A Writer's Week #111: School Visit!

This week I was able to do one of my favorite things as an author--make a school visit. Because life has been so hectic this year, these trips have been all too few. On Friday, though, the stars aligned and I was able to pay a call on Mrs. Robinson's 5th grade class at Middlebury Elementary.

It was a whole lot of fun (as usual). The class had really great questions and provided fantastic input. We talked about ideas and where they come from. The students were influenced by many things--personal experience, books, music, movies, their imagination, games. The list went on and on. I shared some of my inspirations for The Deliverers Series. This year, I'm incorporating a view visuals, such as my stone owl, Stig, a stone lion, and my Chinese dragon that was the inspiration for The Golden Dragon of Ang. I handed them around. Then I showed them my journal and we all chatted  about where we record our ideas.


Next, it was time to take a look at my blog where they got a chance to see some of Christian and Abigail's posts. We took a little tour of Calendria, the Did You Know and the Here Be Pirates pages, too. It seemed like they enjoyed that and I hope some of them will visit from time to time.
Reading Crew

Then it was time to listen to a reading from The Golden Dragon of Ang,  the third book in the series. It was fun to read to the kids. I've only read my own stuff to classes a few times. Every time I do, I marvel at the ease with which narrators like Jimm

Singer do all the character voices. Even though I've got them in my head, it's difficult for me to get them out properly.

At the end, it was time for bookmarks and pencils. It was really great getting to spend time with the kids and answering all their questions. A big thank you to Mrs. Robinson for having me for the third year in a row. By the way, she and her co-author Jessica Haight have a book coming out in a little over a year. It's called the Secret Files of Fairday Morrow. Stay tuned for more info on that as the publication date draws nearer.

A Writer's Week #99: Book Four, Take Two

We're getting closer to the release of The Golden Dragon of Ang. Work is progressing on the cover and other artwork. The maps are complete. Illustrator Daniel Vogel and layout designer Ana Vogel are on
schedule to everything complete by the end of February. It's really exciting.

Earlier this week, I posted the first part of chapter one, then the blurb for the back cover. Soon, I'll be releasing some interviews with characters from the book. As I've said before, I'm really looking forward to the release of this book. It was a lot of fun to write.

The Deliverers 4, however, is another story-no pun intended. I've been going back and forth on the plot. I worked hard on it this week and I came up with some really good stuff. There are still a few plot points that have yet to resolve themselves, but I think I am ready to begin writing for a second time. The unfortunate part is that I don't think I'll be able to use the original beginning that I wrote right after Christmas. The good part is that I think the new beginning will be better than version one.

I'm planning to begin writing this weekend and I hope to have the first draft completed by Labor Day. At this point, I'm a little nervous about that goal. I can see the end of this book going two ways-either it will end in a cliffhanger, or I'll wind up combining book 4 with book 5 and having one long book. The latter option will happen only if I don't have enough material for the fourth book. As I said, I'm still sketchy on some of the details of the book, so if it winds up being 150 pages or so, I'll ditch the cliffhanger and go right into what would have been the fifth book. So, book four could be 400 pages and the final book in the series. We'll see what happens.

Finally, today the Character Book Club is holding its monthly meeting on Fairday's blog. I'm pleased to tell you that Fairday, Lizzy and Marcus of the Detective Mystery Squad interviewed Kate and Hallo. They had a blast. If you'd like to read what they had to say, click the link here. Have a great week!

A Writer's Week #73: The Write Stuff

This was a terrific writer's week. It was filled with wonderful things, not the least of which was my return to writing after an almost two month hiatus! More on that in a bit. The first great happening of the week was my appearance at the Preserve New Fairfield Strawberry Festival on Sunday. The weather was great and there was a large turnout.  I had a great time chatting with people, making new friends and catching up with old ones. I even managed to sell a few books.

Lovely setting for a book signing!

The really encouraging part was that everyone was asking me about the second book and when it was coming out. As a matter of fact, I'm being asked that question quite frequently lately. It's been great being able to tell them that it will be out soon.

This month's meeting of the Character Book Club is meeting on C. Lee McKenzie's page. Guess what? Eric and Stig are being featured in an interview with Pete, the main character from Lee's fantastic book, Alligators Overhead. I know Eric and Stig had a great time meeting Pete and being interviewed by him. The CBC is a great place where characters from your favorite middle grade novels get together to find out what's going on with each other. Next month, Pete is going to be interviewed
by the Detective Mystery Squad from The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow. I'll let you know

Strawberry shortcake, yum!

when and where.

