VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

For Immediate Release Author Sherry Ellis joins the Stories for Children Publishing March ‘11 World of Ink Tour   Stories for Children Publishing will be touring author Sherry Ellis and her children’s books, “That Mama is a Grouch” and “That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN!” all month long in March 2011. You can find World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/SherryEllis.aspx . There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, and guest posts. Make sure to stop by and interact with Sherry and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions. Sherry will be checking in throughout the tour. In addition, come listen to Blog Talk Radio’s Robin Falls Kids show: Stories for Children on March 7, 2011. The hosts (VS Grenier, D.M. Cunningham and Kris Quinn Chirstopherson) will chat with Sherry Ellis about her books, writing, the publishing industry and experiences with virtual tours. Sherry will also be sharing writing tips and tr...

There won't be an interview here today, but you can check out this review and interview with SFC's World of Ink Guest Mayra Calvani. Bless Their Hearts Mom: Book Review: How to Turn Your Book Club into a Spe... : "Welcome to my stop on the World of ink Book tour for Mayra Calvani! This is my seocnd pdf book file review! Yes, I am Nook-les..."

I can't say anyone would want my brain currently if it was up for auction. I've been so busy with SFC and edits for Halo that I feel like I'm spinning my wheels in the mud. I know I've made head way on my To-Do list, but it doesn't look like it when the long list is staring me in the face weekly, daily and hourly. However, the light is starting to appear at the end of my tunnel and I'll be back to posting what thoughts along with the other wonderful guest authors here and featured interviews. And with that said here is fun writing prompt post to get those gears a turning. If Your Brain Was Up for Auction By: Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ This writing activity was inspired by Dido's song, Life for Rent. The song's  chorus goes: If my life is for rent and I don't learn to buy Well I deserve nothing more than I get 'Cause nothing that I have is truly mine [ Complete lyrics at http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/dido/lifeforrent.html ...

I hope you all have been enjoying getting to know the different SFC Team members. It’s been lots of fun interviewing them and even finding out a new thing or two myself. Well this week I have our SFC Poetry Editor Fred Marmorstein with us. Fred taught secondary school Language Arts for seventeen years before devoting himself full-time to writing. He holds degrees from SUNY-Binghamton and New York University, and has published fiction, non-fiction and poetry. He currently lives in northern Virginia with his wife and daughter. I want to thank Fred for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today. I know you have a daughter and have to find time to write just like many of here who read The Writing Mama. Now some of us have younger children at home while others have grown up children and then still others have teens. So here is the first question… VS: How old is your daughter? Toddler? Elementary age? Pre-teen? Teenager?  Fred: I have a 13-year-old daughter. VS: So a ...

The Professional Writer's Connection: Editing—It Makes All the Difference : "As a reviewer, I’ve had the opportunity to read hundreds of books in a variety of genres. While not every book has been my favorite, what..."

Before we jump to our VBT-Writers on the Move guest author Shelby Patrick, I wanted to say thank you for following this blog. I started this blog almost ten months ago and I can't believe how fast the number of followers and views climbed over the months. I really enjoy doing this blog and it has helped me get back into the swing of writing after the birth of my baby girl a year ago. Hard to believe it's been a year since she graced my life. There are many things I have planned for this year here on the blog and with Stories for Children Publishing. I will as always update you on what is going on. I know lately I haven't posted any personal updates and I plan to be better over the upcoming months. Again thank you all for your support and now to our guest today author Shelby Patrick. Instead of a interview, Shelby has offered a guest post on writing and keeping your spirits up when everything falls on your shoulders as the author of a book. About Shelby Patrick: Shelb...

Biblio Reads: Babysitting Sugarpaw (Ages 4-8) : "+ + + + Babysitting Sugarpaw Author: VS GrenierIllustrator: Kevin Collier Reading level: Ages 4-8 Paperback: 32 pages Publ..."

Got one (or two) of your characters stuck? Don't know what to do with  him/her? Is he/she getting too boring or predictable? Want to know more  about his/her personality? Or maybe you have a story forming in the back  of your mind but you don't know what to do with it just yet; you have a  character but he/she isn't clear at this time. Here's a quick, but fun, fix -- set your character up for a surprise and  find out how he/she reacts. A. First, choose a number from 1 to 5 -- quick! Done? See what you chose: 1. a pearl anklet 2. a bottle of expensive perfume 3. a silk shirt 4. a plain gold ring/band 5. a high-end cellphone B. Next, choose another number from 1 to 5. Now see what you picked: 1. moldy bread 2. a used toothpick 3. a bottle of dead cockroaches 4. cotton buds drenched in blood 5. a dirty sock C. Next, pick another number from 1 to 5. Here's what you picked: 1. a knapsack 2. a laptop bag 3. a plastic bag 4. a gift-wrapped box 5. a gym b...

Utah Children's Writers: It’s More Like Guidelines with VS Grenier : "Riddle Me This! They work for Father Time, But some people hate them While others love them, And all writers need them. What are they? D..."

SFC Blog: Families Matter: Author Stacey Laura Lloyd Talks about Hospital Cri tterz: "First, let me say how much I enjoyed speaking with author Stacey Laura Lloyd. She is fun, passionate, and full of excitement for her book Ho..."

SFC Blog: Families Matter: Interview with Bree Ogden : "If you are new to writing for children or are an aspiring author feverishly working away, there comes a time when you finally finish th..."

Lori Alexander,  Fiction Editor of SFC, lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband and two young children. After working in Human Resources for several years, and drafting many serious and stuffy emails, she is pursuing her passion for children’s literature. She enjoys writing picture books and magazine stories (none of which are serious or stuffy). VS: Lori, I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today. I know being a parent and writer can be hard and I find myself asking if I giving my three children enough attention throughout the day. I am sure you have been in my shoes from time to time. So to start here is the first question…How many children do you have and what are their ages? Lori: I have a son, Max, who is six, and a daughter, Nora, who is 4 ½. VS: I’m sure your home is as busy as mine with little ones. As a mom, what do you do to help balance your writing life with your family life? Lori: My son started Kindergarten this year, an...

Book blog and review: Kathy Stemke : "Encouraging Movement to Music By Kathy Stemke All of us have enjoyed dancing around the living room to music when no was looking. These a..."

Award-winning author Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. She’s a reviewer for The New York Journal of Books and co-editor of Voice in the Dark ezine. She's had over 300 reviews, interviews, stories, and articles published in print and online. Mayra is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and the Children's Writer's Coaching Club.   VS: I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today. I know you’ve been busy touring your recent book Frederico the Mouse Violinist and your other books this month with the World of Ink Tours and through other marketing opportunities. It is always a pleasure to have you here Mayra and so to begin can you share with my readers how long have you been writing? Mayra: I wrote my first stories when I was about 12. I have been writing ever since. VS: That is so great. I only started writing stories over the past few years. However, I did writ...