The Writer's Block Interviews: The Alphabet Kids

1)      Where did the concept of The Alphabet Kids originate?

Allegra Joyce Kassin, our Chief Executive Officer, created the Alphabet Kids concept. She is a devoted mother of five and grandmother of seven, who was in search of literature that highlighted children from all different kinds of backgrounds and cultures. It was her original idea.

After being introduced to Emmy-winner and humanitarian Patrice Samara by a business colleague, they teamed up to fully develop the concept and the brand... and the rest is history! 

Mrs. Kassin and Ms. Samara believe that Alphabet Kids filled a void. “Our goal is to help our youngest learners everywhere to love themselves, embrace diversity and understand that friendships can be created despite cultural or physical differences.”

2)      Tell us about the characters and the cultures they represent.

Our characters are Allegra (Italian-American), Elena (Hispanic-American), Isaac (Jewish-American), Oni (African-American), Umar (Arab-American), and Yang (Chinese-American).  We also embrace many other cultures from around the world and physical types through our website, community-based activities, and features in the Alphabet Kids Magazine.

Our timeless stories follow the Kids fun adventures as they learn to embrace their cultural heritage and other life lessons. With the population of the United States becoming more diverse each day, it is important that everyone - especially children - understand how to co-exist with others who may be different.

3)      What is the mission of The Alphabet Kids?

The Alphabet Kids have a mission to spread multicultural understanding from the start and help children love who they are and realize that people who are different can be very good friends! 

4)      Tell us about the team of experts who contribute to this series.

• Patrice Samara is the co-author of all the Alphabet Kids books.
• Neme Alperstein, author of Isaac’s Zoo; Subject matter expert; Educational Advisory Committee
• Abed Awad, Esq, co-author of Umar’s Magic Oven; Middle Eastern subject expert          
• Michelle Bodden, co-author of Oni’s Good Hair Day; African-American expert; Educational Advisory Committee         
• Dr. Jingyi Hong, Co-author of Yang’s New Dance, Chinese subject expert and cross-cultural communications expert; Educational Advisory Committee          
• Liana Pérez, Co-author of Elena’s Birthday Surprise; Hispanic subject matter expert; Educational Advisory Committee
• Vivian Treves, Co-author of Allegra’s Apple Tree; Italian subject matter expert; Educational Advisory Committee
• Isaac J. Kassin, Co-author with Patrice Samara of Alphabet Kids Go to the Planetarium  (2012)

 To read all of the experts' bios, follow this link: http://alphabetkids.com/ourexperts/ourexpertsMain.php 

5)      What kinds of activities and resources does The Alphabet Kids website offer?

In addition to giving updates on all of our activities, around the country, we have reviews of movies suitable for families and children, and offer free, downloadable activities for children, and educational tips for parents and educators.

6)      What is the “You Buy One, We Give One” program?

Committed to social responsibility, we instituted the Alphabet Kids Buy One-Give One Literacy Program, donating books to children in need through myriad literacy programs nationwide. For each book, sold we donate one book to a child in need. Each member of the Alphabet Kids team is deeply committed to supporting our charitable activities by visiting schools, community and faith-based organizations, schools & hospitals across the United States and around the world. We distribute books through established charities we support such as the Melvin Van Peebles Foundation and The Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida's Fatherhood Reading Squad.

7)      Tell us about your current projects and what is next in the series.

In 2012, we will be launching the Alphabet Kids Science & Technology Series. Our premier book in that series is "The Alphabet Kids Go to the Planetarium". (See answer to question 10 below) We have been working closely with the Melvin Van Peebles Foundation with a mission to encourage literacy and careers in science.  Alphabet Kids will also be working with the Black Spectrum Theater in New York City to produce plays based on the Alphabet Kids stories. Their Executive Director, Carl Clay is a visionary when it comes to bringing theatrical productions to schools and encouraging the community to attend theater performances.

8)      How do you promote The Alphabet Kids? What strategies have been the most successful?

Alphabet Kids utilizes various methods to get the word out about our books, curriculum, teacher training, music and other products.

We have an extensive PR program, utilize social media, and tour around the country.

We have done a licensing deal with Select Italy, a tour company and created "Amazing Family Tours" focusing on family travel and utilizing our book content as an educational spring board.

We have also done co-promotions with wonderful, innovative  organizations such as BurdaStyle and Footzy Rolls.

We meet with school superintendent, teachers, homeschoolers,, parents and the media to discuss related topics. We visit schools,  hospitals, community centers, faith-based organizations and also attend as many educational and trade shows as possible.

