Holiday Book Sale

My holiday book sale is starting now! Hop on over to my website to get in on the deals while they last. Whatever you do, don't wait until the last minute because shipping rates get crazy. If you order now, you can get in on the low media rate shipping deals. On any order, I'd be happy to not only sign but personalize the books however you would like. All books come with a matching bookmark.

Holiday deals include all children's paperbacks for only $7.00 each (normally $10.00) and At the Corner of Magnetic and Main for $10.00 (normally $14.00).

ALSO--I'm running a special on the whole Cats in the Mirror series: all four cat books for only $25.00 (a savings of $15.00 on the set). This includes Why Kimba Saved The World, Vacation Hiro, Miss Fatty Cat's Revenge, and Slinky Steps Out. 

Click here to check out my holiday sales, now through either January 2 or when supplies run out! Shipping is figured by PayPal during checkout. If you have a large order, it can get a bit wonky, so contact me directly and I can adjust things. These prices are not available at Amazon or other sites. Just on my web page.

Now I'm off to start formatting Vacation Hiro for hardcover. Should be out in early 2019, along with the rest of the cat books. Kimba's Christmas is heading to editing shortly and should be ready in July of 2019. Then I can get back to work on my new YA story that I completed a large chunk of during NaNoWriMo this month. There will be tigers . . . of a sort.

Never a dull day!

Kimba thinks it's a bit early to say "Merry Christmas,"
but it's never too early to buy books as holiday gifts!

Book Review: "Girl, Wash Your Face"

Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies about Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful book. Some chapters were a bit repetitive of others, but maybe that was just in case folks were skipping around. I almost woke my husband up for the "I'm going to marry Matt Damon" chapter. Sadly, he's my boyfriend, so Rachel can't have him. :) Overall, this book is full of good advice and pep talks. Definitely with a Christian slant, but not so much that it is in your face and judgy.


View all my reviews

War Eagle Craft Fair This Weekend!!

Come one, come all!! If you've never been to the four days of craft fair craziness in Northwest Arkansas, you are missing out. There are dozens and dozens of events all around the area. For my fifth year now, I will be at the War Eagle Craft Fair (Thursday 18th - Sunday 21st). My booth is normally in Sharp's Field in the first aisle right across from the mill.

Since this is one of my last events for the year, I often use it as a chance to clean out my 2018 paperback inventory. This year is no different. All paperbacks are on sale, and my children's books are only $7 each!! Don't miss out on your chance to grab the books in the series that you are missing or pick up some gifts for children you love. And there are toys to match each book to help make your present a complete package. I even have a dragon to go with Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess, my new book this year.

I hope to see you there!!

You can find out more about the fair at these links:

https://www.facebook.com/events/262471397654170/

https://wareaglemill.com/fall-craft-fair/

Paws, Claws, and Magic Tales Blog Tour

It's my turn today to share the exciting news about a new book release: an anthology all about cats and their magnificent magicalness. I did not submit a story for this collection (maybe next time), but I have thoroughly enjoyed it and am happy to recommend it!

Preorder Links:

https://amzn.to/2NWJWNp or https://www.books2read.com/u/3krwQO

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41734549-paws-claws-and-magic-tales

You are welcome to join the Fellowship of Fantasy Group or the Fellowship of Fantasy Book Club group on Facebook. We are a jovial group, though we do tend to talk about dragons and fairies more than cats. In the book club, a fantasy book is selected and discussed each month.  

My favorite stories in this anthology were "Whisker Width" with its magically traveling cat (so much easier than all the transfer technology I have in my books), "Black Knight" with a delightful take on how our cats may see themselves, and "The Honorable Retrieval of Miss Sunbeam Honeydew." One of the shorter stories, "Death Always Collects," had a much darker theme than the others, but it certainly held cats in the honor we cat lovers know they deserve. 

