  Book Details: LEMAR AND HER MAGICAL PETS by Nesrine Sleiman Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 30 pages Genre: Fiction Pets General ~ Publisher: Self-Published Release date: September 25, 2020 Tour dates: Feb 22 to Mar 5, 2021 Content Rating: This children's book is rated G. Book Description: Perhaps, Pets are more than best friends, they are a huge responsibility. Lemar and her Magical Pets teach simple facts about pets and give children a glimpse of what it means to own a pet; that pets require lots of care and are hard work. Lemar finds a gemstone in her backyard. She will use it to ask for a pet. Little did she know that the gemstone will unfold the truth of owning a pet. With a little bit of time left to try over and over again, will magic work for her after all? This children's book is full of unexpected magical Outcomes! Children will love to read it over and over again. Buy the Book:Amazon ~add to Goodreads ~  Meet the Author: Nesrine is a full-time preschool teacher for more than ten years. Nesrine holds a degree in child development and is currently working on a master's degree in Family and Human Development. Nesrine loves to read fantasy books and believes in the magic of hard work! Currently, she is working on books two of ,both, the Magical Gemstone Series and Learning Through Reflection Series. More on the personal side, Nesrine loves white flowers, horses, birds, and is fascinated with ants’ teamwork. connect with the authors: website ~ instagram ~ goodreads 
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Book Details:
The Adventures of Forkman: What's That Noise? by Tiffany Caldwell and W.R. MacKenzie Category: Children's Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages Genre: Children's Picture Book ~ Tour dates: Feb 1 to Mar 5, 2021 Publisher: Mascot Books ~ Release date: Jan 2021 Content Rating: G. This children's book is for everyone. Book Description: When poor manners are present, Forkman will be there to save the day! Join Kathryn and William as they learn how to load the dishwasher properly and avoid inappropriate distractions at the table with the help of all their utensil friends. This second book in the Adventures of Forkman series is a great introduction to mealtime etiquette for readers of all ages. Buy the Book:Amazon.com ~ B&N ~ Mascot Books 
BOOK REVIEW by LAWonder10:
The Adventures of Forkman: What's That Noise? is a great children's picture book about mealtime etiquette and clean-up. It is a great way to instruct a child in properly loading a dishwasher, plus, good table manners. It is a great book for young pre-school and elementary age readers. The illustrations done by Vanessa Alexandre are large, colorful and simple in a slightly abstract way. The Cover image and Title are eye-catching and somewhat "fitting". However the Title does not offer a clear idea of what is withing te pages. What I found slightly confusing is, that the book begins with Chapter 3. It can be confusing to the reader, wondering where the missing chapters are. Also, personally, I am not fond of cartoon-like depictions of characters. - However, this does not affect my rating of the book. I offer a Four Stars rating. * This book was gifted to me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review.
On writing: Responses from Tiffany Caldwell (Daughter)
How did you do research for your book? I used life experiences as my research. I went to etiquette classes when I was younger, and my Grandma was very big on manners. She would buy us etiquette books like the books by Emily Post. Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest? The hardest characters to write were the utensils. Trying to make utensils relatable can throw some curve balls! The easiest was Kathryn and William. Since those are my siblings, capturing their personalities was fun and easier to write! What made you write a book about etiquette? I wrote a book about etiquette because etiquette has always played a role in my life. From classes with my grandma, dinners at nice restaurants, and working at a preschool that was very focused on loving one another and that manners mattered! Where do you get inspiration for your stories? The inspirations for our stories come from dinners at the family table. There are many books out there about....What makes yours different? There are many books about etiquette that you can buy and many are wonderful resources! Our book is different because Forkman is a superhero, which all kids love, but he is an unsuspected character! What advice would you give budding writers? Don’t be afraid to revise your stories! With each revision, our story developed more and became better! Your book is set in a home. Why did you choose a house. Our book is set in a family home. We tried to make the setting relatable to any reader’s house! 
