Free E-Book Download Until December 31st for Fans of Raychelle Writes!

Greetings, All!

Author Stephen Black, a two-time alum of The Writer's Block (read his most recent interview here), is offering all of his e-books to you for free starting now until the end of the year! His titles include Obama Search Words (enjoyed this one--check out my book review), Bali Wave Ghost, I Ate Tiong Bahru, Flame Magnet (this one challenges the idea of what a book is), and Furikake.

Interested? Just drop Stephen an email to bookmerah16##at##gmail dot com and let him know that you are a fan of Raychelle Writes (You know, like you follow my blog and Facebook page or maybe Twitter @RaychelleWrites...). He will forward a link to his books and video interviews. From time to time, he send you updates on his upcoming projects. That only happens maybe 4 times a year, so no spamming or flooded inboxes to worry about here.

Happy reading!

Raychelle Reviews: A Day Late and a Dollar Short by Terry McMillan

Admittedly, I am late to the party. I recently finished Terry McMillan's A Day Late and a Dollar Short (Penguin, 2002) and enjoyed it from cover to cover. There is no question that Ms. McMillan is a gifted storyteller and this work certainly does not disappoint. I am partial to stories which examine family dynamics, confront their inherent dysfunction, and lead the characters along the road to redemption. A Day Late more than delivered on my expectations.

Each chapter is narrated by one of the main characters. Readers will learn something about each family member's self-concept as well as their perceptions regarding the rest of the clan. Viola and Cecil Price, married for 38 years, are parents to their very adult (and very flawed) children: Paris, Lewis, Charlotte, and Janelle. I fell in love with Viola whose life served as a call to action for her family. A self-proclaimed "know-it-all", who believed that it was her duty to meddle in everyone else's business, Viola told the truth--whether anybody wanted to hear it or not. When she came to terms with her own personal missteps, Viola grabbed life by the horns and started anew. She also insisted that her family follow her lead. Trying really hard not to give anything away, just know that the effect that Viola's advice has on everyone else is a game-changer.

The lesson that I learned from A Day Late is to live every single day to the fullest. The next 5 minutes aren't promised, so when you decide to finally "get it together", time may not be on your side. Define who you are as a person. Follow your passions. Never stop learning. Challenge yourself beyond your limits. And if you are not sure of how to get started, pick up a copy of A Day Late and a Dollar Short. When you finish reading it, you will know exactly what you need to do.

Well done, Ms. McMillan. Very well done.

Raychelle Reviews: When Grandmama Sings by Margaree King Mitchell

When Grandmama Sings by Margaree King Mitchell (illustrated by James E. Ransome) is an uplifting story of courage, strength, and perseverance in the face of adversity. Grandmama Coles, a jazz singer from Pecan Flats, Mississippi, is given an opportunity to tour the Deep South during the summer months with a swing jazz band. She is accompanied by her granddaughter, Belle, who learns that using one's talents and standing up for one's beliefs are important in spite of opposition.


When Grandmama Sings is set during the 1940s where segregation and discrimination were the order of the day. Told through the eyes of Belle, the reader learns something of the history of race relations in the U.S. While Grandmama Coles and the band suffer ill-treatment at the hands of club and business owners, they press on in their quest to perform--sometimes even for free. Leading the charge is Grandmama Coles who demands justice while her gift for song brings people people from different walks of life together. Belle has a close and loving relationship with her grandmother. These acts of bravery only serve to bring them closer.


A wonderfully-illustrated book with the artwork of James E. Ransome, When Grandmama Sings is a story that children and adults alike will enjoy time and time again.

Read Margaree King Mitchell's interview on The Writer's Block! 

Raychelle Reviews: Meg the Egg by Rita Antoinette Borg

Meg the Egg by Rita Antoinette Borg is a delightful little story about love and bravery. Meg is a baby chick who is afraid to hatch from her shell because the sounds of the outside world are frightening to her. Once she realizes that her mother is in danger, Meg springs into action. She puts herself in harm's way to save her mother's life.

Meg the Egg is wonderfully-illustrated with animated drawings and warm colors that help to keep the reader engaged. It's use of onomatopoeia makes for an effective teaching tool.

Young readers may find Howls to be a frightening character, but he helps the reader to connect with Meg's feelings of fear, panic, and determination. It took tremendous amounts of courage to rescue her mother-especially at the risk of perishing. Meg the Egg has a hopeful message that will teach children what unconditional love really is.

