Book launch | Mindy Baker Books

I recently became acquainted with a fabulous group of writers. We all have one thing in common. We are 2018 debut picture book authors. We have a new website that promotes our books. You can find all of us at: Fireworks and Foliage Debut Picture Book Authors and Illustrators

One if the authors is Annemarie Riley Guertin. Her book, HOW THE FINCH GOT HIS COLORS recently released. I’m thrilled for her accomplishment, and wanted to take a moment to interview her and get the inside scoop. Her book looks so beautiful with its vibrant colors!

Link to buy book on AMAZON

Book blurb from AMAZON:

Many years ago, before the world bloomed in magnificent colors, the Earth lay stark and gray. The animals that graced its skies and roamed its lands were the colors of dirt, clay, and stone . . .

. . . until Rainbow descended to bestow her colors on the creatures of the world. Each bird asked for a bright and beautiful color: green for Parrot, red for Cardinal, and yellow for Canary. But will there be any colors left for little Gouldian Finch? He soon learns the power of patience and the beauty of all creatures. Based on a Belgian folktale, this beautifully told and illustrated tale is a timeless treasure for every collection.

Hi Annemarie, I am thrilled to have you joining me today on my blog. I can’t wait to get started with my questions…

I see that you are an elementary teacher. How did that help you as you shaped your story?

Being an elementary teacher plays integral part in the stories that I create. I have a front row seat (every single day) for the audience that we are writing books for. I know what captures their attention, what they wonder about, and what types of books they favor. I also know firsthand where the gaps are in the market place for this audience.

Finch was written out of necessity. I was teaching a unit of study on folktales as part of the Common Core standards. I had a few folktales in my collection but many of them were read in Kindergarten and my students already knew them (The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks, Jack and the Beanstalk.) I really wanted to expose my students to lesser known folktales and that is where I hit a wall. I had a bit of a challenge finding ones that were standalone picture books. Many titles were found in anthologies that are no longer used in public school classrooms. After pulling a handful from libraries, I remembered my aunt had given me a collection of books and one of the had folktales in it. I pulled one out that was written in the 1920’s and that is where I found How the Finch Got Her Colors. It wasn’t a story per say, it was more of a short story with a moral. I was drawn to it and knew if I tried my hand at it I could create a story using the characters and the moral. So, I sat down and got to work. That is how the Finch was born 😊.

What has been your students’ reaction to your book?

My students were in awe the first time I read it to them. The illustrations are so vibrant that they pull you in.

I agree! Your book is absolutely stunning. I love all the colors.
Because your book is a folktale, I’m interested to know what lesson you hope children uncover as they read the story of Finch?

In terms of lessons, I want my readers to connect with the messages of patience and friendship. Patience comes with practice and at 5 and 6 it’s still not an easy concept to grasp. In the scene where Finch is awaiting his turn, Helena’s illustration captures that emotion so beautifully you don’t even need the text to figure out what’s happening. In fact, I stopped on that page and had the children discuss the illustration and all of them made the connection that Finch felt sad because he waited and then the colors ran out. They connected emotionally with his sadness and the feeling of being left out.

The other message I want readers to connect with is friendship. The birds realized that something was wrong and wanted to help their friend. The true meaning of friendship is something I think they can and will relate to as well.

Solid messages for children! My next question is about your experience as a new author.

Many people aspire to write children’s books. What advice can you offer them based on your journey to publication? How did you find the right match with your publishing house?

When I set out on this journey I had no idea where to begin. I started with contacting a local author and asking her for advice. She offered one piece of advice and that was to join SCBWI (The Society of Children’s Book Writing and Illustrating). She told me that everything I needed to know would be on this site. So, a few weeks later I joined. I read every forum on publishing that I could find. I researched how to write a query letter and where to send unsolicited manuscripts as I didn’t have an agent (I still don’t for that matter!). I also found a few people who were willing to critique my story. After a few weeks of editing both my story and my query letter, I felt confident enough to send my story out. I selected a few publishers that were open to unsolicited manuscripts, sent them off and waited to hear. To my surprise in 2 months time I had a few offers on it! Of the 4 contracts I was offered, I narrowed it down to two. I reached out to authors from each of the publishing companies to ask about their experiences. I spoke with the CEO’s of both publishing houses and asked a lot of questions. I was given the contracts to review and I went with Familius. From my first email with them, through the phone calls etc. I knew this was the place for Finch. Everyone in the Familius family has been wonderful to work with. It has been an incredible journey and one I feel so blessed to be experiencing.

