Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fiction. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

5 Things Every Child’s Book Needs

A guest post by Amanda Carlson. 

Most people think that writing a book for children is easy because of the simplicity, pretty pictures and the shorter length. But believe it or not writing a book for children is harder than it looks. There are many different things to consider before creating one. Here are 5 things that every child’s book should contain to be successful:
 

A lesson: Every book should leave the child with new information that they didn't know before reading the book. Whether it’s learning what colors are part of the primary group or learning how to be nice to friends at school who seem to be different, your book should give children something to take away with them.
 

Humor: You may think that just because children are young they don't understand humor. But in order to become a child’s favorite read, it’s best to create something humorous. Remember with children it’s the little things that excite and humor them. Something as simple as you saying a silly name or having a funny fluffy animal. Be creative and be funny.
 

Relatable character: Create a relatable character for the child reader to connect with. Do this by first determining who your audience is. Answer questions like: will my audience be girls more so than boys, or will my readers be around 5 to 8 years old? Once you've answered these questions you will be able to create a character who the reader can relate to and understand.
 

A Challenge: Pose a simple challenge to the child in a form or a question, puzzle, problem or situation. This will allow children to use their brains and force them to come up with a solution. Challenges are a wonderful learning tool especially when presented in a book that translates into real life.
 

Visual: Children are very visual and yearn to expand their imaginations. Colorful illustrations and fun images can feed the child’s want for the creative. Visuals on each page can also help children to improve their reading skills. Matching images with the words is a great learning tool for children who are beginning to read. 
 

Remember these five tips when you are creating your next children’s book. Keep it visual, offer a challenge, give them something to learn from, make them laugh and create relatable characters to get children more involved in your book. Have fun with the book and the child will have fun too.

Good luck!
 

Author Bio:
Amanda Carlson, a blogger as well as a former newborn care nurse, contributed this post. To stay connected to her previous career and share her knowledge, she began writing for www.newborncare.com. You can reach her at amanda.newborncare @ gmail.com.


Wednesday, January 9, 2013

The Next Big Thing

The Next Big Thing is a game of tag for authors.

The wonderful and prolific author Sally Odgers wrote about her exciting new book Clovie Trefoil - book one of the series The Fairies of Farholt at http://spinningpearls.blogspot.com. Then she tagged me!


 I'm answering ten questions today about my own Next Big Thing.

What is the working title of your next book?
Maya and the Daring Heist
- book two of the Maya series.

Where did the idea come from for the project?
Maya and the Crystal Skull
was officially released in January 2012. I always planned to write a series of books based around the main character Maya and the crystal skulls. The idea for Maya and the Daring Heist came from reading about the black market trade in ancient artifacts, as well as my own purchase of a crystal skull over the internet.  

What genre does your project fall under?
This is a paranormal action/adventure for confident readers aged 8 and over.

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
Maya could be played by Willow Shields from The Hunger Games. Ethan could be played by Callan McAuliffe from I Am Number Four. Now for Maya's dad? Johnny Depp? Brad Pitt? I'm not sure. Maybe Kiefer Sutherland. 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your project?
A birthday present for Maya's dad sets in motion unexpected events - smugglers, the black market - and Maya’s life is in jeopardy again!

Will your project be self-funded or is the risk shared by others?
I'm not sure yet. I have a few irons in the fire, so we'll have to wait and see.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
Before I started writing I had a goal to write 1,000 words a day, which meant I'd write this 40,000 word manuscript in 40 days. In reality, I finished the first draft in around 45 days.

What other projects would you compare this story to within your genre?
I don't know of any others quite like Maya and the Crystal Skull or Maya and the Daring Heist.


Who or what inspired you to write this book?
I was inspired to write Maya and the Daring Heist because it's a sequel to Maya and the Crystal Skull. I was inspired to write this series because it involves many of my favorite interests, such as psychic mediums, the ancient Maya, the legend of the crystal skulls, and quantum physics. I love these subjects and enjoy threading them throughout my stories.    

What else about the project might pique the reader's interest?
When I wrote Maya and the Crystal Skull I had to do a lot of research about psychic mediums and spirituality. By the time I wrote Maya and the Daring Heist I was writing from my own experience. In November 2010, I had my first experience as a medium. I saw the spirit of a friend's deceased husband. Trust me, no one was more surprised than me! Since November 2010, I've had many fantastic experiences as a psychic medium. I wonder if readers will notice this difference between Maya and the Crystal Skull and Maya and the Daring Heist.


I tagged Wendy Orr for next week and so did Corinne Fenton. Wendy opened Corinne's email first and accepted her offer, then apologized to me. Alas! 


Please visit the following blogs to follow the game around the world… Where will it end? 

Corinne Fenton's blog - http://corinnefenton.com/blog


Wendy Orr's blog -
http://wendyorrjournal.blogspot.com.au/

Chris Bell's blog - http://christinemareebell.wordpress.com/

Please check back here to see if anyone else has been tagged for 16/1/2013. 

Fingers crossed for the Next Big Thing!

Love and Light,
Robyn Opie Parnell
http://www.robynopie.com
robyn.opie.parnell@gmail.com
 
  

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

A Five Star Review of Best Joke Ever


's review of my latest novel Best Joke Ever from Goodreads
5 of 5 stars false
Read in November, 2012

Gary has three problems at school, Buzz Wilson, Lee Wang and Mr Pittman. Buzz and Lee make Gary’s school life hell. They never cease to seek out ways to embarrass and harass him. Bullies, it seems to Gary, never fight fair or lack imagination when it comes to finding ways to torture him.Mr Pittman makes life in the classroom dull. History is a subject that Gary finds uninspiring, that is until he comes up with a plan to raise his profile amongst his fellow students. Mr Pittman loves history and stories about Bushranger Willy. Gary knows that to fake anything about Bushranger Willy would lead to trouble. So he decides to make a fake treasure map to play a joke on Mr Pittman, and win favor with the class.


Gary makes up a plot that he hopes will whet Mr Pittman’s history appetite. Working on the map in secret, Gary is proud of his creation. He can hardly contain his eagerness when the class discovers the map. But not all goes to plan and he has to use his wits like never before to escape the chaos that follows.

Robyn Opie has penned a tale that all children will relate to. Bullies in the playground and seeking peer approval are part of growing up. Adults that read this story will find themselves transported back to their early years. The story is action packed with many twists and turns that always entertain.

"Best Joke Ever” shows that Robyn has strengthened her ability to write a story that entertains. I recommend this book to those children who seek an adventure when they read. They will not be disappointed.


BUY NOW

Best Joke Ever! 
A new book for children aged 8 to 12 

By Robyn Opie Parnell

Published by R & R Books Film Music

Available now from Amazon Kindle 

R.R.P. $2.99


BUY NOW