Meet the Authors:
Tiffany Caldwell: I have worked with children for over thirteen years and every year basic manners become less evident. When I was growing up, my sisters and I took etiquette classes during the summer while we visited our grandparents. Etiquette was always a big part of our upbringing. When we would have our family dinners, my dad, W.R. MacKenzie, would make our utensils come to life as we were eating. Forkman became a part of our dinner routine! I am a mother of three great kids and military wife to my hero. A few years ago, I told my dad we needed to start writing our story. We are so excited to share Forkman with the world! W.R. MacKenzie: I spent thirty-nine years in the bakery business. After I retired and my four children were grown, I felt it was time to share the importance of the family meal with the world. The Adventures of Forkman teaches children how to properly conduct themselves at the table. Our books are filled with characters all children can relate with and I believe Forkman and his crew will help children of all ages learn manners and table etiquette. connect with the authors: website ~ facebook ~ instagram ~ goodreads 
Giveaway Details:
Autographed copy of THE ADVENTURES OF FORKMAN (USA only) (1 winner) (ends Mar 12) Enter by completing the Rafflecopter Below 
Book Details:
Mickey on the Move by Michelle Wagner Category: Children's Non-Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages Genre: Children's Picture Book Publisher: Mascot Books ~ Release date: Jan, 2021 Content Rating: G for everyone. ~ Tour dates: Feb 1 to Mar 5, 2021 Book Description: In this bighearted book, the real story of a young boy with deafness in his ears is aided by his mother and teachers in navigating new school experiences. Mickey is just like everyone else, except he wears cochlear implants and has to do things just a little differently than most. This charming tale reminds us that we can all find happiness if we lean on and support each other. Buy the Book: Amazon ~ B&N ~Mascot Books 
REVIEW by LAWonder10: Mickey on the Move is a true story about a little boy with hearing impairment. It is also a story about a little boy who has had to frequently move to new schools. His attitude is very positive and uplifting. This is very educational, containing a lot of hearing impaired information. Although written for early elementary age reading, many will find tis book interesting. Illustrator, Jenny Phelps, has done a beautiful job in doig the illustrations. They are colorful, crisp and cleatr images.The book's pages are very colorful and the print copy has quality pages and binding. I offer a Five Stars rating. *This book was gifted me with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review. 
Meet the Author:
Born and raised in Chicago, Michelle Wagner was always a very positive and outgoing woman. Her energetic love for children and zest for life was admired by everyone who knew her. Michelle is a realtor whose career background involved restaurants and always helping other people. She has dedicated time and support to charities and events to help other children with hearing loss and assist families as they work through the different approaches to raising a special needs child in a typical environment. connect with author: website ~ instagram 
Giveaway Details:
Autographed copy of MICKEY ON THE MOVE (USA only) (1 winner)(ends Mar 12) Enter by filling-in the Rafflecopter Below. 
Cleo Can Tie A Bow: A Rabbit and Fox Story by Sybrina Durant
Publisher: Sybrina Publishing (Sept. 7, 2020) Category: Children’s Fiction, Parent/Child Activity Books, Picture Books ~ ISBN: 979-8685994844 Tour dates: Feb, 2021 Available in Print and ebook, 39 pages Description: Cleo loves bows. She wears her hair in a bow and decorates her room with bows. Cleo is bow crazy. Learning to tie a bow is very difficult for some people but Cleo remembers how to do it from a cute story she once heard. It is about a little rabbit with very long ears and a very helpful fox who shows her what to do to keep them clean. This is the story of how Cleo learns to tie a “bunny ear” bow. Buy Links: Amazon ~ BarnesandNoble ~ IndieBound
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Becoming a Published Author 1. The biggest surprise about becoming a published author was how hard it was to get the attention of a traditional publisher. Of course, I was like most authors when I first started. I had a “great” book idea. Who wouldn’t want to sign me and my book up to a million-dollar deal? But I had done absolutely no research on what the sales prospects might be for the type of book that I was trying to get out to the world. I had no clue, at all, about the publishing business. If I had done a little research, I would have soon learned that literally thousands of new books are published and offered to the public for sale each and every single day – year end and year out. The competition for a particular book to reach the eyes of a traditional publisher is mind boggling and nearly unreachable for most authors. . .even if you have the most amazing idea ever. 2. My second biggest surprise was the discovery of how easy it is to self-publish. Literally anyone can do it. Many avenues are available for self-publishing and distribution of books but KDP seems to be the most lucrative because of their close ties to Amazon. That organization absolutely rules the book world today. It is truly shocking how fast they overtook every other book seller out there. My first book was self-published through Create Space. I was so thrilled to have found them. That was before Amazon – KDP absorbed it into its vast organization. The best feature of Create Space was that you could set up a wholesale book page through them. Amazon does not offer that ability. I wish they would because an author on Create Space could hand out coupon codes to anyone who wanted to purchase the book in bulk (like independent book stores, non-profit organizations and such). Those books were delivered straight to the customer from Amazon. That was very useful and convenient. 