Category Archives: Author Platform

Mar20

TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES – #12

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TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES – #12

WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE HAVE TO FINISH EQUIPPING OUR NEW BOAT?                               (…AND WHERE’S THE HEAT?)

 

Call Prairie Girl naive, but she was incredulously baffled when husband announced that there would be several expensive purchases to be made in order to completely outfit their brand new Catalina 28 Mark 11 Anniversary Edition. Prairie Girl just assumed that their DREAM BOAT was loaded to the max- complete with an anniversary plaque, a wooden hull to mount on their wall at home, a set of Catalina dishes, upgraded upholstery and blinds, a bimini and sunbrella protectors for the windows… What did husband mean when he said it wasn’t completely outfitted with everything necessary?

Prairie Girl can visualize her readers nodding their … Read the rest

Nov28

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

SILVER LINING in WHO’S the CAPTAIN?

BOOK LAUNCH

THE BOOK LAUNCH DAYDREAM VERSUS REALITY

You can imagine it, can’t you? The venue chosen is unique, as the perfect spot for drawing the niche of people for which one’s book was written. (MARTIN MARINE –so ideal as a long established North Shore family business that boaters frequent.) It’s in a community that both the author and illustrator had lived in and sailed from, as contributors for many years. Thus, a full house of familiar faces was anticipated coming through the door to share in the celebration of their book. Perfect! Right? (Reality Check: Perfect on a sunny spring day- YES! Maybe not so perfect on a cold, … Read the rest

Sep12

TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #5

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TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #5

THE FIRST OVER-NIGHTER at ANCHOR

                   … How did he get Prairie Girl back onboard again?

Well, let’s just say, husband didn’t get Prairie Girl back onboard for that entire fall and winter- and not just because she was still traumatized from moving marinas! No it was too late in the season and husband had a TO DO LIST 3 pages long to deal with before setting sail. He was anxious to have the boat updates done before next summer when they’d be ready to go cruising – of course they would be!

yknewbottompaint

So the kinds of projects that husband took on brought the reality of boat ownership home quickly to Prairie Girl. Mooring fees were one thing, but … Read the rest

Sep11

FUN HAPPENS! CHANGES URL

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FUN HAPPENS! CHANGES URL

ATTENTION ALL FUN HAPPENS! FOLLOWERS 

I am in process of moving my blog to a new site: https://www.marylaudien.com

I value your visits to my  WordPress Blog and the comments you leave.  I am hopeful that you will subscribe to my new site of

FUN HAPPENS!:

HUMOROUS KIDLIT & TENDER, SASSY POSTS

You can expect to find two types of posts:

  • TENDER TUESDAYS 

  • FUN KIDLIT FRIDAYS

I’m looking forward to meeting up with you on my new site.  Please copy the URL now, so that we can continue to share fun stories with one another. (https://www.marylaudien.com)- easy to remember if you know my name…

mary_helming

 

… Read the rest
Aug19

I Am What I Read: 5 Ways to Nurture Reading Identity by Paula Bourque — Nerdy Book Club

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I Am What I Read: 5 Ways to Nurture Reading Identity by Paula Bourque — Nerdy Book Club

Over the past few years as a K-8 literacy coach I’ve worked with students to help them create and connect with their writing identities. I wanted them to live “writerly” lives and explore what it meant to be a writer. I wrote a book about that exploration (Close Writing). I know, as writers we […]

via I Am What I Read: 5 Ways to Nurture Reading Identity by Paula Bourque — Nerdy Book Club… Read the rest

Jun23

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

MEET INSPIRATION

AN APOLOGY TO MY FOLLOWERS: I know this isn’t Tender Tuesday or Wacky Wednesday, and not even Theatrical Thursday… Please accept my apology for publishing this on Freaky Friday! (I’ve been a little busy….)

Many of you may not be aware that I’m in process of publishing my first Picture Book! I waited for months to have the carefully chosen publishers respond to my query and tell me how anxious they were to get the project to print. I dreamt of bidding wars over my manuscripts- seriously! You’re shaking your head right now, thinking another disillusioned novice gets a dose of reality. Not exactly! I have had some experience with publishing in a former … Read the rest

Nov27

New Mantra: TNT

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New Mantra: TNT

I devote time daily to read Kristen Lamb’s blog (Kristen Lamb@wordpress.com). She is a writer who dedicates her energy teaching others how to improve their craft.  This author’s writing tips grab your attention. One of her recent blogs was about “TNT”.  What is this, you ask?  It’s basic, but oh so succinct- “TODAY, NOT TOMORROW”.  This caught my attention, while awaiting the proof of my third book of the Middle Grade Frenchie Series.  It shook me out of that pleasurable reverie of thinking I was almost finished and deserved a break.  Not so! Authors continue to grow and develop their skills by writing daily. And with a new book, it is time to prepare for its launch-contacting reviewers, … Read the rest

Jan28

MEET the AUTHOR: Mary Laudien

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MEET the AUTHOR: Mary Laudien

photoFrenchie X2 Author PhotoMary's visit

After reading the article entitled Meet the Agent- Barbara Lowenstein in Writer’s Digest (Feb., 2013), it occurred to me it might be helpful for my blog readers to know more about Mary Laudien, the Middle Grade Author. I decided to follow Kara Gebhart’s simplified format to provide this info to my blog followers (All 3 of you, but I know there are many more of you who were just waiting for an invite to subscribe!). If you seek more detailed information, you can always go to my website: http://www.twocandobooks.com

Who is Mary Laudien? 

  • a retired innovative educator  (Known for successfully transforming the public schools she was principal of into International Baccalaureate World Schools)
  • a newly appointed International Baccalaureate
… Read the rest
May18

Purchase the First Two Books of the Frenchie Series- visit CHAPTERS

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Purchase the First Two Books of the Frenchie Series- visit CHAPTERS

 Frenchie’s Best Friend- Follow the Blog

                                     

Frenchie X2- Follow the Blog     

 Who would enjoy these humorous reads?

  •    pet owners or “pet owner wannabes”
  •    those who read novels that are hilarious enough to give you belly laughs
  •    anyone “gaga” over their pet
  •    all age groups – Grade 5+ and any walk of life (students, parents, grandparents, pet groomers, pet trainers, pet care                                        professionals, families who love animals, teachers, librarians)

How would the series benefit middle years students?

  • excellent novels for inspiring students to extend writing skills to blogs
  • stories that addresses leadership and fundraising initiatives in a school setting to reinforce the concept of MAKING A DIFFERENCE
  • novels that captures the attention of the most reluctant readers through the humor and
… Read the rest
May17

Librarians/ Educators – Book an Author Visit with Mary Laudien

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Librarians/ Educators – Book an Author Visit with Mary Laudien

Juvenile Novels:  Frenchie’s Best Friend- Follow the Blog  and  Frenchie X2- Follow the Blog 

Synopsis of Mary’s Books:  Society is “gaga” over their pets. In the first book (Frenchie’s Best Friend-Follow the Blog), Ethan enlists the aid of his quirky, scheming Grandmother and a following of bloggers to realize his dream of becoming a French Bulldog owner. The story is a covert operation of misadventures processed on his nightly blog, “Frenchie’s Best Friend” unbeknownst to his over-stressed and somewhat oblivious single mother. The journey is both humorous and unnerving, as Ethan sets up a bargain “doggie wash” business in his mother’s laundry room. The story has all kinds of appeal to readers who are dog crazy themselves or … Read the rest