******************************

Rita Borg is a children's author, storyteller, and freelance writer. To learn more about her work, visit her website at  http://www.ritaborg.us/.

Happy Blogoversary to Raychelle Writes!

My oh my, how time flies! One year ago today I started my blog, Raychelle Writes, in an effort to network with my fellow authors, illustrators, lit folks, and book lovers. I was just getting started as an indie author and trying to learn and share everything I could about the publishing world. I have self-published 7 books with 3 more on the way this summer. Blogging has kept me writing consistently and has afforded me more opportunities as a freelance writer.

On this journey I have "met" hundreds of smart, talented, and creative people who are all a part of an incredibly supportive community. I am grateful to all of our followers and contributors to Raychelle Writes. Here are some highlights of what we have accomplished together over the last 12 months:

1)  On  July 13, 2011 Raychelle Writes was founded.

2)  We currently have over 70 loyal subscribers.

3)  Raychelle Writes has had over 20,000 page views.

4)  We have reviewed over 20 books in our Raychelle Reviews series.

5)  On January 9, 2011 we launched The Writer's Block and have since conducted over 80 interviews.

6)  We established a Raychelle Writes Facebook page  with 273 "Likes" so far.

7)  We have hosted over 10 guest bloggers.

8)  We have supported several book releases including my daughter's first middle-grade novel, Riley and the Kitchen Katastrophe!

9)  We won our first blog award!

10)We also hosted our first illustrator's contest, Sketch the Story!

So, what's next for us? Starting this fall we will offer an editing, proofreading, and critique service: Raychelle Edits. Raychelle Designs will  offer book cover designs and layouts. Raychelle Blogs for You will provide high-quality, yet affordable, blog content. So stay tuned for details!

For the next 6 weeks, I will be concentrating on finishing my next three books: Smart Girls Like You, Smart Boys Like You, and The Living Well. The launches will no doubt be pretty labor-intensive, so don't panic if I seem to be a little less active in my posts. My hope is that you will keep reading and contributing to Raychelle Writes. Together, we can continue to accomplish great things!

Raychelle Reviews: Making Bread with Baker Ted by Adriana Cerrotti

Making Bread with Baker Ted by Adriana Cerrotti is a story of friendship, community, culture, and the value of craft. The main characters use a day off from school to visit the neighborhood bakery. They learn all about bread and how to make it from Baker Ted. The reader will discover the origins of some popular types of bread and a bit about the culture and people who make them. They also learn that the most important ingredient is love.

The author is a very talented artist and animator. Making Bread with Baker Ted has fun, colorful illustrations which enhance Adriana's quaint tale.

Making Bread with Baker Ted will leave readers with a feeling of warmth. Bread making is generally viewed as an antiquated practice reserved for "old folks". But, there is something very special about someone who takes the time, energy, and love necessary to prepare foods that taste good to us and are better for us. This story's small-town setting where the residents seem to know one other by name creates a longing for life in a close-knit community. It even evokes a bit of nostalgia--at least it did for me.

A Raychelle Writes Milestone!

In just a few short weeks, this blog will celebrate its first anniversary! Since the launch on 7/13/2011, Raychelle Writes has picked up 68 followers, logged over 19,000 page views, conducted over 80 interviews on The Writer's Block series, reviewed over 15 books, hosted several guest-bloggers, had our first illustrator's contest, and (hopefully) shared some helpful information about all things writing.

Blogging has proved to be a highly effective way to network and build my platform as an author/illustrator. If you are a writer and you are not blogging, seriously consider it. It has enabled me to help many people showcase their creations, including my 12 year-old daughter/new author, Halima. But, blogging has also given me a media outlet that I control and a reason to write most days of the week. I have learned so much from every person I have "met". My gratitude towards every individual who has allowed me to share their stories is overflowing.

I have some rough plans for how the one year anniversary of Raychelle Writes will be commemorated, but I would love to hear your suggestions. Are you interested in what some of The Writer's Block alums have been up to since their initial interviews? Would you like to see some guest bloggers? How about some agent interviews? Perhaps another contest? Book club? What would you like to see?

Feel free to leave your suggestions in the comments below. I look forward to hearing from you! Have a wonderfully productive Friday!

Raychelle Reviews: I Love You Better than Chocolate Chip Cookies by Donalisa Helsley

I Love You Better than Chocolate Chip Cookies is the second release from children's author (and Writer's Block alum) Donalisa Helsley. The story explores what love is by comparing it to a variety of desirable foods, everyday activities, and special occasions. For this review, I read the print component only.

