Silly Winter Comics

Gingerbread Cake recipe

 

 

Original recipe makes 1 9-inch square cake

 

Ingredients:

Makes servings USMetricAdjust Recipe (Help)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter

1egg

1 cup molasses

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup hot water

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch square pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg, and mix in the molasses.
3. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Blend into the creamed mixture. Stir in the hot water. Pour into the prepared pan.
4. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan before serving.

Ornament for the Tree

Oh, Martha Stewart...is there anything you can't make? Here is a wonderful Christmas craft idea for you and your children to enjoy!  It is very simple, and with your help, your kids can feel so proud to add their own ornament to the tree this year!

Peppermint Ornaments

Kids can brighten up the Christmas tree by creating their own ornaments and tree-toppers using pipe cleaners, foil, and felt.

Peppermints are the coolest holiday sweets -- especially when transformed into edible hanging ornaments. Lay five or so peppermint candies in a circle to form a wreath; bond sides together with icing. Adorn front with cinnamon candies or mints. Let dry two hours before hanging. Loop twine around ornament; knot. Enjoy!

 

 

For more really cool ideas this Christmas, go to: www.marthastewart.com 

Christmas Book Review: Bear Stays Up For Christmas

 

 

"The day before Christmas,

 

snuggled on his floor,

 

Bear sleeps soundly

 

with a great big snore...."

 

Bear's friends are determined to keep Bear awake for Christmas! So they wake Bear up and have him help them find a Christmas tree, bake cakes, hang up stockings, and sing Christmas songs. Bear stays up -- by discovering that giving is one of the best Christmas presents!


Received a 4.21 stars out of 5 on:

 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/756342.Bear_Stays_Up_for_Christmas


This review written by: Joanna Marple
Some authors just have it – that ability to write stories in rhyme for young children that simply dance off the page and spill off the tongue with a tempo and fluidity that make them so easy to read aloud and so captivating for a child to listen to. Karma Wilson is one such author.

The scene is set – will Bear hibernate through yet another Christmas day, or will his faithful band of animal friends manage to keep him awake? Having read quite a few now in the Bear series, I, like all children, can’t wait to see what this group of friends will get up to – Mouse, Mole, Hare, Gopher, Badger, Wren, Raven, and, of course, Bear. Jane Chapman’s illustrations of these forest animals are rich, full of emotion and wonderfully flesh out each of the characters, partnering perfectly with the text.

Well, everyone pitches in to keep Bear awake as they go through the typical pre- Christmas day preparations of finding the tree, decorating it, hanging up stockings, singing carols…. Finally, as Christmas Eve comes to a close, all the animals are weary from their festive exertions and fall asleep. Bear alone remains awake now, and in the usual spirit of friendship of all the Bear books, he busies himself with making Christmas surprises for his friends. He does not, however, see the biggest surprise of all, Santa making a visit that Christmas Eve night!

Karma manages to vary pace and tone with her rhyme, and yet adds enough predictability to engage pre-K children with ease. The illustrations are truly priceless, filling each two-page spread with warm brown tones of the lair’s interior or purples and blues of a snowy midwinter’s night, and bringing each animal to lofe.


Happy 'American' Thanksgiving!

Best Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is here, so our minds have turned
To what time has taught us, to what we've learned:
We often focus all our thought
On shiny things we've shopped and bought;
We take our pleasure in material things
Forgetting the pleasure that friendship brings.
If a lot of our stuff just vanished today,
We'd see the foundation of each happy day
Is special relationships, constant and true,
And that's when our thoughts go directly to you.
We wish you a Thanksgiving you'll never forget,
Full of love and joy—your best one yet!
By Joanna Fuchs  

 

Tips for Writing Short Stories

With short stories, it is important to focus on reaching the conclusion quickly and engaging your readers with an interesting beginning.  What you don't want, is to have many different conflicts going on.  Try to write your story surrounding one conflict.  Drive towards an unexpected end.  The idea is to capture your audience right away and have them riveted until they are finished reading.

1. Who is your protagonist? (Are they unique enough)
2.  What significant actions define this protagonist at the beginning of your story?
3.  Are there any unexpected consequences that arise, due to the actions that define your protagonist?
4.  What details from your setting, dialog, and tone assist you in telling the story?
5.  Is your ending, concerning your protagonist's journey, surprising to the reader? (The reader shouldn't be able to guess the ending right away)

You want to generate an emotional response from your reader.  Don't only look to your emotions when writing.  How will what you are writing, engage your reader?  All of these things are crucial.

About your Character

Appearance. Gives your reader a visual understanding of the character.

Action. Show the reader what kind of person your character is, by describing actions rather than simply listing adjectives.

Speech. Develop the character as a person — don’t merely have your character announce important plot details.

Thought. Bring the reader into your character’s mind, to show them your character’s unexpressed memories, fears, and hopes.

Point of View

First Person. “Unites narrator and reader through a series of secrets” when they enter one character’s perceptions. However, it can “lead to telling” and limits readers connections to other characters in the short story.

Second Person. “Puts readers within the actual scene so that readers confront possibilities directly.” However, it is important to place your characters “in a tangible environment” so you don’t “omit the details readers need for clarity.”

Third Person Omniscient. Allows you to explore all of the characters’ thoughts and motivations. Transitions are extremely important as you move from character to character.

Third Person Limited. “Offers the intimacy of one character’s perceptions.” However, the writer must “deal with character absence from particular scenes.”

Perfect Quote:

"Make your readers hear the pauses between the sentences. Let them see characters lean forward, fidget with their cuticles, avert their eyes, uncross their legs."  -Jerome Stern


Happy Writing my Friends!

Do I have a thrill for you!?

