![]() Well, this is something that I have thought about doing and then put off, because I don't think I'm that unusual. I'm an open book. Literally. I see it--I write it! However, here are a few tidbits about me that you may not know:
Well...that's 15 things you know about me now that you probably wished you didn't. Thank you for reading and taking the time to get to know me. These actually answer some questions that I've been asked via Instagram, Tiktok, or Facebook (you can find me on each of these @ruthamandawrites). Follow me for more ridiculousness--I mean, very important authoring and creative stuff and book updates!
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![]() Whee doggie! Where do I begin with this one? As a wise man once said, gnaturally, "Begin at the beginning..." and so I shall. In February I decided my 2024 would be full of support for my fellow authors--I may have even blogged about it. I posted in an author FB group my offer and the response was overwhelming. I have been reading, reviewing and (w)riting about these books in every spare moment. And in these books, there are quiet gems. There are also shining stars. In the case of The Gnatural, there are home runs that may actually be grand slams--I'll stop there before I screw up the baseball analogies. So here is my review of the book: Gnatural is going to create some buzz in your bookshelf this season! Roy and Bryce are obsessed with bugball and hope to one day make the major leagues. I really enjoyed following their adventures as they overcome bullies and injuries to make their dreams a reality. A wonderful story to help motivate and encourage young athletes to aim high but be good sports. Never let a bad season "bug" you! Colourful illustrations perfectly portray the action and you will be on the edge of your seat waiting for that next smash hit! Those of you of a certain age (or just being fans of sports movies) may notice some similarities with a certain movie: The Natural (1984) starring Robert Redford, from TriStar Pictures. That is not the only carry over from real life in this book. Baseball fans will find bug puns abound in cameo appearances from Major League Bugball--I mean Baseball--stars! I spoke with Mark Bryson to learn a bit more about him and his books and here is what I learned. Mark has a background in sports which is no surprise. His love of events and sport started at an early age and has never disappeared. He continues to be involved as an event manager, board member, motivator as well as player, umpire, official and coach in multiple sports.
Somewhere in there, he managed to meet and marry his wife and have six kids of whom he is rightfully proud. This is a busy man--but not too busy to help the smallest of players with their own story and dreams. I asked Mark where he found the time to work with son Ryan on The Gnatural. Mark says he mostly writes in the evening and often listens to music while driving which helps him to visualize scenes or stories. Mark says, "I have been blessed to be around many great coaches and players as Head Coach at MLB Fanfest. The inspiration quotes and motivational stories that they would tell to kids in the clinics provided much material." As a fellow bug follower, with a book on racing snails, I needed to know--will there be more sports books featuring bugs? And the answer is YES! There are a series of sports stories coming together. Beeball (to release in 2024) is about basketball with Joel Embee, Michael Jordant and Julius Erwing. Centipedes Can't Skate is hockey based and features Peter Forsbug, Sidney Crosbee, and Steve Flyzerman. You can probably guess at the names involved in other titles like Friday Night Lightning Bugs based on football, FLEAFA based on soccer, and GNATSCAR about--you guessed it--racing! You can bet that I'm ordering a complete set! Mark and Ryan are currently working on screenplays to pitch to PIXAR. They also hope to create live action coaching content with Bryce Hopper (Bryce Harper) to teach hitting, and Mite Trout (Mike Trout) to teach little ballplayers how to play the outfield. Lots of great content to come from this team and I am so inspired by this! Whatever your age, you are going to love what comes from this team! If writing were a World Series of Books, I see this team making the Big Game! Click the button below for more! ![]() I was blessed to be allowed to get to know a fellow author by the name of Boyana Atwood, publishing as Highbridge Stories. Her fun and engaging faith based books are sure to please! Boyana is from Europe, born in Serbia and raised in Switzerland. She originally studied law and worked as an Investment Banking Associate before travelling to Texas. In Texas, she attended Christ for the Nations Bible School where she met her husband. As a couple, they journeyed to Mozambique where they were involved in missionary work before deciding to move back to the states to start their family. Currently living in Anchorage, Alaska, they have two children. As with most of us, Covid changed how Boyana's world worked. While she had been doing some project management, Covid meant she became a full time stay at home mother. She began publishing guided journals on the side. This time with her kids lead her to the creative work of writing her own children's stories and last year she began to illustrate books as well. This year she plans to illustrate one of her own stories which is still a work in progress. Maya's Big Feelings was the first book she wrote. It is a fun short story about a girl discovering her feelings as they take her on a roller coaster ride of emotions. With a little help, she learns not to let her feelings take over. She has also been busy creating the following: Maya's Big Adventure, Pray With Me (A Book of Prayers for Small Children), and Exploring Our Space Neighborhood all come from the wonderful writing of Boyana Atwood.
