Showing posts with label humor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label humor. Show all posts

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Christmas Gifts Children Will Love For Less Than $3.50

The following covers show a selection of my fiction books available on Amazon Kindle. I write for girls and boys of all ages and interest levels, so you'll find an original story written by me for any child. My books are great Christmas gifts at less than $3.50 each. Please click on the book covers to purchase or find out more about each book.

              

            

             

Merry Christmas and happy New Year!



Sunday, December 22, 2013

Best Book Ever - A 5-Star Review From Vickianne Caswell

Best Book Ever written by Robyn Opie Parnell  

Synopsis: Sam hates to read. She hates books. Unfortunately for Sam, her family are bookworms, her mom writes children's books and her teacher thinks reading is important. Every day is a battle for Sam to avoid reading and to keep her secret. Life gets so bad, Sam is ready to move to Antarctica. Instead, Sam is about to have the most embarrassing experience of her life. Will she survive?  

Review: The story is about a girl who comes from a family of readers, though she is not one of them. Her mother is an author and while some children would be proud, she finds it embarrassing. The book helps show the reader that just because they have a disability, it doesn't mean they need to be embarrassed. The story is well-written, humorous in many spots and in the point of view of the teenage character. Her dog Hound is also a huge delight and does a great job supporting her as comic relief with his affliction. There were some parts in the story that I did not see coming and they were hilarious! My daughter could not stop laughing throughout the book and it was hard to put the book down. We look forward to reading more of the author's stories and hope they are just as much of a delight as this one was. 

5 Star Review

Please visit Vickianne's website to read the original review - http://vickianne-caswell.weebly.com/7/post/2013/11/best-book-ever-written-by-robyn-opie-parnell.html 

Best Book Ever can be purchased from Amazon Kindle - http://www.amazon.com/Best-Book-Ever-Robyn-Parnell-ebook/dp/B0071642I2

Thank you for the great review, Vickianne.



Thursday, December 20, 2012

Christmas Gift Ideas From Robyn Opie Parnell


 
Move over Indiana Jones...
 

Maya's life has changed. Her mother is dead, killed in a car accident; she's befriended by Ethan, a boy who claims he's from the spirit world; and now her father is missing.

What does the legend of the crystal skulls have to do with her father's disappearance? Will Maya travel to Mexico to save him? How can Maya's destiny have anything to do with the future of humankind?

The Mexican jungle, ancient Mayan ruins, dangerous bounty hunters and evil kidnappers...

Yes, Maya's life has changed.
The fate of the world now depends on her.

For children aged 10 and older.

BUY NOW from Amazon Kindle - $2.99

BUY NOW from the publisher - $19.95

CLICK HERE to watch the trailer


Available On Amazon Kindle Only

stopthumbSam hates to read. She hates books. 

Unfortunately for Sam, her family are bookworms, her mom writes children's books and her teacher thinks reading is important.

Every day is a battle for Sam to avoid reading and to keep her secret. Life gets so bad, Sam is ready to move to Antarctica.

Instead, Sam is about to have the most embarrassing experience of her life. Will she survive?

Stop! Do not read this book - and help Sam keep her secret.

For children aged 8 to 12.


BUY NOW - $2.99


Gary is sick of being a loser. He wants to be popular.

So, he comes up with the best joke ever.

But the joke gets out of control. Soon the whole town is involved. The school is in danger. Gary is too. Can he fix everything before it's too late?


For children aged 8 to 12, or reluctant older readers.

BUY NOW - $2.99



It's Christmas Eve, 1974, when Cyclone Tracy hits Darwin in Northern Australia.

Lucy is at home with her parents and her dog, Foxy. As the ferocious cyclone intensifies, Foxy goes missing. Will Lucy be able to save her dog from the storm? Or will Christmas be a disaster in more ways than one?

This is a moving tale of one family's ordeal during a true-life event.