Donalisa uses examples of things that children really enjoy (roller coasters, ice cream, pizza, etc.) to convey that  loving one another is more important than loving material items and fun experiences. I Love You Better than Chocolate Chip Cookies paints a picture of what unconditional love looks like. It is unwavering support, care, and concern whether or not one is perfect 100% of the time.

The illustrations are lively, bright, and colorful. The artist does a wonderful job of bringing life to Donalisa's words.

I Love You Better than Chocolate Chip Cookies is a really good story and teaching tool for parents to share with their children.

About the Author

Donalisa is an award winning children's author. Donalisa lives in Oklahoma with her husband, David, her daughters, Jadyn and Genesis. She is Wild About Reading. Donalisa has written many stories since she was a child. She is a social worker and has worked with children for over 12 years. Donalisa has recently completed her Masters in Social Work in an effort to become a licensed therapist for children and adolescents.

Read Donalisa's interview on The Writer's Block.

Raychelle Reviews: Fail Up ~ 20 Lessons on Building Success from Failure by Tavis Smiley

Fail Up really drives the message home that failure is one of the most important parts of the journey to success. Being persistent, learning from your mistakes, being reflective, and staying true to yourself at any costs are all critical to making progress. Tavis shares poignant and honest anecdotes about his life that we can all relate to. There were times as I read this book that I cringed at some of his "teachable moments". But, I learned how valuable those moments can be if you work to redeem yourself. My elementary school principal told me that life is 10% of what you make it and 90% of how you take it. That quote taught me that perception and attitude map out every man's journey. And this quote is teaching me to never ever give up:

"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." ~Samuel Beckett

Well done.

Raychelle Reviews: Off the Couch! by Adriana Cerrotti

Adriana Cerrotti's Off the Couch! is a story that encourages children to make healthy food choices, turn off the television, and become more physically active. As a wellness and fitness professional, I applaud Adriana for using her platform as an illustrator-turned-author to stress the importance of healthy living.

Adriana is a very talented cartoon animator as evidenced by the vibrant and humorous illustrations she created for her story. She does a good job of depicting the unlikely friendship between her main characters (a cat and a mouse) and their quest for fitness by eating better and skateboarding. Growing up, I remember how much fun I had riding skateboards with my brothers and sisters.This added a bit of nostalgia for me.

Some of the word choices may present challenges to younger readers, but the overall message is a positive one: stay away from junk food, find a physical activity that you like, and get Off the Couch!

Off the Couch! is available as an ebook at Barnes and Noble.

The Writer's Block Interviews: Adriana Cerrotti

1) Tell us a bit about yourself and where you live and work.

I am a children’s book author, and former traditional cartoon animator. Animation brought me out of my original country, Argentina. I worked as a senior character animator in a few countries around the world, before I arrived in the USA. I had the privilege of working for renowned companies and animating Disney star characters such as Little Mermaid, King Triton, Timon and Pumba and others. I also worked for Hanna Barbera, and had the pleasure to give life to popular characters such as Scooby Doo, The Snorts, and many others.

Currently, I live in Atlanta, GA, with my husband and two lovely dogs. From the quiet and beautiful environment of Duluth, I work on my children’s books. I enjoy my work very much. I am building a nice collection of books for children, which I develop completely from the beginning to end.

The first book I published was Never Give Up, which had been having a good reception on Barnes & Nobles. It reached a satisfying sales rank in a few months. Recently, I published 4 books more, being Ady’s Alphabet the last one from this list. Most of my books are for children 2 to 6 years old.


2) Which came first: writing or illustrating? Why do both?

Illustrating came far before than writing. I’ve been drawing since I was a girl. And entered the animation business when I was a teenager. I also painted, studied photography, ceramics, design, etc. I very rarely did any work in my life that was not related to some form of art. Later in my life, I had the need to write. So, I started my studies at the academic level.

3) Tell us about your children’s books.

My children’s books are for small children. They are made with the intention of helping children to increase their ability to identify component sounds within the words. This is why, Never Give Up and Beautiful!!! Inside and Out have both been written in rhymes. Also, it is my hope that children will motivate themselves to read more and better by engaging with the books’ fun and colorful images. In addition to that, it is my goal to attract parents and adults because it is essential that they participate in their children’s intellectual development. It is important that they read with them and be physically present and part of the process. Lastly, I intend my books to promote positive thinking and an optimistic outlook.