The best advice I can offer aspiring authors is to ask someone outside your circle to critique your work. Your friends and family love you and don’t want to hurt your feelings. You need someone who doesn’t have a personal connection with you to evaluate your writing. I would also strongly encourage them to join SCBWI. One last piece of advice is not to give up. There will be many nos along the way and those can get you down– but just remember J.K. Rowling didn’t take no for an answer 😊imagine if she had?!!

It sounds like it has been a wonderful journey…and thanks for the excellent advice. I really appreciate your willingness to stop by and share your story. I wish you the best of luck with Finch as well as your future writing endeavors!

Author Bio: Annemarie Riley Guertin graduated with a bachelor of science degree in early childhood education from Wheelock College and a master’s degree (summa cum laude) in elementary education from Fitchburg State University. Annemarie is an adjunct early childhood professor and a first grade teacher. She lives in Haverhill, Massachusetts, with her husband, Michael and their two children.

Book Review and Author Interviews

Author interview with Katy Farber about new book release SALAMANDER SKY

March 8, 2018February 17, 2019 admin

One if the authors is Katy Farber. Her book, SALAMANDER SKY released this week. I’m thrilled for her accomplishment, and wanted to take a moment to interview her and get the inside scoop. Her book looks fascinating!

Here is the link where you can order SALAMANDER SKY online:

Order SALAMANDER SKY on Amazon

Katy, thanks for stopping by! I’m so glad you could join me today to talk about your new book, SALAMANDER SKY. If you don’t mind, let’s get right to the questions!

It seems like you have a true passion for nature. Have you always had this passion, or was there a life experience that caused it to exist and/or grow?

I remember visiting my grandmother and wading up the stream behind her house. I loved the way the mud felt between my toes, and discovering growing tadpoles among the mossy rocks. But I also remember my parents calling me in from the creek, saying, that water is polluted! The pipe above stream is pumping in waste! I was outraged in my 8 year old body. I wrote a series if tiny books about that creek, a local river, and a giant teddy bear that was missing an eye. Turns out, the bear saves the creek and river from pollution.

The tree behind my house was my world away from everything. I would take my pillow up into the giant tree and read, draw and daydream for hours. These memories fueled the kind of writing I do today.

I can see how the wading experience would leave quite an impression on you as a young child. I love that you were a writer even from a young age. I’m also fascinated by the giant tree–that seems like something out of a book. Every child should have a tree like that! I know I would’ve loved one.

My next question is… what inspired the story Salamander Sky?

Salamander Sky was a poem I wrote when considering the brief, magical, and fleeting migration events on the dirt road in front of my house. I had always loved searching for salamanders and frogs in the spring, and had been helping them cross safely for years. Then I had my daughters, and I knew I wanted to share this with them. We have gone out and helped the salamanders and frogs cross since they could stay up late enough to join me. I thought about how I could inspire kids and families to head out into the rainy nights and experience the magic themselves, and I wrote this story.

But really, the inspiration started long before that, when I found my first newt in a Pennsylvania creek and found it fascinating and beautiful.

That sounds like a really fun parent-child adventure! For those of us who have not ever experienced a salamander crossing, can you describe the experience more in-depth? What is the highlight of experiencing it? If you go out to try this, what should you bring? What should you wear?

The highlight for me is when the light from your flashlight falls on a tiny, vulnerable creature, and you go to it, carefully pick up, visit for a moment, and release it safely. You see the tiny toes, the round eyes, the long tail. There is a deep connection, a feeling of purpose and warmth in knowing that you helped this creature survive.

You should wear all your rain gear, rain books, a reflective vest, and a headlamp. If your children are very young, a bucket helps for placing the animals in gently for the crossing. You should wear a ball cap so water doesn’t drip into your eyes, and prepare to get wet! It is all part of the experience. You are also teaching your children to not be afraid of the night and dark. Of course, be on the constant lookout for cars and have a plan for moving to the side of the road immediately if one is coming, no matter what.

I think I found the next thing to put on my bucket list. Absolutely fantastic! Thanks for sharing! My next question is in regards to those who read SALAMANDER SKY. What take-away do you hope your readers gain from your book?

I hope that readers take away an awareness of the importance of salamanders to forest ecology and the biodiversity of our world, and how they can participate in citizen science to help vulnerable populations of different species. I hope readers fall in love with the salamanders like I have, and vow to protect nature in all the ways they can. I also hope we inspire more girls to become scientists and activists.

I love your answer! I hope they they gain those take-aways, too! I am also curious, who is your illustrator?