BUY NOW - $2.99



More Children's Books by Robyn Opie Parnell:
You're Amazing -
The Law of Attraction for Young People
(R&R Books, 2012)

e-book

$19.95

How to Write
a Great
Children's Book
(Magellan Books, 2012)

paperback
$23.95

e-book
$27.00
Black Baron
(Walker Books
Australia, 2008)
(Walker Books
UK, 2009)

paperback
$9.99
The Pony Game
(Lothian Books, 2007)


paperback
$7.95
Eye of the Future
(Blake Education, 2003)

paperback
$10.95

Our Secret Place
(Blake Education, 2002)
(Steck-Vaughn, 2007)

paperback
$10.95
Backstage Betrayal
(Blake Education, 2002)
(Steck-Vaughn, 2007)

paperback
$10.95
Living in Space
(Barry Publishing, 2001)




Jen Stays Inside
(Macmillan Education, 1999)

paperback
$7.50
My Bike
(Macmillan Education, 1999)

paperback
$7.50
People Need Trucks (Macmillan Education, 1999)

paperback
$7.50
Working like a Dog (Macmillan Education, 1999)

paperback
$5.00
Mrs Twitch and the Small Black Box
(Macmillan Education, 1999)

paperback
$7.95
Martian Milk
(Macmillan Education, 2000)







The Mad Mower
(Macmillan Education, 1999)

paperback
$0.85








   
Jack’s Great Search (Macmillan Education, 2000)

free PDF









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

 

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

A New Release from Robyn Opie Parnell - Best Joke Ever

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




Best Joke Ever!  
Gary is sick of being a loser. He wants to be popular. So he comes up with the best joke ever. But the joke gets out of control. Soon the whole town is involved. The school is in danger. Gary is, too. Can he fix everything before it's too late?

  • File Size: 544 KB
  • Publisher: R & R Books Film Music
  • Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00A601328

Other books by Robyn Opie Parnell available from Amazon Kindle:

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Stop! Do Not Read This Book by Robyn Opie Parnell

A Five Star Review on Goodreads

A Review by Warren Thurston

Stop! Do Not Read This Book
by Robyn Opie Parnell

Sam has two pet hates, books and having her mum call her Samantha. In fact everyone in Sam’s house loves books. They are devoted to the written word so much that even when the electricity is off they use candles to see to read. But worst of all her mum writes books.

Sam likes to watch DVD’s and play computer games. Reading is not for her, even at school. She always finds a way to escape to the sick bay. The school nurse is almost her best friend.

The family pet, Huckleberry the Dachshund, has a farting problem that young readers will enjoy. Sam thinks his gaseous explosions are chemical weapons of mass destruction. Finally the family takes Huckleberry to an Earth Therapist for treatment. To their relief his farting becomes less frequent and smelly.

Fate strikes a double blow at Sam. Her mum is about to launch her new book. Sam is distressed when her mum comes into the classroom to talk about the book. The class thinks that the girl in the story, who has a bed-wetting problem, is really Sam. Sam denies this but her denial reinforces her friends’ belief that the girl is her.

This misunderstanding leads to series of incidents, including a fight with her best friend Emma, which causes a lot of grief and embarrassment for Sam. She sinks into a world filled with frustration. Her mother’s effort to help Sam makes matters worse. Sam hates her lot in life and is desperate to find a solution to her own secret problem. The story has a twist that will delight readers and make them happy for Sam.

Robyn Opie Parnell has written a delightful tale of about the trials of growing up with a problem that is hard to share. Her choice of words make the story sparkle and builds a strong empathy between the reader and Sam.

This is a book I highly recommend for all middle grade readers.
 
To read the review of Goodreads CLICK HERE.

To purchase the PDF e-book of Stop! Do Not Read This Book CLICK HERE .

To purchase the Amazon Kindle e-book of Stop! Do Not Read This Book CLICK HERE.

