Post-Dated Posts

I'm working on my virtual blog tour that will begin next week to celebrate my new book, Readers Theatre for Global Explorers.

I spent Sunday afternoon writing and post-dating my posts. Did you know you can do that? I'm sure all you experienced blogger knew, but for those of you who haven't tried it, here's what I learned.

On Blogger, there's a blue button in the bottom left corner of the screen called Post Options. If you click it, you have the option of writing your post, compete with pictures and links, and automatically posting to your blog on the day and time you designate. Just be sure that once you put the correct posting date in the box, you click somewhere else on the page for it to save itself. Also, make sure to choose your preference of AM or PM.

How Do You Plan a Blog Tour?

Planning a blog tour can be a bit daunting. First I decided on my target audience. Last week I e-mailed some folks to ask if they wanted to participate. When I had responses, I started filling in dates on the calendar.

I spent Saturday answering interview questions that bloggers had sent to me. I sent each one a .jpg file of my book cover. I also sent each person a different author photo to use with their interview. I learned this from my good cyber-friend, Nancy I. Sanders, who was instrumental in my writing this book.

I'm excited about the upcoming book tour. I hope you'll join me as I talk about the book and the writing process and the explorers.

Virtual Book Tour

Next week, I'll be hosting a virtual book tour to celebrate my new book, Readers Theatre for Global Explorers.

This past week I've been planning the tour. That means deciding, first of all, who my target audience is for the book.

Reader's theater is primarily a tool that teachers and librarians use for developing fluency and for making learning fun, so teachers and librarians make up part of my audience.

I would also like to target writers, because reader's theater is really fun to write. It's also a doorway into publication that a lot of folks might not consider.

My book is specifically geared toward social studies classes, so I'd like to find a way to get the word to them.

And because I homeschooled for 13 years, I know the value of tools for creative learning. I'd like to reach some folks in this market.

So this week, I've been e-mailing a few people that I think would be interested in being part of my blog tour. I'm not a great self-promoter, so this is a bit of a challenge for me, but I'm learning to embrace this part of the journey, too.

Last week I saw an old professor who asked if I had set up a book signing at the local Barnes and Noble. Well, no, I haven't gotten that brave yet. Looks like I might have to, though.

Poetry Friday: Poetry Out Loud

This week I served as one of the judges for the Poetry Out Loud competition at Hardaway High School. The students did a great job, and the winners were wonderful.

Jeremiah won first place with Who Understands Me but Me by Jimmy Santiago Baca. He has a chance to go much farther in the competition with his moving interpretation.

Alexandria won second place with Invictus by William Ernest Henley.

Amanda won third place with What Work Is by Philip Levine.

It was a treat to be part of the evening and to see the love of poetry in these students, the excitement from the large audience of their peers, and the commitment from their creative writing teacher, Mrs. Kathy Honea.

Here is an excerpt from the winning recitation:

Who Understands Me but Me

By Jimmy Santiago Baca

They turn the water off, so I live without water,

they build walls higher, so I live without treetops,

they paint the windows black, so I live without sunshine,

they lock my cage, so I live without going anywhere,

they take each last tear I have, I live without tears,

they take my heart and rip it open, I live without heart,

they take my life and crush it, so I live without a future,

they say I am beastly and fiendish, so I have no friends,

they stop up each hope, so I have no passage out of hell,

they give me pain, so I live with pain,

they give me hate, so I live with my hate,

they have changed me, and I am not the same man,

they give me no shower, so I live with my smell,

they separate me from my brothers, so I live without brothers,

who understands me when I say this is beautiful?

who understands me when I say I have found other freedoms?

Read the rest here. Read more Poetry Friday at Wild Rose Reader.

Couldn't Resist a Few More Photos

Celebrating a New Life

My newest grandson was born on Saturday afternoon. His name is Samuel. He has three brothers and a sister. Anna, the single sister, is convinced he looks like her. I just think he's beautiful. They are in Texas and I'm in Georgia, so it will be a month or so before I get to actually hold that sweet little one. I can't wait!

The February edition of the Children's Writer Newsletter came Saturday, too. It has an excellent article by Judy Bradbury entitled Who Cares? Grandparents, Step-parents, & Other Caregivers. One of the books she covers in the article is You are My Wish by Maryann Cusimano Love. Bradbury quotes Ms. Love's editor, Michael Green, who is also President and Publisher of Philomel Books.

Green said, "With regard to grandparents, so many children do not live near them, so experiencing them through a book feels much like a visit. A book like You Are My Wish is a celebration of that relationship, a way to think and talk about someone we love who may nt be available in person each day."

Do you think I'm adding this to my list of books to purchase for the grands?

You bet!

Night

It's been a cold week--again.

There are beavers in the creek building a dam, which means they are chopping down something I wish they wouldn't chop. I love C.S. Lewis' beavers in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but in real life, those critters are downright destructive.

I've been watching the sky the last few nights as the moon shrinks from full. It rises over the trees and I wonder that it can seem so big, so close. Each night those trees nibble off a small portion of the full circle as it rises and moves away from me, becomes an object in the sky, instead of a magnified presence. It's not wonder so many poets write about the moon.

Since I missed poetry Friday last week, I thought I would go ahead and share this.

Night

Stars over snow

And in the west a planet

Swinging below a star--

Look for a lovely thing and you will find it,

It is not far--

It never will be far.

--Sara Teasdale