TEACHERS - WIN a FREE BOOK!

TEACHERS

WIN 1 of these FREE BOOKS
for your class to read.

To WIN, your class must agree to read the book you choose,
and then write a CLASS REVIEW and put it on Amazon.

I offer  a choice of 4 mid-grade books:
2 adventures for boys and tomboys,
+ 2 books for both girls and boys. 

The first teacher to contact me gets to choose the book she wants.
 mfinke@frontier.com

PLUS:
a FREE Skype Author Visit

to classes that read my books and write a  CLASS REVIEW  for Amazon. I will chat about how I write and where my book ideas come from.  I am also happy to answer any questions the classes have. FREE "Sneak Peek" Inside ALL my books  -  Books on AMAZON
 

List of FREE BOOKS
to choose from

*Taconi and Claude Double Trouble – Set in the Aussie outback circa 1945.  A coming of age tale about a young aboriginal boy and the problems he faces: a man ceremony, his crazy dad, Dreamtime Spirits, and the chatty and wise Claude - a cockatoo.
.

*Survival by Walkabout – A follow up to Taconi and Claude  - current Aussie outback.  Sibling rivalry and lies light the fuse that drives this dangerous adventure. The Aussie outback is unforgiving and so is the Medicine Man. Will Josh and Bindi survive, or will the wild dingoes pick
 their bones?
.

*Down Under Calling - 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. Back and forth the letters go: Josh shares his daily problems, and Grandma Rose shares memories from her childhood,  plus tales  that astonish her grandson and his friend Kelly. Together these three shrink the Pacific Ocean into a puddle they can easily ford.

*The Revenge of Thelma Hill – When Frannie and her twin brother Jeff move to Oregon, ghosts are not on Frannie’s mind.  She worried more about making new friends and the sibling rivalry between her and Jeff.  But Frannie discovers that a persistent ghost is hard to refuse. She and her very reluctant twin are soon plotting to trap the ghost’s dangerous killer, and trying to keep it all from their overworked Dad.

"Fairdinkum Aussie Recipe Book"

Seeing I'm a transplanted Aussie now living in Oregon, and 3 of these books feature Australia, it's animals and customs, I am also offering my FREE, fun, "Fairdinkum Aussie Recipe Book."  Teachers or students who would like to read about, or try the Down Under Tucker I grew up eating, will receive a FREE copy.

HEY. . . Before you leave.

Check out my TEACHER/CLASSROOM board on  PINTEREST

for FUN - INFORMATION - CLASSROOM HELP etc

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13 Books for Kids - Skype Author Visits

http://www.margotfinke.com

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HyperSmash

SKYPE MAKES it HAPPEN

This week my SKYPE connection went

INTERNATIONAL - again!

On Tuesday evening my magic carpet of books flew to New Delhi, India.

I visited with a classroom of enthusiastic and  talented teens who soaked up my words and writing suggestions with sponge like eagerness. Bright, smart faces looked back at me from a crowded classroom as I read to them from Taconi and Claude - Double Trouble. The Q and A session took us into overtime (1 1/4 hour total time), as students peppered me with question after question.

I came away from this Skype session feeling completely jazzed and energized - wonderfully bright and eager students, keen to know how books were written.

and
HERE IN THE US 

My Magic Carpet Worked Overtime!

This week I have  SKYPED with three different classrooms on the East Coast.  Seeing those eager smiling faces looking out at me was a terrific day brightener. My adrenalin raced. Again, I saw the interest in books, reading and writing stories soar. Encouraging young kid's minds to develop a love of writing, and HOOK them on reading, always gives me a thrill.

Books I read from for these classes:
*Down Under Calling - grade 4 and 5

*Kangaroo Clues - grades 3 and 4

* Mama Grizzly Bear - kindy and grade1

Books I showed:

*Rattlesnake Jam - PB ( they laughed at the illos and first two verses)
*Horatio Humble Beats the Big D - dyslexia. - PB
*The Revenge of Thelma Hill - young teen

I will be flying my Magic Carpet of Books to different states in the coming weeks, with the possibility of a return visit to that wonderful New Zealand school I visited earlier. 

If I could hug Skype I would!!

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How my Well Oiled Magic Carpet Flies

*I design a special chat scenario for each grade level.

*I show Aboriginal Art with my Aussie themed books

*I read a complete PB, or a chapter from a young teen book

*A week ahead of time I email (attachment) the teacher an Order Form to send home to the parents + my Introductory Letter. This letter introduces me, and includes an email and web address, so parents can contact me or look over the books on my Order Form.

