Category: Teenagers

Inspiring Teens Blog Hop

9/29/2013

Ready for some great fun?

Want to meet some fantastic MG/YA authors and terrific bloggers?

How would you like to win some books?

You can enter our Rafflecopter competition to win a $10 Amazon gift card. There will be two winners.
Well, you're at the right place!

The Inspiring Teens Blog Hop starts here on Monday, October 14 and will continue all week long. The list of bloggers/authors is below. Take a few minutes to visit each day for a chance to meet some wonderful people and win a free book.

Don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter (below the schedule) for a chance to win a gift certificate from Amazon.

Monday, Oct. 14

Blogger – Kate Bainbridge http://read2review.com/2013/10/14/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-interview-with-vickie-johnstone/
Author - Vickie Johnstone

Blogger - Sharon Ledwith http://sharonledwith.blogspot.com/2013/10/inspiring-teens-blog-hop.html
Author - Jennifer Loiske

Blogger - Armen Pogharian https://armenpogharian.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/344/
Author - Ey Wade

Blogger – Candice Conway Simpson http://booksforboysreviewsandfun.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-sharon-rose.html
Author - Sharon Rose Mayes

Blogger-Cedar Sanderson http://cedarwrites.com/2013/10/14/teen-week-blog-hop-with-special-guest/
Author - Kim Mutch Emerson

Blogger – Maria Savva – http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/5020446-inspiring-teens-blog-hop-interview-giveaway-with-author-ed-drury/
Author – Ed Drury

Tuesday, Oct. 15

Blogger - Kate Bainbridge http://read2review.com/2013/10/15/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-interview-with-greta-burroughs/
Author - Greta Burroughs

Blogger - Jennifer Loiske http://jenniferloiske.wordpress.com/2013/10/15/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-meet-author-cedar-sanderson/
Author - Cedar Sanderson

Blogger – Lisa Cresswell http://lisatcresswell.blogspot.com/2013/10/october-15-teen-blog-hop-week.html
Author - Tim Flanagan

Blogger -Debra J Jameson Smith https://www.facebook.com/Creationsbydjamesonsmith (link to blog in pinned post)
Author - Sharon Ledwith

Blogger -David Lowbridge http://indieebookreview.blogspot.com/2013/10/an-authors-tale-why-i-write-teen.html
Author - Amanda Haulk Taylor

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Blogger -Wendy Strain - http://www.writeonwendy.com/
Author - Greta Burroughs 7:45-8:45 PM CST
This is a five minute fiction contest open for all participants to write a short piece using a prompt provided by Greta Burroughs. A prize will be awarded to the winner. It's a lot of fun and an exciting way to show off your skills at writing.

Wednesday, Oct. 16

Blogger - Kate Bainbridge http://read2review.com/2013/10/16/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-interview-with-debbie-manber-kupfer/
Author - Debbie Manber Kupfer

Blogger –Maria Savva http://quietfurybooks.com/bestsellerboundrecommends/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-linda-deane
Author -Linda Deane

Blogger – Debbie Manber Kupfer http://debbiemanberkupfer.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/interview-with-lisa-cresswell/
Author - Lisa Cresswell

Blogger - Ey Wade http://dna-bloodtiesandlies.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/armen-pogharian-is-inspiring-teens-to.html
Author - Armen Pogharian

Blogger – David Lowbridge http://tinyurl.com/q5h6dwy
Author - Dianne Gardner

Blogger - Robert DeBurgh http://robertdeburgh.weebly.com/2/post/2013/10/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-christine-hughes.html
Author - Christine Hughes

Thursday, Oct. 17

Blogger - Kate Bainbridge http://read2review.com/2013/10/17/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-interview-with-hugo-jackson/
Author - Hugo Jackson

Blogger - Vickie Johnstone (Vixie's Stories) http://vickiejohnstone.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-paul-plunkett.html
Author - Paul Plunkett

Blogger - Kim Mutch Emerson http://masterkoda.com/teen-reads-week-donna-dillon
Author - Donna Dillon

Blogger - Karen Pokraz Toz http://kptoz.blogspot.com/2013/10/author-spotlight-jr-simmons-teen-read.html
Author - JR Simmons

