Category: Children’s Event

Posted in author visits, Children's Event, inspiration, promotion

What’s your Passion?

Posted on by Lisa Orchard

 

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a busy week of work, parent-teacher conferences, and revising. Always revising!  Auuugghh.

Anyway, the kids are doing well in school and work and the revising are going well. And I ended the week on a high note. I was invited to do an author visit on Friday afternoon and it was a blast.

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I spoke to a group of sixth graders about “Following your Passion.” They were enthusiastic and asked some great questions. I then posed the question to this eager group and asked many of them what their passions were and here are some of the responses.

 

Cooking

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Writing

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Gaming

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Coding

Hockey

Basketball

Engineering

Reading and Writing

Science

And the list goes on and on…

 

These young kids know what they’re passionate about all ready. That’s amazing, but then I knew what I was passionate about at a young age, too, I just didn’t have the confidence back then to pursue it. So think back to when you were younger before you had responsibilities or mortgage payments, what was your passion? What made you happy?

I’m convinced following your passion is the way to happiness. If we all did what made us truly happy we’d be too busy enjoying it to worry about what our neighbors were up to. We wouldn’t have any energy to devote to the comparison game. Maybe those sixth graders are on to something?

Thanks for stopping by and reading my post today. What’s your passion? What would you do if you didn’t have to worry about money? I say go for it. Start small and build upon it. Remember what C.S. Lewis said, “You’re never too old to set a new goal or dream a new dream.”

Leave a comment and share your passion with us! I’d love to hear from you!

 

Posted in Children's Event, Fund Raiser

Raising Spirits with Reading

Posted on by Lisa Orchard

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with you! I’m back today sharing with you a program that I’m involved with. It’s called “Raising Spirits with Reading” and it’s a Fundraising Campaign for the Children at DeVos Children’s Hospital. Below is a letter that explains everything.

Raising Spirits with Reading Fundraising Campaign

 

October 1o, 2013

Dear Fellow Community Member-

There is no better way to brighten a child’s day than by engaging them in a book!  Help us bring smiles to their faces and take them on a magical adventure by donating to our cause!

The money raised will be used to purchase age appropriate books for every child at Helen Devos Children’s Hospital.  If we surpass our funding needs we will be purchasing additional books to donate to the children’s hospital for future patients.

Any amount donated is greatly appreciated!  T-shirts for all volunteers will be made and worn the day of the event.

  • Businesses that donate $250 or more will have their company name and logo put on the back of the event shirts.
  • Individuals that donate $75 or more will have their name put on the back of the event shirt.
  • All that donate will be thanked on Traveler’s Trunk Publishing’s website (www.travelerstrunkpublishing.com)

Please submit company logos and/or the name you would like placed on the T-shirt to the following:

Traveler’s Trunk Publishing

c/o Amanda Litz

15071 Hanna Ave NE

Cedar Springs, MI  49319

amanda@travelerstrunkpublishing.com

All donations must be received no later than Saturday, October 19th to ensure books are received on time.  Donations of cash or check can be mailed to the address above.  Credit card donations and further information can be obtained on the following web page:

https://www.youcaring.com/other/raising-spirits-with-reading/83266

Thank you in advance for your support in helping to bring smiles and stories to hospitalized children!

Sincerely,

Rachel Newton

Traveler’s Trunk Publishing

rd_newton@hotmail.com

(616)723-5256

There’s also a fund raising event on Wednesday October 16th at Buffalo Wild Wings located at 3050 Alpine Ave. in Walker, Mi. Please come down for a snack or dinner. 20% of the proceeds collected using a special voucher which you can get from me (I’ll e-mail it to you) will go to this cause.

Thanks so much for your consideration!

Posted in Children's Event

Best of Summer 2013 Kid Lit Giveaway Hop!

Posted on by Lisa Orchard

The winners are!

Krizia Almiranez

and

Kari!

Congratulations!

Thank you for participating in our blog hop!

