Yo! Little Miss Muffet, Y'all! After You Read This Post, Scroll Down To See The Trailer For Little Miss Muffet. :-)

Iza Trapani’s new picture book, Little Miss Muffet is delightfully done and had this family smiling the day away. The illustrations are so enjoyable and it was such a pleasure to read.

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet

Eating her curds and whey.

Along came a spider

Who sat down beside her

And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Poor, poor little Miss Muffet! She just has to get away from that terrifying spider. But how?  The mouse sends her outside, where she runs into a leaping frog, a cackling crow, and other creatures, before she goes back inside again. Iza’s use of in and out, up and down, over and under, beside and behind, makes this story come alive for little ones. 

It’s fun to follow Miss Muffet to see what will happen to her next. Her facial expressions are so authentic that you might think she’s going to pop right out of the story and hide behind you.

Tired of the usual Miss Muffet escapades? Then you must read Iza Trapani’s version that will keep you giggling all day long. The little ones in your life will ask you to read it over and over again! 

Iza  has bookmarks and 'super fun to do' activity sheets to download here. 

Visit Iza's website anytime. She will welcome you with open arms.

Please come back Friday September 20^th for a special interview with Iza and enter to win her beautiful rendition of Little Miss Muffet for yourself.

Little Miss Muffet by Iza Trapani book trailer

CasaStorm Peeps! Plus, I Fixed My Comment Page. Downer:I Lost All The Comments That Were Ever written.

Firstly, CONGRADS ALEX!!!!!!!!! I bet Mrs. Ninja is treating you to a night on the town tomorrow night celebrating the release of your last book in the Cassa trilogy!    

Here's little mini Alex with CassaStorm. Isn't he the cutest thing?? Come on. You know he is.                   

Secondly, buy the book people. Love sci-fi? Me too. Scroll down for the linkage. Buy it! You will NOT be disappointed. *pinky promise*

Thirdly, pop over and comment on Alex’s blog this week for a chance to win a Cassa mug, mousepad, magnet, and swag! You know you wanna. Go on. I'll wait!!

 Just look at all that stuff!!!!!! WOWEEE! (Robyn's eyes pop out of her head.)

We ( those of us helping Alex to take the world by storm!) had to ask THE ninja captain a question. The following was mine. Lamo question? I think not! 

If you could live one week as one of your characters, who would it be? And would Mrs. Ninja mind the change?

I’d want to be Byron and I’d live the week he spent with Athee traveling from Tgren to Cassa in the second book. They bonded during that trip and you know what that means!

Of course, Mrs. Ninja would have to be Athee…

Great answer pal! I do. I know what that means!     

CassaStorm

By Alex J Cavanaugh

From the Amazon Best Selling Series!

A storm gathers across the galaxy…

Commanding the Cassan base on Tgren, Byron thought he’d put the days of battle behind him. As a galaxy-wide war encroaches upon the desert planet, Byron’s ideal life is threatened and he’s caught between the Tgrens and the Cassans.

After enemy ships attack the desert planet, Byron discovers another battle within his own family. The declaration of war between all ten races triggers nightmares in his son, threatening to destroy the boy’s mind.

Meanwhile the ancient alien ship is transmitting a code that might signal the end of all life in the galaxy. And the mysterious probe that almost destroyed Tgren twenty years ago could return. As his world begins to crumble, Byron suspects a connection. The storm is about to break, and Byron is caught in the middle…

“…the racial conflicts propelled much of the plot in this story, driving home a message that's relevant to our own world and giving the book an interesting texture.”
- C. Lee. McKenzie, author of Alligators Overhead

“CassaStorM is a touching and mesmerizing space opera full of action and emotion with strong characters and a cosmic mystery.” – Edi’s Book Lighhouse

$16.95 USA, 6x9 Trade paperback, 268 pages, Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

Science fiction/adventure and science fiction/space opera

Print ISBN 9781939844002 eBook ISBN 9781939844019

$4.99 EBook available in all formats

Find CassaStorm:

Barnes and Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1116848619?ean=9781939844002

Amazon -

http://www.amazon.com/CassaStorm-Alex-J-Cavanaugh/dp/1939844002/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378484337&sr=1-1&keywords=cassastorm

Amazon Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/CassaStorm-ebook/dp/B00F2O9QMC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1378811366&sr=1-1&keywords=cassastorm

Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17670532-cassastorm

Book trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Umm2l0XdHc&feature=youtu.be

Alex J. Cavanaugh has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and works in web design and graphics. He is experienced in technical editing and worked with an adult literacy program for several years. A fan of all things science fiction, his interests range from books and movies to music and games. Online he is the Ninja Captain and founder of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group. The author of the Amazon bestsellers, CassaStar and CassaFire, he lives in the Carolinas with his wife.