For the Maya books, Boyana worked with illustrator Anastasiya Provozina and says she was wonderful to work with. Anastasiya went above and beyond what Boyana asked of her and was very easy to communicate with. Boyana would love to work with her on more books in the Maya series. Boyana added that she is now exploring the illustrator path herself now and is using an iPad and ProCreate software to create her drawings. I asked her what is next and she said "On March 5th is the office release date of The Creator's Kids, a book I was able to illustrate for the amazing Nicole Helm." Boyana also mentioned she is finalizing the illustration of another book for a similarly amazing author, and is exploring stories of her own that she wants to write. As with most of my author friends, Boyana has several ideas she is working on advancing. Boyana's Christian faith is evident in each page of her books. She has so far only received positive feedback , although she admits to marketing primarily to people with similar views and hasn't gone mainstream with her marketing. I encourage her to do so, as the books are well written and have a wonderful message to share. I asked Boyana to share some fun facts about her and this is what she came up with:
![]() Today I am going to share a bit about There is Only One You by author Melissa Hin. There is Only One You is a celebration of a child's uniqueness with fun, bright illustrations. End pages included added value with questions and activities to guide the teacher or parent in encouraging the conversation about each reader's own unique strengths and assets. A good read for little ones who are feeling a little less than special, or to further encourage your kids that standing out as different is not a bad thing. In addition to being asked to review this book, I was also priveleged to email back and forth with author Melissa Hin and learn a bit more about her! Melissa Hin has been an artist from the day she was born. She can't remember ever NOT creating--its just something she has to do! She has explored many mediums and materials over the course of her artistic career and also has dabbled in a number of varying styles. She likes to deem her art "Contemporary" which allows for both realistic representations and the abstract. Sometimes she likes to mix the two. Most often her subjects are inspired by nature but it is always her desire to lead the viewer on a journey each and every time they experience a work of art. She owns and operates an Art Studio in Long Island, NY, where she paints and teaches. So with all that artistic creativity, is it any wonder Melissa has turned to writing books? I asked her about her inspiration for the book There is Only One You and she responded that every child is unique and special. She wrote the story to encourage young readers to remember that. We are all different and special and Melissa believes we should celebrate that. I wholeheartedly agree! She dedicated this book to her sons Alex, Matt and Zach. She recalls how every night when they were young they would read wonderful stories together. Sometimes they would write their own. On that note, Melissa says she has two additional children's books written and is anxious to bring them alive with her illustrations so she can put them in print. We asked her if she found illustrating her story difficult--as an author and illustrator myself, I sometimes struggle here. Melissa responded confidently that it had always been her passion to illustrate her own stories. She believes a good picture book has a fantastic manuscript in addition to whimsical illustration which will enhance the text as well as highlighting it. She does admit she went through two previously illustrated versions before settling on the one she published. Melissa is quite happy with the results. I believe readers will be as well. If you want to learn more about Melissa and her art, use the buttons below to connect to her websites. Additional contact details are in the image gallery below. Her books are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever fine books are sold. Ask your local bookseller! Thank you Melissa for taking the time to speak with me and for sharing such a wonderful book! I look forward to the next one... Those who are fans of "Geckos in the Garden" will know that I find it difficult to pass up a fun way to practice counting with little ones. Lee Matson is a writer after my own heart having created "Alexa & Pup Go to the Farm". A farm adventure and counting book in one! Bright colourful illustrations and catchy rhymes make this a fun read. There are lots of "noise" words to make reading aloud interactive and full of giggles. A great addition to any early library at home or school. But I was also able to learn a bit more about Lee and how he created this gem! Keep reading below! Lee Matson, renaissance man.