To download Chapter One of Stop! Do Not Read This Book by Robyn Opie Parnell absolutely free CLICK HERE. 

To request a review copy of Stop! Do Not Read This Book or to request an interview with Robyn Opie Parnell or for any reason please email: robyn.opie.parnell@gmail.com
 
 
 



Tuesday, August 28, 2012

A Quick Testimonial for Black Baron



Jeffery Doherty
"I have most of the Lightning Strikes series and Black Baron was one of my favorites. That and Freaky."




 

Black Baron

By Robyn Opie

The story of a great escape by the king of the cockroach racing world and the desperate race against time to save him from extermination!

Black Baron, Jake’s champion racing cockroach, hasn’t lost a race and Jake is on top of the world. But then his “clean freak” mum decides to clean up his bedroom and discovers Black Baron in a shoebox under Jake’s bed. Mum is aghast – how could Jake keep such a filthy pest? Black Baron escapes from his shoebox home, but Jake's mum is not deterred; she calls the pest exterminator and an hilarious slapstick tale ensues.

Categories: Fiction

For readers aged: 9+
  • Publication details:
  • Format: Paperback
  • ISBN: 9781406322163
  • Published: 04 May 2009
  • Price: £4.99

Saturday, August 25, 2012

A 5 Star Review of Black Baron By Susan Keefe Of Your Pets Magazine

Susan Keefe of Your Pets Magazine 

Black Baron is a cockroach but not just any cockroach; he’s a racing champion owned by Jake.

After a near miss with his cleaning mad mum [Black Baron is kept in an old shoebox under Jake's bed], Jake promises to clean his room himself. Unfortunately, the world is full of good intentions, and a lapse by Jake means that Black Baron is discovered, and his dad phones the pest exterminator.

As Jake and Black Baron’s hilarious adventures unfold, at every page turn you find yourself asking; Is Black Baron doomed? Will he possibly escape his seemingly inevitable fate?

Only by reading the story will you find out...

As a mother of a son I am sure that this highly entertaining story will hold great appeal especially to boys [or tomboys].

From Goodreads

CLICK HERE for your free download of chapter one of Black Baron. 

For more information or to purchase Black Baron, please visit the following links:

 

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Stop! Do Not Read This Book by Robyn Opie Parnell

Stop! Do Not Read This Book
Sam hates to read. She hates books.
Unfortunately for Sam, her family are bookworms, her mom writes children's books and her teacher thinks reading is important.
Every day is a battle for Sam to avoid reading and to keep her secret. Life gets so bad, Sam is ready to move to Antarctica.
Instead, Sam is about to have the most embarrassing experience of her life. Will she survive?
Stop! Do not read this book -- and help Sam keep her secret.



Stop! Do Not Read This Book
Author: Robyn Opie Parnell
Publisher: R&R Books Film Music
Genre: For middle-grade readers; humor 
Language: English
ASIN: B007164212
Available on Amazon Kindle for RRP $2.99


Monday, May 14, 2012

Welcome to Stop Six of the DC Green Grat Siege Blog Blitz Tour!

Welcome to Stop Six of the DC Green Grat Siege Blog Blitz Tour! Today’s topic: Writing Great Characters

Robyn:
Hi DC, Thank you for visiting my blog. It's great to have you here and to pick your brains about characters. But let's start with an easy question, so you have some brains left at the end of the interview.

Robyn: What is Erasmus James and the Grat Siege about?

DC:
Erasmus (or "Raz" for short, which he is) is a naughty but brilliant twelve-year old. He "borrows" his father’s galactic zapp machine – an invention that can instantly zapp the user anywhere in the universe – and ends up causing all sorts of chaos on a planet called Uponia. Because of Raz’s actions, a giant rat queen called Dice gets her paws on grat technology, which means she can now take over the entire universe!
First she just needs a nugget of information from inside Raz’s brain! 
Queen Dice and her armored rat army trap Raz and a mixed bunch of refugees inside a golden castle. This is the "grat siege" of the title. The story that follows is exciting, desperate, terrifying and hilarious – or at least, that’s what my guard cats reckon! 