You can try to win a free copy of the book if you participate in this Rafflecopter giveaway.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And since we are being all about cat love, here's a fun video from my favorite cat blog:  

Cole and Marmalade! 

Based on this video, my cats most certainly love me, though I wish they didn't feel the need to love bite quite so much. Cheetara is famous for that. Try to nose bop her with a finger when she's feeling feisty, and she will give it a chomp every time. Her way of saying "Got ya!" She likes to attack my feet at night too.

Be sure to check under the bed for cat monsters.

But then she cuddles up with me and sleeps all night long. Cats are weird like that. They thoroughly deserve a whole book dedicated to stories about them.

Here's a bit about each story so you can see which strike your fancy.

Blurbs

The Witching Hour by Savannah Jezowski
As shadows encroach on the city of Lite, one cat stands between humanity and the hounds of darkness. Will true love save the day?

Tail of Two Kitlings by Sharon Hughson
Two kitlings. One tail. A mother's sacrifice and a brother's betrayal. Who will survive the Siamese curse?

Black Knight by Laura L. Laura Croman Zimmerman
When a jingly bell goes missing, there’s only one supercat to solve this crime—the mysterious Black Knight.

Sulphur & Sunshine by Grace Bridges
How to Handle a Dragon, Feline Edition: on a volcanic shore, the accidental appearance of a local fire-guardian has unusual consequences for a street cat.

The Magic of Catnip by A. J. Aletha Bakke
An impulse purchase of catnip leads to unexpected shenanigans.

The Secret Treasons of the World by J. L. Rowan
When Braelin stumbles upon an outlawed Guardian, she must choose between his safety and her own—and the cost may be more than she can bear.

The Poor Miller and the Cat by Lelia Rose Foremann
When a poor miller rescues a cat, it promises to make him a wealthy man. But what is true wealth?

Alex the Cat and Alex the Prince by Ace G. Pilkington
The prince’s parents are telling him he has to marry for money, and his cat says it could cost him his life.

Whisker Width by H. L. Burke
Get a cat they said. It'll be fun, they said. No one mentioned the portals to a mysterious realm opening up in Kara's bathroom.

The Honorable Retrieval of Miss Sunbeam Honeydew by Pamela Sharp
When two princesses of the realm claim the same cat, how far will their loyal retainers go to see that each princess gets her way?

The Witch's Cat by Rachel Ann Michael Rachel Harris
Walk under ladders. October the 13th. A black cat. Perhaps the only way to bring two lovers together is through the worst luck.

The Cat-Dragon and the Unicorn by Janeen Ippolito
Ademis the cat-dragon only wants his freedom but must graciously help a scared unicorn girl who should be glad of his benevolent assistance.

Destined for Greatness by Jenelle Leanne Leanne Schmidt
Kendall knows he is destined for great things. The problem is, the Fates — if they even exist — don't seem to agree.

Sammy's Secret by Karin De Havin
A ring is lost. A friendship is ruined. A cadre of cats is on the case!

Death Always Collects by Jeremy Rodden
Loki, a regular old Siamese cat, finds Death looming to take his human. Bargain as much as you want, but remember: Death always collects.

The Wild Hunt by Naomi P. Cohen
When an immigrant violinist's music enchants a Cait Sidhe, she's entangled in the secret world of the New York Fae.

Spice Bringer

Just giving a quick shout-out to a book I enjoyed this month. I've read several of H. L. Burke's books and enjoyed them, but this one was the best by far. It had action, romance (which I'm not usually a fan of), fight scenes and adventure, a sassy salamander, and a wonderful message of good triumphing over evil. It's more bittersweet than Burke's usually fare, but I enjoyed it even more for that.

Click on the cover for a link to grab a copy for yourself today!

A deadly disease. A vanishing remedy. A breathless journey.