So as you can see, things are heating up here at White Owl Manuscripts. I'm still waiting the final files for The Deliverers 2: Order of the Crystal Lion, but it's great to know that I'm not the only one. As I said before, I hear from many people who are looking forward to it coming out. All I can say is be patient, I don't think we're too far away.

The really big news of the week is that I've finally resumed writing on The Deliverers 3: Thee Golden Dragon of Ang. Looking back, I haven't done any new writing in almost two months! Wow, has it really been that long? I'm not sure why I haven't been writing. I did some editing on it and mapped out the remainder of the book, so I haven't been completely idle. I guess I

The band was excellent!

just needed a break. The last two and a half years have been extremely busy for me both at work, and on the writing front, so I just had to relax a little and attack things afresh.

Than being said, I'm raring to go. I started writing again today and cranked out 1,400 word in a couple of hours. You know I can bee a numbers person at times (a career in banking will do that to you), so here they are. I'm at 37,500 words, 37 chapters and 164 pages. Look for that number to grow in the coming weeks.

As I was writing today, I had a mini-revelation. I think I've finally hashed out the true nature of what Eric & Co. will be up against in the rest of the Deliverers Series. An indication appears in book 2 and it's coming to the fore in book 3. It should take off from there. I'll give you a little more info (and maybe a preview) next week!

The Character Book Club Welcomes Millicent Marie...er, Millie

Hey everybody! Today's a real special day, because Greg has handed over control of the Deliverers Blog to me--Eric--and my owl friend, Stig. Why has Mr. S. given us power over his blog? We've been asked to host this month's meeting of the Character Book Club! The CBC is this cool club where characters from great middle grade novels hang out and get to know each other better! I'm really excited that Stig and I have been asked to join. I mean, who doesn't like to be part of an awesome club?

Right now the club is made up of Stig and me, the Detective Mystery Squad from The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow, Nate Rocks from the excellent series of the same name, and Millie from Millicent Marie is Not My Name by Karen Pokras Toz. This month, Stig and I will be interviewing Millie. Let's see what she has to say.

Eric:  Hi Millie. Welcome to the Deliverers Blog. I think this Character Book Club is a really cool idea and I’m thrilled that we’re all a part of it. Have you ever been part of a club before?

I know! I love it too! Last week I got to interview the gang from the DMS (Detective Mystery Squad) on my blog – they were so cool!! And now here I am on your blog! I can’t wait to see who will be next.

Stig:  I must say that while clubs can be a lot of fun and they allow you to meet a lot of people, I find that I prefer the company of a few good friends. Who are your closest friends?

Well, my best friend is Natalie. We have a lot in common, but we are also a lot different. I think that’s important in a friend, because then you can learn about new things. For example, she travels every summer with her family, and then when she comes home, she tells me all about it. It sort of makes me feel like I went there too. So far Paris is my favorite.

Eric:  I was reading your blog the other day, and I thought it was really cool. What’s your favorite thing that you like to write about on your blog?

Oh I don’t know – I guess it depends on what is happening in my life at that moment in time, you know? One thing is for sure; I try really hard not to gossip, because that got me in real big trouble before.

Stig:  Are your parents supportive of your after school activities?

Sort of. I used to always just play soccer, and then I wanted to join the drama club. My mom wasn’t really happy I was dropping soccer, but eventually she came around. I just had to quit soccer though because this girl who was a bully was on the team, and this boy who is super cute was in drama club, so it was sort of a no-brainer for me. In the end, my parents were cool with it.

Eric:  I don’t have any brothers or sisters and sometimes I kinda wish I had one or two. Stig’s got, like, 50 or so, but he’s not really close with any of them. What’s it like having a little brother?

Doogle? Ugh. You heard what he did right? He took my PRIVATE diary and he published it all over the Internet for EVERYONE to see. He got in really REALLY big trouble. He’s been better since then, but he’s still a royal pain. (and no – that’s not gossip – everyone KNOWS he’s a royal pain!)

Stig:  I have to say that Eric may be overestimating the amount of siblings I have, but I have to admit I do have quite a few. He’s correct in his statement that none of us are close, owls tend to go their own way, you see. We like to travel and see the world, or in my case see many worlds. If you could travel anywhere to any time, where would you go, and who would you bring with you?

Oh my gosh – that is a super cool question! Wow – okay, so I would definitely take Natalie because she’s an expert traveller. I think I’d like to go to Europe in the 1920s. See, I was named after this old relative named Millicent  - she kind of did all this stuff that got her in trouble that no one ever talks about. If you ask me, I think she sounds kind of cool and fun, so I’d like to travel to Europe when she was alive to see exactly what it was she was up to!

