A writer inspired by nature and human nature

Archive for the ‘Rave Reviews Book Club’ Category

Aside

Celebrate National Puzzle Day with “The Tangram Zoo & Word Puzzles Too!” by Bette A. Stevens


Happy National Puzzle Day! This celebration is held every year on January 29th. It’s an opportunity to reflect on those puzzles, games and even challenges in life that we embrace every day but sometimes take for granted. Puzzles also offer us a great way to spend quality time interacting with family. In fact, puzzles are an awesome way to celebrate any day! ~Bette A. Stevens

Looking for some awesome fun with the kids or grandkids? Need some quality ‘together time’ on a rainy day? Visit THE TANGRAM ZOO AND WORD PUZZLES TOO! (On sale at YOUR AMAZON for only $6.99) … for hours of creative learning and hands-on fun. Solve 18 puzzles and riddles, make your own tangram puzzle pieces; then write your own riddles and add your own animals to THE ZOO! Solutions and project ideas included.

Although, this [The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! by Bette A. Stevens] is a very clever and educational book for children, I appreciated the added bonus that an adult can sit down and enjoy it with the kids!~D.L. Finn, author

REVIEW

The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too! by Bette A. Stevens

January 2, 2018

Very Clever! 

I bought this book to give as a gift to my grandchildren. Reading through the book before giving it to them, I found it taught me a few things, too. First, I had no idea a tangram is a seven-piece puzzle with specific shapes. A pattern is provided to cut out and get started along with the history of it. There are many ways to put the pieces together, but the book supplies shapes to make– with clues or riddles as to what they are. Although, this is a very clever and educational book for children, I appreciated the added bonus that an adult can sit down and enjoy it with the kids! ~D.L. Finn, author

Ready to give Tangrams and Word Puzzles a try?

Here’s the handout the author uses with students.
Click the link or the image below.
Download, print and you’re ready to go…

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Written

on 01/23/2018

HOLIDAY SALE: eBooks by Bette A. Stevens ONLY 99¢ November 23-27


Looking for great reading adventures this holiday season?

You’ll find 5✰ reads by Bette A. Stevens at great prices (eBooks only 99¢ each) for everyone on your list from November 23rd through November 27th at http://viewauthor.at/BetteAStevens 

Happy Holidays & Happy Reading!

Bette A. Stevens, Maine author

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

 

Category:

AMAZING MATILDA by Bette A. Stevens, Book Promo, DOG BONE SOUP by Bette A. Stevens, Families, Fiction, Inspirational Fiction, Literacy, Literature, Maine Author, Parenting, PURE TRASH by Bette A. Stevens, Rave Reviews Book Club, Reading, Reading with Children, Recommended Reads

Tagged with:

Aside

#RRBC Author Laura Libricz Talks About Self-publishing


Meet Laura Libricz

10 Things I learned About #publishing

 

  1. Why did you choose to publish as an Indie Author?

The Indie publishing experience thrilled me because I saw a way to get my writing into readers’ hands and have control over the content and the look of the finished product.

2. What obstacles have you encountered?

I released The Master and the Maid prematurely in 2012. I did have the manuscript professionally formatted. That wasn’t the problem. The novel was also professionally edited but the editor and I were not a good fit. The book wasn’t all that it could have been. I was not happy with it at all.

3. How did you overcome those challenges?

These days, independent publishing has lots of different facets. I was very lucky to meet up with an independent small publisher. I extensively restructured and rewrote The Master and the Maid and we rereleased it with a new cover in 2016. Bathsheba Monk’s editing process has given me lots more confidence in the project. We both want this project to go in the same direction.

4. What has been the highlight of this journey?

The highlight of this journey is that I have finally made the room in my life to work steadily and progress in my writing. All of us are familiar with real life getting in the way of our writing but often real life has to take the priority. My writing has moved up to new levels and I am very excited that we have now released The Soldier’s Return.

