Sunday 22 September 2013

Sir Princess Petra's Talent - Blog Tour Schedule

Sir Princess Petra's Talent - The Pen Pieyu Adventures,
Book 2, by Diane Mae Robinson




Blog Tour hosted by Sue Morris at Kid Lit Reviews

TOUR SCHEDULE
September 24th
September 25th
http://nayusreadingcorner.blogspot.co.uk (Jessica) review & giveaway
September 26th
http://mommynificent.com   (Tina) review
September 27th
http://talesofabookworm.com (Brittany) review
September 28th
September 29th
http://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/  (Chris) Book Blast / Meet the Author
http://kid-lit-reviews.com (Sue)   interview
September 30th
October 1st
http://www.bookwormforkids.blogspot.ca  (Tonja) review & giveaway
October 2nd
http://lovablelobo.wordpress.com (Author C.L. Murphy) interview
October 3rd
October 4th
October 5th
http://thiskidreviewsbooks.com/  (Erik – review & giveaway)
http://swlothian.com/ (Author Steve Lothian)   review
October 6th
http://bound4escape.com (Dawn Heslin review & giveaway)
October 7th
October 8th
http://themysteryofnidavalley.com (Author Elaine Ouston) review
http://kid-lit-reviews.com (Sue – Special Post for Tour Sites)
October 9th - http://www.dianemaerobinson.com/ (Author Diane Robinson – for Tour Sites)

Come join in on the fun: giveaways, author interviews, and book 2 reviews.

To learn more about my adventure kids books and dragon books for children visit my author's website at: http://www.dragonsbook.com

Friday 20 September 2013

Dragon Facts And Award News.


Dragon Books For Children and Dragon Facts


Dragon books for children usually have some interesting dragon facts attached to the dragon character in the story. This is my dragon, Snarls, from The Forest of Doom. He is a secondary character in my adventure kids books series, The Pen Pieyu Adventures.
Illustration by Samantha Kickingbird
Illustration by Samantha Kickingbird
Snarls, unlike a lot of his dragon relatives out there, is actually quite charming. Here are some facts about my dragon character, Snarls.
Snarls
Snarls the Dragon
Lives nearby and inside and around Dragon Mountain in The Forest of Doom (see map below).
Birthday: October 23
Age: 3 (that equals 12 in people years).
Middle name: Lotzapuf (middle name after his mother’s father, Singe Burnett Lotzapuf).
Last name: Doom
Favorite color: shiny silver things.
Favorite food: onions and exotic spices.
Favorite activities: cooking, barbeques, parties, cooking, adventures, cooking, cuddling up with a good book.
Dislikes: falling rocks, being chased, indigestion, having a cold, when his fire does not work--since he is a fire-breathing dragon, this is quite embarrassing to him.
Flaws: His fire-breathing doesn't necessarily fire-up when he needs it to, and at the most inopportune times, his fire-breathing seems to let go all on it's own. And, he can't fly--even though he lets people believe he can.
Girlfriends: One. Her name is Babbling Suzy, and she only exists in his dreams, not in my fantasy kids books. He talks about Babbling Suzy in his sleep. Interesting.
Random Insert: Sir Princess Petra, book one, has won another award:          
                                              Honorable Mention in the                                                                                     Readers' Favorite International Book Awards                                                                                   (K - 3rd grade category)

MAP OF PEN PIEYU KINGDOM AND SURROUNDING LANDSMap

Travels: Snarls was born and raised in the Forest of Doom. He has traveled on adventures with Petra, of course, to the Kingdom of Lost Donkeys and to The Vast Wilderness. With Petra's encouragement, he has also successfully crossed Hobble-Wobble Creek.
Petra and Snarls don't know it yet, but very soon they will travel to the Kingdom of Boogy Gobees. Why? Because the king will be writing a new rule in the royal rule book. Hmmm, I wonder why the castle in the lands of the Kingdom of Boogy Gobees is so crooked? Maybe Petra and Snarls will find out in book three. 
Petra and Snarls crossing Hobble-Wobble Creek.

