A FAMILY FOR LEONA, by Beverly Stowe McClure (@beverlymcclure) & 4RV Publishing (@4RV), has won 1st place in the 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards Historical Fiction category!

Published by and available at 4RV Publishing

Some very exciting news came my way a few days ago from one of my favorite authors. A Family for Leona, by Beverly Stowe McClure (published by 4RV Publishing), has taken FIRST PLACE in the 2018 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards under the Historical Fiction category. And guess who created the cover art? Yep: yours truly. 😀 Isn't that awesome?

The contest is sponsored by Story Monsters LLC, which is home to the award-winning Story Monsters Ink® magazine, the literary resource for teachers, librarians, and parents — selected by School Library Journal as one of the best magazines for kids and teens.

They also help authors of all genres strive for excellence through their marketing and publicity services, Dragonfly Book Awards contests, Story Monsters Approved! awards program, and opportunities to connect with schools and the media.

Not sure where I can fit another award seal, lol, but there's no reason I can't show it here. (The gold seal you see on the cover right now is 2017's Children's Literary Classics Award -- Their top honor.)

Blurb:

Ten-year-old Leona Chapter doesn’t understand why her papa left his six children at the Brooklyn Home for Homeless Children after their mother’s death in 1921. Each day she prays he’ll return and take his children home. God, however, isn’t listening. Her brothers and sisters are either adopted or run away, leaving only Leona and Baby Mildred in the orphanage. Leona promises she and Mildred will be together for always. A promise she cannot keep, for Leona, along with her friend Noah, who she defends from the bullies Hiram and Jehu, and several other orphans, are soon on a train headed to Texas, while her sister stays at the orphanage. Leona vows she’ll go back to Brooklyn, the first chance she gets.

Be sure to check out these other great books from Beverly and 4RV Publishing

Onto wrapping up the next book 😁

Until next time ...

Aidana WillowRaven
Art Director and AP of Operations at 4RV Publishing
http://WillowRaven.weebly.com

A FAMILY FOR LEONA takes the Gold in the 2017 Literary Classics Book Awards

I just got the exciting news and had to talk about it and show off the book and cover, again.  A Family for Leona is a middle-grade historical fiction novel all ages will love. And it's taken the GOLD!!!

Excerpt from the awards site:

The 2017 Literary Classics International Book Award recipients have been announced. Selected from submissions by entrants around the globe, these distinguished honorees are recognized for their contributions to the craft of writing, illustrating, and publishing exceptional literature for a youth audience. In this highly competitive industry these books represent the foremost in literature in their respective categories.

The competition this year was tremendous and we congratulate all honorees for their outstanding and inspiring work.  All Silver, Gold and Top Honors award recipients will be invited to attend a writers’ conference, awards ceremony, formal gala, and other related events in Rapid City, South Dakota, to be held in conjunction with the Great American Book Festival, Labor Day Weekend, 2017.

PRETEEN

HISTORICAL FICTION - GOLD

A Family for Leona  

Beverly Stowe McClure

4RV Publishing LLC

The Literary Classics judging committee is comprised of experts with backgrounds in publishing, writing, editing, design, illustration, and book reviewing.

Available in both paperback and hardcover, A Family for Leona is a true Beverly Stowe McClure tale, it runs the gamut of emotions while exploring an amazing story.

Blurb for A Family for Leona ...

Ten-year-old Leona Chapter doesn’t understand why her papa left his six children at the Brooklyn Home for Homeless Children after their mother’s death in 1921. Each day she prays he’ll return and take his children home. God, however, isn’t listening. Her brothers and sisters are either adopted or run away, leaving only Leona and Baby Mildred in the orphanage. Leona promises she and Mildred will be together for always. A promise she cannot keep, for Leona, along with her friend Noah, who she defends from the bullies Hiram and Jehu, and several other orphans, are soon on a train headed to Texas, while her sister stays at the orphanage. Leona vows she’ll go back to Brooklyn, the first chance she gets.

A couple other 4RV books Beverly has written have won Children's Literary Classics Awards, too: Life on Hold (Silver in 2013) and Star of the Team (Gold in 2015).

Needless to say, I love working with Beverly and her characters. I can't wait to see what we are doing next. 

Be sure to visit the 4RV Publishing website and bookstore (in the tweens & teens section) for your discounted copy today. Also available on Amazon at a slightly higher retail price. (Bulk and wholesale orders must be made through 4RV directly.) The full collection of Beverly Stowe McClures works with 4RV Publishing ...

4RV books Aidana WillowRaven created the covers for.

