From My Bookshelf to Yours: The Lemonman: A Party, Some Rain and Wiggleworm Lane

The Lemonman: A Party, Some Rain and Wiggleworm Lane by Natasha Ferrill

Natasha Ferrill does it again! A Party, Some Rain and Wiggleworm Lane is the second book in The Lemonman series. This time she and the Lemonman teach us about compassion, consequences and Mother Nature. Whew! Does that sound like too many lessons for one children's book? Natasha presents these lesson in a singsong, rhyming way that is not preachy. Your children will love the adorable illustrations.

I enjoyed the imaginative story. Although I don't like worms, I couldn't stop reading this story. Even my 11 year old loved it. An added plus are that the author uses words like: naïve, proposition, repercussions, eccentric and absurd in the story. My 6 year old loved learning what these words meant ( Do the lessons in the story ever end?).

I wholeheartedly recommend this story to families and children.

Check out my review of the first Lemonman book, A Picnic, a Toad and Swampwater Road

Want to know more about the author? Read my Review with Natasha Ferrill

My First Television Interview!

Interview with Jonathan Fluck: author of the T-Bot and Peabody Explore series.

Tell us a little bit about you:
I am married to the most amazing woman and together we have 2 awesome little boys, ages 3 yrs and 5 yrs. I enjoy family time, 3D modeling, writing, and outdoor activities.

How did you begin your writing career for children?
It all started with a bedtime story. One night my oldest son asked for a bedtime story, so I threw together a few characters and a few of my son's interests and eventually came up with the first book of our T-Bot and Peabody Explore series.

Was there someone or some event in your life that inspired you to write your book?
If it weren't for my son's bedtime request, I never would have started down this path. The characters, T-Bot and Peabody, are based on my two sons. T-Bot is based of my oldest son and Peabody is based on my youngest. My two sons started my down the writer's path, but I start new adventures all the time, it's finishing them that is an amazing feat and had it not been for the encouragement and help of my wife, Karen, T-Bot and Peabody would have remained an oral story that never made it outside of our house.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?
This is a tough one. I am very techie and nerdy with a love for 3D modeling and animating. If I weren't writing and could have any job I wanted, I think I would work either in the film industry or video game industry making 3D characters/animations. Assuming I could cut the mustard for the jobs. The guys that actually have those jobs are amazing at it and have an artistic gift.

What feelings or lessons do you hope your book leaves its readers?
Through this series of books I want the readers to be in awe of nature and have both a respect for it and a desire to take care of it. There is no subtle or overt message about saving the environment in the stories, but after reading the books, seeing the animals, seeing the landscape, I think the reader will walk away wanting to preserve all that for future generations. I also want readers to walk away proud of themselves for reading and hopefully having fun doing it.

Describe yourself in five words
"Horse of a different color."

Is there a children’s book that you have read that you wish you had written?
The Cat in the Hat. I wish I wrote The Cat in the Hat. Dr Seuss created worlds that have changed the lives of generations by aiding the young and the old in creating a deep, life long, love of reading. He told entertaining stories with whimsical characters that spark the imagination.


Whats next for you?
I am completely excited to be working on the next book of the series, T-Bot and Peabody Explore the Ocean. I am co-authoring this one with my wife Karen. It's been great. So far the story is written and largely illustrated. Just working on the last few pages. Readers will journey with T-Bot and Peabody through coral reefs all the way down to the deep dark depths of the ocean were life is unique and stunning!

Do you have any advice for others interested in writing books for children?
Try. No matter what you're interested in pursuing, try. Give it your best shot. My advice for aspiring children's authors would be this, approach the world from a child's perspective, be fascinated and consumed by the wonders of the world around you and by the limits of the imagination. Whether you pursue the traditional publishing route or opt in to the self publishing path you need to have a story that children want. It'll take time and effort but a quality children's book will have success. If you don't believe me, try your hardest. You will either prove me wrong or spark the love of reading in a child.