3. In the beginning, having your book listed on Amazon almost insured that your book would be seen in keyword searches. It might be on page 100 but at least it would be there. Those days have swiftly departed. Not long ago, search lists were mysteriously reduced to a max of about 10 pages. Even if there should be many more pages because you know without a doubt that your book contains the word or phrase of the key word search, you might not get to see it. In fact, we’ve come to a point where your book title might not even be found when you key the actual book title into the search box. That can be very vexing. At least you can still find it in a search by listing the title of the book and the name of the author. . .for now. So, what, exactly, can this strange phenomenon be attributed to? 4. I’ve come to the painful realization and I’m sure many others have as well, that it’s absolutely true that whoever spends the most money on advertising gets the most results in getting their books in front of potential readers. Here’s the really sad part. . .even if you are spending money on advertising, your book might not show up on the search list because too many others in that 10-page search result list are spending more than you are. It is sad because most authors really do not have a lot of money to spend on advertising. What is an author / entrepreneur to do in their endless effort to get eyeballs on their book? 5. When I decided I wanted to be a writer. . .and then later to self-publish, I never realized I was going to become an entrepreneur. I never gave one second of thought to marketing and promotion. When I realized I might have to start doing some of that stuff, I had no idea what avenues to take or what was available down each of them. Now, I know there are more ways than you can count to promote a book. I also now know without a shadow of a doubt that if you don’t promote your own book, no one will ever know it exists. Once it is published on Amazon (or what ever self-publishing service you ultimately choose. . .and there are many) each book has a permanent web address. That address is your link to possible sales and you must promote that link everywhere you possibly can. 6. Social media has opened up a world of possibilities for marketing and promotion. I mainly use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn for those purposes but there are so many more that it makes your head spin. Since I also work a full-time job in addition this full-time job; I have tried to narrow down my interactions to those five. Since their beginnings, each of those sites have offered free use of their apps to all users, so millions of people gather on them every hour of every single day. They might not remain free for long but for now I use a service called Postfity (not free) to automatically schedule daily posts on all of those social media sites, except Pinterest. They don’t offer auto scheduling on it yet. Most of my weekends are spent creating hundreds of posts that can be scheduled to the other sites, months in advance. 7. I am an Amazon affiliate. What this means is that I can list any Amazon product that I happen to like on my blog and other social media sites to try to sell. If an item sells through my efforts, then as an affiliate, I get a few cents from that sale. I mean literally pennies but hey. . .someday it could add up to some big bucks. This could potentially be a big deal if enough people get the word that they can find hundreds of a particularly themed item at your online store. The reason this is important is the same as in Number 3 above. When searching for anything these days, you might find your search results confined to the 10-page list or even worse, you might get many things in the list that absolutely do not resemble what you thought you were searching for. One of the things I have done is assemble several online stores on my blog that feature books and gifts based on themes from my books. For my Cleo Can Tie A Bow book, I recommend hundreds of unique bow-themed gifts on my Girls Love Bows Gift Shop. The Rabbit and The Fox Book Store features hundreds of “how to tie” books, “rabbit and fox” books and gifts, and books and games meant to improve manual dexterity or eye-hand coordination. Sybrina’s Unicorn Book Store contains at least 1000 unicorn books written by many different authors. (Yes, I have been busy!) There are hundreds of unicorn-themed gifts there, too. The books and gift selections of that store are categorized by Little Kid, Middle Kid and Teen. If you are a unicorn aficionado, come take a look. If you are an author, you might be wondering why you would want to spend any time and energy promoting anyone’s book other than your own. Well. . .with the way search engines are set up these days, there just might be some value in being the Go-To place to find other books (and gifts) in your book’s genre. Link - 8. Shortly after I became an Amazon Affiliate, I learned of their Merch program. They started out as a tee shirt Print-On-Demand service but have recently expanded to many other items. You can select from several different countries to distribute your products. If you have