2011 was an important year for the Alphabet Kids Series, culminating with an appearance on NBC's Today Show in an interview by Jenna Bush Hager, Education Correspondent on December 24!

9)      Tell us about your music CD, “Music for the World”.

The CD is available on our website (www.AlphabetKids.com) By way of background, The Pihcintu Multicultural Chorus welcomes immigrant children from around the globe, remarkably helping to rescue young lives blown apart by the horrific conditions from which many of them have fled. War-torn villages, bloodshed, refugee camps, famine, and political turmoil were devastating realities for so many of these young singers before being embraced by the warmth, companionship and harmony of a loving musical environment.

For these children, the power of survival eases – but never erases – the memory of unthinkable atrocities, physical danger and personal tragedy. Filmed in Portland, Maine, an ever-expanding international resettlement community, there was fertile ground to bring together young survivors from diverse backgrounds, helping them to adapt to a new home and connect them with local children in a healing, musical setting.

Con Fullam, an award-winning producer, musician, and songwriter, combined his passion for music with a deep concern for the effect of world issues on children by creating the Pihcintu Multicultural Chorus. When he was five, his father died and music became his salvation. Fullam’s dream was to help others in need through music and he began The Chorus with the help and encouragement of countless citizens and supporters.

The American Indian word Pihcintu means, “When she sings, her voice carries far,” a sentiment that truly embodies the spirit of the CD and a new documentary film. Emmy-award winning Patrice Samara, Producer/Director, shot the documentary over numerous months capturing multiple rehearsals and  she produced the CD.  Music for the World follows the singers as they prepare for their recording session and concert, highlighting the stories of these unique young singers who range in age from 9 to 20. With families originally from Cambodia, China, Congo, El Salvador, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Viet Nam, West Indies, and Zambia plus other countries, the girls bond with children whose families have lived in the United States and Canada for generations. The Chorus has touched the hearts people of all ages everywhere and being in their presence is a life-enhancing experience. The children, their stories and their music are transformative for the singers and their audiences alike. Through the healing power of music, these vulnerable, yet brave, young women have learned to trust, hope…and laugh again.

10)   What can young readers expect from The Alphabet Kids in 2012?

We will be releasing a special addition book called " The Alphabet Kids Go to the Planetarium". The book is co-written by Isaac J Kassin, a sixteen-year-old honor's student and Emmy-winner Patrice Samara. We wanted to encourage our reader's to learn more about science and encourage careers in the field of technology.

In 2012, we will also be working with the Black Spectrum Theater in New York City to produce plays based on the Alphabet Kids stories.

Our goal for 2012 is to mount a bus tour called "Alphabet Kids Many Face-Many Places Tour". On our first part of the tour schedule, we are planning to go to Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles, CA. We plan to go to schools, hospitals and community centers such as the Boys & Girls Clubs and YMCAs to meet our fans. We will be visiting Mayors, community leaders and PTAs in as many communities across the country as possible to connect with our readers in person! We have a mission and we take that mission very seriously. WE want the world to be a much more understanding and tolerant place for everyone...especially the children.

Connect with The Alphabet Kids:

Website: http://www.alphabetkids.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AlphabetKidsBooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Alphabet_Kids

The Writer's Block Interviews: Writer and Founder of Storiad, Ramzi Hajj

1)      What is Storiad and how did it get started?

Storiad is a networked marketplace dedicated to the art and business of writing. Storiad’s goal is to provide writers with intuitive technology to help them better: 1) connect & collaborate with one another; 2) reach a wider readership base by making it easy to disseminate & market their written work; and 3) connect with publishers, editors, & film producers active in the written media acquisition market.

My name is Ramzi Hajj, writer and founder of Storiad. The idea for Storiad originated with a conversation with my wife Jennifer about the business of writing. At some point during the conversation, someone said: “Too bad there isn’t a LinkedIn just for writers.” This got us to talking about how to use professional online networks to connect with other writers, publishers, and audiences. After much discussion on what this “LinkedIn for writers” would look like, the only question remaining was: “why not build one?”

Why not, indeed! So with coordination, planning, trial & error, some luck, long days, and (of course) a great team, Storiad was built and launched in 2011. Now writers have a unique place to congregate, connect, market and sell.

2)      Why should writers use Storiad?