All her life, Niya's known she will die young from the fatal rasp. She survives only with the aid of vitrisar spice and a magical, curmudgeonly fire salamander named Alk. Then an ambitious princess burns down the vitrisar grove in an effort to steal Alk so she can claim her rightful throne. Joined by Jayesh, a disgraced monk, Niya and Alk must flee to the faraway Hidden Temple with the last vitrisar plant, or all who suffer from the rasp will perish.

But even as Niya’s frustration and banter with Jayesh deepen to affection, the rasp is stealing away her breath and life. 

For a girl with limited time and a crippling quest, love may be more painful than death.

Summer Catch Up

Well, I'm slightly horrified to notice that I have not posted anything on this blog for several weeks. There is, however, an explanation. Summer is often the time when I get caught up on life in general. There are no craft fairs or school visits to attend. This summer was no different, but it wasn't my own life I got caught up in.

For most of July, I hung out at my mom's and helped her sort through 89 years of stuff. Her house in Houston is sold, and she is moving to a retirement facility here in Arkansas to be closer to family. Downsizing was a massive task. To say that she keeps everything is an understatement. I won't beat that dead horse too much because she reads this blog (Hi, Mom!), but it was a huge undertaking that took the whole time I was there and we still probably moved more things into storage than we should have. I did keep a silly souvenir I found: a hall pass from 1983 from a random day I came home early from school because I was sick. She has moved three times since I was in high school (not including this move), so that hall pass had some staying power! It is up on the cork board in my office now.

Mom's new apartment has a waiting list, so she is living with us for a bit. The dust has settled, at least temporarily.

I did manage to get some work done on Kimba's Christmas while I was there, and I have since typed a hesitant "The End" on the manuscript. All that really means is that it's time to start revisions and editing, but that's when the fun really starts. My talented critique group is having their say on things, and my husband is chomping at the bit (or "champing" for you horse people and grammar purists) to see the story. His nagging is often what keeps me going. I'm hoping to have it ready to release in July of 2019 so it will be available for Christmas next year.

I'm happy to announce that four of my books are now available in hardcover! That publishing process has been a definite learning curve and requires different formatting than the paperback, but libraries and schools are picking up copies so it is all worth it. You can request a copy of Why Kimba Saved The World, Max's Wild Night, Dottie's Daring Day, and Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess through your own library and tell them they are available through the Ingram catalog. You can get hardcover copies for yourself through Amazon or my website. The rest of the cat book series will be coming out in hardcover over the next year. All of my books are being updated to include a vocabulary section at the back, like in Dottie's Daring Day. That back of book feature was such a hit, they are all getting an upgrade.

That's something for now. I hope you all enjoy the last gasps of summer and a lovely Labor Day Weekend.

Kimba hopes you all take lots of naps and lie in the sun as much as possible.

Family Friendly Fantasy Fun Fest

Just shooting out a quick note that I will be participating in the Family Friendly Fantasy Fun Fest on Facebook the 20th and the 21st. The first day, I will be featuring Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess and will be very dragon-centric. The next day will be focused on the Cats in the Mirror series and be cat-tastic. We hope you can join us for one or more of the author events. There will surely be games!



Family Friendly Fantasy Fun Fest

ALL TIMES ARE ET (BOSTON)

WEDNESDAY JUNE 20th:
6:00 - 6:30 PM - KAREN MARTIN
6:30 - 7:00 PM - MEG WELCH DENDLER
7:00 - 7:30 PM - HOWARD BAGSBY
7:30 - 8:00 PM - KANDI WYATT
8:00 - 8:30 PM - CRIS PASQUERALLE
8:30 - 9:00 PM - RICHARD H STEPHENS
9:00 - 9:30 PM - STEPHANIE JAEGER
9:30 - 10:00 PM - ALLY SCARBOROUGH
10:00 - 10:30 PM - KAREN EISENBREY
10:30 - 11:00 PM - JOANNA WHITE

