Charming and fun MG series for girls (with horses)! All .99 cents on Kindle right now!

I'm pleased to feature Monique Bucheger's Middle-Grade series on her rockin' blog tour. Sisters, secrets, horses, and adventure stories for the 8-12 year old crowd. There is a massive giveaway with a couple dozen writers going on in the Rafflecopter down below - including free Skype visits. (Ends in 4 days.)

 

Read on for Monique's "Mammarazzi" title down below in her bio - I laughed out loud. Wishing you all the best in your writing career, Monique! (I met Monique at the LDStorymakers conference last month - she's delightful and energetic and has 12 children - biological and adopted). HOW does she do it?!?

 The Ginnie West Adventure series gets new covers! To quote Ginnie: "They are totally awesome sauce!"

THE SECRET SISTERS CLUB: A GINNIE WEST ADVENTURE (Book 1)

Twelve-year-old BFFs—Ginnie and Tillie—want to be sisters. Tillie's divorced mom plus Ginnie's widowed dad could equal a lifetime of round-the-clock girl talk and slumber parties. Too bad Dad vowed to never marry again. Ginnie and Tillie form a secret club and come up with the perfect mission to change his mind: ‘Operation: Secret Sisters’.

Before long, Tillie seems happier about gaining a dad than a sister. Ginnie suspects that Tillie has turned ‘Operation: Secret Sisters’ into a scam called ‘Operation: Steal My Dad.’ Things get more complicated when Ginnie stumbles across her real mom’s hidden journals. Ginnie can finally get to know the mother she doesn’t remember and Dad doesn’t talk about. When Dad discovers she has the journals, he takes them away. Ginnie needs to figure out why before her relationship with her father and her best friend are ruined forever.

As a writer of fantasy, few stories set in reality succeed in capturing my interest so thoroughly that they leave me wanting more. With her spirited personality and flare for fun, Ginnie West does just this as she draws the reader into her unique world from the start and never disappoints. An engaging read that entertains the young as well as the young at heart, this novel manages to become what most rarely do--memorable. ~~ S.E. Gerard, A Fracture In Time

I LOVED this book! I didn’t know a book without zombies could be good! ~~15 yr-old Amanda

TROUBLE BLOWS WEST: A GINNIE WEST ADVENTURE (Book 2)

Putting her body in motion before her brain is in gear creates a mountain of problems for 12 year-old Ginnie West. She is certain that defending her twin brother, Toran, from the biggest bully in sixth grade was the right thing to do. But Ginnie couldn’t be more wrong.

She quickly figures out that Toran doesn’t appreciate being rescued by a girl any better than Pierce likes being knocked down by one. 

When Pierce seeks revenge on Ginnie, Toran sets aside his anger and helps her plot a playback prank at Pierce’s house.

Sadly, Ginnie learns that Pierce has a reason for being a bully when she sees his dad drop him to the floor like a rag doll. Realizing he's a boy in big trouble, Ginnie decides to be his ally, even if he won’t let her be his friend.

If you like farms, friends, horses, and secrets, you’ll love: Trouble Blows West: A Ginnie West Adventure. So saddle up and be ready to ride with Ginnie as she explores the true meaning of friendship. ~~Debbie Shakespeare Smith, middle-grade author of The House of Chicken

An excellent book that deals with the sensitive topics of bullying, abuse, and forgiveness. It is action packed and full of raw emotions. Bucheger does an amazing job of writing this story, without giving a cookie cutter answer to the problems Ginnie faces. The characters are full and rich—which makes me wish I could be part of the West family as well. ~~ Karen D. 


SIMPLY WEST OF HEAVEN: A GINNIE WEST ADVENTURE (Book 3) 

Twelve-year-old BFFs schemed to get Ginnie’s widowed dad to fall in love with Tillie’s divorced mom. When their parents go along with the matchmaking, the girls are stoked. Sweet! Not long after though, Ginnie stumbles upon her late mom's journals, making life even more awesome sauce … until her dad confiscates the journals, determined to protect Ginnie from a danger he won’t name.

