Author Pamela J.Devor

My Guest Author This Week Is: Pamela Devor

Pamela J. Devor is a freelance writer and author of children’s novels who gets much of the material for her books from her childhood. For instance, many of the experiences in her first book, “The Troll Door, The Trunk & The Compass”, originated from visits to her cousins’ farm as a child. Pamela has a great imagination and likes to add fun and magic to her books. She also likes to fill her stories with good family values.

Pamela is currently finishing her second novel, which is a sequel to “The Troll Door, The Trunk & The Compass.” Pamela is a wife, mother of four children, and grandmother to ten grandchildren. She lives in Southern Illinois with her family.

Her first book is available at her website: http://www.PamelaDevor.com


“The Troll Door, The Trunk & The Compass” may also be purchased from:

Barnes & Noble: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/The-Troll-Door-the-Trunk-the-Compass/Pamela-J-Devor/e/9781604741964/?itm=1


Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Troll-Door-Trunk-Compass/dp/1604741961/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233416049&sr=1-1


Also,be sure to check out Pamela Devor’s blog: http://pamdevor.blogspot.com/




“The Troll Door, The Trunk, and the Compass” is about five siblings who spend the summer with their aunt on the farm. There are lots of fun farm experiences for the kids, who are thrilled to be there. Their aunt has had a hard time for about six months because her fiancé disappeared (literally). She needs the children to distract her from her problem.
Alexander explores in the attic and finds an old trunk. Inside the trunk is a diary from a scientist who lived in the house over twenty years before. In addition to the diary is a compass the scientist invented. The compass has dials for different years and different worlds. Alexander tries it, travels back in time and meets the scientist. Then together they set off to try to rescue his aunt’s fiancé from another world, if it is not too late.


Now let’s get to know Pamela Devor better with a bit of Q & A.

Q: How long have you been writing? How did you get started?

Pamela: I’ve only been writing for three years. I started writing a story just for fun using my grandchildren’s personalities for the characters in my story. The story just kept getting longer. I kept coming up with more ideas. So I started calling it a book. I did not intend to get it published. But I met a published author and his wife. They encouraged me to submit my book. It has been a lot of fun. I am nearly finished writing the sequel. I plan to write at least four books in this series.


Q: How does your life experience help you in your writing?

Pamela: My mom always read to my brothers and me when we were kids. I learned to love reading at an early age. She also allowed me to use my imagination. In the summer she washed out tin cans that still had the labels on such as green beans or corn. She let us set up a little store outside. We used the leaves from the ‘money’ tree to buy things. She also made up a ‘stove’ for me out of a cardboard box. She threw a blanket over a card table to make a tent and sheets over the two clotheslines to make tunnels.
I have four children and ten grandchildren of my own now. There are a lot of experiences that I use from my children and grandchildren in my books. When I am writing, I tap into my imagination and just let it go.


Q: What has been the greatest challenge for you as a writer? The greatest reward?

Pamela: The greatest challenge is mainly finding the time to write. I work full time as a network administrator, live on a working livestock farm, and teach Sunday school. We have two boys still at home, two grown children, and ten grandchildren.
My greatest reward is when my friends, family, and strangers tell me how much they loved the book and ask me when the sequel is going to be out.


Q: If you could give an aspiring writer any tips for success, what would they be?

Pamela: Write for fun and let your imagination go wild.


Cheers for now,

Harry

Goodbye, Rusty. You were much beloved.

My wife and I did one of the hardest things we have ever had to do this afternoon. We took our beloved Corgi Rusty to the vet's to be put to sleep. He was 15+ years old and had grown infirm. He had arthritic neuropathy of the hind quarters, causing him to stagger and fall, first one way then the other. It was difficult for him to stand once he fell over. Plus he had become urine incontinent. We hated to end his life because he was still alert and still had his hearing and sight -- he just couldn't walk any more.

Rusty was much beloved and was a truly great dog. A Corgi is an intelligent and affectionate breed. We had 15 wonderful years with him. Those of you who read my poetry know that he was the subject of many of my poems, especially our late night walks together. Rusty will be sorely missed.

Goodbye, Rusty, old fellow, you were a fantastic dog. We grieve for you...

