Author Spotlight, Monica Dumont, on her award winning children's book Alex and the Rabbit

Author Spotlight, Monica Dumont

on her award winning children's book 

Alex and the Rabbit

WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER?

When I was a teenager I wanted to write to help people, so I started writing poetry and got one of my poems published in a poetry book. It was very exciting! 

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HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE?

I wanted to write a book that could help kids and I wanted the story to be simple as not to lose the teachings. So I sat down with my pen in hand and started to think about how children and sometimes adults can see the world around them in times of stress and that’s how the story of Alex and the Rabbit was created.  

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WHAT OTHER BOOKS HAVE YOU PUBLISHED?  

Emma the Bumble Bee

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The Little Bear and the Big Bear

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Blueblah the Sleepy Raccoon

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Cocopuff – A Happy Tale

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CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER? 

I love writing books for children because every time I sit down to write, I get so involved in the story that if you were to watch me, you would see me laugh or go through the other emotions the characters in the book are going through. To me it’s almost like I’m living the story. 

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WHAT BOOK HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?

The book that had the greatest impact in my life is Spiritual Growth by Sanaya Roman 

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WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?

My greatest literary accomplishment is to have written and illustrated a series of four books in the period of four months. At present two of the four books have won awards.  

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DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS? 

Yes I do.  

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My next book is a children’s chapter book about a girl who discovers the secrets and magic of nature. I would tell you more but I don’t want to spoil it for the readers.  

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

Hidden Among Yourselves, by Bill Hiatt, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Author Bill Hiatt has once again proven his ability to weave a spellbinding tale with the third book in his series about Taliesen Weaver, a teen who possesses magical powers and has lived countless past lives.  Book three picks up with Tal struggling to move past his anger over his good friend stealing away Eva, the girl of his dreams, amid dealing with an evil supernatural force bent on killing him.

Later, at a meeting of the tribunal, Tal is tasked with procuring the lyre of Orpheous.  He only has two weeks time to complete this inconceivable undertaking or risk an evil rival being released from imprisonment.  Armed with a team of friends with otherworldly powers, his magical sword, and a reed pipe, he sets out to conquer the foreboding forces that would deter his efforts to save Santa Brigida.  In a world where things are rarely as they seem,Taliesen finds himself waging a war of magical skill and wits against opponents he'd never believed truly existed.

Author Bill Hiatt possesses a knack for portraying dramatic events with vivid depth while weaving captivating tales of fantasy and adventure.  Hidden Among Yourselves is book three in the Spell Weaver series.  It can well be read as a stand-alone, but is recommended as part of a series.  Hidden Among Yourselves 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

Bristol Bay Summer, by Annie Boochever, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Bristol Bay Summer, by Annie Boochever, is the story of a young girl who spends a summer in the "real Alaska" with her brother, mother and her mom's new boyfriend.  Zoey Morely is twelve, going on thirteen and is still grieving the loss of a family that once was.  She hasn't heard from her dad in nearly a year and now her mom's new boyfriend wants to drag them all out to live in tents in the wilderness at Bristol Bay.

When Zoey meets Thomas, a boy at the next camp over, she resents his new nick-name for her, city girl.  But when she gets a job working for Thomas' family, she is determined to ditch her city girl image and prove that she can work just as hard as he can.  Zoey is determined to make enough money to go see her father in Colorado in the hopes of finally learning why she hasn't heard from him in so long.

Author Annie Boochever has crafted a superb coming of age story that will resonate with young readers on many levels.  Bristol Bay Summer offers a rare combination of adventure, drama and age appropriate romance, all presented in a highly plausible story.  Boochever is a gifted story-teller who writes with a genuine voice and  has tackled relevant issues of growing up and dealing with loss in this powerful and engaging preteen novel.

Bristol Bay Summer comes highly recommended 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

Author Spotlight: W. Nikola-Lisa on his Top Honors award winning book

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer and why?

In my mid-20s, I was a parent of two young daughters and a second grade teacher. That pretty much did it as I was reading children’s books day and night, and fell in love with them and the art of writing.

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As a child, what did you aspire to be when you grew up?

I grew up on a ranch in south Texas. What did I want to be? Easy. A cowboy!

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How did you get the idea for your award winning title?

I was doing research for another book—Dear Frank: Babe Ruth, the Red Sox, and the Great War—and I stumbled upon a few things that puzzled me, like... Who were the Yankees before they came to New York? How did they get started? Why did it take them two years to enter the New York market? Perplexing questions are always my starting point.