Ginnie is counting on her future sister's help to make Dad change his mind, but Tillie's not so sure the ghost of Ginnie's mom will make a good addition to their new family tree. 

Besides, Tillie is too busy trying to keep the memory of her abusive, no-good , rotten-excuse-for-a-birth-father from bubbling to the surface to worry about what's bugging Ginnie. He left six years ago and Tillie’s knows a better dad when she sees one … Ginnie’s dad.

The girls' world gets flipped upside-down when a blast from the past shows up and makes Tillie go nutburgers. Ginnie is torn between helping her best friend and what could be the answer to her prayers. Life gets complicated lickety-split in what is sure to be the most pivotal summer of Ginnie’s life.

With the charm of The Little House books, and the courage of today’s American Girl, Bucheger has created a series that has staying power. ~~Mikey Brooks, The Dream Keeper

As a mother I couldn't put these books down. While they may be written for middle grade children, I was not only entertained, but inspired. ~~ Courtney W.








BIO:
When Monique Bucheger isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her children, plotting her next novel, scrap-booking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events. Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. 

She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children, an adorable granddaughter,  a son-in-law, three cats, and many real and imaginary friends. She is the author of several books and plans to write many more. You can find more about Monique and her works at: www.moniquebucheger.blogspot.com

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A new Roald Dahl on the block!

I'm excited to be a part of the blog tour and cool giveaway for Adam Sidwell's book, EVERTASTER, which launched in 2012 and his new book, EVERTASTER, THE BUTTERSMITH'S GOLD, which is *Brand New*. (There is a Rafflecopter to enter below and the deadline is July 2).

I read EVERTASTER last winter and it was one of my absolute favorite MG books from 2012. It's unique, funny as heck, mysterious, intriguing, quirky and yes, I liken him to Roald Dahl, he's that good. I especially loved the family dynamics and the Very Cool Mom in the book who does hair-brained things to keep her family together during a very wild ride around the world.

Pick up this book, read it alone, read it with your family, laugh out loud, and enjoy every single minute! Recommended for all ages and both boys and girls.

I also got the chance to interview Adam about his writing journey, which is below the Tour Info! 

Happy Reading, dear friends!

P.S. I got to meet Adam at a writer's conference a month ago and he was charming and lovely in person, too.

Tour Schedule

The Buttersmiths' Gold

BATTLES. BLUEBERRIES. BOVINES.

TORBJORN AND STORFJELL’S HISTORY UNFOLDS IN AN EPIC EVERTASTER NOVELLA.

Everyone knows the most coveted treasure of the Viking Age was blueberry muffins. Blueberry muffins so succulent that if you sniffed just a whiff, you'd want a whole bite. If you bit a bite, you'd want a batch; if you snatched a batch, you'd stop at nothing short of going to war just to claim them all.

Young Torbjorn Trofastsonn comes from the clan that makes them. He's a Viking through and

through – he's thirteen winters old, larger than most respectable rocks, and most of all, a Buttersmith. That's what he thinks anyway, until a charismatic merchant makes Torbjorn question his place among the muffin-makers. When Torbjorn lets the secret of his clan's muffin recipe slip, he calls doom and destruction down upon his peaceful village and forces his brother Storfjell and his clansmen to do the one thing they are ill-prepared to do: battle for their lives.

Purchase on

Amazon

About The Buttersmiths' Gold

The Buttersmiths' Gold is a spin off novella in the Evertaster series that tells the story of two Viking brothers and their adventurous past. The Evertaster series (Book #1 released June 14, 2012) is about Guster Johnsonville, who goes searching for a legendary taste rumored to be the most delicious in all of history. Along the way he meets a slew of mysterious characters, including two Viking brothers Torbjorn and Storfjell. The Buttersmiths' Gold is their story. 124 pages. By Adam Glendon Sidwell. Published by Future House Publishing.

Evertaster, Book #1:

A legendary taste. Sought after for centuries. Shrouded in secrecy.

When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother’s casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves. Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’ reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the legendary taste before it’s too late.

