Respond to the interview, add a splash of social media, and WIN a Big Bag O’ Swag from Indie Debut including:

A copy of Brigitta of the White Forest
A copy of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade
A tote bag for The Golden Pathway (I am so addicted to tote bags)
Magnets with cover art from Connection and its sequel Filtration System

Fabulous end of the summer fun for lovers of children’s lit.

It’s a warm space to have a book launch and to participate in author discussions at their book clubs. Last month I was the “official book” for their 3 & 4th graders’ Book Burglars Book Club. Christianne and program assistant (and poet extraordinairre) Laura Farina provided all the fun. I just had to show up, answer questions, eat strawberries, and play White Forest pictionary.

Christianne holds the whiteboard during White Forest Pictionary

The Lyceum folks supplied us with these nifty crossword puzzles . . . well, they actually gave us blank versions which we had to fill in. Yes, including me.

There were two answers I couldn’t figure out! But, Christianne said not to worry – most authors can’t finish the crossword puzzles for their own books.

The Crown Jewel of the evening was this whimsical poem (below) co-created by everyone there.  The amazing Lauren asked all of us questions about the book then typed up our answers (in a special Lauren-esque kind of way) . I had two kids sign it, in case they get famous some day. Gotta think ahead to my retirement.

And with these precocious ones, I’d say there’s a pretty good chance they’re going somewhere! They were mighty  clever.

Beth Bence Reinke is a professional dietitian turned picture-book author. After her book was released, I sent her some questions about the picture book life to find out how one ends up writing in this genre. (are picture books a genre?)

In My Bath is about a little boy’s adventure as he imagines splashing through his bath with different kinds of water-loving animals.

~     ~     ~

DD: Your educational background is a mix of biology, education, and nutrition. It sounds like the makings of a science teacher. What were your career goals while in school?

BBR: Science teacher is correct! I graduated with a degree in biology and secondary education, prepared to teach high school biology. Instead, I went to graduate school and became a dietitian. While writing my master’s thesis, I found that I loved the writing process, but longed to write something fun. While working as a dietitian, I took some writing classes and followed my dream.

DD: What made you take the leap into writing picture books?

BBR: After my children were born, I really wanted to stay at home with them instead of commuting 80 miles a day to my hospital job. Since I already loved writing, doing it from home as a career made sense.

DD: I’ve never written a picture book. I imagine that they look deceptively easy to write, and I gather it’s harder than people think to write a good one. What do you think is the most challenging aspect of writing for this audience?

BBR: For me, the hardest part is writing a captivating story in few words. In My Bath is for toddlers up through second grade. For the most part, it only has one sentence per page, so it is short. I hope kids will want it read to them over and over, and parents won’t mind because it is a quick read.

DD: What do you think makes a picture book project attractive to publishers?

BBR: Illustrations are critical for picture books, so I think it’s important for the text to have good illustration potential. It also has to be an interesting story that kids and parents will want to read again and again.

DD: I’ve heard that authors don’t really get much say in the illustration of their books. My guess is this might be different when working with a small press? Is this your experience?

BBR: I think authors at 4RV Publishing have more say than at most publishers in that we get to see sample illustrations and choose which we prefer. I fell in love with the sample illustrations Ginger Nielson submitted for my book. Once Ginger was assigned to the project, I didn’t see the rest of the artwork until it was finished. The Art Director sent me an author proof of the book to approve before it was finalized. I was so pleased with the whole process and the organized, professional way the 4RV Publishing team worked together.

DD: I’ve been to your nutrition blog and you offer some great tips/advice. Any thoughts on taking your articles and publishing a non-fiction book?

BBR: Thanks for visiting Food & Faith, my nutrition blog. I wrote a proposal for a nutrition book, complete with three sample chapters. But there are soooo many nutrition books out there and it seems like everything has already been done. If the right idea came along, I would love to do a book about eating well.

DD: And, I have to ask, you’re into NASCAR? Really? How did a dietitian get into watching NASCAR?

BBR: Yep, really – LOL. I’m a devoted fan. When my older son was little, he loved matchbox cars, many of which feature NASCAR stock car paint schemes. Soon he was learning about drivers and asking to watch races on television. I watched with him and got totally hooked. Now I’m in a fantasy NASCAR league and just finished writing a devotional book for female racing fans. It’s called Race Fans’ Devotions to Go and will be released in spring 2011.

DD: I had no idea there was a fantasy NASCAR league or that there would be a niche market for devotions for female racing fans. I guess that’s the answer – find your niche!

Now how about a picture book involving matchbox racecars?

by 4RV Publishing (ages 4-8) ISBN-13:978-0-9825886-6-6

Beth’s book In My Bath is available now. Her second picture book A Wish and a Prayer (she’s on a roll!) will be released this summer as well.

Thanks, Beth!

Danika answers questions from the audience

Christianne introduces the event

A new fan

Faerie cookies!

If you’d like me to make an appearance on your blog, let me know!