Robyn: How did you come up with the main character, Erasmus James? 

DC: Interestingly, Raz was originally a girl character, but my first publisher insisted I change her to a him! The reason was that boys supposedly only want to read stories with boy main characters, whereas girls are happy either way.
I’m proud of Raz as a main character. He is also the first person narrator, so all three books in the series are told from his perspective and through his eyes. On the surface, he is brilliant, cocky and cheeky. But scratch deeper and Raz is also insecure, lonely and defensive. He loves using puns and talking in snappy sentences, which is a lot of fun to write!
And yes, there are little bits of my personality in Raz, and in most of my characters. 

Robyn: Do you have any tips for writing interesting villains?

DC: I love blurred boundaries! By that I mean, no villain should ever be 100 % villainous or evil. Just as heroes are always more interesting if they have a "tragic flaw" or some sort of personality defect so they aren’t too "perfect" and can have a learning character arc, so too villains become more rounded and intriguing as characters if there is something noble or vaguely nice about them.
For example, in my first Erasmus book, I introduced a herd of bloodhorses. At first, these carnivorous horses seemed totally nasty and terrifying. In Grat Siege, however, the bloodhorses have no choice but to team up with the "good guys" and we learn these horses have a rough nobility and their own harsh moral code. Meanwhile, the grat army at first seems utterly evil and unstoppable. But Raz learns the grats are just as capable of love and fear and the full spectrum of emotions as any human, chook or horse!

Robyn: The characters trapped inside the castle sound interesting.

DC: Thanks! It was fantastic to write one final time about some old favorite characters:
* Sanders, the 2,000-year-old psychic chook;
* Jessica, a brave, young ninja horse;
* Phooey, a 30-tonne mutant chook called a roccor;
* Bleakheart, the leader of a herd of the carnivorous bloodhorses;
* Clarissa, a sarcastic Goth girl who acts as Raz’s conscience;
* Whizman, the reluctant king who would rather invent amazing things than do any ruling or make any decisions;
There are also some fantastic new characters including Doug the talking rat; the grumpy Captain Kroak; Darial MacDrill, a multicolored flying unicorn with a fishing rod for a tail; plus a cast of zillions!

Robyn: How should budding writers go about creating their own characters?

DC: Before you start writing a story, ask as many questions as you can about your characters. The more you know about each character, the more real and unique they will seem to your readers.
Even dumb questions can lead to story or conflict ideas. Say you’ve just invented a talking kangaroo called Karla. You might ask these two questions… Does Karla eat spaghetti? Does she have an annoying little brother? These questions might inspire you to write about Karla running (or hopping) away to the city to become a spaghetti chef. But her little brother follows her, and together they have to escape dangers like muggers and a reality TV film crew!
Often one question leads to another. Maybe Karla loves netball and she has to overcome discrimination to become the first marsupial to play in the Australian netball team. Just fill in the gaps and your story is underway, filled with wonderful characters that you have created with your very own imagination!

Robyn: Any more character writing tips?

