This past Saturday was my very first book signing for my new book, The Declaration of Independence from A to Z, at the very quaint Blue Chair Children’s Books in Glendora, California.

This was the perfect place for a first signing: family owned business, very friendly owners, cheerful store, wonderful atmosphere. I couldn’t have been more pleased.

Family, friends, and strangers who became friends, came in, bought books, and had me sign their copies.  And the pictures! I think I had my picture taken more times in those two hours than in my entire lifetime (well, maybe not, but it was a lot!). But I had a great time.

Me with Shaelyn of Blue Chair, and my friend (and sometimes co-author) Gaby.

Special thanks goes to my hostess, Shaelyn, who was very accommodating, asking me constantly if there was anything I needed. I felt so welcomed.

If you are ever in old town Glendora in Southern California, make sure you stop and visit this cute store. There are books, educational toys, and knick knacks to buy, couches and chairs to sit on, and even a climbing wall to scramble up (for the kids…sorry adults). My daughters and their friends and cousins loved the place. We plan to go back again.

This first signing will definitely go down as one of the most memorable moments of my life. I had an absolutely fantastic time.

And if you missed this one, come see me at the Barnes and Noble in Orange this Saturday, February 27th, 2010, from 2pm to 4pm. The store is located at 791 South Main Street in Orange, California. Hope to see you there!

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Last week I had the pleasure of speaking to the 6th grade class of Buena Vista Art-Integrated School in Montclair, CA. I spoke a bit about my writing career, and then read from my new book, The Declaration of Independence from A to Z. The children were very attentive and asked some great questions. I also encouraged any would-be writers to pursue getting published in some of the magazines and e-zines that accept submissions from students.

Thanks Mr. Smith and Mr. Ku and all the 6th graders at Buena Vista for a great visit!

Reading to the 6th graders at Buena Vista Arts-Integrated

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I’m in the process of preparing for a school visit I have later in the week for a group of 6th grade students at a local elementary school. The teacher wants me to talk about writing so I can encourage those who may one day want to be writers.

There is so much to share. The journey I took, like most writers, was one of stepping stones and building blocks. One step led to another, which led to another, etc. But one of the main things I want to stress to these students is the importance of learning, especially at their age.

It is now that they should be reading all they can get their hands on. It is now that they should be developing their spelling and grammar skills. Knowing how thoughts are expressed in a written format, and knowing how to put  one’s thoughts and ideas down coherently at an early age can only increase one’s chances of publication later on.

I am so thankful for some of the tough English teachers I had growing up. I didn’t enjoy those classes at that time, but I did do one thing: I learned. And that learning has opened up some amazing writing doors for me.

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What an amazing feeling to be holding my first published book! It’s a mix of shock, wonder, and happiness held together by a vague sense of unreality. This has been an almost 3 year in the making process and I am very pleased with the results. (Notice the smile!)

Me holding my first published book!

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To the right you will find links to two book trailers for my new book, The Declaration of Independence from A to Z. The first one I put together, and the second one was created by the illustrator of the book, Layne Johnson. Enjoy!

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This weekend I spent a few hours on Saturday on the remake of one of my book promos. The audio on the original was poor, so I took the original monologue but used a different background. This week I will edit the video and add titles so it can be used as a promotional piece.

Sometimes things need to be redone. An article needs to be reworded or a character needs to be redeveloped. Whatever the case, we should not balk too much when we have to take a second try at something. I think it encourages creativity and flexibility.

What have you had to redo lately?

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It’s a good thing I like to research. I never realized that much of my writing (perhaps 60% or more) involves research of some sort. Whether it’s looking up facts about early American history, shipping trade along the California coast, or confirming Bible passages, I’m constantly taking time off from writing to look up details.

But that’s okay. I want my stories to be accurate, and I love adding tidbits of information that will make my work interesting to my readers.

Currently I’m working on developing my school visit program. I’ve already scoured the library for books and I’ve electronically visited the digital collections of the Library of Congress to find those wonderful snippets that will make my visit a memorable one. I even have a family member in Virginia checking on some facts when she visits Colonial Williamsburg.

Research is an important aspect of writing. I hope you’re taking the time to get “in the details.”

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Do you ever think about how one thing leads to another? If I hadn’t offered to help my friend improve her writing, I wouldn’t have been bitten by the writing bug. And if I hadn’t been written by the writing bug at that time, I wouldn’t be having a book coming out next month. One domino drops, and a whole sequence starts moving.

I may have had a little domino effect today. If I hadn’t taken time to make a phone call about a non-writing matter this morning, the person I called would have never known I was a writer. And if that person didn’t know I was a writer, I may not have an opportunity for a possible event regarding my book.

We never know where our steps will take us, but if we never step out and move in a direction, we’ll never know what potentials are waiting for us.

Where are your dominos leading you?

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As 2010 quickly approaches, it’s time to rethink goals, especially when it comes to writing. What is it that you want to accomplish? What is your vision for this upcoming year? What steps, even small ones at first, can you take to help make those goals a reality?

Proverbs 29:18a says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” We must have a purpose to what we do. Personally, I have given my writing for 2010 to the Lord. I feel He needs to be the One to direct me in how He wants me to use this gift of words.

How about you? What goals are you setting for 2010?

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I am noticing as I prepare for the release of my first book, The Declaration of Independence from A to Z, that it is necessary to keep events current. With facebook, blogs, and author pages to think about, I need to make sure that I am posting regularly, and that I keep on top of upcoming dates.

Have I listed my book’s release date on all sites? Have I kept up with book signings, making sure I post correct dates, times, and locations? Is my photo current? Have I posted my book’s image?

It is important to keep all this up-to-date. You want potential fans to find your book. If necessary, mark a day on your calendar every week or every other week to specifically work on updates.

And it is also important to keep looking for new marketing ideas. I want to post a video to both youtube and Amazon’s author page. This is exposure time, and an author needs to get his/her book out into the public eye.

What are you doing to keep current your events?

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