5. What would you like to see in the future for Indie Authors?

Over the last ten years, indie authors have slowly lost that unprofessional connotation. It’s great to see indie authors get the recognition and the respect they deserve. We must continue to work for that by keeping our standards high. Our work must have a high quality, a proper professional edit and proper formatting. This greatly influences the value of the product. We must strive to offer a quality product for a price that reflects the true amount of work involved.

6. Any tips for someone considering going Indie vs Traditional Publishing?

When a writer begins the journey by writing that book, it is always useful to research agents and publishers, learn about the industry, write those query letters and send them around. In the meantime, research in the indie world is just as useful. No matter which way the road turns, it’s going to be a marathon not a sprint.

7. Have you found any online book clubs to help you on your journey?

I’ve found a few different ones and they are all great. The one I have really found a home in is the RRBC. Since I’ve been in the RRBC, my online author platform has built to a level I could have never done by myself. There’s a lot of great members and even though we live all over the world, we are so close via the internet. I am also now a part of the RWISA https://ravewriters.wordpress.com/ team, writers who are dedicated to the excellence of our craft. It is an honor to be a member of RWISA.

8. How do you think the club will benefit authors?

Indie authors writing genre fiction and non-fiction will have great exposure and support through the RRBC. The concept of ‘Pay it Forward,’ and promoting our fellow members is a great concept and it works.

9. Will you encourage your friends to join the club?

Of course, I would! RRBC authors (g)row together!

10. Rave Reviews Book Club has a mission to help Indie Authors get reviews. Why are reviews so important to an author?

Authors need reviews to help us get noticed and help boost our rankings. Peer reviews from other authors are important to give us credibility and a large quantity of reviews from consumers are important to get us noticed. The members of the RRBC are also reviewers. The club’s goal is to profile, promote and propel our fellow authors via book sales, honest reviews and name recognition. Go over and have a look at the club’s website and see for yourself!  https://ravereviewsbynonniejules.wordpress.com/book-club-faq-frequently-asked-questions/

Laura Libricz’s Media Kit (Pictures, Book Covers, Links, Bios, Book Blurbs)

https://lauralibriczblog.wordpress.com/about/

About the Author

Laura Libricz was born and raised in Bethlehem PA and moved to Upstate New York when she was 22. After working a few years building Steinberger guitars, she received a scholarship to go to college. She tried to ‘do the right thing’ and study something useful, but spent all her time reading German literature.

She earned a BA in German at The College of New Paltz, NY in 1991 and moved to Germany, where she resides today. When she isn’t writing she can be found sifting through city archives, picking through castle ruins or aiding the steady flood of musical instruments into the world market.

Her first novel, The Master and the Maid, is the first book of the Heaven’s Pond Trilogy. The Soldier’s Return and Ash and Rubble are the second and third books in the series.

WHERE TO FIND LAURA LIBRICZ ON THE WEB:

 

“This tour sponsored by 4WillsPublishing.wordpress.com.”

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 10/06/2017

Smorgasbord Book Promotion – Air Your Reviews – Paulette Mahurin, Teagan Riordain Geneviene, Bette A. Stevens and Jena C. Henry


Category:

Book Picks, Book Reviews, Historical Fiction, Literature, My Books, PURE TRASH by Bette A. Stevens, Rave Reviews Book Club, Reading, Recommended Reads, RWISA Author

Tagged with:

Aside

Welcome to RAVE WRITERS—INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AUTHORS


Hi! Welcome to RAVE WRITERS—INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF AUTHORS, otherwise known as RWISA {pronounced RISA or rice-uh, with a silent ‘W’}, a division of the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB! (RRBC)

RWISA, the latest brain-child of Author, Nonnie Jules, was founded for the sole purpose of introducing the literary world to some of the top INDIE Authors! These writers are consummate Professionals, dedicated, committed and driven to continually excel at producing the best written works possible. Are they perfect? No, but none of us are. What separates them from the rest, is their ultimate goal of giving readers what they are paying for…great, polished reads and writing!