Best of Summer 2013 Kid Lit Giveaway Hop - Button

Hello everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’m participating in the Kid Lit Blog Hop where you can win some amazing books for the kids in your life. There are all kinds of books available, so make sure you check out all the awesome giveaways on this hop! I’ve listed some other participants below. Be sure and check out their blogs!

One of the things that our hosts wanted us to do is to feature one of our favorite children’s books. Well, one of my absolute favorites is “To Kill a Mocking bird.” This is an awesome story and many teachers still use it in their classrooms today.

To Kill a Mockingbird

The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.

I loved this story. It captured the turbulent era beautifully and it’s told from a child’s point of view. I would recommend this book to tweens and teens alike. It illustrates a great lesson regarding discrimination. A lesson everyone needs to learn.

Reading fiction is a great way to learn life lessons, and it’s an important skill that needs to be developed from a young age. It improves self esteem, analytical skills, and social skills. So as a parent encouraging reading is one of the best things I can do for my children.   Here are a couple of posts on improving literacy that I wrote a few months ago.

https://lisaorchard.wordpress.com/2013/06/10/improving-our-libraries-will-improve-our-literacy-levels/

https://lisaorchard.wordpress.com/2012/11/08/could-e-books-be-the-solution-to-our-growing-literacy-problems/

Now for the giveaway! I will giveaway 2 e-book copies of my first Super Spies novel, “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer!” The Super Spies series is for the ages between 10-16. To enter all you have to do is leave a comment with the title of your favorite childhood book! Winners will be chosen on September 6th! The cover and blurb are below!

The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer 500x750This book opens in a small town in Michigan where fifteen-year-old Sarah Cole is stuck spending the summer at her Aunt and Uncle’s with her sister, Lacey. She’s not happy with the situation until she befriends a girl named Jackie. The three girls stumble upon the ruthless murder of a reclusive neighborhood woman. One of the officers investigating the crime believes the girls are responsible for her death. Fearing that this officer will frame them for the murder, the girls organize their own detective squad. They become the Super Spies and start their own fact-finding mission.  The Super Spies can’t understand why anyone would want to murder the “Cat Lady” until they start digging into her past and discover a horrible crime that happened thirty years ago. They uncover a connection between the two crimes and attempt to bring this information to the police, only to be reprimanded for meddling in the inquest. Not only are the girls upset by the admonition, but they also struggle with the fact that their exuberant investigating could provide a legal loophole allowing the killer to go free. To make matters worse, the police don’t even believe them. Frustrated by this turn of events, the Super Spies realize it’s up to them to snare the Cat Lady killer, or die trying…

Please visit our hosts for this venture, their links are below:

http://motherdaughterbookreviews.com/kid-lit-blog-hop-22/

http://youthlitreviews.com/

To check out the other blogs (there are over seventy!) click the link below:

http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=202201&type=basic&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forget to leave a comment for your chance to win an ebook copy of “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer!”

Posted in Children's Event, promotion

Children’s Book Week Giveaway!

Posted on by Lisa Orchard
*****THIS GIVEAWAY IS OVER. WINNERS TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY!****childrens book week hop 2013
Hello Everyone! I’m participating in the Children’s Book Week Giveaway Hop! See the details below and see how you can enter to win!
Children’s Book Week Giveaway Hop
May 13th – 19th
Hosted by
& I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

What is Children’s Book Week?

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the country. Each year, books for young people and the joy of reading are feted for a full week with author and illustrator appearances, storytelling, parties, and other book-related events at schools, libraries, bookstores, museums, and homes from coast to coast!

For more information please visit: http://www.bookweekonline.com/

Celebrate & Promote Children’s Book Week by taking part in The Children’s Book Week Giveaway Hop.

How can you participate? You can participate by entering to win a signed paperback copy of “The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer”!! 🙂

How do you enter?  You can enter up to six times. You enter by either tweeting about the Super Spies series or posting it on Facebook and copying the tweet or post in the comment section below. You can also tweet or post about the Children’s Book Week Giveaway too! Just remember to copy the tweet or post in the comment section. You can also leave a comment telling me one of your favorite books that you read as a child! 🙂

I will e-mail the winners on the 20th. 🙂

You can also enter giveaways on other blogs by clicking on the book in the upper right hand corner and then clicking each link that you see listed, or check out the blog list below!

