“Road To Reviews,”Iggy Loo, Day 13

Here I am in Oregon! Not only was there a crater moon in Idaho but there is a crater lake in Oregon.This happened from a collapse of a volcano 7,700 years ago. It’s the deepest lake in the USA fed by rain and snow.

With my travels I thought it’d be appropriate to stop at Lewis and Clark’s National & State Historical Park. Then I explored the Sea Lion Caves. It’s America’s largest cave and home to the Stellar sea lions. The cave was formed 25 million years ago and is as high as a 12 story building.

The day would not be complete without a visit with my Oregon friend Heather. Here she’ll share her reviews about my new holiday book, Iggy Loo.

Heather writes:  A tender, delightful story of the impressions family traditions have on children. The soft classic Holiday colors illustrated create a story to treasure. Iggy Loo reminds us to embrace family, cherish Holidays and pass on traditions.  

Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Clear Fork Publishing. Ask for it at your local book store and library.
Hard Cover $16.99
Soft Cover $10.99

“Road To Reviews,” Iggy Loo, Day 12

In Idaho today! I had to see the craters of the moon! Created over 15,000 years ago by lava flowing from the Great Rift. A sight to see.

And how can one not see the Idaho Potato Museum while in Idaho! The museum is dedicated to you guess it the spud. Did you know a potato is made up of 80% water? I didn’t know there was so much to learn about a potato. Hey, what do you call a baby potato? A small fry! Ha!

Okay, let’s get serious. I headed over to my friend Kayla where she is going to review one of my favorite holiday books, Iggy Loo.

Kayla: Maria Ashworth’s “Iggy Loo” will bring you back to all of your Holiday memories. The little red head knew just what to do with Iggy Loo to conserve his memory and pass him down to her own child. Such a well written children’s book and the pictures add a world of visual that bring the book to life. This is just what is needed to cherish the holidays. I enjoyed the “how to”, it adds a more personable touch to the end. Definitely adding this one to the collection.
http://www.projectmomdotme.wordpress.com, @pretty_L_mamas

Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Clear Fork Publishing. Ask for it at your local book store and library.
Hard Cover $16.99
Soft Cover $10.99

 

“Road To Reviews,” Iggy Loo, Day 11

Where here in Montana where my morning started out at 39 degrees. Brr…just like I like it. With such a brisk morning I thought I’d explore Glacier National Park where there is over 1500 square feet of wilderness. A ranger took me to native American Speaks even though they’re closed. He felt bad I came all this way. There the tribes shared their knowledge of the history and culture of Native America. Quite interesting. I think I might come back this winter for their Ranger-led Snowshoe Walk.

I made one pit stop to The Big Dipper. Not the star but for ice cream!  I tried the Mango Habanero Sorbet. Spicy!

My last stop was to visit my friend Lara. She wanted to tell you about my new holiday book Iggy Loo but she’s not answering her door. Maybe I’ll try again later.

So I’ll tell you a bit about my book. I had spent a lifetime in my snow globe being admired by the little redhead. But more than anything, I envied the world that surrounds me and craved to experience life outside my globe. Through one shattering event I got my wish. See what happened next in my holiday picture book.

Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Clear Fork Publishing. Ask for it at your local book store and library.
Hard Cover $16.99
Soft Cover $10.99

“Road To Reviews,” Iggy Loo, Day 7

Florida is know for being the home of Walt Disney World, the National Naval Aviation Museum and The Kennedy Space Center. So I thought I’d take you  Gatorland. It opened in 1949 and is considered one of Orlando’s best half-day attraction. When you arrive you enter through the mouth of a gator. Not a real one of course. You can wrestle and alligator, or be a trainer-for-a-day. I preferred to be part of the audience. Here they house the extremely rare”white” alligators.

I had to visit and tour the house of Ernest Hemingway’s. His house is furnished with European antiques. There are six-toed cats still lurking about Hemingway’s home. They are to be the decedents of the cat that
was given to him by a merchant sea captain.

Finally, I got to sit down with my new friend Amber from www.theovereducatedmother.com,  @overeducatedmom. I can’t wait to hear her review of my new holiday book, Iggy Loo.

Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Clear Fork Publishing. Ask for it at your local book store and library.
Hard Cover $16.99
Soft Cover $10.99

“Road To Reviews,” Iggy Loo, Day 5

This morning I headed out to Atlanta, Georgia. Even though Georgia is known as the “peach state” it’s the not the largest producer of peaches. Georgia is know for its largest production of peanuts and  pecans.

Georgia has seven official natural wonders: Amicalola Falls, the Okefenokee Swamp, Providence Canyon, Radium Springs, Stone Mountain, Tallulah Gorge and Warm Springs.

I took in a movie in the world’s largest drive-in called The Varsity. On a busy day they can have over 300,000 people visit. A dose of Happy Feet never gets old.

Afterwards I visited the zoo. Took in a hay ride, ran through a corn maze and picked a pumpkin at Southern Bell Farm.  At The Rock Ranch I took a locomotive train ride, zip lined and walked through a miniature kid town. Perfect for penguins my size.

I ended my time here is Atlanta with listening to my review of Iggy Loo from Amber, www.chinupmom.com, @ChinUpMom

Next stop, Savannah, Georgia.

Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Clear Fork Publishing. Ask for it at your local book store and library.
Hard Cover $16.99
Soft Cover $10.99

“Road To Review,” Iggy loo, Day 4

I made my way to North Carolina home to Nascar’s Hall of Fame. It’s everything you wanted to know about racing. Then I cooled off in Looking Glass Falls. The name “Looking Glass” comes from Looking Glass Rock, where water freezes on its sides in the winter and then glistens in the sunlight like a mirror or looking glass. Then I visited the USS North Carolina Battleship Museum. I even got to steer the ship, start its engines and even fired the guns.

Sad to say my next mommy was not able to review. Stomach bug at their house. I hope their tummies feel better. I thought it was best to finish visiting the sites and not stop at their house. I have too much traveling to do. Come with me on my next stop tomorrow in Georgia to meet my next book reviewer.

Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Clear Fork Publishing. Ask for it at your local book store and library.
Hard Cover $16.99
Soft Cover $10.99

“Road To Reviews,” Iggy Loo, Day 3

I made it to Virginia. They say it’s the state for lovers. Maybe I’ll meet my girlfriend here. You know I had to make my first stop at the Virginia Aquarium. They have hands on exhibits, a nature path and marshlands. I had to have a little fun and ride the Anaconda coaster at Kings Dominion. Whew, what a
ride!

Did you know Virginia has produced more U.S. presidents than any other sate in the United States. The first peanuts grown in the United States were grown in Virginia. And the first Thanksgiving in North America was held in Virginia in 1619.

Before going for a nap I checked in with my next reviewer Jody, @jodycalkins. Check out what she had to say on my new book, Iggy Loo.

Jody writes: Iggy Loo by Maria Ashworth is a heartwarming holiday tale of a little snow globe penguin longing to experience the wonders of life on the other side of the glass. This children’s picture book is wonderfully written and illustrated to capture the heart and longing of this sweet penguin. Children will fall in love with Iggy Loo as they join him on his new journey. Iggy Loo is sure to be a holiday favorite for young children everywhere.

Jody Calkins
Freelance Writer & Editor
Emery Road Writing Services, LLC

Available: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Clear Fork Publishing. Ask for it at your local book store and library.
Hard Cover $16.99
Soft Cover $10.99

 

I Wanted It. I Sought It. I Got It.

I had planned to talk about building your brand and platform in today’s blog post. Then in the beginning of last week, a once in a lifetime event happened to me. One right after the other.

I mentioned to the people in my life that I had to get in the media. Somehow make a name for myself.

Out of the blue, I received a call from Houston Chronicle, a major Texas newspaper, wanting to do a article on me. It blew my mind. Me! A blip on the screen. The reporter and I talked for an hour about my book, My Big Tree and a lot about my blended family book, Step One, Step Two, Step Three and Four. We discussed the plans I had for the National Step Family Celebration in my hometown. By the end of the week, a photographer was in my house taking a photo shoot of me.

