A Word Please

My guest today is the talented author Sandra McLeod Humphrey. Sandra’s work is both educational and inspirational. If you have children in your life, I highly recommend her books. In fact, I think they should be in all schools and on every child’s bookshelf.

Sandra has written an article to share with us today, with helpful information for all parents, grandparents and caretakers. But, first, a brief introduction:

Sandra McLeod Humphrey is a retired clinical psychologist, a character education consultant, and an award-winning author of seven middle-grade and young adult books. She’s also the recipient of the National Character Education Center’s Award for Exemplary Leadership in Ethics Education (2000) and the 2005 Helen Keating Ott Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children’s Literature. You can learn more about her books by visiting her Web site at www.KidsCanDoIt.com.

Now on to Sandra’s article:

In working with young people, both as a clinical psychologist and as a volunteer, I have noticed that many of them are lacking a sense of direction to their lives and have no strong set of personal values or belief system.

Our character is an integral part of who we are and having a strong set of values helps us define our character.

Strong character is not instinctive. It’s learned and it’s never too early to begin talking with our young people about personal values and helping them define and develop their own code of moral conduct.

As society’s moral guidelines become increasingly more ambiguous, it’s more essential than ever that we all have our basic code of ethics well crystallized in our own minds.

Just as bodybuilding builds strong physical muscle through “sets” and “reps,” we also need to help our kids build good moral muscle. And we can do this by dialoguing with our kids about choices. Moral Choices.

Life is all about choices. The choices we make determine not only our character but also the quality of our lives. As they say, practice makes perfect and one way we can help our children is to help them practice or rehearse what they would do in different situations before they are actually confronted by those situations in real life.

Our ultimate objective for our children is to empower them to make their own choices–good choices. And we can help them do this if we can get them THINKING and TALKING about moral issues. Kids love to talk and we just have to give them the opportunity to do so.

Here are a few ideas and questions to facilitate some great discussions:

“Honor” is an old-fashioned word. What does it mean and has it gone out of style? (I have found that some kids have no clue what “honor” or “reputation” really means).

We all need a “moral compass.” What does this mean to you? Do you have a “moral compass?” If so, how would you describe it? (I have found that kids like the concept of a “moral compass” and can relate quite easily to this question).

How do you test the choices that you make? One good test is the test of time. How will you feel about this choice a month from now? One year from now? (You will probably be amazed at how dramatically our kids’ concepts of time differ from our own).

Is your speech a reflection of your character? Is your speech different in the locker room than it is at home or at church? Do you have more than one language–a different language for different occasions? (This question usually provokes a lot of discussion and disagreement between kids about what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable).

What does “being cool” really mean to you? (This one can stimulate some great discussions with a lot of varied and spontaneous feedback).

How do you decide whether something is right or wrong? Is it just a question of whether anyone else will get hurt? (This one will really get kids thinking and hopefully talking).

How important is winning? Does it really matter how we win? (This one can frequently provoke some unexpected personal revelations by the kids).

Do you think that these days just about everyone cheats to get what they want? (You may or may not be surprised by just how prevalent cheating is and by how many kids admit to doing it).

How much is “trust” worth? If it’s a choice between missing out on a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity or dishonestly exploiting a situation to your own personal advantage, how would you decide what to do? (The kids themselves will come up with dozens of hypothetical situations for this one).

Do you think it is ever okay to break a promise? (This can lead into some great discussions about our responsibility to other people when they are in trouble–e.g. when they are using drugs, hiding an eating disorder, etc.).

Would you choose character over conformity? (This one will stimulate some great discussions about peer pressure).

These are just a few of the conversation-starters I use when I visit classes to talk to students about moral choices. The important thing is to get our kids thinking and talking. Remember that strong moral character does not come instinctively. It is learned.

Hopefully, these discussions about moral choices will help our young people develop a sense of direction and purpose to their lives which will result in more rewarding and more fulfilling experiences not only for them but also for those whose lives they may touch.