To connect online with Beverly:
Twitter       Website       Google+       Facebook       Blogger

Until next time ...
Aidana WillowRaven http://WillowRaven.weebly.com

The Beginning

"Realistically, that first line is all you have." So says multi-published author of inspirational romantic suspense, Camy Tang. With our books, we have maybe five seconds to catch the reader’s interest. We have no more than that to excite an agent or editor such as 4RV Publishing.

 

First lines count more than anything.

 

When you begin your story and edit it to prepare for submission, this question should be answered first.

 

Where do you start?

 

Writers have five possibilities for first lines.

1.     Dialogue

2.     Action

3.     Exposition

4.     Description

5.     Thoughts

 

Dialogue beginning: “This place is awful,” Victoria said, spewing all the venom that a fifteen-year-old could muster.” Victoria and the Ghost by Janet K. Brown

As you may guess, this is one of my favorite type first lines.

 

Action first lines: “The station wagon jolted over a rough place in the blacktop, and I opened my eyes and sat up.” The Hills of Homicide”  by Louis L’Amour

 

Action starts are more rare. I searched many books before I found one. No surprise that it came from someone like Louis L'Amour.

Starting a story with exposition: “On June-eleventh, ten days after my sixteenth birthday, my life as I knew  it came to an end.” Live On Hold by Beverly Stowe McClure

 

Beginning with exposition is found a lot, but it's tricky to make it fresh and captivating. McClure does a good job here catching the reader's attention. We want to know more.

    

 Description first lines: “The manger was empty.” Angels Everywhere by Debbie Macomber.

 

A reader can get lost in description, but here, Macomber uses four words of description to snare the reader. 

 

 

Beginning with thoughts: “Somewhere in her heart, Danielle Montgomery knew this was wrong, and her guilt had a face, Momma’s face.”  No One heard her Scream by Jordan Dane

 

Internal thought is used effectively here by Dane to get to know the protagonist and identify part of her problem.

 

 

 

 

If you catch the reader's attention with the first line, chances are they'll read a bit farther. Concentrate and construct the first several paragraphs carefully.

 

Elements to consider for the first page.

1.     Do you show if the story is humorous? Dark? Suspenseful? Inspirational?

2.     Have you put the reader into the protagonist’s mind?

3.     Have you grounded us on where this story is taking place?

4.     Have you identified the problem to be solved?

 

A journalist’s guideline works also for fiction. After reading the first chapter, do you know why, when, where, who, and how? The sooner the reader relates to the protagonist and lives in his or her world, the best chance the author has that the book will not be laid aside in favor of another.

 

 

 

North Texas Romance Writers of America does an annual contest for first lines. Winners have been announced for 2014, but here's the link to the rules in case you'd like to enter in a few months when the contest cranks up again.

http://ntrwagreatexpectations.blogspot.com/p/2013-contest-rules.html

 

Hartline Literary Agency posts a good blog on first lines. Here's the link for it:

http://hartlineliteraryagency.blogspot.com/2014/03/first-lines-and-first-pages-for.html

 

 

A blog that I follow has this good article on writing that first page. Here's that link:

http://storysensei.blogspot.com/2009/01/first-page-part-1.html

 

A parting thought:

    Does the rest of your novel keep the promise you made to the reader on the first page? Was that really what the story was about? Do you answer the question posed in the beginning.

 

Dribbling Backstory

Backstory trips up new authors and still troubles seasoned ones.

Question: What is backstory?

Answer: Anything that has happened to your characters before the first page of the book.

Question: What makes it hard?

Answer: Deciding what a reader must know to understand what he’s reading and what can be left to the imagination to build tension and hold interest.

Here’s 3 truths.

1.     Backstory dumps near the beginning kills novels.

2.     Stories must be understood to be interesting.

3.     So, the author must tell as little as possible and wait as long as possibe.

Here’s a couple of guidelines given by multi-published, multi-awarded authors. They help me.

In a fiction mentoring clinic, DiAnn Mills taught us to strive for no backstory in the first fifty pages.

At Blue Ridge Christian Writer’s Conference, Angela Hunt told us to wait until about the 75-80% finished spot in your book to give lots of backstory. By then, the reader is invested in the character and wants to know what happened to him/her in the past.

 

Here’s some examples. Think about which you like the best and why.

Appearing on page 12 of Texas Blue by Jodi Thomas

     Since the War Between the States, bandits from across the border had been raiding cattle off ranches in Texas. At least a hundred fifty thousand head had vanished, not counting the hundreds stolen by small-time outlaws hiding out in canyons within the state.

      By this time, the reader is well acquainted with the protagonist and his goal, motivation, and conflict.

