Middle Grade Fiction Tour

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Saltwater Taffy

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION TOUR

The middle grade fiction tour with with Saltwater Taffy and the two week adventure is long, but I am proud to say the entire journey has been more than worth it.  I now understand why teachers do what they do, even though the state pays them a salary less than a manager at McDonalds.  They do it because when a child looks into your eyes and you see that light go on?  Truly an AWESOME experience and I am honored to be part of it.  I just can’t wait to reach…

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MIDDLE GRADE FICTION

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middle grade fiction

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION

Our middle grade fiction tour carries on.  Walking the streets of New Orleans with Saltwater Taffy under my arm brought back an afternoon of memories from my days on the USA NETWORK show, THE BIG EASY.

On this trip we met some amazing parents, educators and children of all type in the Crescent City.  I think the coolest thing about the trip was discovering the indie bookstore of OCTAVIA BOOKS, located in the Garden District.  Filled with best selling books, Tom and Judith Lafitte (yes, Judith is related to the great pirate, Jean Lafitte) are two amazing bookstore owners.  Their store is intimate and friendly, which was perfect for the kids who showed up for the Saltwater Taffy book sining.  I especially… Read more

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: DENVER

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Middle grade fiction

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: DENVER

The middle grade fiction tour of Saltwater Taffy arrived in Denver today.  This tour stop for Saltwater Taffy is super special because my wife Julie flew in for a weekend visit.  We picked up the rent-a-car and hit the road for Denver area bookstores.

The first stop was the Tattered Cover Bookstore, which is an AWESOME indie store in downtown Denver.  There was something amazing about this shop because it felt like walking into a piece of history.  I mean, it had this awesome smell of paper…. Read more

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: Phoenix BOYS & GIRLS CLUB

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Middle grade fiction

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: Phoenix BOYS & GIRLS CLUB

The latest stop on our middle grade fiction stop with Saltwater Taffy finds us at the Boys & Girls Club of Phoenix.

After canvasing the city with Saltwater Taffy for tweens and parents alike, Illustrator R.C. Nason and I ended up at the Jerry Colangelo Boys & Girls Club of Phoenix.  The kids at this club were my toughest audience to date.  I am sure it has something to do with the tough neighborhood they are in, but WOW…it was like pulling teeth for the first 15 minutes of my talk.  But…for those of you who know me, this is precisely the reason I am out here.  To uplift and elevate! Read more

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: It Bled and it Led…Bhaaaaa

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middle grade fiction

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION

At the start of our middle grade fiction tour, something happened that is a testament of our society.  In a moment of ‘sureality,’ which is my new word for a surreal reality, I flew home to Las Vegas for two speaking engagements with Saltwater Taffy at Cannon Jr. High School on Tuesday.  What made this visit surreal is the full-page story about Saltwater Taffy on the front page of the R-Jeneration Section.

Having prepared for the trip for a good month or so, we gained interest from ABC News, Channel 13 as a community interest story of ‘home town boy makes good.’  While they couldn’t book us on their morning shows, they did want to come out and tape an interview for the evening news as I presented to 150 middle school children.

As a speaker, the Middle School audience can be the most intimidating audience there is.  Speaking to adults is easy, but Read more