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Author Interview: Daeshin Kim

4/23/2013

Meet Daeshin Kim, Author of A Horse with Wings

Daeshin Kim was introduced to poetry by former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, studied 'cello under the late Antonia Butler, received his degree in English Literature from Oxford, and was coached in screenwriting by Bonnie MacBird. Consequently, he has spent far too much of his life reading books, watching movies, and listening to music. This KinderBard project marks the beginning of Daeshin's commitment to consume less and produce more. (Amazon.com)

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for A Horse with Wings?

DK: Well, the idea came in a flash! Nursery rhymes sung from the point of view of characters in Shakespeare's plays! But the flash of inspiration can best be explained by our longtime wish to create something of value for our children, something entertaining and educational at the same time. And the beauty of our book and music is that in their making, we combine our love and expertise in education, music, art, culture, and of course Shakespeare.

BBB: Tell us about some of the songs that are on the companion CD?

DK: There are 16 songs, one for each illustration. Each song is 'sung by' a different Shakespeare character - for example, Hamlet sings about his dear departed friend Yorick, and Juliet wonders what's in a name. Each song also addresses a specific issue with which children can identify, whether it be about rivalry, bullying, or simply about the smelliest dog in the world. Some of the songs are sung by our daughter, recorded when she was four years old.

Watch the video of Daeshin Kim's daughter singing one of their songs

BBB: Explain some of the art pieces found within the story.

DK: Each illustration was first created using mixed media - for example, textured paper, paints, and fabrics. The final compositions were done digitally, incorporating scanned items to preserve the handmade feel. Many of the characters in the illustrations are inspired by our family and friends, but most importantly, each illustration contains essences of the song and the play from which the song was inspired. There are also fun "Easter eggs" for Shakespeare geeks - in-jokes for those who like to spot references to the plays. Some of these are revealed in our free parents' and teachers' guide which can be downloaded as a pdf from our website at http://www.kinderbard.com

BBB: What do you think young readers will enjoy most about A Horse with Wings?

DK: First and foremost, children love the songs. They're not typical nursery rhymes, but they do have fun lyrics and catchy melodies. Parents like them too! Children also love having the pictures as another way of entering the world of the songs. But most excitingly, children will have no idea that they're learning so much about the rich and wonderful world of Shakespeare, but they will soon become familiar with Cordelia's inability to express her feelings in words, or Petruchio's efforts in the taming of the shrew.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

DK: We're currently working on an iPad app that complements the book and the songs. Children will be able to read the book, hear the songs, and also sing along to specially produced instrumental tracks, 'karaoke'-style. But the really special feature of the app is that when children interact with the illustrated the characters, the characters will speak actual lines from Shakespeare. Again, we hope that children will pick up phrases here and there, even if they don't fully understand every word. The app will be the final and ultimate step in familiarizing our children with Shakespeare's works. We've also begun writing the songs that will comprise book 2 - with the sheer number of characters that Shakespeare wrote, we're not going to run out of material any time soon!

BBB: Can you offer advice to authors who are seeking to have their work published and using Kickstarter to help fund their efforts?

DK: Yes, get in touch with us at info@kinderbard.com! Get a mentor, check out other campaigns to see what worked and what didn't. Back other projects. Contact organizations that can support your particular type of book, and ask them to spread the word. We had so much help from Shakespeare companies, organizations, festivals, and even ended up being contacted by the Director of Education at the Folger Shakespeare Library, the largest library of Shakespeare resources in the world, offering to write a foreword to our book. Needless to say, we accepted!

Check out Daeshin Kim's interview on KCAL9/CBS Los Angeles

You can find out more about Daeshin Kim and A Horse with Wings by visiting www.kinderbard.com.

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Author Interview: Kellie Elmore

4/22/2013

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Meet Kellie Elmore, Author of Jagged Little Pieces

BBB: Tell us a little bit about yourself and your writings.

KE: I'm a wife, mom and a chocolate fan. (Milk, not dark and I don't like Hershey's.) My writing, I guess could be compared to what Forest Gump's mama said...'it's like a box of chocolates, ya never know what your gonna get.' What I write depends solely on my mood, what I am feeling or going through at that moment. If something moves me, a memory, a song, a road I am driving, I have to write it down immediately. Sometimes I save it for upcoming collections and sometimes I can't wait to share it so it hits my blog right away. I never ever write anything just to be writing. Whenever I have done that, it has been garbage. So if you read something of mine, know that it was penned during extreme compulsion and gluttony on a feeling I was having. And I do not edit it. How it landed on the page, is what stays there. This being for poetry...the novel I'm working on is another story.

