Showing posts with label #Margot Finke. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Margot Finke. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

PICTURE BOOK FUN!

Feed Shark

My Two
Latest Picture Books

As well as Kobi and Oscar, many other unique Down Under animals
share the adventures in both these books. 

An Aussie Word Glossary and animal information are at the back of each book, plus fun details about Koalas and Tasmanian Devils.


Kobi is a young koala who thinks he knows everything about
surviving in the Aussie Bush. He soon discovers he is lost,
scared, and REALLY misses his mom.

Oscar is a Tasmanian Devil who looks like his relatives--mean and ugly.
All the Aussie bush critters are afraid of him. Yet Oscar longs to be
friends with everyone--you see, he REALLY is different.
How he makes the other animals see his friendly
nature becomes a grand adventure.

 16x books to choose from ( PB to Young Teen)
Ages 5 through 14 years.

http://www.margotfinke.com

AUTOGRAPHED--with DISCOUNT
(Direct from my Website)
  $2.50 POSTAGE
Add 50c for each extra book.

KINDLE Downloads - from AMAZON

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Magic Carpet of Books
SKYPE Author Visits to Schools

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Monday, August 10, 2015

REVAMPED-Hook Kids on Readng


HOOK KIDS on READING
WILL NOW FOLLOW THE PATH BELOW.

BOOK. . . News
WRITING. . .Ideas
MARGOT'S. . . Thoughts
W-H-A-T-E-V-E-R  Grabs My Interest. 


Hold onto your hair, mates,
not even The SHADOW Knows! 

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PINTEREST-
*Teacher Classroom board: With the new school year breathing down our necks, I have added a whole bunch of fun help and advice onto this board.   DIVE IN!! 

*Teckie Help:
Windows 10 is now being downloaded. A cool Freeby-at least for a year.  Get the Scoop from KIM KOMANDO. The GOOD - the BAD - and the UGLY!  Then decide if Win 10 is for you.

*Gardening--Parenting and Family--Home School:
These, and many other of my boards offer great help, advice, and pure fun items and articles. 



I posted this on Facebook yesterday, and received a GINORMOUS LACK of comments.
I have been at this writing for children game for well over 20 years, so I am no cute young thing!
I am beginning to wonder if the plethora of self published books for the genre I write, has made rising to the top, being noticed, and actually selling books, a no win proposition.  I do have another MS in the wings, but I am seriously considering letting it slide.

The buying public has so many choices these days.  I wrack my brains on a daily basis, for new and intriguing ploys that might grab a reader or two--a review or two. Yet I am not getting the readership I want for my books.  All my fellow writers are on Facebook etc doing the same thing. Without spending like a drunken sailor, for professional promotional help, how do we get our books into the hands and minds of today's kids?  Schools and Skype are an option I have mined deeply.  My kids and family are not interested in spreading the word--busy with their own needs.

So now  I am considering retirement--actually spending quality time with my dear husband and enjoying our garden.  Having the time to read some of the wonderful new books I keep adding to my Pinterest boards--both for adults and kids.

                                              Hence the 'CRY' for help you see below.





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Books for Kids
Skype Author Visits--Manuscript Critiques
http://www.margotfinke.com  

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Friday, April 24, 2015

OSCAR Needs a Friend - a Tasmanian Devel with a SECRET.


OSCAR Needs a Friend
Is my latest Picture Book

AND YES
 It is my FIRST PB that is NOT in rhyme!


Wonderfully talented Ioana Zdralea is again working
on the fun illustrations.


Oscar has a SECRET. . . Can you guess what it is?


Below are some illustrations that might help
you guess what his secret is about.


Illo #1 sketches--plus the finished illo.


#1- FINISHED
 


 Illo  #3 - full page spread


 ILLO #5 - full page spread



COMING SOON

I only hope you love the story as much as I know you
will love Ioana's delightful art work.

Synopsis:
Oscar was a young Tasmanian Devil with a difference--he was not mean and nasty
like his relatives. He d not kill or eat Aussie bush animals. Oscar was lonely, because the
bush animals run away from him. Then, something wonderfully wackadoodle happened,
and Oscar was able to show that it was what was INSIDE that counted, and not how you
looked on the outside
.


There will be 12 illustrations + the cover.

I am excited about launching this book in a few months--
when the illos are completed.

It will be in Soft Cover and Kindle Pop-Up
  (the same as Dreamtime Man)

Kindle Kids POP-UP  Books
are a great way to add extra fun or information.
Just tap the screen, and a small information screen pops up--
like Magic!