4) Describe your path to publication. Has this experience met/exceeded your expectations?

Publishing today gives us, creative people, a lot of freedom. My path to publication was fluid and easy. I publish all my books on Amazon (Paperback and Kindle) and on Barnes & Noble. My husband, a computer man, helps me with the process. So far, my experience on Barnes & Noble exceeded my expectations. However, I should mention that I am a very fast and hard worker. I could accomplish a lot in short segments of time. It is also important that I am my own critic and supervisor. And this makes my work more enjoyable.

5) How do you promote your work? What methods have worked best for you?

I do not do any paid promotion. I could not do anything that would approximate to the massive amount of promotion the companies such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble do. My books’ prices are very low (except for the paperback version). So, making any promotion would imply having to do a massive campaign. In other words, it would mean investing huge amounts of money. And I am not ready to do that at this time. So, I take what I can from monsters such as Barnes & Noble, which seem to be doing quite well selling children’s books. And hopefully Kindle will expand its children’s market too with the new incorporation of color.


6) Describe a typical day in your life.

I wake up early, feed my dogs and have breakfast. I have a big backyard, so I let my dogs run free for a bit. Then we all move to my studio where I divide my time between studying and working. I am a Penn State student. I stop at lunch, for us to eat again and have a break. And then, I work until 4 pm. Around that time, I am ready to exercise, which I do daily. Then, if I have some time in between, I do some reading until it comes the time to make dinner. By then, my husband is already at home, so we make some time to talk about his day and the country’s news. After dinner, I do my 20 minutes of daily meditation. And after that, if I have the time, I do some more reading or computer work until I go to bed. This is pretty much my daily schedule from Monday to Friday.

7) What projects do you have in the works?

At this moment I am working on two books simultaneously. One of them is about a bird and the process of growing up. The other - which I am currently illustrating -is about two creative and distinct cats. They will be also for 3 to 6 year old children.


8) What would you like to accomplish as a writer?

I would like to keep enjoying what I do. I believe this is by itself a privilege and the path to success. However, I am also getting trained, so I expect my writing skills to evolve. Plus, learning is a big part of that bigger joy. Both, my husband and I do university study. Studying as an adult is a very interesting and fulfilling experience. Especially when, like in my case, it is in a second language.

9) What advice would you offer to aspiring authors?

Go for it! This is the right time. You are the one that sets the limits.


About the Author

Adriana Cerrotti is an artist with multiple skills. She worked as a traditional animator for many years and was sponsored to work as a senior cartoon character animator for several projects, in a few countries throughout the world. She worked for Walt Disney and Hanna-Barbera, among other renowned companies, and animated the main characters of the very first Walt Disney Academy Award Nominee for Best Short Animated Film: Redux Riding Hood. Adriana also gave life to characters such as Melody (Little Mermaid II), Timon and Pumba (Walt Disney Series) and an innumerable variety of Hanna Barbera characters. Cerrotti is also a character designer, illustrator and children's book author. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and pets.

Contact Adriana

Website: http://www.adrianacerrotti.com/Site_2/Welcome.html

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ACerrotti

The Writer's Block Interviews: Ryan Afromsky

1) Tell us a bit about yourself and where you live and work.

I grew up in both New York and Los Angeles and attended college at the University of Miami. I started a grilled cheese restaurant at 26 and then proceeded to write a children's book about it. Currently, I own a sustainable commercial carpet cleaning business.....random, I know.


2) Describe your journey to becoming an author.

I was reading a few books to my nephew and thought some of the books he liked were terrible. That same night I couldn't sleep and thought if these people can write children's books then I can, too. So I did. The idea of writing about a restaurant seemed natural since I was in the business. I never had dreams of becoming an author because I don't consider myself a good writer, but strange things happen sometimes. It says "author" on my business cards and one of my friends makes fun of me because we both know I'm really not.


3) Do you gravitate toward any particular genre in writing?

This is my first and only book so far. I wrote about the restaurant because that's what I know. I've been trying to figure out what else I know really well but I find I don't know that much!


4) Tell us about your recent release, I Have a Restaurant. What inspired you to collaborate on it?