BBB: What inspired your new book Jagged Little Pieces?

KE: Oh man, so many things inspired Jagged. Mostly pain and heartache and times of depression in my life. The pieces were written over scattered periods of some of the most difficult times in my life. While gathering work for a possible collection, I found them and decided to try and section them into a way that would reveal how my life shifted. From losing two of the most important people in my life (pieces of death), through losing lovers (pieces of love), through my inner turmoil and struggle (pieces of depression) and then the light at the end of the tunnel (pieces of hope), which includes some of the epiphany's I had as I tried to make sense of things that were affecting my inner self. The 'mood' of the book was fantastically portrayed in the trailer. Hope you like it:

BBB: Do you have a favorite poem from the book?

KE: The piece that is most personal to me would have to be 'Dear Death'. It sums up my ghosts perfectly. This piece was never meant to be shared and was an entry in a journal I was keeping. But I decided to let it go...

Death
I think about you a lot more than I should. You have stolen so many
pieces of my heart away and left me in perpetual mourning. You linger
in the front lobe of my brain, and every turn I near, there you are. You
haunt me and I cannot live for the needle of worry you have straightlined
into my veins.
I remember when you first came. It was my uncle Lester, and I stood
about three feet tall and listened to firing guns as they lowered him into
the ground. I felt you standing behind me and you were so cold. I didn’t
give you any tears that day. You were a stranger, odd and distant.
You came back for my uncle Lowell, and then two of my grandpa’s and
I got to know you a little better and tears came, but they remained few
until . . .
You came back like a lion’s roar, rumbling my whole existence, demanding
I take notice of you and I did. You took her. My sweet grandma, the
one who held me all the times you came before. Now, there I was, holding
her hand while you crept into the room and began to slowly pull her
from my grip. It was then I realized, you were never going to leave me
alone, and every time you returned you would make sure it hurt a little
more, and you have done so accordingly.
You came and stole Uncle Greg while he slept. Why? Why couldn’t you
just let us say goodbye? You didn’t even call ahead this time! I hate you
for that; your cruelty is unforgiving and now, just before Christmas,
when children are supposed to be happy and grandkids are wishing for
snow, you come in like a blizzard and snatch him away, my father, their
granddad, during what should be the merriest of seasons, and forever
taint this time of year for everyone who loved him. Why must you be
so cold?
I know now, you are inevitable. I know that I will cry again. I know that
you will one day come for me, too, and this is all that I think of every
day, every minute, every second. I constantly await your return when I
want to cast you like a stone into the deep, but . . .
I am the one drowning instead.

Jagged Little Pieces
COPYRIGHT © 2013 by Kellie Elmore
Excerpt appears courtesy of Winter Goose Publishing

BBB: Jagged Little Pieces evokes so much emotion. What do you think readers will take away from your book?

KE: I hope people will find something that resonates with them. A piece that maybe speaks something for them that they were unable to voice themselves...and know that someone else has felt the same way too.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

KE: I am! I am just over 20k words into my very first full length novel in which I am documenting the journey on my blog at kellieelmore.com for my readers. (See my 'Author Notes' category) Also, I'm writing a few more pieces to finish up a collection of prose or as I call them 'short-short stories' that could possibly release in November. As of now, the title is Candy from Strangers so be sure to keep an eye out for it. I'm really excited about both projects!

Thank you so much for having me over! It was a pleasure chatting with you! I invite everyone to follow me on Twitter and my Fan Page on Facebook. See you there!

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Author Interview: Kerry Letheby

4/17/2013

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Meet Kerry Letheby, Author of Mine to Avenege

BBB: What inspired you to become a writer?

KL: To be honest, I’m not really sure. Sometimes things we are passionate about just seem to have always been there, as if they are part of our genetic make-up. Was I born a writer, or did something act as a catalyst when I was very young? All I know is that writing is something I have always done and always loved in one form or another from the moment I could hold a pen. By the time I started school I had a large callous on the middle finger of my right hand where the pen rests. If I wasn't writing stories, I was writing letters to countless penfriends. Individual letters of the alphabet also fascinate me, so I also got into calligraphy. I was always a keen reader too, which I think goes hand in hand with writing.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for Mine to Avenge?

