LIPSMACKING RATTLESNAKE RECIPES from GRAN'S KITCHEN

Okay, you're going to read the book - right?

"Rattlesnake Jam"
Read about it HERE

Now , visit Gran's Kitchen, and taste the results of
Pa's hunting and Gran's cooking

YOUR mouth will water.
But. . . Get ready for your mom to faint!

So, listen Up!
Pa catches them, and Gran cooks them up into rattlesnake jam - BARF!

Pa Knows.
You'd like a bite of rattler, but you really don't fancy
eating Gran's jam - or wearing it!

Fear not!
Pa dug through gran's kitchen drawers and found some lipsmacking, recipies
that will rattle your taste buds, and slither down your throat.


Try Gran's yummy rattler recipes.
Gran's Kitchen has a few that won't freak your mom too much.

Keep your eye on Gran's Recipe Page!

( "Rattle" me a comment)

Website <><> "Musings"

GET the SKINNY on my NEW BOOK - "RATTLESNAKE JAM"

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON FOR

Publication of

"Rattlesnake Jam"
[Guardian Angel Publishing]

My New Picture Book is Wild and Wacky!

*Pa takes kids on a rattlesnake hunt. . .

*Gran fires up the stove for her famous rattlesnake jam. . .

*Pa dreams of rattlesnake pie, and rattlesnake fritters, and. . .

*Will Pa's dreams ever come true ?
*And does Gran's Rattlesnake Jam REALLY cure what ails you?

Told in rhyme,
The illustrations, by Kevin Scott Collier, are as wild and wacky
as Gran and Pa. . . fits them like a (snake) skin in fact!

VISIT with GRAN and PA on my WEBSITE

Gran, + Pa and the rattlesnakes, have a page
all to themselves.

I mean, I couldn't let all those rattlesnakes loose
on my writing help pages - now could I?

And what if a rattler snuck into my "Musings" file,
before I sent it to The Purple Crayon ? YIKES!!!

NOTE: Reluctant readers, on the other hand, must dive in
for the best results! A reading treat for all BOYS!

WARNING: Wear knee boots at all times when reading
this picture book. . . just in case!

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PUBLICATION DATE:
Pending. Updates soon. . .

(Would love your comments)

Website <> <> "Musings"

Kevin Scott Collier Offers - A POLL FOR ALL WRITING SEASONS

Kevin Scott Collier's
CHILDREN'S BOOK POLL CENTRAL
Surveying children's book authors, illustrators, editors, publishers
and readers about topics concerning the market.

CLICK HERE
to answer Kevin's poll for yourself.

Kevin's questions are ones we all want answered. And, clicking
to see how the majority of answers stack up beside ours is
both informative and fun. You will see that illustrating children's books
is only one of Kevin's talents. . .

However there were two questions I could not answer.

#1 -
Children love books about dogs and cats. Which animal, however,
is your child most likely to read a book about?

We are a family of animal lovers - ALL of them. At one time we had 7 cats, 3 dogs, a parrot + a budgie, 3 pygmy goats ( great lawnmowers if you stake them away from your shrubs and flowers), countless guinea pigs - also great lawnmowers when moved around within the confines of a large chicken wire surround. We also had tens of thousands of tropical fish and goldfish ( my husband's business) and wild deer, skunks, possums, hummingbirds and squirrels galore! How could I ever choose between cats and dogs for my POV characters?

And remember, some of my books feature platypus, Tasmanian devils
and grizzly bears - Kevin, have a heart, mate!!!

The other poll question I did not answer was equally perplexing:

#2 -
In YA novels, which of the four topics below in the content of a book make you feel the most uncomfortable and should be featured the least

*Domestic violence.
*Sexual situations.
*Inappropriate language.
*Implied or direct substance abuse.

Regrettably, all four of the above are a major part of many teen's daily lives. If you want to spice up your plot, or write characters who might have more teen appeal, my suggestion is strengthen your plot, and make your characters richer: more real and appealing. Adding any of the above four elements, as a HOOK to draw in readers, is dirty pool in my book.

However, if you are writing about circumstances and young characters that have these situations in their lives, and are struggling to be free of them, then by all means use words that paint a clear and damning picture of what these teens face. Life's realities are often far from "nice." A book that shows that a child can find help, can escape predators, and can turn away from bad things, is a wonderful and important way to help young people who face different degrees of torment, and are desperate to move in another direction.

So you see, I could not choose any one of the bad scenarios above as one I would not use in a book, due to my own discomfort or disapproval. In fact, if a book I wrote helped some teen find the courage to leave a bad situation behind, and begin a better life, then I would be glad and proud of any words or scenes I wrote, that helped him/her make that wise decision.

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This is not only a survey where your vote counts, but also serves as an online resource for individuals in the YA, tween and children's book market to view the results on various topics to sharpen their own custom marketing strategies.

( Your comments are very welcome)

My Website <> <> "Musings"

BLOG MANIA - Can it Help You PROMOTE or SELL Your Books

MUSINGS

for
May 2008

Blog Mania - Can it Help You?

Blogs are the latest craze. Everyone has one – or that’s the way it seems.
However, are they worth the time and effort it takes to keep them
amusing, on target, and up to date? And more importantly, do they
help you sell more children’s books?

