"Instilling Lifelong Reading Habits in Your Children"

Hope my fellow East Coast peeps are safe and hunkering down during Hurricane Sandy.

Why does naming a hurricane, full of disorder and destruction, Sandy make me laugh? Only two thoughts come to mind: 

1. Sandy has the word 'sand' in it, which gives me a tropical and calm visual.
2. Everyone knows 'Sandy' as the female MC in the hit movie & musical GREASE. Her name is the epitome of sweet.

Any hoot, today I have a guest post by Sara Dawkins, a freelance writer and active nanny. How fun!! She's been patiently waiting for me to release her post. *wink - Thx for being so cool, Sara!* Please give her a warm welcome! 

"Instilling Lifelong Reading Habits in Your Children"

Developing lifelong reading habits in your children may seem like a daunting task. In reality, all it takes is encouragement, leading by example and perks to keep your kids interested and asking for more. Below are 5 ways to get your child's reading habits kick started and reinforced to continue through adulthood.

1. Read to your child - This may be obvious but it is the most important step in establishing strong reading habits. When your children see you read, they want to do it as well. If you read to them from birth, they will grow up with reading as part of their daily routine and are more likely to continue it on their own. Read different types of books in different genres. Early on, focus on books with vivid colors and art to keep your baby or toddler interested.

2. Set a specific time to read - In the shuffle of family life, it's easy for reading time to be pushed aside. Set a specific time each day to focus on reading with your child, whether it is first thing in the morning or at bedtime. When your child is old enough (about 1 year old), allow him or her to choose the book. Be sure to have a wide selection on hand, which leads to the next point.

3. Start creating your home library early on - Start building up a collection of books for your child as early as during pregnancy. Books can be expensive but there are many places to get great deals on children's books and adult reading material as well. Research used book stores in your areas and you can find books as low as $. 25 - $1.00. The library is also a great option and getting books there is free!

4. Set goals - Once your child is old enough to read books on his own, set reading goals that lead to prizes. Prizes can be an outing to a favorite park, a sweet treat or even a new book to continue to perpetuate the reading habit. Once the goal is reached, increase it slightly by adding another book to the list or raising the reading level. Adding a visual goal chart on the wall would be a fun way to begin the challenge.

5. Reduce television and time online - This is probably the most important way to instill lifelong reading habits in your children. Often times, children spend hours watching television, playing games online or playing a handheld gaming device. While everything is okay in moderation, decreasing time with technology will inevitably lead to a stronger passion for reading in the long run.

Reading is one of the most important habits you can instill in your children. It's also one that can be done anywhere, anytime and anyplace. Don't be afraid to take a book with you everywhere you go and always have it on hand to help make reading one of your child's favorite activities!

Author Bio

Sara is an active nanny as well as an active freelance writer. She is a frequent contributor of http://www.nannypro.com/.  

Writing the Eternal Classic: Nightingale Blog Tour

Winner of the 2012 International Book Award for Best Young Adult Novel of the Year! & Finalist in the Global Ebook Awards!

In his remarkable young adult fantasy debut, Nightingale, David Farland shows why critics have called his work "compelling," "engrossing," "powerful," "profound," and "ultimately life-changing." 

"Superb worldbuilding, strong characters, and Dave's characteristic excellent prose. --Brandon Sanderson, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

"A wonderful tale of a young man trying to find his humanity, even though he's not quite human. One of Farland's very best!" --#1 International Bestseller Kevin J. Anderson.

I am thrilled and grateful to be a part of his tour. So sit back, focus your eyes, and take a peek into the story, its creation, and the man himself. Eek!!

 Some people sing at night to drive back the darkness.  Others sing to summon it. . . .

Bron Jones was abandoned at birth. Thrown into foster care, he was rejected by one family after another, until he met Olivia, a gifted and devoted high school teacher who recognized him for what he really was--what her people call a "nightingale."

But Bron isn't ready to learn the truth. There are secrets that have been hidden from mankind for hundreds of thousands of years, secrets that should remain hidden. Some things are too dangerous to know. Bron's secret may be the most dangerous of all.

I understand that before you ever started to write Nightingale, you set out to write a book that would be considered a classic forty years from now. Did you achieve your goal?

I hope so. We’ll know forty years from now, when the people who read it today look back and say, “You know, one of my favorite books of all time was Nightingale.”

The truth is that great works aren’t recognized immediately. If you look back at the reviews for Dune, no one at the time raved about it and called it the greatest work of science fiction ever. That happened twenty years later. The same is true of Lord of the Rings. It sold poorly at first, with a print run of only 1000 copies in hardcover here in America. It took about seven years before it really started to sell, once it got into paperback. 



