Tips for Teachers from Author Suzanne Lieurance

Tips for Teachers from Author Suzanne Lieurance

Thank for your following me on Day 3 of my 5-day virtual tour for my middle grade historical novel The Lucky Baseball - My Story in a Japanese-American Internment Camp, from Enslow Publishers. Obviously, this book was designed for classroom use as a way to supplement the regular social studies textbooks when it comes to helping students learn about events in American history. But I think readers enjoy the book mainly because they get to know and like the main character, Harry Yakamoto, a young Japanese-American boy growing up in Seven Cedars, California, in 1941, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and Harry's life changed forever.

Watch the trailer for my book here:

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

When I visit schools across the country I sometimes talk to students about using real events in history as the basis for creating fictional stories. I even have a workshop about this, so I can guide students to choose historical events to research so they can create fictional characters who witnessed these events.

I love to visit schools, libraries, and bookstores to talk about my writing and my books. I particularly enjoy helping teachers and school librarians see how they can use nonfiction to help students write better fiction. Teachers and librarians can find out more about this at my website at www.suzannelieurance.com.

Here are a few activities from the free Educator's Guide (email me if you'd like the guide) that was created for my book:

Language Arts

Have students write a fictional journal entry describing their first sight of Manzanar, and their feelings and fears as they get off the transport bus.

Mike’s father was arrested before his family ever left for Manzanar; they didn’t know where he was or if they would ever see him again. Have students write a letter from Mike to his father describing his feelings about the separation.

Math

Harry, his father, and his grandparents had to live in a partitioned unit, or small apartment, that measured only 20 by 25 feet and had a single window, a light bulb hanging from the ceiling, and a small oil stove for heat.

Using a tape measure and chalk (or masking tape), have students lay out an outline of that area based on these dimensions to show how small the living space actually was for a family of four.

Have students determine how many square feet each person would get? Using graph paper and drawing to scale, have students try to fit in cots, a stove, and other furniture they think is necessary for a family of four into a 20x25 foot space drawing.

About 110,000 Japanese and Japanese-Americans were eventually evacuated and moved into ten isolated relocation centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah and Wyoming. Have students find out the average population of the United States during World War II. Based on the numbers above, have students find the percentage of Americans (Japanese descent) who were sent to internment camps, such as Manzanar.

Manzanar held 10,046 prisoners at its peak; two thirds of those were under the age of 18.  Have students figure out the number of children at Manzanar.

When evacuees left their homes during the spring and summer of 1942, they left behind an estimated total of approximately $200,000,000 worth of real, commercial and personal property. Many people tried to sell their household possessions before they left, but most were only given a few days to pack and get their affairs in order. Therefore, many were prey to fortune hunters who offered them far less than fair market value for their things. Have students research and compare prices for goods in 1942 to the prices of today.

If you have any questions about the book, leave them here as a comment and I will answer them for you.

Happy reading!



P.S. Follow Day 4 of my tour tomorrow at  http://www.launchpadpublishing.com/apps/blog

You can also check out my review of  The Lucky Baseball:

http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2010/12/lucky-baseball-by-suzanne-lieurance.html



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Other Book Marketing Articles

Book Marketing – Create a Blog
Plan a Virtual Book Tour: The First Steps
Book Promotion: The Foundation

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidear!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services
A Team of Professionals for Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

Small Business Marketing - Meet Your Customers' Wants

You just started your own business and you’re creating a small business marketing plan. You may already have created a great product. At least you think it’s a great product. But, is there a customer base for it? Or, is your product name effective? Do you know what your target market’s ‘wants’ are?

Marketing studies are showing that in order to sell effectively, you need to know what’s motivating your potential customer to make the choices he does. This means you need to know what your potential customer wants.
   
People buy what they need, want, or desire. But, ‘when push comes to shove,’ people buy what they want, rather than what they need.

So, you need to determine what it is your potential customer wants and craft your small business marketing strategy around that.

Suppose you’re selling a book on ‘alternative health.’

Many people may know they should look into alternative health options, maybe find an acupuncturist or naturopathic doctor, but if you don’t promote your product to their ‘want’ it won’t motivate the prospect to buy. 

So, what does it mean to promote to a customer’s want, rather than his need.