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What has been your greatest literary accomplishment?

Having published 25 books over a 25 year period. Equally important was winning the State of Wisconsin’s 2001 Golden Archer Award for Shake Dem Halloween Bones. The Golden Archer Award is a children’s choice award, which makes it even sweeter.

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What literary achievement has had the greatest impact on your life as a writer?

My fourth book—Bein’ With You This Way—because it was a multi award-winning book that has taken me to many different audiences I could never have imagined.

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Can you tell us some of the other books have you published?

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Gaya Lives in a Blue House

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Dear Frank: Babe Ruth, the Red Sox, and the Great War

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Hey, Aren’t You the Janitor?

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Dragonfly: A Childhood Memoir

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Can you tell us something our readers will find interesting about your writing style?

I often write standing up. I learned this from an interview with the great singer/songwriter Paul Simon, who often stands throwing a rubber ball against a wall to establish a rhythm and melody. That seems to work for me, especially when I’m stuck.

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Which author has most greatly influenced your writing style?

Actually there are several: M. B. Goffstein, Jane Yolen, and George Ella Lyon.

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Can you describe the process of becoming published and any tips you might offer for other aspiring authors?

You need three things: intelligence, creativity, and persistence. Of the three, persistence is the most important. You have to knock on a lot of doors, many of which don’t open, or at the least don't open very easily.

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Can you offer any advice for writers on how best to promote their book?

Join Goodreads.com, by far the best and most wide-ranging reading community on the internet. Great for making connections with other literary types.

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Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

People ask me two questions all the time: Why do I write? Who do I write for? The answer: I write because I can’t seem to turn it off, and I write first and foremost for myself—that’s how I learn, by reading and note-taking. My books are simply a by-product of my learning process.

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Do you have any new books in the works?

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Why, of course,....

My next book goes to press early next year. Entitled Shark Man, it is a follow-up to my memoir Dragonfly, only Shark Man is not a memoir; it is a novelization of my adolescent years growing up on the Florida beaches. It should be out by March 2015 and available on Amazon, both as a paperback and as a kindle e-book.

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

Motive Games, Death Down Under, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Phil Roland has been set up.  Someone has gotten their hands on SAII, the most recent game created by his deceased father's company, and sabotaged it.  SAII is hacked right before it is to be released at a gaming show in Auckland, tainting their chance to ever get the game published.  And the worst part is that someone has made Phil the fall guy.  Murder, intrigue, and suspense abound in this fast-paced, high stakes novel about a young man determined to set things straight before time runs out.  Gamers and technogeeks are sure to love this book which portrays a fascinating glimpse into the competitive world of gaming.

Motive Games, Death Down Under, is book #2 in the series by L.D. Taylor.  While book #2 may be read as a stand-alone, readers may spend some time playing catch up.  We recommend reading book #1 first, as the series makes for a great choice for readers, especially those who have an interest in gaming.

Author L.D. Taylor's firsthand experience in the world of gaming helps make this book a fascinating and enlightening read.  With well developed characters and a plot that resonates on many levels, this book earns our recommendation and has received 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

Author Spotlight - Lynne Stringer, on her award winning title, The Heir

Author, Lynne Stringer, on her award winning title,

The Heir

WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER AND WHY?: I wrote my first book when I was eight. I can also remember telling my father I wanted to be a writer when I was four, so I guess I've always had the desire in me. When I was a teenager, I used to novelise movies and episodes of TV shows I liked and that was a great training ground for my writing.

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AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? At three, I decided I wanted to be an actress. At four, I decided I wanted to be a writer. Although the acting dream didn't come true on a major level, both desires have never left me. Both were based on the desire to tell stories.

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HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE?: My husband likes cheesy pick-up lines (not that he uses them on me … or anyone else, for that matter!) When we were going on holidays once, he was telling me his favourites while he was driving. I was trying to reciprocate but the only one I could think of was when the guy tells the girl, 'You are the only reason I was put on this planet.'

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As I thought about it, I imagined a guy saying that to a girl. In my mind, she replied, 'Yeah, right.'

Then he said, 'No, you are the only reason I was put on this planet.'

That made me wonder … what if a guy said that to a girl and he meant it literally? The idea for The Heir was born and I spent most of our holiday thinking about it.

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TELL US SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER: At my son's school they have a book club for the older grades and the book club read The Heir. One day, when I was walking my son to school, a girl came up to me and said, 'Excuse me, are you the author of The Heir?' When I said yes she started telling me how much she'd loved it. I felt like a celebrity!