Book two, Sir Princess Petra's Talent, releasing Sept. 24, 2013
Has anybody noticed that I drew the map to look like the shape of a head? No? Check out the map again.
For more information on the characters of my fantasy kids books, go here: http://www.dragonsbook.com/for-kids.html

Friday 13 September 2013

1st Book Review - Sir Princess Petra's Talent


www.AngieMangino.com                                     
 
Sir Princess Petra’s Talent
By Diane Mae Robinson
2013
Reviewed by Angie Mangino
Rating:  4 stars

A summary of Sir Princess Petra at the beginning introduces new readers quickly into this chapter book adventure, which stands well independently of the previous book.  Readers new to Petra, joining previous readers, will love her immediately and want to follow her on this adventure and any future adventures.
 Petra’s inner courage wins out over any of her fears, triumphant by her openness in conservation to determine what is best for all concerned.  Her basic kindness, innate loving nature, adventurous curiosity, and non-judgmental personality enables her to befriend every one she meets, giving her a maturity way beyond her years that surpasses the adults in the story weighed down with preconceived ideas and worries.
 Cloaked in a fantasy work of knights, kings, and dragons that will engulf children into the story, the moral lessons imparted are refreshingly neither preachy nor boring.
 Petra’s breath of fresh air personality makes her an exceptional role model for children to admire and to imitate in the real situations of fear, new people, challenges, and goals in their own lives.

 Angie Mangino currently works as a freelance writer and book reviewer, additionally offering authors personalized critique service of unpublished manuscripts.  http://www.angiemangino.com

Visit my author's website at: http://www.dragonsbook.com and learn more about my fantasy kids books.

                                         

Saturday 7 September 2013

Rights To Writes

     Selling the rights to your work can be confusing, and often a new writer will sign away rights just because they are eager to get that contract. Some contracts are horrible and take advantage of writers. Make sure you understand your contract and what rights you are giving up before you sign that contract. If you are unsure, contact a lawyer. And remember, many contracts can be negotiated. Below is an article by Deborah Owen, CEO of the Creative Writing Institute--an on-line writing school which I am now a tutor at also.

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     Beware of Selling Your Rights
Learning about Writer’s Rights
Most creative writers are so eager to sell their work that they don’t stop to consider what rights they are selling. “Rights” refers to how a publisher can use your work. “Rights” has nothing to do with what you are paid or the copyright of your work.
  • First North American Serial Rights − Known as FNASR, are the most common rights purchased. The purchasing magazine has the right to publish the author’s work for X amount of dollars, while the author grants the magazine permission to publish his story (or article) one time in North America. If you are offering these rights to a magazine, place “Offering First North American Serial Rights” at the top of the document.
  • One-Time Serial Rights – If you are simultaneously offering your story or article to several publications, place “One-Time Serial Rights” at the top of the page. This grants the first magazine that snaps up your work the right to publish your story or article one time.
  • Second Serial Rights – If you have previously sold the story or article, you will be offering Second Serial Rights to the next magazine. They will be able to publish your work once.
  • All Rights – Unless someone is hiring you to develop a piece of work for them (such as developing a course for a school) shudder at the sight of these rights. It means you are signing away “all rights” to whoever bought your work. You may never sell the work again, publish it, copy it, download it, or transfer it. You have no rights left whatsoever.
  • Work for Hire – This is another “right” that should cause you to shiver. Work for Hire can only exist in two ways: you have created a document as an independent contractor and you are selling the rights to it, or you are being paid as an employee and your work was created during your work time – which gives your boss all rights.
  • Non-Exclusive Rights – This one is not desirable either. Although the “rights” refer back to you after one year and you can sell the work again, the original buyer may continue to use it and reproduce it in syndication without sharing the profits with you.
  • Exclusive Rights – If you sign these rights, you have given away the farm. An example of this would be Associated Content and other like places that assume full rights when they buy your work. You will not be able to reproduce it or sell it again. It’s gone. Ker-plunk! Down the toilet.
  • One-Time Rights – You can sell one-time rights simultaneously to as many people as you want. Columnists use this right to sell their articles to multiple markets.
As you can see, there is only the difference of a hair’s breadth on some of these rights. There are many more types of rights, so understand them thoroughly before you sign on the dotted line.
Keep this article in your safe and don’t sign anything without referring to it!
If you liked this article, be sure to follow our blog here on WordPress! You can also find links for our Facebook and Twitter pages at our website: www.CreativeWritingInstitute.com.
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Know you rights, don't give away any rights that you don't want to, try to negotiate a better contract if you don't like the terms, or you can always walk away. And always, always be professional.

As an author, I have walked away from a contract because I didn't like the terms. I have also been burnt by a different publisher's contract that tied my book up for one year and never produced the book.

Strange things happen in the writing industry. Before signing, make sure you are dealing with a reputable publisher. You can check out the reputation of publishers at Preditor and Editors: http://pred-ed.com/peba.htm

Visit my author's website: http://www.dragonsbook.com

copyright, Diane Mae Robinson, 2013