My Mom is Sick has made the Chanticleer Little Peeps Shortlist!

I'm excited to report that My Mom Is Sick and It's Okay has made the Chanticleer Little Peeps Shortlist! This book means a lot to me, and I'm really happy that it has made it from the slush pile, to the Longlist, and now to the Shortlist!



Now it's in the running for the semi-finalist awards in April 2020. It's just an honor to have made it this far.

Below is the official notice!

Happy writing and Happy New Year!
Angie

These works have advanced to the 2019 Little Peeps Book Awards Shortlist!

• Sylva Fae and Katie Weaver – Elfabet
• Lauren Mosback – In Grandpaw’s Pawprints
• Lauren Mosback – My Sister’s Super Skills
• Cheree Finley – W-B-C Team
• Dawn Marie Thompson – Double Trouble
• Dawn Marie Thompson – Barnyard Bully
• M. Lisa Rinaca – Nate and The Nanticoke Clipper
• Trevor Young & Eleanor Long – Galdo’s Gift: The Boovie
• Norma Lewis – Let All Things Now Living
• Norma Lewis – Totem Pole
• Norma Lewis – The Canter Beary Tales
• Kizzie Jones – A Tall Tale About Dachshunds in Costumes: How MORE Dogs Came to Be
• Robert Wright Jr – Mummy in the Museum
• Marianne Andresen Magin – The Legend of Santa’s Sleighbells
• George Yuhasz – Imagine That: The Magic of the Mysterious Lights
• Angie McPherson – My Mom Is Sick and It’s Okay
• Stephanie Dreyer – Not A Purse
• Justine Avery – What Wonders Do You See… When You Dream?
• Lucy Patterson Murray – Dream Island
• Ellie Smith – Tex the Explorer: Journey Around the Earth
• Shana Hollowell – When the Squirrel Sings
• Mary Troxclair Adamson – Yo, Ho! Armadilleaux!
• Gregory Pohl – The Impossible
• Linda Bledsoe – Pigs Can’t Skate
• Oleg Kush – 1 & 0, Lion & Mouse, Aries the Sheep and Other Fairy-Tales
• Kasey J. Claytor – Pinky, And The Magical Secret He Kept Inside
• Edyta McQueen – Girly Girl Adventure: Rescue on the Ski Hill
• Ann Riley Cooper – Catch and Release
• Juliette Douglas – We are Awesome Possums
• M.J. Evans – Percy-The Racehorse Who Didn’t Like to Run
• J. Steven Young – Gus and the Winter Sprite
• Johnny Ray Moore – Anthill for Sale
• Melodie Tegay – Hannah’s Two Homes: life in a “blended” family; a 5-year-old’s perspective
• Keri T Collins – You Can Call Me Katelyn

These entries have now advanced to the  2019 Little Peeps Shortlist from the Long List. 

The ShortListers’ works will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions for the 2019 Little Peeps Book Awards. 

New coloring book story out now! Snippy Loses a Shoe!

I've had the story for a while in my head. I have been thinking of writing my horse, Snippy, into a story. I mean his mom is a cover model on a chapter book, Emma & the Yellow Mare, and his half-brother is the muse for that same chapter book.

Snippy wanted his own story, so he became a children's book. Snippy Loses a Shoe came quickly to me. The premise: Snippy loses a shoe and his barn friends try to find his missing shoe. They bring back items they think are shoes.

I am going to make a picture book but right now, I'm learning how to color on the computer. I'm using Krita (with the help of my husband). So far, I'm not doing well. But at least the coloring book is a go!

I had a book event yesterday and I had 2 books on hand. Both sold. The kids seemed really excited to have a coloring book with a story.

I will keep everyone posted on how the picture book process is going!

Write on, everyone!
Angie

Mom Is Sick & It's Okay has made the Little Peeps Long List!

I am so excited to see that my children's book, Mom is Sick & It's Okay made the Chanticleer Awards Little Peeps Long List! This is a book really close to my heart. It has been so well received at all the book events I do. There have been several comments on how they wish there was a book like this when they were younger.

