Friday, December 30, 2016

Goodbye, Emma, by Julie G. Fox, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval


When a young child's grandmother informs him they will soon be leaving their homeland as refugees she explains that he can only take a small number of things on their journey.  He is sad to learn that he must leave many of his treasured things behind.  But even more so, he is heartsick to learn that they will not be able to take their dog.  Told lovingly, and in a way that youngsters will be able to understand, this bittersweet story is one that will speak to children on many levels.

Author Julie G. Fox has crafted a tale that will resonate with children who have experienced loss and separation from their home and the people and things they cherish.  Recommended for home and school libraries and in clinical settings, Goodbye Emma has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.


LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Thursday, December 29, 2016

Author Spotlight - Laurel Downing Bill on her award winning series, Aunt Phil's Trunk



WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER AND WHY?
I inherited my Alaska historian aunt’s body of work after she died in 1993. When I saw the award-winning stories she wrote for national magazines and newspapers, I knew I had to share her stories and my own research about Alaska.
My career prior to that had been in management, and I knew I needed literary tools to create my dream – books about Alaska’s history that people age 9 to 99 would not want to put down. I returned to college and earned a degree in journalism, with a minor in history, from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2003.
AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP?
The autobiography I wrote when I was 9 said I wanted to be a secretary to a millionaire. Back in those days (the 1950s) that was a lofty goal!
Once I grew up, I wanted to be of service to rural areas of Alaska so I became involved with a small telephone cooperative. I was instrumental in getting phone service into several remote communities of the state from 1980 until 1997. That’s when I moved from the tiny community of King Salmon (a village of 350 people located in southwest Alaska) to Anchorage (Alaska’s largest city).
After I found aunt Phyllis Downing Carlson’s stories, research and notes about Alaska history, I found my true passion was writing about Alaska’s past.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE? 
I found my late aunt’s body of work in filing containers, cardboard boxes and manila envelopes at my sister’s house. After sorting through all the articles and research, I stored everything in an old trunk that had been in our family for years. It became known as “Aunt Phil’s Trunk.” That seemed like an appropriate name for the Alaska history series.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LINE FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK AND WHY?
One that comes to mind is from the fifth book, which features stories from 1960 to 1984. During this time the Native people and federal government settled the question of who owned what land in order to build an 800-mile oil pipeline from Alaska’s North Slope to the ocean port of Valdez.
Congress created 12 regional Native corporations and gave them 44 million acres of land and almost $1 billion. Alaska’s indigenous people became shareholders of those corporations and were told to go into business to earn money to support themselves.
“It’s like you and I never saw a baseball game in our lives,” Alaska Native leader John Hope later said. “We’d never seen mitts or bats or baseballs. All of a sudden you were told, ‘Here’s your mitts. Here’s your bats. Here’s your balls. Tomorrow you play the Yankees.’”
ARE THERE ANY CHARACTERS FROM YOUR BOOKS YOU BELIEVE ARE MOST LIKE YOU?
I relate to many of the women who came north during the great Klondike Gold Rush era of the late 1890s. They had tenacity, determination and grit in a man’s world. When an obstacle blocked their path, most considered it only as a challenge they had to overcome to move on.
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GLEAN FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
I want people to realize that history can be lots of fun to read. That’s why I wrote my series in short-story format and chose hundreds of historical photographs from museums, libraries and universities to accompany the stories.
TELL US SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER:
Time stops. Once I organize my research and notes and sit down to craft a story, I honestly lose track of time. Hours pass and I think it’s only been a few minutes. Drives my husband crazy!
WHICH AUTHOR HAS MOST GREATLY INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING STYLE?
My late aunt, Phyllis Downing Carlson. She wrote many of her stories about Alaska during her career as a schoolteacher in rural Alaska. I have tried to emulate her style so readers won’t be jarred with a different style of writing in the Aunt Phil’s Trunk series.
WHAT BOOK HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?
Erma Bombeck’s Four of a Kind. Reading it made me realize that one can find laughter in most situations in life. And laughter can usually make one feel better about most things.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?
Winning the 2016 Children’s Literary Classics awards for Best Historical Nonfiction and Best Nonfiction Series, of course!
I also earned sixth place in the nation in a William Randolph Hearst competition in 2003 for a story titled “Life or Meth” that appeared in the Anchorage Chronicle newspaper.
Two other accomplishments come to mind, as well. The University of Alaska Anchorage chose my story titled “The Last Dance,” about the unexpected deaths of my parents four months apart, for inclusion in its prestigious literary book Inklings in 2001. And the Alaska Professional Communicators awarded me first place in its 2004 contest for a four-part series I wrote for the Chronicle about prescription drug abuse in Alaska.