Blogger - David Lowbridge http://indieebookreview.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/cover-spotlight-pirates-pirates.html
Author -Saoirse O'Mara

Blogger - Brenda Perlin http://homewreckerthebook.blogspot.com/2013/10/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-welcomes.html
Author - Charlotte Blackwell

Friday, Oct. 18

Blogger - Kate Bainbridge http://read2review.com/2013/10/18/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-interview-with-tianna-scott/
Author - Tianna Scott

Blogger –Tim Flanagan http://timflanaganauthor.wordpress.com/2013/10/18/teen-reading-week-meet-catherine-stovall/
Author - Catherine Stovall

Blogger – Sharon Rose Mayes – http://www.notyourmomblog.com/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-interview-with-wendy-and-charles-siefken/
Author - Wendy Siefken

Blogger – Cassie McCown http://gatheringleavesreviews.blogspot.com/2013/10/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-author.html
Author - Alan Tucker

Blogger –David Lowbridge http://indieebookreview.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/authors-tale-michael-chulsky-part-of.html
Author -Michael Chulsky

Blogger – Wendy Siefken http://siefkenpublications.info/teen-blog-hop-juli-caldwell/
Author - Juli Caldwell

Saturday, Oct. 19

Blogger – Robbie Cox http://www.themessthatisme.com/2013/10/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-with-debra.html
Author - Debra J. Smith

Blogger – Jonathan Gould http://daglit.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-interview-with.html
Author – Sibel Hodge

Blogger - Greta Burroughs http://booksbygretaburroughs.weebly.com/8/post/2013/10/inspiring-teens-blog-hop-chris-baker.html
Author - Chris Baker

Blogger – Cassy Wood & Alex Harrington http://reviewmetwice.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/blog-hop.html
Author - Vicki Kinnaird

a Rafflecopter giveaway

10 Comments

Rhonda Ramsey wrote this guest post about children and the importance of reading. She wanted to participate, although she has not yet published her children's book.

"When children play ..."

I remember my first childhood favorite: "I Can do it Myself," a book from a Sesame Street book series. As a pre-teen, I remember reading "The Baby Sitter's Club" series, and in between discovering my favorite books, I spent a lot of time creating stories of my own. Aside from my diaries and journals, I created what in my mind, using my own imagination, were real stories. I think it is very important for children and young adults to read, not only for the sake of literacy, but it is an excellent way to connect with their own stories ... or create them!

Not too long ago, I realized that this runs in the family. My mother has always been a bookworm, and I remember watching her as she sat on the patio with her suspense novels. From the corner of my eye, as I played in the backyard, I would squeal, "Watch this!" She would peep at me over her reading glasses and smile as I turned cartwheels and polished my limbo skills for P.E class.

Not too long ago, my mother shared with me, that as a child, she created stories using voice recorders. She would record her voice as one character, then record her voice as the next character, and so on, until the story was complete. How fascinating would it be to stumble upon a box and find something like this?! I could only imagine.

I read Yvonne Hertzberger's article, "Passing the Torch," and I love that theme. In the spirit of keeping that theme going, from my mother to me, from me to my daughter, the reading/writing bug has shown its marks. My daughter, who is seven years old, has read "Three Billy Goats Gruff" so many times, that we have lost count. (Now, she is gravitating toward books about sports).

A couple weeks ago, I found her creating stories for her little brother and their stuffed animals. She has also begun creating picture books. She says she is going to be an author/illustrator, and it seems that each time she reads or is read to, she is inspired.

I believe, when children read, they are able to add vital layers to who they are, such as the ability to visualize and empathize. When children play, they are able to use their imaginations to expound upon everything they see and feel. The more children read, the more their imaginations grow; the more children create as they are inspired, the more they learn through observation.

When children read, their imaginations play. A vivid imagination and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, will take our children beyond our wildest dreams.

"Indeed, learning to write may be a part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading."
— Eudora Welty

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go."
— Dr. Seuss, "I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!"