Living outside London, UK, with his partner Katie and children Alexa and Archer, Lee is a Personal Trainer andSenior Wellbeing Advisor. Lee holds a Sport and Exercise Science degree. He used to play semi-pro football (soccer for my fellow North Americans) and still follows the sport. Anything sporty really. During Covid, Lee was placed on furlough and spent all his time with Alexa (Archer appeared later). He notes they spent a lot of time watching TV, playing games, learning words and numbers, and doing lots of reading. After a while, as with most parents, Lee found himself bored with the same books and thought, "why not try something different?" This combined with a work related medical suggesting starting a new hobby to help with mental wellness during lockdown, came together when he thought he could create a book to enjoy with Alexa. The real Alexa reportedly loves the book and knows all of the words off by heart. She was apparently shocked when she realized she was on the front cover, and then more shocked to discover dear old dad also named on the front cover! When the books first arrived, Lee says she walked around with it telling her whole family she was famous. So why this creation? Lee knew that kids like Alexa love bright colours, animals, funny things and weird noises. Taking these ingredients, he mixed up a combination of these elements. I am so glad he did! Onomatopoeia keeps the kids interested and they can do the sounds as well. Lee's favourite bit in the book is when the sheep knit a hat for pup and it is far too long and covers pup. Kids have fun stopping here to find where Pup is hiding. His publisher produced the illustrations, and Lee was pleased with how they turned out. Lee enjoyed working with Austin Macauley Publishing. Lee would love for you to follow him on Instagram as he tries to build his audience. You can find him on instagram @alexa_and_pup where you can see what else he and Alexa and now Archer are getting up to! Thank you, Lee, for the opportunity to read and review your book and help share the word about it! A great first title and I am waiting for more! ![]() It's been a couple of weeks but I have another fantastic read for you! This title from author Saloni Surah is for the slightly older reader, say 8 to 12 years old. An early chapter book, "Flora Investigates: the Case of the Missing Gold Eggs" is about a young girl named Flora who sniffs out clues in Florence, Italy. In this case, she will meet wacky characters who are all suspects in the case. There will be a dancing pirate, a flying boat, multiple suspects and Flora's nose for trouble will analyze them all. The illustrations are captivating and I expect we will see more from illustrator Lisa Williams as well. I particularly enjoyed the images that showed Flora's notebook and notes... Let's learn more about the author, shall we? Saloni is a wonderful new voice in early readers.
A coach, with a PhD in HIV and drug use, she began writing while working on her PhD. She has worked with people from all over the world and see firsthand the effects of poverty and illiteracy. This spoke to her and moved her to start writing. While working on her PhD she found the time to manage some creative space to express herself apart from the largely scientific writing necessary to her degree. When asked about her inspiration for this story, she replied,"A gold egg laying chicken has gone missing and Flora has to find out who store her and why. It's a fun book with gold eggs and a flying boat, but it has heart because it's a book about a girl who has a dream and doesn't give up." This is her first published title, but Saloni has written three others and plans to go back and tweak the others. Based in the UK, Saloni's husband is from Florence and the book is loosely based on his friends and family. Her mother-in-law had previously kept chickens, and when Saloni first met her husband, one of these chickens had gone missing. He husband joked that there had been a murder in the back yard. When she travelled to Florence with him for the first time, the story started to brew. She met people who would evolve into the characters of the book although she does say they are "obviously overdone". Who wouldn't want to meet a crazy chicken lady or a dancing pirate with a flying boat? Saloni's publisher, TAUK Publishing, drew in Lisa Williams to illustrate the tale and Saloni is quite pleased with the result, saying Lisa has done a great job. When asked about a sequel, Saloni's response was that her dragons were calling her first but absolutely, yes! You can find this book on Amazon in eBook and paperback editions, as well as on Kindle Unlimited. If you happen to be near New South Wales, look for "Get Lost in Books", an indie bookshop that carries this title. In the UK you may find it on the shelves of "WriteBlend" in Liverpool, "The Book Dragon" in Stockton-on-Tees, and "Rainforest" in Chester. If you are looking for further Middle Grade works, watch for "The Last Fairy Guardian" by Saloni Surah, which is releasing this spring. It's a book about a forbidden friendship between a fairy and a human girl. I, for one, am looking forward to it! For more about Saloni Surah, click on the link button below. FIRST, MY REVIEW: Meera has had a frustrating day, where she feels her friend has been bossing her around. When she gets home, her Dadaji (grandfather) gently guides her through her frustration as he engages her to help make Aloo Paratha. You can almost smell the food as they work. The author's descriptions are wonderful and the story is truly engaging. It includes the recipe so you can try it at home, making this a very well rounded way to introduce your child to another culture