Children’s book retells author’s long journey
March 9, 2010 by Lori Calabrese · Comments
René Colato Laínez is the Salvadoran award winning author of I Am René, the Boy, Waiting for Papá, Playing Lotería, René Has Two Last Names and The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez. His picture books have been honored by the Latino Book Award, the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, the California Collection for Elementary Readers, the Tejas Star Book Award Selection and the New Mexico Book Award. Laínez was named “Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch (and Read)” by latinostories.com and is a graduate of the Vermont College MFA program in Writing for Children & Young Adults.
His goal as a writer is to produce good multicultural children’s literature; stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future.
Laínez’s latest book is My Shoes and I
Mario is leaving his home in El Salvador. With his father by his side, he is going north to join his mother, who lives in the United States. She has sent Mario a new pair of shoes, and he is thrilled. He will need good shoes because the trip will be long and hard. He and his father will cross the borders of three countries. They will walk for miles, ride buses, climb mountains and wade a river. Mario has faith in his shoes. He believes they will take him anywhere. On this day, he wants to go to the United States, where his family will be reunited. René Colato Laínez’s inspiring story, dramatically illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck, vividly portrays a boy who strives to reach a new land and a new life.
I’m honored to be a stop on the My Shoes and I blog tour and had the wonderful opportunity to ask René Colato Laínez about his inspiration and his own personal journey…
What was your inspiration for writing My Shoes and I?
MY SHOES AND I is my real journey from El Salvador to the United States. In 1985 my father and I left El Salvador to reunite with my mother in Los Angeles. I still can remember the Christmas present from Mamá. I was so excited to find inside a new pair of shoes. My father said “These are very good shoes for the trip.” And they were! My shoes traveled with me on a journey that I will never forget.
Years later, I told my story to my creative writing teacher, Phyllis Root, at Vermont College during my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She encouraged me to write the story as a picture book manuscript. At the end of the semester, I had a manuscript ready to submit to publishers.
What do you hope readers take away from reading My Shoes and I?
Everyday many children and their families need to cross borders around the world in search of a better life. If they don’t have money for the trip, the journey is not easy. There are many obstacles that these children and families need to overcome in order to arrive at their new destination. MY SHOES AND I is an authentic story and reveals not only my journey but the journey of many Latino children coming to the USA. I want readers not only to realize how hard the trip can be but also to have faith in their selves just like Mario in the story. Obstacles can be overcome!
How long did it take My Shoes and I to go from idea to bookshelves and tell us about any problems you encountered along the way.
I wrote the manuscript on my second semester at Vermont College on the Spring of 2004. I read my manuscript on the summer residence to a group of students. Author and teacher, Carolyn Coman loved the story and she submitted it to Boyds Mills Press. I received the famous call “I want to publish your story” on the Fall of 2004. The search for the right illustrator took years. It wasn’t until 2008 that my publisher found Fabricio Vanden Broeck to illustrate the book. We had an instant connection. Fabricio lives in Mexico City and he knows about many people who had traveled north in search of a better life. Fabricio asked for pictures of my shoes. It was amazing to see my real shoes in the art. He worked on the illustrations during 2008 and 2009. The book was released on February 1, 2010. It was a long wait for me, but I am glad that now I can share my story!
This book describes your long and tiring trip from El Salvador to the U.S.. Give us an idea of how difficult the trip was and how long did it take?
It was long and hard. My father and I left El Salvador the morning of February 19, 1985. We crossed Guatemala and arrived in Mexico City on February 22. Then my father lost his wallet. We called my mother and she sent us more money. The first time, the money was returned to her because she did not have the right address. She sent the money again, but the bank did not give the money to my father because he did not have Mexican documents. Then, my mother sent the money to my father’s friend. He was able to cash the money for us. In the meantime, my father and I were sleeping inside an old trailer. It was cold inside and I was able to see the stars through the big holes on the top of the trailer. My father and I continued the trip in April. The hardest part was to cross the border. My father and I remained on the Tijuana’s mountains for two days without food or water. Finally we arrived to the USA on April 14, 1985. My new shoes were gone. I only had pieces of my shoes, but I am so grateful they made the trip with me.
To learn more about Rene Colato Lainez, please visit his official website.
Read my previous interview with Rene Colato Lainez.
BOOK GIVEAWAY!
If you’d like to win a copy of My Shoes and I, please leave a comment below.
-For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
-Contest is open to US only
-Contest ends on Friday, March12, 2010 at 11:59 PM EST.
