AMAZING MATILDA, A Monarch’s Tale by Bette A. Stevens
Why write a book about a Monarch butterfly?
“I wanted readers of all ages, not only to learn about nature, but to learn from nature. Readers and listeners will discover facts about Monarchs and their habitat, all while they enjoy a tale filled with excitement and adventure. That’s the wonder of creative writing. Matilda and her friends not only teach lessons about patience and persistence, they show children that they can reach for their dreams and make them come true.” ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustrator
Purchase Paperback any time and Download eBook version for FREE at YOUR AMAZON today!
Monarch butterflies and their habitat are threatened —author Bette A. Stevens advocates for their protection and conservation. Find out more about the author and her books right here on the blog.
HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY & HAPPY READING with the kids...
You’ll find some awesome books to help celebrate the day! ~ Bette A. Stevens, Maine author/illustratorhttp://www.4writersandreaders.com
My son has been far more interested in holidays this year than he was in the past. This can at times be problematic — like when he declares his own holiday and is then thoroughly disappointed when I inform him that it doesn’t mean he gets the day off from school. But I’ve been trying to catch the wave of his enthusiasm in other ways, like introducing him to good books surrounding each holiday. Here are some that we enjoyed about St. Patrick’s Day.
Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland – by Tomie de Paola
A beautiful introduction to St. Patrick as a person — his history and his legacy. It includes a number of legends about St. Patrick at the end.
St. Patrick’s Day – by Gail Gibbons
This book provides a brief introduction to the life of St. Patrick, as well as some of symbolism and traditions surrounding St…
“Hope is a thing with feathers that perches on the soul…” one of my favorite lines from Emily Dickinson ~ Bette A. Stevenshttp://www.4writersandreaders.com
We must accept finite disappointment,
but never lose infinite hope.
~Martin Luther King, Jr.
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,
And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.
I’ve heard it in the chillest land,
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.
~Emily Dickinson
It has been my privilege to meet some incredible people through my blog. They are people I never knew to ask God for, but He has given them to me anyway. When I asked Him why He blessed me with their presence in my life, He let me know that it’s because they can fill my life in ways that no one else can. And it’s true…
Christina Steiner is an award-winning writer of two illustrated children’s books The Sad Tree and Pronuba and The Fantastic Travels of William and the Monarch Butterfly (Outskirts Press 2013, 2015). As a nature enthusiast, she likes to introduce children to the wonders of the living world around them. Steiner writes fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
Other accomplishments include being featured in the Moorpark Review 2013, the West Winds Centennial, California Writers Club 100 year anthology in 2010, and an honorable mentioning in the 77th Annual Writer’s Digest Competition 2008.
Born and raised in Switzerland, Christina made Southern California her home and raised two daughters. When not writing or reading, she hikes with her dogs, rides her horse, makes wine with her partner and enjoys the beauty that nature offers.
It’s wonderful to have Christina Steiner with us today. I’ve fallen in love with both of her children’s books (outstanding children’s literature inspired by nature) and can’t wait to send copies to my youngest grandson to read and enjoy. Now it’s time to meet the author. Tell us more about yourself, Christina.
If I can be outdoors, I usually am. I prefer mountains to the ocean but living in California offers both. Nature in its bounty always amazes and enthralls me. A bad day gets whisked away after a walk on the beach or in the local hills.
How about your family?
My roots are in Switzerland. Growing up as the youngest of five, I learned from my siblings what was accepted and what not. Small town living has advantages and perils. Any misbehaving in the town usually reached my parent’s ear before I could make it home.
Living in America and raising my two daughters was different, everything seemed larger than life. I had the big advantage to live in a semi-rural area of Los Angeles at the time so I could instill the wonders of nature by exposing my children to the local wildlife and our domestic animals which included horses, sheep, goats, dogs, cats and even a llama. Now I live with my partner and four dogs in Ventura, California.
How long have you been writing and what type of writing do you normally do?
I always loved to write. My earliest competition was an essay for a newspaper in third grade. I did win second place. Later I wrote journals all through my teenage years which included poetry, at that time in German. My dream of writing my own book didn’t happen until much later when my children were grown. English became the language of choice as a writer. I joined local writing communities and profited a lot through critique groups and encouragements of follow writers. The dream became a passion.