Here’s the covers and blurbs of my books:

“The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer” 

The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer 500x750This book opens in a small town in Michigan where fifteen-year-old Sarah Cole is stuck spending the summer at her Aunt and Uncle’s with her sister, Lacey. She’s not happy with the situation until she befriends a girl named Jackie. The three girls stumble upon the ruthless murder of a reclusive neighborhood woman. One of the officers investigating the crime believes the girls are responsible for her death. Fearing that this officer will frame them for the murder, the girls organize their own detective squad. They become the Super Spies and start their own fact-finding mission.  The Super Spies can’t understand why anyone would want to murder the “Cat Lady” until they start digging into her past and discover a horrible crime that happened thirty years ago. They uncover a connection between the two crimes and attempt to bring this information to the police, only to be reprimanded for meddling in the inquest. Not only are the girls upset by the admonition, but they also struggle with the fact that their exuberant investigating could provide a legal loophole allowing the killer to go free. To make matters worse, the police don’t even believe them. Frustrated by this turn of events, the Super Spies realize it’s up to them to snare the Cat Lady killer, or die trying…

“The Super Spies and the High School Bomber”

TheSuperSpiesandtheHighSchoolBomber 500x750This book opens in a small town in Michigan where Sarah and her sister Lacey are now living with their Aunt and Uncle. Still reeling from the fact her parents have disappeared, Sarah starts the school year with her new friend Jackie Jenkins. When Sarah learns the school has been bombed, she’s filled with dread. Uncle Walt is a teacher, and he was in the school when the bomb exploded. Taking matters into her own hands, Sarah decides to search for him. The rest of the Super Spies are right behind her. When a fireman chases them away from the school, Sarah becomes suspicious. She decides to investigate. The FBI arrives on the scene. Sarah realizes this bombing could have even bigger implications. Searching for the bombers, Sarah is introduced to the world of terrorism. She fears that the bombing and her parents’ disappearance are connected and terrorists are involved. To make matters worse, the bombers are determined to finish the job. Can the Super Spies find the bombers before it’s too late?

Thanks for participating! 🙂

Check out the other Blogs that are hosting giveaways too!

88.
Posted in Children's Event

The Last Question for Megan’s Children’s Book Event

Posted on by Lisa Orchard

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello Everyone! I hope everything is going well with you! Today is the last question for Megan’s Children’s Book Event and the last question is…..

Why do you think Children should be encouraged to read? And what is the importance of reading for Young Children?

Okay, here is the answer to why do you think Children should be encouraged to read?

I love this question because it allows me to get up on my soap box and preach about the importance of reading. J First of all, reading with your child is a great bonding experience between parent and child. I read to both my boys before bed and it was such a wonderful experience to have their tiny bodies snuggle up to me and listen to me read. They both are wonderful cuddlers now and I believe it’s because we used to snuggle when we read.  Now, they read to me and it’s great to see their confidence grow in their reading ability.

Studies have shown that reading improves social and analytical skills, and builds self-esteem.  Let’s think about this for a second, the ten to twenty minutes that you spend with your child reading each night could be the answer to some of those emotional issues that all kids experience in their teen years. Now, I don’t have any statistics on that and I’m probably oversimplifying the situation, but I really feel that the conclusion I’m drawing has a grain of truth to it. So, when you’re reading with your kids and you’re reading the same story over, and over, and over again. Just think of it as a way of saving money on future therapy bills.  🙂

Just take a look at what the New York Times has to say about reading fiction in this article “Your brain on Fiction” http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/18/opinion/sunday/the-neuroscience-of-your-brain-on-fiction.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all

Now, the second question…what is the importance of reading for Young Children?

Well…I feel I’ve answered this in the above question, but I’ll say it again. Reading builds social and analytical skills and improves self –esteem. But there are other benefits as well. Avid readers tend to do better in school and reading also reduces stress.