Writing can be a very solitary endeavor. One of the things we as writers sometimes forget to do is establish a network of contacts. The adage (or has it become too much of a cliché?) holds true: “It’s not so much what you know as it is who you know.” In the writing world, the who you know includes other writers, editors, publishers, film producers, agents, and a dedicated reading audience. Storiad is designed to help writers build that network of contacts, be it for creative, collaborative, and/or commercial purposes. With Storiad, writers can manage and share their writing-related activities from one platform. Here writers can -

ü  Share biographical, professional & contact information;

ü  Collaborate and network with other writers;

ü  Build project portfolios to share excerpts of available work;

ü  Blog to keep readers and potential buyers up-to-date;

ü  Advertise available books/eBooks, or writing-related services;

ü  Access Storiad’s proprietary written media marketplace; and

ü  Access Storiad’s ready-made network of readers, writers and media professionals

The best answer we can think of to the question “Why network?” is this: “… because you never know who in the wide-world is looking to read, buy, produce that very thing you’ve written, are writing, or will write.” Storiad makes it easy to get yourself and your story out there.

3)      What additional services are available to both writers and media professionals?

When writers create a Storiad account, they also receive a Vox Storiad blogging account. It’s a great way for writers to keep the reading audience and potential buyers of their work up-to-date on their writing activities. Writers can also request access to Storiad’s social media outlets to automatically broadcast each new blog posting to the Storiad network.

Writers have the option to access the interactive Storiad 411 advertising platform. It’s a great way for members to advertise writing-related services, including published books, author readings, editorial services, and much more.

Storiad Marketplace is where writers and media professionals interact. Storiad works with publishers, editors, film producers, and agents to determine the types of projects they’re most interested in receiving and developing. Writers, in turn, respond. This feature has been very popular with media professionals as it allows them to both control the types of submissions they receive and to search Storiad Marketplace for authors (and their work) they may not otherwise have a chance to meet.  Similarly, writers have told us they appreciate the opportunity to tailor their submissions to meet the business needs of media professionals. It removes a lot of the guesswork (and frustration) from the submission process. In addition, by just being on Storiad, they’ve increased their chances of having their work seen by media professionals they may not otherwise have a chance to interact with. It’s a win-win for all involved.

4)      Please share some of your more notable success stories.

When Storiad members succeed, we succeed. As writers ourselves, we are genuinely happy to hear from writers who have used Storiad to help them better connect with other writers, media professionals, and/or reading audiences. And this happens all the time. It gives us a real, tangible sense of accomplishment. Plus it really helps us better develop and test new Storiad products and features. And when we hear that a certain publisher or film producer has found their next project on Storiad, then we are really, REALLY happy.

Storiad has received numerous media outlet mentions (including on Forbes.com), as well as requests for blog & radio interviews, and group presentations. For example, we were recently asked by the University of California Long Beach to give a presentation on networking at their annual writer’s conference. It was great to share our “online” concept in the “offline” world, because we know the importance of building face-to-face relationships.

5)      What are the media pros who use Storiad seeking in the way of quality and professionalism from writers?

In general terms, there can be no substitute for the compelling, well-crafted story. Yet, even that tends to be rather subjective. One media pro’s “A+” manuscript, say, is another’s “C+“. However, all media pros do agree that there can be no telling where the next great story may come from. They tell us that they are on Storiad to better their chances of finding that great (maybe undiscovered) author and story they may not otherwise find through the more “traditional” channels. And writers tell us that is just fine with them.

In practical terms, these same media pros also tell us they are also looking for writers who are eager to sell themselves and their published work. That is one of the reasons why we strongly encourage writers on Storiad to take the time to complete their profile in a thorough and professional manner. The Storiad profile (like the more “traditional” cover letter), for example, is the writer’s chance to really make a great first impression. Editors & publishers tell us that, when searching for a particular piece of work on Storiad, they carefully read the attached profile first. The harsh reality is that poorly composed (or poorly edited) profiles don’t get the same kind of consideration that more polished, compelling profiles do. Of course, the nice thing about an online profile is that writers can make as many changes to it as needed until they are completely satisfied with how it reads.

6)      What advice would you give to writers using Storiad for the first time?

We can’t stress enough how important networking can be to writers. Both artistically and commercially, we feel an expansive network can only help writers better reach the audiences they deserve. And like any other field, networking is a subtle combination of who and what we know. To build a productive network, we encourage writers to think of their writing career in terms of their writing assets. These assets may include:

ü  Original ideas;

ü  Command of the language;

ü  Story-structuring abilities;

ü  Completed projects (manuscripts, scripts, anthologies, etc);

ü  Publication history ;

ü  Marketing approach;

ü  Writers, media professional, and reader contacts.

Among others, to be sure.

All of the above work in tandem, the whole being more valuable than any of the individual parts. So when it comes time to build their Storiad platforms, we encourage writers to really take advantage of all the features and services designed to maximize exposure of their writing assets.

7)      What is the most rewarding aspect of providing this type of forum?

