Blog Archives
Visual Variety
Alex the Circus Clown: Learning Colors is Fun! invites young readers into a vibrant circus where Alex and his clown friends turn learning colors into a playful, rhyming celebration. What inspired you to use a circus setting to teach children about colors?
I chose the circus setting because it naturally brings color, energy, and excitement to the page. When children think of the circus, they usually picture bright balloons, costumes, laughter, and fun, so it felt like the perfect place to introduce colors in a way that would immediately capture their attention. I wanted learning to feel playful, not forced.
Alex the Circus Clown gave me the opportunity to create a world that feels joyful and inviting for young children. The circus is full of movement, imagination, and visual variety, which made it a great fit for teaching something as basic but important as color recognition. It also allowed me to use rhythm and rhyme in a way that feels lighthearted and entertaining.
More than anything, I wanted children to connect learning with happiness. If a child can smile, laugh, and enjoy the experience while also learning their colors, then the book has done what I hoped it would do.
How did you decide which colors to include, especially more specific shades like maroon, copper, aqua, and olive?
I wanted the book to go beyond just the basic colors children usually learn first. Of course, those foundation colors matter, but I also wanted to introduce them to a wider range of shades in a fun and natural way. Children notice more than we sometimes give them credit for, and books can be a simple way to expand their vocabulary early.
Colors like maroon, copper, aqua, and olive were included because they add variety and make the book feel richer and more interesting. The circus gave me the freedom to do that. It is such a colorful world that it did not feel out of place to include shades that are a little more unique. Balloons, costumes, props, and decorations all gave me room to bring in those colors in a playful way.
I also liked the idea of giving parents and teachers something extra to work with. A child may not remember every shade right away, but hearing those words early helps build familiarity. It opens the door for conversation, repetition, and curiosity, which are a big part of learning at that age.
For me, it was really about making the book more engaging while also giving children a broader and more colorful learning experience.
The illustrations are full of motion, pattern, and personality; how did you envision the visual style of Alex and his clown friends?
I wanted the visual style to feel lively, warm, and full of joy. Since this book is for young children, I pictured Alex and his clown friends as friendly, playful, and inviting rather than exaggerated or overwhelming. I did not want anything harsh or distracting. I wanted children to look at the characters and immediately feel comfortable, curious, and ready to turn the page.
The movement was important to me because the circus is never still. In my mind, everything in that world has energy—balloons floating, costumes bouncing, clowns performing, and color everywhere. I wanted the illustrations to reflect that sense of motion and excitement so the book would feel alive from page to page.
The patterns and bright details were also intentional. Since the book is about colors, I wanted the artwork to do more than just support the words. I wanted it to help carry the learning. The costumes, props, and backgrounds gave me the chance to fill the pages with visual variety in a way that keeps children engaged while reinforcing the colors they are seeing and hearing.
As for Alex and his friends, I envisioned them each having their own personality while still fitting together as part of the same cheerful circus world. I wanted them to feel expressive, fun, and memorable. My goal was for children to connect with them, not just as characters in a lesson, but as friends leading them through a colorful adventure.
What do you hope parents, teachers, and caregivers take away from reading this book with children?
I hope they take away that learning can be simple, joyful, and shared. For me, this book is not just about teaching colors. It is about creating a moment where a child can learn, smile, and feel encouraged at the same time.
I hope parents, teachers, and caregivers see that early learning does not have to feel like pressure. It can be fun, lighthearted, and full of imagination. Sometimes the best learning happens when a child is relaxed, engaged, and enjoying the experience.
I also hope the book gives adults a chance to interact with children in a meaningful way. Whether they are reading aloud, pointing out colors, or talking about their favorite pages, those small moments matter. They help build vocabulary, attention, confidence, and connection.
More than anything, I hope this book leaves them with the reminder that children learn best when learning feels like joy.
