You can’t tell by book sales. I’m not on the best-seller lists. I’m still able to safely walk through airports without being flagged for autographs. But the other day I walked into my eight-year old daughter’s class (I was there to volunteer as a writing coach), and I had to wait. I was happy to … Continue reading I HAVE MADE IT AS AN AUTHOR
Do Reading Logs Make Reading Horrible? Here’s a Handy Short-cut!
I don’t know about your school, but my kids’ school is pretty cool. If my kid wants to take his shoes off and run around in his socks, he can. If my daughter needs to chew gum because it keeps her from chewing her hair, no problem. I walk into the lobby, and I’m surrounded … Continue reading Do Reading Logs Make Reading Horrible? Here’s a Handy Short-cut!
The REAL way to be a bad parent
There’s a list out there of “Ten Ways to be the Worst Mother in the World” (I can’t find it, but trust me, it’s out there) but it’s a total lie, because I read it to my kids, and they said, “You do all those things and they make you a great mother.” They’re not … Continue reading The REAL way to be a bad parent
Does Timber Howligan pass the Bechdel test?
I believe in equal opportunity reading. Having both a boy and a girl, I’ve seen some differences in their preferences for certain kinds of stories…they’re gender differences, but is that a bad thing? When my daughter wants to fill her shelves with Fancy Nancy and Pinkalicious, I don’t make a big deal out of it. … Continue reading Does Timber Howligan pass the Bechdel test?
The Latest Fight Against the Machines
No, this has nothing to do with Terminator Genisys. But yes, it is a rehash of a familiar plot—not sending robots back in time, but my perpetual battle against my children and their “device time.” Why do I have to be the bad guy? Yeah, I’ve got something in common with Arnold, and I’m proud … Continue reading The Latest Fight Against the Machines
Timber Howligan First Month Update: Success!
Self-publishing is a business, so here’s the accounting: I promised to donate any proceeds to charity, the animal rescue organization Alley Cat Allies. Here’s what Timber earned in his first month out in the world: $4.07 from CreateSpace (11 copies) $11.87 from Draft2Digital (5 copies) $85.70 from paperbacks I sold directly (28 copies, including 12 … Continue reading Timber Howligan First Month Update: Success!
America’s shame? Yes, but Britain’s hands aren’t clean.
The racially motivated terrorist attack/hate crime against the peaceful bible study participants at a Charleston church this week by one very sick individual has outraged our country and the world, opening us, yet again, to attacks by other countries--safe in their holier-than-thou gun control laws, convinced that these types of things wouldn't happen elsewhere. They … Continue reading America’s shame? Yes, but Britain’s hands aren’t clean.
Day before publication
Yesterday my husband came up with a really good idea for marketing Timber Howligan. “You should partner with Animal Rescue Societies, and get them to sell the book to raise money.” What I should have said was, “That’s a great idea, honey. Thanks for thinking of ways to help out. In a few months, once … Continue reading Day before publication
Summer reading fun, device-free
We work hard around here to protect our reading time. It isn't easy--those long summer days are great for swimming, bouncing on the trampoline, and once school ends, there's the biggest temptation of all: Device time. When my son turned eight, he earned himself the right to an iPad mini by being a voracious reader … Continue reading Summer reading fun, device-free
Less than a week–publication date June 12th!
Less than a week until Timber Howligan’s publication date (June 12th! June 12th!)! You may wonder what the penultimate week in a self-published author’s life looks like. This is my basement, where I set up shop… Screenprinting t-shirts. Yes, that’s right. My kids just finished their last week of school, so one batch of t-shirts … Continue reading Less than a week–publication date June 12th!
