Category Archives: Authors

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

Aug10

TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 2

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TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 2

I know, I know… it’s back to Wacky Wednesdays.  So hard to keep on a schedule while traveling and working on one’s book!

YOU WANT PRAIRIE GIRL TO DO WHAT?

-A SAILING GET-AWAY? ARE YOU CRAZY?

My boyfriend (now husband) had enthusiastically sailed in his earlier years, and when he suggested that we should charter a boat for a weekend and give it a try, I somewhat reluctantly agreed. After all, I was PRAIRIE GIRL, what did I know about sailing the Pacific Northwest? Absolutely nothing! He, on the other hand, had apparently moved to Vancouver Island for a stint in his early 30’s and immediately notified the Royal Victoria Yacht Club that he was … Read the rest

Jul27

TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 1

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TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 1

WARNING: RACE TO BUOYS AT YOUR OWN RISK!

We can be spontaneous! Can’t we? Plans changed, our expected company cancelled, and guess what? A long weekend out on our Catalina 28 stretched before us (the first one all season, where the gods had aligned us with a free weekend and a perfect wind and sunshine prediction). At least, that’s what we envisioned…

With 4 free days ahead of us, we toyed with destination possibilities and settled on the nearest – Mark Bay (between Newcastle Island and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island) – a mere 2.5 hour sail away from home! My working senior husband was exhausted from attending corporate meetings in Vancouver and his retired author wanna-be wife was due for … Read the rest

Jun28

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

MEET INSPIRATION #2

I’m finally getting back on track after a chilly Spring Cruise with SCYC (our yacht club), an overhaul landscaping job of our front yard, a trip to Portland, setting up publishing files for my picture book, WHO’S the CAPTAIN? … just to name a few distractions from TENDER TUESDAYS!

On FREAKY FRIDAY, I explained how meeting Dave Alavoine (the cartoonist for COCKPIT CONFESSIONS in PACIFIC YACHTING MAGAZINE) and starting our collaborative process together was inspired. I had already written this repetitive language picture book with a sassy nautical glossary, and had prepared notes for what the action in the cartoons would look like and the dialogue that the sailing family on vacation would be … 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

Apr13

AUTHOR VOICE

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AUTHOR VOICE

(Catalogue Article Submission to Red Tuque Books)

 WRITING with VOICE

by Mary Laudien

During my career as an educator/principal, I was innovative in structuring and implementing Writers’ Workshop in West Vancouver schools. The success that the students experienced by taking risks and realizing their potential as writers was brought home years later, when one of my earlier Grade One classes held a Grade 12 graduation party with their parents, and invited my former teaching partner and I to attend. The families wanted to acknowledge that they recognized how their confident children/learners had been so successfully launched in their school careers and were all anticipating exciting post secondary plans for their future. Writers’ Workshop was a powerful tool to bring … Read the rest

Apr7

AUTHORS in BLOOM BLOG HOP

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AUTHORS in BLOOM BLOG HOP

5th Annual Authors in Bloom Blog Hop

Thursday April 7th – Saturday 16th 2016

10 Days of Giveaways-Gardening Tips-Recipes-and More!

Dianne Venetta_AIB Logo_2015

 Plus a GRAND PRIZE you’ll be digging to win!

The 5th Annual AUTHORS in BLOOM is finally here!  I’m so excited to welcome you to FUN HAPPENS! As you realize, not all authors are particularly great gardeners or cooks, but we do our best to leave you a little something… My recipe is simple and delicious. It’s a raspberry pie that when heated and served with a scoop of ice cream, makes for a yummy ending to a lovely dinner.

FRESH RASPBERRY PIE (from Thrifty’s Fresh Summer Magazine)

Prep Time 20 minutes (You like it already, right?)

Cooking Time: 50-55 … Read the rest

Apr4

5th Annual Authors in Bloom Blog Hop

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5th Annual Authors in Bloom Blog Hop

 http://diannevenetta.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/DianneVenetta_AIB-Logo_2015-250x250.jpg

Thurs., April 7- Sat., April 16th

10 Days of Giveaways- Gardening Tips-Recipes- And MORE!

PLUS a GRAND PRIZE YOU’ll be DIGGING TO WIN!!

This is a reminder that the annual Authors in Bloom Blog Hop is scheduled to begin April 7th at 6:00am EST and the tour will continue for  10 days. This gives readers the opportunity to visit 5 or 6 sites per day.

How does it work? 

All 57 authors participating will post their giveaway, gardening tip, recipe or both on their website, beginning April 7th and leaving their contest open through the 16th.  You will have 10 days to enter each individual author contest and then submit your entry for the grand prize!!  To win … Read the rest

Mar6

Downton Abbey Series Finale Tonight

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Downton Abbey Series Finale Tonight

downton-abbey2

It’s time for Downton Abbey fans to say goodbye to the Crawleys’ aristocratic chronicles of this British historical drama!  We’ll miss the series’ characters of whom we’ve all grown so fond. Sunday evenings will become void as we miss the anticipated delight of immersing ourselves into their lives each Sunday night on PBS! Haven’t we all loved the family dynamics, the historical social change process, the setting, and the fashions of this bygone era? The friendship, loyalties, secrets, and realistic family issues have been the core of keeping us glued to this gripping dramatic series.  Many have ordered the DVD’s of the entire 6 seasons and will no doubt revisit them again. Keep your kleenex box handy, as the trailers … Read the rest