The members of this community have penned works that have garnered high marks and praise for creativity, and their dedication to the excellence of the craft of writing. But, it doesn’t stop there! Their desire to be the BEST in their writing, is evident in the little things, as well, such as their websites and blogs, their well-written book blurbs and even their Author bios on Amazon. These writers care about perfection in their writing and it shows across the board!

RWISA is home to some of the most talented INDIE authors around the world! We invite you to take a look around, visiting each author’s page, as well as their showcases. If you are an author, and think that you have what it takes to have your name placed on the roster of our ELITE members, we invite you to submit a request for membership.

You can’t belong to RWISA simply because you want to. This community of ELITE writers is not open to the general public. Although submitting a REQUEST for possible membership is required, actual membership into the society is by invitation only! Once it has been determined that your written work, your attention to detail, and your commitment to continually improve and excel as an Author is genuine, it will be an honor to add your name to our roster of other ELITE writers.

On the other side of that coin, if you are a member of RRBC (because we do have lots of great talent there) and your name is not listed here yet, that could simply mean that you are on a list of authors waiting to be vetted, but feel free to submit a request for membership, just to be safe.

For more information, please visit our FAQ page and any of the other informative pages on the site.

**If you are a publisher, news or magazine entity, etc., and are interested in the work of some of the talent showcased here, please feel free to connect with them via the contact info on their Author page.**

Thanks for visiting, and if you truly treasure and appreciate great writing, please tell your friends about us!

APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP WITH US!

Meet the Authors of #RWISA #RRBC https://ravewriters.wordpress.com/meet-the-authors/

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 08/30/2017

Aside

Welcome to Day 15 of the RWISA Writers’ Tour: Meet Marlena Smith


Welcome Marlena Smith!

Will it ever be enough?

Will I ever be complete?

These questions haunt me;

They scream out defeat.

A mind vacant of answers;

A soul lost in time;

A heart full of sadness;

And eyes that just won’t shine.

A whisper full of sorrow;

A smile full of regret;

A life less than ordinary;

One I wish to forget.

*  *  *

Life is too precious to not make the most of every day.

Cherish memories.

Strive to make more.

Make every moment count.

Tell others you love them.

Forgive quickly.

Laugh often.

Pray every day.

Have a thankful heart.

*  *  *

Author Bio

Marlena Smith is a true Southern Belle at heart. Her home has always been in Alabama and she couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. Growing up as a preacher’s daughter, faith and family played a large part in her life.

Her earliest memory of writing was that of second grade when she was selected to attend the Young Author’s Conference in her home state. Little did she know then that her future was being mapped out.

Marlena now wears many hats, including:  writer, author, blogger, freelancer, reader, reviewer, researcher, paranormal enthusiast, traveler, and Secretary of Rave Reviews Book Club. Writing, though, has and always will be her main passion in life.

Marlena has several works in progress, including an upcoming short romance, titled THE POWER OF LOVE. This début book is expected to be out in 2017. In addition to her début, she has a romance novel, a cookbook and a horror screenplay on her to-do-list.

Follow Marlena online

Twitter – @_MarlenaSmith_

Facebook – @AuthorMarlenaSmith

Instagram – @MarlenaLafaye930

Thank you for supporting this member along the WATCH “RWISA” WRITE Showcase Tour today!  We ask that if you have enjoyed this member’s writing, to please visit their Author Page on the RWISA site, where you can find more of their writing, along with their contact and social media links, if they’ve turned you into a fan.  WE ask that you also check out their books in the RWISA or RRBC catalogs.  Thanks, again for your support and we hope that you will follow each member along this amazing tour of talent!  Don’t forget to click the link below to learn more about this author:

Marlena Smith RWISA Author Page

[Explore Bette’s Blog]

 

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Written

on 08/15/2017

PURE TRASH (Historical Fiction) by Bette A. Stevens #FREE eBook through July 1, 2017


PURE TRASH (Historical Fiction) by Bette A. Stevens

#FREE eBook June 27 through July 1, 2017
Grab a copy of this must-read prequel to the author’s novel DOG BONE SOUP today at Your Amazon http://amzn.to/1T5tMAZ today!