Purchase on

Amazon

Book Trailer  

Author Adam Sidwell

In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He’s been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles, where he can’t wait to fall into the sea.

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 7/2/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. 

Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $25 US.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adam Sidwell, In His Own Words: 

 

In March of 2008 I took a chance and quit my job so I could write a book. I was working as an animator on the movie Speed Racer at the time. In between that and Transformers 2 I wrote a draft for Evertaster in about 3 months. I revised it over the course of the next few months, while working, and then sent it out to 5 agents and 5 publishers, all of which gave me form rejections except for one: Alyssa Henkin at Trident Media Group. She was interested in representing me, and I was elated. I guess I wasn't crazy! Someone from New York was calling me to say so. 

We worked on the manuscript for 2 years, revising and editing, until we finally took it on submission to the big publishers. This time, Evertaster got a glowing response. The editors were saying things like: 

"I love the characters!"

"Wonderful adventure!"

"Great writing!"

We even had one big publishing house that was going to buy it and have it illustrated throughout. Then the devastating news came: that editor left the company and the whole deal fell through. So we ended up with nothing, and the other editors were too concerned that books about food don't sell. What about books about adventure? I thought. I suggested we try some smaller presses. Alyssa wisely suggested I do it myself. So I did. And it has been a very, very good choice.

The book has grown steadily, enough to justify writing another book in the series (The Buttersmiths' Gold), and now, this summer, I'm writing another one after that (the forthcoming Delicious City).

My best marketing tips I can give anyone is that you have to put yourself out there to sell your book, or no one will ever know it exists. I spent the summer setting up in Farmer's Markets, or signing in cafes, doing everything I could to meet readers and come in contact with traffic. People love meeting authors, so it's great to get out there and shake hands. I'm very happy about publishing the book myself. It has given me the control I need, as well as allowed me to make a living writing. And it's allowed me to control the product and make it what I want.

I write more about that journey here:

http://www.evertaster.com/2012/06/16/how-an-unknown-debut-novelist-became-an-amazon-bestseller-in-a-single-day/ 

Thank you, Adam, and I'm wishing you the very best in a long and successful career!!!

~Kimberley

The Gathering Authors in Taos New Mexico! Weekend Recap

The Gathering Authors First Annual Retreat by our organizer, Carolee Dean! 

(I'm on the left in the pink top in the back.) 

  (Kersten Hamilton, Carolee Dean, Kimberley Griffiths Little, Lauren Bjorkman, and Sheralyn Pratt)

I'm sharing this recap because Carolee hit all the high points of the weekend, of which there were many - actually the entire weekend was a total high. Not exaggerating here. It was beautiful in Taos, New Mexico, the company was fabulous and smart and funny, the writing time great, the brainstorming superb and enormously helpful, and both the deep publishing discussions and personal talk very rewarding, too.

We also got totally silly at the local indie bookstore, Moby Dickens, and created an upcoming video (being edited now . . . ) with props and hilarity that will be at #createyourownapocalyse - so find us there.

Please also find us at #TheGatheringAuthors on Twitter.

Take it away, Carolee!

I have just returned from the First Annual Gathering Authors Retreat in Taos, New Mexico and am already looking forward to next year's event. The Gathering is a LOOSELY organized group of traditionally published New Mexico children's authors who meet to offer each other encouragement, support, and industry tips. In the photo above we are about to enjoy lunch at Lambert's. If you aren't used to New Mexico chile, beware. Left side - front to back (Kersten Hamilton, Me-Carolee Dean, Kimberley Griffiths Little). Right side - back to front (Lauren Bjorkman and Sheralyn Pratt - joining us from Utah). Not pictured (Sheralyn's border collie, Sebi).

Our retreat, also LOOSELY organized, was held at the Sagebrush Inn. The only cost was travel and hotel expenses. We made a list of topics we wanted to cover and that was the extent of our planning.

