VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

Most  writing mamas  will know how tough it can be to fit writing around work, motherhood and other family commitments, particularly when you are taking on big projects such as novel writing. If you are using your writing as a source of income, then the inevitable delays you will incur as you take time out to watch soccer games or enjoy family days out are going to impact on your finances. In fact the irregular pay associated with a career in writing, particularly freelance writing, is thought to be one of the main reasons why writing is amongst one of the highest risk professions for anxiety and depression. But fear not, in the midst of your mammoth projects there are quick, flexible and enjoyable ways for you to earn a little extra income while still honing your craft. Here are a few: Blogging Blogging has taken off in a big way over the last five years and now with an  estimated 152 million blogs on the internet , you could turn your personal web...

Join Irene Roth and Virginia S Grenier every 3rd Friday of the month for the Families Matter Show here on BTR's Freatured World of Ink Network. Each month the Families Matter Show will cover topics on the importance of family to empowering our children. This months topic: Alone Together: How Technology has Separated Us from Each Other We are all over-connected through cell phones and other technological gadgets. Even when we are together as a family with our children, we seem to be texting and playing video games. We are multi-tasking masters. But it is at the peril of teaching our children the true art of communication. Kids are having a harder and harder time to really connect with each other, be they friends, siblings or parents. We as parents should find ways to show kids the importance of empathic connection.  We could this in the following ways: Having unplugged times when we could related to one another personally and face to face; Having times when we ar...

It has often been said that writing is a pursuit best undertaken as a hobby or a genuine passion, with any financial gains resulting from it being viewed as a bonus. Although almost every writer, whether specializing in fiction or non-fiction, likely dreams of fortune, fame and topping a best-sellers list, the contrasting reality for many is that their writing barely pays the bills, even if they have a supreme talent. The writing profession as a whole is sometimes overly romanticized and writing is perceived to be one of the elite arts, with the printing press offering people a chance of immortality. When people speak of great writers, images of Shakespeare or Milton spring to mind, yet, on the flip side, there are a host of talented writers who have failed to achieve such far-reaching success and influence, or have failed to make money from writing during their lifetimes, despite seemingly having the talent to do so. It is clear, therefore, that the difference bet...

Join host Virginia S Grenier on Mondays for The Writing Mama show at 2pm Eastern - 3pm Central - 12pm Noon Mountian - 11am Pacific as she chats with authors about their books, writing success and regrets, and how the publishing world is changing. This week's guest is Tim J. Myers, a writer, songwriter, storyteller, and university lecturer in English for Santa Clara University. Tim spent 14 years as a classroom teacher in the States and overseas (Norway, London, Tokyo), has 20 years of university experience, and has been a professional storyteller for over 25 years. None of this, however, is nearly as noteworthy to most people as finding out that Tim is the oldest of eleven children. Check out Tim’s TV interview on children’s lit!  Why is good children's literature so powerful, so magical?   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Iz27TcQK6A Learn more about Tim J. Myers at http://www.timmyersstorysong.com Keep up to date with The World of Ink Network at our Fac...

From an early age L. R. W. Lee knew she wanted to write a children’s book. Her imagination for such a book was cultivated early on as her family didn’t have a lot of money. She and her older brother were encouraged to use their imaginations to entertain themselves. And use them they did – climbing trees and tree forts, using a quilt for a matchbox car city, making puppets and putting on shows, and much more and her creativity and imagination grew. VS: Mr. Lee, I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama once again. You recently just released the 2 nd book in our series, which is a great accomplishment. What do you do to help balance your writing life with your family life while writing a series? Lee: I’m spoiled in that regard. I founded, built and sold a multi-million dollar company in January 2012. Since then, I’ve been free to write full time so I don’t face quite the challenges as many authors. I write while everyone is out of the house and ...

Paperback: 1088 pages Publisher: Gallery Books; Media Tie-In edition (June 11, 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 1476735476 ISBN-13: 978-1476735474 On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away.  My Thoughts: Those who follow me know that Stephen King is one of, if not, my favorite author. There maybe many reasons why this is beyond his writing style. I tend to like many of the same books, movies and TV shows he does. We were both born on the same day, September 21st. Mostly, I think the reas...

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...

Age Range: 4 - 8 years Grade Level: Preschool - 3 Hardcover: 68 pages Publisher: Some Kind of Garden Media; First Edition edition (September 24, 2013) Language: English ISBN-10: 0989368009 ISBN-13: 978-0989368001 HOW ROLAND ROLLS , winner of a 2013 Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award, is a story about a wave named Roland who's afraid that, one day, when he hits the beach, his life will be over. But when he gets deep, he's struck by the notion that he's not just a wave - he's the whole big, wide ocean! The story shows humanity's interconnectedness through the metaphor of a wave in the ocean. In HOW ROLAND ROLLS, Carrey brings his wit and wisdom to the story of a wave named Roland who’s afraid that, one day, when he hits the beach, his life will be over. But when he gets deep, he’s struck by the notion that he’s not just a wave — he’s the whole big, wide ocean! The book is lavishly illustrated by award-winning artist/animator Rob Na...

About Iain Reading Iain Reading is passionate about Root Beer, music, and writing. He is Canadian, but currently resides in the Netherlands working for the United Nations. Iain is currently working on the fourth book in the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series, which will be released in 2014. For more information, go to http://www.kittyhawkworld.com/ VS: I want to thank you for being my guest here on The Writing Mama today.   Iain, How long have you been writing? Iain: I have been writing for just over a year now, although I now realize that I wish I'd started with it long ago. VS: What inspired you to write your book (if this is a personal story about you, please share about the decision to open up about your life)? Iain: The inspiration for writing my book comes entirely from the main character herself - Kitty Hawk.  The idea of a female teenaged seaplane pilot who wants to fly around the world just seemed so perfectly inspiring ...