VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

The Stories for Children Show can be listened to every other Monday on BTR's Featured World of Ink Network at 4pm EDT. Host Virginia S. Grenier is an Award-winning, Mom's Choice Honoree and Advocate of Reading and Writing. This week's show guest include Marsha Casper Cook, Patti Brassard Jefferson, Judy Snider, Lin Floyd and other children's author. They will be discussing the importance of picture and early chapter books. How parents need to have these resources at home and not rely on schools to introduce children to these frist-steps of finding the written word. The discussion will also talk about what publishers and readers are looking for in good books for young readers. Listeners are invited to post questions in the chatroom or call in to ask a question. You can learn more about the World of Ink Network, Our Hosts and Guest at http://worldofinknetwork.com Listen to the show at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork/2013/11/11/stories-for...

Okay, I'm still plugging away for NaNo. Here is the opening of the book. Let me know what you think. Remember, we are supposed to type and not edit along the way as it slows you down. So this is first draft and very rough. The chill air burned with every intake, sweat beaded at her hairline and moistened the back of her neck. The thudding of each heartbeat blocked all other sounds. She paused to listen. The night was calm, no sounds. The eerie silence made the hairs on her arms stiffen. Where was he? He was close; she knew it—but where? A snapping twig caught her attention. Pushing her dark brown wavy locks from her hot, flushed face, she cranes her head to strain her ears for sound. She shivers, but not from the cold night air. Hot foul breath brushes by at the base of her neck. She turns to face him. His eyes are dark, unmoved and filled with something she has never seen before, yet cannot describe. “Why are you doing this? Please, just let me go home.” The words ba...

You can find The Writing Mama show Mondays here on the World of Ink Network; along with host Virginia S Grenier where she talks with debut to award-winning authors about their books and the writing life. This week's guest is debut author Scott Driscoll, an award-winning writing instructor at UW, Continuing and Professional Education. Driscoll took several years to finish Better You Go Home (October 2013, Coffeetown Press), a novel that grew out of the exploration of the Czech side of his family in the 1990s after Eastern Europe was liberated. Driscoll keeps busy freelancing stories to airline magazines.   You can learn more about Scott Driscoll, his novel and the World of Ink Network at http://worldofinknetwork.com Listen to the podcast at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/worldofinknetwork/2013/11/04/the-writing-mama-show-with-guest-author-scott-driscoll

I decided it was time to take my outline and short scene I did for a writing workshop and finally make it into the novel I've talked about for many years. What makes this novel so special to me isn't the fact I'm doing it for NaNo, but the fact it is based on true events from my junior year of high school. The main character is a mirror of myself in that year. The emotions I felt when I lost my best friend have never wholly been shared. I have rarely (and very lightly) talked about this event to anyone. I have never faced down this time in my life and I hope during this process I finally heal completely. A few words to my dear friend: Dear Jennifer, This is the first time in 20 odd years I have opened myself up since your passing. I think of you often and I have never forgot all the times we spent together. You truly were my best friend even though you left us all at such a young age. You were just stepping onto the path of life when it was suddenly and tragically...

Join host Virginia S Grenier on Mondays at 4pm eastern as she talks with debut and best-selling authors about their latest releases. On this week's show, we have debut author S. Jenny Boyer. The author's desire is to inspire others to appreciate how God uses animals, sometimes very wise and wonderful ones like Special T, to enrich our lives if we only open our hearts and minds to the lessons they can teach us, just by being themselves. Ms. Boyer is a retired nurse, an Infection Control Practitioner, whose world changed dramatically when she let the words swirling inside her escape to paper. Her story of her beloved cat, how he came to live with her later in his life and the lessons she learned from him, changed her life for the better. You can find out more about Jenny Boyer, her book and World of Ink Author/Book Tour at  http://tinyurl.com/myydudk To learn more about the World of Ink visit http://worldofinknetwork.com Listen to the podcast at http://www.b...

Ms. Boyer is a retired nurse, an Infection Control Practitioner, whose world changed dramatically when she let the words swirling inside her escape to paper. Her story of her beloved cat, how he came to live with her later in his life and the lessons she learned from him, changed her life for the better. She lives in Frederick, Maryland with her husband Jim. She has three daughters and one step-daughter, and four grandchildren. Several of these family members are in her book. She continues to write about how other creatures impact her life, and the lives of others. VS: I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today, Ms. Boyer. What do you do to help balance your writing life with your family life?    Boyer: I am now a grandmother and the nest is empty. That makes it much easier to schedule periods to write. VS: How long have you been writing? Boyer: 3 years. VS: What inspired you to write your book? Boyer:   My ...