Sunday, March 27, 2011

The April 2011 VBT Writers on the Move Tour

Writers on the Move’s April 2011 Tour Schedule



It's that time already. Another month flew by. We are now preparing for the April 2011 tour.  Please stop by and visit all the authors to see what they have to say. In following the tour I've learned about fascinating books, health tips, book activites, writing and promoting tips and so much more. So dive on in April first and see what everyone has to say.



                                               APRIL 2011

 
1st Karen Cioffi is featuring Elysabeth Eldering


2nd Kathy Stemke is featuring Robert Medak


3rd Stephen Tremp is featuring Karen Cioffi 4th Margaret Fieland is featuring Jennifer Turner


5th Carolyn Howard-Johnson is featuring Martha Swirzinski


6th Nancy Famolari is featuring Jennifer Gladen


7th Debra Eckerling is featuring Virginia Grenier 8th Martha Swirzinski is featuring Mari Taylor


9th Heidi Thomas is featuring Kevin McNamee 10th Dallas Woodburn is featuring Carolyn Howard-Johnson


11th Maggie Ball is featuring Kathy Stemke 12th Virginia Grenier is featuring Stephen Tremp


13th Kevin McNamee is featuring Nancy Famolari


14th Elysabeth Eldering is featuring Donna McDine


15th Marietta Taylor is featuring Shelby Patrick


16th Robert Medak is featuring Margaret Fieland


17th Donna McDine is featuring Heidi Thomas


18th Shelby Patrick is featuring Dallas Woodburn


19th Jennifer Gladen is featuring Jennifer Wylie


20th Jenny Turner is featuring Maggie Ball


21st Jennifer Wylie is featuring Deb Eckerling



Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Meet Martha Swirzinski

Building Better Bodies and Brains with Martha Swirzinski, M.A

 




What is the one thing you can do for yourself and your child that will have the biggest impact on your body and brain? If you said exercise, you were right. We all know that getting your body moving is great for your health but did you know it is just as important for good brain health. That’s right, when you and your child get up and moving it actually helps increase learning.

Advances in brain research show that most of the brain is activated during physical activity. Eric Jensen, author of Brain Based Learning and Teaching, tells us that after 10 minutes of sitting our brain starts to shut down. The learner gets sleepy and learning declines. So what is one to do? Yep, that’s right get your body moving. Moving “increases blood vessels that allow for the delivery of oxygen, water, and glucose (“brain food”) to the brain” (Pica, Rae)

A few facts to ponder:

• “Aerobic exercise just twice a week halves your risk of general dementia. It cuts your risk of Alzheimer’s by 60 percent.” (Medina John)'

• “Being active grows new brain cells.

• Balance improves reading capacity.

• Movement can help reinforce academic skills for all students.

• Play can increase attention.” (Blaydes, Jean)



So, bottom line, make sure you and your children are active every day. It doesn’t have to be torture, make it fun. For a list of fun ways to incorporate movement into your everyday life with your children go to www.wholechildpublishing.com

An interview with Martha Swirzinski, M.A.

You’ve written a series of books tell me about the title of the series and what that means to readers?

The title Movement and More suggests that within the pages of the books we offer not just fantastic rhymes and great pictures but moving, interacting, thinking and socializing. Our books engage the whole child, all of the domains of child development.

You mention “our” books. Who is the other author?

I co-wrote these with Dr. Anita Tieman, a psychologist, who has spent many years working with children. She brings her expertise into the social and emotional aspect of these books.



You have three books. Leap…Laugh…Plop, Guess…Giggle…Wiggle and Kick… Catch…Buzzz. Can you tell me a bit about them?

These three books offer the ultimate mind/body connection. When children move both their bodies and minds are strengthened. Using entertaining rhymes and charming pictures, these fun and creative books offer multiple ways for your child to move. They also provide mind stimulating activities on each page. Each book brings the joy of movement together with the joy of reading. The pages of these books are filled with laughter, learning, movement and more.

 
More specifically: Leap…Laugh…Plop works on all of the locomotor skills

Guess…Giggle…Wiggle… has the children doing creative movement

Kick…Catch…Buzzzz.. addresses the manipulative skills




Will there be any more in the series?

Yes, as a matter of fact we are working on the fourth now, which will be specifically on the non locomotor skills.

How did you come up with this idea for a series of books?

I teach in a preschool
and have my Master’s degree in Kinesiology, so I’ve been involved with children and movement for over 15 years now. I wanted to come up with a way that parents, and teachers could incorporate the specific movement skills necessary for motor and brain development in an easy and fun way. Doing an activity isn’t always easy. Sometimes space, equipment or time may not be available. However, reading a book is fun, easy and doesn’t require much planning.

Where can readers find your books?

 



Thanks for visiting Martha! These books sound like a great way to teach kids to move!  Please visit the next stops on the Virtual Book Tour:

March 23rd Jenny Turner is featuring Elysabeth Eldering

March 24th Jennifer Wylie is featuring Maggie Ball



 


Sunday, March 20, 2011

Teresa's Shadow and A Star in the Night at a Local Craft Fair

Teresa's Shadow and A Star in the Night went on sale at a local craft fair in Pennsylvania. I was excited to see a few other local authors/poets there as well.