I had this idea for a children's book and I wrote it all down in one night. I'm a terrible artist so I drew these stick figures with the writing underneath. I asked a few people if they knew an illustrator and a friend of mine pointed to me to Ron. When I met him I kept telling him to be brutally honest with my book idea and was very embarrassed by my crude drawings. I should have told him a 5 year old drew it. Regardless, Ron took on the project and kids really like the book. I constantly get emails from parents saying its their children's favorite book. The illustrations really make it what it is.


5) Describe your path to publication. Has this experience met/exceeded your expectations?

Getting published is not an easy road. Unless you are famous or know somebody, getting published is very frustrating. I sent out all these copies of my book to agents and never heard back from anyone. A friend of a friend knew a literary agent so he took on my book but I got rejected by all the major publishing houses so we agreed to part ways. A different friend of a friend (it sounds like I have millions of friends but I don't) put me in touch with a small publisher in San Diego and she agreed to take on my book. It's a lot of work and a lot of rejection but it's nice to know someone believes in me.


6) How do you promote your work? What methods have worked best for you?

The best way to promote my book is by networking. I meet a lot of people and often set up events through people I meet. If I were a celebrity then it wouldn't be a problem,but I'm not. I'm trying to get a food/restaurant celebrity to promote my book but that doesn't happen so easily. I have a crush on Giada DeLaurentiss from The Food Network and want her to do something with my book but she's not so quick to get back to me.


7) Who are your favorite authors? What is on your  reading list right now?

I don't really read children's books anymore but I do read a lot. I like fiction and biographies. I've read all of the Grisham's books and right now I'm reading Baldacci's latest book. One of my favorite biographies is Richard Branson's Losing Your Virginity. I like the way he does business.


8) Describe a typical day in your respective lives.

Sleep, eat, work, eat, pretend to work, eat, watch one of my New York sports teams, eat again. I work a lot and carpet cleaning is not that interesting so I won't bore you with the details.


9) What projects do you have in the works?

Ron and I have talked about doing a book together but that might not happen for a while. Ron is very busy working and promoting his own book so our joint book is not a high priority. As for me, I would like to turn my book into a series. In the first book I introduced everyone to myself and my restaurant and now I would like to have stories about things that happen in and around "Ryan's Place".


10) What advice would you offer to aspiring authors/illustrators who plan to collaborate on a book?

It's good to have a partner. That applies for books and any kind of venture you do in life. It's nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of and motivate you when you just don't feel like working. Also, with first time authors like myself, someone like Ron is invaluable. He knows a lot more about how children think and react than me so someone's knowledge of the industry is crucial. It's also fun to work with someone else. It's not work all the time and I don't take myself very seriously so Ron and I have had fun. We actually became friends from working together so that's just an added benefit. Ron has an Emmy award and I like telling people my book is illustrated by an Emmy Award winner. My best piece of advice, find an Emmy Award winner to work on your book.

About the Author

At the ripe old age of 26, author Ryan Afromsky started a grilled cheese concept restaurant in Culver City, CA called meltDOWN etc. Always the entrepreneur, Ryan used his experience at meltDOWN etc as inspiration for his first book I Have A Restaurant. He loves to travel and eat (really loves to eat), but most importantly Ryan loves to dream up new ideas and just have fun. Ryan currently lives in Los Angeles, CA, and has no desire to be an actor.


About Ron Noble, the Illustrator

Originally from Rockville, MD, Ron Noble started drawing cartoons shortly after birth and never stopped. Besides being an illustrator, Ron also won an Emmy Award for directing Rugrats in 2003. He’s a filmmaker, songwriter, surfer and snowboarder. Ron is happiest when he makes people laugh and loves sharing his work with the world. Ron also currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, and he secretly hopes he might be immortal…so far so good.

Contact Ryan 

Website: www.ihavearestaurant.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kidsworldguide

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ihaverestaurant

****************************************
Raychelle Reviews

Today's review is a great little story called I Have A Restaurant by Ryan Afromsky. The story takes the reader on a guided tour through the daily operations of owning and operating a restaurant called "Ryan's Place". It is personable, informative, and insightful.

Readers will learn some valuable traits about being an entrepreneur: 1) Be the first to arrive and the last to leave; 2) provide great service; 3) keep your storefront and support areas clean, neat, and stocked; 4) take care of your staff and they will take care of you! Ryan makes his book a great teaching tool by including some critical thinking questions and a maze (a little art mixed with a little problem-solving).

Emmy-winner Ron Noble does a great job at illustrating the story. The book is visually appealing, animated, and colorful.