*If appropriate, I include pictures on the Aussie/US animals, plus an Aussie word glossary.

*I also let the teacher know that I will fit in with her class needs whenever possible

*I try to make this Skype Magic Carpet Adventure as easy as possible for the teacher.

BUY DIRECT  FROM ME  -  mfinke at frontier.com
AND GET A $2 DISCOUNT ON EVERY YOUNG TEEN BOOK

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Books for Kids - Manuscript Critiques

http://www.margotfinke.com 

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SKYPING in NEW ZEALAND - with the PERFECT CLASS!

A New Zealand School - Auckland: 

Here in Oregon I have just finished an hour and quarter SKYPE session with the most charming and enthusiastic 10 and 11 year olds I have ever met – their teacher as well. 
I have scattered some Auckland pictures throughout, so you can see what a lovely city Auckland is. 

Walking tours of Auckland

The boys were reading my Taconi and Claude - Double Trouble, and the girls were reading The Revenge of Thelma Hill.  I talked about what makes a great book, the importance of hooking their reader, and powerful and active words. I offered sentence examples and what makes a great HOOK into a story. Baiting Your Writing HOOK so to speak. 

 The Kiwi Bird of New Zealand

They soaked this all up and asked lots of questions. Then I read to them from my latest young teen book, Down Under Calling.

The Aussie aboriginal artifacts I showed were a hit with the boys reading Taconi and Claude. And the idea of the Ghost in Thelma Hill being based on my Mom (even her name) pleased the girls reading it.  They were full of questions about each book. To top it off, they sang  a special song they created about me and my books + a lovely traditional Maori song.

Te Hana Te Ao Marama is Auckland's leading Maori cultural centre,
offering a comprehensive range of Maori cultural experiences and more.

Their teacher was as keen for the session to go well as were the kids.  A participating and enthusiastic teacher makes all the difference, and Harini Karan jumped in and played her part to perfection.

Tours of Auckland City

The whole experience left me thrilled and humbled, all at the same time.  This New Zealand Skype class visit was one of the highlights of my writing career.  The class rendered me speechless!!

 NOTE:
And you can do it all from the comfort of your own writing nook.  No travel, hotel bills, or suitcases to lug about. YEA!!  Skype Education is very helpful.  It also pays to court teacher sites world wide. Linkedin is a good place to begin your Skype campaign. Skype gives us a chance to visit schools that are not on the usual author circuit. These kids are SO appreciative and eager to partake. The same goes for the teachers. Private as well as public schools are keen to have Skype author visits.  Plus the US is a vast untapped source. I will also be writing a further blog about the nuts and bolts of organizing a Sky Visit.

These are the books this class is now reading:

The young people in this Auckland class are diving
into books, writing, and reading up a storm!




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

Download a FREE "Sneak Peek" inside ALL of my books

http://tinyurl.com/8qw44al

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Perfect PINTEREST Pins - Just for YOU!!

Wake up, mates!

the

Pinterest Explosion
is Happening!

From:
WRITING and READING - TO FASHION and FOOD
+  GARDENING -  TRAVEL -  SPORTS and . . .

Oh heck!  You name it, and
PINTEREST  "Pins It."

My place is where to look for
BOOK REVIEWS.

HOOK KIDS on READING is where you'll find great books.

Or, BOOKS WORTH READING for adults.

BLOGS THAT ROCK are right there.

Pins for SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS and ADULTS - Yes Siree.

Interesting INTERVIEWS and MORE - right this way.

SELF-PUBLISHING is waiting for you.

Want to BE A GREAT PARENT?  You got it!

TEACHER/CLASSROOM help is waiting.
BOOK PROMO SECRETS are there too.
BOYS ONLY is a must!
Try SKYPE in the CLASSROOM
Discover MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUES.
 For parents who care: HOME SCHOOL.
KINDLE - iPOD etc - just for YOU!
Enjoy COOL ART and COVERS
Dive into PINTEREST PLUS!

and more.

REMEMBER. . .

I add  SUPER "new" PINS to my boards every day.

Whatever
POPS - SHINES - or offers a
TERRIFIC DEAL.




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Books for Kids - Manuscript Critiques

http://www.margotfinke.com

 My  FREE 13x BOOK CATALOG:
http://tinyurl.com/d8ppylg

FREE "Sneak Peek" inside 8x of my books
http://tinyurl.com/8qw44al

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