I have recently undertaken something different than I am used to.  I kind of like what it's doing to me.  (chuckle)  I get a sort of high out of being challenged in new things, and this certainly falls into that criteria.  What is this new "thing" that I am referring to?  (Deep breath)  Can you handle it?  I know that you are all used to me writing children's stories, and I do intend on continueing to do so.  However, I am also exploring the wierd and creepy world of writing short story thrillers! 

WHAT?  You may ask in complete shock.  I know...I didn't think that I could commit to writing outside of my genre.  It has taught me many things though.  I am growing as a writer all the time.  Who says I should stick to one thing?  I have decided to enter a short story into a contest.  I am very excited about this opportunity.  Winning this contest could mean big things in store! 

Interesting factoid:  Roald Dahl is not only known for his amazing children's books.  He is also known for writing some adult stories as well.  Some that are quite spooky I may add. 

So you see, by trying this new genre out, I am forcing myself out of my comfort zone.  It's great!  I feel so fantastic about it.  My dear friends/family/supporters...I will keep you updated on this new journey of mine!

The Witch by Jack Prelutsky

THE WITCH
by Jack Prelutsky
She comes by night, in fearsome flight,
In garments black as pitch,
the queen of doom upon her broom,
the wild and wicked witch,
a crackling crone with brittle bones
and dessicated limbs,
two evil eyes with warts and sties
and bags about the rims,
a dangling nose, ten twisted toes
and fold of shriveled skin,
cracked and chipped and crackled lips
that frame a toothless grin.
She hurtles by, she sweeps the sky
and hurls a piercing screech.
As she swoops past, a spell is cast
on all her curses reach.
Take care to hide when the wild witch rides
to shriek her evil spell.
What she may do with a word or two
is much too grim to tell.

Read more at http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/poems.htm#17BcCGLHsXqaMhH0.99

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!

I wish all my canadian friends a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a wonderful long weekend! Make sure if you have not already, enter your name for the free children's bookdraw!

www.authormandyhunter.com

10 Halloween Activities to try with your Kids

If you enjoy Halloween with your kids, then start early by getting them excited with fun, spooky activities. 

1. One night, try to have a campfire and roast marshmallows.  Tell ghost stories appropriate to their age (this could even be done in the backyard). 
2. Make a blanket tent in their bedroom just above where they sleep and pick their favorite Halloween books. Snuggle up and read them together with a glass of milk.
3. Play hide and go seek in the dark with flashlights.
4. Wear festive pajamas and have a pillow fight.
5. Make up a fun play about ghosts (use blankets as a cover, easy costume).
6. Make Halloween treats to bring to their school (or for you to enjoy with them at home).
7. Make a Halloween craft together and gift it to someone.
8. If you have their Halloween costume and you don't mind letting them wearing it early, copycat Easter, and hide some ghoulish treats for them around the house for them to hunt!
9. Make Halloween sock puppets and play silly games with them. Change your voices just to add some funniness to it.
10. Paint your faces with Halloween designs.

Spiced and Hot Apple Cider

INGREDIENTS:

2 quarts of apple cider
6 cups cranberry juice
1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
4 Cinnamon Sticks
1 1/2 tsp full cloves
1 lemon thinly sliced

PREP:

In a large pot, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and lemon slices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove cinnamon, cloves, and lemon slices. Serve hot.

This is so perfect for those chilly times, and would also make a great Thanksgiving drink! Enjoy!

~Hats Off to Reading~ Party at the Library

What a fun time it was to be a part of my local library's "Hats Off to Reading" party!  There were 3 special guests in total (me being 1, a police officer, and a teacher).  This "crazy hat" extravaganza was to create awareness to the children that everyone reads, and that it is important to keep on reading! 
Parents, it is important to read to your children daily!  Even if they don't read yet (or very well), we can still be great role models to them!  I like to bring my 2 year old daughter to the library. In fact, I try to take her there at least once a week or more.  Places like these, and I have said this many times before, have to be supported.  I do NOT want our libraries to become things of the past!  It is such a calm and peaceful place to be. 
At this event, I had the privilege to read one of my favorite books, The Spider and the Fly written by Mary Howitt and Illustrated by the great, Tony DiTerlizzi.  I picked this book not only because it is a fave of mine, but just like The Loneliness Cure (written by myself), it has a moral.  I do enjoy a good moral story now and then!
To make things more interesting, of course I had to wear a neat hat and match my clothes to the book I was reading. haha. That is how I roll! The kids enjoyed themselves, and I had a blast! Until next time, take care!

If you haven't already, please join one or all of my pages:

https://twitter.com/AuthorMandy

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Books-by-Mandy/198177266914592?ref=hl

Fave Season

After much deliberation, I now know what my favorite season is!  At first I thought, Summer. It`s so warm and sunny. You get to go to the beach.  Now don`t get me wrong, Summer is truly great, and I did have an awesome one. It`s not over yet!  BUT, as the weather gets windy and cool...I find myself excited with each leaf that falls to the ground!  Fall is at hand! Hoorah!  I do love Autumn. What a grand season indeed!  Colors of brown, red, and yellow surround and the anticipation of Halloween!  Is this all so early?  I hope not, because I honestly don`t care!  I just adore this chilly but-without-snow season! Should I shout it from the rooftops? (hahaha)
What is your favorite season?  What do you like to do during Fall that you look forward to each year? 



