VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

As you know I've been trying to get a few projects off the ground for a few months if not years now. Many things have happened between idea, concept and even personal life. My plans for my YouTube channel and even this blog haven't panned out and recently I underwent a surgery that had me laid up in bed for a little over a week and two weeks off work. Add in the holidays on top of all that and here we are in the New Year. Things just happen but we can't let that stop us. We have to stop and reflect on what got in our way, what we can do to change, where we have been, want to go and where and who we want to be. So many things can go through your head when you reflect and planning can only take you so far. But let's stop there for now as that is a topic for another time. What lead me to this path I am on currently, is our topic today - REFLECTION. Something I do often and I have done a lot lately to remind me why I have chosen the path I am on. My current demands in...

VS Grenier is back with Jared Quan as her guest to discuss Leadership September 20, 2019 at 9 AM Pacific - 10 AM Mountain - 11 AM Central - 12 PM Eastern Listen to the Podcast at https://www.blogtalkradio.com/michiganavenuemedia/2019/09/20/vs-grenier-is-back-with-jared-quan-as-her-guest-to-discuss-leadership   What is a good leader? A great leader posses a clear vision, is courageous, has integrity, honesty, humility, and clear focus. A great leader doesn't have to be an Alpha personality - just someone who wants to help people reach their goals, are not afraid of lifting other up or working with those who may be better at something over them and take pride in the accomplishments of those they help along the way. About today's guest: Jared Quan is published in genres from Spy-Thriller to Horror/Supernatural. To Fantasy-Comedy. He served the community in crucial roles with League of Utah Writers, Storymakers, Cultural Arts Society of West Jordan, EMAA, Big...

Come join VS Grenier and Marsha Casper Cook at 9 am Pacific - 10 am Mountain - 11 am Central - 12 pm Eastern LIVE on July 24th! The topic is Creating Your Author Platform. Why is this important, and what is a platform anyway? It is your visibility as an author, your life support. The wider your reach, the more readers you connect with, the more books you can sell. What you do with your platform speaks about you as an author (in an authentic way) as you try to reach your target audience. It's all about connecting with people -- on a real level. It's not about shouting, "Buy my books" all over the place. VS Grenier plans to dig in deep on you can build your platform from the ground up or from where you are right now. Questions will be answered from callers as well throughout the show. Call in during the live broadcast at 714-242-5259. Learn more about the host at http://vsgrenier.com For more information about our shows visit http://michiganavenuemed...

Come join host VS Grenier along with Marsha Casper Cook and   Crystal L Gauthier at 5 PM Pacific - 6 PM Mountain - 7 PM Central - 8 PM Easten http://www.blogtalkradio.com/michiganavenuemedia/2019/06/14/books-to-movies-and-tv-with-vs-grenier From classics like Little Women to modern-day bestsellers like Pulitzer winner The Goldfinch, there are plenty of upcoming dramas to choose from and ones to catch up on. However, does it always work? Books can let you imagine the setting or events happening in the story. They are also more detailed than movies because movies sometimes leave out some essential details. 5 Reasons Why Books Are Better Than Movies or TelevisonSeries Imagination. When you just go out and see the film you're showed what everything looks like, you don't get to imagine it Movies Leave Stuff Out. You obviously can't get every detail of an entire novel into a roughly 2-hour time frame Books Are Portable The Story Gets Lost Movies Intensify Everyth...

Do you keep or have you kept a journal or diary? If so, you probably already know some of the benefits of journaling because you've experienced them. You know that your journal helps you make sense of the senseless side of your life. A journal can be an emotional lifesaver when you go through a hard time. But did you know that scientists believe journaling can even keep you physically healthy? The release of pent-up emotions you pour into your journal every day actually helps reduce the symptoms of arthritis and asthma, and strengthens your immune system. This really makes sense if you consider that much illness is exacerbated by stress, and a journal is one of the best stress reducers out there. Journaling gives you a record of your emotional growth like no other. While it can be useful at times to be able to look back and see just when your neighbor moved in or when you started suffering from headaches, the intangible changes in you can be even more fascinating to look back...

You're sitting at your desk, staring at a blank sheet of paper or a blank word document on the computer screen. You actually want to write, but just can't bring yourself to it. You have no clue what to do with your characters next, and they don't seem eager to tell you. Or perhaps you have a deadline, but you're aimlessly typing random letters on the page, none of which seem to make sense, and you're getting more and more frustrated as every minute passes. That deadline that you have in two weeks seems to be coming round very quickly and, at this rate there is no way you are going to make it! Whether you are experiencing this for the first time or for the hundredth time and you're at a loss as to what you should do, don't despair. You can consider yourself as having a case of writer's block or being stuck in a rut; it can and does happen even if you haven't been neglecting your work. Other writers experience this too. Your muse needs to ...