Will Your Blog Help You Sell More Books?
I cannot make promises about a jump in your online book sales.
Much depends on your blog’s style, and whether it hooks viewers – or not.

Click this LINK to read my complete column in The Purple Crayon.

I would love your comments on Blogging.
Please hit Comments at the end of this post.

My Website

Cynthia Reeg and Mayra Calvani - BLOGGING for "ANGELS."

Cynthia Reeg and Mayra Calvani

Talented BLOGGERS Who Love to Promote "Angel" Writers!

("Guardian Angel Publishing's" Authors.)

This time it is my new book, that Cynthia chose to feature,

plus an interview of me by Mayra Calvani.

Illustrated in a wild and wacky style that fits my characters like
a (snake) skin, Kevin Scott Collier's art work for "Rattlesnake Jam"
makes the rattlers, plus Gran and Pa, jump off the page!

Both Cynthia Reeg and Mayra Calvani are talented writers in
their own right, as well as Bloggers who know how to get their
message out to the maximum number of world outlets, within
a minimum number of minutes.

Visit Cynthia Reeg's Blog, and discover her delightfully educational
"Angel" book, "Kitty Kerplunking," plus lots more to please

and educate you.

Mayra Calvani's Secret Bookcase Blog offers "Crash" her latest fun
"Angel" book, plus "The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing,"
co-written with Anne K. Edwards.

Both these writer/blogger's sites offer a wide range of writing chat,
interviews, and promotions for other "Angel" authors. They also
provide peeks into some of the wonderful children's books each of
them have written.

Visit, learn, ENJOY!

(Comments Welcomed! )


My Website <> "Musings"

A DREAM TEAM - HAROLD UNDERDOWN interviewed on BOOK BITES FOR KIDS

This Week - May 6th - 9th

BOOK BITES FOR KIDS

Brings Children's Writers a DREAM TEAM!

Every day this week, Suzanne Lieurance will have
Harold Underdown (editor at large), and creator of The Purple Crayon website, on Book Bites for Kids.

TIME: 2pm Central time for 30 minutes.

This is 30 minutes every day, when you can listen to Harold Underdown's words of editoral wisdom, ask questions, and learn about writing for children from a pro.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Harold Underdown earlier today.

Phone 1-646-716-9239 during the time stated above, and ask your own questions. OR: Listen to the show LIVE

NOTE: Connect with Book Bites for Kids by scrolling down my right column to the BlogTalkRadio widget, and clicking on it.

If you can't make the live show, but you have a question for Harold, email your question to Suzanne Lieurance and she will ask him on your behalf.

Don't miss this chance to speak with a very nice man, who is also an editor who know the world of publishing, and is gracious enough to tell us about it from his own perspective.

And, if you have never browsed through The Purple Crayon, and marvelled at the scads of articles on writing for children, publishing and agent information, plus all sorts of tid-bits that will help you become a published author ----->> NOW'S YOUR CHANCE!

(Comments Welcomed)

My Website <> <> "Musings"

COOL LINKS to H-O-T INFORMATION

First, I must thank Charlotte Anne Braden
for her kind review of this Blog and my Website.

You can read her evaluation HERE as well as take
a tour of her delightful Blog.

PS:

My blushes are coloring this text!!

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Onward to:

Cool Links to 2 x H-O-T Sites:

#1

Harold Underdown's Purple Crayon -

If I have to introduce you to Harold's repository of all things

Children's Writing, then you have been living under a rock!

Following a recent discussion on the CW list, about the new site

put up by a well-known shady "literary agency," Harold has
written some well chosen words on how to tell a good agent's site from
the site of someone to avoid--once you know what to look for, it's not hard.

Harold offers three case studies. Then, realizing that wasn't enough, he

beefed up the existing information on his website about agents.

You can reach all of the new and revised pages from this
Introductory page

You'll also find a link to the "Agents and Artist's Reps Guide" that
has long been on The Purple Crayon; a new page for revisions to
"Finding and Choosing Literary Agents"; and as a supplement
to that, Harold has created three Case Studies:
Firebrand Literary; Writers House; and An Agency to Avoid.

These are all extremely helpful additions to a site already bursting with
great information about writing for children. If you are looking for an
agent, and are unsure of how to choose a reliable one, these articles are
for you.

I'm going to sneak in a suggestion that you also read this "Musings"
column of mine: To Use an Agent or Not Use an Agent - That is the Question?

HEY, after all, my Musings IS hosted by the Purple Crayon. . . It's in the family - right?

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#2

Completely FREE!

"The Non-Celebrity's Guide to Getting a
Children's Book Published"

offered by

Jon Bard, Managing Editor of Children's Book Insider,
the Newsletter for Children's Writers - write4kids.com

What with all those professional athletes, singers, actors, politicians, fashion
models, members of the Royal Family, and everyone else who's famous
(and, maybe infamous) becoming published children's authors, the burning
question becomes:

* Are there still opportunities for a non-celebrity to write
and publish a children's book?

YES! YES! YES!

And to help, Jon Baird has compiled this FREE REPORT

Fun and irreverent, it is also filled with good advice -- FOR FREE!

READ IT HERE

Enjoy!

(Comments on both H-O-T Links Welcomed)

Website <> <> "Musings"

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