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Books for Kids - FREE Skype Author Visits
Manuscript Critiques


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Saturday, August 30, 2014

BOOK a FREE "AUTHOR" SCHOOL VISIT"


THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR IS
JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

Time to plan a surprise
MAGIC CARPET RIDE
for your class.

FUN - ADVENTURE - LEARNING


And HEY. . .  I am up for
CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS and BOOK CLUBS also


My BLOG, "Skype Makes it Happen"
is a good place to start.


NOW
Take a trip to my PINTEREST Teacher-Classroom board for help 
and imaginative class suggestions.  Pinterest PINS make teaching more fun.


Then, BOOK my FREE
"Skype Author Visit"
 
*EMAIL ME YOUR CLASS DETAILS

*CHAT WITH ME ABOUT WHAT YOU NEED,

(AND WHAT I CAN OFFER YOUR CLASS)
*CHOOSE a time and a date

Before my visit I will send you the following:

*A FREE "Sneak Peek" inside my current books (pdf download)
*Information about the book I plan to read to your class
*Coloring sheets for younger classes
*Word glossary for Aussie books

PLUS 
WHERE TO PURCHASE
An Order Form  + a brief Introductory Letter for parents -
so they can email me, and reassure themselves
about my books, or ask me questions.


IT'S FREE
SO BOOK EARLY.

Magic Carpet Rides 
are a rare treat! 


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Books for Kids - Skype Author Visits
http://www.margotfinke.com

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Saturday, June 14, 2014

HOOK "Your Kids" on SUMMER READING


Make
SUMMER READING
at your house
ROCK!

But can you HOOK your kids on reading this summer?

Or will sleeping late, mindless music,
or compulsive computer games

beat you - AGAIN?


There's a secret to this dear parents.
Find books that fit your child's interests.

*If they love sports. . . get 'em books that feature sports.
*If they like computers. . . get 'em books where the main character is a computer whiz.
*If your kid has been bullied - find them a book where the hero gets even and triumphs!

*If your kid finds it hard to make friends - or any friends. . .
find books that show the main character discovering
cool ways to make new friends.

GET THE IDEA?

Here are 2 awesome adventures that will keep your reluctant reader. . . READING.


TACONI and CLAUDE - DOUBLE TROUBLE



And the follow-up book:

TRIAL BY WALKABOUT



Both these fast paced adventures are set in the dangerous Aussie Outback
territory - if the heat and starvation don't get them,
the wild dingoes or the crazy
medicine man might.

You can read excerpts and synopses from both these books in my  
FREE "Sneak Peek."
An easy pdf download that offers a quick look inside my latest books.


BUY DIRECT

from my WEBSITE for autographed books,
and a FREE copy of my
"Fairdinkum Aussie Recipe Book."

 Instructions on my BOOKS page -
Or eMail me personally - 
mfinke at frontier.com








(Tucker I loved eating Down Under when I was a kid.)

Postage $2.50 per book - the cost of postage stamps only!
(Add 50 cents for each extra book.)

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Take a "Sneak Peek" inside ALL my latest books, and choose
 a book your child will love reading.

CLICK HERE 
for a FREE pdf  Download of the "Sneak Peek"



BOOKS also available on AMAZON, B and N, etc
(Soft cover and Kindle)

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BOOKS
A Magic Carpet Ride
to fun, learning and adventure!


Margot's
Books for Kids - Manuscript Critiques
SKYPE Author Visits  (FREE)
http://www.margotfinke.com







Friday, April 25, 2014

PNTEREST "Super" GRAB BAG!!


Let me say first that I am a 
HUGE FAN of  PINTEREST!

It caters to all tastes.

It is FUN!
It gets you KNOWN!
It can help sell your STUFF!
And it can also offer great ADVICE and GUIDANCE!


I have added a BONANZA of pins to the following boards:

SPECIAL NEEDS Board
 

For kids and adults who battle to overcome, subdue, or work around the life altering symptoms of Aspergers, Dyslexia, Autism, ADHD etc.  I was thrilled to add many new pins that tackle all of these problems, as well as offer hope and enthusiasm for the future.


TEACHER/CLASSROOM Board

 

Today I pinned you a big bunch of brainstorming help. Some really terrific ways for teachers to find help,  advice,  and new ideas. You teachers carry a huge responsibility on your shoulders, and you often get a kick in the pants, rather than the bouquet of roses you deserve.  Many kids spend more time with you than they do with their parents.  They look up to you.
Yeah, I know, some of the little !@#% don't.
                                             HEY!  You need all the help you can get, and this board has you covered!