Tons of fun was had by all! My table was one among many other fantastic crafts. There were hand made blankets, jewlelry and baked goods. Other than meeting some local authors, my favorite table was one that had hand made Rosary bracelets. 
 My girls came to help out. They helped set the table, hand out flyers and show the customers the books. We brought star shaped sugar cookies to match  A Star in the Night. (illustrated by K.C. Snider)  In the story, the main character, David, dreams about Mr. Rennetti's famous sugar cookies from Mr. Rennetti's bakery. 



The real star of the day, however, was Teresa's Shadow (illustrated by Marina Movshina). We almost sold out! This book seems to have a natural draw to the readers. I often hear how the children identify with both Teresa - the little girl who finds a monster in her room one night, and Corky - the monster who finds himelf in a strange room one night.




The day was filled with browsing books, selling and signing books and sharing cookies. Thanks to everyone for coming out to see us!  We had a blast and can't wait to do it again. 
To order your copy of  A Star in the Night or Teresa's Shadow, please visit:



Saturday, March 19, 2011

Spiritual Bouquet for Father John Corapi

Dear Friends,


When we work for God, we make enemies. Sometimes physical, sometimes spiritual, and sometimes both. Father John Corapi is a courageous priest who preaches the truth of Jesus and the Catholic Church. His words are powerful, thought provoking and inspirational. He has turned many lives around, helped many lost souls find God – all by his words.

Recently, there was an attack launched against this faithful priest. The accusations are hurtful and untruthful. Below, Father Corapi explains the situation, taken from his website:

“On Ash Wednesday I learned that a former employee sent a three-page letter to several bishops accusing me of everything from drug addiction to multiple sexual exploits with her and several other adult women…All of the allegations in the complaint are false, and I ask you to pray for all concerned. “

--Father John Corapi http://www.fathercorapi.com/default.aspx

More information can be found at the above link.

Many Catholics, in the past and present, suffer persecution because of their beliefs. When one suffers, especially a leader in our faith, it is natural to want to relieve that suffering. In an effort to do this, I would like to offer Father John Corapi a POWERFUL and inspirational spiritual bouquet .

Here’s how to help: Pledge one, two , ten or however many prayers you wish for Father John Corapi and his suffering and all those involved, since it was Father’s request to “pray for all concerned.” Your prayers can be traditional prayers, personal intentions, Masses, Rosaries, chaplets, devotions, hours of Adoration, Lenten Sacrifices, fasting, etc. Once you make your pledge, offer up the prayers and know you’ve done a Spiritual Work of Mercy. I’d like to have the spiritual bouquet completed in time for Easter Sunday. It would be meaningful to present these on the day our Lord defeated death and saved us from our sins.

Thank you for your interest in helping this priest who has helped us all in our spiritual lives. May God bless you!



Jennifer Gladen

Children’s Author

Founder/Editor –in-Chief My Light Magazine

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The March VBT Tour

A little late in posting - but  below is the March  Book tour schedule . Come check out  all these fantastic authors and their blogs

The Writers on the Move’s March 2011 Tour Schedule




1st Debra Eckerling is featuring Margaret Fieland

2nd Kathy Stemke is featuring Jennifer Gladen

3rd Nancy Famolari is featuring Jenny Turner

4th Margaret Fieland is featuring Jennifer Wylie

5th Carolyn Howard-Johnson is featuring Stephen Tremp

6th Heather Paye is featuring Mayra Calvani

7th Marvin Wilson is featuring Virginia Grenier

8th Stephen Tremp is featuring Mari Taylor

9th Karen Cioffi is featuring Kevin McNamee

10th Martha Swirzinski is featuring Carolyn Howard-Johnson

11th Heidi Thomas is featuring Kathy Stemke

12th Dallas Woodburn is featuring Karen Cioffi

13th Maggie Ball is featuring Nancy Famolari

14th Virginia Grenier is featuring Donna McDine

15th Kevin McNamee is featuring Marvin Wilson

16th Elysabeth Eldering is featuring Shelby Patrick

17th Marietta Taylor is featuring Debra Eckerling

18th Robert Medak is featuring Heidi Thomas

19th Donna McDine is featuring Dallas Woodburn

20th Shelby Patrick is featuring Heather Paye

21st Mayra Calvani is featuring Robert Medak

22nd Jennifer Gladen is featuring Martha Swirzinski

23rd Jenny Turner is featuring Elysabeth Eldering

24th Jennifer Wylie is featuring Maggie Ball

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Teresa's Shadow Featured on Kathy Stemke's Blog


Please Stop by Author Kathy Stemke's Blog and learn more about my book, Teresa's Shadow. Learn about the book, where to find it and even get an excerpt.  See it all here: http://educationtipster.blogspot.com/2011/03/featured-author-jennifer-gladen.html

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