Eric:  That's really cool. I know you’re into some awesome stuff yourself, like soccer and set design. I saw a video on YouTube from your school play that was pretty sweet. Do you think you’ll try out for a part in the next one?

Seriously? We were on You Tube? Wow oh wow oh wow!!! I definitely want to be in the next one. It was super fun.

Stig:  We owls spend a great deal of time studying. I myself love to read, and I know Eric and the rest of the Deliverers do as well. What types of books do you like to read?

Well don’t tell that Toz lady (she’s the one who wrote my book), but my favorite author is Judy Blume. I love reading books about other kids. Oh and it’s no secret that I LOVE “The Secret DMS File of Fairday Morrow” and your book looks awesome too! I can’t wait to read it.

Eric:  I noticed on your blog that you give advice. I’ve been picked on a little bit in the past—I kinda think everyone has to some degree. What advice would you give to someone who’s getting teased at school?

Getting teased stinks. First of all, remember that it’s not you who has the problem, but the other person. Second, don’t be afraid to speak up. Tell an adult – tell a bunch of adults. It may be hard to talk about, but they will help!

Stig:  Now that “Amanda’s” blog has ended, what are your future plans? Are you ready for middle school?

Well, as you know, I have my blog “Millie Says.” It’s good to be able to write as Millie instead of Amanda. Trying to be two people at once is hard work! Middle School? Oh yeah – totally! It’s going to be so cool. I can’t wait!!

Eric:  I guess that’s it for now. Thanks for stopping by, Millie. I had a great time. It’s been really interesting and cool talking with you.

Hey well thanks for having me! This has been super fun!

Stig:  Thank you my dear for taking some time to chat with us a bit. You are quite a charming young lady. I can’t tell you how much fun it’s been, a real pleasure. You know, if you’re ever in the mood for an adventure, I’m sure the Gatekeeper would love to send you on an Assignment with the Deliverers.

Oooh – I would love that! When do we get started?

Eric:  Yeah, that’d be awesome. There are a lot of worlds out there that need help. I think Kate and Hallo would love to have you join us some time.

Count me in – you know where to find me!  Thanks again for having me on your blog today. It was so nice to meet you both. I have to admit, I was kind of nervous, well mostly because I’ve never spoken to an owl before (or even seen a talking owl to be honest), but I have to say, you both are tops on my list!

Now ... guess what? Here's something really exciting. We're holding a Fan Art Contest for the rest of this month! Draw a picture of Millie doing something she loves like writing on her blog or playing soccer or acting to win a signed copy of Millicent Marie is Not My Name!

Send your illustration to: Email: haightjess@gmail.com  Snail Mail: The DMS 6 Butternut Lane New Fairfield, CT 068112 The winning illustration will be chosen by a panel of judges and displayed at the next Character Book Club meeting, which will be announced in Fairday's June newsletter!  And speaking of the next meeting...

Be sure to join us for next month's Character Book Club meeting! It's going to be awesome and you'll never guess who is getting interviewed .... me & Stig!! Yup, We're getting interviewed by Pete from Alligators Overhead by C. Lee McKenzie! I can't wait!!

See you next month!!!

A Writer's Week #67: Nitty Gritty Time

Another busy week has come and gone. I'm so excited because there is so much going on! First of all, my friends Jess & Stephanie over at Fairday's Blog contacted me to ask if Eric and Stig would like to join the Character Book Club. I asked them and they were thrilled. The Character Book Club is this cool club where fantastic characters from great middle grade novels hang out. Needless to say, Eric was extremely excited. Stig took it all with his usual calm reserve, but I could tell he was pleased. I'm very flattered that they were asked. I mean, who doesn't like being part of a cool club?

This month, Millie from Millicent Marie is Not My Name by Karen Pokras Toz interviewed the DMS (Detective Mystery Squad) from The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow. Next month, May 17th to be exact, Eric and Stig from the Deliverers will be interviewing Millie right here. Stay tuned, it's going to be a lot of fun!

Then on Monday, my friend Ana Vogel sent me the preliminary layout for book 2 in the Deliverers series, Order of the Crystal Lion. That was really exciting, because it means I'm getting closer to releasing the new book.

It also meant that I had do a little bit more editing. Several of the chapters did not cooperate and were one or two lines too long. The result was a mostly blank last page for those chapters, which would not only be kind of funky looking but also a waste of paper.

As a result I spent a good deal of time finding ways to shorten things up. I wound up cutting a line of dialogue here or combining two short paragraphs there. While I was doing that, I couldn't help but notice several typos. Okay, no problem. I took care of those. Then, I noticed some missing words. Geez, I had edited this thing a few times. Others had, too. How could I have missed this stuff the first half dozen times? There was nothing for it. I grudgingly came to the realization that I was going to have to give the whole book another reading.

