Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Crazy Busy Summer


With Monday evening's arrival, I put the summer to bed one last time. School started yesterday and so far, so good. It sure seems to be easier than when the kids were in lower grades. Like most parents, I'm hoping it'll stay that way. My oldest is a senior - gulp - and he's getting his senior pictures taken and I'm having my author photos retaken the same day. Seems so strange to think of that. And exciting.

I have had a very busy writing summer. I had two full novels come out and contracted my 10th last Friday. I've also written another children's book, but haven't had a chance to polish and submit it yet. Tomorrow I'm going to Las Vegas for a writer's convention. I'm filled with nervous anxiety. I'm doing my first reading as an author. I read at mass all the time, but this is different and I hope I do okay.

Kathy from I Am a Reader, Not A Writer, interviewed me and reviewed my book, First Spring. Please click on the link and come by and get to know me a little bit better and you could win the book, too.

It's good to get back into a regular rhythm again. The topsy-turvey summer schedule had me frazzled a lot of days. The autumn leaves and a bumper crop of apples have my attention. It's my favorite season. What's on your autumn calendar?

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Margaret Rose

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Happy Baby! Happy Review!




The big day arrived yesterday. My niece, Sara, and her husband, Ben, welcomed their son, Carter Benjamin into the world. Healthy, 7 pounds, 13 ounces, all fingers and toes present. I've seen a photo and he's a great looking baby. If you'll recall, about five weeks ago, I wrote about Sara after I went to her baby shower. So, now I am a Great Aunt. That sounds so silly. She will be coming for a visit and the baptism and I am eager to meet Carter.



Speaking of babies, I got a fantastic review of my nursery rhyme from the Children's and Teen's Book Connection. I'd be pleased if you took a look. Reviewers have a hard job and I offer my thanks for their time and kind words. Read the review now! The buy link is in the review, but here it is just in case you know of a special child in your life that deserves a wonderful bedtime story. Buy First Spring by Margaret Rose at Guardian Angels Publishing.

July 4th is just a few days away. I hope you'll take some time to relax and reflect on what a great nation we have and offer a prayer of thanksgiving for those who have lead our nation and who do so today.


Until the next time,
Margaret Rose

Monday, June 27, 2011

Watching Creativity Blossom

Yesterday after church, I was at a farewell gathering. While I was waiting for my turn to say goodbye, a fellow walked up to me and told me his daughter was here and she is a budding author. I couldn't resist the opportunity to cheer her on. Her eyes got big as saucers when I shook her hand and told her who I was. Her mom did the same. Made me chuckle inside. Anyway, I sat down with Kathryn and she told me all about the fascinating chapter book she is writing with her girlfriend. Her imagination was inspiring. She's 10 years old. To think at such a young age, the idea of writing a chapter book doesn't scare the dickens out of her. 

Writing a "chapter book" scared me most of my life.


Her mom asked me some questions about how and where I write. I write about 60 hours a week and I always write in the same place. I told Kathryn that she should try to write something every day, too. Even if she doesn't feel like working on her chapter book that day, write a little paragraph about something else to get in the writing habit. Then we talked a little about her main character, Jenny. Jenny is a lot like Kathryn. That's a good thing, I told her, write what you know. I explained how I find pictures of my characters and keep little notes about them so when I'm writing I don't forget important details.  She thought these suggestions were good since she'd already forgotten a few things.

This is a child who will be a lifelong writer and critical thinker. Her tenacity was really something. Maybe she won't become an author, but some of what she does now will obviously help her in school and maybe she'll have a lifelong love for creative writing. And she'll live boldly, because a child who isn't afraid to write a chapter book at age 10 has it going on.

She asked for my email address and smiled like she won the lottery when I wrote it down without hesitation.  Of course mom will be over her shoulder but this little girl really inspired me and I look forward to hearing from her soon.


I love fireworks. Do you? I've watched them from high above in airplanes. I've watched them in Europe and I love watching them at home. I hate the mosquitoes that always come with though. LOL We'll have my husband's family and some of mine here for the long weekend. My eldest son's concert/jazz bands are playing in the park that evening and my youngest will be in the Honor Guard for Scouts too. Our flags will be waving. Thank you, brave men and women, who fought and served our company so bravely, so fiercely, so all we have to worry about on July 4th is whether we get a good seat for the fireworks.  Sure puts those sacrifices in perspective.

I hope you're enjoying your summer. Until the next time,

Margaret Rose

Friday, May 27, 2011

Joy and Inspiration
















One of the great things about being an author is to get the reactions from people who read your work. Little Chloe is reading my nursery rhyme, First Spring. Her grandmother, Maeve, won the book in a contest I participated in to support St. Jude's Children's Hospital. It gives me a lot of pleasure to be able to autograph books and sometimes meet the people who've gotten them.

Last weekend, I was at a baby shower for my niece, Sara. In addition to being my niece, she's also my god-daughter and this is the first time I'll be a great-aunt. When she read the cover, it took her a second to connect the author name to me and I totally loved the expression on her face when she did. It was such a nice moment that I will cherish for a very long time...well, maybe until I get to read the book to her child. Now that will be something.

Spring has been a nasty mess of cold weather and storms here. Not nearly as bad as some of our neighbors to the south, but we haven't come out of it unscathed. A dumpster will arrive in our yard on Tuesday and they'll replace our roof for the third time in nearly as many years. A broken window and all our deck railings wait to be hauled away too.