I'll be doing a second Mom Is Sick, but it will be more general to gear with other chronic diseases. The illustrations will be the same and most of the wording will stay the same, but I'll just take out the parts that are strictly MS-related.

 

These titles have moved forward in the judging rounds from SLUSH pile to the 2019 Little Peeps Book Awards LONG LIST. These entries are now in competition for 2019 Little Peeps Shortlist. The ShortListers’ works will compete for the Semi-Finalists positions. Semi-Finalists will be announced and recognized at the CAC20 banquet and ceremony. The First Place Category Winners, along with the CIBA Division Grand Prize winners, will be selected from the 16 CIBA divisions Semi-Finalists. We will announce the 1st Place Category winners and Grand Prize Division Winners at the CIBAs Banquet and Ceremony on Saturday, April 18th, 2020 at the luxurious Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham, Wash.

These titles are in the running for the SHORT LIST of the 2019 Little Peeps Book Awards for Early Readers and Children’s Picture Books.

Good luck to all as your works move on to the next rounds of judging.

• Sylva Fae and Katie Weaver – Elfabet
• Laura Lynn – Something Special about an Anemone
• Lauren Mosback – In Grandpaw’s Pawprints
• Lauren Mosback – My Sister’s Super Skills
• Cheree Finley – W-B-C Team
• Dawn Marie Thompson – Double Trouble
• Dawn Marie Thompson – Barnyard Bully
• M. Lisa Rinaca – Nate and The Nanticoke Clipper
• Trevor Young & Eleanor Long – Galdo’s Gift: The Boovie
• Norma Lewis – Let All Things Now Living
• Norma Lewis – Totem Pole
• Norma Lewis – The Canter Beary Tales
• Ginger Smith – Ella Bella Clap Your Hands
• Kizzie Jones – A Tall Tale About Dachshunds in Costumes: How MORE Dogs Came to Be
• Robert Wright Jr – Mummy in the Museum
• M Lisa Rinaca – Maddie and Jake
• Marianne Andresen Magin – The Legend of Santa’s Sleighbells
• Remi Nicole – Oh Please, Peetie!
• George Yuhasz – Imagine That: The Magic of the Mysterious Lights
• Angie McPherson – My Mom Is Sick and It’s Okay
• Stephanie Dreyer – Not A Purse
• Connie Sorrell & Susan Cole – When Cows Pass The Hat Around
• Mojy Sadri – Puppy Doesn’t Laugh
• Justine Avery – What Wonders Do You See… When You Dream?
• Lucy Patterson Murray – Dream Island
• Ellie Smith – Tex the Explorer: Journey Around the Earth
• Shana Hollowell – When the Squirrel Sings
• Mary Troxclair Adamson – Yo, Ho! Armadilleaux!
• Arlene Gillo – Bruce Wayne Is Insane: Meeting Ninja Kitty
• William Tracy Byarlay – Adventures of Kalham and Britton: Fly with me
• Gregory Pohl – The Impossible
• Linda Bledsoe – Pigs Can’t Skate
• Oleg Kush – 1 & 0, Lion & Mouse, Aries the Sheep and Other Fairy-Tales
• Kasey J. Claytor – Pinky, And The Magical Secret He Kept Inside
• Edyta McQueen – Girly Girl Adventure: Rescue on the Ski Hill
• Ann Riley Cooper – Catch and Release
• Juilette Douglas – We are Awesome Possums
• M.J. Evans – Percy-The Racehorse Who Didn’t Like to Run 
• Kelly Carter – In the Shoes of… James | In the Shoes of… Trey
• Keri T Collins – You Can Call Me Katelyn
• J. Steven Young – Gus and the Winter Sprite
• Johnny Ray Moore – Anthill for Sale 
• Melodie Tegay – Hannah’s Two Homes: life in a “blended” family; a 5-year-old’s perspective

Which ones of the above works will move forward in the judging rounds to the 2019 Little Peeps Book Awards Shortlist?
The excitement builds for the 2019 CIBAs! 


The 16 divisions of the 2019 CIBAs’ Grand Prize Winners and the Five First Place Category Position award winners along with recognizing the Semi-Finalists will be announced at the April 18th, 2020 Chanticleer International Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash.