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WHICH AUTHOR HAS MOST GREATLY INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING STYLE?: I'm not sure I've been influenced as far as style goes. I think my style is my own. Authors whose books I like include Enid Blyton, the Brontes and Stephenie Meyer.

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WHAT BOOK HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte had a huge impact on me when I first read it. Prior to that, everything I'd written was in third person, but that book woke me up to the appeal of first person. Another book was Twilight. At the time I read it, it had been years since I'd read a novel and I hadn't tried writing any fiction for a decade. That book made me realise anew how moving fiction could be and I took up my pen, novelised a couple of TV episodes (just like I'd done when I was a teenager), then wrote The Heir.

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WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?: Receiving the Literary Classics silver award for The Heir in their young adult science fiction section.

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HAVE YOU PUBLISHED ANY OTHER BOOKS?: Yes, The Crown (Verindon #2), The Reign (Verindon #3)

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DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?: I am currently working on a manuscript, tentatively titled, How Far Forgive? It is a contemporary drama about a girl who is involved in a hostage drama and has to find a way to forgive her attacker.  --It isn't available yet, as it is still in the production stage. To keep an eye on what's happening with it, follow me via my website: www.lynnestringer.com or my Facebook page, or on Twitter @TheHeirNovel.

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CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF BECOMING PUBLISHED AND ANY TIPS YOU MIGHT OFFER FOR OTHER ASPIRING AUTHORS?:

Don't give up. Keep trying. Try and get an agent, as it will help. But even if you can't do that, don't stop. And before you do anything else, get a professional edit on your work. I can't stress this enough. Don't wait for the agent or publisher to have it done for you. They may well refuse your work because it's not up to scratch. Get an edit FIRST. If you decide to self-publish I would get three edits, because if you do self-publish, the onus is on you to get it right the first time. You don't want to put off potential fans because you produce work that isn't up to scratch.

Also, be prepared to accept criticism. You will get it.

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CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK? Try and be involved in sites for other books in your genre and do this because you like those books, not just because you want to promote yourself. People will be more inclined to show an interest in your work if they are encouraged by the fact that you share a mutual love for another title. And don't 'sell' at people all the time. Nothing is more annoying than someone who does nothing but put constant sales pitches on their Facebook page or Twitter feed. Talk about your writing journey and what you're doing. Also become involved as an author on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and anywhere else you can find.

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

Jennifer Gibson's Destiny earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Destiny is book #3 in a series about Jessie, a high school student who is hearing impaired.  Jessie wants to fit in, she wants to be treated like the other students in her school.  But the truth is, she needs to struggle harder than her classmates in order to succeed at most things.  It's not an easy road for Jessie.  But through it all, as she matures, she gains confidence and becomes a stronger person as she works beyond her disability to achieve her goals.

Author Jennifer Gibson continues to engage and inspire readers as they follow the life of Jessie, a young girl who has learned compassion for others through her own personal struggles.  Destiny is a book that will appeal to readers young and old.

Destiny comes highly recommended 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

Evidence of Things Not Seen, by Lindsey Lane, earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

Evidence of Things Not Seen is an exploration of humanity as seen through the eyes of an eclectic collection of people all connected by a single location believed by one young man to be the portal to a parallel universe.  Tommy Smythe is a high-school brainiac obsessed with thoughts of particle physics and the concept of a multiverse.  When he goes missing, people begin to speculate upon his disappearance.  Some hypothesize he may have ventured out to find his biological parents.  Others surmise his easily distracted nature caused him to simply wander off.  Some even dare to imagine that he may have found a way to cross over to the parallel universe about which he so constantly obsesses.

The philosophical  meanderings of Tommy are revealed through snippets from his journal, further supporting the fact that Tommy truly believes in the possibilities of passing between physical states within space and time.  Author,  Lindsey Lane's experience as a playwright is evident in the powerful way in which she creates vignettes throughout this intriguing novel.  Pithy monologues of various characters as they ponder the whereabouts of Tommy, the "adorkable" genius who never quite seems to understand how to connect with people on an emotional level, help to further enhance this artfully penned work of fiction.

Evidence of Things Not Seen is an engaging and suspenseful novel which will stay with readers long after the last page has been turned.   This New-Adult Fiction work has earned the Literary Classics Seal of Approval.   

--Evidence of Things Not Seen contains mature content.