Karina L. Fabian & “Leaps of Faith”

It is my pleasure to have as a guest author this week Karina L. Fabian. First, a little about Karina:

After being a straight-A student, Karina now cultivates Fs: Family, Faith, Fiction and Fun. From Nuns in Space to a down-and out Faerie dragon working off a geas by St. George, her work takes quirky twists that keep her amused--and others, too. Winner of the EPPIE award for best sci-fi and the Mensa Owl for best fiction. In addition to juggling the stories from at least three different universes, Karina is President of the Catholic Writers' Guild and teaches writing seminars on-line.

Karina Fabian’s Book, “Leaps of Faith”:



In both Christian and mainstream science fiction, either religion or science always seems to take a back seat. In mainstream SF, religion may be portrayed as something mankind has “outgrown” or that has become as alien as the worlds visited; or only one faith is represented, as if the great tapestry of Judeo-Christian faiths has been bleached into a colorless whole. By the same token, in Christian fiction, accurate, plausible science may be downplayed to the point of device rather than vital story element.
Yet, in reality, faith and science have always nurtured each other. Mendel, the father of genetics, was a monk, and some physicists have said the more they delve into quantum mechanics, the more they are convinced in a higher power as Creator. Where is the SF to reflect the truer relationship between faith and science?

The 14 stories in "Leaps of Faith" cover the entire spectrum of the SF genre, showing the positive relationship between science and religion.

Space Exploration: In “High Hopes for The Dead,” we see Christian evangelism though faithful example of Luke “High Hopes” Kittery, a member of a band of space explorers for whom every trip is potential suicide. “Quantum Express” examines the status of one’s soul when the body is destroyed and reassembled through teleportation. In “God’s Gift,” faith is the key to preventing insanity brought on by a new method of interstellar travel. “Leaps of Faith” highlights the new industry of space search and rescue though the intrepid nuns of Our Lady of the Rescue. In “Confirmation,” harvesters of an exotic space fuel suspect they’re harvesting intelligent life--or perhaps the angels themselves.

Encountering Alien Life: “Lost in the Translation” chronicles the trials of a monk trying to evangelize to an alien species for which death results in corporeal rebirth. In “Lost Rythar,” evangelists seek to bring the Word of God to long-forgotten human colonies. In “Sometimes We Lie,” evangelism takes a bizarre turn when a native born being tries to spread an ancient human faith. Fr. Wren wonders if a sentient tree-creature can marry into the Catholic Faith in “The Convert,” while Fr. Travener faces persecution by ministering to sentient androids in “Comprehending It Not.”

Hard SF: An astrophysicist find the face of God in the stars of the universe in “The Smile.” God is a proven fact in “The Faith Equation,” leaving the question of the role of belief. “The Relics of Venice” combines genetic engineering and love to create a miracle.

Time travel: In “Tampering with God’s Time,” time travelers find they cannot change the timeline, but are themselves change as they encounter Christ personally, while in “Moses Disposes,” King Solomon deliberately uses time travelers to bring the Bible to future generations in an idiom they can understand.

Leaps of Faith Website: www.leapsoffaithsf.com

Publisher: http://www.thewriterscafe.com/

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1934284106?tag=virtuabooktou-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASII

Check out Karina Fabian’s book for yourself!


Cheers for now!

Harry

“Angeline Jellybean” by Crystalee Calderwood

Angeline Jellybean is a delightful story for children illustrated with colorful, delightful illustrations by Stephen Macquignon. Angeline is sure to win over hearts of young picky eaters everywhere.

Angeline liked jellybeans. She loved jellybeans. Angeline wants to eat nothing but jellybeans. Year round, for Easter, for Halloween, for Christmas, for her birthday, she asks for her favorite treat. But a strange event teaches Angeline that there's such thing as too much of a good thing!