From the Reviews

5gold-star3

Pure Trash—A Nostalgic Gem!

“A nostalgic gem – I was swept away from the first paragraph and thoroughly enjoyed this skillfully written short story. This author knows how to paint mind-pictures and flavour them with taste, smell, and sound.” ~WJ Scott, Children’s Author, Fairy Dust.

A Compelling Story

“Having read Dog Bone Soup from which this short story was drawn, I figured it would be a review of what I already read. I must say it was, but to a greater degree, this short story caused me to focus on the message. Two boys, Shawn and Willie, were children of dirt-poor parents. The story covers the day that the boys are going to take their bikes to town, trade in some bottles, and enjoy some candy. In short, a day free of worry and care. Unfortunately, this was not meant to be. A small accident causes the boys to have to face the reality of prejudice that will no doubt haunt them their entire lives.

“The author tells this story with the realism that causes the reader believe they are witnessing the action personally. One’s heart goes out to the boys and their mother for having to endure ridicule and shame only because they were born into poverty.

“I recommend this short story to anyone who wants to preview Dog Bone Soup. It is well worth the time.” ~John Howell, author

Book summary

PURE TRASH (Historical Fiction/Ages 10-adult) In this short story adventure set in New England in the 1950s, two young boys set out on a Saturday adventure you won’t want to miss! Experience the joy of a carefree Saturday and the blistering pain of feeling not quite good enough as you hop on a bike and ride into town with two delightful young boys who find adventure at every turn. Shawn and Willie Daniels live in the woods with no indoor water or plumbing. Dad spends most of his hard-earned money on beer. Prejudice, class division, alcoholism, poverty, injustice, and bullying are cleverly woven into this 1950s adventure short. PURE TRASH is the short story prequel to DOG BONE SOUP, Stevens’s début novel DOG BONE SOUP.

About the author

Inspired by nature and human nature, author Bette A. Stevens is a retired elementary and middle school teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of five. Stevens lives in Central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys reading, writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and families, for childhood literacy and for the conservation of monarch butterflies—an endangered species (and for milkweed, the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat).

Stevens is the author of AMAZING MATILDA, an award-winning picture book; The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!, a home/school resource  incorporating hands-on math and writing; and PURE TRASH, the short story prequel to her début novel, DOG BONE SOUP—coming-of-age story and family drama set in 1950s and 60s New England.

Liked this post? Please share on your social media sites.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Category:

#IndieBooksBeSeen, Books, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literature, Maine Author, My Books, PURE TRASH by Bette A. Stevens, Rave Reviews Book Club, RWISA Author, Short Stories

Tagged with:

Sally’s Cafe and Bookstore – Author Update – Kim Cox and Bette A. Stevens


Check out these updates from Sally’s Bookstore!

Category:

#IndieBooksBeSeen, Book marketing, Book Picks, Book Promo, Book Reviews, Book series, DOG BONE SOUP by Bette A. Stevens, Fiction, Literature, Parenting, Rave Reviews Book Club, RWISA Author

Tagged with:

DOG BONE SOUP (Historical Fiction/age 11-adult) by Bette A. Stevens– ONLY 99¢ thru June 30


Book Promo – DOG BONE SOUP by Bette A. Stevens – ONLY 99¢ / 99p for a Limited Time

True-to-life Americana

“DOG BONE SOUP is a fascinating literary study of poverty and family dysfunction in the 1950s  & 1960s. It is written in a fast-flowing, entertaining style that kept my turning pages, one after another.

“Despite the odds stacked against them, two brothers—Shawn Daniels and Willie—manage to survive, escaping the rants of a drunken abusive father and the hardships of rural life, cutting out on daily adventures and misadventures to the likes of Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry. DOG BONE SOUP is about making the best of what you have. It’s a story about survival, struggle, and the human spirit—rising above it all. As with all great literature, it is underscored with life lessons particularly memorable to this generation…” –Frank Scozzari, author

Grab a copy today!

