Florida’s Meet The Authors’ Book Fair

Thank you to Valerie Allen for including several of my books in the recent  Meet the Authors’ Book Fair in Melbourne, FL.

What Was Santa’s Birthday Gift?

Please remember the true meaning of Christmas…

Christmas Gifts are Birthday Gifts for Jesus

Please help share this story with your children… Reading this together is our Christmas tradition, and hope it may become yours..

Santa’s gift to Jesus was his promise to bring gifts each year to children to celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. Christmas gifts are Birthday Gifts for Jesus!

Amazon Link for Santa’s Birthday Gift

Barnes & Noble Link for Santa’s Birthday Gift

 

 

 

Thanks to my Kid and Teen Reviewers for Sharing!

Thank You Ashlyn and Cassandra!

Fun Interview on Raychelle Writes – The Writer’s Block: Where Are They Now?

Be Kind!!

I am so very grateful to Raychelle Writes for including me in her Writer’s Block special series: “Where Are They Now?”

I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by Raychelle several years ago, when I was just releasing my 4th book, Gimme-Jimmy.  Now in this interview, I have a chance to give a little preview of my upcoming 2017 book, My Little Angel.

One of the questions was about participating in The Writer’s Block, so I’ll include that here:

I loved being able to participate in The Writer’s Block earlier, and am so happy to become a part of it again. It’s lovely to be able to share my books and the emphasis on being kind… We seem to need the reminder to get along with others – especially in this political environment. As one of my thoughtful fans commented about The Golden Rule…”This is how we change the world…”

Here is the Complete Interview: The Writer’s Block: Where Are They Now?

Please take the time to read, and let me know if you have any other questions.  I love to hear from readers!!

 

 

Nice Mention from Victoria Wagner Ross of the San Diego Examiner

Thank you for this endorsement!

Thank you to Quotes Rain for the Nice Interview…

Be Kind!!

Thank you to Mady Joshi and QuotesRain for the nice interview and the chance to share my books with more children!  If only we can teach our children to be kind…