SYNOPSIS OF BOOKS (Click cover images to find Christina’s books on Amazon and take a look inside these beautifully written and illustrated children’s books.)
The Sad Tree and Pronuba tells the story of the symbiotic relationship between the Joshua tree and the Pronuba moth.
The Fantastic Travels of William and the Monarch Butterfly is a chapter book. A North Dakota boy rides along with Anka, an eastern, fourth-generation Monarch butterfly to central Mexico and back. During the journey William learns the intricate life cycle of the Monarch butterfly, survival and friendship
What prompted you to write The Sad Tree and Pronuba
I visited the Mojave Desert and climbed Malapai Hill in Joshua Tree National Park. Fascinated by one of these strange Joshua trees, I wanted to know everything about them. The relationship of two different species, The Joshua tree and the Pronuba moth, show how exquisite and unique nature presents itself.
Favorite line:I must go—I’m so busy, I’ve got to blow. (Reminds me of our busy lives.)
Favorite character: Pronuba moth, she’s so upbeat and joyful.
The Fantastic Travels of William and the Monarch Butterfly was prompted by a suggestion from my partner. We live close to a grove that western Monarch butterflies choose for their winter quarters. Sadly the population of butterflies greatly diminished. After extensive research I decided to set the story for an eastern Monarch butterfly. For a small creature to fly the distance to the Oyamel fir forest and survive the winter in this unique environment to assure the continuation of the species is another example of the incredible natural world.
Favorite line: Anka speaking to William . . . “You and I share this world. We all have our purpose. I know mine from the get-go. You will have to figure yours out as you grow. But there is a reason why we’re here, why we’re alive.”
Favorite character: Anka, the Monarch butterfly. As she matures, she becomes incredibly sage.
What was the hardest part of writing your children’s books?
To write the stories so the readers, young or old, can see the grandeur of nature and be entertained while adhering to the facts.
Do you do anything in addition to writing books?
I assist my partner in making wine, two to four varietal per year. Together we take care of our dogs. In our household we have four large dogs, three champion Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Betsy, Harvard Girl and Boomer and Sentry, a 180 lbs. Hungarian Kuvasz. Every morning we take them to a leash-free park close by for training and exercise. Several times a week I ride my horse Xena, stabled in Moorpark. These outdoor activities balance out the time spent on the computer.
My two grandchildren, twins—a boy and a girl, spent most Sundays with me while my daughter is at work.
I attend a tutor-training workshop at the local library to become a volunteer tutor and help adults to achieve better reading and life skills.
My books are available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, outskirtspress.com and some local independent book stores.
What’s next for author Christina Steiner?
I finished a series of articles called Predators in the Backyard. Each talks about the intricate lives of insects or spiders commonly found in the backyard and the significance they have in mythology.
The first draft of a new novel is nearly completed. Untitled as of now. The middle-grade fiction deals with coming of age, loss, adjustment to inner city life and forming new friendships.
It’s been wonderful to have you with us today, Christina. I highly recommend both of your beautifully written and illustrated children’s books to our readers.
Visit author Christina Steiner and find out more about her books
Throughout history, butterflies have fascinated artists and philosophers, scientists and schoolchildren with their profound mystery and beauty. In Metamorphosis you will explore their remarkable world as few ever have before.
Agricultural intensification, the loss of wildflower-rich grassland and changing woodland management have threatened these colourful insects — but help is at hand, writes PETER FROST
Lepidopterists, butterfly spotters, have been rubbing their eyes and checking their calendars in what is proving to be a remarkably early spring this year. In my native Northamptonshire, a Small Tortoiseshell was out and about on New Year’s Day.
