Blog Archives
Walter
After being neglected by a previous owner, curious and energetic Walter looks over the fence and discovers an entire world he has never seen before. Wanting so badly to experience this world, he takes matters into his own paws and jumps the fence. Walter by Sara V. Robinson is a sweet children’s book that is dedicated to the animals who have a special role in this world. This charming story follows Walter, an adorable black Labrador mix, who finds himself at an Atlanta, Georgia dog pound waiting for his forever family.
This heartfelt kids book is told through the perspective of Walter, and I felt the dialogue to be right on point with what I would imagine a dog sounding like when experiencing things or deciphering body language with humans. The book is a little sad, but the story does not go into detail about animal abuse, ensuring the story is emotionally light and approachable, and this also help keeps the focus on the point of the story. Which is that all animals deserve to be loved and live their lives to the fullest.
The images by illustrator Edixon Rodriguez matched the sweet and tender personality of Walter and helps readers connect with the story. It is an easy read, and there is a Spanish version provided as well. This can be beneficial for young children who are learning another language or for Spanish speaking people. My favorite part of this wonderful book is that it is inspired by a real story and includes a picture of the real Walter at the very end.
Walter is an emotional, illuminating and uplifting story of one dog’s journey towards love, trust and his forever home.
Pages: 106 | ASIN: B0B6L5DSDW
Superhero’s In Their Homes
My Mom has Superpowers follows a young girl who believes her mom has superpowers; once she realizes her power is prayer, she too wants to become a superhero. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration for writing this book was so many kids look for superstars (football players, rappers, singers, etc., etc.) as superhero’s and they have superhero’s in their homes. I wanted children to just look to their mom or dad or even older relatives and they will see that they can be inspired from people in their own personal lives.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Ishika Sharma?
My illustrator is very talented and she worked with me to bring my story to life with her awesome work. I have recommended her to other authors since our collaboration.
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters?
I saw myself in the main characters because I always looked up to my own Mother because she was so awesome! And she had much faith and belief.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The next book that I am currently working on is a Children’s Christmas book. This will be my first Christmas book. I have a great message to share in that book. I am working for its release in a couple of months. More to follow…
Author Links: Facebook | Instagram | Website | Twitter
Tegan Finds Her Tribe
Tegan is a charming and unique cat who has big dreams. But those dreams are dashed when she’s abandoned in the woods. She survives one terrible night and decides to take it upon herself to seek safety and a new home. What she finds instead is a band of friends that make her feel better and let her be who she is.
Tegan Finds Her Tribe is a heartwarming and uplifting children’s book that teaches young readers to persevere in the face of adversity, and that a home is really a place where people accept you for who you are, not just a place. Throughout the story Tegan is wonderfully emotive, ensuring that readers can see her emotion in every situation, which speaks to the fantastic illustrations throughout the story. Tegan’s nose looks like a little balloon and was one thing I looked forward to in every scene. This picture book is filled with beautiful watercolor art that is vibrant, has depth and reminded me of the artwork in The Lorax by Dr. Seuss.
The story starts off with Tegan being abandoned, which is hard to see, but the story then takes readers on an inspiring adventure that is filled with lots of creative and cute imagery. I loved the scene where Tegan lists all the animals she heard in the woods. They were all so cute. Tegan’s imagination is also a source of inspiration for her and provides her with the motivation she needs to keep going. I really enjoyed this idea and I think it makes this book unique because there are not many kids books that show kids how to find inspiration from within. It’s usually an external force that motivates the character. In this book, Tegan motivates herself to find something better, imagines what that could be, and then goes out to find it.
Author Melinda Booth has created an inspirational children’s book that takes young readers on poignant journey to find a place where an abandoned cat can feel like herself. This is the perfect book for parents and teachers to educate kids on acceptance and empathy and show them how to find the strength from within to overcome obstacles.
Pages: 32 | ASIN: B0B57ZH86Z
From The Cats’ Perspective
The Legend of Paisley Pete follows a house cat that is abandoned by his family, and a feral colony takes him in till they can all be rescued. What was the inspiration for your story?
