We are so excited to share this with you. Here is the badge they sent us. The actually certificate is in the mail.
Monday, March 25, 2013
2013 KART Kids Book List Award Winner
Wow! Words cannot begin to describe how great it feels to have I Love the Changing Seasons selected as one of the winners of the 2013 KART Kids Book List Awards! It is an awesome feeling.
We are so excited to share this with you. Here is the badge they sent us. The actually certificate is in the mail.
Also, don't forget that this is the last week to enter to win on our Facebook Giveaway page. And this is the last week to take advantage of the $1.50 off of Monster Beneath my Bed. Check out previous posts for more information.
We are so excited to share this with you. Here is the badge they sent us. The actually certificate is in the mail.
Friday, March 15, 2013
Bully Troubles is coming along...
Clark is working real hard on getting the illustrations drawn for each chapter. Of course, being the perfectionist that he is, he draws, he erases, and he draws again. He has finished the cover. Here it is:
There is still a change or two I may make before it is truly finished. Specifically, near the top is an option to include a quote. I think I may choose a line from the book, but I'm still milling it around.
In the meantime, I am working on editing and rewriting. So far, the chapter taking the largest number of red ink marks is chapter one. Not really sure why that is. Perhaps, because it was the first I wasn't quite in the flow of the story yet? Either way, I am really happy with how it is coming along.
I still need to write the description for the back of the book and for the websites that carry our titles. I want to portray the story without telling the story. Sometimes I wish I could hire somebody to do that part for me.
We don't have a release date, yet. We are aiming for August. The thirteenth or the twentieth, probably. We will continue to keep you posted as we get closer.
There is still a change or two I may make before it is truly finished. Specifically, near the top is an option to include a quote. I think I may choose a line from the book, but I'm still milling it around.
In the meantime, I am working on editing and rewriting. So far, the chapter taking the largest number of red ink marks is chapter one. Not really sure why that is. Perhaps, because it was the first I wasn't quite in the flow of the story yet? Either way, I am really happy with how it is coming along.
I still need to write the description for the back of the book and for the websites that carry our titles. I want to portray the story without telling the story. Sometimes I wish I could hire somebody to do that part for me.
We don't have a release date, yet. We are aiming for August. The thirteenth or the twentieth, probably. We will continue to keep you posted as we get closer.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Adventures of Bear B & Stone: Bully Troubles FINISHED!!!
I am so excited to announce that I wrote the final chapter of Adventures of Bear B & Stone: Bully Troubles today! After months of suffering from writer's block and compounding that with life, I was beginning to wonder if it would ever be finished. I didn't think I could find a way out of the corner that I had written myself into. At times, I thought that I may just have to trash the entire story and start over. Today, I put the finishing touches on the final chapter. I am really happy with the ending. It took a lot of work, and there is still a lot of work to get done. Clark now needs to read through it to get a better understanding of the story. Then, he will begin putting together the illustrations. These will be black & white and only one illustration per chapter. It ended up being eleven chapters long. Then comes the long and tedious process of editing and building the book. After that, it will be ready for the printers. As we get closer to finished, I will select a release date. Stay tuned for the announcement!
Friday, March 8, 2013
Blocked no more...
Wow! What a GREAT way to end my writer's block. I have had Adventures of Bear B & Stone: Bully Trouble on the shelf for months. Today, I decided to pick it up again and see what I could do. At first, I did a little editing, a few changes among the chapters, and was not sure that there would be anything more than that. Once those changes were in place in the earlier chapters, I became inspired. It wasn't long before I began writing again. I managed to finish the chapter I was stuck on. I had gotten only a couple of paragraphs to that chapter before hanging it up. I also finished another chapter completely. It seemed to just keep flowing.
I am now on what I believe might just be the final chapter in this leg of their journey. Everything is coming to a head. The bullies are at their very worst, but Bear B & Stone have reached their breaking point. They are standing their ground. Where I left it off, something has gone terribly awry. Now, I just have to figure out how things are going to go from here for the next few paragraphs. After that, I already know the final stages of this incredible twist in the story and what the ultimate outcome will be.
After that, it is ready for Clark to design the illustrations that will accompany each chapter. Then, his final contribution will be cover design. Once he has handed over all these drawings, I will be ready to compile the final product and submit it for publication.
I will continue to keep you updated, and as we get closer to the release of Adventures of Bear B & Stone: Bully Trouble, I will let you know the release date. I am so excited to be getting so close to completing this my biggest children's project yet!