KL: The idea for Mine to Avenge had its genesis in the events of September 11, 2001. As I watched the events unfold on television the day after the terrorist attacks, I had a ‘What if?’ thought suddenly come to me. Unfortunately I can’t reveal what that thought was, as it would be a major plot-spoiler, but the thought stayed with me for several years, before I realized there might be a story in it. There was a lot going on in my own life at the time, and I was living my own real life suspense drama. It wasn't until January 2010, nine years later, that I sat down to start on my story, and translate my ‘What if?’ idea into a story. Things in my personal life were still in upheaval at the time, and I chose to sit down and start writing then as a means of taking my focus off of my own problems.

BBB: Tell us about your main character Alcandor?

KL: Alcandor was born in a small Greek village in 1914. He grows up alongside Caterina, a young girl from the same village. They grow up as childhood sweethearts, making their own unspoken pledge to one another, well before their parents formerly match them. Alcandor is a tall, fair man in his youth.

When Alcandor isn’t with Caterina, he is found with his best male friend and confidant, Constantine. The two men often go camping and hunting together, and plan to go away to war together as the Second World War draws closer.

However, a terrible tragedy destroys their friendship, and Alcandor, who is by now married to Caterina with a young family, flees Greece to escape their post-war ravaged country and to leave painful memories behind.

Alcandor is not a well man, with a history of tuberculosis, and he has frequent relapses while enjoying freedom and prosperity in Australia. His body deeply feels the effects of this, making him feel much older than he really is.

However, Alcandor has been unable to shake the tragedy of the past and the rupture of his friendship with Constantine. Just as tuberculosis frequently returns to plague his body, so do memories of the past return to plague his soul. He has carried a secret to Australia with him, and not even his beloved Caterina knows this secret.

One fateful night, Alcandor realizes that this secret has not been lying dead and buried for the past eighteen years, but has pursued him even to the shores of Australia. He decides to tell his wife the truth, and ask her for advice as to what they should do, but again, a tragedy intervenes which prevents him from doing so, and makes Alcandor a prisoner to the truth, completely unable to tell his family what is about to happen to them and unable to do anything to prevent it.

BBB: What do you think readers will remember most about Mine to Avenge?

KL: If readers take anything away from Mine to Avenge, I hope it will be an awareness of what can occur when people refuse to take responsibility for their own actions, or lack of them, and choose to blame someone else instead. The antagonist character, Constantine, is devastated at the loss of his beloved sister, Helena, and deep down feels that as her guardian, he is responsible for the tragedy, because he has neglected to take the trouble to find a match for her. However, he is unable to see that her death was no more than an unfortunate and tragic accident, and nothing at all to do with him. Unable to deal with the guilt of what he perceives to be his own lack of responsibility, he blames his best friend for the tragedy, resulting in a chain of vengeance lasting 70 years.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

KL: I am currently working on the sequel/companion volume to Mine to Avenge, though I must admit that it has taken a bit of a back seat since NaNoWriMo last year, when I worked very solidly at it. The first half of the story is a companion volume, running alongside the events of Mine to Avenge. It relates the lives of two of the minor characters - in fact they only feature in Mine to Avenge by name. In Mine to Avenge we read that these characters, Christina and her daughter, Anna, flee their abusive husband and father to start a new life. The second half of their story is to be the sequel to Mine to Avenge, where Linus, one of the main characters from Mine to Avenge, seeks to track down Christina and Anna, as they are his grandmother and aunt.

BBB: Can you offer advice to authors who are seeking to have their work published?

KL: There are probably three things I would emphasize to aspiring writers -

Firstly - have your book professionally edited.
Secondly - have your book professionally edited.
Thirdly - have your book professionally edited.

Get the point? This is vitally important and the best investment you will ever make in your book. Self-published books get much bad press because many authors skip this vital step, resulting in sloppy work. This makes it difficult for self-published authors to approach people for reviews and promotion, because reviewers and promoters have seen so much bad self-published work that they have to set up policies to screen the work they choose to review. They don’t want to waste their time bothering with a story if they are struggling with typos and bad grammar. Even after your work has been professionally edited, don’t rush to get it printed. Read it through again, and again and again, and especially ask others to read it for you, looking for things that have been overlooked. I was very keen to have my book available to the public, but I took nine months over this final stage, because I wanted as clean a manuscript as possible.