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

AUTHOR MELANIE SCHWAPP ON HER AWARD WINNING BOOK - DEW ANGELS

AUTHOR  MELANIE SCHWAPP ON HER AWARD WINNING BOOK  

 

DEW ANGELS

WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER AND WHY?: As a child, that was how I expressed myself. I learnt how to interpret and transfer emotion from within myself to paper, and as I got older, I developed an interest in observing human interactions. At school, writing assignments got me the highest grades, and by the time I attended college, it had become my passion.

AS A CHILD, WHAT DID YOU ASPIRE TO BE WHEN YOU GREW UP? I wanted to be a Journalist and cover events all over the world

HOW DID YOU GET THE IDEA FOR YOUR AWARD WINNING TITLE?: I've always loved mornings - the freshness and quietness of the beginning of a new day. The glistening look of everything covered in dew gave me the idea of  Dew Angels.  Dew Angels actually took me seven years to complete, and when I was finished I couldn't understand why I felt so sad. One day I realized that it was because the characters had become such a large part of my life that I missed them terribly.

TELL US SOMETHING INTERESTING ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE AS A WRITER: When my children were young, my husband and I would read to them every night at bedtime. However, one summer we went to the UK for vacation, and at bedtime we realized that we'd forgotten to pack all of the children's favorite books. To appease them, I began to tell them stories relating to the myths of my country, Jamaica, using a girl called 'Lally-May' as the main character. Very soon, my husband also came to listen to the stories, and every day as we went sightseeing they would all ask me, 'What is Lally-May going to do tonight'. So 'Lally-May', the character of my first children's book, was born out of necessity on that vacation, and now has become a popular character for many young Jamaican children.

WHICH AUTHOR HAS MOST GREATLY INFLUENCED YOUR WRITING STYLE?: Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche; Toni Morrison

WHAT BOOK HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE?: A Woman of Substance was one of the first novels I read when I graduated from my Nancy Drew series as a young girl. I couldn't believe that a book so big could have gripped me so much on every single page. That book began my love affair with novels.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR GREATEST LITERARY ACCOMPLISHMENT?: I think completing my very first novel, Dew Angels, and them hearing from the very first reader just how much the book impacted her was one of the greatest accomplishments for me. Writing had always been such a personal experience, so presenting my book to the public and hearing that it really did have some validity meant the world to me.

HAVE YOU PUBLISHED ANY OTHER BOOKS?: Yes,  LALLY-MAY'S FARM SUSS

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE PROCESS OF BECOMING PUBLISHED AND ANY TIPS YOU MIGHT OFFER FOR OTHER ASPIRING AUTHORS?: In Jamaica, it is very difficult to get a publisher as a first time author, so I eventually had to self-publish. However, my recommendation to authors is to write your heart out, and then get the best editor you can find to help to 'pare' your material into an effective piece. Even in self-publishing, I find that a great editor helps to direct you where you may sometimes get carried away with your own emotion by giving you objective advice and very constructive criticism.

CAN YOU OFFER ANY ADVICE FOR WRITERS ON HOW BEST TO PROMOTE THEIR BOOK? Readings and readings and more readings. Talk shows, radio shows, cable shows, school readings, library readings ... I think getting out into the public as much as possible and putting a face and personality to your work begins conversation that stimulates lots of interest. People are very curious about the process of creativity, so when you present yourself as a personable character, I find that the public wants to delve a little more 'behind the scenes' and want to see exactly what you've written. They may or may not like your book, but it is still a positive thing that conversation about your work is being generated.

DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BOOKS IN THE WORKS?: I am working on another novel which I'm hoping will not take me as long as Dew Angels took to complete.  I am not quite sure yet - hopefully this time around I will be able to use a publishing house so we will see what happens



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

Super Human Encyclopedia earns the Literary Classics Seal of Approval

The Super Human Encyclopedia is an amazingly thorough book featuring hundreds of high-tech facts about the human body.  Things you could never imagine about the human body are all presented in a fun and interesting way that is sure to pique the curiosity of readers young and old.  Graphics, photos and illustrations are an eye-catching and helpful addition to this book that is chock-full of amazing information about the human body. Photographs with overlaid illustrations provide an in-depth look at the inner-workings of the human body, along with countless other illustrations and photographs that help keep this book highly engaging.  Any page you turn to, you'll find unique insights into our bodies and what they're capable of doing. This is less of a study guide or academic resource, and more of a "Ripley's Believe it or Not" type book that will appeal to readers of all ages.

This book comes highly recommended for home and school libraries and would be great for gift-giving.

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