It is never to early to educate young people on the inner workings of being a business owner, and Ryan does a great job of covering all of the bases. Reading I Have A Restaurant made me feel like both an intern and a welcomed guest. If Ryan writes a sequel, I'll be back.

Raychelle Reviews: Toby and His Hospital Friends by Charmaine Hammond, Plus Book Giveaway!

Author Charmaine Hammond wrote Toby and His Hospital Friends based on the book and movie, On Toby's Terms. Toby is a pet therapy dog who visits the children's hospital every week with his owner, Miss Charmaine. The young patients look forward to seeing Toby because he is kind, generous, and lifts their spirits. The story walks readers through a typical visit day which educates about them about the therapeutic value of animals.

Rose Anne Prevec's illustrations enhance this delightful story of sharing, caring, and hope.

Toby and His Hospital Friends increases awareness of pet therapy. The author also includes a set of questions at the end of the book to help readers improve their critical thinking skills. This is an uplifting story that will be appreciated by people of all ages.

****************************************

BOOK GIVEAWAY!

Please leave a question or comment for Charmaine Hammond in the comments below. On Saturday, June 2, 2012, one person will be selected to receive an autographed copy of Toby and His Hospital Friends!

Raychelle Reviews: Obama Search Words by Stephen Black

I prefer to review children's picture books, but when Stephen Black sent me Obama Search Words, I was intrigued. This book marries interviews and some little-known historical tidbits about President Obama's culture and life experience with fictional dialogues and events which could have taken place in any corner of the world.

Stephen's book is illustrated with wonderful photography of places the President has lived in and/or been connected to in addition to creative artwork. From the beginning, I was taken on a journey around the planet from Hawaii to Kenya. Each chapter felt more like I was moving from one exhibition to another in a museum or art gallery. I liken it to walking through a documentary. The fictional accounts provided me an opportunity to consider how Barack Obama's rise to the most powerful office in the United States has touched and inspired people across all classes, genders, ages, and ethnicities.


Obama Search Words is well-crafted, informative, and enlightening. Grab a copy--it is worth the read!

Stephen Black is an artist, writer, photographer, videomaker, speaker, producer, and educator. To learn more about Stephen, read his resume on Scribd.com.

Obama Search Words is available on Amazon.com.

Raychelle Reviews: Moon Girl by Beatrix Tambunan

Moon Girl by Beatrix Tambunan is a story about overcoming envy by discovering one's purpose, self-worth, and value.

The tale begins by introducing Moon Girl who is jealous of her sister Sun Girl. Moon Girl believes that the earth and its creatures appreciate Sun Girl more because she provides daylight. The plants and animals seem to be more active and have more fun during the day than they do at night. Feeling slighted, Moon Girl decides to travel to Jupiter. With its many moons, she is sure that lighting them will earn her more love from the planet's inhabitants. The problem is that Jupiter is very different from Earth. Moon Girl gets no apparent rewards for lighting Jupiter's moons. When she returns to Earth's moon, Moon Girl realizes that she is needed just as much as Sun Girl is. The plants get no relief from the constant light and heat, the animals cannot sleep, and the night creatures cannot come out and play without her. In the end, Moon Girl realizes that she was loved all along.

Moon Girl teaches children and adults alike that we all have a purpose and immeasurable value that we must cultivate and share. Our greatest rewards come from using our gifts and talents as they were intended--to help others. Beatrix's book will go a long way in teaching children self-esteem and to honor their gifts.

Moon Girl is available on Amazon.com.

Raychelle Reviews: My Life as a Carrot by Laila Kujala

My Life as a Carrot by Laila Kujala is a sweet story that takes the reader through the life cycle of a carrot. While the story is educational, it also explores fear, bravery, discovering one's own potential, accomplishment, and pride. These are very real issues for people of all ages. By writing this book, Laila makes it possible for parents to start a dialogue and make their children feel confident and secure about growing up.

The pen-and-ink illustrations are simplistic and fun which makes the story easy to follow.

My Life as a Carrot ends with the carrot producing seeds which starts the life cycle anew. Curious about what happens to the new seeds? Flip back to the beginning and read it again!

My Life as a Carrot is available on Amazon.com. *The ebook is available on Smashwords for FREE until May 31st!

Raychelle Reviews: Bosley Sees the World by Tim Johnson

Dual-language children's book author Tim Johnson first appeared on Raychelle Writes as a guest blogger who discussed the importance of teaching foreign language to young children. Read his post here. At that time, Tim was promoting his fundraising campaign for Bosley Sees the World on Kickstarter. Tim was successful and has published his book in 7 different languages. I am reviewing the Spanish translation for this review.