Well, instead of promoting your alternative health book by explaining that Western medicine may not meet their health needs and that it’s important to address the underlying causes, rather than just the symptoms of illnesses, tell the potential customer that alternative options will allow him to regain his health and vitality. Tell him how this product will actually alleviate his problem. Do you see the difference?

Please be aware though that the above example is just that, an example. In your small business marketing you must always be honest and never, ever make guarantees in regard to someone’s health. Your product or service must be of value and it must fulfill your marketing claims.

As the example demonstrates, people buy based on feelings: Will the product or service make me feel, look, or smell better? Will it help me learn something, or earn more money? Will it get rid of my pain?  Will it make me a better golfer? And, it’s your job to answer the relevant questions effectively.

Watch just about any TV commercial. The marketers are selling an image. They’re selling to the viewer’s wants. Think of clothing commercials. Some don’t even have words; you simple watch a beautiful or handsome model wearing the product. You want to look like the model in those clothes, whether consciously or subconsciously. This motivates you to buy those clothes. The ad is addressing a ‘want.’

Just as a chef prepares a meal for both the taste and visual appeal of a dish, so must a marketer present his product or service in a manner that will be appealing on all fronts to the target market.

Your small business marketing must address your potential customer’s ‘what’s in it for me’ (WIIFM) question appealingly and effectively.

If you need help attracting customer's to your site, check out:

How to Attract Customers With Informational Marketing
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/books-on-marketing/attract-customers-with-information-marketing/ 

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More Marketing Articles

Small Business Marketing – Know What Consumers Buy
Book Marketing – Create a Blog
How to Create an Ebook – 5 Simple Steps

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/



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Professionalism and Writers

Practicing Professionalism: Some Author Do's and Don'ts

By Harriet Hodgson

The book business is a tough business. Authors like me may work for a year or more on a manuscript and, after it is finished, not be able to sell it. This brings us to the topic of professionalism. Can you pitch a book and remain professional? I've been asking myself this question a lot, as I try to market the two books I wrote last summer.

According to the dictionary, "professional" means you are competent, expert, or a consultant. "Professionalism" is defined as professional character, spirit, and methods. As I identify and follow marketing leads I try to be professional. Some days it is a challenge because I want the sale so much. Yet I try to be professional in my contacts with publishers.

Courtesy still counts in an electronic world. Many business transactions are conducted with cell phones, tweets, emails and blogs. That doesn't mean we throw courtesy out the window. Acquisitions editors are swamped with manuscripts and courtesy can make their days easier. One publisher referred me to the senior editor of another publishing company. I emailed her and received a reply two days later. Though her reply was not what I hoped to receive, I thanked the editor for her promptness and for getting back to me.

Proofreading is part of professionalism. Before you send an email, book query or proposal, you should proofread it carefully. This is hard for me because I wear bifocals and my eyes are sensitive to light. If you have similar problems, ask a family member or colleague to proofread your work. Katharine Sands discusses proofreading in her book, Making the Perfect Pitch: How to Catch a Literary Agent's Eye. Recommending proofreading may sound ridiculous, she points out, but it is critical. "I'm constantly surprised by the carelessness and breeziness of some letters and proposals I receive," she comments.

Correct formatting shows your professionalism. The public library may have books about manuscript formatting. Electronic submissions are different, however. Moira Allen tells why in her article, "A Quick Guide to Manuscript Format," posted on the Writing World website. Use a readable font, she advises, and avoid bold, underlining or italics. "Most email programs don't translate these well," she explains.

Following submission guidelines demonstrates professionalism. These guidelines are listed in the Literary Market Place, the Writer's Market, and publishers' websites. Michael Larsen's book, How to Write a Book Proposal, is also helpful and I have used it often. Writing a proposal for my latest book took me a week. I let it "percolate" for a week and went back to it. Then I took the time to put the pages in protective sleeves and glue the cover design (which I paid for) on the cover of the folder.

Persistence factors into professionalism. You need to be persistent in order to sell a book. But there is a huge difference between being persistent and being a pest. After I have queried a publisher I try to avoid re-contact, yet sometimes it is necessary. For example, the expert who was going to write the Foreword of my book is unable to do it and referred me to another expert. This is something a potential publisher needs to know.

I know professionalism works in my favor and that is why I work at it. Time and professionalism are on my side.