What I had expected to take an evening or so wound up taking the rest of the week. I only have about 45 pages left to review, then I can send the manuscript back to Ana for her to reflow. Arrgh! Oh well, it's going to be much cleaner now, but I'll bet you anything I still missed some typos. After you read the book you can let me know if you spotted any!

Since I got sidetracked with my unexpected editing task, I did not make any progress on The Golden Dragon of Ang. That's okay. This is the first week since I began the project where I did not get at least 1,400 words written. Still, right now my highest priority has to be getting The Deliverers 2 ready for publication.

I received a report from illustrator Daniel Vogel that the illustration of the crystal lion that will be the heading for the chapters is just about done and that the map is coming along nicely. Once the artwork is complete, I'll be able to upload everything to CreateSpace and order a few proofs to review. Will that be next week? I'll fill you in next Friday!

A Writer's Week #65: Fun Week

I can't tell you what a fun week it's been for me! It all started on Monday when Jess and Stephanie at The Secret DMS of Fairday Morrow's blog reviewed the audio book version of Sharky and the Jewel.  Thank you so much for your kind words, Jessica and Stephanie! You're right, Jimm Singer did a fantastic job on the audio book and I'm glad you agree. Here's a sample:

In the middle part of the week, I came up with a fantastic idea for Eric and the rest of the Deliverers to get from one island to another. In the third book in the series, The Golden Dragon of Ang, they have to visit each of the five Dragon Islands and return to the first within two weeks. Their first trip by ship took about 3 days. I knew that sailing from island to island was not going to  get them back home on time. So I had to figure out a  different way to get them from place to place. This week, I figured it out, and it ties in with a huge plot element, so I was very pleased.

Today, Fairday's blog came through again with a brilliant interview with narrator Jimm Singer. I am so pleased that everyone is enjoying the audio book. Audiofile Magazine has put the audio version in its "review queue" which means that in the next couple of months they will be reviewing it online. I'll let you know when it appears. In the interview Jimm confirms that he will be narrating the audio book version of Order of the Crystal Lion, the second book in the Deliverers Series. I'm really looking forward to working with him again.

You may be wondering when you'll see the paperback and the e-book versions of book 2. Well, it looks now like it will be in early May. There has been so much going on that I've had to push the release date back. Don't worry, I can assure you that it will be worth the wait. I'm really excited for it to come out. As soon as I know more, I'll pass it on to you.

Meanwhile, I've been working away on book 3. The Golden Dragon of Ang is progressing well. With everything going on this week, I was only able to write about 1,400 words, but I'm 33,700 words into the story. That's 31 chapters and 146 pages. This book is growing fast! I'm hoping that there will be less of a gap between the release of books 2 and 3 than there has been between books 1 and 2. But come what may, I can guarantee that there will be more to come from Eric & Co. before all is said and done. I'll be back with another update next week!

One Year Ago Today...

Today marks a special anniversary for me. A year ago today, I started The Deliverers blog. I really can't believe a year has gone by already. Where does the time go? When I first started the blog, I could not imagine what I was going to write about. I just wanted to get the word out about The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel, which hadn't even been published yet.

It all started with a post about the cover artwork for the new book that I had just received. I soon realized that writing exclusively about the new book alone would not only be boring for you, but would not give me enough material  to sustain a fully realized blog. After a few false starts I was able to come up with some regular features that included some thoughts on books from my children, insights into the process of writing The Deliverers 2: Order of the Crystal Lion, and some fun and funny interviews with characters from children's literature and fairy tales.

Along the way, I met a bunch of great people and made some great friends. Thanks to all of you who have shown me such kindness and given me so much support! I've really got to thank Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson of The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow. They were the first to comment on the blog. I nearly keeled over when they left their first comment--someone was out there! Since then, they've been nothing but supportive and I consider them good friends. Others have followed and been very supportive, too. Thanks to you all.

The blog has become less a means for promoting my book (although I still do that from time to time), and more a means for sharing what I'm doing writing-wise and just having fun. I love doing those interviews, it gets my creative juices flowing and gives me a chance to be silly.

Now that I've got a year under my belt, my thoughts are turning to the year ahead. What lies in store? I'll be sitting down soon to think up a new regular post to freshen things up. I'd like to do something that appeals to writers, but I'm not sure what. I'll have to think on that some more. On the writing/book side of things, the audio book version of The Deliverers should be out before the end of the year, and the second book in the series will be coming out in early 2013. I'm also planning on launching an author's website in the not too distant future. With all that in the works, the coming year looks to be filled with exciting things. I hope you hang around and see what develops along with me.