This one is easy to answer: our product development brain-storming sessions. Storiad actively seeks input from writers and media professionals on those features and services they’d like to see Storiad develop. And we receive thoughtful and creative ideas on a daily basis. The development team meets once a month to begin the process of translating those ideas we’ve collected into functioning Storiad features and services. These meetings are always lively discussions, with the obligatory dry erase pen and whiteboard at the ready. The ideas flow at a furious pace, one building atop another, the dry erase pen squeaking along the white board surface. It’s collaboration at its best, as ideas grow from whimsy, to real possibility, then on to development, then testing, and finally … launch. It’s a true labor of love. Since some features require longer “lead times” than others, we are at work on a continual stream of short, medium, and long projects. Our suggestion box is always open to ideas and comments.

8)      What is next for Storiad in 2012?

In January 2012 we launched an expanded writer’s platform with lots of new features and services. With every upgrade, we aim to provide more and more tools for writers to better connect, communicate, market and sell their work. The response from writers to our latest release has been very enthusiastic.

In the coming months, we will be rolling-out upgrades to our media professional’s platform to make it even easier for media pros to find the right writers and right projects at the right time. In addition, we will be introducing some very creative ways for media professionals to conduct their book & author publicity campaigns online. This is something almost every editor and publisher we’ve spoken to has expressed an interest in seeing developed.

We are also working on some very cool features designed to facilitate real-time interactions between writers and media professionals. Now, we can’t go into too much detail at this time, but we can say that it will be unlike anything presently available for writers on the Internet.

And finally, Storiad will be partnering with various writing-related websites to develop even more outlets for writers to showcase their work and get their story out there.

We invite writers and media professionals to join us on Facebook and Twitter for updates on these and many more Storiad developments.

Thank you for your time. We hope to see you on the Storiad network soon.

Become a Storiader: www.storiad.com

Join us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/storiad

Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/storiad

The Writer's Block Interviews: Daniela Frongia

1)     Tell us how you became an artist/illustrator?

Since I was 4, I already showing a passion and talent for drawing, inspired by the colorful style of the Disney classics and later Manga. I studied and obtained a degree from the Art School.  Next I dedicated myself to mastering airbrush technique on Bikers and then focused on digital graphics. After a first art exhibitions on canvas occurred in the diverse galleries of London, I took the decision to dedicate myself to illustrating children’s books and now I collaborate with authors and publishers from all around the world.                       


2)     Do you specialize in any particular medium?Describe your style.
My Illustrations are hand-made and then colored by software


3)     Who or what inspires you?

Studio Ghibli is definitely my main point of inspiration.


4)     What was your first illustration job?


"Halloween doggy" was my first job, in e-book version is sold on iTunes. It is the story of a dog, created by me, very funny and scary.


5)     Describe your body of work. Thus far, which project has been the most fulfilling? Why?

It's hard  to explain which project was more rewarding, because every time a is a new challenge for me, let's say I am excited to create every time something more detailed and full of emotions.

6)     Where can your works of art be found?

You can find some of my works on my website  http://www.caisairbrush.com , where there are also some of my canvasses painted by airbrush


7)     What is your definition of success as an artist?

I think an artist can feel satisfied when obtain to be able to transmit your own emotions to others through your artwork, this is a big success.

8)     What do you plan to accomplish in 2012?

I have already started to apply myself to the drawings of the skirting boards (www.lilytrim.com) already on sale in the U.S., many other books and now I just started with the illustrations on greeting cards for the UK area.


Biography :

Daniela Frongia (aka, Cais) currently lives in London, UK where she works as a freelance illustrator.  She was born in Cagliari, Italy in 1979.  By the age of 4 she was already showing a passion and talent for drawing, inspired by the colorful style of the Disney classics and later Manga.  She studied and obtained a degree from the Art School.  Next she dedicated herself to mastering airbrush technique on Bikers and then focused on digital graphics. Her first art exhibitions on canvas occurred in the diverse galleries of London when she moved there in 2009. In 2010 she made the decision to dedicate herself to illustrating children’s books and she now collaborates with authors and publishers from all around the world.  

 Website:  http://www.caisairbrush.com/  

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cais-Arts-book-illustrator-and-airbrush-artist-freelance-/197946496908175?sk=wall 

       

25 Ways to Increase Blog Traffic by Robert Lee Brewer, Plus This Week's Line-Up on The Writer's Block

Robert Lee Brewer ("My Name Is Not Bob" blog) offers 25 tips for increasing traffic to your blog. I found these to be especially helpful, so I am passing them along to you. Enjoy!