Appearing on page 4 of Life on Hold by Beverly Stowe McClure

     My father, with Uncle Gary’s help, had built it for Rachel and me when we were younger. In addition to being firefighters, the Gibson brothers owned a construction business.

     McClure gives this piece of insight into the treehouse which figures greatly into the story, but then she goes right back into the action.

Appearing on page 4 of Second Chance by Galand Nuchols

     Leroy looked toward the wizened garden he and his mother had tried to save. Buckets of water had been carried to peas, corn, and tomatoes.

     We get this tiny bit of backstory giving a view of the setting before Nuchols goes back to action.

On page 1 of Victoria and the Ghost by Janet K. Brown

     The expression of pain on Dad’s face was familiar since the divorce.

On the same page several paragraphs down.

     Dad gave Mom’s fancy French Provincial to the Salvation Army.

On page 13 of Scorned Justice by Margaret Daley

     He had come back to his hometown of San Antonio to fill a ranger’s position in Company D because his father’s health had taken a turn for the worse six months ago Then, he’d had a heart attack, and his dad had required a lot more care than Brody checking with him every day could give him. When his dad was released from the hospital, he came to live with Brody.

     This was a full paragraph after the reader has been introduced to the heroine and then the hero with dialogue and action included.

Another solution to the problem is shown by including a prologue as in Shadow in the Past by Melanie Roberson-King.

     Nine-year-old Sarah Shand struggled to keep up with her grandmother on their way to the stone circle. (This prologue continues on for 2 ½ pages.)

     Then in chapter 2, page 8, the first touch of backstory comes with this.

     Blair had been Sarah’s first serious boyfriend. They started dating the year she turned sixteen. She was certain he would ask her to marry him when they finished school and had even picked out her wedding gown and planned her big day.

     Then, the author goes back to dialogue.

Compare the above examples that were published with this example that needs work before it can be published.

This is the beginning of a novel I wrote before editing.

     Hannah Hastings was in a mess. If only James had stayed home with his family, but he hadn’t. He had deserted them to write his book, to make his mark. Then, a drunk driver cut his life short, and left Hannah with three kids to raise, no job, and little money.

     Notice this action all happened before the story began. It’s all backstory. How would you solve this?

 
Which example do you like the best and why.

I found these links helpful.

 http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/how-to-weave-backstory-seamlessly-into-your-novel

http://storysensei.blogspot.com/2005/08/how-to-write-backstory-without-putting.html

http://www.foremostpress.com/authors/articles/prologue.html

My best solution is dribbling only a few words at a time through the novel. What’s you best idea?

How Important is the Cover?

McClure's new cover art

This week, a wonderful friend and fellow 4RV Publishing author, Beverly Stowe McClure revealed the cover art for her new middle grade book soon to be released. The picture tells me the story is about a young girl, basketball, and maybe a problem with ego. Aidana WillowRaven produced the cover for Star of the Team. I love it. I'm intrigued. It's a winner in my mind.

This big cover reveal got me to thinking.
How important is the illustration on your book cover?

Many faithful readers follow writers they love, but what about buying from a new author? Polls suggest that the first thing to catch our eye about a book is the cover. If the cover looks interesting, we pick up the book, read the back cover, and if still interested, read the first paragraph or two.

4RV Publishing released my debut YA novel a year and a half ago. Long before it did, I learned the importance of team work. Authors create stories. Editors read, correct, strengthen, and clarify the author's words. Then comes the illustrator. 4RV asked Aidana WillowRaven to create a cover for my book, Victoria and the Ghost. WillowRaven asked me questions about the main character's personal appearance. She asked about the setting and wanted to know important symbols in the story.

The Cover of my book

My fifteen-year-old main character wore shorts and flip-flops with her light brown hair loose and always blowing into her face. The ghost brought strange happenings to the setting of Clara Cemetery, in North Texas. (A real place.) One main happening involves a disappearing hopscotch drawing.

Ms. WillowRaven came up with Victoria praying over a hopscotch with trees and a church in the background. The picture tells the reader something is strange about this place.



A book's illustrator is listed on the copyright page of the book, but how often do they get recognition for their work? Yet, their creation helps authors sell books.

My advice to new and old authors is work well with your illustrator. Give her enough detail to see what you see. If you disagree with the arrangement or something in the drawing, speak up and explain. Work as a team to come up with a winning cover. It's important.

Let me leave you with two other book covers, one a new adult A Shadow in the Past,  by Melanie Robertson King, and Prairie Dog Cowboy, a YA book by Vivian Zabel.

                              

Think about what you see in these covers. What do you expect? What do you like about these 4 covers? What do you dislike? Think of your own work. Do the covers represent the story?