New Idea

I am really excited for the new story I just finished last night.  When great ideas come to me, they come to me fast and I can finish in less than an hour.  I know, crazy, right? It's efficient for me.  I have now at my disposal, 3 completed stories ready to be illustrated and then published.  It's a strange thing...my best ideas come to me late at night.  Anywhere from 12am-4am.  Ah!  Who stays up that late anyways??  The very odd time, I will almost be shocked awake by a wonderful idea, and I refuse to just let it sit there until morning.  Reason for that, is simply this...I would forget the idea.  So, I scrape myself out of bed, find my pen and papers (never too far away), and I scribble my thoughts down immediately. 
This particular story is very dear to me.  It is something I am passionate about.  The only thing I will reveal to you is: Have you ever read the story by Shel Silverstein, The Giving Tree?  Do you remember the feeling you got when reading it? Well, I know how I felt.  It was a very emotional and moving story.  My hope is, that I spark that similar feeling to my readers.  Yes, it is a children's book, however is has a strong message in it, that I think adults will relate to as well.  Keep your eyes peeled for it, and I will make sure to update you! You won't want to miss it, I promise you. It's a very special story if I do say so myself. If I can move just one person, then that's all I ask for! Best wishes one and all! Much love!

Pretzel Recipe-Get your kids to help!

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. yeast
• ½ c. warm water
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1-1/3 c. flour
• 1 tsp. salt

Utensils:

• oven (you'll need help from your adult assistant)
• small bowl
• mixing spoon
• medium-size bowl
• cutting board, sprinkled with flour
• baking sheet, sprayed with nonstick spray
• measuring cups and spoons

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325° Fahrenheit (165° Celsius).
2. Put the yeast in a small bowl with the water and honey. Stir a little, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
3. Mix the flour and salt together in a medium bowl.
4. After the 5 minutes is up, check on the yeast mixture. It should be bigger than before and a little bubbly. Add this mixture to the flour and salt mixture.
5. Stir everything together. Use a spoon to start. Finish with your hands. The dough is ready when it's still a little crumbly and flaky.
6. Put the dough on the cutting board and knead it like you are playing with clay. Knead it into one big ball.
7. Break off a piece of dough that's about the size of a big gumball or superball. Use your hands to roll it into a skinny snake.
8. Twist the snake into a medium-size pretzel shape, and put it on the cookie sheet. Do this with all the dough, making 12 pretzels.
9. Bake your pretzels for 10 minutes. Let them cool and take a bite!

Serves: 12
Serving size: 1 pretzel
Nutritional analysis (per serving):
56 calories
1 g protein
0 g fat
12 g carbohydrate
0 g fiber
0 mg cholesterol
192 mg sodium
2 mg calcium
0.7 mg iron
Note: Nutritional analysis may vary depending on ingredient brands used.

More about Me:

What other talents do you have?
Answer: I like to sing, paint, and dance. Pretty much a lot of artsy things! :)

What is one your pet peeves?
Answer: Bullies!

Do you have any pets?
Answer: I have two cats that I adopted from the humane society. I don't believe in pet stores. There's too many pets at the shelters that need homes. I would rather support those things.

What is one of your favorite animals?
Answer: The Great White Shark. I know, scary, right?  It started in grade 8.  I had to do a report on an animal and it was worth quite a bit of our mark.  The teacher had mentioned a student getting 100% on their project the year before.  I so desperately wanted to receive a 100% on my project!  Anywho, I dived right in (mind the pun, because honestly, I wouldn't dive in anywhere with sharks. ha ha).  I picked the Great White because of a fear I had of them.  I wanted to learn more about them in hopes that I wouldn't be so scared.  To make a long story short, I received 98% on my project, which I was very proud of, and I did manage to learn a lot about this type of shark.  In learning more about them, I became intrigued and not as afraid.  However, their looks are still a bit of a shocker, especially when they are surfacing from the dark water with their razor sharp teeth exposed...ok, I'm done with this question. ;)

What was the last thing that you ate that was considered a treat? 
Answer:  I had a cinnamon and chocolate chip muffin! It was delicious!

Tea or Coffee?
Lately I have been drinking coffee, but to tell you the truth I prefer tea.  Especially Ceylon Green Tea!

Jellybeans or Swedish Berries?
Answer: Candy is tasty (when you limit your intake...I'm talking to you, kids! I guess some of you adults too, that like to indulge too many times).  I would most likely choose the Swedish berries, in fact, I am sure of it.  Gummy candies of any kind are usually really good!  Although...I am not a fan of peppermint or cinnamon tasting gummys.

How to write funny poetry:

http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/lessons/how-to-write-funny-poetry-chapter-1/

This is lesson 1 of the many lessons on how to write funny poetry for kids! If you find your child has a talent at writing, then this might be for them! You can take time with them reading the lesson and practicing! Enjoy!

Facts about Roald Dahl, because frankly...who doesn't love his work?!

Roald Dahl's birthplace was Llandaff in Wales. He was born on September 13, 1916.

Roald Dahl could speak three languages - English, Norwegian and Swahili.

He was really tall. His height was 6 foot 5 inches and he was really good at sport. At school he played football and rugby. I bet he would have been good at basketball too!

Roald Dahl was a fighter pilot and he fought in World War Two.

His favourite colour in the whole world was yellow.

Roald Dahl went to several boarding schools. He was often homesick and, as a result, he didn't really enjoy school.

Sophie was the name of Roald Dahl's mother.

Roald Dahl had bluey grey eyes. When he was younger, he had brown hair, but it went grey as he got older.

Roald Dahl died in 1990.

Roald Dahl was the author of lots of fantastic children's books. Here are some of his most popular stories: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, Esio Trot, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, Fantastic Mr Fox, Danny the Champion of the World, George's Marvellous Medicine, The Enormous Crocodile and The Witches (to name just a few).

Roald Dahl interests me quite a bit.  His stories are funny and great to read.  Be warned, if you do read one of his books to yourself, you may laugh out loud at times. Some of your friends or bystanders may think your a little crazy.  Hey, who cares though, because you are on an adventure my friend! Indeed, you are!



10 interesting facts about Butterflies!