DC: Yes, plenty!
It’s important to describe all your characters, even if just with a snappy sentence or two. What does Karla the Kangaroo look like? Is she handsome like DC Green? What does she keep inside her pouch? Often what your characters do for a living will determine their appearance. If Karla is a lifeguard, she will probably be tanned and fit. Perhaps she has an artificial leg or an interesting scar, which raises the question: "How did THAT happen?" Maybe Karla was bitten by a shark, or caught in barbed wire while escaping from prison!
The clothes a character wears can tell you volumes. Does Karla wear a suit? Horribly clashing unfashionable clothes? Raggedy clothes covered in patches? Or no clothes at all?! Perhaps she is a lifeguard at a nudie beach! 
We can also learn much about a character by their accessories, homes and hobbies. Does Karla drive a Porsche, a Prius, or a rusty Pulsar? Does she live in a castle, or under a bridge? Is her pet a fluffy kitten, a savage Alsatian or a deadly Taipan snake? Does she have dozens of friends, one best friend or no friends at all? Does she like chatting on the Internet, eating pumpkin pie or racing monster trucks? Does she rule at hopscotch? (Well, Karla IS a kangaroo!)
How does Karla speak? In a posh, formal voice? In super-short sentences? Does she mispronounce some words or um and er? It’s important to make sure your characters each have their own distinctive voice.
What about Karla’s personality? Does she buy a nice present every Mother’s Day? What is her greatest fear? What is her goal in life? It’s good to mix up some nice and not-so-nice personality points. The not-so-nice characteristics will help your main character get into trouble… and make for an interesting story! For example, Karla may be brave, but also quick to anger before she knows all the facts.
In other words: great characters and stories result from asking LOTS of questions!
Simply mix, and add conflict!

Robyn: Terrific! Boy, am I curious about Karla! Thanks so much for dropping by, DC.

DC: Thanks so much for hosting me, Robyn. I’m a great fan!

Robyn: I always knew you were fabulously cool. Get it! Great fan - fabulously cool! Okay, perhaps you had to be there, that is inside my head. Hmmm... bit messy in there!  
I'm loving Grat Siege. It's a great read - brilliant, entertaining, so much fun. I highly recommend Grat Siege. Thanks again, DC. I'm a great fan, too! Have a great blog tour!

Before we go any further, here's a photograph of DC Green so you can see the author in real life. 

Cool, huh!

And now over to The DC Green Grat Siege Blog Blitz Tour Itinerary!

Saturday May 12
Topic: Blog Tour Mania!
DC Green
http://dcgreenyarns.blogspot.com.au/

Sunday May 13
Topic: Inspiration and Ideas
Ian Irvine
http://bloggingwithianirvine.blogspot.com.au/

Monday 14 - Sunday 20
Topic: Reactions and Reviews
Kids Book Review, Tania McCartney
http://www.kids-bookreview.com/

Monday May 14
Topic: Giant Rats Want Your Universe!
Pass It On
http://jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com/

Tuesday May 15
Topic: DC’s Amazing Life
Buzz Words
http://www.buzzwordsmagazine.blogspot.com.au/

Wednesday May 16
Topic: Writing Great Characters
Robyn Opie Parnell
http://www.robynopie.blogspot.com

Thursday May 17
Topic: Plotting and Planning!
Jill Smith
http://authorjillsmith.wordpress.com/

Friday May 18
Topic: Surf journalism
Chad Kolcze
http://activekidsbooks.com/blog/

Saturday May 19
Topic: Random Questions
Helen Nolan
http://beetherelikeawasp.blogspot.com.au/

Sunday May 20
Topic: DC Green’s Books
Jackie Hosking
http://jackiehoskingpio.wordpress.com

DC’s books can be purchased online here: www.barrelbooks.com.au

DC would be stoked if you could like his ‘DC Green Author’ page on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/DC-Green-Author/184192614968404

And as a further teaser, here are some of DC Green's books: 
 

STINKY SQUAD is about a country called Oztrailer where everyone turns into brain-eating zombies. The nation's only hope is a bunch of loser teens with gross super-powers... Stinky Squad!

Stinky Squad is gross, funny, scary and ultra-fast paced: perfect for readers with strong stomachs aged between 10 and 110.





Three Little Surfer Pigs is the perfect book for all the family, covering ages 4 to 154, and above average pets.

10 % OF ALL SALES GO TO CANTEEN - the Australian organisation supporting young people living with cancer!







For even more teasers, you may wish to visit: http://dcgreenyarns.blogspot.com.au/
 
Happy reading! 

Love and Light,
Robyn Opie