Tag: children’s literature

Posted on by Cynthia Reeg

50% OFF SALE!!!

Start your holiday literary party off to an awesome start with this amazing sale from my publisher, JOLLY FISH PRESS. You can have my monsters and more, all for half price!!!

You’ll be celebrating long after the holidays have passed with your very own copies of FROM THE GRAVE and INTO THE SHADOWLANDS.

Don’t miss out on the MAYHEM!

 

 

Posted on by Cynthia Reeg

The Monsters Are On Their Way to ALA!

Mayhem Coming to the American Library Association Conference in Chicago

On June 24 at 2:00 pm CST, the Fiendful Fiends Academy monsters will be invading the Exhibitor Hall in McCormick Place at the North Star Edtions’ Booth! Copies of both FROM THE GRAVE and Advanced Reader Copies of INTO THE SHADOWLANDS will be available for signing by yours truly!

How Monstrous Is That?!

Of course, Mrs. Charlotte Rathmite–the Fiendful Fiends Academy slybrarian–is thrilled! She’s done next to nothing but snap-snap-snap her pinchers since she learned of the big event. “Monster knowledge,” as Mrs. Rathmite always says, “is much too important to stay entombed.” So please come by and pick up copies of these middle grade spooktacular adventures–sure to entertain monsters and mortals alike.

For librarians, teachers, and reviewers who can’t make ALA, please contact me about receiving ARCs.

 

 

 

Posted on by Cynthia Reeg

Inquiring Middle Grade Minds Want to Know!

 

I had such fun reading and responding to students’ questions I received this week from Holt Middle School in Fayetteville, Arkansas that I wanted to share their awesome words!

Comments

I really enjoyed you describing the characters for us and reading the first couple of pages of your book. I can’t wait to lose myself in your book. Thanks for visiting our school. Maggie

Thank you for the bookmark and I hope I can stick it in one of your books because I would really love to read FROM THE GRAVE. Kyndal

I am so excited to read your new book. I am happier than a elephant in a room full of peanuts. I hope we get to see you in real life! Maddie

You were so prepared and organized. I really like listening to you read the first part of your book. I can’t wait to read your book! Ashton

Thank you for Skyping us and letting us talk to you. It was fun doing it! Jose

I am so excited to read your book, FROM THE GRAVE! …My favorite character is the Dragon because she doesn’t abide by people’s expectations! Rian

I love how you teach people to not bully in an adventure with monsters. Finally, I would like to ask you when your next book in the series comes out so I can tell my friends about it. Matthew

Thank you for showing us that different is ok with your book. Mariano

Questions & Answers

 

Mikayla: How many books have you wrote in your career so far?

 

Hi Mikayla! So far I have written four picture books which explore parts of speech: THE PET GRAMMAR PARADE series, and another picture book called GIFTS FROM GOD. I’ve had two short stories published in anthologies—story collections: “The Emily Explosion” in THE GIRLS and “The Dragon Artist’s Tale” in SPREAD YOUR WINGS. FROM THE GRAVE was my first middle grade novel for readers your age. Book 2 in the MONSTER OR DIE series will be out October 10: INTO THE SHADOWLANDS. You can go to my website to find out about all my books. www.cynthiareeg.com

Thanks for your interest and happy reading!

 

Ella: I am reading your book right now … I can’t wait to read the second book …

 

Thanks, Ella! I really appreciate your reading and enjoying my story. That helps me know that my writing is working. It helps me be a better writer. The second book (INTO THE SHADOWLANDS) is coming October 10, but because all of you at Holt Middle School have been so supportive of me I will try to send Ms. Jewell an advanced reader copy if I can. I’m sure it won’t arrive before school ends for this year, but at least you can check it out first thing next year!

 

Aidan: Were you scared of monsters when you were little? Is there going to be a second book to the From the Grave?

 

Hello Aidan! Yes, I was very scared of monsters when I was young, and I think a lot of kids are. So I enjoyed creating monster characters who are misunderstood and a whole lot like regular kids. I guess that’s how I made my monsters less scary—to me anyway. The second book: INTO THE SHADOWLANDS is coming October 10. I sure hope you can read it. And I really appreciate nice reviews on Amazon if you and any of the other students have enjoyed reading my books!

 

Zachary: Do you have any brothers? Are you married?

 

Hi Zachary! Yes, I am sandwiched between two brothers—one older, one younger. You can visit my author website (www.cynthiareeg.com) in the ABOUT section to find out a little more about them and me. And yes, I’m married to the most wonderful man I could ever find. He’s my number one fan, so I am very lucky. He even dressed up like Frankenstein for my book release party last October! J

 

Madison: Do you like writing books? How long have you been writing? Are you going to retire?