 

Topics included: 

1. The Changing Face-Book of Social Media

2. Wacky Marketing Ideas

3. Effective Marketing Plans

4. Publishing Woes/Joys

5. How to Hit the NY Times Best Seller List

 

GO HERE TO READ THE REST AT CAROLEE DEAN'S BLOG - and "follow" her: Carolee Dean Books Blogspot 

xo,

Kimberley

Why do I write?

This post will be short and sweet as I'm leaving this morning for a writer's retreat in Taos, New Mexico (about a 3 hour drive north of me) with some of my best SCBWI buddies. I'm taking my brand new laptop with me and an editorial letter for my next Scholastic middle-grade manuscript due out in Summer of 2014. I've got 40 hours more of work ahead of me, I estimate, and little more than a week before the deadline.

I love these two quotes found recently . . . 

Question: Why do I read?

 Answer: 

Whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light.

–Vera Nazarian 

 

Question: Why do I write?

 

 Answer:

 

 “Indeed, learning to write may be part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading.”

― Eudora Welty, On Writing

See you next week!
xo,
Kimberley 

A Terrific Cookbook for Kids by Christina Dymock - a Must See!

 

I am SO pleased to feature my very good friend's brand spankin' new book! Christina Dymock is amazing, adorable, talented, and has been very supportive of my career as well. She and I met three years ago at my first LDStorymakers conference in Utah and immediately hit it off and now we spend a LOT of time at the conference hanging out and talking a mile a minute.

Look at this GREAT cover! 

And I love these words straight from Christina herself:

"When you cook with kids, don't aim for perfection, aim for smiles."

Table of Contents - Yummy!

 

The following are words of wisdom about writing fiction versus nonfiction and some kitchen antics from Christina . . . AND I'm giving away a hardcover copy of this book to one lucky winner! Please leave a comment to enter and please share this book/blogpost with your own friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, or blog post - and give yourself some more points in the comments.

(Wouldn't this book make a fabulous gift!?)

Take it away, Christina . . . (who is also the author of 101 THINGS TO DO WITH POPCORN)

Kimberley, 

Thanks for having me on your blog to talk about my new book and about writing a cookbook.

As with any book, writing Young Chefs was a journey that was both rocky and rewarding. I was blessed to spend a lot of time with my kids in the kitchen; enjoying good food while observing their skills and areas where they needed instruction. I learned that younger kids like what I call destruction jobs (cracking eggs, dumping ingredients, chopping) while older kids like to assemble. We’ve had some major spills and some major accomplishments. There really is no end to our lessons because we are constantly cooking and baking. 

I can tell you that there are some aspects of writing a cookbook that transfer over to writing fiction, but there are some things that are very different.

Write Then Taste 

When I’m working on a cookbook, I get to eat my words. (Yum!) In order to come up with a recipe I need to be away from the kitchen. This may seem strange; but if I can smell a beef dish cooking for dinner, then I have a hard time focusing on a fruit dessert. My office is usually aroma free so I start there. Once the recipe is mapped out, I take it to the kitchen for testing. I personally test and taste every one of my recipes.

They don’t always turn out. (Not even my usually unbiased chickens want the leftovers!) It’s like a scene that doesn’t move the story along – that recipe just has to go. Other times, I get an okay dish. This is like a scene that has merit but needs to be flushed out. I can keep it; I just have to fix it first. Then there are the recipes that work perfectly the first time and every time after that. Those scenes get to stay forever! 

Word Count 

Another difference between fiction writing and cookbook writing is that I don’t stress about word count when I’m writing a cookbook. My books have a recipe and photo quota to fill instead of a word count requirement. This can be good and bad. Making sure I get a variety of dishes while staying under my maximum number of recipes can be tricky. Both word count and recipe quotas are based on the book package a publisher will put together. Some packages hold between 30 and 45 recipes while others hold over 300.

 
Selling a Book

Please don’t sit down and write a 300 recipe cookbook! Cookbooks are sold to agents and publishers based on a few solid recipes and a writing sample instead of an entire manuscript. For Young Chefs, I submitted seven recipes and two photos of each recipe. Once they sent over a contract and book package I knew how many recipes I needed to put together. Check an agent’s website or blog for their requirements before you submit.