Mark Aberdeen is the author of Knight and Dex(The Dex Territory Series). On today’s Rave Reviews Book Club “Spotlight Author” tour stop at 4writersandreaders.com , we’ll not only have the pleasure of meeting the author, we’ll get a peek inside Book 2 of the series. Welcome Mark, it’s great to have you with us today—I can’t wait to find out more about the authors you wish you could be. ~ Bette A. Stevens
Authors I Wish I Could Be
By Mark Aberdeen
Mark Aberdeen, author of KNIGHT AND DEX Territory (Superheroes/Detective) Series
Over the years and the course of many books consisting of many words of fantastic, interesting characters I’ve found a few stories that have really stuck with me. As a kid I gravitated pretty quickly to science fiction and fantasy. It was mostly due to my dad who was an avid reader and introduced me to the likes of Isaac Asimov, Victor Appleton’s Tom Swift series, Edgar Allan Poe, The Hardy Boys, Edgar Rice Burroughs both John Carter and Tarzan, I read the Time Machine, 20,000 Leagues under the Sea and the rest of the works of H.G. Wells. Later on my attention would turn to Robert. E Howard, Robert Heinlein, Philip K. Dick. These books as well as TV shows like Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, every 70’s and 80’s Saturday morning cartoon, a host of comic books and movies like Star Wars, Logan’s Run we’re all consumed with the voracious mind of a young boy and teenager. This set the foundation of my love of reading and writing. I wanted to create worlds like these. I wanted daring characters, dire situations and places that not only dove into the unimaginable but where six impossible things were done before breakfast.
As an adult I found my way over to new authors and some of them are so good that one can help but have physical reaction to it. For instance, when I read American Gods by Neil Gaiman it changed my world. Here was not just a book, but a piece of literature that was either something loved, or hated, but had a prose so beautiful it was painful. I would go on to read Stardust, Neverwhere and Sandman and everything Gaiman put to paper.
Stephen King is a grandmaster. While he has a difficult time sticking an ending, his use of description is unequalled. He can create paintings in my mind with just a few words. The man absolutely objects to adverbs of any kind. When a writer kill adverbs, it forces the author to use description. It’s the difference between a good writer and a great writer.
J.K. Rawling created a world like no other in her Harry Potter series. Here is world building at its finest. Even as fantastic and magical as her world is; it has rules. When those rules are broken there are consequences. She also filled her world with characters that one can’t help but love, or despise and she even created a character in Severus Snape was so utterly tragic that once his secret was revealed one couldn’t look at him the same way again. It was so elegant.
One hundred years from now when a future English literature class talks about books from this era; Gaiman, King and Rowling are the three who are going to be remembered. I’d love to see if this prediction holds true. I wonder if I combined their styles, would I be able to create a world that would have that answer?
Knight and Dex by Mark Aberdeen
Excerpt
Snow settled over New London and covered the alley with a chilly blanket, which normally gave me a moment’s pause to reflect. I might have thought about tranquility, but there was nothing tranquil in the roundhouse kick I took to the face. Steam rose from crimson splatter as my blood hit the freshly fallen snow.
Minx’s claws flashed. I jumped back and narrowly avoided being torn open at the belly.
It was difficult to wax poetic while someone was doing their best to kill me.
Welcome to my life.
I swung my left fist. My intention wasn’t to connect with Minx’s jaw but to buy a precious second. The parry worked well enough and gave me the moment I needed to draw the pulse pistol from under my coat. I bellowed a triumphant, “Ha!”
My moment of glory was short-lived. Another kick connected with my right hand. The blow jarred the weapon loose and it sailed into a snow bank. Powdery snow swallowed it whole. The thing about being unarmed, it felt a bit like being naked in a crowd. No way to cover my ass.
I gripped my stinging hand. “Shit.”
A powerful arm, furry and itchy and stiff as a crowbar, hooked me around the neck. Minx had gotten behind me, and the momentum of her attack tore my feet from the ground. I cartwheeled, forcing her to detach and spring back, but I landed face-down in a heap. The snow with all its apparent fluffiness did nothing to cushion my fall. The impact rattled my bones and lights danced across my vision, swirling in loopy rings.
All I needed was another concussion.
Strong hands grabbed me by the collar and belt. My stomach lurched as I was torn from the relative comfort of the ground and flipped onto my back like a flapjack. Minx pounced on top of me and pinned my arms to my sides with her powerful thighs. Normally, I approved of such positions, but she wasn’t Pink Panther and this wasn’t foreplay. I feared she would crunch me like a walnut in a nutcracker. I gasped for precious air.