This story is based on real-life events when my townhome community became overrun with stray and feral cats, like overnight. My cat whisperer neighbor and I singlehandedly trapped, neutered, delivered to the Humane Society, rehomed with trusted folks and took in for ourselves some 30 cats over the course of two summers. It was fascinating yet disappointing to watch a blue-eyed feral kitten hiss and spazz-ball if you tried to pet it. I realized after we handled so many and varied personalities of cats that it’s humankind’s fault that animals bred for domesticity should ever find cause to be wary of us. When our mission was complete, I knew I never wanted to lose the memory of it all. Well, it did fade. I couldn’t remember all the silly names we came up with or what cat ended up where or with whom. So the only thing to do was finally sit down earlier this year and capture the essence of the experience and tell it from the cats’ perspective.
What is one thing about feral cats that you think is misrepresented in the media?
That feral cats are unlovable is the notion fostered in the media or other sources of misinformation. I’ve assessed that there are 3 types of feral cats: Too old and therefore wild to socialize, possibly able to be socialized as a pet later in their life, very likely to become socialized within first 3 months of life.
Yet, there was something about my partner, the real Miss Judy from the story, who coaxed 6 too-far-gone feral cats into her home, where they never beg to go out, simply because of the sweetness of the energy surrounding her. They love to be petted. But they will likely never be cuddle buns or lap cats even for Miss Judy. Once too old, there are still boundaries they’re unable to cross, and that appears to be long periods of close bodily contact. Still, that’s them giving to us their very best.
What do you hope is one thing readers take away from your book?
Please foster and adopt stray and feral cats. At the very least, TNR (trap/neuter/release) any you find and do it kindly. Remember, you can still love too-far-gone ferals from afar by feeding them and constructing shelters for them. At the very most, endeavor to “Miss Judy” them and bring them home to bask in your love.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
A Halloween story is in the works – actually on Kindle Vella right now – that I’ll create into a picture book, I hope in time for October 2022. On the creation horizon I see other animal stories forming in my imagination, fairies ‘n’ fireflies, unicorn quest and oodles more ideas for children, my favorite kind of people.
Awarded the August 2022 Literary Titan Gold Book Award
Author Links: GoodReads | Website
Inspired By My Daughter
Sofia Gama and the Templar’s Prophecy follows a schoolgirl that inherits ancient magic and is part of a plan to save the world from evil. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The inspiration for this series and, in this case, the first volume “Sofia Gama and the Templar’s Prophecy” came to me during a bus ride from Lisbon to Nazaré, when I was listening to the song “I save the World today” by Eurythmics on the radio, which inspired me for this whole series. During the whole ride I wrote everything on everything I could get my hands on (I always carry a pen and some paper with me), including my checkbook, ruining the remaining 20 checks in the process…
The creation of “Sofia Gama and the Templar’s Prophecy” was very unusual. Curiously, it was all written during night time. I would wake several times to write, in the dark even, fall back asleep and so on and so forth till morning. During the day I’d transcribe my notes into the computer, because if it takes me more than three days to do so I won’t be able to figure out what I have written… I wrote very fast in order to keep up with my imagination and some times even I have a hard time deciphering my own handwriting, which can be a little bit frustrating!… The physical appearance of the character was inspired by my daughter Inês.
Sofia is a young girl that has to discover herself and her destiny. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
The crucial plot is the presence of the Portuguese language in the World, spoken by roughly 260 million people spread out over the five continents. In my young adult books, I always strive to impart information that I deem valuable and enriching, knowledge that stimulate the thought process and which transmit human values that allow for a better development, as better citizens. I care about finding interesting facts related to the place or subject about which I am writing at the time, in order to provide the reader with this pleasure of learning something new. Learning something new while you read is very important to me. If we can associate the pleasure of reading with learning about different subjects, all the better.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The Portuguese Discoveries, the Language, History, friendship, loyalty, courage, camaraderie, imagination. My main goal is to captivate youngsters into reading more and provide fun, adventure, mystery, excitement and suspense to my readers.
