Poetry Friday Roundup, Y'all!

An InLinkz Link-up

Olive and the Great Flood

Today I have a great interview for you all. Connie Arnold has a new picture book out. It’s called Olive and the Great Flood and I jumped at the chance to join her blog tour. First, I want to say the illustrations done by Kathleen Bullock are beautiful. The story of Olive (the dove Noah sent to find dry ground) published by Guardian Angel Publishing is a charming rhymer with gorgeous art that pops. Check out that gorgeous cover. 

Olive doesn’t say a word (of course), but she is a well thought out character. I loved reading this delightful Bible story again and again and you will too. Olive keeps the other animals on the ark calm by lulling them to sleep with soft, peaceful songs.

It’s a joyful, rhythmic, fun picture book that children will want to read over and over again. Olive and the Great Flood is sure to become a classic.

So please welcome Connie.

Connie, Olive and the Great Flood is so fun to read. Where did you get the idea to write it?

The thought just sort of popped into my head when I was thinking about Noah, the ark and the flood, about what an important part the dove had in the story. Along with that was the thought of pictures of a dove with the olive branch or leaf in its mouth depicting peace, and Olive came to life as a peaceful bird who wanted to help the other animals.

You had to be excited to find out that Kathleen was going to be the illustrator. Did you all talk about the art? Did she ask for your opinions?

I had only seen book covers and a few illustrations that Kathleen had done and am thrilled at how her illustrations for Olive and the Great Flood turned out! As with my two previous books, I provided the text, the publisher provided the illustrator, who did the art. I never saw any until all was finished. A most pleasant surprise!

Do you have plans for future stories taken from the Bible?

There is nothing specific I have planned at this time. I would love to write something else but need to get the inspiration first. I do have another book coming from Guardian Angel Publishing, but it is not a Bible story and will be my first without rhymes.

Can you tell us about your experience writing this particular picture book? How long did t take you to finish it? Did the words just spill out onto the page? *wink*

Good one, Robyn! It really didn’t take long to write the first draft. Then I kept reading it, putting it aside for a while, reading again, making changes, then submitted to critique group, who made several suggestions. Writing a children’s book is always challenging, but when you are doing it in rhyme with rhythms that must be perfect, that steps up the challenge considerably!

You make writing picture books look so easy with your wonderful stories. You know that I know it just ain’t easy. Ha. But please, some words of wisdom for the writers who are reading this.

There are a few things I think are important to keep in mind: get your thoughts down when you have the inspiration and don’t wait; once it is written you can go back and do the proofreading and corrections; have someone else read it and give you their opinion; put it aside for a while and come back to it fresh; and read it aloud to yourself or someone else.

Best and worst part of being a writer?

Best is the positive feedback when you discover that someone loves what you wrote, and worst is having a great story going and getting stuck and unable to finish it satisfactorily.

Connie, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing your story with us.

It has been my pleasure, Robyn! Thank you for being a valuable part of my tour for Olive and the Great Flood. I will check in for comments and to answer any questions that someone might have.

You heard that, y'all. Ask away. Don't forget, you'll be entered into the giveaways.

Thanks for reading!

Links for book:

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Olive-Great-Flood-Connie-Arnold/dp/1616335920/ref=sr_1_8?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1423498341&sr=1-8&keywords=connie+arnold

Guardian Angel Publishing - http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/olive.htm

Connie’s blog for tour schedule and prizes - http://childrensauthorconniearnold.blogspot.com

Those who comment will be entered to drawings for two prizes, a copy of my first children’s book, Animal Sound Mix-up, and a gold dove windchime.

,

YaY For Poetry Friday

My haiku is an ode to our weather this past week. :-)

Ice spills from the sky
numbing frosting bitter chill
alabaster haze


Please visit Linda Baie at Teacher Dance to read more poetry. 

It's another Poetry Friday. I'm scheduled to host the first Friday in March. My first time hosting. Can anyone say tension headache? I might run and hide under the bed. :-) I have another haiku for today. After all, it IS Haiku month. Feedback ALWAYS welcome. Thanks for stopping by and reading. 

Springtime peeping through
brilliant butter daffodils
clusters spray the fields

Pop over to Elizabeth Steinglass and see the other poems.

Mr. Ed's Ode To Phyll

It's Time For Punxsutawney Phyllis's 10th Anniversary Birthday Bonanza!!

WOOHOO! Phyll(is) (the character written by Susanna Hill and illustrated by Jeffery Ebbeler) is 10-years-old! YEAH MAN! Phyll has been to our house twice. (You remember the race?) You don't? WHEW. And well...well...Mr. Ed has...*sniff* fallen for her. He knows he cannot fulfill his dream of a life with her. SO SAD, y'all. SO SAD.

I copied the rules from Susanna's blog. You didn't think I was gonna type all that stuff out, did ya? 

*ahem* 

If you wrote a poem for Phyllis, and/or have photographs, drawings, videos, or other fun feature accompaniments, please add your post-specific blog link to the list below, or post your poem etc in the comments, or Email it to me and I'll post it for you so that we can all enjoy everyone's creativity!

Maybe Phyllis and I will pick some top finishers, or maybe we'll have a vote later in the week, but either way, some people will win a signed copy of PUNXSUTAWNEY PHYLLIS (if there's anyone left on earth who doesn't already have one or who wants another for someone), a signed copy of Pat Miller's wonderful SUBSTITUTE GROUNDHOG along with audio CD!, and there will be some other non-groundhog-day-related picture books up for grabs too.

ON WITH IT. First the poem and then poor Mr. Ed reciting it for Phyll is on FB.

Mr.Ed’s ode to Phyll

You mean the world to me, Phyll

Your forecasts fit the bill.

That day we rode to victory,

 It wasn’t a mystery.

 Honey, we just clicked,

 No one could predict.

 Our close relationship,

when I saw you take that dip.

In your bikini on that day,

all my thoughts were in disarray.

We decided ours was not to be,

You and I had to (mostly) agree.

That friendship is much better,

So I trashed the old love letter.

Besides my dear sweet Phyll,

I can’t afford your food bill. (I havta eat!) Neighhhh!

Happy 10^th birthday.

Love,  Mr. Ed

Blogger wouldn't upload my video. PSHAW! I posted it on facebook Robyn's other home. If you care to have a looksee. DRAT, Blooger! DRAT, I say DRAT!  It's being all wonky and everything.

Poetry Friday

My haiku for Poetry Friday. Sorry, I've been slack in posting. My computer has had some serious problems. Today, I have to erase it. I just hope that fixes everything. 

winter's tempest boils                                      
cloudburst rushes in whiteout
bare branches adorned.







For more Poetry Friday, please hop over to the host for today These Four Corners and read more great poetry. YEAH!

Poetry Friday

Time for Poetry Friday. My poetic well dried up this week during MOP. I wrote some poems...that pretty much stink. So I give you a poem that sprang out of the dry well. It doesn't stink quite as much as the others. Go to Live Your Poem (What a cool name) to see the other Poetry Friday thoughts. Irene Latham hosts this week. (She eats words for breakfast.)

I search my mind
for a great rhyme, 
I only need
one perfect line.
Just an ode
or a word
lyrical preferred.
A song or long verse
because nothing's
worse,
than a poet
who doesn't
know it.

Thanks for reading.