Oh, I almost forgot. I'm having a Happy Birthday Giveaway to mark the blog's first anniversary. Click HERE to view the giveaway and enter for your chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. The giveaway runs until November 5th, which is the anniversary of the release of The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel.

Interview Special: Authors Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson

Today I have a special post-holiday treat for everyone. I was lucky enough to have a chance to chat with authors Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson.

A while back, Christian reviewed their wonderful book, The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow. You can check that out here.

They also have a fantastic blog. You can explore it here.

Now, without further ado, let's get the show on the road.

Where did the idea for The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow come from?

Jess: The initial story was partially created by my grandfather. When I was a kid, I stayed with my grandparents for a while and they lived in a spooky house in Ridgefield, CT. Sometimes it sounded like someone was walking around upstairs when there was no one up there, and my grandfather used to tell me it was Ruby Begonia clomping around in her high-heeled sneakers. I spent years trying to catch her, but never did. Ruby’s story took shape through the years as I grew up. When I was in my twenties, I wrote the children’s poem, Ruby Begonia and the High-Heeled Sneakers. One day, I thought how cool it would be to turn the poem into a chapter book and the name, Fairday Morrow popped into my head. I thought to ask my best friend and book buddy, Stephanie Robinson, if she wanted to co-author it with me, and happily she agreed. Stephanie and I both love books; we love to read and talk about the stories. So, we started writing and talking about Fairday and the adventures of the DMS.

Stephanie: After Jess asked me to work with her on changing her poem into a story the ideas began emerging from all over the place. We would meet, talk, brainstorm, and dissect each other’s ideas. Each time one of us shared something we would spark new ideas in the other person. Some of the elements of Fairday’s story have appeared in my dreams and others that have happened in my everyday life.  

Author Jessica Haight

 You wrote this book together. Can you describe your writing process? How did you split up the writing?

Jess: We sort of write off the cuff- it’s the same way we used to put together the pieces of a puzzle. It’s like we get the picture in our head, and then play it out with our words. It’s amazing to work with Stephanie- she is probably the only person in the world that I could connect with in this way. But, we always loved chatting about books and playing games together, so it all just fit!

Stephanie: Jess and I spoke daily about Fairday and her adventures. We flushed out characters, storylines, and everything else both in person and on the phone. Our meetings were always productive and helped us to be on the same page. We used Google Docs, which allowed us to write in one document from anywhere. Usually one of us would start a chapter and the other person would go in and start working their magic- adding, deleting, and crafting the writing until it was a blended expression of both of our ideas. Jess and I agreed early on that we would always be honest with each other and that we wouldn’t take things personally. We wanted to create the best story we could, and we knew that we would need to put our egos aside. Luckily, we have always had a relationship in which we could tell the other person exactly how we felt. It was a blast writing with Jess!

  

Author Stephanie Robinson

How long did it take you to write the book?

Jess: I would say just about a year.

Stephanie: Well, if we only count talking about it, mapping it out, and beginning to type the story, then I agree it took a little less than a year to write it. Of course, we revised over one hundred times during that year, and since the book has been completed we continue to revise all the time. 

What books did you enjoy most as a child? Who were your favorite authors?

Jess: I loved the Ramona series by Beverly Cleary- and Ellen Tibets was one of my absolute favorite stories. I also really enjoyed fairy tales, preferably Grimms. And, oddly enough, books about space and astronomy.

Stephanie:  I started out in first grade as a struggling reader.  I couldn’t wait to read, and once I got the hang of it I couldn’t get enough! I devoured books growing up and would find an author and read everything I could by them. The authors that stand out the most to me are Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, and Roald Dahl. I loved fairy tales and Shel Silverstein poems. I read every Nancy Drew book and the Little House series. I wanted to be Nancy and Half-Pint!

Describe your perfect day?

Jess: About 85 degrees and sunny, with fluffy white clouds and low humidity- there would be horses, a lake or river, lots of greenery and flowers, and something delicious to eat- corn on the cob and clams for instance. Anyplace will do under these conditions : )

Stephanie:  I would start my perfect day with sleeping in! I would enjoy the sunshine and warm, dry temperatures. A delicious mug of coffee would accompany some reading as I relaxed on my outdoor patio. It would be a treat to spend the day with my husband eating lobster and laughing.  Any day without pressures or obligations would be peaceful and welcome.

Do you listen to music when you write? What do you like to listen to?