 

Hey Madison! Thanks for your questions. I love writing books. It seems the best job in the world—creating fun characters and stories to share with readers like you. I’ve been writing since I was your age. I also loved reading and writing. I hope you are writing too! And no, I don’t plan to retire any time soon. I have retired from my library work, so I can write full time now. I’ve just started to get going with my writing, so I hope there will be many more stories to come.

 

Mattie: When did you know you wanted to write books? Why did you write this book and was this books suppose to teach you a lesson about something? Finally did you write the book about past experiences?

 

What great questions, Mattie! As soon as I learned to read and write, I started writing my own stories. I hope you are too! I wrote this book because I wanted kids to think about how awful bullying and discrimination is—even if you’re a monster. So yes, I hope FROM THE GRAVE will help kids think about being kinder and more accepting of each other—no matter if they’re blue like Frank or a sparkly dresser like Vanya. 🙂 I think all writers use a bit of their past experience in creating their stories. For me, I moved with my family quite often when I was a child, so I knew how scary it was to start in a new school with no friends. I wanted to fit in. I was generally lucky that things went pretty well, but there were a few times when others bullied me. I’m hoping you and the other students at Holt Middle School encounter no such “monsters!”

 

Jonah: Do you plan to make a movie?

 

Hi Jonah! I think it would be very cool to make a monsters movie, but so far no one has offered to do it. But I did collaborate with a video game maker to create a bit of monster animation. I hope you and the other students at Holt Middle School can open this short introduction to FROM THE GRAVE. If the link below doesn’t work, try https://itch.io and type in the title in the search box to open the video. You will need to click to advance the story. It works best in the manual mode to be able to read the text. Let me know what you think. Or you might try to create a book trailer of your own for the monsters. I’d love to see that!

 

https://from-the-grave.itch.io/from-the-grave

Posted on by Cynthia Reeg

ESL Students Scary On!

I had the wonderful opportunity this past week to meet some adult ESL students and their children at the Inlingua Language School

in Key Biscayne, Florida where my son Matt teaches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While these Spanish-speaking students of English (adults and children) are actively learning English, I found it helpful when preparing my presentation for the group to learn a few corresponding Spanish words.

Monsters Are Universal

In sharing FROM THE GRAVE’s creative journey with the students, I wanted to confirm that they could relate to monsters (los monstrous) and misfits (los inadaptados). I quickly discovered the Spanish equivalent for fear (el miedo) and intolerance (la intolerancia), primary themes in my fantasy story. 

 

Los Monstruos!

From the excited responses to the monster pencils I passed out, I knew I was on the right track.

While it was a small group of mixed ages, there were some eager young readers of fantasy and horror ready to experience the sights and sounds (las vistas y los sonidos) and smells (los olores) of my monster world setting (el scenario).

Scary On!

I’m hoping my misfits’ story (el cuento) will prove an entertaining and affirming tale to students who must often feel ostracized due to the language and cultural barriers. I certainly hope that after reading about my monsters, the students will feel more empowered to Scary on! no matter the differences they face.

And perhaps they will create their own monster stories with characters from their own cultures to share with all of us!

 

Posted on by Cynthia Reeg

What I’ve Been Up to Lately

Working on MONSTER OR DIE: Book Two

INTO THE SHADOWLANDS!!!

The monsters are back for more misfit adventures in the second installment of my fantasy trilogy. I’ve been busy writing new scenes– creating new troubles and more mysteries for the crew. Plus, there are even some new monsters dying to join the tale as well.

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Book Two premiers October 2017!

The second printing of FROM THE GRAVE is expected in just a few weeks. Please be patient to receive your copy.

Until then, you can read a bit more about me in The Penman Review.

 

Posted on by Cynthia Reeg

Winter Reading List

The Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators has a great list of titles for young readers from Picture Books–Young Adult.

It’s back! The SCBWI Winter 2016 Reading List is available for download on the website at scbwi.org/readinglist.

This is our second list and we’re very excited to have over 1,100 books from 328 publishers created, by our PAL authors and illustrators located in 15 geographical regions. They have created some of the best children’s books around from picture books to YA fiction to nonfiction and more. The list is comprised of books by writers and artists from around the world, and from right near your hometown.

We hope that you, your families and friends download the list and discover a book that makes the winter months more enjoyable. And please share the good news with others. Here’s some sample language to use in a social media tweet or post. 

Find a great book for a kid or #youngadult on the Winter 2016 #SCBWIReading List. http://www.scbwi.org/readinglist #kidlit #middlegrade

And look for the new Summer Reading List coming in 2017! 

FROM THE GRAVE is listed on p.36 under the Mid-South!

Download your copy today and START READING!!!

Posted on by Cynthia Reeg

Another Great Review for FROM THE GRAVE

Children’s author, Beth Anderson, had this say about my new middle grade fantasy

From the Grave:

Why I like this book:

First, a disclaimer. I know Cindy as a critique partner and admire her writing skills. However, I hadn’t seen this story until I received the advance copy for review.

