New Blog Announcement

I am so excited to announce my new Blog Read a Book Take a Bite!

The new blog was created out of my love for books and good food. It will highlight books and feature recipes; with the first featured book being The Goopy Ghost of Halloween by V. R. Duin, and the first 'bites': Pumpkin Shaped Shortbread Cookies. I only have one blog post so far, but more will follow. 

You can check it out by clicking the link above or at http://www.readbooktakebite.blogspot.com/


God Bless!
T Denise Clary

One Year Anniversary Month!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!

The month of June marks the one year anniversary that my ebooks were first independently published.  What a blessing this past year has been for me. Although my numbers pale in comparison to many other indie-authors, I am proud to say that I have sold over a thousand ebooks in the past year. Yay!!

Many thanks to everyone, especially my husband Joel,  who has stuck by me and continues to support my dream!

God Bless!
T Denise Clary  :-)

NITTI GRITTI SMITTY
Published June 20, 2011

MY FORGIVEFULLNESS
Published June 21, 2011

VINNY VAIN LIKED TO COMPLAIN
Published June 21, 2011

MR. PITT & LICKETY'S SPLIT
Published June 21, 2011

Children's Book Week (CBW) 2012

CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK

Sorry for the late posting (as usual, lol), but this week we recognize Children's Book Week (CBW) which runs May 7th-13th.

Taken directly from their website at www.bookweekonline.com, here is what CBW is all about:

"Children's Book Week is the national celebration of books and reading for youth.

Established in 1919, Children's Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the country. Each year, books for young people and the joy of reading are feted for a full week with author and illustrator appearances, storytelling, parties, and other book-related events at schools, libraries, bookstores, museums, and homes from coast to coast!

Administered by Every Child A Reader and sponsored by the Children's Book Council, Children's Book Week celebrates the transformative power of literacy."

Tab onto the CBW web address above to learn more about the history, highlights, and how you can get involved and/or participate in Children's Book Week 2012!

God Bless!

T Denise Clary

REFLECTIONS of 2011

2011

REFLECTIONS

As I look back on the year 2011, I can only say that I am truly humbled by the journey the Lord has taken me on...

It was only in 2007 that the Holy Spirit gave me the inspiration and words to write my first three children's books (Frog on a Log, Baby Beetle & the Sun, and My Forgivefullness). By 2009, three more books were completed (Nitti Gritti Smitty, Vinny Vain Liked to Complain, and Mr. Pitt & Lickety's Split). 

It wasn't until 2011 that the Holy Spirit prompted me to publish my manuscripts through digital media (Amazon) and it has been a whirlwind of an experience ever since! In the short time of just a little over 5 months, I have learned so much about the publishing world that I never knew before. This journey has really opened my eyes and life to a world of creativity and imagination.  I have met some truly wonderful people in the book industry and have opened myself up to a world that I never knew before.

And as far as my books...

Out of the six books I had written, four of the books were published as eBooks and placed for sale on Amazon. Well I am happy to report that the four books have been doing well in their short publishing life. Collectively, I have sold close to 400 books and the number continues to rise. One of my books rose as high in rank to the #4 slot on Amazon!! Yay!!!! ("Heaven is For Real," published by Thomas Nelson and, "The Beginner's Bible" published by HarperCollins, took the #1-3 slots respectively. And a book by Max Lucado was ranked in the #5 slot). To say that one of my titles was right behind those popular books, and close in rank to one of Max Lucado's books, is truly a gift from God! I can only hope and pray that the momentum continues.

My goals for 2012: Write more books (I have started three more books, but they have yet to be completed). Publish the remaining two titles that were written in 2007 that I have yet to publish as eBooks. And turn all my digital eBooks into hardcover/paperback form.

I would like to say thank you to all who have made this journey fun, exciting, inspirational, and possible! Special 'shout-outs' to Editor Jennifer Moody for perfecting the words and style of my books and to illustrator Jeffrey Duckworth for all of the cover designs. And a special thank you to my husband, kids, family, and friends for their ongoing and endless support! Even if I had not sold one book, my experiences and meeting so many new and exciting people have been worth any struggles I have encountered while on this journey. Now that 2011 is almost a thing of the past, here's to another year of new beginnings, new challenges, new successes, and meeting more creative and inspirational people! I pray the same for you!!

And of course, thanks be to God for directing my steps and making all of this possible! Looking forward to what He has in store for me in the New Year!

HAVE A VERY MERRY AND BLESSED 

NEW YEAR!   

In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the Lord establishes their steps, Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

God Bless!

T Denise Clary

Children's Picture Book Webinar ~ Coming in January 2012

Thought I'd share...

For all who might be interested in attending a live webinar in January 2012 by literary agent Mary Kole, in reference to children's picture books, please click on the link below for more details and registration information.

Picture Book Craft Intensive: Telling Children's Stories in Today's Market - WritersDigestShop.com

God Bless!
T Densie Clary

How To Write A Children's Picture Book

In lieu of 'NaNoWriMo' going on this month, coupled with the fact that I have written several children's books (although they lack illustrations at the present moment), I thought I'd post an article I found on the internet regarding how to write a children's picture book. The article is written by author Jacqui Robbins. Please click on the link titled, How to Write a Children's Picture Book, to be re-directed to the author's blog site to get an in-depth explanation for each point below numbered from one to eleven. I am not certain if my current books follow all the rules the article lays out, but I think they come pretty close!  Happy writing! :-)

God Bless!

T Denise Clary

HOW TO WRITE A CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK   

by Jacqui Robbins
(Author of “The New Girl…and Me” & “Two of a Kind”)

1. Read 100 first.

2. Picture books have 500-700 words. Or fewer.

3. Picture books are 32 pages long.

4. Each page much have something newly illustratable.

5. The text of your story must stand alone.

6. Don't talk down to children or moralize to them.

7. Your story must have a beginning, a middle, and an end.

8. Your story must have a conflict or a problem, and that problem must be solved by the kid.

9. Show, don't tell.

10. If you write in rhyme, your rhyme and meter must be perfect.

11. Forget numbers 2-10 until your story is written. Just start writing. Worry about the rules later.

Just have fun!