THURSDAY JUNE 21ST:
6:00 - 6:30 PM - MEG WELCH DENDLER
6:30 - 7:00 PM - PATRICIA LESLIE
7:00 - 7:30 PM - CONNIE WHITE
7:30 - 8:00 PM - CONNIE WHITE/JQM
8:00 - 8:30 PM - BENJAMIN ELLEFSON
8:30 - 9:00 PM - LAURA D PALMER
9:00 - 9:30 PM - JAMES QUINLAN MESERVY
9:30 - 10:00 PM - JENELLE LEANNE
10:00 - 10:30 PM - AUTHOR R D TRIMBLE
10:30 - 11:00 PM - JOANNA WHITE

Summer Reading

I finally got around to getting my library card in our new city, and I went a bit crazy. I mean, access to thousands of books for free! For my summer reading, I have been working my way through An Echo in the Bone, Book 7 of the Outlander series. These books are seriously long--like 1,000 pages of close text--so I sometimes take breaks in the middle and read some fun kidlit. Here's a few that I have gobbled up already this summer and highly recommend.



A lightning strike gave her a super power...but even a super genius can't solve the problem of middle school. This smart and funny novel is perfect for fans of The Fourteenth Goldfish, Rain Reign, and Counting by Sevens.

Lucy Callahan was struck by lightning. She doesn't remember it, but it changed her life forever. The zap gave her genius-level math skills, and ever since, Lucy has been homeschooled. Now, at 12 years old, she's technically ready for college. She just has to pass 1 more test--middle school!

Lucy's grandma insists: Go to middle school for 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. And read 1 book (that's not a math textbook!). Lucy's not sure what a girl who does calculus homework for fun can possibly learn in 7th grade. She has everything she needs at home, where nobody can make fun of her rigid routines or her superpowered brain. The equation of Lucy's life has already been solved. Unless there's been a miscalculation?

A celebration of friendship, Stacy McAnulty's smart and thoughtful middle-grade debut reminds us all to get out of our comfort zones and embrace what makes us different.

Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has been making the same secret wish every day since fourth grade. She even has a list of all the ways there are to make the wish, such as cutting off the pointed end of a slice of pie and wishing on it as she takes the last bite. But when she is sent to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to live with family she barely knows, it seems unlikely that her wish will ever come true. That is until she meets Wishbone, a skinny stray dog who captures her heart, and Howard, a neighbor boy who proves surprising in lots of ways. Suddenly Charlie is in serious danger of discovering that what she thought she wanted may not be what she needs at all.

From award-winning author Barbara O'Connor comes a middle-grade novel about a girl who, with the help of a true-blue friend, a big-hearted aunt and uncle, and the dog of her dreams, unexpectedly learns the true meaning of family in the least likely of places.

Miss Hazeltine is opening a very special school for shy and fearful cats.  They come from all over, and Miss Hazeltine gives them lessons in everything, from “Bird Basics” to “How Not to Fear the Broom.” The most timid of all is Crumb. He cowers in a corner. Miss Hazeltine doesn’t mind. But when she gets in trouble and only Crumb knows where she is, will he find his inner courage and lead a daring rescue?
 
Filled with adorable illustrations and ideal for fans of Disappearing Desmond and The Invisible Boy, Miss Hazeltine’s Home for Shy and Fearful Cats is a story that’s perfect for shy and fearful children as it both helps them face scary situations and accepts them just as they are.

With a dash of Lemony Snicket, a dollop of the Addams Family, and a hearty dose of adventure, New York Times bestselling author Natalie Lloyd introduces a new series about seven strange and adventurous siblings who tackle problems together—even when their new neighbors try to tear them apart.