One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is help in developing a strong sense of self, so that they will not be unduly influenced by peer pressure. To stand firm for what they believe, they will need strong character, and we can help them develop strong character by helping them define their values and code of ethics when they are young, so that regardless of what others around them do and say, they will act according to their own conscience–even if sometimes this may mean standing alone.

And the stronger their character, the better for all of us!

This is some excellent advice. On the surface, it might sound simple. But, sadly, these topics are rarely, if ever, brought up in most homes. We’re all busy and often parents don’t think about bringing up these issues. A little conversation every now and then can go a long way to leading our kids in the right direction.

Here’s a look at all of Sandra’s books on Amazon:

I hope that you’ll take the time to look at Sandra’s books, as well as her website – www.KidsCanDoIt.com. In the meantime, Sandra and I would love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and questions with us here.

Thanks for reading.

Today is about freedom and our flag is the symbol. What do you know about flag etiquette? What do your children know?

Stacy Juba, good friend and author, has written a fun book for kids that teaches all about the flag with an entertaining story. I read it and learned a few things! Here’s a look:

This patriotic book is designed to teach children about U.S. flag etiquette through an educational fiction story. It also includes discussion questions, flag facts, and an activity. Elizabeth may be a little bear, but she treats the American flag with big respect. Elizabeth wakes up the American flag in the morning and puts it to bed at night. She acts as her father’s “flag keeper,” helping him with his daily tasks of raising the flag and retiring it for the evening. She soaks up the etiquette facts that Dad teaches her, including don’t leave the flag out in the dark without a spotlight. When Dad leaves for a business trip, it frustrates Elizabeth that their flag will be stuck in a boring garage. Every flag she sees reminds her of her job as flag keeper. Elizabeth grows determined to make her father proud by proving she can raise the flag herself and follow all the rules of flag etiquette.

The Flag Keeper is ideal for military families, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, classroom and library use, and for anyone who wishes to teach a special child about American flag etiquette. It is a perfect complement to patriotic holidays such as Flag Day and the Fourth of July.

You can find The Flag Keeper in both paperback and Kindle format on Amazon:

Stacy is a talented author who dabbles in many genres. Here’s a look at her other titles on Amazon, in both print and Kindle format:

Finally, I should at least introduce you to the author I’m discussing:

Although Stacy Juba specializes in writing adult mysteries, she has also authored books for children and young adults – she pursues whatever story ideas won’t leave her alone. Stacy’s titles include the Amazon bestselling adult mystery novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim, the mystery short story Laundry Day, the children’s picture books The Flag Keeper and Victoria Rose and the Big Bad Noise, and the upcoming young adult novels Dark Before Dawn, Face-Off and Offsides. She is a former journalist with more than a dozen writing awards to her credit.

You can learn more about Stacy and her writing on her website: http://stacyjuba.com/blog

Have a happy and safe holiday. Dont’ forget to check out The Flag Keeper for a little fun and education!

Thanks for reading.

Visiting me today is the multi-talented author Karen Cioffi-Ventrice. She’s written an excellent piece to share with us on creating characters. Before we get to that, let’s get to know Karen:

Karen Cioffi is an author, ghostwriter (for authors, bloggers, and business), freelance writer, reviewer, and acquisitions editor intern for 4RV Publishing . She is also on the team of DKV Writing 4U, and the founder and manager of VBT Writers on the Move, as well as co-moderator of a children’s writing critique group.
***

Is Your Character One, Two, Or Three Dimensional?
By Karen Cioffi

Between your characters and the plot, you develop a story. If the mix is right, and the characters are believable, you can create a story worthy of publication.

While there are many articles about creating believable characters, it’s an important topic and reminders are always in order since your characters are a crucial aspect of your story.

So, which is your protagonist?

Is your protagonist flat…lacks any type of emotion and action, like the simple and safe kiddy rides at a children’s amusement park…the carousel horse that goes round and round, but does nothing else? Then you have a one dimensional character on your hands.

Is your protagonist a little bumpy…he has some quirks, life and emotion, but no real depth of character or history, like the carousel horse that goes round and round and up and down at a steady easy pace? Then you have a two dimensional character struggling to break into the world of believability.