Jess: Yes and no- sometimes, it really depends. The music can range from Madonna to Pink Floyd. I’m all over the board. What can I say, I love a good beat!

Stephanie: I can work in all kinds of conditions, but I usually prefer not to listen to music when I write.  I love to listen to music and like a wide range of music. I am a big fan of The Beatles, Zac Brown Band, The Beastie Boys, and Ray Charles. Different songs and artists appeal to me depending on my mood!

If you had a pair of high heeled sneakers, what would you do with them?

Jess: If they fit, I would be over the moon ; )

Stephanie: Actually, I have a pair ; )

Are you working on a sequel? How is it going?

Jess & Stephanie: We are! The Talking Library will be the second book in the Fairday Morrow series and it’s coming along brilliantly. Fear not the unexpected!

Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us. I'm looking forward to the next DMS Files adventure!

A Book A Day Reviews The Deliverers

Yesterday, I received notice that Mary Reilly of A Book A Day had reviewed The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel. I was really excited to read the review. Here's the bulk of it:

"Slomba delivers an action-packed adventure that’s sure to thrill middle grade and younger readers. Even little ones (I’m thinking first and second graders) will enjoy this tale as a read-aloud because of its magical characters (a talking owl! a conniving pirate!) and wacky humor (like the name of the dwarf) in a fascinating and well-conceived setting. In addition to the quest to save Calendria, Eric struggles to regain his own confidence, making this a lovely story of self-discovery as well. Highly recommended for ages 6 to 12."

Thanks to Mary for such a great review. To read the entire book description and review, click here.

Word is spreading about the book. So far, feedback has been very positive. I've included some reviews below, from authors, blogs, and a few from Amazon.com.

A world is in trouble, who can save it?

Certainly not Eric Scott, a 12 year old boy coming to grips with his own personal tragedy. But that’s exactly what Stig, an owl from another world, asks him to do. Together, they are sent to deliver Calendria, a small fishing village, from Sharky, an immortal pirate captain that has enslaved them. But defeating Sharky and his band of bloodthirsty pirates will be no easy task.

When they arrive, Eric and Stig meet Kate Endria, who is convinced that they are the Deliverers—heroes of an ancient prophecy who are destined to defeat Sharky and his crew. Eric devises a plan that he hopes will work. Eric’s confidence rises when they rescue Hallo Tosis, an outcast dwarf who gives them the key to a powerful weapon. But it’s only after things start to go horribly wrong that Eric and Stig discover the true object of their mission. 

Here's what people are saying about

The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel:

Louise Ladd, author of The Double Diamond Dude Ranch Series, and owner of The Book Doctor.

"Take one bewildered hero, add a slightly pompous talking owl to guide him, stir in a stubborn girl whose village is threatened by pirates, blend with a secret mountain full of dwarves, an eerie dead forest guarded by gigantic bats, and top it with a mysterious jewel rumored to be the size of a large pizza and you have an entrancing story literally out of this world.

“Slomba's imagination knows no bounds as one surprise after another keeps Eric, and the reader, busy fending off the next crisis."  

J. Haight & S. Robinson, authors of The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow,  and blog book reviewers.


"I just finished reading The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel by Gregory Slomba and it was a wonderful story. I liked Eric because he was smart and braver than he knew. He also had to rely on friends to help him solve the problems that arise and this seemed very real to me. The action started right in the first chapter and continued to pick up from there. I think that kids in 4^th grade through 8^th grade would really like this book- older kids and adults would also find it to be an interesting read! A story that includes pirates, talking animals, dwarfs, and ancient magic will appeal to anyone that enjoys The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings. A great way to introduce kids to the fantasy genre!"


Adven SW, Amazon.com review, 5 stars
"This was a great book. My nine year old son could not stop reading it and was able to easily visualize what was happening. Although it's written for 8-12 year olds, I too found it to be very engaging. The characters are fun and likeable. The book is filled with adventure, with lots of twists and turns and kept "our" interest to the very end. If you're looking for an exciting adventure story, for boys and girls, you have found it!"

Denise Lawson, Amazon.com review, 5 stars
"Having recently finished student teaching in a fifth grade class, I have been reading a lot of books at this reading level. When I came across this book, The Delivers: Sharky and the Jewel, I was instantly sucked in. The book is amazing right from the first page and I often found it difficult to put down. This book is a true fantasy and one I greatly enjoyed."

kate55, Amazon.com review, 4 stars
"When I asked my 10 year old daughter to read this book she was a little hesitant to do so. When she finally got started on it, she couldn't put it down. The only time she did was to tell me about what happened in each chapter. The combination of fantasy, adventure and relatable situations makes this book one for the family to share. My daughter shared it with me and I loved it too."

music mom, Amazon.com review, 5 stars
"This is a great book for both boys and girls - good story with lots of adventure. The places that the characters travel to are vividly described and very interesting. The characters have their own adversities to overcome, but work together for the good of all. The story is age appropriate and I recommend it to anyone looking for a book for the 8-12 year old range. My 10 year old daughter highly recommends it, as well!"

