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MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: Children’s Book Tour

children's book tourMIDDLE GRADE FICTION: Children’s Book Tour

A Children’s book tour can be so taxing, I am not sure how Teachers do it day in and day out.  Children are amazing, but wow…I’m exhausted from the tour.  It’s 4:18 pm on Presidents Day and I’m in bed.  Not because i’m sick, and not because I’m…whatever.  It’s because I am FINALLY HOME…at least for 4 days.

Looking at the run from December and the Big Giveaway to the Southern California Writer’s Conference Key Note last night….I am T-I-R-E -WHOOPED.  See, you thought I was going to write, TIRED, didn’t you.  I’m not tired, I’m whooped.  16 cities and 1000’s of kids.  As far east to Nashville, south to New Orleans, and North to Seattle.  On this leg of the Saltwater Taffy Children’s Book Tour, Largest Assembly was 400 middle school kids.  One mic, one author and 400 kids in one auditorium?  It was awesome.  When you book your children’s book tour, make sure to pencil in some time for you to do simply NOTHING.  It will help, trust me.  Lesson learned.

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION: You Have To Really Want It!

Middle Grade FictionMiddle Grade Fiction: You Have to Really Want It

Writing a Middle Grade Fiction novel has taught me many things, but the one thing it’s really taught me is that you have to really want it.  After 7 cities and a grueling 14-day tour that took me as far as the Big Easy of New Orleans, Louisiana, I am back on the road of adventure that will make Saltwater Taffy a best selling book for Tweens.

We have had some amazing things happen at the Saltwater Taffy Network as of late, most of which will be a mention in the upcoming issue of Scholastic Instructor Magazine, hitting shelves in May.  Yes, that is HUGE for an independent book, but as one Teacher of the Year remind me in an email, ‘it is not a surprise.’   Read more

MIDDLE GRADE FICTION

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

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

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