Sofia Gama and the Templar’s Prophecy was very special to me since it allowed me to enter a submarine belonging to the Portuguese Navy, since it was impossible to enter the German submarine from World War II that lays sunken in the depths off the shore of Nazaré. Not to mention the amazing experience of being in direct contact with the dolphins in the Lisbon Zoo, since I always visit the places where my books will take place. In addition to that, this book was an amazing hit in Portugal and Brasil, not only among the young, but among grownups as well, for it captivated them too – I received feedback from some amazing cases. From the many readers that read this book multiple times, two readers stand out: an eleven year old Portuguese boy who read it 13 times, and a Brazilian woman who read it 8 times.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I am currently writing my next historical novel, in Portuguese. Later this year, Underline Publishing will release “The Forgotten Treasure”, the second volume of The Port of the Grail trilogy, in succession of “The Quest for the Lost Map”. There will also be a new adventure: “The Adventurers in Underground River”.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
Meanwhile, the Enemy’s mission is to destroy the messenger of the prophecy and keeper of the medallions and prevent, at all costs, the birth of the future Warriors. Almost a thousand years have passed, and one of the warriors has just been born… Pursued by the Enemy, Sofia Gama takes refuge in a quaint little town where a big secret resides: Nazaré.
SOFIA GAMA AND THE TEMPLAR’S PROPHECY is an exhilarating and engaging story, filled with emotion, adventure, and suspense that will make readers stay glued to the page. The Warriors of Light is a captivating and fantastic young adult series that has delighted readers of all ages.
Enjoy the Things of this World
M.J. And The Big Kitchen Window follows a curious dog who watches animals outside her window and wants to go outside to meet them. What was the inspiration for your story?
The inspiration for writing this book actually came from my dog, name M.J. (short for Mary Jane). She loves to look outside at what’s going on in the world from the big kitchen window. The window faces the front of the house so she can see people, squirrels, birds, and other animals in the yard and on passing by the house.
The art in this book is fantastic. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Tania Ramirez Cuevas?
I enjoyed working with my illustrator. She is outstanding at her craft. I sent pictures of what I wanted M.J. to look as well as what the mother to look like and she did her magic! She is awesome!
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The ideas that I wanted to show to my readers were simple but I hope effective. I wanted to show how it is so easy to enjoy the things of this world. All of the animals mentioned in the book brought happiness to M.J. which is why she would bark so loud. This world is full of people, places, things, even animals that brings us joy.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The last book that I just completed was released July 28, 2022. It is a Children’s Inspiration Book. I am very proud of this book. It has been receiving favorable reviews since its released. And I am working on a Christmas book to be released for the upcoming Christmas holiday.
Author Links: Amazon | GoodReads
What If The Stones Came Skipping Back?
Dragon Stones follows a brother and sister who go on an adventure and meet a dragon, only to almost end up as a snack. Can Aunt Edwina save them? What was the inspiration for your story?
When I was young my family would spend summers at our camp on the lake in Maine. My older brother was obsessed with skipping stones out into the lake. He was quite good at it. He was also maybe a little ADHD so my brother is definitely the inspiration for Ron.
Later when I was writing down “story seeds” as I like to call them, I thought about that time on the lake and I jotted down one sentence. “What if the stones came skipping back?”
The cover for this book is interesting. How did you create the cover for Dragon Stones?
I wanted a very contemporary children’s book cover design. I did a Google search on “Best children’s book covers 2020”, then I added the words forest and dark to the search. I found about 10 that I liked and based my sketches on those. Then I chose the sketch that popped from the others. Once I had the illustration complete, I added three text designs and posted them in my Children’s Book cover critique group. The edited version based on comments is what made the cover. It’s a process I use often.
What drew you to becoming a children’s author?
I was drawn to creating children’s books during my time at The School of Visual Arts in New York. I loved the illustration work I was seeing in children’s books and it strongly influenced art. Then, once I had children I was reading so many children’s books all the time that I began writing them, and other stories for young people.
Will there be other books with Aunt Edwina, if so when will it be available?
I do have another book planned but it may be a year or two as I have several books scheduled before that one. That title is called “Forever Snowman,” and I am hoping it won’t be too long before I get to it.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
LITERARY TITAN 