I feel so lucky to have Meg Sodano’s incredibly beautiful and moving illustrations in this book. They extend and deepen the story, they inspire, they transport, and they so clearly teach about the spotted salamander species, and April and her mom’s experience and joy in helping them.

Let’s get practical. I’m sure you have a few writing tips and techniques up your sleeve that could really help beginning writers. Would you mind sharing some advice?

Write with reckless abandon. Explore your world through words, write about what bothers you, how you think the world should be, whatever is in your mind. Silence your inner critic and anyone else who limits your ideas. Bring a journal with you everywhere– capture ideas and your thoughts before they move on.

Those are some excellent words of wisdom. And, I just have to ask…do you have any other future works to promote?

I have two other works in various phases right now, but I would love to share about my middle grade eco-adventure novel published in 2015 called The Order of the Trees (Green Writers Press). Cedar was found as a baby under an old growth tree in the northern Vermont woods. She’s as different from the other kids as she could be. Cedar finds her first friend, Phillip, and shares her forest home with him. When Cedar suddenly falls ill Phillip has to figure out why and fast– before he loses her forever.

I learned something new about you today. I didn’t know that you are also a middle grade author. That is so wonderful. A big congratulations on your 2015 eco-adventure novel, and now, with this debut picture book. SALAMANDER SKY looks very fascinating! I wish you all the best. Thank you so much for stopping by to chat with me today!

Katy Farber website

Katy Farber is a writer, researcher and educator from Vermont. She has loved and defended salamanders since standing in a Pennsylvania creek at the age of ten. Salamander Sky is her first picture book. Her other book for children is a middle grade novel called The Order of the Trees, which won Green Earth Honor book award in 2015. She also writes about education, the environment, parenting and sustainability for various websites and publications.

Book Review and Author Interviews

Introducing…Easter Love Letters from God by Glenys Nellist

February 17, 2018February 17, 2019 admin

Buy book on Amazon

This wonderful new book in the Love Letters from God series is another treasure, helping children to understand the depth and significance of the Easter holiday.

It is divided into 7 sections emphasizing different elements of the Easter story, each with a note to the reader from God, helping to apply each lesson to his/her life.

The sections are:

King of Kings–the Ride into Jerusalem

What Love Looks Like–Washing Feet

The Secret Supper–Last Supper

The Gloomy Garden–Gethsemane

The Darkest Day–Crucifixion

The Quiet Cave–Burial

The Super Surprise–Resurrection

I loved the depiction of Jesus showing what love looks like, washing the disciples’ feet.

I loved the pages that described heaven and how to get there.

And most of all I loved the description of God working inside the tomb.

“But inside that quiet cave God was working. If you tried to peek inside, you couldn’t see anything. If you stood outside and put your ear to the big stone, you couldn’t hear anything. If you tried to imagine what was happening, you couldn’t. But inside, God was doing something utterly amazing. Something only God could do.”

I love Glenys’ writing because although it is written for children, I still find a take-a-way for myself as an adult, too.

I am in a season of waiting for God. I need to believe that even though I can’t see it, hear it, or imagine it, HE IS AT WORK!

Thanks Glenys, for your writing. It touches and encourages souls of all ages.

I would highly recommend buying this book for any little readers in your home!

Glenys is the coordinator of Children’s Ministry for the West Michigan Conference of the United Methodist Church. She is Zondervan children’s book author of twelve titles including two popular series: Love Letters from God and Snuggle Time. Glenys is a writer with a passion for God, her family, and children’s ministry.

Glenys blog/website

Glenys on Twitter: @GlenysNellist

Book Review and Author Interviews, Writing tips

Interview with Jackie Yeager, middle grade debut author of SPIN THE GOLDEN LIGHTBULB

November 11, 2017February 17, 2019 admin

Book summary:

An eleven year old and her four teammates (The Crimson Five) discover a world full of spinning bunk beds, floating playgrounds, and an invention task more complex than anything they’d prepared for at home. These kids are on a competitive adventure in a world of magical realism where anything is possible.

Jackie, so glad you can join me today! I can’t wait to hear your answers to my questions.

First off, I love the behind-the-scenes information when it comes to how authors get their inspiration. I have read that you based SPIN THE GOLDEN LIGHT BULB off of an Odyssey of the Mind Competition in which you were involved. I would love to know, what is the Odyssey of the Mind Competition?

Odyssey of the Mind is an international creative problem solving competition. Kids work in teams of 5-7 and are supported by one or more volunteer coaches—usually a parent. They work through the school year on a one of five long term complex problems. On competition day, the team presents their solution to a panel of judges in the form of a skit. That day, they also solve an on-the-spot type verbal, hands on, or verbal/hands on problem that they are not given until they walk into the judging room. The program helps to develop team work and creative problem solving skills and is available in many schools around the country. My kids were lucky that there was a strong Odyssey of the Mind program already in place in their school district.