Do you have a website or a fan page?
We have a website http://www.tbotandpeabody.com/ or for a more interactive experience you can "Like" us on Facebook, www.Facebook.com/TBotAndPeabodyExplore . We like to share discounts, coloring pages, tips to encourage reading, and so much more. So please check it out.


Where can we find your books to buy?
Our books are available on Amazon.com, Powell's Books, Barnes and Noble, our Facebook Page, and pretty much any bookstore.

Interview with Sonya Kimble-Ellis, author of The Sandcastle Kids: A Mayan Adventure

Tell us a bit about you?
I have been a magazine writer and editor for quite some time. I have also freelanced quite a bit for the Web. I've written five books, all for young people, and plan on starting work again on an adult novel I began a few years ago. I enjoy traveling, interior design, and have other hobbies as well.

What inspired you to write The Sandcastle Kids?

I actually wrote the initial version about ten years ago and got turned down by several publishers. So I decided to publish it myself. I wanted to write a book that allowed kids to learn about other cultures in a fun way.

What do you hope children learn from your book?

I want them to know the importance of history as well as the contributions that people of various cultures have made to the world.

Are you planning to write any new books in the future? Can you give us a sneak peek?

There will be more Sandcastle Kids books in the future. So keep an eye out for those.

What do you do in your spare time when you're not writing?

I'm trying to find more spare time. I'd like to get back to my love of photography and writing songs.

Who was your favorite author when you were young?

James Baldwin.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Read as often as you can and write as often as you can. Be persistent when working with editors and publishers. But keep in mind that there's a fine line between being persistent and annoying. You just have to find it.

Describe yourself with 5 words.

Kind; focused; versatile; reliable; somewhat adventurous.

How did you get interested in writing children's books?

I've always wanted to write a picture book. I've written children's activity books and biographies for teens. So picture books were a natural progression. But breaking into that area of publishing is not all that easy.

Where can people buy your books?

Right now, people can purchase the book on my site http://www.thesandcastlekids.com/. It's also available at select book stores in New Jersey. Hopefully it will be available on the Barnes & Noble and/or Amazon web sites within the next few months.

Do you have a web page or fan page?

My Facebook page is: The Sandcastle Kids

Anything else you would like to share?

Thanks for all your support and please visit our page and hit "Like."

Interview With Tiana Washington, author of Shanna's Lost Ribbon

Tell us a bit about you? Well I'm a single mother or two. I have a 12 year old son named Tylon and a 4 year old daughter named Thijs. I speak french, spanish, some chinese and japanese. I play the viola and the piano. I'm studying medical office management at Kaplan and I am a tomboy at heart!

What inspired you to write Shanna's Lost Ribbon? I wasn't really inspired to write Shanna's Lost Ribbon at all actually. I was a senior in high school and on my lunch break instead of catching up on some homework, I wrote the book. The other four books in my Shanna series are Shanna Goes To Camp, Shanna and the Whip-o-Whirl, Shanna and the Tag-a-Long Pup, and Shanna and the Big Race.

Are you planning to write any new books in the future? Can you give us a sneak peek? I am currently working on Crescent Sun: Sons of Blood and my suspense thriller, What She Knows. If you would like a sneak peak then my website is the place to go.

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not writing? When I'm not writing, I am usually just being a mom, cooking, watching tv, hanging out with my friends and family, or snuggling with my cats.

Who was your favorite author when you were young? When I was young, I loved to read Judy Blume and Shel Silverstein.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? The only advice I have for aspiring authors is love what you do. If you don't feel it then your readers won't either.

Describe yourself with 5 words. To describe myself in 5 words I would have to say: funny, carefree, imaginative, creative, tomboy.