So there you have it, the last question for Megan’s Children’s Book Event. And if you haven’t entered any of her giveaways stop on by her blog and enter…you could win!  http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by and leave a comment and tell me how you feel about reading. 🙂

Posted in Children's Event

Another Question from Megan McDade for her Children’s Book Event

Posted on by Lisa Orchard

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you today! I’m still participating in Megan McDade’s Children’s Book Event. You can find it at her blog at http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/ . So take a moment and stop by and check out all the giveaways and fun stuff that’s going on over there.  🙂

The next question that I have to answer is:  What was your favorite fairy tale or classic book and why?

Well…the answer to this question is a toss-up between “Cinderella” and “Snow White”. And the reason for this is very simple.

I enjoy stories where the underdog wins. 🙂 In both of these fairy tales I identify with Cinderella and Snow White. Let’s analyze this a little bit. Both women are targeted by stronger females who are in a position of power. In Cinderella, she’s victimized by her evil stepmother, and in Snow White she’s persecuted by the wicked Queen.

I love it that these two innocent victims win in the end. They win by not being manipulative or conniving. I think that’s great! What a great example to set for our children. A person can win by just being themselves! What an awesome message!

So, there you have it. My answer to Megan’s question for this third week in September, so let’s help Megan in her quest to encourage children to read! Stop by her blog and enter one of her giveaways http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/.

And if you have a tween/teen who you want to turn on to reading, check out the Super Spies! I’ve been told readers have turned off the TV to read these books!

This book opens in a small town in Michigan where fifteen-year-old Sarah Cole is stuck spending the summer at her Aunt and Uncle’s with her sister, Lacey. She’s not happy with the situation until she befriends a girl named Jackie. The three girls stumble upon the ruthless murder of a reclusive neighborhood woman. One of the officers investigating the crime believes the girls are responsible for her death. Fearing that this officer will frame them for the murder, the girls organize their own detective squad. They become the Super Spies and start their own fact-finding mission.  The Super Spies can’t understand why anyone would want to murder the “Cat Lady” until they start digging into her past and discover a horrible crime that happened thirty years ago. They uncover a connection between the two crimes and attempt to bring this information to the police, only to be reprimanded for meddling in the inquest. Not only are the girls upset by the admonition, but they also struggle with the fact that their exuberant investigating could provide a legal loophole allowing the killer to go free. To make matters worse, the police don’t even believe them. Frustrated by this turn of events, the Super Spies realize it’s up to them to snare the Cat Lady killer, or die trying…

This book opens in a small town in Michigan where Sarah and her sister Lacey are now living with their Aunt and Uncle. Still reeling from the fact her parents have disappeared, Sarah starts the school year with her new friend Jackie Jenkins. When Sarah learns the school has been bombed, she’s filled with dread. Uncle Walt is a teacher, and he was in the school when the bomb exploded. Taking matters into her own hands, Sarah decides to search for him. The rest of the Super Spies are right behind her. When a fireman chases them away from the school, Sarah becomes suspicious. She decides to investigate. The FBI arrives on the scene. Sarah realizes this bombing could have even bigger implications. Searching for the bombers, Sarah is introduced to the world of terrorism. She fears that the bombing and her parents’ disappearance are connected and terrorists are involved. To make matters worse, the bombers are determined to finish the job. Can the Super Spies find the bombers before it’s too late?

Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

Posted in Children's Event

Another Question for Megan’s Children’s Book Event

Posted on by Lisa Orchard

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’m here today to answer the second question for the Children’s Book Event that is being hosted by Megan at http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/.

So, here’s the question:  What was your favorite book as a child and why?

This is a tough question because I don’t remember the title, only the series. I’m sure some of the more mature (wink) authors out there remember the Boxcar Children series?

I loved those books. I would go to the library and check them out and then race home so I could start reading them right away.

Looking back, I realize the reason I liked them so much was because they were stories about four siblings. I could relate to that because I was the oldest of four siblings. Two brothers and a sister just like the Box Car children. I loved their independence and camaraderie!