Tell us about your life and your struggles. I am a mother of four and a grandmother of ten, and I am also an Award-Winning Best-Selling Author! My books have received forty-five 2011-16 National and International awards. I have been writing poetry since before I could write! (My mother wrote down the poetry I wrote as a four-year-old.) I have written eight published rhymed children’s stories – as well as seven published rhymed musical plays for elementary school children, which have been performed internationally in over 20 countries. All of my books are also part of two separate fund-raising efforts: http://sbpra.com/curejm/ is for the CureJM Foundation, to help find a cure for Juvenile Myositis, an incurable children’s disease. 50% of the cost of the books is donated to the fundraising cause. Another Fundraiser is also available, with the same terms, but this one for an anti-bullying campaign at http://sbpra.com/imbullyfree. Here’s a little bit of my background: A real-live Eloise, I grew up in the Willard Hotel in Washington DC (my Dad was the manager), was married and lived in Northern Virginia for twenty years where my husband and I raised our four children. We later moved to Bucks County (Philadelphia PA suburbs) where we lived for 14 years before moving to the Binghamton NY area for 18 years, and we have just now moved back to Bucks County PA. We celebrated our 56th wedding anniversary in June! We are now retired, and we travel in our RV from the east coast to the west coast each year to spend time with our children and grandchildren. I have had a varied career: I was a teacher and coach for ten years in the Washington DC area, and then became a “stay-at-home-Mom” who in my spare-time was a professional newspaper sports photographer and columnist for several years when our boys were playing competitive soccer. When our girls became interested in theater, I became a Dinner Theatre Company Stage Manager (as well as lighting and sound technician) and also was an Assistant Talent Manager for Cathy Parker Talent when our youngest daughter was doing commercials and professional modeling in NYC. When we relocated to the Binghamton NY area, I became the Business Administrator for a software development company handling payroll and contracts. Now, back in PA, I am retired and spend my time marketing my books (which is the other half of writing!) How passionate are you about writing? Not so much anymore. I am under contract for my ninth book for a 2017 release, which will probably be my last children’s book. How long have you been writing and what inspired you to become a writer? My love of poetry, and my love of children combined… Dr. Seuss was also an influence! How did you get the idea for your first book? My first written book was Peter and the Whimper-Whineys, which was a story my mother told (not read) to me and my brother and later to her grandchildren, which I wanted to capture in written form. Because I love poetry and rhyming, I decided to write it in verse. While choosing a name for your character, what aspects do you consider that determines what you finally call them? I use family and friends’ names when possible. It’s fun for them to see when the book is published. Some of my illustrated characters are also based on family and friends. Do authors in general and you in particular plan series beforehand or do they just happen? I think of The Magic Word, Gimme-Jimmy and Manner-Man as my series of “manners books” since they all have a theme of being polite and thinking of others. Thanks to my awesome illustrator, Kalpart (a team of artists who have illustrated all my books) I am able to use former characters in subsequent books, so they are all about a classroom of kids. How do you choose which stories to tell? Most of my books have the same underlying subliminal message of the Golden Rule, and teach consideration of others disguised as fun stories. Do you ever get writer’s block? No. Once a story idea is in my head, the rhymes start to flow. Do you have a “reader” in mind while writing? No. I have children in mind and want to be able to help them become better people. Who is the first person to read the first draft of your books? I have been writing my stories for a very long time – long before I submitted them for publication. So my first “editor” now is my youngest daughter, who happens to be an editor in real-life!  WhHow do you get reviews Which was the best review you ever got? I submit my books to many contests, which leads to some excellent reviews. Reader’s Favorite, Midwest Book Review, and Feathered Quill are favorites. I have been fortunate in getting many awesome reviews. What does the word “story” signify for you? To me, “story” is a children’s story… Do you think an author should be bound by Genre? I can’t speak for other authors, but I think one should write about what one knows or feels strongly about…and be sure of one’s facts! (I wouldn’t be able to write a novel, for instance!) Are you currently working on anything? As mentioned earlier, I am working on my last children’s book, My Little Angel, which is for a slightly younger age-level – 3-6 – and also for those who believe in angels!! Do you have a special time or place for writing? No. I prefer my computer to my old typewriter I used when I first started writing, but I still revert to scratching notes on paper to capture a thought! How do you promote your work? How will QuotesRain help you in your book promotion and sales, would you like to refer this platform to your author friends? I feel that entering contests has helped me market my books, since winning an award gives instant credibility. QuotesRain has been very helpful! Would you like to share something with your readers and fans? Please teach your children to be kind to one another!!!

Here is the complete interview…

QuotesRain Interview

 

 

Northampton Library Book Signing

I enjoyed sharing a table with fellow SBPRA author, Karen Scheuer, at the Book Event at the Northampton Library yesterday.  Karen’s book, A Bug and a Wish, is also about coping with bullying – and we share the same awesome illustrator, Kalpart!

Another Lovely Review for The Golden Rule – A Good Rule for Election Day!

Six Awards for The Golden Rule

Thanks so much to Stacie Theis of Beachbound Books for the wonderful review of The Golden Rule!

Especially on Election Day, please Treat Others the Way You’d Like to be Treated!

“The Golden Rule is a timeless tale that teaches children the importance of being kind to others and treating them in a way you, yourself, would like to be treated.

Kait and Robert are on a mission to locate the golden rule, but they aren’t sure what they should be looking for. They find a plastic ruler, but without the gold it just seems ordinary. Then the children find a book with rulers of countries, however, that doesn’t seem quite right either. Will Kait and Robert ever figure out what the Golden Rule is really about?

Beautifully written in rhyme, The Golden Rule entices young readers with colorful illustrations and a storyline they can apply to their lives. I really like how the story’s important message is told in simple terms using examples that children can relate to. As a parent, I loved the lessons of helping others overcome bullying and paying it forward with acts of kindness. The Golden Rule is sure to become a fast favorite with parents and children alike.

I highly recommend picking up a copy.”

Thanks so much!!!

Here is the complete review: Beachbound Books Review

“No matter the color of anyone’s skin, it’s not just the outside – it’s what is within.” Literary Classics Award Winning Children’s Book Author – Sherrill S. Cannon