VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

Alice Knisley Matthias, Educational Writer of SFC, lives in the New York metropolitan area with her husband, children and floppy eared mixed breed dog. She holds a BA in Theater and a Master's degree in Elementary Education. Alice is the author of a newspaper food column and children's fiction, nonfiction and poetry. VS: I want to thank you Alice 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'm 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? Alice : I have two children who are nine and four years old. VS: As a mom, what do you do to help balance your writing life with your family life? Alice: I try and find where I can mesh my writing and my family time as much as I can.     For example, I may read something in the newspa...

Finding time to write can always be a challenge. We have families and interruptions, jobs and children. Lives take over and, I can honestly say, I can get so busy that I can’t remember what day it is. But, in the early morning or late evening is when I can write for long periods of time without interruption.  It is my time for myself to do what I need to do. It is peaceful. During the day with so much activity, it is hard to function. We must all find time for ourselves to write, but we also must find time for ourselves to take breaks as well. Believe it or not, for me, it brings more clarity.  As writers, we can get so close to our writing that we miss some of our own mistakes because we are so close to it, so by stepping away for a little bit, we are able to see those mistakes. Now, I will also fit in a half hour here and there during the day. My boys and I have read time as well as quiet time for all of us to recharge our batteries. These times are great to get a few pa...

Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network Show: The Writing Mama with hosts VS Grenier and Marsha Cook will be chatting with author Mariela Kleiner about her recent children’s book, Meet Einstein . Mariela Kleiner was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and came to the U.S. when she was 10 years old. She graduated from U.C. Berkeley, and went on to work in advertising at Google. Throughout her life, Kleiner has been involved in many projects that give back and focus on making a difference. She created The Giving Challenge with her husband ( http://www.thegivingchallenge.com ), which was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. And most recently, she volunteered as a board member at the Palo Alto Children’s Museum and Zoo. Kleiner is now looking to make a difference by introducing science to young kids through her new book, Meet Einstein (Meet Books, llc, March 1, 2011), after realizing that preschool kids can learn concepts of science, such as light and gravity that are normally taught at an...

Have you ever wondered if you have an angel walking beside you through life? If you have never believed in Angels on April 26 at 6 PM -PST -7 -PM -MT - 8PM CST - 9PM EST you will. Please join Host Marsha Cook and Sam Oliver to discuss his new book "Angel Marie ". Sam has spent his life writing books to define what life is really about and how we can open ourselves to new experiences. The next time you think Heaven is a place you go to when you die just close your eyes and open your heart there’s a lot more to it. Sam will discuss his feeling about life and death, and when you listen to his voice you will feel the comfort he brings to those that need him. Sam Oliver can get into the Soul of life and explain soul life in an way that touches every loving emotion we as humans are so very capable of. Denise Spooner will open the chat room and she will be taking calls. Call in number is 714-242-5259 A GOOD STORY IS A GOOD STORY with Host Marsha Casper Cook 0...

Judy Snider , Joan’s sister lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with her husband, Gil, and two silly cats. She is the author of the CWA award-winning children’s picture book, Goldy’s Baby Socks , and on a team of authors of The Scared Purse . The Writing Mama Interview with author Judy Snider     VS: What do you do to help balance your writing life with your family life? Judy: It is easier now that my kids are in their 20’s and out of the home. I get up very early, and some of the best writing I do is in a sunny place with a glass of water or coffee and my silly cats nearby. When my oldest was a baby, I took a write-away-course, and would write when he took his naps. Some of my best writing was at a table while I waited in those days for them at parties, video arcades, etc.  I work out of my home on projects, so working with my sister on our latest book, and the phone usually did Cady Driver, our illustrator. VS: How long have you been writing? Judy: I wrote my...