DO YOU HAVE ANY WRITING RITUALS?
No. Unless one counts what I do when I have a problem sorting information in order to start writing a story. I take a hot shower. There’s something about steaming hot water that clears my head and allows my mind to put all my thoughts in the proper order. Then I go into my “Aunt Phil” room, sit down in my La-Z-Boy recliner and dive into writing for hours on end.
HOW DID YOU FIND AN AGENT / GET PUBLISHED?
Initially I thought I only had one book. I found a print-on-demand press in 2005, sent my money and manuscript and received a proof just before Christmas that year. I took the proof to all the bookstores and gift shops in Anchorage.
Almost every store preordered six to 12 books. And each shop owner told me the $35 price tag for the 344-page book would be a hindrance to sales.
The commercial interest in my book led me to become my own publisher and spend some of my retirement funds on a large print run of Aunt Phil’s Trunk Volume One. In the spring of 2006, I ordered 2,000 copies. That amount lowered the per-book cost and allowed me to set a retail price of $19.95 per book.
Those 2,000 copies sold within the first four months – mostly due to word-of-mouth marketing. To date, Volume One has sold more than 20,000 copies. Now, with five volumes completing the Aunt Phil’s Trunk series, “the rest is history!”
WHAT DID YOU DO TO CELEBRATE THE COMPLETION/PUBLISH DATE/OR OTHER OF YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
I made my husband his favorite meal – spaghetti. He has been my rock and has stood by me through good times and bad for 44 years. I then told him to get a tee time, because now I have time to join him in his favorite sport: golf.
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF BECOMING PUBLISHED AND ANY TIPS YOU MIGHT OFFER FOR OTHER ASPIRING AUTHORS?
I often have aspiring authors ask me for tips for publishing their work, and I have helped a few authors to become published. One of the first questions authors must ask themselves is whether they will be happy selling a few books or if they want to sell thousands.
If the goal is just to get published, then I usually suggest they start off with publishing through CreateSpace.com or a similar print-on-demand company. There is no heavy investment nor a huge inventory by going this route – and it gives authors a chance to test the literary waters to see if their books have a market.
If the goal is to become a best-selling author (or close), then I tell them that they have a lot of work ahead of them. Writing the book is about 10 percent of the work involved. The other 90 percent is marketing. Writers usually don’t want to be in the limelight, they prefer staying behind the scenes writing. But in order to become successful, they must get comfortable speaking about their books and push their products.
CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK?
One can have the best book on the market, but if no one knows about it, you won’t have sales. I have found this to be the toughest part of becoming a writer.
Direct sales are the most profitable. I rent space at an outdoor market during the summers in Anchorage and sit in a tent on Saturdays and Sundays from mid-May to late August. I then have a tent at the Alaska State Fair where I spend 12 days selling my books. I do about a dozen holiday shows all around Alaska, too.
I also started a Facebook page, LaurelBillAuthor. I do not post “buy my book now” posts. Instead, I try to be helpful with Alaska history. Every morning I share an old photo from Alaska’s past with a short, entertaining paragraph explaining it. I respond to every comment made on my page. My page likes have grown from a few hundred to about 14,000 during the past three years. Sales from people who are engaged on that page are slow but steady.
I also made friends with a local reporter a few years ago, and offered up a few historical tidbits to be used when Anchorage celebrated its 100th birthday last year. She knew she could trust me and asked me to be part of one of her TV specials. I showed up in 1890s costume and caught the attention of a couple of producers.
Now I have a weekly segment on Monday mornings titled “Alaska Story Time with Aunt Phil.” That 3-minute CBS show is broadcast across most of Alaska between 6:30-7 a.m. and again (usually) on the 6 p.m. news slot. I then post the link to that show once a week on my Facebook author page. I’m seeing increased sales from that exposure.
I also offer to speak or do book signings at any venue or show I hear about – the more you are seen, the more chance you have to sell your book(s).
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS?
I’ve heard that everyone has a book inside, but most people have no clue how to go about starting the process of getting it out. My advice is to start writing one word, one sentence, one experience at a time. Keep at it. Those first drafts don’t have to be perfect. Just get the thought down on paper. Before you know it, you will have a lot of words, sentences and experiences to organize, edit and publish.
DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?
Since the fifth, and final, book in my Aunt Phil’s Trunk series just came out a few months ago, I am not working on another project … yet.
I have all of my Aunt Phil’s diaries. I think she wrote every day of her life from the time she started putting pen to paper. I have resisted opening these small books, as I did not want to get off track from sharing Alaska’s colorful past. Perhaps next year I will start reading, digesting and then writing “the rest of the Aunt Phil story.”
I do not know if, or when, the Aunt Phil Story will be completed. But if your readers want to keep track of Aunt Phil, they can go to my Website (http://www.AuntPhilsTrunk.com) and sign up for my biweekly newsletter to stay in touch.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Priceless Penny, by Lauren Kramer-Theuerkauf, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval



Penny, a pound puppy, anxiously awaits adoption day.  She's so excited to find a family to love and take her home with them.  But Penny soon learns that some of her traits make her undesirable in the eyes of those looking to adopt a dog that day. Penny had never thought of herself as being unattractive, but after hearing so many negative remarks she begins to wonder.  Do her deformities make her ugly?  And more importantly, will she ever find a forever home?

Lauren Kramer-Theuerkauf's Priceless Penny is a book that will speak to youngsters about acceptance and above all compassion.  This book helps children understand that their words affect others and that everyone deserves to be loved.  Illustrations by James Sell are expressive and full of whimsy, helping make this a book that children are sure to treasure.  Priceless Penny is recommended for home and school libraries as well as for use in clinical settings.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Sawyer's Visit to the Pumpkin Patch, by Bridgid Coleman, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval


When fall draws near and young Sawyer heads to the pumpkin patch in search of the perfect pumpkin for Halloween, she is met by colorful sights and delightful experiences.  Her day is filled with excitement as fall traditions help make her pumpkin patch excursion one she will never forget.

Wonderful imagery, as depicted in rhyme, adds a fun cadence to this book which will captivate young children.  Illustrations by Lili Avakem offer a vibrant and festive touch to this wonderful holiday read.  Recommended for home and school libraries, Sawyer's Visit to the Pumpkin Patch earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

'Iwalani's Tree, by Constance Hale, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval


'Iwalani is a young girl who has a special connection with an ironwood tree perched along the shoreline near her home in Hawaii.  The tree provides a place of solace where she goes when she wants to get away.  'Iwalani loves listening to the long willowy needles as they whisper in the breeze.  Sometimes the tree even shares her dreams with her.  This beautiful children's book provides a welcome calm to storytime while providing an enchanting perspective on a child's imagination as enhanced by the magic and wonder of nature.

'Iwalani's Tree is a sweet story that resonates with the simple pleasures of childhood and the magical mystery that abounds in the world around us.  Illustrations by Kathleen Peterson are a wonderful addition to this children's picture book which is sure to become a favorite bedtime read.  Recommended for home and school libraries, 'Iwalani's Tree has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.


LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Author Spotlight - M.J. Evans on her award winning title, In the Heart of a Mustang



WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER? 
I have loved creating stories since I was a little girl but I didn’t really set my mind to becoming an author until I was in my fifties. I love the process of writing, especially because it enables me to get lost in my imagination. However, I didn’t have the time, while raising five children, to put my stories down on paper until my youngest was in high school. It was then that I started committing the time that it takes to actually get a book done.
AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? 
While my highest goal and greatest accomplishment is raising my family, I was born with Manure in my blood…I have always been addicted to horses. As a child, horses were all I thought about and I knew I wanted these majestic animals to be a part of my life as an adult as well. I have been fortunate to be able to combine my passion for horses with my love of writing and have done so in all of my books except for North Mystic. I have also had fun teaching riding lessons to help support my three horses.
HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE?
In the Heart of a Mustang was the result of my experience working at PATH, Intl., the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship. There I saw the healing power of horses as they interact with at-risk youth. I combined this with my interest in the wild mustang herds in the western U.S. and created this story.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LINE IN YOUR AWARD WININNG BOOK?
“Life isn’t fair for anyone…that’s what makes it fair.” This was Dr. Collin’s response to Hunter when he complained “It’s not fair.” We all need to remember that everyone has struggles to face in their lives. It is up to them to choose how to handle those inevitable challenges.
IN WHAT WAY DO YOU FEEL YOUR CHARACTERS RELATE TO YOU PERSONALLY?
None of them are exactly like me but I am probably the most like Smokey, the wrangler at the ranch. I am pretty down to earth and practical. At the same time, I’m rather philosophical about life just as he is.
WHAT MESSAGE DO YOU HOPE READERS WILL GLEAN FROM YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK? 
I hope that my readers come away with the understanding that our choices determine our destiny.
TELL US SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER: 
I am the author of three popular trail guide books for Colorado equestrians. One day, my family and I were hiking and riding one of the trails in my first book. When we returned to the trailhead and were dismounting, a woman ran up to my husband and said, “She wrote ‘Riding Colorado’ didn’t she!” My husband responded, “Yes. How did you recognize her?” Answer: “I didn’t. I recognized the horse.” That was a humbling experience!
WHICH AUTHOR HAS MOST GREATLY INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING STYLE? 
My horse stories are most influenced by Marguerite Henry. My fantasies are most influenced by J.K Rowling.
WHAT BOOK HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE? 
The Bible and The Book of Mormon
DO YOU HAVE ANY WRITING RITUALS? 
I do have one habit that has helped me: I never stop writing at the end of a chapter. I stop right in the middle of a sentence. That way, when I return to my computer, I already have a start!
WHAT DID YOU DO TO CELEBRATE THE PUBLICATION OF YOUR AWARD WINNING BOOK?
I probably went on a trail ride with my horse and riding buddies!
CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK? 
Clearly define who your audience is then figure out how to reach them. For example, my trail guide books, Riding Colorado I, II and III, sell by the thousands. My audience is horse people who live in the Denver area. So, I sell them through tack and feed stores between Colorado Springs and Fort Collins.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH OUR READERS? 
Have fun with your writing, share your passion. If you do, your readers will have fun reading your book!
DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS? 
I am back to my love of fantasy. I am currently working on a four book series titled: The Centaur Chronicles. Again, my horse passion is coming through. Have you ever thought about how many fantasy characters are based upon horses? This series is set in the imaginary land of Crystonia, home to Centaurs, Ogres, Cyclops and a little fairy-like race called the Duende. For 150 years, the land has been without a ruler and the larger races have been battling for the throne without success. However, tradition has held that the rightful ruler of the land will be the wearer of the silver breastplate. No one expected it to be worn by a Duende girl.
The first book of the new series, The Stone of Mercy, will be out in October of this year. The target audience is middle-grade and young adult readers. It will be available on my website: www.dancinghorsepress.com and wherever books are sold.

Other Books by this author: The Mist Trilogy: Behind the Mist, Mists of Darkness, The Rising Mist; North Mystic; Riding Colorado trail guide books. All available at www.dancinghorsepress.com The fiction books are also available wherever books are sold.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Thursday, December 1, 2016

The Green Children earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval



Deep within the forest of Ballybogey lies a world so lovely, so entirely enchanting that one can scarcely imagine it. Therein dwells a host of fantastic beings called Otherfolk.  The Otherfolk are unlike any people our world has ever known.  Sure, there have been whispers of strange happenings and unusual beings, but few people can truly attest to their existence.  So when two green children wander away from their home in Ballybogey, it stands to reason that people in the village nearby might be curious.  But when curiosity and greed get the best of the situation, things may turn dire for our little green friends.

Kenny Chumbley and Jim McGuiggan have teamed up to pen an outstanding children's picture book about the incredible bond that exists between the truest of friends.  Interspersed within this tale is an underlying message that if we're not careful, sometimes we may allow fear of others who are different from us to cloud our judgment.  Eloquently penned and exquisitely told, The Green Children has much to offer young readers in this engaging tale which resonates with a powerful message of unconditional love.  

The Green Children comes highly recommended for home and school libraries and has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org

Nosey's Wild Ride, by Martha Driscoll, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval



Four young friends decide to take a trip together on the Belle of Louisville, a Mississippi River steamboat.  But when they spot a stray cat on the gangway, what they believed would be a leisurely outing turns into a wild ride.  The cat, which they name "Nosey" takes the four friends all around the magnificent boat as they witness the mischevous cat getting into all sorts of trouble.

As young readers get caught up in the excitement, they are introduced to various parts of the boat along with some interesting steamboat facts and terminology.   Fascinating details, such as how the boat's calliope operates, are skillfully woven into this whimsical tale which is sure to be a hit with young audiences.  Illustrations by Susan Andra Lion include fun depictions of Nosey and his new friends as well as interesting diagrams showing the parts of the boat that keep it operating smoothly.   Author Martha Driscoll's Nosey's Wild Ride is recommended for home and school libraries and has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.

LITERARY CLASSICS Book Awards & Reviews International Book Awards • Top Honors Youth Book Awards • Seal of Approval http://www.clcawards.org