We are now accepting submissions into the 2020 Little Peeps Book Awards.
As always, please contact us at Chanticleer@ChantiReviews.com with any questions, concerns, or suggestions!

By Chanticleer

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My Mom Is Sick and It's Okay is entered into the Little Peeps contest!

My Mom Is Sick and It's Okay has been entered into the Chanticleer Reviews book contest, Little Peeps. I am hoping this book might be helpful for families dealing with parents that suffer from chronic illnesses. Even though I wrote the book for my daughter, I find other people might benefit from it, as well. At a book selling event two weeks ago, I had two families buy the book that had a parent was undergoing treatment for cancer. 

I have also found that my books tend to sell a little better if they had been entered into a contest and made it somewhere within the process. I've not had the pleasure of winning a contest, but even making the Long List in a contest means a lot to me.

Meet Mindy - cover girl for Emma and the Yellow Mare!

I thought I would introduce the world to my cover model for Emma and the Yellow Mare.

Emma and the Yellow Mare
Available @ Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Emma-Yellow-Mare-Hay-Days/dp/1096590719/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=emma+and+the+yellow+mare&qid=1562112856&s=gateway&sr=8-2

Mindy is a 1994 American Quarter Horse. This 25 year-old 5-time mama is as spry as a spring chicken! She always beats her 20 year-old son to the barn EVERY SINGLE time! She's the lead mare of the place. She's always looking out for danger, even in the wild pastures of Indiana.

Mindy is one of the neatest and most regal horses I've been around. And I've been around a lot of horses in my life! She's always attentive and eager to see what's happening, but she does leave room and not crowd in.

She's built like a tank, hearkening back to her race bloodlines of Go Man Go. She's got the big Quarter Horse butt and the kindest eye.

Stay tuned for more stories of Mindy's offspring (one is the muse for Goldie in Emma and the Yellow Mare).

New chapter book experience - Emma and the Yellow Mare

I jumped into the chapter book world when I wrote Emma and the Yellow Mare. I have a young one just getting started reading chapter books (she's headed to 2nd grade) and I wanted to create a story that didn't involve magic.

Now, don't get me wrong. I LOVE magic and I use it all the time in my adult novels, but I wanted to create a book about a girl and a horse. No magic, no tricks. Just a story about hard work. And horses. This little book has a front cover that features my mare, Mindy. She's a palomino Quarter Horse and she's rocking it as a senior horse. She's 25 years old, but still runs into the barn at feedings.

One of Mindy's foals, Indie, is actually the inspiration of the story. He was mean and troublesome and he experienced some of the happenings in the book.

If you would like to check out the book at Amazon, the link is below:

https://www.amazon.com/Emma-Yellow-Mare-Hay-Days/dp/1096590719/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=emma+and+the+yellow+mare&qid=1559185336&s=gateway&sr=8-2


Happy reading!
Angie

Jumping into an unknown world of Fiverr illustrators for my next story about MS

I decided after Princess Polliwog & the Swing Thief had been published, that I loved the idea of writing kids books. But I was really unsure of the price point I have to sell Polliwog at. So I decided to do some research on illustrators from Fiverr. I found someone who seemed really energetic about illustrating my story.

Now, my stomach is churning. Did I do the right thing? This story is special for me, but it is for a very select audience. I also wanted to get a book that I can sell at a price point I'm comfortable charging.

My illustrator is from Sri Lanka and I'm very excited. From his profile illustrations, his people are realistic looking and fun. I can only hope my story can be the same!

Stay tuned for progress reports!
Write on!
Angie

Reading for 1st graders... a super great experience!

I read Princess Polliwog to the entire 1st grade class at my daughter's school. All the kids were very attentive, even though some had to sit too far away to see the pictures. They oh'ed and ah'ed at the important moments and were engaged the entire time.

Some of the kids even put their hands in the air to ask questions and they were good questions. The teachers were very appreciative.

The only downside... I forgot to take any pictures to prove it happened!

Each child got a coloring book page and a color business card (which will hopefully entice the parents to go online and buy my book).

I can tally this experience up to a success and I look forward to more possible readings!