"I won't bore you with numbers, but I now consistently have as much traffic in one day on this blog as I used to receive in two months! It didn't all happen at once, and there were some ups and downs along the way, but I've found that the 25 steps below can help any blog increase traffic, whether it's brand new or been around a while.

Here are my 25 ways to increase blog traffic:

1. Post consistently. When I first started blogging, I'd have months of 6 posts here and months of 2 posts there--with no rhyme or reason. The smart blogger will at least post once a week--usually on the same day of the week. The benefit to a consistent schedule is that readers know when to "tune in" to your blog.
2. Encourage comments. Some bloggers recommend turning the comments off when the traffic is low, because conditions are favorable for zero comments. However, I think it's a smarter strategy to expect zero comments, but encourage them from the very beginning. The best blogs will get a conversation going, and that helps build traffic. I know it can feel lonely waiting for that conversation to start, but just keep plugging away.
3. Tag content. Most blogging interfaces (like Blogger and WordPress) have ways to tag posts with keywords that you may use multiple times. For instance, I know this post will have a "blogging" tag at the very least, though there will probably be some others as well. And this enables readers to click on the tag to see all the content on your blog that is related to that topic. Plus, it helps with SEO (more on that below)."

To read the entire post, visit this link.

This Week on The Writer's Block:

Monday, February 13, 2012~ Freelance Illustrator, Daniela Frongia

Tuesday, February 14, 2012~ Founder of Storiad, Ramzi Hajj

Wednesday, February 15, 2012~ Meet The Alphabet Kids

Thursday, February 16, 2012~ Author of Hope Road, John Barlow

Friday, February 17, 2012~ Author of Natasha Lands Down Under, Katherine McCaughan






Stop by my health and fitness blog Journeys Fitness starting Monday, February 13, 2012, and check out my nutrition series, "What's Eating You?"

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

Book Review: Me and My Potty by Mimi Hoang Kuehn

At first read, Me and My Potty had me laughing out loud (literally). I like the brightly-colored illustrations. Mimi captured the ups and downs of potty training in a way that moms can absolutely appreciate. The imagery is spot on--I can only imagine how children will react to the puddles and leaky pull-ups. She pulls no punches with the word choice. The mere mention of bodily functions generally elicits whispers and giggles from little ones!

Potty training doesn't happen in a day, a week, or even a month. My Potty and Me is written in a way which reflects that reality. The flow of the story seemed to stop and start somewhat--a few times I thought the story had ended. In particular, the success achieved when the monkey finally "peed" felt like a resolution for me. Learning to poop reads like a new chapter. Potty training takes repetition and (frequently) there are setbacks, so writing it this way works. Oh, and the bonus story, "My Poopy Pets", could be a great little book all its own. It makes Me and My Potty an even better value.

Me and My Potty encourages little ones and their moms to be patient and persistent with potty training. Overall, this is a great book! Buy it on Amazon.com: Me and My Potty: Monkey see, monkey do series (Volume 1)

The Writer's Block Interviews: Siggy Buckley

1)     Describe your journey as an author/writer.

My scribblings started as a diary when I was online dating. Then I met my now husband the 'natural 'way. He encouraged   me to put my encounters into the form of a book. Daredevil that I am, I even wrote it in English which is not my first language, although I have a master's   degree in teaching it.While waiting for my literary agent to sell my manuscript, I discovered my love for blogging. And here I am, consummate   blogger and now self-published author. Needless to say, my agent wasn't   successful. But I'm forging on.

2)     Do you specialize in any particular genre(s)?   

Memoirs which I disguise as a novel. I have a travel blog that I converted into a book: www.Intrepidhomeswappers.blogspot.com which became  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005N0N3CO.   

3)     Who are your favorite authors? How do they inspire your work?

I love thrillers for example by Elizabeth George. Unfortunately I don't have the imagination to pull off a   whodunnit.  Irish writers like female like Nuala O'Faoilan and Sheila O' Flanagan. There I'm waiting (and hoping) for their 'voices' to rub off on me...

4)     Tell us about your most current project. 

The launch of a new blog for writers www.writersgettoether.blogspot.com took a lot of my time over the past 2 months. It's a new platform for  bloggers and writers to get noticed through social media networks. My current brainchild is a book about child abuse that went on in Ireland in the sixties. It is of a similar theme as " The Magdalene Sisters", if  you have seen the movie. I 'm also finishing up book #3 called I Once Had a Farm in Ireland, also autobiographical.

5)     How did you choose your publisher? Describe that process.

Not having been successful with my agent,  I couldn't sit back and decided to self-publish. From all the possible choices, I picked Createspace because they have a good reputation, deliver quality books, and you have no costs upfront.