Is your protagonist a full blown amusement park…a roller coaster, full of ups and downs, knowledge, emotion, character, quirks…life and history? Now you have it—you have a believable three dimensional character that is strong enough to bring your story through to the end.

So, now the question is: how do you create a wonderful, believable life-like three dimensional character?

There are a number of methods you can use that will help you create a believable character, here are two:

1. Create a character sheet or use an index card before you begin.

On your sheet, list all the characteristics, quirks, moods, mannerisms, physical attributes, artistic attributes…you get the idea. Keep this sheet handy as you’re writing your story. If you tell the reader Pete has blonde hair in the beginning of the story, and then you describe it as black, unless he dyed his hair as part of the storyline, stay true to the character. Readers pick up on errors very quickly.

The more detail you add to your character sheet the easier it will be to know what your protagonist will do in any given circumstance. This will take the element of wondering out of your writing process and save time…Pete finds a bag of money next to his neighbor’s car. Hmm . . . will he keep it or try to find out if it’s his neighbor’s? Oh, wait a minute, on your character sheet you wrote he’s an honest guy! Simple.

2. Add characteristics and attributes to your protagonist as you write your story.

Write your protagonist’s characteristics, quirks, moods, mannerisms, and so on, on a character sheet as your story evolves. There are some writers who use different methods to create a story. Maybe you’re using the ‘seat-of-the-pants-method’ and your character evolves as your story does. With this method, you want to be sure to note each new development in your protagonist’s character or being.

Let’s go back to Pete again. Pete scratches a car as he’s parking. Does he leave a note on the car he damaged? Does he quickly leave the scene? Does he just ignore the incident and goes about his business? Whichever one of these actions he chooses will establish another element to his character – be sure to make note of it.

Whichever process you use, remember to add life-like qualities to your character. Readers need to develop a relationship with the protagonist. If they feel Pete is three dimensional and they are drawn to him, they’ll be sure to read to the end of your book.
***

Excellent advice! I’m one of those who uses the ‘seat-of-the-pants-method’ and I do keep characters sheets. What is your preferred method?

Thanks for reading!

Author Janet Ann Collins joins me today in my little corner of the world! Janet is a wonderful, giving person and fabulous author. Let’s learn a little about the woman behind the books:

Janet Ann Collins used to write feature articles for a newspaper in the Bay Area, is a columnist for the Antique Auction Explorer and her work has appeared in many other publications. She is the author of three fiction books for children. The Peril of the Sinister ScientistSecret Service Saint is about a middle school boy who thinks he was cloned from the blood on the Shroud of Turin because a scientist who had worked on that experiment is stalking him. Secret Service Saint is a picture book about Nicholas, who discovers the fun of doing secret good deeds and eventually becomes known as Santa Claus. Signs of Trouble, her third, will be released soon.

Collins is a retired teacher, enjoys public speaking and often teaches workshops at conferences. With her husband she raised three deaf foster sons with special needs in addition to their birth daughter, and has one grandson. They live in the beautiful Sierra foothills of Northern California. To learn more about her please visit her website, www.janetanncollins.com.

Here’s a look at Janet’s upcoming release:

Signs of Trouble is a book for young readers about kids with learning disabilities who get separated from their class on a field trip. Janet wrote the book based on her own experiences working with Special Education classes. The activities included are appropriate for children from preschool through the early elementary grades and can help them learn safety rules, basic reading skills, understanding of people with special needs, and creative writing skills.

I love the cover! And what a great book to help teach kids understanding and tolerance.

Why do you write?

I guess because I want to repay some of what all the books I’ve read have given to me. I just can’t imagine not being a writer. Otherwise, what would I do with all the ideas begging to be released and shared?

What can readers new to your work expect when they pick up your book(s)?

My current books and any I write in the future will be fun to read and will probably all have something to do with helping people deal with difficulties.

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be doing with your life?