You can connect with Kerry Letheby via Email, Blog: A Novel Journey, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads

To purchase Mine to Avenge visit Amazon, Kobo, Barnes & Noble, eBookPie, ibookstore

Watch the Mine to Avenge Book Trailer

Find out more about Kerry Letheby by visiting AUTHORSdB or http://kerryletheby.weebly.com/

For the Mine to Avenge Blog Tour Schedule Click Here

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Author Interview: Sharon Griffin

4/17/2013

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Meet Sharon Griffin, Author of When I Grow Up: A Little Girl's Big Boy Dreams

BBB: What inspired you to become an author?

SG: I've always been good at writing, but it wasn't until recently that I started doing it for enjoyment. My four daughters are my inspirations to becoming an author and doing something that I never thought of doing before.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for When I Grow Up: A Little Girl's Big Boy Dreams?

SG: While working at JSC, I had the opportunity to meet many amazing, smart and talented women, both in technical and non-technical positions; however, they were still the minority in comparison to their male counterparts. Last April, while on a work trip in El Paso, TX, I had this light bulb go off in my head for a great idea. I did some internet research on children's book pertaining to male dominated fields. The only items that populated were articles about the small percentages of women in male dominated fields, hence why those career fields are still called that. After conducting the research, that's when I came up with the premise of my children's book. I wanted to write a children’s book that showcased the different career paths a little girl can pursue, all the while portraying different ethnicities and races for the various careers. I wanted little girls everywhere to be able to relate with the book and envision themselves doing those jobs. When I was a child, I never felt I connected with the characters in the books I read because I never saw any that looked like me. Having four biracial daughters of my own has inspired me to want to shed light on this issue and the desire to see more diversity in children's books.

BBB: What do you think young readers will remember most about your book?

SG: I think the illustrations will stand out the most to the young readers because there is so much diversity in the book.

BBB: What can you tell us about the little girl in your story?

SG: There isn't just one girl. The book features diverse women of different colors, shapes and sizes. The book is in first person, so anyone reading the book will go through the book seeing all different types of women working in male dominated professions. One cool thing is that I provided my illustrator a picture of me and my daughters and she replicated it into an illustration, which just so happens to be on the first page of the book.

BBB: Are you currently working on another book?

SG: At the moment, no. I want to get myself established before jumping into another book. I am having fun right now with this book. I'm scheduling author visits at elementary schools, partnering with different venues for book events and featuring women in various professions on my blog, HerStory by GGPub.

You can find out more about Sharon Griffin and her book by visiting http://www.griffingirlspublishing.com/ or http://herstorybyggpub.blogspot.com/.

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Author Interview: Linda Rossetti Brocato

4/4/2013

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AUTHOR INTERVIEW AND BOOK GIVEAWAY

Meet Linda Rossetti Brocato, Author of Ivan Becomes a Hero

BBB: What inspired you to become a children's author?

LB: I love and treasure children and children's books! Before becoming an author, I marveled and admired the craft and gift of interweaving words and illustrations to ignite children's vivid imaginations. As a medically retired, elementary teacher, my classroom environment was filled with various genres for the children to enjoy, especially during read alouds. I believe in being a model to encourage a love of reading and writing, so they become lifelong learners. My desire was to help them individually succeed in the present for the future. When I was blessed with my two sons, it gave me an excuse to purchase and collect wonderful books to read to them.

BBB: How did you come up with the idea for Ivan Becomes a Hero?

LB: As I stated above I have always loved children's books. As an elementary school teacher, I returned to college after 25 years to obtain an M.S. degree in Reading. My heart's desire has always been to help struggling readers. In 1997, while working on my degree, my husband invited me to attend a conference in California. He worked it out so that his honorium for speaking was my travel expenses. The conference sponsors rented the San Diego Safari Park as a treat for the guests. As I was riding the tram and viewing the animals, I heard the lady announcer say we were nearing the giraffe yard and would soon observe a mother and newborn baby. I had rarely given a giraffe much thought. However, I was anxiously anticpating this tender moment. When my eyes focused on that precious newborn giraffe, I knew God was inspiring me to write what I was seeing in my mind. I asked my husband for pen and paper! He said, "Linda , we are on a tram in the middle of a giraffe yard!" Ha! However, he managed to find a napkin and pen. I wrote a sketchy, skelton of words on that napkin and I knew deep in my heart it was going to be a book. Trust me, I was not thinking about writing my own book. By the way, the adorable baby giraffe's name? Ivan, of course. He completely captivated my heart. I thank God for the Gift of Ivan to me and now to children everywhere.

BBB: Ivan Becomes a Hero has something hidden in each page. What inspired this fun idea?

