All about the children & let us hear from you :)

November 14, 2023 — I’m not sure I ever imagined myself blogging. But now that I have an author’s website and maybe some stuff to say, here goes nothing. Or rather, I hope, a little something. Mostly, I’d like my posts to help some others who are embarking on a publishing venture. Also, did you know that regular posts help with a website’s visibility? Search engines prefer (and therefore place them higher in searches) a dynamic, changing website to one that stays the same for long periods of time. 

Naturally, my blog’s theme will be my first picture book experience, writing and many related things. I thought I’d share something very dear to my heart these days — not surprisingly — I LOVE hearing feedback about my book! Recently, my son told me that one of his coworkers at Wayne State University, told him that her grandson likes to say, “I’m as COOL as a cucumber — but that is NOT my girlfriend!” (I suppose this is an inside joke to those who’ve read the book.) The cool cucumber has a date every Friday night with — a date, you know, a dried fruit. I am drawn to wordplay. I delighted at discovering J.K. Rowling’s wordplay throughout her Harry Potter series. Like Diagon Alley (diagonally) and how Sirius Black can turn into a dog and the discovery that his first name, Sirius, is the name of a constellation that looks like a dog. 

Book feedback

In fact, I’m told, that my son’s coworkers talk about my book every time he’s at work, including frequent inquiries about when my next book will be released. As I’ve told him, “I love these people!” The grandmother I mentioned earlier, a retired Detroit police detective, who has a million great stories, said that when someone asks her young granddaughter a question she doesn’t know the answer to, she replies, something like, “bet you don’t know how happy is a lark! Because I do.” Then people ask, where did she get that from? 

Another of his coworkers said, “I need to get a coffee table, because that’s going to be the first thing on it: How Happy Is a Lark?” (slaps the lunch table).

A former coworker and friend of mine, Adam, said his son Lear’s favorite so far is the cucumber page. The little guy loves to eat cukes. My great neice, A’Lahni said earlier that the silly goose was her favorite, but now it’s the curious cat (her favorite animal) and her brother Zy’air laughs about the hungry hippo and also loves the bug in the rug. One of my physical therapists said that his then 2-year-old son, Charlie, likes the cat in a rocket ship best of all. Hearing stories about children making connections to the book, in any way, means so much to me. 

It’s so heartening to hear from children (and their adults) who are enjoying the book. 

We would love to hear from you!

• What’s your favorite page? 
• Do you have any questions for Jenny, the wonderful illustrator, or me? 
• We’d love to hear your favorite expressions/similes (from the book or not) and maybe even some fun ones from other languages that you, your family or friends know.
• If you send along favorite similes, please consider doing the activity from the back of the book. Turn a simile into a question and illustrate it. By sharing it with me, you grant permission for me to share it in a future blog post and/or on social media, with your name and please include city/state or city/country. At the end of December, I’ll select at least one (more depending on how many I receive) to win a special (and really cute) prize!

We’re “all ears.” There are so so many colorful expressions in the English language. And to think, each language has its own unique sayings. Interestingly, translations from one language to another may not make sense to people who don’t know the language of origin and the context for the saying. 

You can email Jenny or me or get in touch through the contact page.