In the book, you talk about a lot of interesting types of people—“Memory Merchants,” “Draghouls” and “Dream Assassins.” You have a wealth of extraordinary ideas for this book. Where did they come from?

I often feel that too many books lack imagination. The novels aren’t “novel.”

When I read, I like to be wowed, to be transported by a story that takes me to another world, fills me with a sense of wonder. So I wanted to create something very robust for this book, a whole new world, in a way.

As a child, I lived in the woods in Oregon, and I loved to read about mammoths, and bigfoot, and all kinds of oddities. I remember thinking when I was eight, “Wouldn’t it be neat if there were really Neanderthals still alive? I mean, imagine it: a tribe of Neanderthals living in the remote wilderness of Siberia, or high in the mountains of Tibet!”

Of course, we know that Neanderthals and humans lived side-by-side for hundreds of thousands of years, and recently we’ve found evidence that at least two other groups of humanoids lived with them at the same time. So the questions became, “What if there are some other kind of humanoid creatures already among us?” “What if they are more powerful than us?” “

After that, I began to think about what kinds of abilities such people might have, and the story just took off.

The character of Bron in this book, how did you create him?

To some degree, when a writer creates a character, that character is always a piece of himself.

Most teens go through a period where they feel like outsiders. When I was Bron’s age, I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere at all. I had my artistic tendencies—my painting, sculpting, and the novel manuscript hidden under my bed.

But I felt so . . . emotionally distant from the world. I used to watch people and think to myself, “You know, those humans have some interesting habits. . . .”

So that’s the genesis of Bron, I think, my own feeling as if I were outside of humanity, looking in.

You’ve had a lot of success writing for adults, why write for young adults?

I’ve always believed that great stories are for everyone—toddlers, teens, grandparents.

My very first award-winning story was told from the point of view of a young teen, and for some reason I keep feeling that I want to get back to my roots. Besides, on one level, I’m not an adult. I’m a teenager trapped in an aging, rotting body. Even though I’m maturing and aging physically, I haven’t grown old emotionally. Our minds trick us into thinking we’re eternally young.

Beyond that, many of the best novels of our time are written for teens. I loved Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, and many others. Even classics like Lord of the Rings and Dune were written with teens in mind. So I think I’ve always wanted to sort of “join the literary conversation.”

Nightingale has already received high praise, and I’ve heard that there is a movie offer before it was even released. Do you think a film will be made?

Yes, the novel is under option, and the producer is very involved in setting up promotion for the enhanced version of the book.

You see, in order to get a movie made, you need to establish an audience. A lot of books get optioned as soon as they’re released and then the producers hold on to the rights for a couple of years to see if the sales take off. It’s sort of like investing in stock to a startup company.

I think that Nightingale will find a huge audience, but ultimately that decision comes down to the readers. If enough people like the book, if they tell their friends about it and convince them to read it too, then the book gets noticed. It builds.

At a certain point, the decision becomes a no-brainer for the filmmakers. In fact, at some point the studios begin fighting over who “gets” to make the movie.

Will there be a sequel to Nightingale?

There will be four books in the series. The next one is called Dream Assassin. I'm not allowed to reveal what happens in it, but I can’t wait to get to work on it! 

At the end of the day, when a reader closes the book on Nightingale, what do you want them to take away?

As an author, when someone finishes one of my books, I want the reader to feel fulfilled for having read it. I want them to understand our world more completely, to feel . . . elevated, giddy, excited If it's not too much to hope for, I'd like the story to stay in their mind, affect them for months or even years to come, and even change their lives for the better.

I think, ideally, that's what every writer ultimately wants—to contribute something good to the world consciousness. Have you ever read a book and wanted to tell the world about it?  That’s how I’d like my readers to feel.  I’d like them to want to go out and celebrate for having read a fun, engrossing, powerful book.

The Author: David Farland has written and edited fifty published books. These include novels for adults, young adults, anthologies, middle-grade readers, and picture books. He often teaches writing workshops, and has trained a number of people who went on to become international bestselling authors--people like Brandon Sanderson in fantasy, Brandon Mull in middle-grade fiction, and Stephenie Meyer in young adult fiction.

As part of his dedication to helping other writers, David writes the David Farland's Daily Kick in the Pants, an email bulletin for writers or those who would be writers. Many authors rave about how it has helped them. Out of devotion, he provides the Daily Kick free. You can register to receive it at http://www.davidfarland.com/

Ooh, one Splat: Due to the impending hurricane stammering up the east coast, there is a possibility I may be out of internet service for a few days. If I don't post tomorrow, that's the reason! So think of me with the kiddos home from school, with flashlights and playing cards.

