Click on image to be taken to WINTER GAMES on uTales – Where you can read an 8 page preview
“The woodland winter games are underway. But, faced with Bear’s strength, Squirrel’s speed and Owl’s self-confidence, what is a wee mouse to do?”
I can hardly think of a more fun way to celebrate Children’s Book Week than by publishing one’s first picture book! I know we already had a spontaneous virtual party on Facebook on Monday to celebrate the release of SNOW GAMES on the eBook platform, uTales, but I wanted to be sure none of my blog followers missed out on the celebration. I am still riding the waves of support. Wow! Old friends, colleagues, new kid lit friends – your enthusiasm and belief in me blew my woolen winter socks right off my feet! I think I would happily write just for you, though, like most authors, I do hope for kids worldwide to get a ton of reading and visual pleasure from this story. I am doing a mini-blog hop to promote SNOW GAMES, so I won’t say too much more here, but want to say thanks to Maja for breathing vibrant illustrative life into the five characters (isn’t she just the perfect artist for this story?) and becoming a good friend in the process. Also, a huge thanks to all who gave me critical feedback in the revision process, and to the uTales team, especially Nils von Heijne, the founder, and Emma D. Dryden, who heads up the editorial quality control panel.
I do want to point you to a blog post I wrote about uTales last year shortly after their launch. Also, if you missed it, I know you will enjoy this interview with illustrator, Maja Sereda.
I have some school visits planned and I am honored to be doing interviews and guest posts on the following blogs, on my mini blog-hop, where I will be sharing more about the story, the process and uTales. I hope you will visit them and discover more about my author’s journey.
Wednesday, May 16th – Darshana Kiani’s blog, Flowering Minds. – Interview
Wednesday, May 23rd – Krista Rausin’s blog, Parenting with a Dash of Inspiration – Multiple Characters in Picture Books
Tuesday, May 29th – Sharon Stanley’s blog, Sharon Stanley Writes. – Interview
Tuesday, June 5th – Clarike Bo Jahn, Clarbojahn’s Blog – The Story Behind the Story
Wednesday, June 6th – Diane Tulloch’s blog, The Patient Dreamer. Book Review and mini Interview
Wednesday, June 13th Julie Hedlund’s Blog, Why uTales?
Monday, June 18th – Susanna Leonard Hill’s, Blog – The Process of Submitting a Story to uTales
Wednesday June 27th – Patricia Tilton’s blog, Children’s Books Heal, Anthropomorphism in picture books and Book Review
In June I was selected uTaler of the month for SNOW GAMES and the book promotion – See my interview on the uTales Blog.
And now, onto the next stories!
In my 20's, with only my guitar and a rucksack, I wandered the continents, immersing myself in the lives of some wonderful people, projects and stories, which changed the way I view my responsibility to others and this earth. Right now I'm a European transplant in the US who writes books for children and young adults. Stories can help us not only navigate our world but can connect us to others, and allow us to inspire and help each other. I believe that equity and empathy should be at the core of our all actions, words, and stories.
I am also a school librarian and I get a kick out of book-matchmaking! And I use the pronouns she/her.
I’m so excited for you, Joanna! You’ve taken the first steps, with your letter in the alphabet book, and now with Snow Games. You’re definitely on your way to the heights!
Looking forward to the posts in the blog hop!
Beth, thank you and I am thrilled about the blog hop, which these wonderful bloggers and writing colleagues instigated over the past couple of days!
Glad you posted on your blog (so I could pin it!!) Good luck with your blog book tour! I am so happy for you! You have to let me know your birthday so we can celebrate!
Haha, I did think of pinterest too, great minds and all that!!
I would be honored to be celebrated on your blog. It’s not for another ten months, March 13th, so hopefully by then I shall have some more books published. 🙂
I have your birthday on my calendar! Thanks for sharing!
Joanna, I am thrilled with your first book. I love the rhyming and Maja’s pictures are absolutely perfect for your story — they are expressive, colorful, and show a lot of action! A great launch, and I know you have many more books waiting to have life breathed into them. I wish you much success! Love the new look o the page. And, I plan to post this on Plum Tree.
Pat, you saw this in its rawest form, and I appreciate all your helpful critique and support. Thank you so much for posting on Plum Tree. I completely love all the character and action Maja has infused the story with.
Congrats again Joanna! I am looking forward to you mini-blog hop and learning more about the story behind the story.
Dar, thank you for the invite, I am very much looking forward to being on your blog.
I’m very happy for you. I tried to sign up for UTales to get your book, but got stalled out with the app and toddler antics. He just fell asleep, so I need to return and get a copy. Congratulations! I look forward to reading the blog posts as well as the book.
Kiddo settled down to a nap (after two hours of fighting it), so I was able to purchase and read Snow Games. Glad to know what a wee mouse is to do! Now, I’ll use the apps to read the story with Enzo.
Ooo, let me know what Enzo thinks. I am pretty sure he will love the way Maja has portrayed the four critters!
Snow Games looks charming with a capital C. Congratulations Joanna.
Thank you, Leslie!
Congratulations Joanna! If you would ever like to do a guest post on my blog the offer is always open. ~Krista
Oh, Krista, thank you, I shall probably take you up on that!
Apologies for repeating myself but CONGRATULATIONS!!!! So exciting! I’m so happy for you! What a way to celebrate children’s book week indeed. Such a great idea for a story, and the art is just perfect! 🙂
Please do not apologize for the repetition. And thanks for spontaneously inviting me onto your blog as soon as the news was out!
THANK YOU, Susanna. The support of all you writers means a lot to me.
Joanna, once again CONGRATULATIONS! And if you’d like to do even more interviews, please contact me. I’d love to have you on my blog too! 🙂
Thanks, Julie, I shall contact you!
Congrats Joanna! I am proud to know you as a fellow blogger and commenter. I just liked this post and published it on my facebook page. Thanks for a good update! I just love your new book! 🙂
And I’d be honored if you would consider my blog as part of your mini blog tour. You have my email. 🙂
Thank you, Clar and for reposting on FB. I would love to be on your blog and I will email you. 🙂
Congratulations Joanna, How exciting! I just couldn’t stop bubbling over when I heard the news. Looking forward so much to having you guest post on my blog.Yay!!!
Me too, Diane!
I know I’m late to the party, but HIP, HIP HOORAY! I’m soooooo excited for you. Congratulations on a well deserved milestone!
Not too late for this! Thanks so much, Hannah!
Pingback: Access to Books is Crucial for Kids — Part 4, ONLINE and EBOOKS