Copyright 2011 by Harriet Hodgson
http://www.harriethodgson.com

Harriet Hodgson has been an independent journalist for 35+ years and is the author of 30 books. Her 26th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from Amazon. Centering Corporation has published several of her books, including "Writing to Recover: The Journey from Loss and Grief to a New Life," a companion journal with 100 writing prompts, "The Spiritual Woman: Quotes to Refresh and Sustain Your Soul," and "appy Again! Your New and Meaningful Life After Loss"

Hodgson has two other new books, "101 Affirmations to Ease Your Grief Journey" and "Real Meals on 18 Wheels: A Guide to Healthy Living on the Highway," Kathryn Clements, RD, co-author. Both books are available from Amazon. Please visit Harriet's website and learn more about this busy author and grandmother.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Harriet_Hodgson
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6670942

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Additional 'Writing' Reading

Article Content Formatted and Search Engine Ready Part1
Successful Writing Strategy: Know Your Intent
Is Your Manuscript Ready for Submission?

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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Tradebook Tips for Teachers from Children’s Author Mayra Calvani

Tradebook Tips for Teachers from Children’s Author Mayra Calvani

The water cycle is included in every science curriculum. Here in Belgium it is taught to fourth grade students. Both elementary and middle school teachers will benefit from my new nonfiction picture book, The Water Cycle. It is the first in a series of four about the weather.

There are many water cycle books out there. My book takes a new angle because in addition to describing the journey of the water droplets from the clouds to the earth and back to the clouds again, it explores the feelings that the different types of weather can evoke in people. The pictures and questions invite children to ponder. For example, rain can make you happy if you’re playing outside in your shiny new boots, but it can make you feel sad and melancholic if you’re indoors and watching from the window. If rain turns into a downpour and eventually a flood, it can evoke in you a whole new set of feelings. The same goes for snow, hail, a blizzard, etc. At the end of the book there are vocabulary activities. At the moment, I’m planning on hiring a teacher to create a complete teacher’s guide. When it’s ready it’ll be available free via my blog and website.

Here are some links to activities about the water cycle that parents and educators can use to complement my book:

Diagram, word search crossword, cloze and other worksheets at
http://bogglesworldesl.com/watercycle_worksheets.htm

More water cycle activity pages, http://www.kidzone.ws/water/

Free power point presentations of the water cycle at http://science.pppst.com/watercycle.html

Finally, teachers and parents can show students what they can do to become more ecologically responsible and be ‘hydro-logical’: http://water.epa.gov/learn/kids/drinkingwater/behyrdological.cfm

Thank you, Karen, for this opportunity to talk about my book on your blog!

About the book: The Water Cycle: Water Play Series Book 1, for ages 4-8, follows the water droplets in their journey from the clouds to the earth and back to the clouds again. Written in a lyrical style, the book takes a new angle on the water cycle by showing the feelings it evokes in people. It also has fun learning activities at the end.

What reviewers are saying…

 “Written in Calvani’s delightful prose, “Huddle inside the CLOUD high up in the sky, the water droplets are excited,” While also complemented by the imaginative artwork of Alexander Morris’ fun illustrations, makes this book both easy to read and informative. The author also includes for her young readers a word search and glossary learning activity—a great addition to every teacher and homeschool parents’ teaching library.” –Carol Fraser Hagen, reading specialist and special education teacher.

You can read the complete review at http://www.carolfraserhagen.com/2012/04/30/reading-about-science-book-recommendation


And, you can check out my review of The Water Cycle at:
http://www.karencioffiwritingandmarketing.com/2012/05/review-of-water-cycle-book-1.html

Purchase The Water Cycle: Water Play Series Book 1 from Guardian Angel Publishing: http://guardianangelpublishing.com/water-cycle.htm

Purchase from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616332379/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

About the author: Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults.  and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. Visit her website at www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com and get the first two lessons of her popular Walking on a Rainbow Picture Book Workshop free! 
Book information:

Title: The Water Cycle: Water Play Series Book 1
Author: Mayra Calvani
Illustrations: Alexander Morris
Genre: Children 4-8
Print ISBN: 9781616332372; 1616332379
eBook ISBN: 9781616332389; 1616332387
Published: March 15, 2012
Pages: 20
Price: $10.95 print; $5.00 e-Book
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
http://guardianangelpublishing.com/water-cycle.htm