-Winner will be chosen at random and notified on Saturday, March 13, 2010.
Be sure to follow the rest of Rene Colato Lainez’s Blog Tour. . .
Monday, March 08- Mayra Calvani: http://www.examiner.com/x-6309-Latino-Books-Examiner
Wednesday, March 10 -Christina Rodriguez: http://www.christinarodriguez.com/
Thursday, March 11 – Silvia: http://www.mamalatinatips.com/
Friday, March 12 – Monica Olivera Hazelton: http://www.latinbabybookclub.com/
Monday, March 15 – Tina Nichols Coury: http://www.tinanicholscouryblog.com/
Tuesday, March 16 – Michael Sedano: http://www.labloga.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 17 – Caridad Pineiro: http://www.caridad.com/blog/
Thursday, March 18 – Sandra Lopez: http://sandrasbookclub.blogspot.com/
Friday, March 19 – Sheila DeChantal: http://bookjourney.wordpress.com/
Jo Ramsey connects with Connection
February 2, 2010 by Lori Calabrese · Comments
Did you know I’m part of a really awesome group called Indie-Debut 2010? We’re a group of authors whose debut books are being published by small presses across America. Let’s hear it for the small press! Whoot, Whoot, Whoot!
Fellow author Jo Ramsey is celebrating her debut book launch of Connection — now available in print form and as an e-book. Jo wrote her first story when she was five (When I was five, I was forever being scarred as my kindergarten class decided to yell surprise at me as I came back from speech lessons to celebrate my birthday. Since then, I’ve never been a fan of surprises, but I digress!).
Back to Jo, which is why we’re here…Jo has been reading and writing since she was very young, and she’s always enjoyed creating new worlds and stories in which someone who considers his/her life bland and boring suddenly finds everything he/she’s always known turned on its ear. In other words, fantasy that starts, and often takes place completely, in the “real world.”
I recently caught up with Jo as part of her blog tour and was able to learn more about her maniacal writing as a kid and her debut novel, Connection…
What was your inspiration for Connection?
In 2005, shortly before my 35th birthday, I became friends with a man who was also a writer. Our friendship started off talking about our books, but then we began talking about the energy healing, channeling, and yoga that he practiced and taught. He taught me those things as well as using the skills to help me work through some issues from experiences I’d been put through as a child and during my marriage. Our friendship formed the basis for Jonah and Shanna’s, and of course he was the model for Jonah.
A late-night IM conversation with another friend sparked the overall plot for the Reality Shift series, of which Connection is the first book.
You told Amy Allgeyer Cook in a previous interview that you’ve been writing since you were five. From middle school through college, you wrote 20 young adult novels, all in longhand in spiral notebooks, and since late 2004, you’ve written another 45 young adult novels, most of which are still first draft. What’s kept you from getting beyond that first draft?
Lack of motivation to revise. Actually, the stuff I wrote from middle school through college really isn’t all that good, though I did end up revising one novel into a form that’s almost ready to try to submit. Mainly, though, my lack of knowledge of the craft of writing shows, and some of them need a great deal of work. Connection was one of the 45 I’ve written since 2004, though, along with the other nine books in Reality Shift, so I’m working at those now.
Why did you finally decide to start submitting your work?
I’ve always wanted to submit it, and actually submitted a young adult novel right after I graduated college. It wasn’t very good, and earned a quick rejection. Lack of confidence kept me from submitting again until I decided to try submitting the romance stories I write under a different name. Those did pretty well, so I decided to try the YA again.
Do you still find it easier to write longhand than using a computer-why or why not?
I now find it almost impossible to write longhand. I’ve written so much on the computer that I type faster than I write. I also find using the computer much easier for revisions, because you can delete and insert and rearrange things without having to do the entire manuscript over again.
What’s different about Connection and all these other stories?
I think one of the most different things about my YA is that my main characters wouldn’t usually be main characters. Shanna’s a girl from an abusive home, who’s been molested several times, is bullied at school, and has a very low opinion of herself. She also has imaginary friends, even though she’s 14. Jonah has a good home life, but is also picked on at school because he “talks to invisible things” and meditates in the school lobby. My characters don’t always have great lives, and certainly not perfect ones, and their lives don’t change dramatically unless they make it happen.
What was it like to hold your first published book in your hands?
Thrilling!
In middle school, you started writing middle grade stories. Was writing a release for you and what did you enjoy most about it?