What's Christian Reading?; The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow

Christian is an avid 4th grade reader. This post is about what he's reading. This is by no means an actual review, just his comments on whatever book he's reading at the time.

This week, Christian is reading a very special book, The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow, by J. Haight & S. Robinson. Christian was lucky enough to obtain a copy of this wonderful book, although it is not yet available in stores. If you'd like to find out more about this great book, go to Fairday's Blog to find out all about it and to read the first few chapters.

So, without any more chatter, let's see how Christian liked the book.

Here's what Christian says The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow is about:

"The book is about a girl named Fairday Morrow who goes to live in a house that she doesn't really want to go live in, because she's moving away from her friends in Manhattan. The house is in Connecticut, and is really creepy and old.

"After they get to the house, they find a mirror. When she first sees it, she thinks she sees a pair of ruby red high heeled sneakers disappearing behind a door in the mirror. She invites her friend Lizzy over to spend the weekend. They try to solve a mystery surrounding the Begonia house, by gathering clues, like a hairbrush with a strand of hair, and a picture with writing on the back

"One day, when Fairday is babysitting her little sister Magro, Margo crawls into the mirror. Fairday pulls her out and she's holding a ruby red high heeled sneaker. This adds to the mystery of the Begonia house, and gives them another clue.

"She interviews Larry Lovell, who is an old guy who used to be a reporter and knows a lot about the house. After that, many strange things happen. I won't give it away, but it's an interesting mystery with lots of magic and suspense."

What did you like most about the book?

"It's kind of hard to say because it was all really good. I would say I really liked the part when they thought that they saw a red haired figure standing in the mirror. I also liked the pictures a lot."

Was there anything you didn't like?

"I liked it all. I hope there's a sequel because I really liked the characters, and I wonder what the next mystery will be."

So, how does Christian rate The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow by J. Haight & S. Robinson?

He gives it five out of five flaming monkey heads.

Tag, I'm It--Who's Up for a Game of Book Tag?

Yesterday, just before going to bed, I checked out my Facebook page to see if anything was happening. Turns out my friends Fairday annd Lizzy from The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow shared a link to their fantastic blog. They wanted to play a game--book tag.



What is book tag, you ask? Excellent question. I have no idea. It's just a bit of fun. Oh wait, I do know--there are even rules. Here they are:

THE RULES

1) You must post the rules.

2) Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you’ve tagged.

3) Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.

4) Let them know you’ve tagged them!

Here are the questions posed by Fairday and Lizzy:

1. When did you start blogging? 



I'm fairly new. I started in the middle of October last year.

2. What is your favorite food?

My wife would tell you everything, and that would be pretty close to the thruth! Really, it's anything sweet.

3. What is your favorite book from childhood?

Again, another tough question. I'd have to say, My Brother Sam is Dead, because it was a historical novel based on events that happened in my area, and I met one of the authors, Christopher Collier, when he visited my school.

4. Best concert you have ever attended or what concert would you like to attend?

Any of Jethro Tull's concerts are good, although Ian Anderson's voice is shot. I have a friend who has a band called The Jody S. Cipot Band that plays in New Milford, CT from time to time. They always put on a great show!
  


Jethro



Jody

 
5. PC or Mac?

Definately PC.

6. Where do you buy or get most of the books you read?

These days I'm buying a lot of Kindle editions of books, but only if they're under about $8. I can't believe the prices publishers are charging for an electronic version of a book. I also like to check out any small out of the way independent bookstores when I have the chance. Some good ones: R.J. Julia in Madison, CT, and the Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington, CT. I also go to our town library quite often. The kids love going and they have a great selection of books, audio books, and videos. The price is right, too.

7. If you could be friends with any character from a book, who would you be friends with?

Gandalf, the wizard from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. He'd be an interesting guy to hang with, and I might even have a chance to get caught up in an adventure or two!

8. Favorite holiday?

I would have to say it's Christmas. It's still the one time of year that's downright magical for me.

9. A book you think everyone should read?

What, besides my own? Let's face it, The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel is a fun, exciting book for kids, but apart from that, I'd have to say The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. Just a great book, with a great message.