The following day I get an email from a major news station, Fox 26 Houston. That blew my mind even more. The next morning a camera was sitting in my study. Amanda Watkins asked me questions about my life as a writer and my presence on social media. It was amazing that I was sitting across from a woman that had been interviewing people for over 20 years. That night I had a real interview segment on television. Ms. Watkins stated, “Maria Ashworth is making a

name for herself…” There it was. Someone saw me trying to make a name for myself. My daughter and I jumped up and down on the couch like Tom Cruise.

Soon after, people started recognizing me around Houston. It was all too surreal. A high that I didn’t want to lose. I knew in the near future it’ll dwindle down to feeling like the day after Christmas. I opened presents that I thought I’d never receive. For now I’m enjoying the ride.

So since my debut of my first picture book, January 2016, I have made it onto radio, podcast, television and paper. You might ask how did this all happen? I’m no celebrity. I know no one. I’m just an unknown writer trying to make it big in this world. I worked my butt off by connecting. Making contacts, soliciting, bartering and getting myself out there. I didn’t wait for it to land in my lap. I didn’t say I’ll do it tomorrow. If I waited until tomorrow someone would’ve already snagged my spot today. I didn’t worry about asking the question. I had a 50/50 chance of saying yes. I’ve heard ‘no’ a lot in my life. When I get those it makes me go out and prove they should’ve said yes.

I wanted it. I sought it. I got it.

Tiny Talk Tuesday with . . . Tracy Barrett

Tracy has always had a love for books at a young age. Her favorites inlcude Charlotte’s Web; The Phantom Tollbooth; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe; The Return of the Twelves; The Jungle Book; The Princess and the Goblin; Five Children and It; Mrs. Mike; Pippi Longstocking; Hitty, Her First Hundred Years; The Secret Garden; the first half of The Once and Future King; Emily of New Moon, poems by William Blake, Ogden Nash, and especially Don Marquis.

Tracy writes mostly historical fiction for young readers and mostly tweens. She received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to study medieval women writers led to the writing of her award-winning young-adult novel, Anna of Byzantium. Her most recent publications are Dark of the Moon, a young-adult retelling of the myth of the Minotaur, The Dark of the Moon, and the popular middle-grade series The Sherlock Files. In 2014 Harlequin Teen will publish her 20th book for young readers, the Stepsister’s Tale, a retelling of Cinderella from the point of view of Jane Halsey, the older stepsister. I’m adding this one to my reading list, sounds amazing.

From 1999 to 2009 Tracy Barrett was the Regional Advisor for the Midsouth (Tennessee and Kentucky) with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She is now SCBWI’s Regional Advisor Coordinator for the United States.

Tracy has taught courses on writing for children and on children’s literature at various institutions and frequently makes presentations to groups of students, librarians, teachers, and others.

She taught Italian, Women’s Studies, English, and Humanities in Nashville, Tennessee for 28 years and resigned in 2012 to devote herself to writing full time.

You can find her and her work at http://www.tracybarrett.com. And now for our “tiny” interview with Tracy.

ME: How do you want to be remembered?

TRACY: As someone who did her best and always kept learning.

ME: Finish this sentence. A perfect day would involve . . .

TRACY: Hitting “the zone” for a long stretch with my writing, then a long walk with the dog, then a nice dinner that someone else cooked.

ME: If you can spend a day with one of your book characters who would it be, and why?

TRACY: Hmm, they’re all so different it’s hard to narrow it down. I guess Jane of THE STEPSISTER’S TALE. She’s smart and enterprising, and speaks her mind.

ME: Tell us five words that describes you as a writer.

TRACY: perfectionist, curious, impatient, experimental, geeky

ME: Are you a Pantser or a Plotter?

TRACY: Absolute pantser. The times I’ve tried to be a plotter have been miserable; it felt like I was doing homework. I like the freedom to have the story develop in unexpected ways. For example, in THE CASE THAT TIME FORGOT (Book 3 of my middle-grade series, The Sherlock Files) I was right near the end when I realized that the guy I had thought committed the crime wasn’t actually the criminal. I think readers are surprised to see who actually did it, because I was surprised myself!

It was my pleasure to interview you, Tracy. May you have many more successes.