RH Ramsey - books, excerpts, interviews and more on her blog!
arirjames.wordpress.com

facebook.com/authoranisola

4 Comments

A Late Bloomer Among Us Book Lovers

7/17/2013

6 Comments

Penny Estelle is vising with us today from the wilds of Arizona. She is living proof that you can get the reading bug at any age...

When I was in elementary school, all through high school, I hated to read. (Keep in mind this was about 100 years ago) I read ONLY what was required. I wasn’t a sloucher in school. As a matter of fact my grades were quite good, but I always thought I had way better things to do with my time than sit still and read.

Then I got married and had a baby. It was only then, did I start reading. Who knew you could escape reality in a good book! I have been reading ever since. I am a very slow reader and I honest believe it is because I started reading so late.

This is only one of the reasons I decided to write for the middle grade kiddos. I worked as a school secretary for 21 years. I watched all the little ones, kindergarten – third grades, pour over books in the library. They wanted to check them all out and would show anybody who would listen about the treasure they had found. Not so much with the older kids.

When I asked some of the kids, who were sent up to the office for one reason or another, why they didn’t read, I heard myself talking so many years ago. So sad!

The kids of today have to be readers to make it in this world. I believe that with all my heart. I figured I would try to write stories that were fun and adventurous and would pull the kids in and keep them interested. Even children need to escape reality sometimes. My hope is I have done exactly that!

A little bit about Penny...

I was a school secretary for 21 years. We moved to our retirement home in Kingman, AZ, on very rural 54 acres. We are on solar and wind. A real adjustment for a city girl, but I love it. At night, the sky is an explosion of stars. It is breathtaking!

You can find out more about my books and myself at http://www.pennystales.com or www.pennyestelle.blogspot.com. Please stop by anytime. I love visitors!

Hike Up Devil’s Mountain

http://www.amazon.com/Hike-up-Devils-Mountain-ebook/dp/B0058DE9YC

Billy Cooper’s Awesome Nightmare – Book 1 of the Wickware Sagas

http://www.amazon.com/Coopers-Awesome-Nightmare-Wickware

ebook/dp/B0088HTJ9U

Ride of a Lifetime – Book 2 of the Wickware Sagas

http://www.amazon.com/Ride-Lifetime-Wickware-Sagas-ebook/dp/B00D91Z1JM

A Float Down the Canal

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CUQEZYE

6 Comments

From Dick and Jane to Stephen King

7/2/2013

6 Comments

Ann Swann takes me back to my early school days, talking about Dick and Jane and the SRA reading cards. Do you remember or was that before your time?

Reading. It’s always been my favorite thing in the world. In elementary school, I learned to read using the Dick & Jane books. When we finished that program, we were allowed to move up to the SRA (Science Research Associates) reading system, which treated reading as a reward. I can still recall the stillness of the sun-splashed classroom as we all hurried to finish our assignments so that we could choose a reading card from the color-coded SRA box. It was a race to get to the gold level cards. Now, I can’t even remember if I made it; but I certainly remember the feel and the smell of those heavily laminated reading cards. I was in my element.

On my own, I read books like Silver Chief, Dog of the North, and The Black Stallion. Little Women made a huge impact on me, too. But I’ll never forget the weekend I stayed tucked up in my cozy attic bedroom reading the biography of Amelia Earhart. It was riveting. My tiny little room under the eaves was transformed into a cloud-shrouded cockpit barely big enough for Amelia and her navigator. I think it must have been the first time I’d read a biography just for fun.

As a teen, I gravitated toward spooky tales by Poe and Alfred Hitchcock. Then came thrillers such as Jaws, Rosemary’s Baby, The Omen, Harvest Home, and The Exorcist (scared the willies out of me, every one of them).

When I was given Nightshift, Stephen King’s first collection of short stories, I felt as if I had come home from being away.

I taught my daughter to read by reading to her every night. Her favorites were Little Golden Books. All of them. Now, she writes a very popular historical romance series (Sara Barnard) as well as children’s tales for her own little ones.