How did you get interested in writing children's books? I wasn't really interested in just writing childrens books. I write my dreams. I usually have very weird and vivid dreams and I turn them into stories. The other four kid books that are in my series are about me as a girl so it only took me two days to write them 

Do you have a web page or fan page?
I do have a web page and fan page. tianacwashington.com is my webpage and I have three fan pages on Facebook where my books can also be purchased. Author Tiana Washington will take readers to Shanna's Lost Ribbon, Vampires will take readers to Crescent Sun, and  Camden will take readers toRomance novel Camden.

Where can people buy your books?
I have actually written 9 books. Five childrens books and four novels. My novel Crescent Sun, which is a paranormal romance novel is available actually through my website tianacwashington.com, amazon.com, B&N.com,  powellbooks.com, goodreads.com, anythingtoread.com and of course, through contacting me on Facebook. My historical romance novel Camden, is available on my website only.


Anything else you would like to share? I am very excited about my work and I hope that parents will find Shanna's Lost Ribbon a true treat for their young girls and I also hope that women who love a fantastic story line will fall in love with my characters in my novels...they are truly a must read!

Interview with Lisa Bullard- author of Trick-or-Treat on Milton Street

 Tell us a bit about you?

I wanted to be a writer from the time I first put the letters of the alphabet together to create real words. Then in 5^th grade, a letter I wrote to the editor of our local newspaper was published, and I knew my dream was coming true! I practiced signing my autograph for a week. After college, I worked in the book publishing industry for many years. In 1999, while I was still a publishing employee, I finally got my first picture book published—a Christmas alphabet book called NOT ENOUGH BEDS! After a couple of years of working on both sides of the publishing equation, I decided to try freelancing, and I’ve been working as a full-time writer ever since. Along with picture books, I’ve also had lots of nonfiction titles published, including a book called YOU CAN WRITE A STORY: A STORY-WRITING RECIPE FOR KIDS.

What inspired you to write Trick-or-Treat on Milton Street?
NOT ENOUGH BEDS! had done well, so I decided to write another book along similar lines—but this time about Halloween. The problem was, I couldn’t make it work! After six months, I finally recognized that I was trying to force the story in a direction it didn’t want to go. I took a deep breath and let the book have its own way—and everything came together. It’s still a Halloween story, and a picture book, but it is much different than I first imagined. One of the things I love about it, though, is that it does contain elements from my own childhood Halloweens, from that same time when I had my letter to the editor published. For instance, we had a dentist in our neighborhood who always gave out toothbrushes for Halloween. He’s in the book, but I renamed him “Dr. Phang” and turned him into a vampire (that part is made up—as far as I know, the real dentist was just a dentist).

What do you hope your books will impart to children?

My hope is that my books will make kids love books and reading and writing as much as I always have—that kids will discover that “word play” is as much fun as other kinds of play.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on yet another revision of a mystery novel. It’s been an exciting challenge, because it’s for readers who are ages 10-14—a new audience for me. I’ve really enjoyed trying this new kind of writing, and I have to admit I crack myself up when I write the funny sections.

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not writing?

Good question—as a freelancer, I don’t have a whole lot of spare time! Some days I may get to work in my jammies, but I still have to work many, many hours. But when I can get away from my computer, I like to take road trips to quirky places, I enjoy photography, and I love to hang out with my nephews and nieces.

Who was your favorite author when you were young?

The answer to that changed almost every week. I did love the Dr. Seuss books, and the Little House on the Prairie books, and Louisa May Alcott’s books, but I loved a whole lot of others, too.

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

My best advice is to read all the new children’s (or young adult) books you can—it’s really important to know the books that make up publishers’ current lists, and to immerse yourself in this world that you hope to become a part of.

Tell us 3 interesting/crazy things about you:

Well, I’m not sure they’re all that interesting, but they may be a little crazy:

1)      My two ears are shaped completely differently. Fortunately they’re fairly small, non-eye-catching ears, so most people don’t really notice that, but once in 9^th grade biology the boy next to me announced it to the entire class and I was embarrassed for weeks!