A family friend shared a secret with VS Grenier when she was little. The secret was how to whistle. However, she only shared it with her children…until now! Children have a hard time learning to whistle. However, there is a secret and VS Grenier shares it in the latest SugarPaw adventure picture book, “Whistle Beans.” But how can vegetables help and what do they have to do with whistling?  “When I about four or five, Charlie Baker, a family friend, told me that if I ate Whistle Beans , I’d be able to whistle just like him,” said Grenier. “Charlie was like my second dad when I was younger. He taught me how to fish, ride a horse and much more. So it only made since when he shared the secret to a good whistle, it had to be true. Only problem was… Whistle Beans are a part of the vegetable family. I soon got over this little fact and I’ve been able to whistle good and loud ever since.” Children will get to go on another adventure with SugarPaw and Bonnie Whiskers, ...

The Writing Mama show is on every Monday and is hosted by Mom's Choice and Award-winning Author Virginia S Grenier, who is joined weekly by guest authors to talk about the publishing and writing industry. Grenier, with her guests, hope to not only share their love of the written word, but also tips on writing, what makes a good book and much more. This weeks guest is indie author Lynn Steward, a successful business woman who spent many years in New York City’s fashion industry in marketing and merchandising, including the development of the first women’s department at a famous men’s clothing store. Through extensive research, and an intimate knowledge of the period, Steward created the characters and stories for a series of five authentic and heartwarming novels about New York in the seventies.  A Very Good Life  is the first in the series featuring Dana McGarry. These two women will not only be talking about writing, Steward's series, but...

Whistle Beans is the second book in the SugarPaw Adventure series. The first book, Babysitting SugarPaw is a Silver Mom's Choice and 2011 Silver Quill Award-winner. The artwork found inside the series is done by Illustrator and Animator Kevin Scott Collier. BEHIND THE STORY - The concepts for the books in the SugarPaw Adventure series are from my personal life. When I was little, I couldn't whistle. A family friend, Charlie Baker, was one of the best whistlers and I wanted to have a strong whistle like his. I practiced everyday...but never got much out beyond the WHOOSHING sound of air passing my lips. It was the holidays when Charlie shared his secret to a strong whistle with me over a big Christmas Dinner at my family's house. A memory I cherishes to this day! SugarPaw will share this secret with young readers all over the world in his second children's book adventure, which is also dedicated to the lovi...

Join Marsha Casper Cook & Virginia S Grenier on the 1st Wed. of the month for the What is Success show where they will talk with guest, share tips and talk about the film and publishing industry. This month's guest is Brian Scott Mednick, an author, filmmaker and stand-up comedian who graduated New York University's Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Film and Television in 1995. Brian spent fifteen years writing and researching a biography of Gene Wilder entitled Gene Wilder: Funny and Sad , published in December 2010 by  BearManor Media . Brian is widely considered the foremost authority on Mr. Wilder and his work, and his book has been cited in publications in the United States, Europe, and India. Brian has reviewed film and theater for such publications as Show Business Weekly and Good Times. Learn more about Brian Scott Mednick at http://www.brianscottmednick.com Learn more about the World...

Join BTR's World of Ink Network every Monday on The Writing Mama show with host Virginia S Grenier as she talks with debut and award-winning authors about writing, the importance of reading and thier latest works. This week debut author Maryann Tatro is our guest Monday Oct. 21st at 4pm eastern. MaryAnn Tatro attended Southern Ohio Business College and received a degree in Office Administration and Communication. She also attended Cooper School of Art for one year and took with her a love to create, design and color. She worked several years for a publishing company in Cleveland while raising her son Ryan. Tatro’s inspiring children’s picture book, Milton the Square Shell Turtle released Summer 2013 and is published by Halo Publishing, Int. Milton is a story of a turtle. Unlike other turtles with round or oval shells, Milton has a square shell. You can find out more about MaryAnn Tatro, her book and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at  http://tinyurl.com/oz73p...

Come join the hosts of The Writing Mama show this Monday January 21, 2013 at 2pm EST - 1pm CST - Noon MST - 11am PST as they chat with author Jack Remick. Hosts VS Grenier and Irene Roth will be talking with Author Jack Remick about his lastest book Gabriela and the Widow published by Coffeetown Press. They will also talk about writing and publishing as well. Gabriela and The Widow is the story of Gabriela, a 19 year old Mexican woman who migrates north (to El Norte) where she meets a dying 92 year old woman, The Widow. The novel is their story. “As you grow thick, I grow thin,” says the widow, portending the secret of immortality that will overtake both women. ISBN: 978-1-60381-147-7 Places available for sale: Gabriela and The Widow is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. After January 15, 2013, it will also be available in multiple eBook and 6x9 trade paperback editions on BN.com, the European Amazons and Amazon Japan. Jack Remick is a poet, short ...

“To say that most writers who want to write for children want to write picture books is only a slight over generalization.” ~Tracey E. Dils (You Can Write Children’s Books) Most writers think of picture books when they hear children’s books. A good many writers think writing a picture book is easy because there are few words and the pictures tell most the story. However, as simple as it is to enjoy a picture book, it is one of the most difficult to write.  The Market and Audience: Many think the audience (readership) and market are the same, but truth be told, this is not the case with picture books. Even though picture books are written for preschool to elementary aged children, they are not the ones buying picture books.  What does this mean to you as a writer? You need to know adults are your target market when it comes to promoting your picture book. This also means your story needs to not only appeal to children, but also to the adult buyer. It sho...