Be sure to follow along on Mayra's week long book tour. The next stop is tomorrow, May 10th, at Launching Pad Publishing: www.launchpadpublishing.com/apps/blog/

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Other Children's Book Reviews

Ruthie and Hippo’s Fat Behind
What is Electricity and Magnetism?
How the Moon Regained Her Shape

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services 
A Team of Professionals For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

Review of The Water Cycle Book 1

The Water Cycle – Water Play Book 1

Author: Mayra Calvani
Illustrator: Alexander Morris
Publisher: Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc.
ISBN: 9781616332372
Publication Date: March 2012
Reviewed by: Karen Cioffi

Being a strong proponent of education, I love books that teach children in a fun and engaging way. The Water Cycle by Mayra Calvani does just that.

According to USGS.com, “Earth's water is always in movement, and the natural water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle, describes the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the surface of the Earth. Water is always changing states between liquid, vapor, and ice, with these processes happening in the blink of an eye and over millions of years.”

This is what the author conveys to children in an understandable and entertaining way.

Dealing with the water cycle, this vividly illustrated picture book brings the young reader on a journey from clouds being too full of water droplets to contain them, to rain, to condensation. The full water cycle.

The story begins with a lively and wonderful hook that immediately grabs the child’s attention, “Huddled inside the CLOUD high up in the sky, the water droplets are excited. They know something BIG is about to happen.” And, the author uses this technique throughout.

Another helpful strategy for fostering learning is that the clouds, rain, and ocean take on human characteristics with faces. This is another element that makes the read fun and engaging. Along with this, the illustrations, many full pages, are right on the mark. They will definitely help the child better grasp the water cycle process.

Along with a delightful story, the author included fun reading comprehension activities at the end of the book: Seek and Find Words. Find these words in the story, then find
these words in the puzzle; and Match the words to the correct sentence. Both these exercises are helpful tools to further aide in the child’s understanding and retention of the content.

It’s been quite a while, but I still remember learning about the water cycle in school, but it was done with a much more formal teaching method. Today’s books, including The Water Cycle, strive to make reading and learning fun for children.

Children are our greatest asset and resource. Teaching them to grow informed and knowledgeable is our responsibility. The Water Cycle, and books like it, helps us do this. It is a great learning aide for the teacher and classroom, and will be a perfect addition to any child’s home library.

For a useful and very interesting snapshot of the water cycle visit:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html 

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WANT TO WRITE FICTION FOR CHILDREN? CLICK HERE!


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Other Children's Book Reviews You Might Find of Interest

Review of Trouble on Earth Day
Review of The Lucky Baseball
Day’s End Lullaby Video Review

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To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/

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Supermoon - Saturday, May 5th

SUPERMOON

I love astronomy and Saturday, May 5th, we'll have the “biggest full moon of the year.”

Here’s an excerpt of the article:

The biggest full moon of the year, a so-called "supermoon," will take center stage when it rises this weekend, and may interfere with the peak of an annual meteor shower created by the leftovers from Halley's comet.

The supermoon of 2012 is the biggest full moon of the yearand will occur on Saturday (May 5) at 11:35 p.m. EDT (0335 May 6), though the moon may still appear full to skywatchers on the day before and after the actual event. At the same time, the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower will be hitting its peak, NASA scientists say.

To read the full article go to:
http://news.yahoo.com/supermoon-may-outshine-meteor-shower-weekend-201132286.html

It might be worth having the kids stay up for!

Karen

How to Create Literary Fiction by Maggie Ball

How to Create Literary Fiction

By Maggie Ball

As a book reviewer, I get anywhere from fifty to one hundred review requests a week. Of these, I might accept five or so. While I do occasionally take nonfiction books, most of what I accept will be in the genre known as literary fiction. But just what is literary fiction?

What differentiates literary fiction from what most publishers class as commercial or genre oriented fiction, and why am I biased towards it? It's a question I get asked regularly. Some, like author David Lubar ("A Guide to Literary Fiction," 2002) equate the label with work that is pompous, dull, plotless, and overly academic: "If you're ever in doubt about whether a story is literary, there's a simple test. Look in a mirror immediately after reading the last sentence. If your eyebrows are closer together than normal, the answer is yes." Publishers often use this label for work which defies other genre distinctions, eg it isn't romance, isn't "chick-lit," isn't science or speculative fiction, isn't a thriller, action, or political drama. It is meant to denote a fiction which is of higher quality, richer, denser, or, as the literary fiction book club states, work which "can make us uncomfortable or can weave magic."