any cool artwork from your illustrated book, you can upload the designs to Merch. If you have cool ideas for illustrations inspired by your non-illustrated book you can upload the designs to Merch. If you are not an illustrator, you can find one on Fiverr or any service provider site like them and work with them on your design. When you select an illustrator, just make sure to select to pay for the “Commercial Use” option. This will allow you to use the design you purchased from that illustrator on Merch (or any other print on demand site) with no repercussions. Each design you upload will receive its own product page on Amazon, just like books have. Because of my Blue Unicorn – Journey to Osm series of book, I was inspired to create something I call Unicorn Reader and Unicorn Writer graphic designs. They are all available on Amazon. Now, Merch is offering their Print On Demand service on many different clothing items, pillows, pop socket phone holders and more. These products get promoted everywhere that the books do. They’re not just on tee shirts anymore. 9. One of my main philosophies is Authors Helping Authors. It’s my view that none of us selfpublished authors are any real competition for each other. Helping each other is not going to hurt our particular book’s sales. In fact, the more we help each other and spread the word for each other, the better off we all can potentially be in the long run. That is why I am a book tour host. . .just like Lu Ann is. I share space on Sybrina’s Book Blog for books that I feel my readers might be interested in. I know that it takes a little work to set up a post (and then promote it) so I want to let Lu Ann know how grateful I am that she is offering some of her valuable blog space to spread the word about my latest book, Cleo Can Tie A Bow: A Rabbit and The Fox Story. It means a lot to me. 10. I’m telling all of you, who happen to read this, all of these things that I learned over the years because these are all things that anyone can do. If you want to, you can use similar methods to promote your books and book-themed gifts, too. You may start out with nearly no followers but if you consistently work on your social media, your influence will continue to grow. Trust me, auto-scheduling is the way to be most efficient at that. One day you may wake up with thousands of followers and daily page views and some sales, too. You just have to keep at it. PS... . once you reach 2000 followers on Facebook or Instagram, you can apply to become an Amazon Influencer. That title has a nice little ring to it. Just remember, however far you end up going, is totally dependent on how much time and energy you are willing to put into it. It is truly all up to you. 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
About Sybrina DurantAward winning author, Sybrina Durant is the author of ‘The Rabbit and The Fox Learn To Tie’ Series of Books which include ‘Learn To Tie A Neck Tie With The Rabbit and the Fox’ in English, Spanish and Tagalog; ‘Ned Can Knot A Neck Tie’; ‘Nellie Can Knot A Neck Scarf’ and the newest addition, ‘Cleo Can Tie A Bow.’ She also the author of ‘The Blue Unicorn’ Series of books and has an online book store which features, unicorns, rabbits, foxes, and how to tie books plus gift items related to those things plus lots of bow-themed gifts. ‘Learn To Tie With The Rabbit and The Fox’ won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award and the Indie Bragg Award. Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ YouTube 
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
One print copy and one bow shaped necklace for 3 winners. (It is open to the U.S. only and ends on February 27, 2021 at midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only) 
Book Details:
Mommy's Oven by Brandi Pearce Category: Children's Non-Fiction (Ages 3-7), 38 pages Genre: Children's Non-Fiction Picture Book Publisher: Mascot Books ~ Release date: Feb 2021 Tour dates: Feb 2 to Feb 15, 2021 Content Rating: G for everyone. Suitable for all ages, Book Description: In this true story, young August learns about how he will get a new little brother. He learns of how his little brother will grow in someone else's tummy, not his mommy's. Will he look like Augie? Will he grow for too long? Will Augie get to take his little brother home once he is born? Join August on this new, exciting adventure of getting a new little brother in a very unique way. If you are looking for a way to help your children understand that families can be created in many different ways, this is a story to keep on your bookshelf! Buy the Book: Mascot Books ~ Amazon ~ B&N 
REVIEW by LAWonder10:
This is a wonderful book to use to explain surrogate birthing to a young child! What is even "neater" is that it is a true story! In Mommy's Oven, a very awkward situation is approached in a simple manner. The Illustrations by Nazar Horokhivski, is very attractively eye-catching and bright. They are large and simple so a young child will more easily embrace them. The artist has captured true emotions in the various individuals faces. The writing is concise and "to the point". It minimizes any impact this information might have on a child. I offer a Five Stars rating for this book. *This was gifted me with no presssure for a positive review
After being in the hospital for 6 years fighting Crohn’s disease, and sometimes only surviving through the strength of others, I knew this process would be no different. We would need the support of those around us to handle the ups and downs of the surrogate process. What I didn't know, was how much our journey would help others.