1. Butterflies range in size from a tiny 1/8 inch to a huge almost 12 inches.
2. Butterflies can see red, green, and yellow.
3. Some people say that when the black bands on the Woolybear caterpillar are wide, a cold winter is coming.
4. The top butterfly flight speed is 12 miles per hour. Some moths can fly 25 miles per hour!
5. Monarch butterflies journey from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of about 2,000 miles, and return to the north again in the spring.
6. Butterflies cannot fly if their body temperature is less than 86 degrees.
7. Representations of butterflies are seen in Egyptian frescoes at Thebes, which are 3,500 years old.
8. Antarctica is the only continent on which no Lepidoptera have been found.
9. There are about 24,000 species of butterflies. The moths are even more numerous: about 140,000 species of them were counted all over the world.
10. The Brimstone butterfly (Gonepterix rhamni) has the longest lifetime of the adult butterflies: 9-10 months.



Some good tips on illustrating children's books

So you're an illustrator, trained in the fine art of interpreting text into one dynamic eye-catching illustration, one that says–– read this text! Perhaps then, you've thought about illustrating a kids' book. Perhaps you've even thought about writing one!


First consider this: As much as you'd like to write the next Velveteen Rabbit or perhaps tell the true life story of Ella Fitzgerald, remember that a longer text means an older audience. Who do you want to be reading your book? A toddler?A kindergartner? Or a kid who's going into the third grade?


There are picture books for the older audience, but from my bookseller experience, most kids who are 7 and up are reading chapter books and novels––the next Junie B. Jones or for the more advanced, delving into the next Harry Potter.


Shoppers are generally looking to buy picture books for the younger group. Most three year olds cannot sit through a picture book that consists of 3,000 plus words! So try to keep your story under 1,000 words and edit, edit, edit!


Now you have the perfect text and it's just right for your target audience. Now what? Well, you're an illustrator, right? So I'm sure you want to get illustrating! But wait just a minute. Are you sure you know HOW to illustrate a picture book? Do you know how many pages to make it? Do you know where to place the text? You're not thinking of illustrating the whole book in full color before you submit, are you?


First things first... research!


Go to your local library. Look at all the books. What catches your eye? What doesn't?


Go to the bookstore. What's on display? What isn't?


Go to a local story time. See what books are read. What age kids are listening? Are they paying attention? What books do they respond best to?


Once you've discovered some of your favorites, take them home, look at them... study them! Who published what? How many pages do the books have? How many words?

Sketches

Many new illustrators wonder just how detailed their sketches should be. Do they have to be exact B&W replicas of the final product? No. Some illustrators do very detailed, neat sketches while others do not.


Work in a way that's best for you.


DO make sure, however, that your sketches clearly convey the characters, action, and setting. They can't be so rough that the editor and art director don't know what's going on.


It's best to make sure that the action (characters running, cars zooming and so on) goes from left to right, encouraging the reader to turn the page. This is not a rule but it's good to do so whenever possible.

Getting down to 'Buzz'ness

In celebration of Summer coming up and my book, Bug Crazy, Here are some interesting facts about bees:

There are three kinds of bees in a hive: Queen, Worker and Drone.

Only the Queen in the hive lays eggs. She communicates with her hive with her own special scent called pheromones. The queen will lay around 1,500 eggs per day.

The worker bees are all female and they do all the work for the hive. Workers perform the following tasks inside the hive as a House Bee: Cleaning, feeding the baby bees, feeding and taking care of the queen, packing pollen and nectar into cells, capping cells, building and repairing honeycombs, fanning to cool the hive and guarding the hive.

Workers perform the following tasks outside the hive as Field Bees: Gathering nectar and pollen from flowers, collecting water and a collecting a sticky substance called propolis.

Bees have two stomachs - one stomach for eating and the other special stomach is for storing nectar collected from flowers or water so that they can carry it back to their hive.

The male bees in the hive are called drones. Their job in the hive is to find a queen to mate with. Male bees fly out and meet in special drone congregation areas where they hope to meet a queen. Male drone bees don't have a stinger.

If a worker bee uses her stinger, she will die.

Bees are classified as insects and they have six legs.

Bees have five eyes - two compound eyes and three tiny ocelli eyes.

Bees go through four stages of development: Egg, Larvae, Pupae and Adult Bee.

The bees use their honeycomb cells to raise their babies in, and to store nectar, honey, pollen and water.

Nectar is a sweet watery substance that the bees gather. After they process the nectar in their stomach they regurgitate it into the honeycomb cells. Then they fan with their wings to remove excess moisture. The final result is honey.

Bees are the only insect in the world that make food for humans.

Honey has natural preservatives and bacteria can't grow in it.

Remember kids (and adults too), it is always good to expand your learning.  Pick a topic you really enjoy and research it till you become a little pro.  It's fun and you can wow people with your new found knowledge!  Bee happy!



Like a Rock Star!

It was really nice to be at Duclos School on Tuesday.  I had the privilege of reading to a whole gym of kids!  300+ kids to be exact!  What a rush!  We had sooo much fun, and I was encouraged by the children.  I am so glad I pushed myself to follow a goal!  Sometimes we think on our goals all the time, we long for them to be reached, but there's something that holds us back.  Fear...maybe?  I'm not entirely sure. 
Just doing it, taking that leap of faith...best decision ever!  Thank you to all kids who motivate me day in and day out to do what I love.  You help confirm in my heart that I will be doing this for as long as I can!  I appreciate your support.  You make me feel like a rock Star!

The Joy of Summer

The buds of green are peeking their heads
To catch a closer look at the sun.
The grass is stretching it's skinny arms
out towards everyone.

The cyclists are cycling
The motorists are motoring
Legs are getting excercise.

The bees are buzzing
The wind is singing
All we see is bright, blue skies!

Kids laughter is in the air
The ants are building their hill
The joy of Summer is spreading
Say goodbye to Winter's chill!

written by: Mandy Hunter



7 Tips to get yourself writing!

1. Set a deadline-The urgency to get something done is all the more when you only give yourself a certain time to do it.

2. Take a writing class-You may get a chance to talk to other writers and that in itself may be the motivation you need, and the knowledge you will get with the class can give you a solid foundation to your project.