And y'all know I love the Carolinas! I mean, the sky you gaze at is Carolina blue. 'Nuff said? Proof in the pudding?? I think so!

Thank for reading. Go buy the book. You will NOT be able to put it down.

Emotion Commotion!

"I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because I wanted it to be in A #1, picture-perfect shape.(Only Grammarly can do that, y'all!) And because Grammarly wants Hollywood to make my novel into a motion picture. (*ahem* I did promise Grammarly he could have a starring role.) You don't think that's why he wants Hollywood to make the movie do you???

Isn't is fun to say emotion commotion? Kinda rolls off your tongue, doesn't it? I've been thinking a lot about emotion lately. I'm adding lots more of it, as I make the final pass through my novel. I read a great quote from Jessica Page Morrell. "No feelings in the writer, no feelings in the reader." WOWZA! That speaks volumes, doesn't it? I already knew I was going to have to do this peeps. It had me worried because I didn't want the girls to be all sappy. I want the readers to feel like they're lost with the girls. I want the readers to be in the story as they read it. It goes without saying that writing emotion is showing. I mean, I'm not gonna have a character say, "I'm going to weep now." I'm going to show the tears. Draw a picture in the minds of the readers.

So I'm taking every scene from each chapter and working my way through. It's a big job, but someones gotta do it! Striking a fine balance. That's what this is all about. How are my readers going to care about my characters if I write stiff, cardboard like characters who giggle their way through the story? The first draft I never worry about this stuff. I just want to get the draft on paper. I wait until I make my final pass and then add the emotion.

Every action has a reaction. Especially in writing. I never want to forget that.

clichés

clichés

clichés

So the game is on. I hope to get a chapter a day done and then send it to betas to make sure I have done the job. How do you get your emotion commotion going?

Picture Books and Poetry

"I used Grammarly to grammar check this post, because it's smarter than me (sob) and smarter than my computer too. Can you believe that? It's true peeps! Y'all have to try it."

Picture books and poetry. I'm trying to write some poetry. And ever since I started, I've been reminded of how much picture books and poetry are alike. Even in non-rhyming picture books there's a rhythm that must be achieved. I've struggled to define rhythm for the longest time inside my head. I've decided that rhythm is the music in poetry and picture books. If I think of it that way, I can understand it and use it to my advantage when writing.

While writing my picture book stories I am trying to write poetry at the same time. That's really how I noticed the two are interwoven. I write a picture book rough draft and then a poem. I'm getting better. Finally.

I really got interested in poetry through an old writing friend, (Pat) Tricia O'Brien. She's so cool and her haiku is simply the best! Head over and visit her.

Even though back then I didn't take it seriously, now I have because I understand it much better through the picture books I've written. When I read picture books aloud, I realize that when I pause for that expected lull, it's the same with poems. The illustrations in picture books combine with the text to make a special kind of music.

Want to keep your mind occupied? Pick up some picture books and read that effortless poetry the writer is expressing. 

I'm getting by to see you guys this week. Christopher has had a headache for three months. Most days it's a 10 on the pain scale of 1-10. We found a new neurologist, but we can't see him until Sept. 19th.

BTW, I made a mistake when I decided to do disqus. Anyone know how I can get rid of it? Is it just something that will forever follow me everywhere I go or can I shake it? 

I have left disqus, but it must have gotten mad, because now NO ONE can comment. I have help on the way though. My ninja captain i.e. Alex Cavanaugh is going to appeal to his followers for help. He's so cool! Thanks Alex!

Heard of Emblazon?