Blogs where I will be interviewed include:

June 14 – Carla Mooney’s Writing and Reading

June 18 – Amy Allgeyer Cook’s The Invisible Sister

June 21 – Donna McDine’s Write What Inspires You

June 25 – Beth Bence Reinke’s Book Basket

June 28 – Miriam Forster’s Dancing with Dragons is Hard on your Shoes

Brigitta of the White Forest

The book is almost here (!) and with it will come both physical and virtual tours and parties.

My virtual FACEBOOK LAUNCH PARTY is happening now until the publication date. The official Brigitta of the White Forest facebook page will be launched soon as well.

A Blog Book Tour will commence on June 7th. Specific dates TBA.

The Vancouver Launch Party is Friday, June 18 @ 6:30 PM at Christianne’s Lyceum. There will be snacks and juice for kids and wine for adults (well, they can have snacks, too).

The Seattle launch party is TBA.

Check back for updates soon!

For the List of Blogs on Carla’s Tour CLICK HERE

Owen and the Dragon
by Carla Mooney
Soto Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-9821711-7-2

Owen is a ten-year old boy who has just moved to a new town and left behind his best friend and everything familiar to him. Unable to face unpacking his room, Owen decides to explore the woods behind his new home. He is stunned to discover a dragon named Phineas. Owen soon gains the dragon’s trust and learns that Phineas has lost the ability to fly. As he struggles to find a way for the dragon to return home, Owen learns friendship can be found in unexpected places.

Fresh from the launch of Owen and the Dragon, fellow Indie Debuter Carla Mooney talks with me about her writing life.

Carla, after college, you were about as far away from Children’s Lit as possible, with degrees in accounting and finance. What made you turn to writing for kids?

A little over three years ago, my youngest son was diagnosed with leukemia. Spending so much time with him in hospitals and at home, I decided to take an online writing class to give me something to take my mind off all of his medical issues. I had always loved writing in school and did a fair amount of business writing. Once I took the children’s writing class, however, I was hooked.

Does anything from those degrees transfer into this new realm?

Definitely! Organization, ability to meet deadlines, planning, research, communication skills are all things I used daily in the finance world that are important for writers. I keep very detailed “to do” lists so that I know what I need to do each day/week to meet my deadlines and goals.

Great skills to have for all artists and writers. I know I could be more organized with my writing. Perhaps you could teach a class on being an organized artist?

What inspired the idea for Owen and the Dragon? Did you have an imaginary dragon as a child?

I did not have an imaginary dragon although that would have been fun! Owen was inspired from my own son, Tommy. We had just moved across the state to our current home and he was having a hard time finding new friends and leaving behind his next door best friends. So Owen was modeled a bit after him.

Are we going to hear more from Owen or have you moved on to something else?

I would love to do a sequel to Owen if the time was right. Currently, however, I’m working on a new book that features Owen’s next door neighbor Izzy. She was such a great character, I wanted her to have her own story.

It’s amazing how characters come to life like that. They all come with their own stories.

I noticed your first book Amazing Africa Projects You Can Build Yourself is a book of creative projects for kids. How did this book come about? Have you been to Africa?

This book is part of a series by Nomad Press, all of which have 25 projects. I was given the broad topic of Africa, but after a lot of research came up with the format and projects myself. I have actually been on safari to Kenya about 10 years ago, it was my most memorable trips. I’d love to take my children there when they get a bit older.

You have another coming out called George Washington Projects You Can Build Yourself. Have you always been this crafty? Did you sit home as a child and create things from objects around the house?

Coming up with the crafts for these books is one of my favorite parts of the research. I did a lot of crafts as a kid – always making things for my mom for mother’s day, etc. Now I use my kids and some of the neighborhood kid as project testers – I’ve had them making candles, masks, wigs and all kinds of things around the kitchen table. Testing the crafts is important – there are always some that look good on paper, but don’t really quite work out in real life!

All the neighborhood kids must love to come to your house.  I know I would have as a kid. Thanks, Carla!

To find out more about Carla and her books, or to listen to her podcast interview on Book Bites for Kids, go to Carla’s WEBSITE.

Also, Indie Debuter Carla Mooney’s book Owen and the Dragon has just been released! She’s on a multi-blog tour right now. You can find her touring these blogs:

Monday, May 10 – Amy Cook’s blog The Invisible Sister

Wednesday, May 12 – Miriam Forster’s Dancing with Dragons is Hard on Your Shoes (ain’t that the truth!)

Friday, May 14 -  Here at The White Fores!

Wednesday, May 19 – Jo Ramsey’s Where Fantasy and Reality Collide

Friday, May 21 – Donna McDine’s The Golden Pathway

Monday, May 24 – Scott Heydt’s Mice Don’t Taste Like Chicken

Tuesday, May 25 – Lori Calabrese’s blog

So join Carla on her tour to congratulate her and learn all about her debut children’s novel, which I must say sounds like a bucket of fun.

TEN STORIES UP Review of Brigitta of the White Forest