Since I’m officially retired I could just sit around and read, but, much as I love books, that would get old fast. I’d probably do some part time teaching and maybe get involved in a drama group in addition to the volunteering I already do. But it’s hard to imagine a life without writing.

In one sentence, what do you want people to say about your writing in fifty years?

It touched many people’s lives in ways that encouraged them to help make the world a better place.

What would you like people to know about you and your writing?

I’d like them to know I’m a real person with hopes and dreams that may be like their own.

When I attended a high school reunion several years ago several people remembered me as brave. I found that amazing since I’d been scared of everything, but later I remembered times when I’d stood up for what was right. Since the protagonists in all the books I read always did that it never occurred to me that there was any alternative.

Also there have been many times when books or articles I read gave me insight or information that helped me through difficult times in my own life.

Writing is fun (mostly) and I enjoy being creative, but my dream is to touch and help others as the things I’ve read have touched and helped me.
***

Janet has a blog about special needs – http://janetanncollins.blogspot.net and another blog about kids, books, and words – http://onwordsblog.blogspot.net. You can learn more about her on her website – www.janetanncollins.com.

Thanks for reading.

I’m excited to introduce children’s author Fiona Ingram. Fiona has a unique story to share with us today. I hope you’ll all enjoy it as much as I did.

I asked Fiona to tell us about herself:

I am a South African children’s author. Up until a few years ago I was a journalist and editor. Something rather unexpected sparked my new career as an author—a family trip to Egypt with my mother and two young nephews. We had a great time and I thought I’d write them a short story as a different kind of souvenir…. Well, one book and a planned book series later, I had changed careers.

It has been an incredible journey and not without its dark and dreary moments. Living in South Africa affords very few good opportunities for publishing. Hence my decision to find a publisher in the USA. That too has its drawbacks—I can’t do as much as I would like with book readings etc. But the benefit of the Internet has proved itself! I have found that through blogging, tweeting, Facebook, and other online means, I have been able to build up a good author profile.

My book has also done me proud in Book Awards and various contests.
• Finalist in the Children’s/Juvenile Fiction category of the 2009 USA Next Generation Indie Book Awards
• Finalist in the Children’s Fiction section of the USA National Best Books 2009 Awards.
• Winner in the Preteen category of the 2009 Readers’ Favorites 2009 Awards.
• Nominated Number 2 in the Top 10 Favourite Books of 2009 for Kids, Tweens and Teens in The Children’s & Teens Book Connection.
• Silver medal in the Teen Fiction category of the 2010 Nautilus Book Awards.
• Finalist in the 2010 International Book Awards.

Writing for children, it was inevitable that the subject of child literacy would interest me. I fostered and then later adopted a disadvantaged African child. I hope you’ll read her story from ignorance to literacy here as well. As a result, I now give creative writing classes with my book readings at schools, and write articles on how parents can help their kids to enjoy reading more. You can visit my website www.FionaIngram.com and look at a variety of articles in the Media Room. For those who are still adventurers at heart, please visit the book site www.secretofthesacredscarab.com. If you’re clever enough to crack the Curse of Thoth at the end of The Journey, you can read Chapter One of the next book in my series The Chronicles of the Stone.

About Fiona’s book – The Secret of the Sacred Scarab:

The Secret of the Sacred Scarab is a middle grade children’s adventure, filled with action, mystery, history (yes!), geography, archaeology, and all the kind of hands-on/solving clues stuff kids love. The story is a thrilling adventure for two young boys, whose fun trip to Egypt turns into a dangerously exciting quest to uncover an ancient and mysterious secret.