3. Listen to music-You want to concentrate mostly on music styles that fit your writing.  Set the tone with some background encouragement.

4. Imagine yourself writing-Sometimes when we can imagine ourselves reaching our goal it can motivate us to try to accomplish what we were thinking about. 

5. Set aside time-Let's face it, life is busy.  If you have a pretty tight schedule as it is, writing can sometimes feel like a burden.  Relieve that stress by taking a specific amount of time out each day or every couple days to get a good chunk of your project done.

6. Reward yourself-When you stick to your writing schedule and you are proud of how you spent your time, then give yourself a reward.  Working hard should pay off, so do just that!  Buy something reasonable that you really like, or even something simple, like an ice-cream or treat.

7. Be realistic-Even though you should have a deadline, don't push yourself to unrealistic expectations, because that in itself will extinguish your drive to write.  Keep it real, and be pleased with what ever it is that you accomplished that day.

I hope these tips are getting your creative juices flowing.  Grab your pencil and paper, or your laptop/computer now, and start!

Comics to get you through another Monday!

Have a super day! May it be filled with laughter, fun, friendship, and family!

Bonnvyille Library gets to hear my newest story!

On April 18, 2012 the Bonnyville Library filled with children and their parents/grandparents/caregivers got a chance to hear my newest book, The Loneliness Cure!  It was so much fun, as it always is, and I want to thank them for having me again.  I always enjoy my time at the library, and I believe in it.  With all the resources on the internet, some people are forgetting about these wonderful places.  They need people like us to bring more attention to them.  I am glad I did, and I will continue to support libraries! 

Me and my animated self!



A Poem by Arden Davidson

Looth Tooth
I've got a looth tooth
that wigglth and jigglth and wrigglth.
I move it around
but it never comth out of my mouth.
I pull it, I yank it,
I twirl it, I thpank it,
but it jutht never theems
to want to come out
of ith houth.

I'd call the Tooth Fairy,
but she'th kinda thcary,
Tho I thtill cannot theem to be free
of thith wiggly looth tooth,
that to tell you the truth,
ith makin' a thap outa me.

I'm going to give it
one thuper thtrong yank,
cuth I really could uthe thome money.
Great Scott! It's out! At last, it's out!
But now I'm talking funny.

(C) 1998, Arden Davidson

http://www.angelfire.com/md/byme/pocket/poetry1.html

A question by a little Einstein!

I was asked by such a bright, young boy during my library reading on Wednesday, "What gives you the ideas to write your stories?"  I mean, wow!  Seriously...he may have been in kindergarten!  I don't get questions like that very often from that age group!  Needless to say, I was impressed! 
Well, to answer his question, I simply said that in order to get ideas for my books, I needed to read a lot of books in my genre (though I didn't use that word).  Not only that, but I also needed to write as much as possible.  Reading and writing.  For me, I also have an imagination.  Maybe not as huge as a children's imagination, but I do my best to think like they do.  You have to get down to their level and meet them where they are at.
Even when I am at school presentations of my books, depending on the age range, I make it appropriate to them (if I can).  If I have a whole gym with all of the students in that school, I will make sure to make some of my comments simple and some a little more difficult.  I find my voice even changes for the younger kids.  haha! It's kind of amusing really.  I find my voice to become a little juvenile and higher pitched then when I am reading to a grade 3 class. 
I just, change!  It's like an alter-ego of sorts! 
Who doesn't want to try that every now and then?!  I have soooo much fun!  I just want to thank all the grown ups and kids that support what I do.  If you have ever seen me live, reading my stories, you understand exactly how much this means to me.  I love it!  This is what I am meant to do, and I thank you that you are helping to make that possible!  Cheers!

Texy Mexy Macaroni and Cheese

What You Need

1 pkg. (225 g) Kraft Dinner Macaroni and Cheese (add a healthy zest by picking the veggie pasta)

1 lb. (450 g) extra lean ground beef

1 cupsalsa

1 cupKraft Tex Mex Shredded Cheese

Make It

PREPARE Dinner as directed on package, using the Sensible Solutions directions.

MEANWHILE, brown meat in skillet on medium heat. Stir in salsa; simmer 5 min., stirring occasionally.

ADD meat mixture to Dinner; mix lightly. Top with cheese.     

KEEP IT SAFE!  If you are making this as a family, be sure to watch your little ones closely.  Ensure that any hot elements are kept away from the children.  Thaw frozen meat safely.  Over night in the fridge is best.

Enjoy!  Serves 4 approximately.  Guess it all depends on how hungry you are!

Ideas and Originality

Ohhh, writers block!  It can certainly happen to a children's book writer.  Though our words are few, we still need to create ideas that are interesting and somewhat unique.  That is not easy, let me tell you!  Look on the book shelves.  Many writers have taken a story already written, and just twisted certain tangents of the story to make it their own. 
I want to stand out in my techniques. I know of some authors who have been unfairly classed as the same writer as Stephanie Meyer or J.K. Rowling.  If you have vampires or witches in your story, then you may be compared, even if it is a little bit, to some of these books.  They both became major motion pictures.  That is why so many people think of them first.  Of course, there were so many authors before them that had created books with similar ideas or creatures, and unfortunately don't get credit, because it did not go to film.  It's too bad really.
I don't want to be known for being the same as some famous writer.  They got there on their own talents and expertise.  They deserve their own credit, and I hope to deserve my own.  Inspiration is fine, but just because you have a young couple, for example, fall in love in your manuscript...doesn't mean you have to be called the next Nicholas Sparks.
I think publishers look for someone that can offer them something new, other than what is already out there.  You have to be able to stand alone.  Publishing companies don't want another Robert Munsch, because he is still doing his thing and excellent at it!  They want a story that pops out and is different from the rest.
That's why, if a person is thinking about a writing career, they should research on what is popular at this present time in their particular genre.  What is interesting, now.  Read, read, and read more!  For me, I would want to read as many children's books as I can.  I want to know what kids like.  What do the kids want to look at and spend their time reading?  After figuring that out, then that is when I can be confident that my ideas will be worth putting on paper and publishing.  Always be proud of your work, and never give up!  Keep on trying.  No one can stop you, only the fear you have.  Follow your goal and be diligent to see it to completion.  With the opportunity to self-publish these days, you have wonderful opportunities to see your work in a professional way.  That's what I did!