Cindy had me at the first chapter. Immediately, the text became a movie in my head. The incredibly humorous and endearing characters came alive with all their misfit idiosyncrasies.

Pale blue neatnik Frank does his best to pretend to be “normal,” but he just can’t deny the good feeling that comes with slicked back hair, neatly trimmed nails, a buttoned down collar, and tucked in shirt tail. His misfit buddies include a mummy who trails his loose wrappings, a gargoyle with two heads that nag each other, a dragon who spews water, a witch who fears flying, and a one-eyed diva ogre. Any child who has ever felt like a misfit (let’s face it, that would be all of us) will connect with these maligned monsters, each one so full of heart.

One of the great joys of writing is word play, and, clearly, Cindy had a blast with this story. Slobopatamus and beezle bugs. Moanday and Frightday. Barfeteria and unsocial studies in a school guided by the principles “No Monster Left Behind” and “Mayhem When Appropriate.” Exclamations of snotfargle and dingle rot. The totally fun language is irresistible and, no doubt, will inspire young writers’ creativity.

What has always amazed me about Cindy’s writing is her ability to imbue each character with such heart, allowing the reader to connect on a deep level. While I love the action filled plot, humorous take on the world, and word play, I am drawn to the themes of acceptance that really hit home. FROM THE GRAVE is a monster hit in every way.

Due to a transition period for Jolly Fish Press, production of FROM THE GRAVE was temporarily suspended, but it is still available for order from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or any Independent bookstore and should be back in print shortly. The monsters appreciate your patience–keep calm and scary on!

To read the Beth’s entire entry, click on the link above.

Posted on by Cynthia Reeg

FUN with SPIDERS

spider4Here Come the Cobwebs!

Frankenstein Frightface Gordon (Frank) in my book, FROM THE GRAVE, has a big brother named Ghoulbert. Frank’s brother is not affectionate in the least when it comes to Frank, but Ghoulbert does get a little mushy over his pet. He has a rather uncooperative spider called Spidey, that Ghoulbert adores.

As you can see in the scene below, Ghoulbert goes all out to rescue it. Frank is the one telling the tale, and his mam and pap are in the scene as well.

 

An Excerpt: FROM THE GRAVE (coming Oct. 18!!!)

I HURRIED THROUGH my supper (mac and sleeze with fresh swamp greens salad). Then I excused myself—said I needed to study for the Monster Achievement Test and practice Scare Patrol tactics. I was kind of surprised when my dad offered to help.

Pap threw his bulky arm around my shoulders. “That’s my monster,” he said.

I blinked. When was the last time he’d said that?

“Mondo! Mon-dOOOOOO!” Mam shrieked as she floated into the dining room. “Ghoulbert’s done it again. My bungling big boy. My misaligned monster.”

“What now?” Pap hunched his shoulders, as though preparing for a blow.

“Ghoulbert’s gotten his head stuck in the toilet again. Trying to rescue Spidey.”

“Ratzbotchin!” Pap threw back his thick green noggin. “That silly pet spider causing trouble again, Shareeka? Hiding out to get another bite on my behind, I bet. I’ve a mind to flatten that spider. Flatter than a nail in a coffin.”

“Oh, drat, draaaaaat, draaaaaat,” wailed Mam. “You mustn’t.” She floated on Pap’s footsteps, as he stomped to the outhouse.

I slipped quietly away. I knew by the time this latest crisis was solved Pap would be ready for his pre-bedtime nap by the fireplace. All I needed to do was leave a note on my now care- fully rumpled bed, “Went for a midnight stroll,” in case someone tried to look in on me.

*****

Like me, you probably don’t want a pet spider–especially Spidey! But here is a fun art project for making a fuzzy pipe cleaner spider. Perfect for Halloween decorations!

Stay tuned for more updates on FROM THE GRAVE!

Posted on by Cynthia Reeg

Celebrate FRANKENSTEIN DAY!!!

 

Frankenstein ALIVE

Who wouldn’t love a face like that?

Okay, so I’ve been hanging around with monsters for much too long–and I LOVE IT!

AUGUST 30 is Frankenstein Day!

So you still have time to put on your costume and monster mash the night away!

 

FRANKENSTEIN FRIGHTFACE GORDON from my upcoming MG fantasy novel FROM THE GRAVE (October 18, 2016) is not a typical Frankenstein–he’s blue, prefers a crisp white button-down shirt, and the quiet life.

Still he’s full of surprises, the best of friends, and can certainly pull his weight in a tough situation. BLUE is COOL!

Preorders are happening right now–and an amazing giveaway! Don’t miss your chance to win a MONSTER OR DIE T-shirt.

Bonus:

Follow the link and learn how to make a FRANKENSTEIN CAKE–perfect for today’s celebrations or anytime you want to Monster On!!!

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And if you want to make your Frankenstein cake look like my character FRANK, just switch blue icing for the green. Remember, BLUE is COOL!