Did I Notice Your Book?

Another brainstorm has lead the totally cool Ninja Captain Alex and the fabulous Ciara Knight to conjure of another blogfest. But I need your help!

Deets: I'm to choose a book that I’ve read, something I saw on a blog or social media site, Goodreads, or a sales website. Anything that captured that twinkle in my eye because of a great cover, blurb or reviews, making me look twice. BUT (and that is an extra-large B.U.T.) I am NOT tell the author that their book has been noticed. Instead, I'm to shout out on social media sites, until the author finds his/her book. In my case, it's a her.

Some of you might know JA Souders as a YALitchat member and one of my Oasis for YA sisters. And she is both. But that had no barring on why I chose to give her book a shout out. (By the way, there were many to choose from, but I had to choose just one.) Just look at this cover. The colors are so vivid!! It's beautiful. And then read her blurb. Now, tell me you don't want to read it. I dare you.

Blurb: Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.

But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.

Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.

Click image for more
participants

'K, so won't you help me? Just copy and paste the message below into your Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, or any other social media to shout out loud so J.A. Souders will hear us and respond. Come on. You can do it!!

Gave you and #renegade a shout out!! @jasouders Come tell me you found me! http://bit.ly/V9oYNP

Splat: Normally I don't blog on Wednesdays but because I am I will not be blogging this Friday. Also, I am taking next week off from blogging to rest up. I overdid it this past weekend, going to my oldest's Family Weekend at his college. I'm only in week two of recovery from my surgery, so I probably should listen to my exhausted body. The only work I'll be doing is in Florida, finishing the last three chapters of agent edits. My hubby has a business conference there, so I'm tagging along to rest. 

Have a fantastic week, next week!! See you on the 29th.

Reading Lists & Young Adult Teen Tuesday

I'm over on Oasis for YA today, with my latest YA suggestion and a question. I'll give you a hint: the story is paranormal and fantasy and encompasses a world imprisoned. I'd love to hear from you over there.

Splat: my recovery is still going well. Just really exhausted, so if I don't catch up with you as readily as I'd like I hope you'll understand.

Thanks so much and enjoy your Tuesday!!

For more YA, visit these YATT Meme Supporters:

Margo Berendsen

The Write Game

Julie Musil (not every wk)

Rosewood Pencil Box

Misha Gericke (not every wk)

Fairbetty's World 

Concrete Pieces of Soul 

The B.L.O.G (The Bizzare Life of One Girl)  

A Day into the Writer

Want to take part in spotlighting young adult literature? Join our team. For more information, go HERE.

Cover Reveal: THE SECOND SIGN

Now here's a cover reveal I'm thrilled to be a part of because soon I should receive my copy in person! Can't wait.

Meet the author, the publisher, and Gabby & Jake.

Title: THE SECOND SIGN

Author: Elizabeth Arroyo

Genre: Dark Fantasy/Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing

Release Date: February 7, 2013

Description: Bred to believe in the war between angels and demons, Gabby has come to the conclusion that love is responsible for war, jealousy, and all the other deadly sins she can think of. So when she's exiled to the middle of nowhere for getting kicked out of her fifth school for fighting, she doesn't expect to meet Jake. Much less fall in love. But Jake is quickly drawn to the eerie beauty of her violet eyes while Gabby is unsettled by their undeniable connection. 

When a demon guardian comes to collect her soul, she refuses to give it up. She's not a demon. She can't be. Her father and twin brother are angels. The demon gives Gabby twenty-four hours to decide here allegiance, and then starts killing her short list of friends, leaving messages behind: She is the Second Sign.

As Gabby and Jake begin to unravel the mystery behind the Second Sign, she learns Jake may be the key to saving her soul. But it means a sacrifice has to be made that will change their lives forever.

Check out Elizabeth:

Website: www.elizabetharroyo.com

Blog: http://chandarawrites.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EArroyo5

Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/elizabetharroyo.author

Emotions

Write from your HEART ... always, no matter from the light or the dark, the warmth or the cold, the full or the empty. Just find it and release it. For others to know, too.

I'm still recovering from surgery, so I decided to leave you with a choice for the weekend. 

Which emotion will you choose to explore?

AFTERMATH ~ Cover Reveal

Though I'll be spending the remainder of this week recovering from surgery, I couldn't resist sharing a fantastic reveal with you. Welcome to YA Author Jenna-Lynne Duncan's AFTERMATH cover reveal, hosted by AToMR Tours.