Filled with mystery, humor, and adventure, the first book in this new trilogy is an unforgettable tale of adventure, family, and finding the courage to face any problem heart-first. When the Problim children’s ramshackle bungalow in the Swampy Woods goes kaboom, the seven siblings—each born on a different day of the week—have to move into their grandpa’s bizarre old mansion in Lost Cove. No problem! For the Problim children, every problem is a gift! But rumors about their family run rampant in the small town: tales of a bitter feud, a hidden treasure, and a certain kind of magic lingering in the halls of #7 Main Street. Their neighbors, the O’Pinions, will do anything to find the secrets lurking inside the Problim household—including sending the seven children to seven different houses on seven different continents!

*****

Up next, I have Turtles All the Way Down by John Green. I've never read one of his books before, so we shall see. Everyone was ga-ga over this when it came out. Had to at least take a peek. 

So what are YOU reading this summer? 

Shallows Book Release

Fun new book release to share with you. The cover is just perfect for the book.

Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CZ2H174/

Price: Free with Kindle Unlimited / $0.99 for purchase

A luminescent mermaid. A bookish inventor. A terrible truth.

The sea isn't safe. Only the bravest and strongest become sailors. Luminescent mermaids roam the depths and the shallows, mouthing words no one can hear, never surfacing.

Raised all his life in an island fishing village, bookish Emerson Kadwell has always been warned away from the shore. But an infant memory of a song and the lapping of waves continually draw him.

When Emerson finds a mermaid stranded in an isolated part of the shoreline, the truth about his past and hers will change his world forever. Shallows is a clean YA fantasy novel with elements of paranormal and romance. It is the first in a series.

Bio:

Denver is a fun-sized person who dislikes talking about herself in third person. (Feels pretentious, ya know?) She lives with her handsome hubby and an army of small gnomes that look suspiciously like the two of them combined. She spends her days desperate to write a good story without too many dumb typos. She thrives on hearing from her fans. (Like, really!)

Catch her latest writings pre-publication on Wattpad: https://my.w.tt/NodHrS1LLM

Follow her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Denver-Evans-Author-350892425406395/

Even better, join her group of insiders! https://www.facebook.com/groups/568591973515688/

Or follow her on Instagram: http://instagram.com/denverevansauthor

Never miss a new release by signing up for her newsletter: http://eepurl.com/dt97C5

OWFI 2018 & A Big Win!

The Oklahoma Writers' Federation annual conference was in Oklahoma City from May 3-5, and I came home with pages and pages of notes and ideas--along with a trophy for Best Juvenile Book of 2018 for Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess.

Percy and Sammy are so proud of Bianca!

I love that it lists my affiliate critique group, Ozark Mountain Guild (OMG),
because they had their hands on every page of this book. 

It was certainly an exciting way to end my first OWFI conference! I also took home a 4th Place certificate for a poem that will hopefully be a picture book one day: Kimba's Day.

A lot of times I wouldn't get excited about 4th Place, but there were 44 entries so it's amazing. I'm slowly getting feedback from other category submissions, and the competition was fierce. Some of my entries earned 95/100 or in the high 90s and still didn't even place. OWFI is a group of talented writers.

Besides the award ceremony at the end, the speakers were fantastic and at the top of their game. I'd never heard of Michael Dahl before, but if you enjoy scary kidlit, be sure to look him up. If his books are half as much fun as he is, you won't be disappointed. Sadly, the bookshop sold out of his middle grade books before I got there. I'll have to order them on my own. I did come home with a book by Mark Alpert--autographed for Scott because the subject matter is more his style--and the second book in the Moonlight Mississippi series, Avalee's Gift, by my friend Linda Apple.

But mostly I came home with piles of new ideas and notes. One work-in-progress I had brought with me to pitch to an agent has ideas written up and down the sides of every page. Pitching an agent or editor at a conference is rather like speed-date job interviewing. You get anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes to sell yourself and the book you hope they will represent/want to publish. It is a nerve-racking few minutes. While we were waiting for our chance at our selected agent/editor, the woman next to me joke that if she passed out cold I should just step over her. I assured her I would if I could manage to pick up my feet that high. My heart was going like I'd run a marathon.