Author Links: Facebook | Website
Chef Quiche’s Shapes and Colors
Chef Quiche’s Shapes and Colors follows Quiche Junior and his parents on a rainy Saturday trip to the Giggle and Grow Museum, where a cheerful treasure hunt turns into a playful lesson in shapes and colors. Guided by Mr. Orange and an ancient-looking parchment, Quiche Junior searches the museum for circles, squares, triangles, rectangles, ovals, rhombuses, stars, and hearts hidden inside colorful artwork. By the end, the real treasure isn’t gold or jewels, but a rainbow outside the window, a sweet reminder that beauty and hope can appear after even the grayest afternoon.
I found the book charming in a very earnest and homemade-feeling way. The writing has a lively read-aloud rhythm, especially when the shape clues slip into rhyme, and I could easily imagine a preschooler joining in with the repeated pattern of “checked” after each discovery. There’s something endearing about how much the book wants to give children: vocabulary, observation skills, color recognition, shape facts, and a soft emotional message all at once.
The artwork is bright, quirky, and full of visual activity, which suits the museum treasure hunt nicely. I liked the mix of cartoon characters with childlike framed “artworks,” because it gives the book a handmade classroom energy that feels warm rather than polished to perfection. The quiche characters are silly in a memorable way, and the rainy-to-rainbow arc gives the illustrations a satisfying emotional lift. My favorite idea in the book is that learning comes through noticing, not lecturing. Children are invited to look closely, search the pictures, and feel the pleasure of finding something for themselves.
I thought this was a sweet and good-hearted picture book with a clear sense of purpose and a lot of affection behind it. It’s an interactive learning adventure, the kind I’d pull out when my child was alert, curious, and ready to point at the page. I’d recommend it for preschool and early kindergarten readers who enjoy scavenger hunts, bright colors, playful food characters, and books that turn basic concepts into a shared little game.
Pages: 56 | ASIN : B0GPXF7NX3
Spoiler (The Healer Chronicles Book 3)
Fresh off a chaotic battle, Colonel Walker and his band of superhuman kids, created through government-sanctioned experiments, realize that the world is in more danger than they thought. There’s a breach in the barrier separating earth from the dimension housing demons, and dark entities are slowly seeping into our world. Even worse, Ms. G, a strange but powerful woman, is bent on opening the gates between both worlds to let demons into ours. Once again, Alex the healer, Colonel Walker, and the group, with help from the Pentagon, the Vatican, and others, must stop Ms. G before she causes untold darkness to overrun the world and end the human race.
Spoiler, by Michael J. Bowler, is the third book in a gripping series that is brimming with adventure and imaginative science fiction elements. It’s a compelling coming of age story of camaraderie, exploring what is means to be human, and the evils that are lurking on the fringes of the world as we know it.
The book sounds a tad spooky, right? It is, but only when it has to be, otherwise it has an adventurous spirit overall. The author finds a great balance between the dark themes and the refreshing fantasy ones. Frankly, reading Spoiler took me back to the description of Netflix’s Stranger Things which once caught my eye: “hair-raising and heartwarming.”
There are no flowery words or complex descriptions. The writing is simple and evocative as Bowler relies on the strength of his plot and characters to keep you spellbound. It’s been a while since I read a book that had me wondering, “how have I read 100 pages already?” Spoiler reels you in with the promise of chaos, drama, and twists and delivers massively.
The author has a fantastic ability to create gripping tension. He expertly teases several possibilities and leaves a few crumbs of evidence here and there, just enough to heighten your suspicion without giving too much away too soon. I think the book moves along at a good pace. Bowler nicely builds up to the inevitable chaos and uses that buildup to connect readers with the characters before everything devolves into chaos.
Spoiler is a real page-turner and an occasional tear-jerker. If you’re looking for an exciting young adult urban fantasy story with imaginative paranormal elements then you’ll heartily enjoy The Healer Chronicles series.
Pages: 377 | ASIN: B0B2V5J6C4
The Art Of Creativity
Count and Play with K Dot follows as a friendly ladybug that wants to make friends and teach her new friends how to count to ten. What was the inspiration for this children’s book?
The inspiration for writing this children’s book was my father, John, who taught me that counting numbers was exciting and fun.