I would love your feedback. Lastly, we need to recognize our illustrators for work well done. Thank you, Aidana WillowRaven. Thanks to all the team at 4RV Publishing.

Life on Hold awarded Children's Literary Classics Silver Seal

         4RV Publishing received notice that Life on Hold by Beverly Stowe McClure was awarded Children's Literary Classics' Silver Seal. All authors of children's and young adult books should seek this honor.

    Literary Classics, believes literature is a critical component in the development of young minds. Through well-crafted literature, they foster creative thinking, enhance word recognition, improve cognitive skills, and help achieve a greater understanding of people and the world around us. 

     Literary Classics provides book reviews for children's and young adult books.  They also offer an international book award program and endorse exceptional literature through their Literary Classics Seal of Approval (a gold seal and a silver seal per category). Life on Hold met the high standards and received the silver seal.

        Congratulations to Beverly, and she has more books in the works. 

           4RV now has two books with CLC Silver Seals: Life on Hold and Walking Through Walls by Karen Cioffi, illustrated by Aidana WillowRaven (who also created the cover for Life on Hold). Both books can be found on the 4RV Bookstore.

Life on Hold receives CLC seal of approval

     Life on Hold by Beverly Stowe McClure received Children's Literary Classics seal of approval. The cover image (designed by Aidana WillowRaven) above shows the seal on the cover of the young adult novel.

      The next step for Beverly's book is the awards process. Hopefully, it will win a gold or silver award and be able to wear an award seal. We'll know later this year.  

      Life on Hold is the second CLC award winner from 4RV Publishing; Walking Through Walls by Karen Coiffi was the first and received both the seal of approval and then the silver seal award.

      Both books can be found on the 4RV Bookstore, as well as through other online book stores and brick and mortar stores.


 

Promotion - Life on Hold

posted by Vivian Zabel 

          The following review will be found in the November 2012 issue of The Midwest Book Review's online book review magazine "Reviewer's Book Watch." Life on Hold is written by Beverly Stowe McClure, which is entered for several book awards.

          The review, written by Katherine Boyer, will be archived on the Midwest Book Review website for the next five years.



****


          Beverly Stowe McClure writes excellent stories for the youth of today. She has done it again with Life on Hold. He comprehension of a teenager's feelings, as they mature and become more aware of life around them, is very astute and empathetic.

           Myra Gibson has to put her life on hold when she happens to come across a very disturbing piece of paper while cleaning out the family guesthouse. It is such a shock to her that she cannot even think about it, much less ask her parents about it.  As an introverted teen, she has no one she can confide in.

          "On June eleventh, ten days after my sixteenth birthday life as I knew it came to an end."

          The startling discover will change Myra's life, both with her family and friends. She has to work it out by herself at first, but eventually starts to open up with her mother, then her father. Later she brings her friends into her secret and finds that she has a lot of support from all sides. Teens will love following Myra and hter friends and family to the conclusion of her dilemma.

          Beverly Stowe McClure lives in Texas with her husband, Jack. She is the moter to three sons, grandmother to four granddaughters and two gransons, and great grandmother to one great-grandson. Her official bio says she married very young.

                                   ****

Find Life on Hold through most book 'n mortar stores, online book stores, and at the 4RV Bookstore.

 



 

Promotion: PostCard Trailer for Life on Hold

posted by Vivian Zabel   

     Since Life on Hold is not an illustrated book, Aidana WillowRaven created a Post Card Trailer to promote the book. The young adult book is written by Beverly Stowe McClure. Life on Hold will be released about the middle of March. Watch for it, since it will be available through the 4RV Bookstore as well as any brick and mortar or online bookstore.

4RV Publishing

New releases coming soon

by Vivian Zabel

    Coming from 4RV Publishing in March are Pony Strings & Critter Things, Life on Hold, and Wolf, which have covers already prepared, plus First Flag of New Hampshire, Rhino Crashes & Critter Classes,  Porcupine's Seeds, and Boo's Bad Day  -- covers coming soon.

     Pony Strings & Critter Things is the third book in the critter series by Rena Jones. The first two in the series were illustrated by Nikki (Shoemaker) Boetger, while this book is illustrated by Ginger Nielson. Answers for the names of another 21 critter groups are found within its pages.

     Life on Hold by Beverly Stowe McClure (cover art by Aidana WillowRaven) is a young adult novel about the confusion in the mind an heart of a young sixteen-year-old. Myra Gibson's life is a lie. For sixteen years her parents have kept their secret, but the adoption paper she discovers while cleaning the summerhouse tells the truth.