As a teacher, I built my 5th/6th grade classroom library with everything from Dr. Seuss to C.S. Lewis. But I think the novels Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, and The Bridge to Terabithia, by Katherine Paterson, always got the best results. I recall one squeamish young lady asking me, in all seriousness, if we could change our reading time to after lunch—we were reading Hatchet—because some of the grosser scenes were stealing her appetite. Mind you, she didn’t want to stop reading, just not right before lunch.

And when we read The Bridge to Terabithia, even the most reluctant readers were captivated. I love reading with children. That’s why I wrote the Phantom Series. It isn’t for the faint of heart though. Just like my student wanting to change the reading period to after lunch all those years ago, I recently heard from one young reader who said she loved the Phantom Books, but she couldn’t read them after eight o’ clock, they were too scary.

I think that’s one of the greatest compliments I’ve ever received.

Ann Swann is the author of Stevie-girl and the Phantom Pilot, and Stevie-girl and the Phantom Student, books one and two of The Phantom Series (originally published by Cool Well Press). Book Three in the series, Stevie-girl and the Phantom of Crybaby Bridge, will be published at the end of June, 2013. Ann has also written numerous award winning short stories and novels for adults. She lives in Texas with her husband and their rescue pets, surrounded by her grandchildren, all of whom love it when she says, “Let’s go to the reading chair.” She adores libraries and book stores and owns two different e-readers just for fun.

How to Contact Ann Swann:

Amazon Central: http://tinyurl.com/6wl3oe2

Blog: www.annswann.blogspot.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/annswann.authorfanpage

Twitter: @ann_swann

Email: swannann76@yahoo.com

Goodreads: http://tinyurl.com/6vuw7vl

6 Comments

Write it Yourself

6/25/2013

8 Comments

Inspiration for writing and sharing stories can come from the ones closest to you. I want to thank Cedar Sanderson for sharing her experiences with us:

I have been reading since I was four, and my mother’s task was actually to keep me from reading all the time, so a few years ago when I found myself presented with the opportunity to become a children’s librarian, and a few months later, to write a novel for young adults, I dove in with both feet, feeling that every child should love reading the way I do.

            As a librarian in a library too small to need a full-time children’s librarian, I spent a few hours a week book shopping, planning programs, and just plain talking to kids about books. Because I was familiar with the books in our collection, what was popular, and books that I knew where to find them through inter-library loans, I was often able to steer reluctant readers toward books that would tickle their fancy. I wound up writing a story that bloomed into a novel because of this desire to help kids find books like the one they just read.

            My eldest daughter, who was 11 at the time, had read a book she adored. There was a series by the same author, and she read all that were out at the time, and insisted that I read the first of them, because she wanted to share her pleasure in them (which is a great way to get your kids involved with you in reading - read some of their books, and discuss. Or read aloud to one another). I read it, realized that there were very few books in the library or my home collection, or indeed, in modern releases, that featured mythology, and decided I would write her a story.

            When she went off to a long summer camp, gone for three weeks, I wrote a story about a girl who loved kittens, and who was a mythological gods’ descendant, just like in the book she had wanted me to read. And just like she is - she loves cats, and some other things I wrote into the story. She came home from camp, told me it was a great story, and summer passed. In the fall, she came home from school one day, brandishing a piece of paper. She wanted me to take part in NaNoWriMo, and make the story into a novel, especially since now her two younger sisters were ‘into’ that same series and would want to read more of my stories.

            I did win NaNo and finished the novel for them, but that was just the beginning. They still read avidly, as they always have, but they also are interested in writing now, and my eldest participated in NaNo herself at the youth writer level last fall. I believe she will again this year as well. Her sisters tell me their ideas for my stories all the time, most of which come from the books they are reading.

            With my children, as with the kids who came into the library, I usually just had to worry about supplying them with titles that they would enjoy reading. With the other children in town who I saw less often, I relied on the Summer Reading Program to bring them in, and I would have books on hand to get them interested. Kids like the shiny, the new, the same old subjects, so it can be a challenge to keep older books going out when they look a bit shabby, and to justify buying yet another book on dinosaurs, because that is what all boys of a certain age love.