The agent I had chosen to pitch to was lovely and kind, but she wasn't interested in that particular YA fantasy book I had in mind for her. But she did want to see one of my picture books. Very exciting! The reality is that it could be everything--or nothing. I've had agents/editors want to see things in the past and some never even respond afterward. That's the game. That's why you just keep pitching and writing. And always have a "something else" in case they are not interested in the first option.

My biggest piece of advice to new writers (or really all writers) is to attend conferences. Lots of conferences. Beside meeting excellent writers at the top of their game and getting a chance to pitch your work, you will learn so much.

And let's face it, writers are a weird breed of human. Sometimes it's just nice to be around other people who understand how your brain works. In one session, the power went out for about 30 seconds. When it came back on, we all looked around. Was anyone murdered? Did anyone vanish? I'm guessing that's not how normal people would react, but we writers were already typing out the scene in our heads.

Entering contests can be as daunting as submission letters, especially at a good conference, but still do it as often as you can. Your chances of winning are slim, but you should get feedback from the judges that can help make your entry better in the future. I received some great notes on a couple of entries that are headed for life as a book, and one serious skewering that let me know that project should just be set aside for a while. So one entry got a C+ and another won 1st Place. That's life as a writer!

Now it's back to normal life and work, work, work. I head out in a few hours for a school visit at lovely Eureka Springs Elementary. I substituted there for several years while we lived in town, and it will be nice to see old friends and students I know. Then it's time to buckle down for the summer and get the hardcover edition of Why Kimba Saved The World done and out to libraries. Never a dull moment!

I don't do events during the summer, but I'll let you know if anything worthy of note happens. Enjoy the warm weather (finally!!) and read dozens of good books.

Miss Fatty Cat is totally ready for summer break and for her mama to COME HOME!
I pick Callista up from U of A this evening, so she will be one happy cat. 

Have a delightful summer!

Children's Book Week Sale

Just a quick note to let you know that all of my books are on sale on Kindle for 99 cents each. It's a promotion for Children's Book Week, but At the Corner of Magnetic and Main is on sale as well. Grab yourself a copy of any you are missing!

Links here:
Why Kimba Saved The World
Vacation Hiro
Miss Fatty Cat's Revenge
Slinky Steps Out
Max's Wild Night
Dottie's Daring Day
Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess
At the Corner of Magnetic and Main

Sale ends May 6th!

That's all for now because I'm busy prepping for a Career Day Thursday morning before I head out to the OWFI 50th Anniversary conference. Very excited!! More once I'm home.

A Bet Lost & Won

My husband, Scott, had been tweeting with his favorite local newscaster, Paige Preusse from 40/29 News, about the basketball tournament. He lived in Michigan for nearly 40 years, and mostly in the Detroit Metro area, so he was over the moon about U of M going into the final four and then the championship game. Paige was holding firm for Villanova. A friendly bet ensued. If Michigan won, Scott got a signed photo of Paige. If Villanova won . . . Well, we would send Paige one of my books. That's the only interesting thing we could think we had to offer.

By now, I'm sure you know the outcome.

(photo courtesy of Paige Preusse)

We couldn't decide which book to send her, so we dropped off a selection on the canine side of things. Paige tweeted this photo out later that day. Best bet I ever lost! We hope she enjoys them.

At the Corner of Magnetic and Main doesn't often get the love it deserves with so many children's books in the mix, but the San Francisco Review of Books did just post a review recommending it. Very exciting!

Here's an excerpt:

"The plot twists were nicely done. While I saw some of them coming ahead of time, there were also a few surprises along the way that I never would have expected from this tale. The author seemed to have an intuitive understanding of what the audience was expecting from her, and she knew exactly when to give to those expectations as well as when she should ignore them. Her creativity in this area makes me curious to see what she will come up with next!"

And Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess has earned a 5-Star review from Readers' Choice. 