These distinctions aren't always clear, and there are some superb exceptions to the genre rule, such as Margaret Atwood or China Mieville, whose high quality work fits the speculative fiction genre, or Umberto Eco and Iain Pears, whose work is full of mystery and suspense. All writers feel that their work is high quality, and most write fiction with the goal of producing great work. So how can we ensure that our work is literary fiction rather than some other form? Here are five tips to guide writers who are inclined to produce literary fiction:

1. Aim for transcendency. The one quality which seems to be present in abundance in literary fiction and much less so in other forms, is what agent and author Noah Lukeman calls "transcendency." It isn't easy to define, and in his exceptional book, The Plot Thickens (St Martin's Press, 2002), Lukeman presents a number of points, such as multidimensional characters and circumstances, room for interpretation, timelessness, relatability, educational elements, self discovery, and lasting impression. I would say that transcendency equates to depth, to writing which does more than entertain its readers, and instead, changes something, however small, in the way they perceive themselves. How do you get transcendency in fiction? With a deep theme, deep and powerful characters, complex plots, and exceptional writing skills. Sound easy?

2. Read quality literature. This is a lot easier than transcendency, though not unrelated. Since achieving literary fiction is a subtle and difficult thing, you've got to develop your literary senses. The best way of doing that is to read books which fit this genre. If you want to create literary fiction, chances are, you probably are already reading it. These are books by the writers we call "great." Your list of names may differ from mine, but these are the writers who win prizes like the Booker, the Pulitzer, the Commonwealth Prize, and the National Book Award to name just a few. The more great literature you read, the better able you will become at recognising the elements which make a fiction literary.

3. Don't get defensive! Lubar's article is lots of fun, but literary fiction isn't meant to be snobbish, academic, plotless, or boring in any way; just well crafted. That may be daunting if you are a writer, but it won't help your work to shrug off quality by calling it dull or unachievable.

4. Re-write. This may be the single most important distinction between literary and other types of fiction. Work which is timeless takes time. There's no other way to achieve literary fiction than re-writing, dozens, and maybe many more, times. It isn't glamorous, nor is re-writing dependent on a muse or inspiration like the first draft is. It is just going over and over a work until every word is relevant and integral to the story. This process cannot occur solely in the fingers of the author. Every writer of literary fiction requires an ideal reader, a critique group, a mentor, or someone who can provide the kind of objective advice which will transform your inspiration into a stunning creation.

5. Don't stress about it! Of course there is no point in worrying so much that you get writer's block (and if you do, get hold of Jenna's terrific book on the topic :-). If you read great books, write fiction which is true to your own creative vision, and revise (with feedback from others) until the work is as perfect as you can make it, you will produce literary fiction. That's all there is to it. Writing a novel is about as hard as writing gets. Writing literary fiction can take years, often with little reward, at least until the book is completed (and in many instances, thankless even after publication, assuming you are published). But if you can't stop yourself; if the desire for producing something truly beautiful outweighs utilitarianism, then you are really and truly a literary writer and your work will have transcendency. I'll look forward to reading and reviewing it!

Magdalena Ball runs The Compulsive Reader http://www.compulsivereader.com. Her stories, poetry, reviews and articles have appeared in many printed anthologies and journals, and have won several awards. She is the author of The Art of Assessment, and Quark Soup. Her debut novel Sleep Before Evening (http://tinyurl.com/3crnk5) was published by BeWrite Books in July 2007.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maggie_Ball
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/641895

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Additional 'Writing' Reading

How to Write Tight: Self-Editing Tips to Make Your Manuscript Ready for Publication
Being a Writer: Learn the Craft of Writing
Imagery and Your Story

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To keep up with writing and marketing information, along with Free webinars - signup for A Writer's World Newsletter on the right top sidebar!

Until next time,

Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Marketer

Find Karen’s eBooks on writing and marketing at:
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com

Karen Cioffi Writing Services - A Team of Professionals Writing 4 U
For Businesses and Individuals
http://karencioffifreelancewriter.com/karen-cioffi-writing-services/