Write on!
Angie

1st time Elementary School reading

I will be doing an elementary school visit today at my daughter’s school to read to the entire 1^st grade class. I got a call from a teacher last week about doing this. The class is reading Frog and Toad books this week and she thought my new children’s book would fit right in. I was tickled pink! I told her I would love to read to my daughter’s class. Then she called back and asked if I could read to all the classes. 4 in all. Gulp. Suddenly I’m not worried about 28 kids not liking my work, I’m worried about 120 kids.

 

But I’m putting on a brave face and setting off to see how the young ones like my story. It kept Morgan entertained, but will boys like it? Is it truly good or is my daughter entertained because it comes from me? I’ll find out in a few. I’m also taking coloring pages (2 different designs) and colored business cards that have a picture of Polliwog – in hopes the card makes it to the parent of the child that MUST HAVE my book. Now they know where to find me!

 

I will also be donating my book to the school library.

 

This will be a great teller if my book is really good enough to keep a 7- or 8-year old’s attention. So I need to tamp down the butterflies and enjoy the day.

 

Wish me luck!

Angie

 

Princess Polliwog & the Swing Thief is coming to the world in less than 72 hours!

My first children's picture book will be out in the world in the next 72 hours! I'm so excited. I will have a color picture book, as well as a coloring book. My business cards came in today and they are so colorful - a big change from my current dark fantasy genre.

From Princess Polliwog, Illustrated by Bryan Werts, Published by Pen It! Publications

They illustrations are so bright and colorful and Bryan Werts, the illustrator, did an absolutely amazing job. I entered this manuscript in a publishing contest and was lucky enough to be the winner. So, I had a gentle transition into the children's picture book world.

One big difference is the cost of the books. It costs more to print in color. And every page is very colorful. Hopefully I can sell the books to cover the cost. I am excited to do a book reading to my first graders class.

I'll keep everyone posted on how that goes!

Read on!

Angie

Going on a cruise!

My husband and I decided to try our hand at cruising this summer because I might or might not be seasick, and I didn't want to waste major $ on a cruise if I'm praying to the porcelain goddess the entire time. I've never been on a cruse and I am excited to experience it! Right now, we're trying to figure out if the soda plan is sufficient or if we should go the full-alcohol route. After reading some blogs, I've determined I'm probably not going to drink 4 or 5 alcoholic beverages a day. We can just pay out of our pockets for any fun "adult" drinks we want after we get there.

We've scheduled our outing after getting to the Bahamas. It seems very exciting. If everything goes right with this trip, it will open the door to other cruise options. Disney cruise for my little one.; a big writers' cruise for me. All sorts of fun!

Getting Down to the Wire!

My first children's book, Princess Polliwog & the Swing Thief, is due to come out a y week now. I am super excited as this opens new doors in the literary community. Schools and libraries weren't good choices for my paranormal adventure novels. Too many demons and vampires. Probably frowned upon in a school environment.

The one thing I found is the cost per book for author copies surpasses a 80,000 word novel. I didn't expect that. It does make me nervous about selling copies due to price. I have events lined up starting in March. I will have a good idea what the reception is like then.

I have been thinking of doing a classroom reading in my daughter's school, too. With donating a book, that might get parents interested. I am still trying to wrap my head around getting a following. I will just have to wait and see.

Keep hopping everyone!
Angie

Strange changes - from paranormal to children's books

This is my first official post as Angie McPherson, children's book author. My first blog is under Penny Pearson, author of paranormal adventures. I wanted to create a separation of genres and so here I am! My first children's book, Princess Polliwog and the Swing Thief, is due to be released in the few month or so. It is such an exciting opportunity for me, and a way to share my work in a normal way.

I entered a children's book contest with my Polliwog manuscript and it won first place! This enabled my idea in my head to come to fruition. Polliwog would never have hopped into my mind without my daughter. When she was a baby, we would tell her stories. These stories grew and became a community in our brains. We created a magical world where there were frog princesses. I wanted a strong character my daughter would be proud of and Polliwog answers that call. She's not afraid to stand up for what she wants and she won't let a mystery get in her way.

So stay tuned for more new publishing news!
Have a hoppy day!
Angie