I am now on what I believe might just be the final chapter in this leg of their journey. Everything is coming to a head. The bullies are at their very worst, but Bear B & Stone have reached their breaking point. They are standing their ground. Where I left it off, something has gone terribly awry. Now, I just have to figure out how things are going to go from here for the next few paragraphs. After that, I already know the final stages of this incredible twist in the story and what the ultimate outcome will be.
After that, it is ready for Clark to design the illustrations that will accompany each chapter. Then, his final contribution will be cover design. Once he has handed over all these drawings, I will be ready to compile the final product and submit it for publication.
I will continue to keep you updated, and as we get closer to the release of Adventures of Bear B & Stone: Bully Trouble, I will let you know the release date. I am so excited to be getting so close to completing this my biggest children's project yet!
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Broken Mental Health System...
As most of you know by now, we have two special needs children. Our daughter was recently diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Basically, she worries about EVERYTHING beyond what is even normal for an adult. Forgetting her library book on library day causes a complete meltdown (yelling and throwing items included).
About 6 weeks ago, we found ourselves looking for a new place to go for therapy and help. We found one that has thus far been great. They are teaching her coping skills. They are teaching her how to recognize her anxiety beforehand. They are even helping her to learn to realize when she is overreacting.
Last night at her appointment, we had a bomb dropped on us. The children have state funded medicaid. It turns out that the 6 weeks of therapy (once a week for a total of 6 visits) plus the 2 visits with the psychiatrist for medication purposes brings us to 8 out of our limit of 20 visits for the year. Yes, you get TWENTY visits for a year. This is for all mental health related appointments. We are 2/5 of the way there already. How can that be. So, for a child whose problems are great and require intensive therapy (meeting at least once a week), the limit runs out mid may. When you add in that the child needs to be monitored for their medication, you run out even sooner than that.
Does anyone else see a problem with this? What are we supposed to do for the remainder of the year? Expect her to shelve her problems? Expect her (a 7 year old with anxiety issues) to figure it all out for herself. Before you suggest that we pay for the sessions ourselves, I already inquired about that. It turns out that because she has medicaid, they cannot EVER accept cash from us.
The mental health system is broken. While we hear about all kinds of problems and incidents that therapy could have helped prevent or helped someone cope with, the help is just not available. How many times have you heard someone say "why didn't they seek help?" when you hear a horrible tragedy has transpired on the news. Well, we now have the answer to that question. It is because the mental health system is broken.
About 6 weeks ago, we found ourselves looking for a new place to go for therapy and help. We found one that has thus far been great. They are teaching her coping skills. They are teaching her how to recognize her anxiety beforehand. They are even helping her to learn to realize when she is overreacting.
Last night at her appointment, we had a bomb dropped on us. The children have state funded medicaid. It turns out that the 6 weeks of therapy (once a week for a total of 6 visits) plus the 2 visits with the psychiatrist for medication purposes brings us to 8 out of our limit of 20 visits for the year. Yes, you get TWENTY visits for a year. This is for all mental health related appointments. We are 2/5 of the way there already. How can that be. So, for a child whose problems are great and require intensive therapy (meeting at least once a week), the limit runs out mid may. When you add in that the child needs to be monitored for their medication, you run out even sooner than that.
Does anyone else see a problem with this? What are we supposed to do for the remainder of the year? Expect her to shelve her problems? Expect her (a 7 year old with anxiety issues) to figure it all out for herself. Before you suggest that we pay for the sessions ourselves, I already inquired about that. It turns out that because she has medicaid, they cannot EVER accept cash from us.
The mental health system is broken. While we hear about all kinds of problems and incidents that therapy could have helped prevent or helped someone cope with, the help is just not available. How many times have you heard someone say "why didn't they seek help?" when you hear a horrible tragedy has transpired on the news. Well, we now have the answer to that question. It is because the mental health system is broken.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Monster March
March is reading month! Our daughter's school is doing a theme of "Monster Mash," so to honor March Reading Month and the "Monster Mash" we are offering $1.50 off of the cover price of "Monster Beneath my Bed". Offer good only through CreateSpace and only valid through March 31st. Simply enter discount code U9GUN2HT at the checkout.
PS: Don't forget you can still enter to win over on the Giveaway page!
PS: Don't forget you can still enter to win over on the Giveaway page!
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