Marketing your Children's Book is a MUST

Being that I am a self-published author, I have a hand in a lot of the decisions about my projects.  That also goes for the marketing of it.  Now don't get me wrong, I could pay for major marketing, but if you cannot afford to do this (or like me, chose to do it my own way), there are so many ways you can market your work solo. 
Like any business, it NEEDS marketing.  Whether it is old school, like newspaper ads, posting posters around town...it doesn't matter, because either way, it is crucial to the success and the distribution of your work.  Authorhouse did a great thing for me by offering my book on the most popular book seller websites (i.e. Chapters, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, etc).  That is a major marketing step for writers.  I am fortunate to have that. 
Other than that though, I chose to do most of my own marketing.  I created a website that offers new things monthly, so it's always fresh and up-to-date.  Of course as you are reading this, you know I have also created a blog.  Aside from those 2 things, there is also the major social media aspects that are awesome too!  Such as, Twitter and Facebook, which I have done.  Marketing yourself takes a lot of effort and ambition!  If you would rather not have to bother with doing all of this consistently everyday, then you may look into someone marketing your work for you. 
There is a lot involved, but one thing is certain, marketing is a must!  There are many resources on the net that can aid you in tips about marketing, but always be aware of certain companies.  Some are legit and some are so far from it.  Just because you are excited about your project(s), doesn't mean you should go with the first company that calls, or the first company that jumps out at you on the internet.  Ask all the right questions before you make an informed decision.  This is YOUR work, so you want to make sure it represents you in the best way possible.  If you aren't sure what questions to ask, then it is your responsibility to also do some research to see what those inquiries might be. 

Tip:  Schools are a great place to sell your books and it is soooo much fun too!  You can make arrangements ahead of time to do a special presentation or read-aloud, and bring some copies of your book, so that parents have a chance to buy if they wish.  This has been a wonderful tool for me.  I also enjoy reading to the kids and seeing their reactions!   


I wish you the best of luck in your endeavour to become a well-known author! Thank you for your support in my dreams as well! 



Trends in Children's Publishing

HOTTEST TRENDS IN CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING

• Multicultural Literature: stories with ethnic characters, stories from other cultures.
• Nonfiction For All Ages: write about things that kids are learning at school.
• Easy Readers: short books for kids (6 to 8) who are starting to read on their own.
• Chapter Books: short novels broken into chapters for children ages 7 to 10.
• Horror Stories: spooky stories are hot for ages 8 and up.



Benjamin Lacombe

Benjamin Lacombe-illustrator from France

I am such a fan of Benjamin's work!  He has a modern and somewhat gothic feel to his art.  I can always appreciate that!  It's not just illustrating, it's complete art!  Well done!  

Tips for Picking a Proper Title for your Story

WRITING FOR CHILDREN- TITLES:

Keep your titles short and snappy. I have learned this one the hard way! People seem to have great difficulty remembering my longer titles, but no problem remembering the shorter ones. A good general rule is to keep your titles from one to three words, no more than five.

Catchy sounds- In creating your titles, try playing with poetic devises like alliteration and rhyme. Of my own book titles, I think my favorite is MONSTER MANNERS because the alliteration makes it fun to say.

Use verbs- Another way to make a title lively is to use an active verb in it. 

Reflect the theme- a good title, however short and catchy, gives us a hint of what the story is about.

Hook your reader- The title is your first chance to grab the attention of a reader- or of an editor.

For more helpful tips and informations on writing Children's Books, click on this link:


http://childrensbooks.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=childrensbooks&cdn=parenting&tm=1004&gps=109_4_840_479&f=10&tt=14&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.bethanyroberts.com/ForWriters.htm

Poem for kids 2: I Am Not Your Pet, No Not!

I am a slug, a bug, a slug!

I am a slug, I am!

I like to eat leaves with yam or jam,

Because I am a slug, I am!

I am spotted, dotted, spotted!

I am spotted, I am!

I like to hide in playgrounds and parks, I can,

Because I am spotted, I am!

I am not your pet, I bet, not your pet!

I am not your pet, no not!

I may be the color of your snot,

But I am not your pet, NO NOT!

Written by: Mandy Hunter

Some Comics for a Cheerful Monday

2 Important Tips for Self-Confidence

1. Take action. Get it done.

“Having once decided to achieve a certain task, achieve it at all costs of tedium and distaste. The gain in self-confidence of having accomplished a tiresome labor is immense.”Thomas A. Bennett

“Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.”
Thomas Carlyle

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
Dale Carnegie

The most important step in building self confidence is simply to take action. Working on something and getting it done. Sitting at home and thinking about it will just make you feel worse. Simple. But not always easy to do. To make it a bit easier, here are a three of my favourite ways to make it easer to take action:

• Be present. This will help you snap out of over thinking and just go and do whatever you want to get done. This is probably the best tip I have found so far for taking more action since it puts you in a state where you feel little emotional resistance to the work you’ll do. And it puts you in state where the right actions often just seem to flow out of you in a focused but relaxed way and without much effort. One of the simplest ways to connect with the present moment is just to keep your focus on your breathing for a minute or two.
• Lighten up. One way to dissuade yourself from taking action is to take whatever you are about to do too seriously. That makes it feel too big, too difficult and too scary. If you on the other hand relax a bit and lighten up you often realize that those problems and negative feelings are just something you are creating in your own mind. With a lighter state of mind your tasks seems lighter and become easier to get started with.
• Really, really want it. Then taking action isn’t something you have to force. Taking action becomes a very natural thing. It’s something you can’t wait to do.

