Love is an ice cream sundae on a summer’s day—
Vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge, walnuts, whipped cream and a cherry.
Love is grandchildren squealing with delight as they say,
“Mmmmm. I love you, Grandma!”
~ Bette A. Stevens
Poem, photography & design by Bette A. Stevens,
a writer inspired by nature and human nature.
Award-winning picture book gets another ★★★★★
I love children’s books and read quite a lot of them to children (4-6 yrs). This story of Matilda shows how a caterpillar develops and changes into a beautiful Monarch butterfly. It is done in a way that is just perfect for young children to understand. I think this book could serve as a great introduction to more learning about butterfly development and habitat. And what a perfect thing for children to learn so they can become advocates for the environment.
Five out of five stars
http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Matilda-Bette-Stevens-ebook/dp/B00AU9ZISA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424649955&sr=8-1&keywords=Amazing+Matilda
Hi, Friends.
Wishing you all a magical week whatever your weather or season…
Winter is still ruling at ‘The Farmstead’ here in Central Maine, but spring is sure to have its way before long. Meanwhile, we’ll revel in the beauty of a fresh fallen snow.
— Bette A. Stevens
Thank you, Fia Essen, for THE NOVELIST CHALLENGE and for featuring my 100 words on your lovely blog! ~ Bette A. Stevens
DOG BONE SOUP IS COMING SOON…
“Dog Bone Soup by Bette A. Stevens is the poignant tale of a dysfunctional family struggling to survive in America in the 50s and 60s, when most others were on the crest of a wave. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry. But most of all it will make you glad you read it.” ~ Charlie Bray, founder of the Indietribe, a body dedicated to supporting self-published authors
Bette A. Stevens is a retired 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 writing, gardening, walking and reveling in the beauty of nature. She advocates for children and families; for childhood literacy; and for monarch butterflies, an endangered species.
Stevens’s children’s activity book, THE TANGRAM ZOO and WORD PUZZLES TOO! was first published in 1997 by Windswept House Publishing, Mt. Desert, ME; a second edition was self-published by the author in 2012. AMAZING MATILDA , Stevens’s second children’s book, self-published in 2012, won a 2013 Purple Dragonfly Book Award (Honorable Mention for Excellence in Children’s Literature – Ages 6 and older category) and placed #9 on The 2013 Gittle List TOP 10 for Self-published Children’s Picture Books. Stevens has written articles for ECHOES, The Northern Maine Journal of Rural Culture based in Caribou, Maine. In 2013, the author published her first book for the YA/Adult audience: PURE TRASH, a short story about a boy growing up in rural New England in a family whose poverty and alcoholism mark him as a target for bullying by young and old alike. This short story is a prequel to Stevens’s debut novel, DOG BONE SOUP, A Boomer’s Journey.
Author Bette A. Stevens has something for everyone on your list!
AMAZING MATILDA (Ages 5-10) 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. Science, art and wise lessons for children—all wrapped up in a tale the kids will want to read/hear again and again!
PURE TRASH (Ages 11-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 prequel to DOG BONE SOUP, Stevens’s début novel planned for release Winter 2014.
DOG BONE SOUP is coming soon…
“In Dog Bone Soup, Bette Stevens captures the feeling and images of growing up in hardscrabble times perfectly.” ~ John Clark, librarian and author
“Bette Stevens has crafted a remarkable tale of hope and happiness in the face of despair.” ~ Charles Bray (Founder of The Indietribe)
Author Bette A. Stevens has something for everyone on your list!
AMAZING MATILDA (Ages 5-10) 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. Science, art and wise lessons for children—all wrapped up in a tale the kids will want to read/hear again and again!
PURE TRASH (Ages 11-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 prequel to DOG BONE SOUP, Stevens’s début novel planned for release Winter 2014.
DOG BONE SOUP is coming soon…
“In Dog Bone Soup, Bette Stevens captures the feeling and images of growing up in hardscrabble times perfectly.” ~ John Clark, librarian and author
“Bette Stevens has crafted a remarkable tale of hope and happiness in the face of despair.” ~ Charles Bray (Founder of The Indietribe)
Thanksgiving Eve 2014 at The Stevens’s Farmstead in Central Maine.
Wishing you a Safe & Happy Holiday! ~ Bette A. Stevens
The best way to thank an author is to let them know how much you enjoyed their book(s). Often it comes from an adult fan in an official review on a blog or posting on Amazon/Goodreads. Sometimes it comes from younger readers at a school/group visit and once in a while a young reader will send a personal note. Early this week I received a wonderful letter and picture from Lexi Stevens, a talented nine-year-old fan.
I’m Lexi Stevens. I hope to be an author, like you. Oh, and talking about writing, I love the books and I’ll send you a book.
Hi, you probably don’t know me. I’m Lexi Stevens. I hope to be an author, like you. Oh, and talking about writing, I love the books and I’ll send you a book from me. Also, I’m doing a state report on Maine! I had Alaska at firs, but nobody had Maine, so I switched. I’m sooo excited! Happy Easter!
Love,
Lexi Stevens
P.S. Can you please reply!
Dear Lexi,
Your wonderful letter and pictures (your illustrations and portrait) made my day! I can see that you have a gift for writing and illustrating and I can hardly wait to read your books one day. Follow your dreams and they surely will come true. We must stay in touch. It’s awesome that you’re doing your state report on Maine. Keep me posted on the great things you are doing. I’ll be following you!
HAPPY WRITING & ALL OF THOSE OTHER AMAZING THINGS YOU DO,
Bette A. Stevens
Needless to say, there’s nothing that touches the heart of an author like hearing from her fans. I thank each one of you for reading/following my blog and for your wonderful comments. They mean a lot to me.
Blessings to all,
Bette A. Stevens
RELATED LINKS:
Find the award-winning picture book AMAZING MATILDA and all of Bette’s books at http://www.Amazon.com/author/betteastevens
Come join us!
Bette A. Stevens, Maine Author 
Written
on 03/19/2015