****************************************

Bosley Sees the World is the delightful story of a young bear who is curious about the world outside of the seemingly tiny cave where he lives. So Bosley decides to explore the outdoors. After running out into the forest, climbing a very tall tree, hearing the sounds of nature, and seeing new things, Bosley decides to climb a mountain in the distance. From the highest point on the mountain, Bosley sees that the world is much larger than he originally thought and returns home. There is no way that Bosley would be able to see the entire world in a day. He realizes that his cave is just the right size--for now.

Written in English and Spanish, Bosley Sees the World teaches the reader new vocabulary by highlighting specific words and their translations. By using a picture book format, the reader is more likely to retain new information because they establish a connection between the terms, the wonderful illustrations, and the context.

Young readers will enjoy taking this journey with Bosley. Not only will they enjoy the story, they will improve their reading skills while getting exposure to a new language.

Visit theLanguageBear.com for more bilingual books by Tim Johnson.

Raychelle Reviews: For Readers Only!

Welcome to Raychelle Reviews! This week, I will be introducing you to some established as well as some up-and-coming authors and offer reviews of their work. I focus primarily on children's picture books, but occasionally I will consider other genres. There are a few reasons for my approach: 1) I like picture books, 2) I write picture books, 3) my time is limited, 4) my freelance work, blogging, and other projects center heavily on non-fiction and I need the escape, and 5) I am able to provide feedback and help promote my fellow authors.

Please note that aside from a hard copy or electronic version of the book, I charge no fees for reviews. I believe that it is to the benefit of the author to interview on The Writer's Block in conjunction with the book review, but participation is solely at their discretion. I offer my personal opinions from my own perspective in my reviews: after all, I am not a book editor. However, constructive criticism is provided privately, especially if proofreading and professional editing would benefit an otherwise viable concept/story. I would rather give the author the opportunity to make improvements rather than publish a bad review. I have been there. What good can come from stalling someone's career before it gets out the gate? I attribute my recent successes to some people who took the time to offer some honest feedback and suggestions about The Writer's Block.

So, my hope is that you will discover new favorites, buy a book, refer it to someone else, or even leave a comment. Stay tuned!

Keep your pen to the paper! Remember, inspiration is everywhere...

Sketch the Story! Contest: And the Winner Is... Plus Other Updates!

I am sure that you are dying to know who won my first-ever blog contest! Stay tuned--the winner will be announced on Monday, May 14th!

I successfully completed my first NaPiBoWriWee writing 7 picture books in 7 days. Many thanks to Paula Yoo for hosting this event and helping me to find my "inner Zen". I learned that I can shut out the world and be creative under even the most undesirable circumstances. Need a boost to your creativity and/or discipline? Take a writing challenge!

 

My daughter was just notified that she is a 2012 State Finalist in the Letters About Literature Contest for the third year in a row. She is pretty excited, but has informed me that wants to win next year. I am really proud of her. She loves to read and is turning into a great little writer. Onward and upward, Halima!

Next week, there will be more great interviews, guest bloggers, and book reviews. I hope that you will stop by to see who is visiting The Writer's Block! (There will also be an exciting announcement about a project I've been working on!)

Keep your pen to the paper! Remember, inspiration is everywhere...

Book Review: Janie and the Magic Box Christmas by Julia Dweck, M Ed.

Janie and the Magic Box Christmas is a wonderfully-written children's Ebook by Julia Dweck. The story must be set in Houston, Texas where I'm from because the month of December is generally warm and very green!

The story begins with Janie making some disappointing revelations about the unseasonal weather and its effects on, what should be, a wintry holiday. Even the decorated tree inside is fainting from the 100-degree heat. But, a magic box contains an unlikely solution to Janie's problem: a storm of wild bubble-like freckles!

You have to read Janie and the Magic Box to see if the freckles save the day, or just create more chaos. It is a wild roller coaster ride that children will really enjoy! The fabulous illustrations by the very accomplished "humorous illustrator" Terry Sirrell add humor, whimsy, and fun to the story.

Janie and the Magic Box Christmas is available on uTales NOW!

Learn more about the author, Julia Dweck, in her interview on The Writer's Block.

Keep your pen to the paper! Remember, inspiration is everywhere...