So your own kids were in this competition and you were the coach?

When my daughter was in fourth grade I coached her team and continued to do so for several years after that. When my son was in fourth grade I began coaching his team as well. The kids had a lot of fun through the years and I did too.

Sounds fun! Can you tell us what happened with that team and how you used it as a springboard for the novel?

In 2011, the first year that my son’s team worked together, they placed first in the regional competition and earned a chance to compete at the New York state competition. It was an amazing experience and the kids were just thrilled to be competing there. In a shocking turn of events, the team placed second at the NY state competition earning them a chance to compete at the World Finals along with 850 other international teams and teams from around the US. It was an amazing experience for all of us—not just for the kids and me but for all of our families too, one I’m sure none of us will ever forget. It was like being at the Olympics of Imagination, with Opening and Closing Ceremonies, parades, and incredible performances by kids from all over the world!

At the time, I had been querying another middle grade novel, without much luck. It was during and after our trip to the World Finals that I realized that this could be the bases for an incredible story. It took me a year after that to formulate an idea, not really an Odyssey of the Mind Story, but a story of five kids who compete in something on a larger than life scale. It eventually became the backdrop for THE CRIMSON FIVE books.

That is fascinating. I am also curious whether there is a scene in the novel that you are most proud of or that was most difficult to write?

There’s a heartbreaking scene between Kia Krumpet (the main character) and her Grandma Kitty that was particularly difficult to write. It’s a scene where I hope to show the moment in a child’s life when he or she realizes that a family member (like a parent or grandparent) is not perfect—that moment when that illusion is shattered. It happens to every child at some point in their life and can be a defining moment for them.

Now you have my interest piqued! I will enjoy reading how you handled that delicate scene.

Is there a takeaway you hope your readers have after reading your book?

I’m all about positive thinking and dreaming big. One of my favorite quotes by Kia Krumpet is, “I know my chances stink, but somebody has to win. I pick me.” That quote is not meant to show that Kia is conceited but rather that her dreams are bigger than her present reality and she’s not afraid of them. I hope if there’s one thing my book will inspire readers to do, it’s to Dream Big!

That is beautiful! The sky is the limit when we dream big! Love it!
When will SPIN THE GOLDEN LIGHT BULB be available for pre-order?

The publication date is January 9, 2018 but it’s available for pre-order now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and also through any independent bookseller on the IndieBound website. Here are the links:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Indie Bound

Trailer on Jackie’s website

Finally, I’ve heard that there is a sequel! Is that true? If so, can you share the title of the sequel and its release date?

The sequel to Spin the Golden Light Bulbis Flip the Silver Switch and it’ll be released on July 10, 2018 almost exactly six months later.

Ooh–congrats on the sequel, as well! 2018 is going to be a special year for you. I’m so happy for you! Finally, I’m sure everyone is so curious to know…what happens when you spin the light bulb?

I definitely cannot give that one away. Kia and her teammates would be disqualified from the competition if I did! But…January 9^th is coming fast, so at least you won’t have to wait too long to find out!

Well, I tried 🙂 I can’t wait to read the book and find out!

Thanks for having me on your blog, Mindy. It was fun answering your questions!

You’re welcome! I’m hoping you’ll join me again sometime soon! I want to ask you about some writing tips…

Sure thing!

In the meantime, best wishes on this fabulous book and its sequel!

Author blog: www.swirlandspark.com (Jackie has a BOOK NOOK where she recommends great middle grade fiction, and SCRIBBLE TIPS where she gives helpful writing advice, along with her fabulous blog entries)

Twitter: @JackieYeager

What is Magical Realism? It is realistic fiction that includes an element or two that relies on the reader believing in magic or the possibility that it could happen in the future through science. Jackie’s book is futuristic magical realism relying on the possibility of things being different in the future.

Also on Facebook and Pinterest

About the author:
Jackie has a Masters degree in Education, lives in Rochester, NY with her real life prince charming and two royally amazing teenagers, and would live in a castle if she could. When she is not living in her own fairytale world, she spends time reading, practicing yoga, and cheering for the crew at marathons, triathlons, cross country meets, track meets, and hockey and baseball games. She does a lot of cheering! She is also a former coach of a middle school Odyssey of the Mind team who once upon a time competed at the World Finals. They may or may not have been the inspiration behind the book, and even its sequel.