DOG BONE SOUP by Bette A. Stevens

Literary/General Fiction

Sale dates through June 30, 2017

Sale price of book: $0.99 (Regularly $3.99)

BUY THE BOOK

About the author

Inspired by nature and human nature, author Bette A. Stevens is a retired elementary and middle school teacher, a wife, mother of two and grandmother of five. Stevens lives in Central Maine with her husband on their 37-acre farmstead where she enjoys reading, writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and families, for childhood literacy and for the conservation of monarch butterflies—an endangered species (and for milkweed, the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat).

Stevens is the author of AMAZING MATILDA, an award-winning picture book; The Tangram Zoo and Word Puzzles Too!, a home/school resource  incorporating hands-on math and writing; and PURE TRASH, the short story prequel to her début novel, DOG BONE SOUP, a Boomer’s coming-of-age story set in 1950s and 60s New England.

Thanks for purchasing, reading and reviewing DOG BONE SOUP; and for sharing this Book Promo post for DOG BONE SOUP on your media sites.

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Category:

#IndieBooksBeSeen, Book Picks, Book Promo, DOG BONE SOUP by Bette A. Stevens, Fiction, Historical Fiction, History, Inspirational Fiction, Literature, Maine Author, My Books, Parenting, Rave Reviews Book Club, RWISA Author, YouTube Video

Tagged with:

Celebrate EARTH DAY with a Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Monarch Butterfly eBook—ONLY 99¢ Limited Time (April 22-28)


HAPPY EARTH DAY!

Please share this post…

Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ Monarch butterflies are a threatened species. The Center for Biological Diversity and the Center for Food Safety filed a legal petition requesting Endangered Species Act protection for the monarch and its habitat.

AMAZING MATILDA written and illustrated by Maine author Bette A. Stevens:

~Click MATILDA’s cover to take a “Look Inside” on YOUR AMAZON~

“Award-winning picture book adventure follows a monarch butterfly through her life cycle and teaches kids important life lessons along the way!”

About the book

AMAZING MATILDA (Ages 5-11 + grownups love it too) Friendship, patience and persistence are among the lessons learned in this gem of a tale featuring an amazing monarch butterfly. This award-winning picture book adventure follows the monarch’s life cycle as Matilda embarks on a quest to make her dream of flying come true. Matilda emerges from her egg on a milkweed leaf, she stretches and yawns and wants to fly. Sparrow tells her to follow her dreams. Toad and Rabbit laugh at a creature without wings who wants to fly. You’ll be as amazed as Toad and Rabbit, as you follow Matilda from egg to imago.

DOWNLOAD a copy of AMAZING MATILDA by Bette A. Stevens (ONLY 99¢ April 22th–April 28th )—award-winning monarch butterfly picture book— at YOUR AMAZON

Love Monarch Butterflies?

BEYOND THE   BOOK—find resources at your finger tips: Have fun and learn even more about Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ monarch butterflies by downloading Bette’s FREE Click here: FUN & LEARNING with Monarch Butterflies PDF where you’ll find:

  • Monarch Facts
  • Coloring Pages
  • Crafts
  • Gardening
  • Video: How to Make an Origami Butterfly
  • Butterfly Teacher Guide and so much more…
  • FIND OUT how you can help protect our Amazing Monarchs

 Find out more about Maine author/illustrator Bette A. Stevens and her books:

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Category:

#IndieBooksBeSeen, AMAZING MATILDA by Bette A. Stevens, award-winning picture book, Book Picks, Book Promo, butterfly metamorphosis, Butterfly migration, Children's Literature, Children's Picture Book, Education, Indie Authors, Inspirational, Inspirational Fiction, Kids crafts, Literacy, Maine Author, Monarch butterflies, Monarch butterfly conservation, My Books, Nature, Parenting, Rave Reviews Book Club, Reading with Children, Recommended Reads, RWISA Author

Tagged with:

Tag Cloud