and new foods as well as learning to be humble and accept that sometimes we need to be taught. It also includes discussion questions and a small glossary for words that may be new to you. An excellent addition to home or classroom with wonderful content and beautiful illustrations! I was lucky enough to get to speak with the author and here is what I learned! In the author's own words: Well, I did an online course in early childhood education from Penn Foster. It was quite an experience for me. I love being around children, and I wanted to learn more about them. I have also worked on and off in preschool settings. But mostly I have been a homemaker. I discovered I loved to write stories. But I truly started writing for kids when my daughter was born. I used to make up all these stories to keep her entertained. "Meera Makes Aloo Paratha" is my first children's picture book that has been published. I also wrote a few short stories that were published in a few children's magazines in India. My inspiration has always been my children and their friends. Watching them navigate their childhood has been quite a learning experience. While watching kids around me, I notice that the most common problem they face is that everyone wants to be a leader. That is one of the biggest childhood struggles...no one wants to be the follower. Meera's problem is similar - as in she wants to be the teacher - or should I say, she doesn't always want to be the student! I started with this premise, and decided to bring in Dadaji to be the rescuer. I have watched my children interacting with their grandparents. What I found is that grandparents have both wisdom and patience to handle their grandchildren. I felt that it would set a perfect example of how the two generations can work together to solve a problem. There are definitely more Meera/Dadaji situations coming up. I never planned for this to work out as a series. But sometimes the characters speak for themselves. My editor, Aditi Wardhan Singh referred Noor to me. (Noor Alshalabi is Sangeetha's illustrator) I checked out her Instagram profile and I was hooked. Her illustration style was just what I was looking for and I trusted my instincts. But the day she sent me character sketches of Meera and Dadaji, I knew that I had made the right choice. As far as guiding her is concerned, the only thing I told her was that Meera must wear glasses. The rest she kind of gave her own spin. I wanted the story to be her true guidance. Once the illustrations came in, if I felt something seemed off, I'd communicate to her and she was prompt in making those changes. There were some changes made from time to time, and Noor was pretty accommodating about it. The initial part of editing was tough for me. Just like other authors, I struggled with it. But as our editing sessions progressed, the changes were lesser and I found my story sounding so much better. My editor, Aditi Wardhan Singh was super patient with me. She encouraged me every step of the way. We actually met online and hit it off from the beginning. It helped that we both are good friends along with colleagues. As you can probably sense from the story, I am big with conversations. If there is one thing that I want my readers to take away from my book, it is that talking about things is always helpful. Talk with your friends, family, teachers or anyone else you feel comfortable with. There is no problem on earth that can't be solved with just a little bit of conversation. At least talking about it can be a good starting point. I'm currently working on a middle grade chapter book titled "According To Dhruv". I'm also working on a couple of other Meera and Dadaji related stories. Story telling is my passion. I'm constantly experimenting on my writing style. I would like to thank Sangeetha for her time and for allowing me to read and review her book in my blog. All images were used with the author's permission. Her purchase links are on the buttons below. Apologies for a prolonged silence!
I have gratefully recovered from my eye surgery and returned to my home and husband--from whom I was separated for TOO LONG! We enjoyed a quiet holiday season with good friends and phone calls to our assorted sons who are scattered around the globe. We then took a much needed "us time" break to reconnect and relax and enjoy the beautiful island of St. Lucia. I am now back and getting started on my projects for 2024. These include a couple of new books which will be releasing mid year, completing paperwork for some more award applications that have been sent to me, and working on my new project. I am going to embark in 2024 on helping to raise awareness of other children's book creators--both illustrators and authors--and have lined up some fabulous people to work with on this. Starting in February make sure you stay tuned to my social media and YouTube for some interviews, reviews, and fun reading times! I really look forward to this new project and connecting with my fellow authors. It's all about being able to introduce you and your children to new authors, and wonderful books. It's all about sharing a love of reading and making life long readers out of the next generation. So stay tuned! I will also post links and other resources as the year progresses! Welcome to 2024 and happy reading! So some, who follow me in various other social media channels, are aware that I am currently in Canada recovering from an eye surgery. Nothing that couldn't be fixed but something that has necessitated a need to stay "grounded" for 8-10 weeks. No flying. This meant that my very patient Dave returned to Barbados after my surgery and I have been not so patiently waiting my own chance to return.