Angeline Jellybean Description:
Paperback: 28 pages
Publisher: 4RV Publishing LLC (November 5, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979751381
ISBN-13: 978-0979751387
Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches

Angeline Jellybean may be purchased at:

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Angeline-Jellybean-Crystalee-Calderwood/dp/0979751381/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231990203&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Angeline-Jellybean/Crystalee-Calderwood/e/9780979751387/?itm=1

4RV Publishing
http://www.4rvpublishingllc.com/Store-Books.html


Review by Rena J. Jones:

A wonderful picture book written by Crystalee Calderwood, illustrated by Stephen Macquignon and published by 4RV Publishing. A delightful story about a little girl who loves jellybeans. Angeline loves jellybeans so much that she wants to eat them all the time. When people try to convince her to try new foods, she replies, "Blah!" My boys laughed every time Angeline said that. For her birthday, Angeline gets a big bag of jellybeans and eats them until she feels sick. Boy, can I relate to that! This is a cute book for younger children that will hopefully encourage them to try new foods without being preachy. The story is full of charming rhymes, color references and vivid illustrations of favorite holidays and special events that kids love so much.


Review by Vivian Zabel:

Angeline liked to eat jellybeans, especially jellybeans, only jellybeans. The one thing she wanted for a gift or a treat -- jellybeans. She wouldn't take anyone's advice to add to her menu. She knew what she liked, jellybeans.

Crystalee Calderwood wrote a story that delights children, and Stephen Macquignon provided colorful illustrations to bring it all alive. The lesson found in the book, too much of a good thing is much too much, is one that children can understand yet not feel overwhelmed with moralizing.


Now, let’s talk with Crystalee about Angeline Jellybean:

Where did you get the inspiration for Angeline Jellybean?

I don’t even remember how I came up with the story. I was taking a picture book writing class back in 2007. Our assignment was to write a picture book under 500 words, and that’s what I did. I wrote it in rhyme because I wanted to see if I could write a rhyming picture book. I didn’t even really expect to like it. That’s how Angeline was born. A few rounds of revisions and a submission later, here it is!

Is Angeline anything like you?

Oh yes. *laughs* Angeline loves jellybeans almost as much as I love chocolate. Of course, I have learned to limit my chocolate intake, and I didn’t have to go through the nasty side effects that Angeline did! Angeline is also very strong-willed and has a bit of a temper, which reminds me of a certain little redheaded girl I once knew.


There you have it! Do yourself a favor and check out this book at one of the bookseller links above.

Cheers!

Harry

Meet Crystalee Calderwood

This week’s guest is Crystalee Calderwood, a young author with a lot of talent.

Crystalee Calderwood is a born poet turned children's
writer, small town girl turned big city dweller. Crystalee moved from Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when she was twenty-two years old to attend the MFA in Creative Writing program at Chatham University. It was there she took her very first class in writing for children and adolescents, and she's never looked back.

As a member of Literacy AmeriCorps Pittsburgh,
Crystalee has had the pleasure of interacting with children in the community through the non-profit organization Beginning with Books. She introduced children to great books in hopes that they would fall in love with them the way she has. She is currently teaching computer skills to adults.


To get to know Crystalee better, please check out her website:
http://www.crystaleecalderwood.bravehost.com ,

as well as her blog: http://www.crystaleecalderwood.blogspot.com

Now, let’s ask Crystalee a few questions:

When did you start writing?

I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I used to write short stories way back in first grade. I’ve been reading even longer, since before I started school, so I only felt it was natural for me to write. I wrote poetry for many years. It wasn’t until I went to grad school to get my MFA in Creative Writing that I discovered writing for children. That was in 2006. I ended up with a dual emphasis in poetry and writing for children and adolescents. I am amazed at how far I have come along with my writing since then.

How do you get the ideas for your picture books?

Well, I live and experience life, first of all. I get most of my ideas from things I’ve seen, experienced or heard. I also try to interact with children. I spent a year as a volunteer reading to children in daycares across Pittsburgh. In that year, I learned more about what children like than I had learned in my entire life. I also love to read children’s books. I’m always asking myself if I can write something better than or different than the kinds of books that are out there. I’m not interested in writing books that copy a current trend, unless I can put my own spin on that trend.

Do you experiment with other genres as well?

Yes, I do. I started out writing poetry. I have also experimented with flash fiction. But nothing makes me happier than writing for children. I’m really a big kid at heart, and I write the kinds of books I would have liked to read when I was younger. I have also recently completed a young adult novel in verse, and I’m very excited to break into the YA market was well.

Check back in a few days and learn about Crystalee Calderwood’s new book,
“Angeline Jellybean”.

Cheers for now!

Harry