2)      I live with a tailless, neurotic cat. It took me eighteen months to teach her how to drink water.

3)      I’m super careful around saws, knives, or anything with a sharp edge because I’m convinced that someday I’ll lose one of my fingers—it seems to run in my family (my Dad is the third generation in his family to have lost one or more fingers, so it seems to be a genetic predisposition).

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be? 

People tell me I should have been a counselor because I seem to intuitively know how people are feeling and have good ideas for how they can solve their problems. But I think it sounds like a really hard thing to do as work—I think I’ll stick to doing those same things for my friends (and for the characters in my books—those are really handy skills for a writer, too).

If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

Jesus—I have LOTS of questions, and he was a great storyteller, too.

Where can people buy your books? 

You can get them online through my favorite local bookstore,  Red Balloon Bookshop , through Amazon.com, and other places online as well.

Do you have a web page or fan page?

Yes, please visit my website at lisabullard.com. I also have a blog that’s called “Writing Road Trip” where I share tips for teachers and parents who want to help kids become better writers. But lots of “grown-up writers” tell me they enjoy my tips, too! It’s carried by Children’s Literature Network at http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/magazine/writing-road-trip/

Anything else you would like to share?

Thank you so much, Donalisa, for letting me share this space with your readers. I hope you all enjoy reading TRICK-OR-TREAT ON MILTON STREET—Charley is one of my favorite characters!

Interview with LaNiyah Bailey- author of "Not Fat Because I Wanna Be"?

How old are you? 
I am 6 years old, but I will be 7 on October 9^th.

What made you want to write "Not Fat Because I Wanna Be"? 

I wrote this book because I was being teased and bullied a lot.

Tell me what the book is about? 

The book is about a fictional girl named Jessica who has a medical condition that makes her gain weight. She gets teased and bullied in school because she is bigger than the other kids. She is always sad and never wants to go to school because of it. So, one day she decides to stand up for herself and the bullying stopped. All the kids wanted to be her friend.       

                                                                     

What would you like people to know about you? 

I love to have fun, exercise, dance, sing, go to my karate class and  play with my frisky and crazy yorkie-poo Diva.                                                                                                            

What advice would you give other kids who would like to write a book? 

I would tell other kids that it is fun to write a book. If you have a story in your mind, just tell it to your mom or dad and they can help you. It helps you inspire other kids.

What would you like other kids who may be different to know?

 I want them to know that no one has the right to bully you. God made us all special and different from each other and if you are being bullied you need to tell someone. Tell your parents, your teachers or any grown person and they could help you.

 Who do you go to for help when you're being bullied? 

I went to my parents and they talked to the teachers and daycare providers.

What do you hope to accomplish with your book?  

I hope that I can help other kids open up and talk about what they may be going through and that it can make bullies stop hurting people.

What do you want to be when you grow up? 

When I grow up I want to be a chef or a daycare provider and I want to have lots of books out.

 What do you like to do in your spare time?

 I like to read books, make up stories, dance, do Zumba with my mom and hang out with my dad and spend weekends at my cousins house.

 What's next for LaNiyah? 

Well, I just finished a coloring book called "Stand Up! Bully Busters...Coming to town" It's about Jessica and her pup Diva. They are superheroes that rescue kids who are being bullied.  This book will be out in two weeks. And after that we will be working on cartoon just like the coloring book.

How can people learn more about you or get in touch with you? 

They can come to my website and leave messages and comments. My mom always lets me read them. It is: www.NotfatbecauseIwannabe.com

Anything else you would like to share?

I would like to say, thank you Ms. Donalisa for having me today and we wish you much success on everything!  LaNiyah

Vist LaNiyah on her facebook page LaNiyah Bailey Author

Click here to buy "Not Fat Because I Wanna Be"? Buy Now

Interview with Cheri Hallwood- author of "One Wish for Winifred Witch"

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I am the proud Mom of three very talented daughters and six wonderfully imaginative grandchildren (all girls) ranging in age from 4 year old twins to an 18 year old. I have had the pleasure of being married for 45 years to a very special man that has always encouraged me to be myself. Without the support of family and friends, I don’t know if I would be living out my dream of writng for children.

