What It Is Like Being a Teen Author with Rachel Yurchisin

When I first got the notification that my manuscript was accepted by Halo Publishing, I was overjoyed. It was an amazing feeling when I got the first shipment of books and seeing my name on the cover and my picture on the back. It was really a dream come true. This whole experience has not changed my relationship with any of my friends- many of whom have bought my books for the holidays.

I have found it very difficult to balance writing, the process of publishing, and publicizing the book, with my schoolwork and hobbies. I give Virginia a lot of credit with putting up with me not keeping up with deadlines etc. However, I believe that family comes first, and then school work, and then anything else.

On the side I participate in the Zoo Crew at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, which is a group that teaches the public about the animals on exhibit. I also am in involved with the Future Scientists groups at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History that does surveys of wildlife on various museum properties throughout the course of the year.

In addition, since 6^th grade, I have been participating in science fairs on the state level and last year I represented the state of Ohio in a national science fair. For school, I am on the varsity tennis team and hopefully on the varsity softball team in the spring. As you can imagine, it’s hard to have a social life when you’re involved with all of these extracurricular activities- thank goodness I have very understanding friends and family who support me through all of my endeavors.

Even some of my teachers have expressed interest in my book. Also, now since I am a junior in high school- the college search is currently taking place. When I visit various colleges, many are impressed with the fact that I am a published author and I hope that that will assist in my college acceptance probability.

If you haven’t written anything yet but you want to become an author, I would suggest starting to write about anything that you find interesting. For me in particular- I have always found inspiration in nature and past experiences. If you get a spell of “writer’s block” make sure you relax- in most cases there isn’t a deadline and if you relax more than likely you will be able to think of something. If you already have something written that, you feel has potential for becoming a published work- send it in as soon as you can! The worst thing that they can do is say no and suggest a few changes. It may make take a few tries but it is definitely worth it once you get the satisfaction of seeing your name on the cover of a book that YOU wrote.

Diary of My Days in Kenya is a fictional story loosely based upon the real life occurrences of a nomadic lioness who nurtures baby oryx as if they were her own young. A naturalist’s observations of the lioness and her adopted baby oryx offers the reader an interesting insight as to why this unique phenomenon has transpired. The story explores how the traditional relationship of a predator and prey is transcended, presenting a spellbinding account of how a parental bond, even a non-traditional one, can never be broken.

About the author: Rachel Yurchisin’s love of science and nature has inspired her to write her first children’s book in the hopes of passing on her passion to other young ‘budding’ naturalists. Yurchisin is a junior in high school and participates in educational programs at her city zoo and natural history museum.

You can find out more about Rachel Yurchisin’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/RachelYurchisin.aspx. There will be giveaways, reviews, interviews, guest posts and more. Make sure to stop by and interact with Yurchisin and the hosts at the different stops by leaving comments and/or questions.

In addition, come listen to the January 23, 2012 Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network show: Stories for Children at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork. The hosts VS Grenier and Irene Roth chatted with Rachel Yurchisin about her book and writing.

Five Tips for a More Marketable Children’s Picture Book Manuscript by Mayra Calvani

The world of children’s picture book publishing is extremely competitive. If you’re an aspiring children’s author, you need to make sure your manuscript is in excellent shape and has all the elements editors and agents look for before you begin the submission process. Here are five tips to make your picture book manuscript more marketable: Start right with the problem. Many times beginner writers begin a picture book with back-story. It’s okay to have this back-story in the first draft, but be sure to get rid of it when you edit. Back-story is unnecessary 90% of the time and it only serves to slow down the beginning of a story, making it weaker. You want to grab the reader right from the start. So don’t be afraid to begin your story at the heart of the problem. It’s okay to set the stage with a sentence or two—but no more! Have a protagonist readers can relate to. Generally, children like to listen to stories about other children or animals with children’s characteristics. They

Interview Friday with multi-talented author, Cheryl Malandrinos

Cheryl Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor from Western Massachusetts . A regular contributor to Writer2Writer, her articles focus on increasing productivity through time management and organization. A founding member of Musing Our Children , Ms. Malandrinos is also the Editor-in-Chief of the group's quarterly newsletter, Pages & Pens . Cheryl is a Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book Promotion , a book reviewer, and blogger. Guardian Angel Publishing will release her first children’s book, The Little Shepherd Boy, in 2010. VS: Cheryl, 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 am 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? Cheryl: Thanks for having me at The Writing Mama, Virginia. I’m thril

Interview Friday with Author Donna McDine

Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, Honorable Mention in the 77th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition and two Honorable Mentions in the 78 th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Donna’s stories and features have been published in many print and online publications, and her first book, The Golden Pathway , will be published through Guardian Angel Publishing as well as her second book, The Hockey Agony . Ms. McDine is a member of the SCBWI, Musing Our Children, and The National Writing for Children Center. VS: Donna, thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today, we have worked together in the past at Stories for Children Publishing, however, I hear you have a picture storybook coming out this year and possibly another book in a year or two. Since working with Stories for Children Publishing and its many divisions, you seem to be even busier than before. What is it like being a writing parent with kids still in the house? Don

VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

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