Free Book Download

To celebrate Cassie's 8th Birthday we are offering a FREE download of her first illustrated book, "Be Yourself."

Now I have to go get the cake ready! Have a fabulous day!

Do Kindle books count as the "real thing"

My first attempt at Kindle self publishing is LIVE! You can take a look at the book "Be Yourself" at the Amazon Kindle Store.

When I checked this morning to see if it was "published", my daughter said, "Is it there? Can we buy it now?"

Being in the newspaper publishing business for as many years I have, I sometimes think of print as the only "real" thing. There is something very satisfying about seeing your name in print. Reading your words on paper, knowing that hundreds (thousands) of copies are out and about in the hands of others.

I am still holding on hope for that published book (says every writer every where), but I am.  The Kindle version of self publishing though is right up there. Especially to a seven year old, who of course is now working on more illustrations. And maybe it means even more to her, growing up with Kindle books as "normal" books. To her it's the "real thing."

I would say writing is a narcissistic passion; but I don't believe it. I've written too many anonymous blogs to say I want people to give me all the attention. It's more like a constant need to create; to bring in to existence those ideas, words, stories that circulate in your brain.  

So whether or not you get the "real thing"...  creating is what matters.

Now I have to try to tell that to my daughter, who said, "I get 50% right?"

Getting things done sometimes requires a child's help

Nike inspired millions with the, "Just do it" motto.

My daughter inspires me with the same.

In August she and I worked on a story together. "What can you draw?" I asked.

"Turtles, butterflies and flowers are my best," she said.

So the story about Trudy the Turtle was born. Cassie made quick work of the illustration and I have kept in an envelope in my drawer; waiting. Waiting for wait? I don't know.

So last night, I thought, "just do it." So my first attempt at kindle formatting began with the story, "Be Yourself". I'm still waiting for the "in review" process to finish, so no links to share. It amazes me how easy it is to create and share with the world.

I'm glad I have a great daughter who inspires me to keep trying.

There is no reason to wait. As Trudy the Turtle says, "Being the best you is all you can do!"

Blueberry

Title: Blueberry Finds a Home

Synopsis:  

Childhood is all about the magic of maybe — maybe there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, maybe there will be a day when a magic cape can make us fly, and maybe bluebirds can talk.  Enjoy the magic of ordinary days with Cassie and her feathered friend, Blueberry.  In the book Blueberry Finds a Home we take an imaginative and playful look at how sometimes being the youngest in the family leaves you feeling excluded, but working together can remind us that  being there for each other is what really matters. 

Characters:

Blueberry - Young, bright blue bird. Fits in the size of a six year old’s palm, maybe the size of a tennis ball. He is alone, because his parents/siblings flew south for the winter and he was too small to go along. He can talk, he is animated and cheerful and spunky!

Family:

Cassie, Max, Zach 

Dog - no preference

My thoughts on the story and hopes for the book:   I like stories that I can read to my kids, the ones that mirror real life but with a hint of magic. I like the idea of keeping it all in the real world but allowing the obviously impossible to happen, with the talking bird. The story is never climatic — it is one of those feel good books that leaves you saying, the moral of the story is to be kind to one another. 

This is the series I've created for my youngest. We've told countless Blueberry stories, most still live only in my head, but a few have made their way to the computer. "Blueberry Finds a Home"  is the closest to being book ready... only the illustrations are missing!

Words that water

I decided tonight to just sit down and start a website. A place to promote what I hope (someday) will be my books. I have so many of them inside my head, that I thought I'd try a few ideas out on the world.  I have three wonderful kids and ever since I can remember I have been telling them stories, just like my dad used to tell me.

He had an ongoing narrative about a bug named Neat-o Mosquito and everyone in the family had a bug named after them, I was Kelli the beetle. I still am quite jealous that two of my sisters were chosen as a butterfly and dragonfly. I do find solace, as the beetle, that my oldest sister was an ant.  I remember my dad telling the stories when we were camping, all of us laying quietly in the dark, as he entertained our little brains, until somehow we drifted to sleep — or he did.  I love those memories.

Those are the words that water. Those words plant little seeds of love, of hope, of dreams and they grow... into a love of reading and writing that I just never seem to get enough of. Please feel free to comment or leave advice and opinions. I hope that this page inspires you to do some word watering of your own... creating is living.