Why do you write?Where do I begin? Writing for children has been a dream of mine since my children were quite young. To empower a child with the gift of reading is magical. . . . the world then lies at their fingertips. I want to get children excited about reading.


What else do you love to do, other than write books?I LOVE TO BAKE, just ask my family and friends! I also love reading, horseback riding, and ice skating.
But my greatest pleasure is spending time with my grandchildren.

What were some of your favorite books as a child?As a young child, I was read nursery rhymes, little golden books, and Disney stories. Then my grandma introduced me to children’s classics like Black Beauty (still my favorite) and Tom Sawyer. I was hooked!!

What is the best thing about writing books for children?

It has given me to ability to go back and once again view the world through the eyes of a child.
It seems surreal when a child tells you how much they enjoy your books.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?


As a matter of fact I do! It was a very short, one paragraph story about a horse named Blackie! (As a young child, I wanted to be a cowgirl)

Describe yourself in five words. That’s difficult! Family-oriented, creative, outgoing, trustworthy, driven. 


What do you love most about your book?

How Winifred discovers that sometimes it takes more than wishing and magic to make her wish come true. Finding a solution to a problem is an important lesson. And I love Patty’s illustrations, absolutely brilliant!

What are you working on now?

My grandchildren have asked me to challenge myself by writing my first Chapter Book.
Inspired by one of my granddaughter’s email names, I decided to meet that challenge and am currently writing a chapter book tentatively entitled “Frogwilla.” In this tale, a little frog discovers the true meaning of friendship, courage and acceptance.

What advice do you have for others on writing for children?

Write whenever and wherever you can. It is important to write something every day. In order to be a good writer, it is also important to be a good reader. Read lots of children’s books, especially the genre that you are interested in writing for. Join writing groups . . . the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators is one of the best.

Do you have a website and/or fan page?

Yes, my website is; www.foreveryoungpubishers.com and you can visit and become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/foreveryoungpublishers.

Where can we find your books to buy?

My books are available through Barnes & Noble, amazon.com,, my facebook page and website, and from your favorite bookseller.

Anything else you want to share?

To tell your readers to never give up on their dreams! I was 57 years old before I began this wonderful journey.

Interview with Lee Wardlaw, Author of "101 Ways to Bug Your Friends and Enemies"

Tell us a bit about you…

I’m the author of close to 30 books for young readers, including the multi-award-winning novels  101 Ways to Bug Your Parents and 101 Ways to Bug Your Teacher.  I’m also former teacher…a current mother (I have one son; he’s 15)…I speak fluent ‘Cat’ (I have three)…and I’m in constant pursuit of the perfect chocolate-chip cookie recipe.

What inspired you to write 101 Ways to Bug Your Friends and Enemies?

The short answer: My fans told me to!

The long answer: my all-time favorite play is Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand.  It’s got everything:  War, mystery, humor, heroes, villains, romance, suspense, sword fights, philosophy, poetry, pastries – you name it, it’s in there!  I’d always wanted to write a modern-day version of this story, and This. Is. It.

What is "101 Ways to Bug Your Friends and Enemies" about? 

How first love can change your friendships – and your life.  It’s also about Sneeze Wyatt, a 13-year-old whiz-kid-nerd inventor, who falls head-over-heels in love with his best friend, Hayley, who has fallen head-over-heels for someone else who has not fallen head-over-heels for her. In fact, he doesn’t even know she’s alive.  To save Hayley from the wrenching pain of unrequited love, Sneeze pretends to be the Other Guy, writing her astounding love letters from ‘him’ via email. And yes, humorous and heart-squishing chaos ensues…

What do you hope children learn from your book? 