As our story began to unfold to our friends and family on social media, I began to have women reach out and share their own stories. Their heartaches, their triumphs, their questions, their gratitude for me being willing to open-up and encourage acceptance and understanding. I wasn't just having an impact on each of them, they were having an impact on me. There is so much unspoken about the world of infertility because it is hard to be vulnerable, it is hard to face pain publicly. Knowing that there are others who have been through it, or who are going through it right along with you, doesn’t necessarily make it easier, but it does give you a sense of comfort and understanding. I have been blown away by the response Mommy's Oven has received. I haven't just heard from surrogate families, I have heard from families with adoption, with infertility, with miscarriages. Each one expressing what a blessing Mommy's Oven has been in helping them communicate and explain these situations to their children. To be able to help your child grasp that their family is not the only one out there made in a different way, gives them a sense of inclusion. Thank you for your time! Brandi 
Meet the Author:
Having battled Crohn’s Disease for most of her life and after undergoing 82 abdominal surgeries, Brandi Pearce knew she wouldn’t be able to carry children of her own. After a successful surrogacy resulted in her son, August, years later, she wondered how to explain to August that he was getting a new brother who was growing in someone else’s belly. That’s when Mommy’s Oven, Pearce’s debut children’s, book was born. Pearce wants other parents to be able to teach their own children that every family creation is unique and special. She hopes to inspire hope in overcoming adversity, as well as true miracles with this book. connect with author: website ~ amazon 
Giveaway Details:
Autographed copy of MOMMY'S OVEN (USA only) (1 winner) (ends Feb 22) 
Cleo Can Tie A Bow: A Rabbit and Fox Story by Sybrina Durant
Publisher: Sybrina Publishing (Sept. 7, 2020) Category: Children’s Fiction, Parent/Child Activity Books, Picture Books ~ ISBN: 979-8685994844 Tour dates: Feb, 2021 Available in Print and ebook, 39 pages Description : Cleo Can Tie A Bow by Sybrina DurantCleo loves bows. She wears her hair in a bow and decorates her room with bows. Cleo is bow crazy. Learning to tie a bow is very difficult for some people but Cleo remembers how to do it from a cute story she once heard. It is about a little rabbit with very long ears and a very helpful fox who shows her what to do to keep them clean. This is the story of how Cleo learns to tie a “bunny ear” bow. Buy Link: Amazon ~ BarnesandNoble ~ IndieBound 
REVIEW By LAWonder10: Very Young Girls will delight in this very colorful, picturesque fun book! It not only contains a fun "counting" opportunity, but it also instructs on how to tie a bow, plus has an additional tale about a bunny and a fox This oversize book is beautifully illustrated by Pumudi Gardiyawasam. The illustrations are simple, well defined, and dazzling. At the end of the story, it has the audio links one can purchase to go along with the story, ending with a cute song. The author's Blog Site has other equally instructional, winsome books, plus fun things to accompany them. This a Pre-School/Early Elementary age reader I can highly recommend. I was gifted this book with no pressure for a positive review. This is my honest review. I offer a Five Sars rating for the literary + value of this book 
PRAISE FOR The BOOK!
“... exceptionally fine illustrations by Pumudi Gardiyawasam that enhance.. Using the principles of that story, page by page the instructions for tying a bow are shared as a teaching lesson for children.. This is a clever idea for interactive learning and hopefully the author and illustrator will take on other tasks the entire family can enjoy.” -Grady Harp, Amazon Hall of Fame, Top 50 Reviewer “This is a cute story that any child would love. It’s an engaging story that will be read over and over again in our home, and passed on through generations. The illustrations are, it’s my daughter’s current favorite bed time story. I’d recommend as a gift to any child or as a part of an educator’s book shelf.” -Marie, Amazon “This is a great resource to introduce young children to the bow-tying activity, one of Montessori’s practical life lessons to develop finger control and dexterity. The use of a story and a song to teach children to tie a bow is quite clever. The illustrations are colorful and draws you into the story. This book will be useful for kids who are ready and eager to learn to tie bows.” -Belle Brown, Goodreads 
About Award Winning Author:
Sybrina Durant is the author of ‘The Rabbit and The Fox Learn To Tie’ Series of Books which include ‘Learn To Tie A Neck Tie With The Rabbit and the Fox’ in English, Spanish and Tagalog; ‘Ned Can Knot A Neck Tie’; ‘Nellie Can Knot A Neck Scarf’ and the newest addition, ‘Cleo Can Tie A Bow.’ She also the author of ‘The Blue Unicorn’ Series of books and has an online book store which features, unicorns, rabbits, foxes, and how to tie books plus gift items related to those things plus lots of bow-themed gifts. ‘ Learn To Tie With The Rabbit and The Fox’ won the Pinnacle Book Achievement Award and the Indie Bragg Award. Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ YouTube 
Giveaway Cleo Can Tie A Bow Details:
This is for one print copy and one bow shaped necklace for 3 winners. It is open to the U.S. only and ends on February 27, 2021 at midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only. Enter by Filling in Rafflecopter Below. 
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