Title: Aftermath (Hurricane, #2)

Author: Jenna-Lynne Duncan

Age Group: Young Adult

Genre: Paranormal /urban fantasy

Expected Release: February 2013

Cover Design: No cover designer specified by the author

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

Summary:

Adriana can't decide which is harder- living in post-Katrina New Orleans or living with two immortal brothers. Ana and Hayden are finally together but Hayden's brother Luke is trying to come between them... and he has never been known to play fair. Ana is still attempting to cling to her normal life despite psychic visions taking over her dreams. With Mardi Gras season approaching and a vision of a murder, Ana will find out if she can really change the future or if she's just upsetting a very delicate balance. What she could never predict was just how far Luke would go to satisfy his obsession...

LUKE

HAYDEN

The author is offering a giveaway in conjunction with the reveal.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bio:

Jenna-Lynne Duncan graduated from the University of St. Thomas with degrees in Political Science, International Studies, and Middle Eastern Studies. Hurricane is her debut novel and she is planning a series.

Jenna- Lynne Duncan|Facebook|Twitter

For more YA, visit these YATT Meme Supporters:

Margo Berendsen

The Write Game

Julie Musil (not every wk)

Rosewood Pencil Box

Misha Gericke (not every wk)

Fairbetty's World 

Concrete Pieces of Soul 

The B.L.O.G (The Bizzare Life of One Girl)  

A Day into the Writer

Want to take part in spotlighting young adult literature? Join our team. For more information, go HERE.

Suicide Prevention: A Cause to Unite. Giveaway. Auction

Causes unite people. And bloggers are no different. We write or explore what excites and inspires us, and sometimes about what troubles our world.

This week we come together to UNITE FOR A CAUSE in conjunction with the annual suicide prevention walk to be held on October 15th. The fabulous Justine Dell and amazing Sarah Fine (who's debut YA novel deals with teenage suicide), have joined forces to spread awareness for this wonderful cause. They have organized a fabulous event for you to win awesome prizes and donate to a wonderful charity!

Justine's debut was released on Sept. 18th. Her publisher has graciously agreed to put together some wonderful prize packs to giveaway, plus over 40 donations from writers and literary agents, including a query critique from ME, have collected for you. 100% of the proceeds from the auction will go to the Suicide Prevention Walk. 

SARAH AND JUSTINE'S DYNAMITE DONATION GIVEAWAY!
For every $1 dollar you donate, you will be given ONE entry into the Donation Giveaway. If you donate $50, that's 50 entries for each giveaway. Just enter with an easy entry on the Rafflecopter, donate, then email your receipt to Justine and we'll manually enter your entries! You only have to donate once and you will be entered into both giveaways.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

EPIC BOOK GIVEAWAY! The EPIC Giveaway runs until Friday and requires no monetary donation on your part!! But the more entries received, the more Sarah Fine will personal donate (up to an extra $500!). You are only asked to spread the word about this cause and the online auction!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The online auction starts October 6th @ noon, EST!! I hope you'll attend and spread the word!

FYI Splat: Unfortunately, I will not be able to attend or post about the online auction on Friday as I'd originally planned. And I won't be blogging the rest of this week and probably most of next week due to the fact that I'm having surgery Thursday morning. No worries. I'm sure I'll be okay.

Thanks for understanding and have a fabulous rest of this week and next! Looking forward to reconnecting once I'm recovered enough. (But I'm sure I'll still be neck-high in my revisions with my agent, even laying in a hospital bed. Did I tell you? I've been revising for twelve days and I'm already 32,000 words in. Whoot! Almost halfway there.)

BIG Reveal!!

R U SURPRISED?!!

See my new header?

That was the sneak peek I gave you on Friday. Like it? Oooh...tell me!! And what do you think about my brand-spanking-new WEBSITE!!

I have an official author website, slap with a wet noodle and call me Sally.

Hope you hop over and take a peek at all my goodies. Most of the site is up and running, but there are a few areas I still need to work on. And don't worry, I'll be sharing my process for developing a website with you, soon, and surely giving major props to my web designer - Jaycee!! I'll probably write it up in a series. Check out the changes I also made to my Facebook Author & Twitter Pages!

The only other thing I have for today is a few clarifications about my latest launch: Graffiti Promotions.

• the forms are for pubbed authors with books already on the market but also for authors at every stage of the publishing game. You DO NOT have to have a book out yet to be featured. You can be a published novelist, short story writer, freelancer, author-in-progress, illustrator, editor, publisher, or agent.
• if you don't have books out yet, gear your answers toward your current WIP.

If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comment area and I'll definitely address them.

So, tell me. What's your opinion of Writer's Alley's facelift and my new Website?