CRITTER FRIENDLY Board 
(from land, sky and ocean)

Calling 
 ALL TEACHERS
These unique and fun bug, critter, animal. bird and undersea pictures could form the basis of a wonderful class project. The most awesome array of critters from every corner of our earth.  Terrific for a class project that lets kids each choose one or two animals to research.  Are they rare? Are they endangered? where do they live?  What do they eat, etc? Then, write an essay on what they discovered about these critters while doing the research.


YUMMY

My mouth actually watered as I pinned some of these luscious and taste tempting goodies!
Talk about every picture being worth a thousand words - some of these pictures were worth 1,000 calories - at least!!  I can see diets flying out the window ASAP.  Only kidding. There are lots of low calorie, low carb, and low fat recipes on my YUMMY board. . . Just no low taste ones!!



And if you still have a moment to spare
( several moments in actual fact!), do visit:


BOOK PROMO SECRETS
PARENTING
Both BOOK REVIEW Boards
FREE SKYPE Author Visits

and TECKIE NEWS 
( It could keep your computer from blowing up. )




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Books for Kids - Manuscript Critiques
FREE Skype Author Visits

http://www.margotfinke.com

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Friday, April 4, 2014

DREAMTIME MAN Cometh.



#DreamtimeMan 

NOW PUBLISHED!


Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/bg9dtxt
Autographed: http://www.margotfinke.com



Listen to me READ Dreamtime Man 


Then go buy it so you can enjoy the
marvelous illustrations, along with the story 



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We are on the home stretch now.
Ioana has perfectly captured the scene in the verses below
LOVE IT!!


 Illo for verse #7





Then came the white man - he invaded their land,
He brought grim dilemmas no black man had planned.
The whites came with families, with cattle and sheep,
They changed life forever, making sky spirits weep.

Their cattle ate grasses that kangaroos needed.
Many creatures were killed or otherwise weeded.
The whites killed black hunters, shot emu, shot birds
They murdered from fear, or to make room for herds.




THE COVER!! 


There will be no more "peeks" until
"Dreamtime Man" is published 


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Illustration  #4

AWESOME PROGRESS!!

The illustrations for this special book of mine are turning out to be spectacular.  Ioana is an intuitive artist. She "gets" what I want immediately, and she is always happy to adjust when necessary. I would happily recommend her for any cover or illustrated picture book.

I love how she worked the scene I envisioned these two verses.  I am going to ask her to send me some of the early sketches, so I can show them hre, as a way of letting you see how she has embraced this story and made it her own.

Ioana is now working on Illo #5 and we both want it to be a big, wonderful surprise!!

CAN'T WAIT!!!





#DreamtimeMan
Illustration  #3



Amazing illustrator, Zdralea Ioana, has completed
the third illustration for my #‎Dreamtime Man
Ancient Land – Ancient Tribes – Ancient ways.




When Lubras poked tree-bark and roots for good eats,
They found grubs and insects - the best of all treats.
And the rubbing of fire-sticks created the flame
That provided the coals for cooking their game.

 

It is fascinating to watch my verses come to life
– rich color, and the authentic “feel” of the
Aussie outback country.


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YEA!!

My “Dreamtime Man” is taking shape
  A rhyming picture book for grades 4 and up

 
The second illustration for Dreamtime Man is now complete.
Again, I am so pleased with the look and feel of #2.

Illustrator Ioana Zdralea knows her stuff.
She has captured the essence of these two verses to perfection.





The men painted plant dyes on bodies and faces.

Each tribe owned traditions - their own sacred places.

They knew all their borders, their Totem, their role, 

Being one with the land was their true spirit goal.



While elders spun tales of the Dream Spirit's wishes,

Men sharpened spears or carved wooden dishes.

As the young learned to hunt and respect ancient lore,

Their survival came hard: a rough day-to-day chore.
 

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 The First Illustration



Illustrator, Ioana Zdralea, did an awesome job of interrupting this wild and mysterious Dreamtime land.  I am thrilled!!  This is the illo she sent me  for the first two verses. The verses describe the harshness of where the Australian aboriginals had to scratch out a living, 



  Do go see Ioana’s other art work:
http://ioanazdraleaillustration.wordpress.com

 





Imagine a wild place where sun burns the sand,
Where water and food must be scratched from the land.

This place is the wellspring of men black as coal,

And Dreamtime ruled all who endured as one soul.    



While shy Daintree tribes hunted deep in the shade,

Tough bush and outback men learned how to trade.                     

Whether hunting, or fighting, or struggling to live,

All respected the Dreamtime and what it could give.     



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More sketches and finished artwork will
come to this page soon.

 

Link to my WILD and WONDERFUL series
page - see covers and when they are coming.


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Books for Kids - Skype Author Visits
Manuscript Critiques

http://www.margotfinke.com

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