First and foremost, I write to entertain – both myself and my readers.  So my greatest hope for my fans is that while reading this book they laugh so hard they squirt milk out their noses!  (Provided, of course, they’re drinking milk at the time; otherwise, milk-out-the-nose might signal a more serious symptom that requires the immediate services of a doctor.  Or a farmer.)

Beneath the obvious humor, however, there is a lot here for my readers to ‘get’, such as:

1.  People aren’t mind readers.  You won’t know if the person you like likes you back unless you tell that person how you feel.

2.  Yes, confessing your feelings does involve risk. The object of your affection might laugh you out of the school or throw up on your shoes.

3.  But this risk is worth it.  Great achievement and great love always are.  (And you can always buy new shoes.)

4.  Just because one person doesn’t love you, does NOT mean you are unlovable. 

Are you planning to write any new books in the future?  Can you give us a sneak peek?

I’m revising a sequel to my picture book Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku (Holt).  I’m also making notes for the fourth and final novel in the 101 Ways series: 101 Ways to Bug Your Brother and Sister. For years, my fans have been sharing with me the creative ways their siblings have bugged them.  A few favorites:

1.  Touch her with bologna.

2.  Sneak icky food off your plate and slip it onto his plate.

3.  On long car trips, fall asleep leaning against her.  Extra points if you’re hot and sweaty.

4.  If you’re a girl, put your underwear in his underwear drawer.  If you’re a boy, do the opposite!

5.  Rip all the heads off her Barbie dolls. (My brothers used to do this to me!)

6.  When his friend come over to your house, follow them around everywhere.

7.  When she and her friends are sunbathing, squirt them with your water cannon.

8.  Poise your finger 1/8 of an inch from her and repeat:  ‘I’m not touching you!  I’m not touching you!’

9.  Hog the TV remote.  Then ‘lose’ it.

 10.    Every time she says: ‘Guess what?’, shout:  ‘Chicken butt!’

What do you do in your spare time when you’re not writing?

I love beach combing for sea glass.  I read.  (A lot!)  I snoop in antique stores for old Hawaiian hula dolls.  (I have a collection; one doll dates back to 1900.)  I read.  I get together with friends.  Then I read.  I play with my cats.  I swim.  Oh, and I read, too!  (And  my most favorite thing to do in my free time is…write!)

Who was your favorite author when you were young?

There were so many authors!  I loved Dr Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  In second grade, I wrote a book report for that title every week for about two months – until my teacher finally demanded I pick a different book.  I also loved Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time.  Oh, and Helen Keller’s Teacher by Margaret Davidson and The Secret Language by Ursula Nordstrom. I read those books over and over and over again. Same with the Winnie-the-Pooh books by A.A. Milne, which I found absolutely hysterical.  Such wry and clever wit!

Do you have any advice for aspiring authors? 

Read as much as you can. Write as much as you can. Every day.  Repeat.

Describe yourself with 5 words.

Exuberant.  Secretive.  Storyteller.  Funny.  Calliope. (Okay, okay. I know the last word isn’t a descriptive, but it’s one of my favorite nouns because I adore the sound of it:  kah-LIE-uh-pee, kah-LIE-uh-pee. In ancient Greece, Kalliope was the muse of heroic poetry.)

How did you get interested in writing children's books?    

I don’t really think of myself as a writer of ‘children’s books’.  I have stories to tell, and those stories just happen to be about children and tweens and teens. I got interested in writing, though, as soon as I became a reader. The first book I could read all by myself was P.D. Eastman’s Go, Dog, Go. Wow. I was woozy with pride!  I mean, what an accomplishment to read that book over and over and over read again to my little brother, Scott!  (And he didn’t even like dogs!)  I couldn’t imagine a better feeling than that, except maybe writing a book all by myself.  So, at age seven, I gave it a try. I’ve been writing ever since.  (P.S. The first book my son could read all by himself was also Go, Dog, Go!)

