the publisher before you submit your manuscript. Read books published by that publisher to see if you meet their criteria. Get your manuscript professionally edited. Be sure to follow the instructions stipulated by the publisher before you submit your manuscript. Not following instructions will send your manuscript straight to the trash pile.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS?
I encourage all of you with young children to introduce them to a foreign language as early as possible. I currently have three exchange students in my class. Two students are from Germany and one from Zurich. They all speak at least four languages because in Europe students start learning a foreign language no later than 3rd grade. The study of a foreign language heightens a child’s creativity, increases problem-solving skills and self-discipline.
Kind regards,
Nicole Weaver
Nicole Weaver -Award-winning Trilingual Author
My Sister Is My Best Friend Blog
~ November 2011~ Guardian Angel Publishing,Inc
~ 2012 Creative Child Magazine Preferred Choice Award
LITERARY CLASSICS Book Reviews & Awards http://literaryclassicsreviews.com
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