Writing’s definitely been a release for me since I wrote my first story when I was five. I didn’t have many friends growing up, and I’m an only child whose parents both worked full time, so I spent a lot of time alone. Writing gave me something to entertain myself and to help me feel less lonely. It also became a way of working out difficult things I encountered in my real life. The most enjoyable thing about it was, and still is, seeing my imagination take shape on the page.
You’re a former special education teacher who still dabbles in teaching. Do you find that your teaching experience has influenced your writing? Why or why not?
I think it definitely has because it’s given me insight into kids the age that I write about.
How many more books do you hope to have in the Reality Shift series?
The series is actually complete, though revisions are needed on most of the books. There are a total of ten books, counting Connection.
Thanks for stopping by, Jo and congrats on Connection!
In case you missed them, be sure to check out the rest of Jo Ramsey’s Indie-Debut 2010 blog tour dates:
1/15 Terry Lynn Johnson’s blog
1/20 Miriam Forster’s blog
1/21 Amy Cook’s blog
1/22 The Accidental Novelist (Danika Dinsmore’s blog)
1/25 Carla Mooney’s blog
2/2 Lori Calabrese’s blog
To learn more about Jo Ramsey, please visit www.JoRamsey.com
Check out the book trailer for Connection:
Author interview: Deborah Blumenthal
January 28, 2010 by Lori Calabrese · Comments
Cover of Black Diamond & Blake
Deborah Blumenthal is an award-winning journalist and nutritionist who now divides her time between writing children’s books and adult novels. She has been a regular contributor to The New York Times (including four years as the Sunday New York Times Magazine beauty columnist), and a home design columnist for Long Island Newsday. Her health, fitness, beauty, travel, and feature stories have appeared widely in many other newspapers and national magazines including New York’s Daily News, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Self, and Vogue.
Blumenthal is the author of numerous children’s books, including 
Tell us about your path to publication.
What inspired my first children’s book, The Chocolate-Covered-Cookie Tantrum
Cover of The Chocolate-Covered-Cookie Tantrum
What was your inspiration for Black Diamond & Blake?
It was a moving New York Times story about the horse-care programs at prisons started by the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation. It described how caring for horses was therapeutic not only for the retired racehorses, but also the men who cared for them, so it was a win-win situation for both. I thought that a story about the programs might be a good way to introduce children to the importance of the human-animal bond.
Tell us a little about your research process and how difficult it was to find out about the real-life horse programs.
It was actually pretty easy because there’s so much information online about the programs. I also did some phone interviews with officials at some of the prisons. Pre-internet days it would have been a lot harder.
Why Black Diamond?
It’s a purely fictitious name. Some of the horses have such shiny, rich coats that I felt it was a fitting name for a champ.
What were some of the challenges in bringing this story to life?
The biggest challenge was telling the story in a way that would be accessible to kids.
Do you believe man and animals can save each other’s souls–why or why not?
Yes, absolutely. Anyone who cares for an animal knows how deep and loving a relationship you can have with an animal in your care. In addition to horse-care programs, there are programs in prisons where men and women work with dogs, and by all accounts, the animals have a way of nurturing their caregivers and reawakening feelings of love and self-worth in even the most hardened inmates.
You currently divide your time between writing children’s books and adult novels. What do you like best about each?
While your goals are really the same — to tell a compelling story in the simplest, most elegant way –I enjoy the challenges of writing for audiences of different ages.
To learn more about Deborah Blumenthal and her books, please visit her official website at www.deborahblumenthal.com
Read my interview at Claudsy’s Blog
January 18, 2010 by Lori Calabrese · Comments
A big thanks to Claudette Young for interviewing me on her blog (Claudsy’s Blog) for her Monday interview.
Claudsy has an inspiring blog for writers where you can find fantastic interviews that often shed light on the world of being a writer. In fact, I love what she has to say on her ‘About Being a Writer’ page…
“We who write do so for a multitude of reasons. But when you get right down to it, writing is simply another way to confirm the fact that we’re living and breathing on Planet Earth and have a voice with which to say something.”
So head over and check out some of the questions Claudsy had on tap for me such as why I started playing this game, what it was like to win DFP’s 2009 Best Children’s Book Award, and how I manage (or should I say don’t) manage my time!
Write About Now spotlights Indie Debut
January 17, 2010 by Lori Calabrese · Comments
Right about now, I’m inviting you over to the Write About Now blog where Indie-Debut had the amazing opportunity to talk to Sherrie Petersen about Indie-Debut, our books, and what it’s like to be part of a small press.
Sherrie runs an awesome kidlit blog where she shares her “ramblings about reading, writing and life in a small town.”