Ever since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, being physically active, having a vivid imagination, and asking endless questions were personality traits my dear mother could not handle alone. Therefore, my father was nominated to take me with him to work every day. John was a skilled contractor who built remarkable residential properties and custom homes but was also an education enthusiast and avid reader. Growing up on construction sites enabled me to learn the process of building things from scratch, the art of creativity, the details of coordinating colors, the value of friendship, how collaboration is vital, how teamwork makes dreams work, and the importance of determination.
I learned to count numbers by hammering nails in straight lines into scraps of lumber on numerous construction sites. As John taught me to utilize the hammer and nails properly, he created exciting counting games along the way. John insisted that I count the number of each nail out loud as it hammered into the wood. John’s games were simple and fun, making counting numbers memorable and rewarding. His simple but effective method of teaching to count numbers was the inspiration behind the book Count and Play with K Dot, Learning Numbers 1-10 is More Fun with a Friend!
I was impressed with how much detail you were able to put into the artwork and still keep it simple. What was the process like creating the illustrations for this book?
The process used for creating the illustrations for Count and Play with K Dot was specific and intentional. Once the storyline completed a clear message, I designed artwork that depicted my vision of K Dot’s story. Searching for art that expressed my imagination and vision took time, care, and consideration. I specifically designed K Dot with exaggerated eyelashes, big playful bows on her antennas, unexpected elfish boots on her many legs, and a warm smile that enhanced her whimsical character. After K Dot’s character came to life, I intentionally designed the storyline artwork on each page to compliment her simple and colorful style with bright and bold colors that enhanced her playful personality. I chose to implement five insects as her companions during the story, and they remain in every K Dot book as her insect friends in the Learning Garden where she lives.
What inspired you to become a children’s book writer?
Becoming a children’s writer has been my long-awaited dream for over thirty years that has finally come to fruition. Reading to my son during childhood sparked the idea to write children’s books focused on learning while still being joyful, entertaining, and fun. I imagined a spunky, spirited, teeny-tiny ladybug as a relatable character for him and every child to enjoy. I created K Dot to be an enthusiastic friend that likes to play learning games by inviting her new friends to learn and play together. My focus was to inspire every child’s imagination with stories filled with colorful characters and simple art that enhanced their fun, playfulness, and motivation.
Will there be more K Dot books on other topics?
The K Dot Learning Fun Series consists of three books with many more books encouraging learning fun on the way very soon. Count and Play with K Dot, Learning Numbers 1-10 is More Fun with a Friend is the Counting Numbers book, Find ABCs and Play with K Dot, Learning the ABCs is More Fun with a Friend is the ABCs book, with the Find Colors and Play with K Dot, Learning the Colors is More Fun with a Friend being the Colors book. All three books of The K Dot Learning Fun Series are available on Amazon for children to enjoy.
Author Links: Website | Amazon
Learning is more fun when it’s done with a friend!
Introduce the numbers 1-10 with a playing game that includes a new friend, K Dot. She is a teeny-tiny, little-whittle, sassy-frassy, bright and brassy ladybug that loves to play learning games with her friends!
Children are invited to count and play with K Dot, “Hi, friend. Let’s count from 1-10 and then do it again!”
K Dot’s enthusiasm and whimsical personality make learning fun, “Learning games are fun to play with a friend like YOU!”
Have a fun adventure in the learning garden with K Dot and her insect friends.
K Dot likes to play the game Hide-and-Seek. Can you find her hiding behind the numbers 1-10 and also hidden in other places to enhance the counting fun? K Dot’s insect friends join in the game and want you to count them too!
Learn the numbers 1-10 while you count and play with K Dot, The Little-Bitty Learning Ladybug!
Count and Play with K Dot, the Little-Bitty Learning Ladybug is a wonderful gift for all children 0-3, Baby Showers, Christmas stocking stuffers, Birthday presents, Grandparent gifts for any occasion, Pre-school fun, Friends, Teachers, Neighbors, or Family Members!