But being "grounded" in an aviation sense has also left me with time to ponder and become "grounded" in other ways. Nothing "grounds" a person so much as gratitude. I have become extremely grateful for family! My sister-in-law Cheryl and brother David hosted us for an extended visit at the beginning of our travels in September due to a nasty cold. They kept us fed, warm, and entertained. Also their support in being the shipping terminus for stock of my author copies of books has been immeasurable! They rival my own very patient Dave in their quiet support! My sister Andrea and her husband Paul have been keeping me housed during my surgical recovery at their home. Paul and I have been busy playing with dolls...all right, action figures...while preparing for various Christmas festivities such as the Gingerbread Zoom I mentioned in my last post. All will be revealed in coming days as the Zoom is tomorrow! Paul has also chauffeured me around to my various appointments and errands. Andrea and I have spent hours reminiscing, took a small road trip, and I hope I've lightened her load by being available to help with meals being ready when she arrives home from work... I have become extremely grateful for friends and colleagues! Sandra in Barbados is keeping Dave busy and pestering him. Tito has been helping keep Dave and our company on track. Various others have helped in numerous ways with moral support--especially my writing friends and Hollis--and then there's Deanna! Deanna deserves her own fanfare! A former work colleague and long term friend, we gathered for lunch this week. Said lunch made it into a Facebook post on her page about a "Meet the Author" lunch, complete with photos of my books and sales material. It's already generated more traffic to my site than I have had before! So grateful! While talking to other friends about their various struggles, I have become grateful for little things. I am grateful for good health and a strong family support system. I am grateful for my wonderful sons who inspire devilish children's books even though they are in their 30s now. I am grateful for cold feet in Canada that remind me how fortunate I am to spend time in Barbados. I am grateful for a roof over my head, food in my stomach, and time to enjoy both and share them with others. I am grateful to have been able to create and share with you all the four--no, make that five--published books that I have been involved in this year. Writing for adults was a challenge but Hollis helped me pull it together! Writing for children is still my favourite. Also, VERY grateful for my eyesight! Something we all take for granted but I have a renewed respect for! How could I illustrate without it? How could I see the wonderful bugs, snails, frogs, monkeys, tropical fish, and bizarrely behaved birds who make it into my stories? Best of all, I am grateful that it sounds like I will make it back to Barbados before Christmas to spend the holidays with Dave and our good friends there. I will be missing so many people from Canada while there, but then, they know they are always welcome. Gratitude. Grounded. Good grief. Today's blog has been brought to you by the letter G... Photo below is me with my sister Andrea on our brief road trip to Victoria BC. Ah! Christmas is coming, and with it my family's notoriously crazy gingerbread house competition. I come from a very creative family and the entries are always interesting! There have been log cabins made of pretzels, brick houses made from Nibs, cereal treat castles and, of course, traditional (ish) cookie houses. There have been ponds made from blue gummy candies, sidewalks made out of dog biscuits, and, my personal favourite--a gingerbread biffy. (*our family vernacular for privy, outhouse, or rustic "facilities") Two years ago, I concocted a chocolate cookie house from a kit but placed Hershey chocolate bar minis on the roof as solar panels and made up a tale of Santa going "green" at the North Pole. It's a bit heavy on Elon Musk and Tesla references, but it made my family laugh. I'll upload it to the end of this blog post for those who wish to read it... Last year, in Barbados, I discovered gingerbread houses are not part of the local Christmas culture. Ants, presumably, being the reason. I ordered all sorts of bits and bobs in and managed to create an entry that I stored in the microwave to prevent ants finding it until the big reveal. It had blue fondant water, and icing pears for seafoam on the shore. Coarse, locally sourced, Barbados brown sugar provided sandy beaches. My "chattel house" was bright yellow with cereal shingles, fondant shutters and doors, and there was a very typical fruit stand out front full of tiny candy fruit. Gummy frogs provided the whistling frogs of Barbados to my scene and I modelled a fondant gecko of slightly larger than scale proportions to perch on the roof. Fruit-loop cereal tree trunks and edible corn starch palm fronds created palm trees. It was a hoot! Although it was tough not to eat the frog gummies... This year, I am temporarily located with my sister and her husband in British Columbia, recovering from an eye surgery. This means, I am assisting with entries here as well as planning my own. I can't give away the plans but will post an update when the competition (which, really, everyone wins...) is over! In the meantime, I created this little video for fun. Warning (tongue in cheek) that this may contain scenes of violence which some viewers may find disturbing. I found them quite delicious! And before I sign off today, here's my "Green" Christmas tale from 2021:
It’s been very busy At the North Pole this year Amid Covid pandemics and Climate change fears. Santa’s team is assessing And doing their part To reduce their emissions While not losing heart. The sleigh’s eco friendly, Thanks to the reindeer, But the lights and the workshop Must revamp I hear. So they called Elon Musk (Santa’s favourite lad) They said, “You’ve been busy Making Tesla go ‘Plaid’” “Can you help us?” They asked, “To make this Christmas Green?” Elon said “Yes!” and he Worked with the team. Assessing their assets He soon found a way By setting up Santa’s New solar array. On the roof of the workshop It soaks up the sun During 24 hour daylight While the elves have some fun. Storing the power In the New power wall, When it’s time for work, well, It powers it all! So remember dear children That Satan’s gone green As you enjoy looking at This holiday scene! (Below you will find two galleries...2021 and 2022!) |
As I see it..(the Ruth's eye view) Archives
June 2024
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