Sherrie has such a positive outlook on small presses and makes such a great point…”Ever thought about sending your manuscript to a small, independent publisher? Some independents, like Candlewick and Sourcebooks, started off in a bedroom. (Kind of like your novel!) Now these two companies have become heavy hitters in the publishing arena.”
Thanks for having us, Sherrie!
Read Part 1: Spotlight on Indie-Debut 2010: Authors Publishing through Small Presses
Read Part 2: Spotlight on Indie-Debut 2010: Authors Publishing through Small Presses
Author interview with Donna M. Zappala
December 9, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · Comments
Author: Donna M. Zappala
Donna M. Zappala is a children’s book author and teacher. Zappala’s first children’s book, Albert’s Perfect Pet, is about a young boy searching for his perfect pet. Young readers are given an opportunity to learn about different types of pets and how to choose the “perfect” one. Donna hopes children enjoy reading it as much as she enjoyed writing it. Donna Zappala received her BA from Monmouth University (Education and Psychology) and an MA from Western Governors University (Math Education). Zappala is a New Jersey born who has lived there her whole life. What she really loves most about NJ is experiencing all four seasons and the chance to visit the ocean whenever she wants with her husband of 12 years and 3 daughters.
I had the wonderful opportunity of catching up with Donna recently and asked her a few questions…
Tell us about your path to publication.
I love working with children and children’s books. My path to publishing Albert’s Perfect Pet stems from teaching preschool. I taught three and four year-old children for many years. While preparing my lesson plans each week, I would search for the perfect children’s book that would complement the subject matter being taught. There were many instances in which no book, either fiction or nonfiction, matched the theme that I wanted the children to learn. When I began teaching my students about animals and the difference between cold-blooded and warm-blooded, I researched fictional books about this topic. I again came up empty-handed; therefore I decided to write the book that I know was needed for young children to learn about this important topic.
Cover of Albert's Perfect Pet by Donna M. Zappala
What was your inspiration for Albert’s Perfect Pet?
I have always been fascinated by different types of animals. It amazes me when I see snakes, tigers and elephants and how they live. They are so unique and as humans, I believe we should learn as much as we can about these special creatures, especially ones that can become pets. This was one reason I wrote the book. The second reason I wrote Albert’s Perfect Pet was stated above. I was filling a need for youngsters to learn about cold-blooded animals through a fictonal venue as opposed to the traditional non-fiction style.
Growing up, what was your perfect pet and why?
As a child, I owned common pets, including a German Shepherd named Brandy, fish and cats. I loved all of them and took good care of them. However, I always wanted and dreamed of owning a lizard. My best friend’s brother owned one and I visited him often, but unfortunately my mom said I could not have one. So, as a youngster, my perfect pets were the German Shepherd, fish and cats because I did love them so, but if I had my choice, as most children wish, it would have definitely been a lizard named Lizzie.
You’re proof that entering a writing contest can pay off, winning 3rd place in the 2008 DFP Awards for Best Children’s Picture Book. What advice can you offer other writers who are considering entering a writing contest?
I was honored when I won the writing contest from Dragonfly Publishing Inc.. Writing contests are great because you know the publishers are interested in reading the work they receive. The best advice I can give fellow writers is to enter as many writing contests as possible. Also, writers should never give up—keep trying, trying and trying. Do not give up after many rejections (we all receive them!) because if you believe in yourself and your work, you will succeed. Another piece of advice is make sure you follow the rules and requirements of the contest. You don’t want to miss out on your work being read because you did not single space your manuscript when the directions said to double space it. Most importantly, share something unique that means something to you.
This year, you received your master’s degree in mathematics education. What made you want to write for children?
As a teacher, I am always looking for interesting and motivating ways to teach math and science concepts. Albert’s Perfect Pet is a great way to teach young children about the science topics of cold and warm blooded animals.
To learn more about Donna Zappala and Albert’s Perfect Pet, please visit Dragonfly Publishing, Inc.
Additional Information:
Paperback: 24 pages
Publisher: Dragonfly Publishing, Inc. (September 11, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0981908063
ISBN-13: 978-0981908069
Welcome to the Rene Has Two Last Names Book Tour
December 1, 2009 by Lori Calabrese · Comments
Cover of Rene Has Two Last Names
René Colato Laínez is the Salvadoran award winning author of:
I Am Rene, the Boy/ Soy Rene, El Nino
Waiting for Papá / Esperando a Papá
Playing Loteria / El juego de la loteria
Rene Has Two Last Names / Rene Tiene Dos Apellidos
The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez
Lainez’s picture books have been honored by the Latino Book Award, the Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, the California Collection for Elementary Readers, the Texas Star Book Award Selection and the New Mexico Book Award. He was also named “Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch (and Read)” by latinostories.com. Lainez is a graduate of the Vermont College MFA program in Writing for Children & Young Adults.