6)     How do you promote your work? What strategies have been the most successful? 

I rely on creating an internet presence on various blogs and websites as well as social networking. I'm also a member of the National League of American Pen Women.

7)     What else have you written/published?

I wrote a lot of articles for www.opednews.com and  www.americanchronicle.com under my maiden name, Ursula Siebert; an eBook called Intrepid Homeswappers: Secrets to Successful Home Swapping (How to   save thousands on your next vacation) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005N0N3CO; plus a blog that goes with the website of my novel Next Time Lucky called www.Nexttimelucky.blogspot.com where I give up-to-date dating advice. Another subject close to my heart is related to everything organic and green since my days on an Irish organic farm  www.Inandoutofireland.blogspot.com.


8)     What do you plan to accomplish in 2012? 

Sell a lot of books; finish book #3; establish myself in my new role as blog talk hostess together with Angelica Harris on "Monday Lunch Hour" http://www.blogtalkradio.com/angelicaharris

9)     What advice would you give to budding writers?  

Write about what you know and don't give up the day job.


10)   What is your definition of success as a writer? 

To get the response here that I was used to (as a matchmaker) in Ireland : "Yes, I've heard about you!" Even from the former Prime Minister (Taoiseach).


Author Bio:  Former matchmaker par excellence - or Dating Guru as the Irish media liked to call me- I was born in Germany. Having achieved a Masters Degree in English, I got married, had two children and then emigrated to Ireland with my family for the GOOD LIFE.

Involuntary life on an Irish farm produced a crop of misgivings and the break-up of our marriage. Single again, I launched a dating service in Dublin which eventually planted the seeds for this novel. I'm now happily married and live in the USA.

Next Time Lucky  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Next-Time-Lucky/245003752184595?ref=ts

https://twitter.com/#!/Hernibs

www.writersgettogether.blogspot.com

The Writer's Block Interviews: Illustrator Joyeeta Neogi

1)     Please share with us your background and why you chose being an artist as your profession.

Hi Raychelle, thanks for the invite, and I am honored to be here today!

I am Joyeeta Neogi children’s book illustrator residing at Pune, India with my six year old daughter and husband. I grew up in a family filled with art and inspiration. I've always loved books and drawing, although I've taken the long way round to becoming a children's book illustrator.

 Drawing has always been a passion of mine. I have always loved to draw and paint. At school, I used to do little drawings to amuse my classmates, I would always be drawing and doodling, filling pads of paper, but the greater source of inspiration was my mother, Shikha Biswas an established artist, so looking back I think it was inevitable.

2)    Describe how you began working with Happily Ever After Me, LLC. 

Last year I met Stacey Shannon, Creative Director/Writer at Happily Ever After Me, LLC on an online forum. She started with me with an adoption story book and liked the illustrations I made for the book. Since then, it has been an enjoyable journey working with her. I am glad to be a part of “HEAM” as an illustrator.

 "Happily Ever After Me” creates storybooks and poetry prints, along with other custom products. They capture the stories of favorite memories, childhood dreams, and life's most unforgettable moments that will be cherished for years to come.

 http://www.happilyeverafterme.com

Here are some links of work we produced together.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10150489526893912&set=a.10150489526583912.374048.176942233911&type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Happily-Ever-After-Me-LLC/176942233911?sk=photos#!/photo.php?fbid=10150363946968912&set=pu.176942233911&type=1&theater

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Happily-Ever-After-Me-LLC/176942233911?sk=photos#!/photo.php?fbid=10150228189463912&set=a.10150228188728912.322903.176942233911&type=3&theater

3)     Where do you find inspiration? Describe your creative process.

I take inspiration from everywhere, children, surroundings, drawing inspiration from my childhood memories and my own child growing up.

I like to have a set routine when working on a book. Always develop the character first; I go with where my characters want to take me. Once the characters fit the brief the rest seems to fall into place. After sketching the characters I scan them and work on my computers and begin with the coloring process. I work in both digital and traditional media. But most of my recent works are based on digital media.

4)     When did you start illustrating children's books?

I started working as a fashion designer and illustrator in a garment buying house for about more than four years. After coming to Pune, I started working as a freelance illustrator through online forum. I always wanted to have a job that involved art in some way. Eventually I found that children’s illustration was the direction I wanted to pursue with my work.

And from last two years I have been working as a children’s book illustrator. I am a full-time freelancer and work with clients from all over the world. I create quality Illustrations for children’s market for illustrated story books, custom story books, greeting cards, posters, fashion illustrations. I enjoy illustrating children's books and find nothing better than making people happy with my work. Please visit my website and blog for some samples.

http://www.wix.com/joyee14/artsutrajoyee

http://artsutrajoyee.blogspot.in/

5)     Describe your illustration style. What are your favorite mediums?