Ensure Educational Success
Dr. Samuel D. Nix II is an incredible author who profoundly recognizes the education system and how crucial it is for teachers and administrators to use sophisticated techniques to run schools. Ensure Educational Success covers multiple topics that are helpful to teachers and leaders. The author extensively writes about educational success, how to run schools, improve schooling systems, and handle learners. I love that the author starts every chapter with a quote from historical icons. The quotes add an aesthetic value to the text and give readers a hint about what will be covered in the coming chapter.
In this eye-opening book, the reader is exposed to researched-based content that is illuminating to teachers, leaders, educators, learners, and the shareholders in the education system. Every discussion is based on accuracy and backed with facts and statistics. In addition, he is also strategic and in tune with the realities in learning institutions.
The author is an experienced education consultant and is knowledgeable in matters of education success, and is solution-oriented. His impartiality when discussing the challenges both learners and administrators face is venerable. Dr. Samuel D. Nix II does not take sides between educators or adminstrators, even when critical of certain concepts applied in the education systems.
The writing style in this revealing book is free-flowing and does not feel technical. One technique the author uses to explain his point of view is using questions and real-life examples when he expounds on a topic.
One of my favorite chapters was on empowering learners. Among the many topics, the author discussed leading the learners. To help the reader understand his discussions best, the author asks questions like; How do you know if students are learning? When they are not, what do you do about it? And goes ahead to explain in detail what should be done.
Ensure Educational Success is a thought-provoking book shedding light on the education system from all angles. The goal is to enact change in our education system and allow both teachers and learners to have the best possible experience in the education process.
Pages: 211 | ASIN : B09LRSFVZ7
I’ve Always Felt Empathetic Toward Others
Shifter has the two main characters grappling with some big moral decisions. What was the inspiration for putting them into this position?
I like stories where characters, especially teenagers, have to grapple with more than just who to ask to prom because it’s when we’re faced with serious issues of right vs wrong that we show what we’re made of and who we are inside, and most of us will face tough choices throughout our lives. As a reader, I can ask myself the same questions I pose to my characters and consider which way I might go. My hope is that other readers will do the same. I’ve also thought about the ramifications of having such a power that I could decide who lives and who dies. As pointed out in the book, would it have been moral to kill Hitler before he got very far in his bid to take over the world? Even now, with what we know of history, some people would still argue no and others would say yes.
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your characters of Alex and Andy?
I’ve always felt very empathetic toward the pain of others, even as a child and a teen, and wanted to “cure” those people of what ailed them, so I created this character of Alex to do that for me. I just don’t like seeing people unhappy or suffering, which is one reason I could never have become a doctor. Alex’s skills with his wheelchair and his innate tenacity were based on a boy I taught in high school. Despite his wheelchair, that boy could do whatever he put his mind to, sometimes with help from his friends, but mostly by himself. For Andy, I used much of the pain I absorbed from incarcerated kids I worked with who told me horrific stories of being locked in closets for years on end or about how some despicable adult slaughtered their pets in front of them. I sought to depict how hard it might be for such a child to accept love and friendship once released from such an evil upbringing, and I hope Andy comes across as believable in the minds of the readers.
What do you think were some of the defining moments in the development of Alex and Andy’s relationship?
Neither knew of the other’s existence until shortly before they met at the conclusion of Spinner (The Healer Chronicles 1), so I tried to imagine what it would feel like to meet a twin brother I never knew I had. Given the respective backgrounds of the two boys, I felt they could relate as outcasts and that might be the beginning of a friendship and even familial ties. The small moments they shared—when Andy would learn something new from Alex, or when they were washing dishes or working out in the fitness center—these moments helped cement their relationship. Learning how to combine their power and work together defined the growing connection between them, not just because their minds were linked, but because they needed to trust each other, and that must’ve been hard.
Will the next book conclude the story of Alex and Andy or is there more to tell? When will the next book be available?
The next book will conclude this particular storyline, but I have opened enough doors to tell other tales involving these characters and hope to return to them in the future. Spoiler (The Healer Chronicles 3) releases on July 12, 2022.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Alex’s wheelchair has never stopped him from doing what he wants, but his supernatural power to heal every human ailment known to science has put him in the crosshairs of a dangerous doomsday cult that will stop at nothing to capture him and his long-lost twin, Andy, who can shift illness from one person to another. When the boys combine their “gifts,” they unleash the power to control life and death.