I have the wonderful opportunity to be a part of the Rene Has Two Last Names virtual book tour and had the opportunity to ask René Colato Laínez about everything from his roots to his inspiration…
Cover of I Am Rene, the Boy
When did your love of writing begin?
When I was seven years old, there was a poem contest in a very popular magazine in El Salvador. I decided to participate. Months later, they published the winning piece and some of the finalists. I did not win, but my poem was published–and they forgot to mention me as the author. I was sad because I wanted to see my name (by René Colato Laínez) on the poem but I was also thrilled to read my first published poem to my parents, grandparents and all my extended relatives and friends. “You have talent,” everyone said. I have not stopped writing since that day.
You grew up in El Salvador. But when El Salvador was involved in a civil war, you and your father had to leave the country to come to the United States.You faced hard times coming to Mexico city and you wrote a lot in notebooks about your dreams, desires, and adventures. Was writing sort of an escape for you? And if so, does it still provide a liberating effect today?
Next February (2010), my book MY SHOES AND I will be released by Boyds Mills Press. This book is about my journey from El Salvador to the USA. When I was left alone in an old trailer in Mexico City, I was bored, afraid and wanted to fly away. I could not go back to El Salvador, but I also could not continue my trip to the USA. What should I do? I found pen and paper and wrote for days. It was an escape for me because, in my writing, I was free. I wrote about playing in a peaceful El Salvador. I wrote about a world without borders and about my future life in the new country. Today, when I write, I also can fly and see the world. I can reach for the stars and create magic.
Tell us about your path to publication.
I wrote several short stories and novels during my high school and college years. When I became a teacher, I discovered picture books and fell in love with the illustrations and the wonderful stories. I began to write my stories and my students’ stories. Soon, I had around fifty books. Everyone at Fernangeles Elementary School started to call me “The Teacher Full of Stories.”
In 2000, authors Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy visited Fernangeles and they read my books. Alma and Isabel were impressed with my work and encouraged to send my manuscripts for publication. In 2001, I met author Amada Irma Pérez and she also pushed me to start sending my work.
I did! I submitted my first manuscript in March 2001. Soon, I received many rejection letters, but I did not give up. I joined the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), attended writing conferences and took classes on writing for children. I received my first contract in October 2002. My first book Waiting For Papá/ Esperando a Papá was released in October 2004.
What was your inspiration for your latest book, Rene Has Two Last Names?
This is my real story. I grew up in El Salvador and at the playground, classroom and the doctor’s office, they called me by my entire name. When I was in high school in the USA, I found out that I had only my father’s name in my school id. This was a shock for me to see that my mother’s last name was missing. This incident inspired me to write this book.
Cover of The Tooth Fairy Meets El Raton Perez
You’ve been a teacher for many years in a bilingual classroom. How has that affected your writing career?
I learn so much from my students. They always have something to say especially Monday mornings. I always read my manuscripts to them and listen to their feedback. Children are honest and can surprise you.
Every author has been told, “Write what you know.” How have your personal experiences shined through in your writing?
“Write what you know” has worked for me. All of my books are based on my immigrant experience and in my childhood games and traditions. Authors need to find their own voices in order to tell their stories. My voice is the voice of Latino children living in two cultures in the United States.
You’ve stated on your website that your goal as a writer is to produce good multicultural children’s literature; stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future. Did you feel as though this segment of children’s publishing was lacking–why or why not?
There are many wonderful multicultural books about Latinos in children’s publishing but there is not enough. Latinos make a large minority group in the USA, but only a few books about Latinos are published each year. I want to be a part of the new voices for Latino children and present their dreams, hopes, and adventures in an authentic way.
If you’re interested in learning more about Rene Colato Lainez and his latest book, Rene Has Two Last Names, please visit Lainez’s official website and the other stops on the virtual book tour…
Nov 30 Orlando Latina
Dec 1 Lori Calabrese Writes!
Dec 2 Café of Dreams
Dec 3 Mama Latina Tips
Dec 4 Latino Book Examiner
Muchas gracias to Jo Ann Hernández at BronzeWord Latino Virtual Book Tour for organizing this tour.
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