HOOK KIDS on READING: "DOWN UNDER CALLING"

Saturday, October 26, 2013

"DOWN UNDER CALLING" - Back to my AUSSIE ROOTS -

I could never have done it without the skills
and talents of Awesome Agy Wilson

Done what you ask?

Published my latest young teen book.

Kindle - soft cover coming

Agy not only did the cover, she also set it up for Kindle and CreateSpace.

This is the second young teen book Agy has done
the cover for and helped me publish. The first was
my ghost mystery, "The Revenge of Thelma Hill."

Self-publishing is a new gig for me ( I have 11 traditionally published ), but I wanted to give
it a go, as they say. Agy has struck some problems with the covers for the CreateSpace versions of both books but this will be mastered soon (knowing Agy), and available in soft cover, ASAP.

SYNOPSIS: When a reluctant grandson in Oregon is pressured into writing to his grandma in Australia, wonderful things happen. Both have a need for love and reassurance as they deal with the problems in their daily lives. Back and forth the letters go: Andy shares the problems his dad's downsizing caused, and Grandma Rose shares past memories that astonish her grandson and his friend, Kelly. Googling the weird and wonderful Aussie critters that visit Rose's garden becomes a hobby for Andy and Kelly. Together they use their letters to shrink the Pacific Ocean into a puddle they can easily ford.

I have to admit that writing this book took me back to my Aussie roots. Once I started, memories flooded in, warm, funny, and sometimes a little sad. In some ways Down Under Calling is tribute to my mum. She was the heart of our home, and the stories Grandma Rose tells Andy in her letters are ones Mum told me when I was a child, or that Mum and I experienced together. Mom was an extremely shy lady. She wold never be able to tell you these stories herself. So that left me to fill the gap, and offer her wonderful stories to a wider audience than she could ever have imagined. I still miss her.

Mum and Dad

I hope young teens will enjoy Grandma Rose's stories, and identify with Andy and Kelly about divorce and blended families, and the heartache of having a parent downsized, and then losing your home because of it. Down Under Calling brings together two generations, across an ocean and across time. It shows that families who pull together with love and honesty can make it - no matter what.

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OTHER BOOKS by Margot on Amazon

The Revenge of Thelma Hill

Picture Books

Kangaroo Clues

Mama Grizzly Bear

Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat Behind
Horatio Humble Beats the Big D

Rattlesnake Jam

http://www.margotfinke.com

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1 comment:

Susan B JamesNovember 7, 2013 at 8:27 PM
Margot, Love the picture of your Mom and Dad and what a great book for you to write! I am sure you will do well with it. want to do an interview at pen and Ink? or a post?
Blessings
Susan.
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SKYPING AROUND the WORLD

Today SKYPE flew my “Magic Carpet” back to a class on the east coast. I listened to all the wonderfully innovative stories these kids wrote after my first visit with them. They really remembered to use powerful words and add lots of action – FANTASTIC! They illustrated their books, and every child wrote a cute Bio to go with their story. They were so proud of their accomplishments, and I was busting my buttons too. Such a thrill to be a part of turning a class on to the joys of reading and writing. YAHOO! I also read them “Never Say BOO to a Frilly,” as a treat for all their hard work. And their teacher, Geralyn Downey, went all out to encourage each child, and make them feel proud of their writing. Great teachers like Geralyn are real treasures.

I made a Skype Author Visit to a classroom in Auckland, New Zealand. They were so enthusiastic and smart. They even made a Video about my visit. I was thrilled and humbled. Read about it HERE

I also Skyped with high school teens in New Delhi, India. They asked so many questions. It was wonderful to see so many enthusiastic kids interested in reading and writing.

NOTE The only limit to an author visit to schools anywhere in the world are the Time Zones. They must work with where YOU live, as well as where the schools are situated.

SKYPE THANK YOU NOTES from TEACHERS

Thank you so much for this Margot. I am looking forward to skyping with you at 11. Just to let you know- the students took great pride in their stories. Although they are somewhat silly, and some maybe not too logical, the goal was for them to write and feel pride in publishing and sharing their stories. In that, they have all been successful. So, I hope that you will be able to sit back and let US take you YOU on a Magic Carpet Ride today! Talk to you soon! Geri

I did. . . and it was AWESOME!!