Now Alex, Andy, and the others have been kidnapped by the U.S. military. On a creepy Air Force base in the remote Nevada desert, they must decide who to trust and who to fear while uncovering secrets this base wants to hide from the world. Who is the young boy with unusual abilities who’s treated like a soldier? What is hidden in an ultra-secret hangar that no one can access? And what unnatural experiments are conducted in that closed-off laboratory?
As Alex unravels these mysteries, he strives to bond with his twin, but Andy is distant and detached, trusting no one. He’s also more attracted to the dangerous power they wield than Alex would like. When misplaced faith in science ignites a hidden lust for supremacy, rescue can only come from the most unlikely source, and Alex must confront a terrible truth.
The Healer Chronicles continue…
Shifter
Twin brothers with the power of life and death – will they choose the path of good or evil? In Shifter, the second book in the Healer Chronicles, Michael J Bowler brings us back to the world of Alex and Andy and all the characters revolving around them. Having survived the events in the first thrilling book, the brothers begin to get to know each other and test the limits of what they can do together. But with secret organizations and military operations vying for control of their power, they have to make difficult choices that could save people… or leave them dead. The story takes twists and turns that make you question everything and everyone, from well-guarded fortresses and secret military labs in the desert.
Early on, we’re taken back to Andy’s horrific childhood, which explains his character to the reader and his brother Alex. The reader also gets some recaps and explanations of events in the first book, allowing those that have not read the first novel to understand this one. The author expertly balances dialogue, description, and action, creating incredible tension. A few scenes in the military lab had me literally at the edge of my seat! The author also created a rich and relatable world by adding small details between big moments.
There were plenty of everyday things that we take for granted highlighted in these extreme circumstances. For example, Alex’s experiences with his disability, not being able to reach a shirt in a closet that wasn’t made for someone in a wheelchair. Alex’s human existence gave us a closer connection to a character with incredible power. I loved so many of the characters in the novel. They were unusual heroes, abandoned or scorned by society because of who they are, mistakes from their past, or circumstances beyond their control.
There were also plenty of more important questions of ethics and morality in the choices the main characters have to make, as exemplified in the passage below: “And you would be, Alex. You two could save more lives than anyone in history.” “By killing,” Alex said, his voice barely a whisper. “How is that good?” “Because some people need to be killed so others may live.” Without giving too much away, you can see the dilemma Alex faces when he learns about how some powerful forces would want him to use his power.
However, conflict in the book doesn’t touch only upon questions of morality but also on adolescent insecurities and friendship. Many characters grapple with complex feelings of jealousy or fear of a new person joining the group and taking your place, wanting to prove their strength.
Shifter (The Healer Chronicles Book 2) is a suspenseful young adult thriller. With strong and memorable characters, non-stop action, and high tension, readers will not want to put the book down and anxiously await the conclusion of this exciting trilogy.
Pages: 372 | ASIN : B09R2K41L7
Little Dragon Came To Be
Little Dragon and the Rainbow Poo uses a unique idea to teach children about colors in a fun way. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
When my son was born, he was quite loud and his poo was always different colours. One exhausted night Little Dragon came to be.
The art in the book is very cute. What was the art collaboration process like with illustrator Ms. Amelia Gleeson?
It was quite fun, I’m not too artistic, so Amelia had quite a lot of freedom with the style. Once she’d come up with a character style we both like, we then started coming up with the scenes for each activity.
My favorite scene from the book was the one where the dragon was scared while watching a movie. Do you have a favorite scene from the book?
I like when little dragon is listening to jazz, but the final scene always gets a great reaction from my kids which puts a smile on my face.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
I’m currently working on Missy M and the quest for oo. Not sure when this will be available, hopefully it doesn’t take too long for me to finish it (got writer’s block)
Author Links: Website | Amazon