I work for both cartoon and realistic style but I think I am more inclined towards realistic style and detailing. Love doing Illustrations in Photoshop Illustrator with quality artwork in vibrant color.

I work in various mediums: oil paint, pastels, crayons, colored pencil, watercolor, and digital .

 

6)     What do you read?

Growing up, we always had shelves full of books at home. We were encouraged to read, mainly fairytales and fables, and adventure stories.

In children’s books, I love Lynne Chapman and Tim Warnes’s work… I love Laura Logan illustrations, Sherry Rogers’s work; Will Terry is a fantastic illustrator. Axel Scheffler’s and Sue Shananan’s, Mirela Tufan, and Linmida  illustrations  are great .There are too many to name! I like lots of different artists all around the world.

7)    Are you a writer? Why or why not?

No, I am not a writer but (I) love to read what others write so beautifully.

8)     Tell us about some of your latest illustration projects.

Recently, I completed a bright and colourful book illustration, “Charlie and Isabella meet Jacob” by Felicity McCullough.   The colour illustrations tell the story about the adventures of two Angora goats named Charlie and Isabella. It was a pleasure working with Felicity McCullough.

The Kindle edition, paperback, (and) hardcover are out on Amazon.

Check the links at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Isabella-Isabellas-Magical-Adventures/dp/1781650055/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1328097178&sr=1-2#_

http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Isabella-Isabellas-Magical-Adventures/dp/1781650047/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1328097178&sr=1-2

I completed a Fairy tale series with thirty Illustrations for Edcon Publishing Group. I loved working with them. Check the link for some of the Illustration on iTunes store and Amazon Kindle.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/edcon-publishing-group/id439736300?mt=11

http://www.amazon.com/Cinderella-Classic-Childrens-Tales-ebook/dp/B006ZLVLNI/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_4

http://www.amazon.com/Ant-Grasshopper-Classic-Childrens-ebook/dp/B006ZLVNI6/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_4

 


 I recently finished two children’s books with Author J.C.Martin

http://www.amazon.com/Payback-ebook/dp/B005FMRY1Q/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_3

I just completed one story with Author V. Honey Hall, “Home Away from Home”; it is in the publishing process.

9)    What is your definition of success?

Everyone defines success in their own way. To me, success is the inner satisfaction which I get through illustrating children's books. Entertaining people with images I've created is something I thrive on. I feel so fortunate to be able to do this for a living and I am grateful to every client I have worked for.

10)    What do you hope to accomplish in 2012?

I want to try lots of different mediums, different techniques, materials textures and styles to my illustrations. Apart from this I am working on an Interactive children’s story for Ipad App. This is the first time I am attempting to Illustrate as well as write (with my husband’s help and my kids suggestions) an interactive children’s story book that hopefully my kids and others will enjoy when published.


Contact Joyeeta:

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


Happily Ever After Me, LLC http://www.happilyeverafterme.com/

The Writer's Block Interviews: Author, Interviewer, and Book Reviewer Joey Pinkney

1)      Welcome to The Writer’s Block! Tell us a little bit about your background.

My name is Joey Pinkney. I was born and raised in Memphis, TN. I've always had a great love of books. I've loved to read since being encouraged by my parents at a very early age. I love to read and write. I'm a much more active reader than writer, but I hope to change that in the near future.



2)      How did get your start as a book reviewer?

The first book review that was published was Explicit Content by Black Artemis. I was writing for The Urban Journal, a now-defunct newspaper. At the time, The Urban Journal was the widest circulated Black owned and operated independent newspaper in metropolitan Nashville, TN. I was hired to write the obituary column, town hall meetings, police reports - the boring stuff.

I continually pitched to the publisher to allow me to write about books by black authors and other current media events outside of Nashville. Although he claimed that was outside of the interests of the people who read his paper, people used to email me and tell me in person that they really enjoyed the new features. All the while, I was on the internet hunting down authors to email about a potential review.


I moved from Nashville and continued to ask authors for books to review. I worked with UrbanBookSource.com and CBBookDistribution.com as a freelance book reviewer. I had a wonderful stint at both operations.

I eventually began to work more on building my brand and centralizing my book reviews. I branched out into author interviews because the number of books to be reviewed became overwhelming. At one point, I was getting like 2 to 3 books a week, if not more. The JoeyPinkney.com 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With... Author Interview Series was born in late August 2008 and has grown tremendously since then.



3)      What can we expect to find on JoeyPinkney.com? What is your mission?