From a happy New Jersey teacher:

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"Thank you so much for our class skype today! The children learned so much, and cannot stop talking about it! They took your suggestions for writing to heart and are excited to begin writing their own stories tomorrow! LOVED this experience! Thank you!"
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SKYPE Inspires a Class:

Hi Margot,

I just wanted to let you know that my students have been working hard on writing their own stories since skyping with you. They were wondering if you might have time to Skype with us again to listen to their stories.

One little boy in particular has been so enthusiastic about this that he has been asking to work on his "book" every day since skyping with you. It is a very short story, but he could NOT be any prouder! You have really made an impression on him, as well as the other students! Thank you for this!

If you ever have time to skype with us again, they would LOVE to share their stories with you!

AND I AM GOING BACK TO HEAR THEIR STORIES AS SOON AS WE SETTLE ON A DATE.

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Geralyn Downey shared your link: "To my teacher friends. Our class skyped with Margot Finke, children's author, and we LOVED it. Please watch this, and consider having her visit your class via skype. Believe me, you will love it! She was fantastic!"

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Thank you for the Skype! My class loved your storytelling!

From Mrs. Hime's Third Grade Class

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I just wanted to thank you for visiting our class! I know my students were so excited to engage with you and found your artifacts so interesting! My students struggle every day to battle obstacles that I would wish for no child, yet they do it fearlessly. With half of my students living below the poverty line, many of them will never see the world, nor the next parish. But I do believe that experiences like the one you gave them is invaluable in their realization that there is so much more out there! Thank you again for taking the time to talk to and read to my students!

Shane Silpe - 3rd Grade Teacher

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Thanks a ton for the Skype session with us. My students and I were absolutely thrilled to have you in our classroom. They wouldn't stop talking about you today. They shared their amazing experience with everyone at school and in their community as well. Today they wrote some poems for you. My students want to send you thank you emails and their poems. Do you mind if I let them email you on this id?

Once again thank you very much Margot. We thoroughly enjoyed your session, wish we could have listened you read the other story you showed us.

Regards, Harini - 4^th grade teacher in New Zealand.

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Thank you for spending your time with us. The children are still very excited about skype and sometimes have trouble sitting still! When the session was over, we discussed what they learned and they had a ton to say. We are also going to write a narrative using an Australian animal. It will take us a couple of weeks but I cannot wait to see what they produce. It was a great way to kick off our narrative writing unit. I think the children would love a copy of your book. Will you sign it for us? I know as they are writing their stories, yours would be a wonderful model for them.

Sincerely, Jennifer - 5th Grade Teacher

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Hi Margot,

Thank you so much for your email and especially for the wonderful Skype visit!! It was so much fun and so informative!! It was a huge hit and everyone raved about you!! :-) Regarding the books, I think it would be fine to send them to my school as there are lots of deliveries during the summer. I would love to do this again next year (preferably mid-year) with our new first grade classes!! Thank you so much for all of your time and enthusiasm!! I hope you have a wonderful summer!

Nancy – first grade teacher.

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GREAT BOOKS for RELUCTANT READERS and BOYS!

ASSORTED:
Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Hatcher by Gary Paulson
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

PICTURE BOOKS by Margot Finke
Rattlesnake Jam
Mama Grizzly Bear
Kangaroo Clues
Ruthie and the Hippo's Fat Behind
Horatio Humble Beats the Big D
Don't Eat Platypus Stew
Prairie Dog's Play Day
Never say BOO to a Frilly
Squirrels Can't Help Being Nuts

YOUNG BOYS:
Cars That Go and Things That Go by Richard Scarry
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems

MID GRADE BOYS:
A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
The Baseball Card Adventure Series by Dan Gutman
Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Night Tourist by Katherine Marsh
Taconi and Claude by Margot Finke

Jeff Kinney's WIMPY KID Series:
http://www.wimpykid.com/
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
The do it Yourself Book
Rick Riordan's books

Rick Riordan's Books:
The Titan's Curse
The Battle of the Labyrinth
The Sea of Monsters
The Lightening Thief.

Mystery of the Copper Turtle Doris Holik Kelly
The Revenge of Thelma Hill by Margot Finke

See how most of these authors are MEN.
Come on ladies, anything they can do . . .

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