Just as there are many differences, there are also a few things that are the same. 

A Hook 

When it comes to selling any book to a publishing house or an agent, the number one thing you need is a good hook. What sets your book apart from the rest? There are many children’s cookbooks on the market, but Young Chefs is a cookbook for kids with helpful hints and extras for adults. For example, on each page there is an icon for the type of help the child may need. At a glance you can see if they will be working with the stove, a sharp knife, or the microwave. There’s also a section one how to do things, like measure wet and dry ingredients and spray a pan with non-stick cooking spray, so kids can learn the basics and build their skills. 

Hard Work 

Both fiction and non-fiction writing is hard work. It’s not something you get lucky at. It takes time and effort on the part of the writer to create a book. I guess as a sub heading here I could put in perseverance. If you stick to it, you have a better chance of getting published. 

No matter what type of writing you work at, trust you heart. I’ve found that writing is a work of heart. No one writes books because they have to; they write them because they love to. Sure it stinks like overcooked asparagus at times, but that just makes the chocolate cake times all the sweeter. 

SWEET!!! And thank you so much for sharing your talents and recipes and advice with us today!

Dear Readers: Don't forget to comment, share, buy a copy for your own family, and then purchase a second copy to give away!

Me? I'm off to make Lemon Shark Bars! Or Best Nachos Ever!

xo,

Kimberley

Book Blast with $50 giveaway for my favorite new author!

I'm participating in the Book Blast for Adam Sidwell - the author of EVERTASTER - one of my absolute favorite MG books from last Fall. Unique, funny as heck, well written, mysterious, adventurous - I LOVED IT. The sequel just released. So check out all the goodies below and enter at the amazing blog, I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

I also got to meet Adam Sidwell a few weeks ago at a writer's conference and he's lovely and charming - and handsome and young! Oh, my, all these *young thing* writers running around out there!

Okay, enough silly - enjoy and read his books! You'll have a blast - on Book Blast Giveaway Day!

 $50 Book Blast Giveaway – Evertaster by Adam Sidwell

The Buttersmiths’ Gold

BATTLES. BLUEBERRIES. BOVINES.

TORBJORN AND STORFJELL’S HISTORY UNFOLDS IN AN EPIC EVERTASTER NOVELLA.

Everyone knows the most coveted treasure of the Viking Age was blueberry muffins. Blueberry muffins so succulent that if you sniffed just a whiff, you’d want a whole bite. If you bit a bite, you’d want a batch; if you snatched a batch, you’d stop at nothing short of going to war just to claim them all.

Young Torbjorn Trofastsonn comes from the clan that makes them. He’s a Viking through and

through – he’s thirteen winters old, larger than most respectable rocks, and most of all, a Buttersmith. That’s what he thinks anyway, until a charismatic merchant makes Torbjorn question his place among the muffin-makers. When Torbjorn lets the secret of his clan’s muffin recipe slip, he calls doom and destruction down upon his peaceful village and forces his brother Storfjell and his clansmen to do the one thing they are ill-prepared to do: battle for their lives.

Purchase on

Amazon

About The Buttersmiths’ Gold

The Buttersmiths’ Gold is a spin off novella in the Evertaster series that tells the story of two Viking brothers and their adventurous past. The Evertaster series (Book #1 released June 14, 2012) is about Guster Johnsonville, who goes searching for a legendary taste rumored to be the most delicious in all of history. Along the way he meets a slew of mysterious characters, including two Viking brothers Torbjorn and Storfjell. The Buttersmiths’ Gold is their story. 124 pages. By Adam Glendon Sidwell. Published by Future House Publishing.

Evertaster, Book #1:

A legendary taste. Sought after for centuries. Shrouded in secrecy.

When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother’s casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves. Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’ reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the legendary taste before it’s too late.

Purchase on

Amazon

Author Adam Sidwell
In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He’s been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles, where he can’t wait to fall into the sea.

Website
Twitter
Facebook

Tour Schedule

BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 6/30/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $50 US.

a Rafflecopter giveaway