I loved how they worked together to make a home out of an abandoned boxcar. At that age, I thought it was so cool that they could function without adult supervision. 🙂 I don’t remember the stories now, but I do remember they always left me with a sense of my own abilities. They filled me with confidence. If the Box Car children could do it, I could too! 🙂

And I feel that’s what reading should do for kids, fill them with confidence and pride. 🙂 Books can do this in so many ways, by providing good role models and teaching life lessons. That’s what I hope to accomplish with my Super Spies series. 🙂

So there you have it! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and reading my post and let’s help support Megan in her quest to encourage children to read. 🙂 Stop by her blog http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/ and leave a comment or enter one of her giveaways! 🙂

Posted in Children's Event

Children’s Event! Here are the answers to those questions! :)

Posted on by Lisa Orchard

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! I’m here today to answer some questions from Megan from

http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.co.uk/.  The questions that I’m answering today are: What is your first memory of reading as a child?  Do you have memories of your parents reading bedtime stories to you? And, do you think it’s important to read bedtime stories to your children?

So here we go!

What is my first memory of reading as a child?

I would have to say it is the first time my mother brought home a Bobbsey Twins mystery for me. I was SO EXCITED! You see, it was the first gift that I can remember getting for no reason and I didn’t have to share it with my brother or sister. It was just for me! J It was also the first chapter book that she had ever bought for me and I was consumed by the story. I kept the bag that it came in and I would get on my bike and ride around the neighborhood with that bag clutched in my hand as I gripped the handlebars. It would sway in the breeze and I felt sooo grown up! J You see, I was pretending to ride my bike to the book store and buy the book on my own. J Yeah, I had a very active imagination (still do!). But from there, more books arrived and I would sneak out of my bed at night and hide in the upstairs bathroom and read by the night light. J The next series that I became interested in were the Trixie Belden series and Nancy Drew series. My life was complete as long as I had a book to read. J

Do you have memories of your parents reading bedtime stories to you?

I don’t have specific memories of them reading to me at bedtime but I’m sure they did, otherwise where would I have developed my love of reading? J

Do you think it’s important to read bedtime stories to your children?

Absolutely! I started reading to both boys when they were babies and they would love to cuddle with me while a read before their nap or bedtime. We’ve made it a habit to read together almost every night. However, it’s changed since they’ve started school and reading on their own. Now, they read to me and it’s so much fun seeing what their interests are and how they’re developing as readers.

I also feel very strongly that reading helps youngsters develop self-esteem and it’s instrumental in helping develop social and analytical skills. And it’s my firm belief that the more a child reads the better he/she will do academically.

So get out there and get your kids interested in reading! It’s good for them. And they’re more likely to read if you let them read what they want. Even comic books are okay!

If you’ve got a tween/or teen who’s interested in mysteries! Have them check out my Super Spies series!

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-Lady-Killer-ebook/dp/B007JZH61K

http://www.amazon.com/Super-Spies-School-Bomber-ebook/dp/B008P8O7OY

Posted in Children's Event

Exciting Children’s Event for the month of September!

Posted on by Lisa Orchard

 

Hello Everyone! I hope all is well with you! The month of September is almost here and http://readingawaythedays.blogspot.com/ is doing a month long Children’s Book Event.

The event will include interviews with children’s authors, guest posts, giveaways and interviews with illustrators.

Megan will be focusing on books for children from ages 0-11 years. The focus will be on classic children’s boos as well as fairytales. There will also be posts on Roald Dahl, Enid Blyton, and J.K. Rowlings.

Each week I will answer questions that Megan has posed to us authors and post them on my blog.  I’m excited! This is going to be fun and the purpose of this event is to encourage young children to read and get them excited about reading. So please stay tuned for details!

The first questions I’ll be answering are:

What is your first memory of reading as a child?

Do you have memories of your parents reading bedtime stories to you? Do you think it’s important to read bedtime stories to your children?

The answers will be posted between September 1st and 9th.  I’m looking forward to this event! 🙂