To any observer it would appear as if I were unprepared for this fight. That observer would have been correct. I’d seen her running down the sidewalk and duck into this alley. She was up to something and I’d interrupted her. Evidence suggested it was something she didn’t want the cops to know about. While my intent was to have a friendly chat with her, she’d decided to take our exchange in a different direction.
Minx had a reputation in underworld circles as an effective messenger. Our not-so-cozy encounter fell within the realm of her typical delivery method. While I didn’t feel like she took sadistic glee in her work, I thought she took pride in a job well done. I, on the other hand, found the work environment hostile, and already I was drawing up a complaint to her HR department.
Purchase Mark Aberdeen’s Knight and Dex (The Dex Territory Series Book 2) here:
Readers, thanks for joining Mark’s Rave Reviews Book Club AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT TOUR today. Mark and I would love to hear from you (comments below): and if you enjoyed the post, I invite you to share it with your friends. ~ Bette A. Stevens
There are over 400 members of RRBC and most of them are independent writers and/or publishers. The book catalog has far more than 400 titles in it, from all fiction genres (including Erotica, subject to Club Policy) YA (new Adult), and non-fiction. What I can’t give you is the link to our main catalog page – only members have access rights to this, so it’s literally an exclusive library for us RRBC people to discover, fresh, exciting new authors and titles. Prospective members can however view our genre pages for a taster! 😀 CLICK HERE for RRBC to join now!
2 ~ Your Fellow Members are AWESOME!
Because the RRBC site is a blog, there’s plenty of little nooks around for you to interact with your fellow members, such as – Book Chat; Peer Support; Social Media…
I met author Ann Morris on Facebook; and being a former ESL (English/Second Language) teacher in middle-school as well as a teacher to students from diverse cultures throughout the globe myself, I’ve had an active interest in following Ann. Today, I’m delighted to have Ann Morris join. She’ll fill us in on a bit of her personal history and tell us about her latest book, Everything is Different. So let’s meet the author!
It’s wonderful to have you with us to day, Ann. To start off, tell us a little about yourself.
I am a small town Iowa girl (USA) and always have the mentality that I like to know people and try to make a difference in whatever I do. I was encouraged to write by my mom, who had always loved to write. She guided me with ideas, resources, and encouragement. My dad inspired me to appreciate the beauty in everything. I have learned from and continue to apply both lessons.
I was first published in a poetry magazine called Wee Wisdom when I was 10 and 12 years of age. I always enjoyed writing papers and essays.
In college at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, I had the opportunity to travel, study, and live in Pamplona, Spain. I was in Spain twice studying and living during those years, and it changed my life. I learned to see myself and my country from the outside in and experienced being a minority for the first time in my life. That was eye-opening and a valuable experience.
I taught High School Spanish for about 18 years of my adult life, including tutoring and adult education classes. I created the curriculum for an eight-week Spanish for the Workplace class that I taught for Iowa Workforce Development that was well received.
After teaching, I did some freelance translating for local businesses and began working for Iowa Workforce Development as the only bilingual advisor in the Unemployment Division. There was a lot of telephone one-on-one with Latinos from all over the country, and I learned many accents and localisms.
During this time, as well as teaching, I began to express many opinions about acceptance, diversity and inclusion, and education that were published as Letters to the Editor.
From teaching English to some young friends from Madrid in the summers and from working in the New Iowan Center, where I worked with people from all over the world seeking work and community resources to aid their employment and educational empowerment, I became interested in writing children’s books as a way to promote literacy for native speakers as well as for language learners.
How about your family?
My immediate family is local now, and all of my stories so far have featured experiences and/or characters from my family. This includes my extended family, which is spread across the globe.
How long have you been writing and what type of writing do you normally do?
I was encouraged to write by my mom, who had always loved to write. She guided me with ideas, resources, and encouragement. My dad inspired me to appreciate the beauty in everything. I have learned from and continue to apply both lessons.
I was first published in a poetry magazine called Wee Wisdom when I was 10 and 12 years of age. I always enjoyed writing papers and essays.