Books, books and more books. I've heard people say that it looks cluttered. So does a library until you know what you are looking for and where you can find it, right?

You will find a constantly updating work in progress. I'm constantly adding new author interviews from authors of all kinds of backgrounds and genres. My core audience is African-American authors from various genres from Christian Fiction to Urban Lit to Poetry to Erotica. I'm starting to gain an international following, which is bringing in interest from authors from Ireland, the U.K. and even Australia!

I have close to 500 author interview on JoeyPinkney.com. If you are a reader, this is a resource to find authors and books you may have never heard of but need to add to your collection. If you are a writer, this author interview series oozes with practical marketing and writing experiences to add to your arsenal as a published author.



4)      How have authors benefited from exposure on your site?

There are a dozen ways that authors benefit from being on JoeyPinkney.com. Here are 6:

(1) Since I've been doing this for 3 1/2 years, I have tons of repeat visitors that stop by to see what's the latest addition. Many of these repeat visitors are readers looking to buy the next interesting book to satisfy their literary appetites.

(2) I have 200+ Google Connect readers who get notifications or the full posts emailed to their inbox when I update JoeyPinkney.com. That's a direct connection to a potential reader since most people are attached to the email accounts.

(3) I use the NetworkedBlogs service to syndicate my blogs updates. When I post a new interview, it hits the inbox of the 100+ people who have signed up to receive updates. Plus, it goes to my Facebook wall.

(4) Google usually archives my author interview posts within an hour of me posting it. Readers googling for an author's name or book title will find my interview high in the search ranking, usually on the first page.

(5) I send out social media updates 24/7 to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other websites. On Twitter alone, I have over 42,000 followers. Many of those followers are authors and readers who RT (retweet aka resend my updates) to their followers, so the exposure goes viral.

(6) I create interview trailer videos, currently free, for the author interview and books reviews and post them on YouTube and send the link to the various social media website to added exposure. Some people are visually-oriented, so videos catch their attention more than just reading status updates.


Being on JoeyPinkney.com has resulted in book sales, speaking engagements, book club invites, blog talk radio invites, publishing connection, etc. With anything dealing with marketing, results will vary, but for the most part, JoeyPinkney.com has a healthy amount of specific traffic geared towards connecting readers and writers.



5)      Are you a published author/contributor?

Yes, I am. I contributed the short story "Like Father, Like Son" to the The Soul of a Man: A Triumph of My Soul Anthology (2009), I contributed the Kindle-winning short story, "Maxine" to the MyQoTD.com Short Story Kindle Competition Compilation (2010), I was granted a cameo appearance in Psycho (2011), I was profiled in I Am Royalty: Profiles in Black History, Vol. 3 (2011) and most recently, I contributed to Gumbo For The Soul: Men of Valor (2012).



6)      Tell us about your current projects and what is next for you in 2012.

I am working on a few writing projects while keeping fresh content updated on JoeyPinkney.com. I hope to have a few books published by the end of 2012. Stay tuned.



7)      What marketing strategies would you say are the most successful for new authors?

One key strategy that most authors take advantage of is having a website: central command. When somebody asks you, as an author, where to find more about you, the last thing you want to say is Facebook or Twitter or MySpace. You want to send them to your headquarters, not the spot you're renting. Even worse, I've seen authors that have no website. That's a no-go. I've even seen an author that had a website that was mistakenly misspelled.

In terms of things that work, keep writing. Having a constant stream of novels, novellas and anthology contributions will generate the best form of marketing of them all - word-of-mouth. Having a blog that keeps your readers updated with relevant information about you, your writing, etc. That will keep your core audience engaged.

Be willing to invest in advertising and other things that will expose you to your audience. If you don't have the money, get ready to spend the time. Build your presence with readers on Twitter and Facebook. Join Goodreads and Shelfari and participate in the groups.

Get reviews from reputable sources. Encourage the people you know have bought and read your book to leave reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Goodreads, etc.


8)     What advice would you give to budding writers?  

These two thing are going to seem contradictory. If you can find the happy medium, you will be closer to success: 1) If you are writing a book you hope to sell, write with your target market in mind. Know who they are, where you can find them and what they want to read. 2) While you are writing your book, don't worry about who is going to read it. Write it to get it done so you can move on to other projects.



About Joey:

Joey Pinkney is an award-winning author and award-winning book reviewer. He is best known for the JoeyPinkney.com 5 Minutes, 5 Questions With... Author Interview Series, featuring over 475 author interviews and book reviews.

http://joeypinkney.com

http://twitter.com/joeypinkney

http://facebook.com/joeypinkney