Today is the launch of Emblazon. That's a site that's all about tween lit, peeps. Traditionally published and self published authors have come together, (Hmm, I'm humming a Beatles tune all of a sudden. Wonder why?) to bring the world of tween literature to your fingertips. Check out Tween the Weekends.

From the website:

Tween the Weekends is a monthly feature hosted right here on Emblazon. This is an opportunity for writers and readers to promote tween literature, that age bracket squashed between middle grade and young adult. You can review a great tween book, post about writing for kids, connect with others who love the genre, support and encourage one another, relate news, share links, or just about anything else tween related. Let’s celebrate tween literature!

There's a contest going on over there right now too, peeps.Pop over and peep around.  Here's the linkage: Emblazon, what a great name. 

I scheduled this to go off, if the link doesn't work, call my secretary. *wink*

Do You Take Critique Well? Or Do You Sulk And Throw Stuff At Your Computer?

(I know. Doesn't seem to go. But these two make having a thick skin positively required.) *sigh*
To get back to my question, I do the latter. *wink* *wink* Naw. I think I take it pretty well. I'm grateful to have such fantastic writer buds who have made my writing so much better. (I have a special shout-out to three writer pals from our MPBM FB group. Making Picture Book Magic is Susanna Hill's picture book class.)  Their links are at the bottom of this post. Go visit them peeps. And a special shout and some smooches to my CP Cheryl Secomb. Cheryl, Susanna, and Kristen Fulton SAVED MY LIFE, man! Cheryl's actually my angel. Christopher has been really sick and she posted in our FB group for me. She went way beyond the friendship thing and ended up in Angel territory. Thanks pal! Thanks to all three of these talented, MARVELOUS pals. You guys rock!

Last week, I was invited by my friend and CP, Sharon Mayhew, to participate in this "blog hop interview." The idea is this: She sent me some interview questions, which I answer, and at the end I tag 3 other writers who will in turn answer the same questions on their blogs this week. Please check out Sharon's answers to the questions at her blog, S.K. Mayhew, Kid Lit Writer. Feel free to leave a comment and tell her it's from me. *waves to Sharon*

So on with the show, y'all!


1. What are you working on right now? I am working on two picture books and I'm revising a MG. Plus, a few more picture books warming on the stove and my YA fictional story about Nancy Hanks, Abe Lincoln's mama warming in the oven. 

2. How does your writing process work? WOW. My process is as clumsy as they come. I love to write in the mornings, but that's not always possible on the farm. I mean, who knows. An unexpected urge to ride a horse may hit me after coffee and so there goes the morning. But the key is writing every day. And these days, with Christopher's problems, that is hard, but I'm still sticking to it. If you don't write every day, then how will you improve? It takes the BS&T folks. (Blood, sweat and tears.) And I am now perspiring blood, so I hope my time has come.

3. What is the hardest part about writing? SAY HUH??????!!!!!! You mean, what ain't hard?? Right? I guess the hardest part is actually sitting down and doing it. Nuff said.

4. Who are the authors you most admire? Oh wow. Let me talk about some unpubbed authors that I totally love and admire: Theresa Milstein, Cheryl Secomb, Sharon Mayhew, and published authors, my pal, Susanna Hill, my bbf, Iza Trapini, bestie, Lynn Kelley, Alex J. Cavanaugh (Sci-fi guy and ninja captain!)and Doreen Cronin. 

Please check out Sharon's answers to the questions at her blog, S.K Mayhew, Kid Lit Writer. Feel free to leave a comment and tell her I sent ya. *wink* *wink* 

Follow all of these extraordinary ladies, y'all. You'll be glad you did. P.S. Kristen writes non-fiction for all you non-fiction peeps. She started WOW, Non Fiction Picture Book Week which was last week and I know it was a rousing success. I actually surprised me and did four really, really, really rough draft non fiction stories. Really rough! YaY me!

I am tagging:

Cheryl Secomb

Susanna Hill

Kristen Fulton

Please stop by these blogs this week for glimpses into three authors' worlds. You'll be glad you did. 

As to Christopher, still no news. I'm not on much these days and I owe you guys visits and I'm getting around. Slowly. But we must have answers. Soon. This week, I hope. Thanks for thinking of us and for loving me. *group hug y'all*