Here's a portion of that review:

"The story is an enchanting fairy tale woven with witches, fairies, dragons, adventure, and whimsy. Bianca's character has been strongly portrayed and her bravery, courage, kindness, and goodness are tangible to young readers as they turn the pages. It is a wonderful read and, with all the action and adventure, has a good pace and movement which will keep readers glued till the very end. It is also interesting to note Bianca's transition from that of a quiet and protected girl to that of being a responsible and confident young girl. For all those who love magic, adventure, action, fantasy, whimsy, and fairy tales, this book is a must-read."

Thank you, Readers' Choice!

I'm gearing up to share my books at several events and school visits over the next few weeks. Stop by to say hello at these two that are open to the public:

April 21             Bella Vista Library Author Showcase, Bella Vista, AR  10:00 am -12:00 pm
April 28 & 29   Old Timers Day Festival, Van Buren, Arkansas

Sadly, both the Fayetteville SpringFest and Block Street Block Party that we normally do in the spring have been cancelled for this year. Hopefully they will be back for 2019. The powers that be promise they will.

My spring newsletter is in the works and will be out by the end of the week. If you want to subscribe to that (I promise, I only send out five or six emails a year) you can do that through the link in the sidebar of this blog for my Reader's Group.

Here's to wishing genuine spring weather for everyone!

And PS:  If you love Twitter, we'd love to have you follow one of us there--
Meg
Kimba  Yes, Kimba has a Twitter account. And a Facebook page. 

Tyson Elementary School Visit

Spring has sprung, and my comfy winter of hiding in my office and getting things done is over. As much as I love that quiet, productive time, I also love getting out and meeting readers. Spring is also the time for author visits at elementary schools, and I was thrilled this week to visit Tyson Elementary right here in Springdale.

I met their librarian, Mrs. Valerie Harp, when she stopped by my booth at the War Eagle Fall Craft Festival in 2017. She was excited to meet a local author, and I was excited to meet such a lovely champion of reading and books. After a few chats over email, we set up my author visit at her school for March 9th.

Yay for Mrs. Harp, Rock Star Librarian!
Kimba and Hiro highly approve.

School visits take on all shapes and forms, but this talk was to the entire student body after their Friday morning assembly. I thought the kids might be a little tired of sitting on the cafeteria floor by the time I came on, but they were wonderful and engaged and loved seeing the real photos of our whole Cats in the Mirror family. Many books went into eager hands, and the library was set up with a copy of all of my books, including Bianca and Max's Wild Night in hardcover. Yes, Max is now in hardcover! But more on that in a minute.

Reading the opening of Bianca and looking at how the cover design was done.
(From Tyson Elementary's Facebook Page)

Both now in hardcover!
(From Tyson Elementary's Facebook Page)

I'm so grateful that Mrs. Harp promoted and supported and cheered on this author visit. I have had events that did not go so well because the librarian didn't help get the kids excited or share my books ahead of time. You can't just drop onto their doorstep. Author visits are the most beneficial when the students are a bit invested in the stories you will be talking about. Mrs. Harp had shared Max with a large percentage of the students, and I love that their biggest concern was if Max was still alive. Yes, Max is most certainly still alive, though he is an old man dog of 12 now. Many, many thanks to Mrs. Harp and all the wonderful people I met at Tyson Elementary. Everyone was so cheerful and welcoming. What a delightful school environment!

And back to a bit more news on the Max front. My cozy winter months were spent fussing with my first edition of Max's Wild Night and creating the hardcover version of the book. My next blog will have much more about that, and hardcover versions of the whole Cats in the Mirror series are on the horizon. Maybe the distant horizon--it's a time-consuming process--but I can still see it.

Many of you are probably getting ready for spring break vacations. Callista comes home on Friday to rest for a week before the final push to end her sophomore year. I'm hoping to get her to create some new illustrations for Why Kimba Saved The World. We shall see.