10. If you could have one wish, what would it be?

I'd like to have a time machine so I could go back to see what things were like 100, 200, 300 years ago. That's my secret, selfish wish. If I only had one wish, though, I'd do the right thing and wish that there was no poverty or war, and that everyone was happy. Who knows, if that ever happened, maybe someone would have enough money and time to invent a time machine!

11. Favorite beverage?

Ice cold, unsweetened iced tea. Nothing better when you're thirsty!

Okay, now it's time for me to give a shout out to some of my favorite blogs and say:

TAG, YOU'RE IT!!!!!!

And here are the blogs that have been tagged:

Ro--Always Inspired

My Life, One Story at a Time

Dragonscale Leggings

The Perfect Herald

In the Clouds

Skeletica

She Writes Again

Paranormal Goddess

Under My Apple Tree

Books Are Magic

Morgen Bailey's Writing Blog

Here are my questions for all of you who were tagged:

1. If you could go back in time, what event would you most like to witness?

2. What is your favorite childhood memory?

3. What is your favorite movie?

4. What do you like to do best on a summer's day?

5. Coke or Pepsi?

6. What is your favorite guilty pleasure?

7. What is your favorite book? (I know others have asked it, but how can i not?)

8. Who do you think was the most important person in the 20th century?

9. What's your favorite kind of candy?

10. What book makes you laugh most?

11. Rock, paper, scissors?



What An Awesome Day

Well. where do I start? First of all, I should tell you that the Monday Interview Series will not be seen this week, so that we may bring you the following special presentation. It will return next week on its regularly scheduled day.

Yesterday was just fantastic. I had such a great turnout at the book signing. Two Steps was great, thanks Tom and Company for treating me so well! I want to thank everyone who was able to make it. It was great to see so many friends there, and to make some new ones, as well! I was fortunate enough to sell (and sign) a bunch of copies of my book, The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel.

Eager author waiting for the crowds

I had a great day. People were buying like crazy, and I was signing everything in sight! It was great seeing all my friends from Union Savings Bank, and the Candlewood Lions Club, and everyone else who took time out from their busy Sunday to stop by.

I was also excited to meet a couple of friends for the first time. Jess and Stephanie from the Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow have been great blogging friends, and have given me a whole lot of support ever since I started my blog in October. That included showing up at the book signing, buying a couple of books, and presenting me with a signed copy of their book, The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow! I can't wait to read it. You'll hear more about this book in the coming weeks.

Middle Grade Authors Greg Slomba and Stephanie Robinson

The whole event was fantastic, but it didn't end there. After that, it was off to our Chinese New Year celebration in Hartsdale, New York. It was great to see all ten families! This was the first time in a while that all of us were together for an event! The restaurant was great, and put up with more than 40 people, including 16 children 11 and under, with a smile.

Mothers and children--Happy New Year!!

I don't know how the day could have been any better! Thanks to everyone who helped make it so special!

Back To the Grind

After having a joyous ten days off in a row, I schlepped back to work on Tuesday. A big part of me was ready to get back, but there was part that would have liked to have stayed home. I was able to get a decent amount of writing done (more on that tomorrow) while I was off, so that was good.

Suddenly, though, I was thrust back into the work frenzy, and it seemed like everything kicked in all at once. We started a big training initiative the day after I returned, so the first day back we were scrambling to make last minute preparations for that. Then, I had a big Lions Club planning meeting scheduled for that evening. Add the fact that I had to get my rear in gear in the morning and get back to the gym to work off some of my vacation excesses. That meant that I left home at 6:30 in the morning and arrived home a about 10:00 that night--ugh! Can I have another helping of vacation, please.

Still, in spite of work, an exercise, and Lions I haven't neglected my first book. I'm managing to keep things going on the publicity front. Earlier this week I was the subject of an interview on a fantastic blog, The Secret DMS Files of Fairday Morrow. They'd also reviewed The Deliverers: Sharky and the Jewel just before Christmas. I'm very grateful for their support and encouragement, and I really recommend that you all check their blog out and follow it!

On the local front, I'm working on getting my first major book signing set up. I'll share the details when I get everything hammered out, but it's shaping up to be a nice event. It'll combine books, friends and food--how can you go wrong with that?

As I'm writing this, I can't help but think how much I've been blessed regarding this book. The help--unasked for no less--that I've received has just been overwhelming. From Ana Vogel and her layout, to Daniel Vogel and his cover and illustrations, to my wife Stephanie, Christine and all our friends, to Stephanie and Jess at Secret Files, to the Citizen News and the News Times, and all the friends  who've been so enthusiastic about the book, and on and on. Thank you all so much!

That's it for now. I'll be back tomorrow to talk about some actual writing!