Despite the destruction and my impatience with Mother Nature, I found some inspiration between the rain drops. I've begun writing a new rhyme about going barefoot. When I was a child, if there wasn't snow on the ground, we had no shoes on our feet. My mother didn't like us out barefoot breaking skim ice on mud puddles. And I remember many first days of school, struggling to keep my socks and shoes on, but that didn't stop us very often. The rhyme is still pretty rough in some spots, but I hope to make it behave this weekend. And maybe in the coming months I'll be able to tell you it'll be published.

I hope you have a great Memorial Day holiday weekend. Remember to thank a vet and pray for soldiers and their families.

Until the next time,
Margaret Rose

Monday, May 16, 2011

Summer Reading for Young Reluctant Readers-Kai Strand


Some people feel you aren’t truly reading unless you can smell the ink on paper or hear the crack of the spine when you fold open the book. But let’s face it, reading needs to come with a warning, “Results May Vary.”

Are you raising a reluctant reader? Do they groan when you remind them they need to do their 20 minutes of reading homework? Are you already lamenting the arguments you will have during the summer just to keep their newly acquired reading skills from rusting like the Tin Man is a summer downpour? Never fear, hope is here. This summer, try a new approach to reading.

Take your child and one of his friends downtown. Ask them to take turns reading the signs, the shop names, the brochures taped in storefront windows as you wander. Be sure to end at the candy shop where you can reward them with a scoop of ice cream after they’ve read all the different kinds available to choose from.

Does your child love the computer? Let them play on sites like Guardian Angel Kids an inter-active online magazine. In order to play, they will have to read the instructions!

Speaking of computers, Be There Bedtime Stories is a webcam storytelling site that allows you to record yourself (or a grandparent, aunt or uncle) reading a book, then your child can read along on screen as they listen. There are so many titles to choose from, you are certain to find one your child will love to read again and again.

Books on CD make a perfectly acceptable substitution to reading the paperbound version of a book. Listening to a book on CD models good reading skills for your child. Exposes them to new words, within the proper context, in turn broadening their vocabulary.

The love of reading doesn’t always develop the same in our children as it did in us. Yet, if you approach reading with a creative eye, you will often find the type of reading your child enjoys. In the end, you are helping your child to develop a skill they will need and use throughout life. Instead of curling up with a good book, they may plug in headphones and listen to it on their IPod or curl up opposite you with their eReader, but you can rest assured that they will have learned to love the written word as much as you, because you were willing to let them come at it from a different direction.

Happy reading!

Kai's debut book is The Weaver. This is the synopsis:

In a town of word weavers, Mary suffers through her third year of Novice Word Weaving. Mary thinks her troubles are over when she meets a gnome-elf who grants her a wish. But instead of weaving a better story, she's weaving strange yarn charms to accompany her still pathetic tales.

It's getting great reviews! Get your copy of The Weaver here.



About Kai:

Kai Strand is a children's author of middle grade and young adult novels. She was born and raised in the Midwest, where she inherited a wholesome outlook on life. She lived in California long enough to become a (very lucky) wife and the mother of four amazing kids. They now live in Central Oregon where the most common sound in her household is laughter. The second most common is, "Do your dishes!"

Obviously, Kai likes to write. The Weaver is Kai’s debut book. She reads a lot as well and calls it research. Kai loves to garden, and is trying out a greenhouse for the first time this year. She loves to sing. You might find her singing in Latin while browsing at Target. Most of the time she isn’t aware she’s singing aloud. She and her family love to hike and geocache. Kai walks 45 miles a month for exercise.

You can visit Kai online at www.kaistrand.com or at her blog, Strands of Thought, www.kaistrand.blogspot.com.

Thank you for visiting with us today, Kai. I wish you great success on your book tour and with The Weaver. I have a reluctant reader at our house and these tips do help a lot.

Until the next time,

Margaret Rose

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

If you don't...



I submitted First Spring to the Boston Globe's Horn Book Awards today. It cost me an arm and a leg to get the books there by overnight mail since I didn't learn about the contest until yesterday. The awards have been handed out since 1967 for excellence in children and young adult literature.


Do I have more than a snowball's chance in hell to win? Who knows, but as the old saying goes, you'll never know if you don't try.

When it comes to writing, I think that's one thing I've learned over the past 10 years. My fear of writing about things I didn't know or understand had to take a back seat when I was forced into writing magazine features. Over time, I got in my groove and really, really enjoyed it.

Time on my hands forced me to try fan fiction. The ball started rolling and turned into novels.One novel has turned into eight in three years. In many ways, I'm glad I didn't know all about the requirements for being a published author before I tried it. I'm pretty sure I'd have been so overwhelmed with the information, I'd have believed that college prof who said I was too lazy to be a good fiction writer.

To be perfectly honest, I submitted First Spring for publication because I figured I had nothing to loose. And look how it turned out? I have a great little nursery rhyme out - with Lynda and Mariana's wonderful help.

In essence, our fears hold us back. Live boldly. Failure teaches us how to succeed in the future. Will I win one of these coveted awards? Don't know. It would be darn cool. At least I tried.

What have you dared to do lately? I'd love to hear your story.

Until the next time.
Margaret Rose

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Win an Autographed Copy of First Spring


Come by Kai Strand's lovely blog and find out what's in our Easter baskets. Tell me your favorite springtime memory and you could win a print copy of my nursery rhyme, First Spring. Your memory doesn't have to be serious - could be crazy funny! I enjoy them all. I hope to hear from you! Click here to go to Kai's blog! The contest runs through April 14.

If you don't want to take your chances, First Spring is a wonderful Easter and/or baby shower gift. You can get your print or eBook copy right now here.

See you at Strands of Thought!

Margaret