     Wolf  by Harry (Brian) Porter, a young adult book, is illustrated by Theresa Stites.  Living the good life in their cabin close to the forest, Warren and Emma are disturbed to find their livestock disappearing in the night. Tracks in the snow lead them to believe their chickens may have fallen victim to a marauding wolf, and Warren sets out to track down the uninvited predator. What he discovers, as the snow begins to fall and he draws ever closer to his prey, will surprise and delight the reader as the truth about the wolf in the night reveals itself, changing Warren’s life forever.

     Rhino Crashes & Critter Classes is the fourth in the critter series by Rena Jones, and the second one illustrated by Ginger Nielson.  

     First Flag of New Hampshire  by Stephanie Burkhart and illustrated with black and white images by Ginger Nielson is the first in a trilogy of young adult books about New England. 

     Porcupine's Seeds is the first picture book by Viji Chary through 4RV Publishing and the second to be illustrated by Bridget McKenna. Porcupine begins to believe he will never be able to grown flowers.

     Boo's Bad Day, picture book written by Penny Ehrenkranz and illustrated by Theresa Stites, follows one day in a small kitten's life.

    Please check the 4RV Bookstore for the final releases of each.

4RV Publishing

Promotion: Tumbleweed Christmas

posted by Vivian Zabel  

          One of the Christmas releases from 4RV Publishing is Tumbleweed Christmas by Beverly Stowe McClure and illustrated by Bridget McKenna.  The following is a trailer of the book:




The book can be purchased from the 4RV Bookstore.

Promotion: Review of Just Breeze -- The Midwest Book Review

posted by Vivian Zabel 

         Appearing on "Katherine' Bookshelf," in The Midwest Book Review for October, is Just Breeze by Beverly Stowe McClure . 
Just Breeze
Beverly Stowe McClure
4RV Publishing LLC
PO Box 6482, Edmond, OK 73083
9780984070824, $15.99

Who would want to go through life with a name like Breeze? Breeze Brannigan had no choice and her looks and personality as described by Beverly Stowe McClure in Just Breeze complement that name. This contemporary novel tells just what it is like for eighth graders through the interactions of the major characters, Amy, Cam, Tony, Allison, Sara and Noah. There are also the wise parents and other adults who are not averse to meting out sage advice to the 'harem scarem' teens.

The story centers on Breeze and her relationship with the 'new boy in town'.

"But I barely heard Tony, for standing behind was this boy I'd never seen, an average-looking guy. Not take your breath away handsome, but surprise, surprise, he was as tall as me. Correction, his spiky-like hair was as tall as me. His eyes struck me at nose level."

There are the usual teenage angst scenes as well as the interesting revelations. She is attracted to him, but has to wonder about him. Why does he like her? Or does he? Where is he from? Is he an alien? All of these questions and more are asked and answered in this rousing book. You will have to read this book to follow the metamorphosis of Breeze and her friends as they begin to grow up.

Beverly Stowe McClure lives in Texas with her husband, Jack. She is a mother to three sons, grandmother to four granddaughters and two grandsons and great grandmother to one great grandson. Her official bio says she married very young.

Beverly is a member of both the North Texas and the national Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

Katherine Boyer
Reviewer
  
          Just Breeze is now part of the holiday sale found on the 4RV Bookstore.


4RV Publishing website         

4RV adding to eBook list

by Vivian Zabel   


          4RV Publishing is formatting and adding books to the eBook lists as quickly as possible. Not only will the electronic books be available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble, but also from the 4RV Bookstore. Although the available list is short at this time, we will add as quickly as titles are ready.



Children's Books by 4RV in eBook (Kindle and Nook Color)

A Wish and a Prayer                         Beth Bence Reinke (author) Ginger Nielson (illustrator)      $4.99

In My Bath                                       Beth Bence Reinke (author) Ginger Nielson (illustrator)         4.50

Lion in the Living Room                 Caelaach McKinna (author)  A.R. Stone (illustrator)                4.99

Being Jacob: Day at the Zoo           Suzy Koch (author)  Aidana WillowRaven (illustrator)           4.99


Young Adult Books 

Bubba & Giganto: Odds Against Us   Lea Schizas (author)                                                              2.99

Guardian                                              Katie Hines (author)                                                              5.50

Just Breeze                                            Beverly Stowe McClure (author)                                          5.50

Second Chance                                     Galand Nuchols (author)                                                        9.99

Prairie Dog Cowboy                             V. Gilbert Zabel (author)                                                       4.50


Novels

Aldric & Anneliese                               Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. (author)                                              5.50


Being Formatted for Release

The Art of Science                                Ransom Noble (author)


Sparrow Alone on the House Top        Jean James and Mary James (authors)