2. Face your fear.

“The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear.”
William Jennings Bryan

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.”
Eleanor Roosevelt

Look, I could tell you to do affirmations or other exercises for months in front of your mirror. It may have a positive effect. Just like preparing yourself it may help you to take action with more confidence.

But to be frank, if you don’t listen to the quotes above and face your fears you won’t experience any better self confidence on a deeper and more fundamental level. Having experiences where you face your fear is what really builds self confidence. There is no way around it.

However, there are ways to face your fears that do not include that much shaking of the knees. There are ways to make it easier for yourself.

• Be curious. When you are stuck in fear you are closed up. You tend to create division in your world and mind. You create barriers between you and other things/people. When you shift to being curious your perceptions go SWOOSH! and the world just opens up. Curiosity is filled with anticipation and enthusiasm. It opens you up. And when you are open and enthusiastic then you have more fun things to think about than focusing on your fear. How do you become more curious? One way is to remember how life has become more fun in the past thanks to your curiosity and to remember all the cool things it helped you to discover and experience.
• Realize that fear is often based on unhelpful interpretation. As humans we like to look for patterns. The problem is just that we often find negative and not so helpful patterns in our lives based on just one or two experiences. Or by misjudging situations. Or through some silly miscommunication. When you get too identified with your thoughts you’ll believe anything they tell you. A more helpful practise may be to not take your thoughts too seriously. A lot of the time they and your memory are pretty inaccurate.

5 Common Mistakes Made By New Writers of Children's Books

THE 5 MOST COMMON MISTAKES MADE BY NEW WRITERS:

• Poorly conceived Talking Animals. Editors are sick of Sammy Squirrel and Max Mosquito. The same goes for Claude the Cloud, Billy the Button or any other inanimate object. Talking animals aren't completely taboo, it's just that most writers don't do them very well. What's important is that your animals have completely developed, unique personalities and characteristics. You need to develop these characters just as carefully as if you were creating human characters. And give your readers some surprises. For example, a rabbit might not be cute and cuddly; he may be absentminded, selfish, or cunning. "Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White (a middle grade novel) is an excellent course on how to create unique animals characters.
• Single-spaced Manuscripts. Manuscripts should be typed, double-spaced, and sent with a brief (less than one page) cover letter. No exceptions.
• Treating Kids Like Babies. Don't talk down to your readers. Use rich and interesting language that evokes strong visual images, not baby talk.
• Preaching.  If your story has a moral, don't go on and on about it.  It's not even necessary to state the moral, but building the story around it is a better approach.
• Weak Beginnings. Grab the reader in the first two paragraphs or you're doomed. Begin fiction with an action scene, nonfiction with an event or interesting facts. Don't start your book with Chapter 2, wasting the first chapter with character description and background, setting, time period, etc.

On Writer's Block - video - Author Learning Center

Bestselling author Mitch Albom, author of “Tuesdays with Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”, discusses his experience with writer’s block and dealing with it before and after a big publishing success. He also shares thoughts on the pressures to be a prolific writer.


On Writer's Block - video - Author Learning Center

Oreo Pudding Pops, YUM!

What You Need

6 Oreo Cookies

1 pkg. (4-serving size) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding

2 cups cold milk

1/2 cup thawed Cool Whip Whipped Topping

Make It

1 BEAT pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min.

2 PLACE cookies in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Crush with rolling pin.

3 ADD cookie crumbs and Cool Whip; stir just until blended.

4 SPOON into 9 paper or plastic cups. Insert wooden pop stick or plastic spoon into each for handle. Freeze 5 hours or until firm.

How to Remove Frozen Pops from Cups:

Place bottom of each cup in bowl of warm water for 15 sec. Press firmly onto bottom of cup to release pop. (Do not twist or pull pop stick.)

Make Ahead

Keep these frosty desserts on hand for special summer treats!

Variation

Prepare using Jell-O Vanilla Instant Pudding.

 

 

ENJOY!! (I am definately trying this in the summer!)

Thanks to My Fans and Supporters

So far the response to my book, Bug Crazy, has been fantastic.  I want to thank all of you who support my work and take the time to read my blogs, twitter feeds, and like my facebook page!  All of these things assist in getting me out there in the world, and allowing my passion for writing and illustrating to become known.  I could not be where I am if it weren't for children and my family, and all my fans.  You are truly great! 
I feel very humble by all of my experiences as an author/illustrator thus far.  I only hope for it to continue.  Dreams really do come true! You don't have to be in a fairy tale at all!  If you have courage and you have a goal, then that is a start.

Much abliged!

Riddle me this, and other fun jokes for kids!

What does the lion say to his friends before they go out hunting for food ? 'Let us prey.'


What happened when the lion ate the comedian ? He felt funny !


Why are monsters' fingers never more than eleven inches long? Because if they were twelve inches they'd be a foot.


Can you read the following? Yy u r yy u b I c u r yy 4 me. Too wise you are, too wise you be, I see you are too wise for me.


How do pigs write? With a pigpen.


If a boy is spanked by his mother and his father, who hurts the most?  The boy.


What belongs to you, but is used more by others? Your name.


Why was Cinderella no good at playing hockey? Because she was always running away from the ball!