And if you are in the parts of the country that are covered in snow, I send you my condolences. I lived in the North most of my life and don't miss snow at all. I'll try to swish some warm weather your direction. Scott and Amanda are working on a new flower bed out in front of the house while I type this. It's planting time in Arkansas. Whatever your weather and plans for March, Happy Spring to each of you! 

Dragon Themed Book Sale

Make a quick trip to this link to check out some great deals on dragon themed "clean" read books. I'm participating in a multi-author cross promotion event, and some of the titles look really great. At the bottom of the page, there's an email you can sign up for to receive information about future sales as well.

Of course, Bianca: The Brave Frail and Delicate Princess is on sale as my part of the event, so you can grab a copy on Kindle for 99 cents now through Jan. 9th. Maybe share a copy at this low price! 

I've copied the post from the above link for you convenience, but some of the prices may change during the promotion. Click the link above to be sure you are seeing the most current deals. Enjoy stocking up on some fun dragony reads!

Free:
Would you sacrifice your future to practice magic?	Every child of Woolpren dreams of being a dragon rider, but few are chosen.  Ruskya must fight for his dragon's future.
Amazon	Amazon
$0.99:
After trying to eat Rudolph, a dragon ends up pulling Santa's sleigh. A 1,500-word short story that is very silly.	An arrogant dragon and smartmouthed princess must learn to work together in order to save the world.	Glacia didn't mean to fall in love with the mysterious boy who saved her — it just happened.
Amazon Nook Apple Google Play Kobo Smashwords	Amazon	Amazon
On an island where nightmares come to life, not all creatures are bad.  Here you'll find Melvin, a bubble-breathing dragon who's eager to please.	The hope of their world may rest on the steel he wears at his side.	A lost heir, a determined princess, and a love potion gone awry combine in a fairy tale-style adventure.
Amazon	Amazon	Amazon
To keep the world from being destroyed, the Last Key Keeper must free the dragons from their immortal prison.	When a dragon invades, a frail and delicate princess has to venture into the woods.  But is she brave enough to save them all?	When Lyra opens her lost childhood book, she remembers her destiny and must save Dragonspeir's Alliance.
Amazon Nook Kobo Smashwords	Amazon	Amazon
"To rule with dragons, you must become like one!"	The dragon falls as the raven rises.  A kingdom that does not remember its past may be doomed to repeat it.	My life changed forever after I gave the last rites to a dragon . . .
Amazon	Amazon	Amazon
An L.A. teen is transported to a world teeming with dragons!	A dragon, who isn't supposed to exist.  A history of deadly secrets.  Magic has never seemed more complicated.
Amazon	Amazon
$2.99:
When Kyra finds a dragon egg, she goes against imperial law to protect it, and gains a powerful ally to find her mother's murderer.	Dragons, people, and magical creatures reunite to face the evil bent on destroying them.	The fate of a kingdom rests on the shoulders of three young wizards who couldn't be more different.
Amazon	Amazon	Amazon
Born to rule. Lived to heal. Died to save. Born again.	A lonely sea dragon wants a bride.  Chung Jo wants her father to regain his sight.  They will strike a bargain.	When a young dragon prince is maimed in battle and shunned from his kingdom, he defies fate and eons of tradition by forging his own destiny.
Amazon	Amazon	Amazon
Armed only with the love of a pacifist Healer, a young prince must ask the great dragons to help save the land from monsters.	Rose didn't count on becoming a mother to a baby dragon.  Can three strangers of two different species become a family?	They say the Age of Dragons ended, but one clan remains, destined to reclaim their ancestral home.
Amazon	Amazon Nook Apple Google Play Kobo Smashwords	Amazon
Magic suppressed.  Magic exiled.  Magic murdered.  Where magic is involved, there can only be one conqueror.	When a grieving dragon steals the child Samara is responsible for, she turns to a too-amorous knight to help rescue the child.
Amazon	Amazon
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