LB: As a mother, grandmother, and teacher, I love to see that spark of learning in a child's eye. Children love surprises so I explained to my illustrator that I wanted something fun and unique in my book. I thought about hiding something. But what and where? One day, my illustrator was painting a green leaf and it turned into a heart shape leaf. She liked it and emailed me. Our communication consisted of emails, snail mail, and the telephone. We were thrilled and agreed that a heart symbolized Ivan's kind, generous, courageous, loving personality.

I named it the "Hidden Heart" Game as adventuous children .....and adults discover hearts lovingly and secretly placed throughout the vivid, mural illustrations. An answer key is in the back of the book....in case of emergencies for parents and grandparents, etc.

BBB: What was your favorite book as a child?

LB: As a child, I grew up in the See Dick. See Jane era. I don't remember owning a children's book. To my advantage, I had a marvelous fifth grade teacher who read books every afternoon to us while we sat on the floor - listening intently. She was my role model and I wanted to be just like her.

My parents were second generation Italian immigrants. They did not finish school as they were needed to work. As a young child, I do not remember being read to by anyone - even my siblings - who were a lot older. I went to first grade at 5 years of age, not knowing the alphabet. Today, that would be a red alert and probably a struggling reader as a result.

I believe literacy came to me in a different way. I observed my daddy reading the encyclopedias at night with such focus. Also, I realized the importance of reading and writing as I wrote letters for my Italian grandmother -- Nona Rossetti. I saw the pride on her face as she watched me read and write in English. She would reward me with a quarter which was the price of a movie at the time. OOPS -- I am telling you my age!

BBB: What do you hope children will learn from your book?

LB: I hope children will learn that like Ivan they are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) especially when they are challenged by bullying. After the zebra bit Ivan's fluffy tuft off and the water buffaloes made fun of the silly way he drank at their watering hole, Ivan wanted to be like them. Sound familiar? Yes, there is an Ivan in all of us! We want to be accepted. I hope children understand how they are designed by a loving God. Ivan's resilience and vulnerability mirrors a child's. I want this book to be a valuable teaching tool, as well as, a favorite, cherished classic book. Ivan Becomes a Hero was written to teach self-acceptance, "celebrating" differences while embracing similarities, and character traits like kindness, courage, forgiveness and a loving heart. Ivan has a LIFE MESSAGE and I have found all ages identify with Ivan's plight. After all, everyone has been hurt in one way or another. We cheer for Ivan and the fact he becomes an unlikely hero using all the features he disliked about himself while turning them into strengths. In the end, Ivan dances and shouts, "I LIKE BEING ME!" I want children to celebrate and never sell out their individualism!

BBB: Children's authors don't always get to choose who illustrates their books. Are you happy with how your illustrations turned out? Are the characters as you imagined them?

LB: I co-published Ivan Becomes a Hero. I worked personally with the publisher, editor, designer, and the illustrator. The first illustrator quit after 5 months and a couple of samples. I was not upset because the illustrator "THING" was my most fervent prayer. My vision was to have lifelike, vivid pages of murals for readers and non-readers. My wonderful co-publisher, Linda Hawkins, from Tennesse phoned Donna Brooks, my illustrator, from Kentucky for me. I live in Florida! Donna had almost completed the project she was working on. Perfect timing! I did not know Donna but from the excitement in Linda's voice, I knew we had God's best for my book. I am elated with the extraordinary illustrations Donna Brooks painted. She had the heart for Ivan as her married, oldest son informed her that he had read the manuscript and - HE WAS IVAN! She was shocked that he opened up about the unkindness and bullying he received as a result of Tourette Syndrome. He wrote a foreword in the front of my book for children. The characters are alive, vivid, animated, and lovable just as I hoped would come forth.

BBB: Are you currently working on any more books?

LB: Currently, I am working on a sequel to Ivan Becomes a Hero. It has mystery, humor, surprises and tender parts. In addition, I have 4 other books ready to be edited. What is holding me back? Finances, of course. Ivan took 12 years (on and off) from inspiration to publishing! Frank (my husband and greatest encourager) and I are hoping to publish more books in the near future.

You can find out more about Linda Rossetti Brocato and Ivan Becomes a Hero by visiting lindarossettibrocato.com

*GIVEAWAY*
Leave a comment below to be entered into the giveaway for your chance to receive your very own autographed copy of Ivan Becomes a Hero.

A winner will be chosen at random. Email addresses are never shared and are for the sole purpose of contacting the winner.

Contest runs from May 1, 2013 - May 8, 2013. The winner will be announced May 9, 2013.

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