I now write children’s picture books in English and separately in Spanish. The stories are based on memories with a lesson. The teacher in me is alive and well! I also write posts for LinkedIn and other short pieces. I always have several projects in the works.
Can you give us a brief synopsis of your new book?
Everything Is Different was inspired by a short trip taken to the Midlands in the UK for a daughter’s wedding. Through our sight-seeing and observations, I knew immediately that it was excellent material for a children’s book with an important message. Using my nephew Brett and brother-in-law Scott as the characters, Scott takes Brett with him on a brief business trip to the UK, specifically England.
Brett is amazed at how many things are different in a country that speaks the same language, and asks many point-blank questions as to why? His dad explains patiently why, and Brett continues to learn that different can be interesting, and it may not even be wrong. This is a message near and dear to my heart and especially relevant today and every day.
What prompted you to write ‘Everything Is Different‘?
Everything Is Different was inspired by a short trip taken to the Midlands in the UK for a daughter’s wedding. Through our sight-seeing and observations, I knew immediately that it was excellent material for a children’s book with an important message. It has received an amazing reaction from fellow children’s book writers and friends from the UK.
Do you have a favorite line from the book?
I have several favorite lines, of course.
One I like it: “Brett got quiet whenever he was thinking hard, and this trip was making him thing very hard.”
Another is short conversation between the two: “I have another surprise for you, Brett…We’re going to eat at a pub.” Brett’s response is priceless: “You’re going to take me to a bar?”
The spoiler to it all is a response later by Brett’s dad: “You will learn that not everyone does things the same way we do. But if it works for them, that is what is important. Being different does not mean they are wrong.”
Who is your favorite character and why?
Oh, Bette! I can’t choose! They are both my favorites and for different reasons:
Brett is open and honest about his observations, as children are. He begins in the book by being startled and befuddled.
His dad is patient and ready to explain answers to Brett in a way that makes sense and puts things in perspective for a child. He is the key to Brett’s learning experience.
What was the hardest part about writing your book?
There honestly was no hard part in writing the book. Everything depicted in the book was experienced or observed, albeit from an adult perspective. It lent itself perfectly to a children’s story.
Do you do anything besides write?
Yes, I do. I share what I read with others on social media, in bookstores, at book and arts fairs, I make school visits, I speak at events, and I review other children’s books. I also do professional translating, including other children’s books.
Several local bookstores have my books on consignment, and several book websites have them available, too!
On my personal website, there are photos, examples of my other writing, information about me and a list of links where people can learn more about me and what I do.
What’s next for author Ann Morris?
I had another book ready to go, but I needed to write about my granddaughters first. There are so many stories and fun things we have done that this is going to really be a work of love…as they all are. I have a large collection of partially completed books that are merely awaiting their turns…There will be more from me!
Ann, it’s been wonderful having you with us today. And readers, thanks so much for stopping by to meet Ann Morris. Ann and I look forward to chatting with you (comments below)! ~ Bette A. Stevens
Welcome to 4writersandreaders
I’m a writer inspired by nature and human nature. You’ll find great books, authors, writing tips and more right here. I advocate for kids & families, childhood literacy and the protection of monarch butterflies and their habitat.Happy reading & writing!~Bette A. Stevens, Maine author
Christina Steiner is an award-winning writer of two illustrated children’s books The Sad Tree and Pronuba and The Fantastic Travels of William and the Monarch Butterfly (Outskirts Press 2013, 2015). As a nature enthusiast, she likes to introduce children to the wonders of the living world around them. Steiner writes fiction, non-fiction and poetry.
Snow settled over New London and covered the alley with a chilly blanket, which normally gave me a moment’s pause to reflect. I might have thought about tranquility, but there was nothing tranquil in the roundhouse kick I took to the face. Steam rose from crimson splatter as my blood hit the freshly fallen snow.
Everything Is Different was inspired by a short trip taken to the Midlands in the UK for a daughter’s wedding. Through our sight-seeing and observations, I knew immediately that it was excellent material for a children’s book with an important message. Using my nephew Brett and brother-in-law Scott as the characters, Scott takes Brett with him on a brief business trip to the UK, specifically England.
Bette A. Stevens, Maine Author 
Written
on 03/20/2016