How Judy Blume became an Author

Dreams. When I was growing up, I dreamed about becoming a cowgirl, a detective, a spy, a great actress or a ballerina. Not a dentist, like my father, or a homemaker, like my mother— certainly not a writer, although I always loved to read. I didn't know anything about writers. It never occurred to me they were regular people and that I could grow up to become one, even though I loved to make up stories inside my head.

Stories.I made up stories while I bounced a ball against the side of our house. I made up stories playing with paper dolls. And I made them up while I practiced the piano, by pretending to give piano lessons. I even kept a notebook with the names of my pretend students and how they were doing. I always had an active imagination. But I never wrote down any of my stories. And I never told anyone about them.

Grown Up. When I grew up, my need for story telling didn't go away. So when my own two children started pre-school I began to write and I've been writing ever since! My characters live inside my head for a long time before I actually start to write a book about them. Then, they become so real to me I talk about them at the dinner table as if they are real. Some people consider this weird. But my family understands.

Places. Many of my books are set in New Jersey because that's where I was born and raised. I lived there until my kids finished elementary school. Then we moved to New Mexico, the setting for Tiger Eyes. I also spent two years in Connecticut, where Just As Long As We're Together and Here's To You, Rachel Robinson are set. And Fudge-a-mania grew out of a summer spent in Maine. I don't think I could set a book in a place without knowing it really well.

These Days. Now I live in Key West, Florida (the southernmost city in the US), and New York City with my husband, George Cooper. Between us we have three grown children and one grandchild. Our lives are busy, sometimes too much so, but never dull. And yes, I'm still writing!


Read about everything Judy on the official website:  http://www.judyblume.com/about/author/author.php



Story Ideas: What Comes First, the Characters or the Story? - article - Author Learning Center

If you ever wanted to write a novel or even a short story, take a look at this article. It is a nice, short read that will give you a starting point of the importance of character development and originality. Even if you aren't new to writing, you should take a look at this. Any information is better than none. Even for a children's author, like myself, I took a lot from this article. Characters are essential in any story, and it's crucial that they stand out and capture their audience. How can you do that? Start by reading this:


Story Ideas: What Comes First, the Characters or the Story? - article - Author Learning Center

"Hope" is the thing with feathers

I heard some fantastic news today!  It gave me such great hope, and so...in lew of it, I decided to share an Emily Dickinson poem:



"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—

I've heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.


-Emily Dickinson -

As if you don't know who Roald Dahl is?

Alrighty, so I will get right down to it...I am a big fan of Roald Dahl books.  Who isn't, really?  I mean, come on!  Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Matilda, The BFG, etc.  I find his books clever, witty, and overall superb!  Honestly...if you haven't read one of his books, you must!  Check out his official website to get more information on his books, about him, and lots more! 


http://www.roalddahl.com/



Warm Jammies and a Butterfly Face

I have been invited to do a reading of Bug Crazy at North Star Elementary School in Cold Lake!  It should be so fun, and something I haven't yet done.  It will be in the evening at 6pm-ish.  The theme is a pj party! Isn't that the coolest?  I get to wear my jammies super early and read my story to all the kids.  Do I sound excited?  I am! 
Of course I will still be doing my famous face-art to go along with the bug theme of my book, so that will be even cooler!  I plan on painting a full butterfly on my face, put my hair in pig tails, and dress in the comfiest pajamas ever!  I hope to get some pictures taken of the event, so I can post them on my facebook page and blog.  Keep checking in for those!  Take care all, and you will hear more about the event tomorrow night when I get back home!  Later days!

If you haven't yet 'liked' my facebook page, I welcome you to do so, and thank you for your support!

Mandy's Facebook Page



Kids Poem 1:Jump Frog Jump

Jump frog, jump! As high as a kite can fly! 
Jump frog, jump! Don't land in the apple pie!

Mama wants to bake the pie for afternoon tea, and you might just ruin it, don't you see?
Mama won't like it if she spots your green face, and you might give her warts all over the place!

Jump frog, jump! As high as a kangaroo!
Jump frog, jump! Look, I'm jumping just like you!

written by: Mandy Hunter

A Sunny Day and a Bird's Song

I must say, the sun is a welcome guest this morning.  We have had a very mild winter for northern Alberta.  I can't complain.  The birds are singing their joyful song outside, and I have even kept a window open for my cats to enjoy the fresh air.  What a lovely day thus far!
Nature is beautiful.  I truly think we don't bask in it enough.  Life is so fast-paced.  No one wants to stop and smell the roses anymore.  Well, I for one am going to.  Life isn't a race. It's to be savoured.
People eat food to fast, run errands too fast, visit too fast, etc.  Why?  Make a priority list.  Those things that can wait, let them wait.  Visit a little longer, take time to enjoy your food, running errands doesn't have to be a chore, and so on.  You can make everything more exciting if you want to. 
Make life an adventure!

 

Great Site on Crafts for Kids

This is such a colorful website with video clips, a blog, crafts for different ages, and so on.  I enjoyed skimming through the site and checking out the things it had to offer.  I think it's a great idea to explore your children's creativity, and sites like these offer you ideas to do that.  Take some time to look at this website and pick a project for you and your kid(s) to do.  They'll have a lot of fun, and I'm sure you will too!

http://www.crafts4kids.com/

Funology

The study of fun...hmm, what a cool concept.  Well, I stumbled over this site for kids that I think would be really neat to investigate.  It has some magic trick ideas, jokes, yummy recipes, and more!  The age group ranges from kindergarten to grade 9, so kids can enjoy it for a while!

http://www.funology.com/

Classic: Jack and Jill

We can't forget those classic nursery ryhmes. Now-a-days most children haven't even heard of them. Isn't that sad.  Here, share this with your children... Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill went up the hill, To fetch a pail of water; Jack fell down, and broke his crown, And Jill came tumbling after. When up Jack got and off did trot, As fast as he could caper, To old Dame Dob, who patched his nob With vinegar and brown paper.