A 5000-year-old mystery comes to life when a scruffy peddler gives two young South African tourists, Adam and Justin Sinclair, an old Egyptian scarab on their very first day in Egypt. Only when the evil Dr. Faisal Khalid shows a particular interest in the cousins and their scarab, do the boys realise they are in terrible danger. Dr. Khalid wants the relic at all costs. Justin and Adam embark upon the adventure of a lifetime, taking them down the Nile and across the harsh desert in their search for the legendary tomb of the Scarab King, an ancient Egyptian ruler. They are plunged into a whirlpool of hazardous and mysterious events when Dr. Khalid kidnaps them. They survive terrifying dangers in a hostile environment (such as a giant cobra, as well as sinking sand), pursued by enemies in their quest to solve the secret of the sacred scarab. They must translate the hieroglyphic clues on the underside of the scarab, as well as rescue the missing archaeologist James Kinnaird, and their friend, the Egyptologist Ebrahim Faza, before time runs out. They must also learn more about the ancient Seven Stones of Power and the mysterious Shemsu-Hor. With just their wits, courage, and each other, the boys manage to survive … only to find that the end of one journey is the beginning of another!
***

Fiona has written a moving piece about her personal experience with children’s literacy:

The Wonderful World of Words and One Child’s Journey There

I don’t remember actually learning to read; it’s as if I always did. Although we grew up poor (five children to feed, clothe, and educate), my parents always had books in the house. And then of course, there were the books we inherited from my grandparents. My very old copy of The Wind in the Willows, with those simple yet beautiful illustrations, is still on my bookshelf. Ratty and Mole were my heroes (and still are!). Other old friends are The Secret Garden, with exquisite color plates, The Water Babies, Enid Blyton’s Faraway Tree series, my collection of the Lucy Fitch Perkins’ twin series, with her poignant stories of children of all eras and places around the world. I particularly loved Anne of Avonlea, The Little Princess, and many others.

The list of children’s classics is endless and not so long ago I read them all over again. I ‘inherited’ an African foster child from a disadvantaged background. This little girl came to me at age eleven, practically illiterate, scoring only 19% for English at school. Opening the doors into the wonderful world of books seemed insurmountable because she simply did not understand the connection between the written and spoken word. What to do? Begin at the beginning seemed a good idea.

I started off with my old favorites and Mabel loved them. Suddenly, the words were not frightening because she was hearing about places and people she’d never imagined. She’d lean over my shoulder, breathing down my neck as I read, my finger tracing the words as I sounded them out. The pages began to surrender the magical words, and she found them enchanting! Fired with success, we moved onto the rest of the library, slowly devouring my children’s classic book collection in very tiny bite-sized pieces. I was still doing most of the reading.

One day, Mabel decided she’d help out with the words, and began reading to me. It was still incredibly slow but I began to see the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. We got movies of books, watched them, and then read the books, just in case the moviemakers had left out some important bits. We expanded our repertoire book by book. I found other ways to sneak words into her day, not just when we were doing ‘serious’ reading. She read recipes with me when we baked; she read the instructions on the packaging to me while we prepared dinner; she read advertisements to me when we shopped. Suddenly words were a constant part of her life.

Mabel also began to show her imaginative side at school. Her poems and creative writing pieces began to change, reflecting more color, bigger words, more complex themes and emotions. What a breakthrough! The final moment of success came when just recently she turned to my mother and said, “Gran, will you buy me a book?”

My mother nearly fell off her chair and replied, “You can have as many as you like, darling.”

Mabel grinned. “Oh, then can you buy me all the Twilight books please?”

Thank you Stephenie Meyer for being the first author Mabel ‘owns.’ (Apparently vampires rock.)

Her latest ‘own’ books? Inkheart, and The Golden Compass.

Her latest marks for English? A magnificent 75%.

“I can do much better,” she said, frowning. “I’m going to have to improve on this if I want to be a writer.”

I have now adopted Mabel legally, not having my own children, and I can say the greatest compliment is that she has decided to become a journalist or a novelist (just like me).

Recently I called her and, hearing her voice coming from her bedroom, asked, “What are you doing?”

Reply: “I’m reading!”

Music to any parent’s ears!
***
This is Mabel, Fiona’s beautiful adopted daughter, who has been blessed with the love of words and a mother’s unconditional love.

***

You can learn more about Fiona and her work in the following places:
Her Website: www.FionaIngram.com
Her Book: www.secretofthesacredscarab.com
Her Blog: http://fionaingramauthor.blogspot.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/FionaRobyn