            Once I had the novel completed and was telling my patrons at the library about it, I discovered that the hook worked not only for my kids, but the library kids. They were thrilled to know a ‘real author’ and often told me all about what they were writing, while asking me about how to write. This led to me recommending books and websites to them for research as well. It was a self-feeding interest that I believe even authors of MG/YA books can help out with, by being willing to volunteer at their local library and talk to kids about writing and reading. Maybe even to take the time to start a junior writer’s club and foster interest and skills that way.

Cedar Sanderson's blog is: www.cedarwrites.com

You can find "Vulcan’s Kittens", the YA novel Cedar wrote for her daughters, and excerpts from it, here: http://cedarwrites.com/vulcans-kittens/

8 Comments

Passing the Torch by Yvonne Hertzberger

6/19/2013

8 Comments

Noah passing the torch to the next generation

When our kids were young, even infants, reading was a daily part of their lives. At first it was nursery rhymes, which I sang to them as we looked at the pictures, then Dr. Seuss, Find Waldo, Richard Scary, animal books and others with lots of pictures that we would talk about. It wasn’t long, though, until there had to be a story, be it following all the cars on a train and learning their names, Peter Rabbit, or The Polar Express.

While our daughter caught on to reading right away, we discovered that out son has some dyslexia and found reading and writing a frustrating challenge. So reading aloud to the kids went on for many years, even when Noah ought to be reading on his own.

When Noah, the elder, was about ten, his dad began to read the entire Narnia Chronicles aloud. This became a cherished bedtime routine and there was considerable complaining on nights that were missed. Both our kids loved those books and we would discuss parts they asked about. Our daughter later reread them herself when she was about ten and has been an avid reader ever since.

During that same time Noah was interested in trains, model trains, and all things technical, so we bought him books and magazines with those subjects, mostly short articles that told him how things worked and what they did. Because he has a keen aptitude for those they did not frustrate him the way stories did. But he still struggled with fiction.

Then, in high school, he got the kind of help that he needed to overcome his difficulty. An exceptional teacher took a shine to him and each year his marks rose, so that he eventually made the dean’s list his first year in community college, studying IT.

Now, Noah reads novels, mostly crime and detective or mystery books, but you could have knocked me over with a feather the day he told us he had completed Moby Dick. I mean, I haven’t read Moby Dick, for heaven’s sake.

Now, Noah reads about a book a week as he sits on the train during his daily commute. He reads for pleasure. I credit our early reading aloud sessions for whetting his appetite, and that wonderful teacher for helping him believe in himself.

I cannot stress enough, how important it is for parents to share books and a love of reading with their kids. Had we not done that our son would likely not be the successful man he is today. Now it’s his turn. Even as his wife’s belly grew, he would read to the bulge every night. Now that Nathan is born that continues. The torch is passed.

Yvonne Hertzberger lives in Stratford, Ontario with her spouse, Mark. She calls herself a late bloomer as she began writing at the ripe age of 56. The first two volumes of her Fantasy trilogy, ‘Earth’s Pendulum’ have been well received and the third is on the way. She loves to sing, garden and spend time with like minded people and family.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/YHERTZBE

Facebook Author page: http://www.facebook.com/EarthsPendulum.YvonneHertzberger.author

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Yvonne-Hertzberger/e/B006X3DEOC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Amazon. UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yvonne-Hertzberger/e/B006X3DEOC/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3217107.Yvonne_Hertzberger

Website/blog: http://newfantasyauthor.com

8 Comments

Inspiring Children..
One Book at a Time

One of the most valuable gifts you can give a child is the love of reading.

This blog is for parents, teachers and caregivers and all those who have the power to help young minds to become great minds.

If you would like to write a guest post for this blog, please send an email to greta799(at)yahoo.com

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Greta Burroughs

believes that sharing the joy of reading is one of the most important gifts we can give to a child.
Books can teach, entertain, launch imaginations and help a child/middle grader/teenager to excel in school as well as in life.

Greta is the author of several children's and MG/YA books and her website is here.

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Books by Greta Burroughs. Click cover for more information

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Inspiring Teens Blog Hop

When Children Play

A Late Bloomer Among Us Book Lovers

From Dick and Jane to Stephen King

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Inspiring Children..
One Book at a Time

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Greta Burroughs

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One Book at a Time

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