Where can people buy your books? 

First, check your local independent bookstore, either in person or online at: http://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder

If they don’t have my books in stock, ask them to order them! They’ll be glad to!  You may also find my books at http://www.blogger.com/goog_602615756 or http://www.b&n.com/

Do you have a web page or fan page?    

http://www.leewardlaw.com/

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/101-Ways-to-Bug-Your-Friends-and-Enemies/184298651612329

Anything else you would like to share?

1. I like iced tea with lemon and mint and Splenda.

2. When I do school visits, there is always one fan who comes up to me and says:  “Hey, you’re a girl!  I thought you were a guy!”  (Because my first name is Lee.)

3.  Dr. Maria Montessori is one of my heroes.

4.  I went back to college at the age of 53 to get my master’s degree in Education.

5.  If you want to learn 101 Ways to Bug an Author (aka ME!), visit:

     http://www.leewardlaw.com/bug.htm

6.  The first person to email me at author@leewardlaw.com and tell me that I do NOT look like a woman in her 50’s, will receive a free, autographed, paperback copy of 101 Ways to Bug Your Friends and Enemies.

7.  Oh, and thanks for interviewing me!


Visit Wild About Reading for a chance to win a copy.

Interview with Karen Toz Author of "Nate Rocks the World"

Tell us a bit about you.

I'm a happily married mom of three great kids aged 5-14 and one extra furry kitty. I tell my kids all the time to 'dream big.' This year, I decided to take my own advice, and I published my very first novel - a children's book geared toward 7-12 year olds. I also enjoy to blogging about my chaotic life with a teen, tween and little one. Besides writing, I love to spend time with my family, cook, and garden.

How did you begin your writing career for children?

I began quite recently actually. About a year and a half ago, I sat down with an idea I had been carrying around for a while for an adult contemporary novel and quickly discovered that I love to write! The book, although about an adult, has several flashbacks back to the main character’s childhood. It did not take long to discover that I preferred writing in a child’s voice.

Was there someone or some event in your life that inspired you to write Nate Rocks The World?  

At about the same time I started writing, I noticed that my two older children (aged 13 and 10 at the time) were becoming less and less enthusiastic about reading. Getting them to read anything beyond what was required for school was torturous. They complained there was nothing FUN to read. I decided to prove them wrong by writing a book! The main character is inspired by the two of them, as well as my youngest who was 4 when I started writing.  My oldest son is the cartoon artist of the family. My daughter is a dancer and very creative, and my youngest son loves to role play as a super-hero. I rolled them all together to create one fabulous Nate Rocks!

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?

Actually, I have a part-time day job as a tax accountant! I’ve been an accountant for many years now and I enjoy working clients. I’m fortunate that I have enough time to both work in my field and write.

What feelings or lessons do you hope your book leaves its readers?

The message I hope to leave readers with is that anyone and everyone can accomplish great things.

Describe yourself in five words

Wow - this is harder than being limited to Twitter’s 140 characters! Let’s see:

driven, compassionate, emotional, fulfilled, inspired

Is there a children’s book that you have read that you wish you had written?

Absolutely - I wish I had written the Harry Potter series. I think it is just brilliant.

Whats next for you?

Well - I’m in the editing stages of that adult contemporary novel I started last year, and I also am part way through the next book in the Nate Rocks series!

Do you have any advice for others interested in writing books for children?

Take the advice of my own children: kids want to read books that are fun! Writing for children is the best - you get to live your inner childhood all over again. Enjoy your characters - allow them to grow and blossom and take the opportunity to send a message to your readers.

Do you have a website or a fan page?  Where can we find your books to buy?

Yes - readers can connect with me on my website: www.karentoz.com and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/karenptoz. Nate Rocks the World is available on-line at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and most other on-line retailers. It is available in print and in digital form for your e-readers. For more detailed purchase information, please visit http://www.karentoz.com/books--purchase-info.html