Ahh...school presentations.

Happy Pi Day! Hopefully your day is filled with magical numbers, and if not, maybe a few bites of an apple/cherry/chocolate/insertyourfavoriteflavorhere pie!

I've been working on my school presentation. I've got a couple coming up in the next few weeks. I have to be honest...this was the one thing that I dreaded when I started writing middle grade. I knew that presentations would be expected and encouraged, and the thought of them made my hands sweat, my heart beat stronger, and my stomach to churn. What would I talk about?

But that was before.

Now...after spending more than five years as a professional editor and having worked on more than 55 books, I feel really confident. Hey...if they don't like my book, I can talk about the plethora of other books I've worked on and the publishing process from beginning to end.

I could talk just on editing and publishing and forget my book all together...but that wouldn't be good. I'm a writer...not just an editor!

So all you writers out there....when you give a school presentation, what do you focus on? Your book/storyline/characters? The writing/editing process? Your publishing journey?

I'd love to hear from you.

A Review and a Radio Interview

A HUGE thank you to my fellow hockey mom, Sheri Larsen, for reading and reviewing Cracking the Code: Spreading Rumors way back before it was published. Her review is posted here so please head over and see what she thought of TK and his buddies.

I'm so excited to share with you that I'll be on Michigan Literary Network's radio show from 5:30pm-5:45pm EST on Wednesday, February 20. I'll be speaking with Sylvia Hubbard, founder of the Michigan Literary Network & Motown Writers Network. I'm thrilled that they asked me to be on their show.  The show airs live on blogtalkradio.com and is archived for listening later. After the show, it can be downloaded and listened to by going to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/michiganliterarynetwork, and then clicking on February 20. I hope you'll tune in or listen later. I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Visit The Trophy Mom's Blog and enter a giveaway!

I'm so thrilled that The Trophy Mom included me in her "Books to Boost Your Athlete's Reading Skills" post! She has some great books listed, and she agreed to use mine as a giveaway.

TM is a fellow hockey mom and is very involved in the Michigan youth hockey world. She's got a lot of great ideas for kids and parents of kid athletes, so I suggest that you not only hop over to her blog to enter the giveaway, but also visit her often.

If you're looking for a dad's perspective, please visit MiHockeyKid. He's also very involved in the Michigan youth hockey world, but gives it to you straight from a hockey dad's viewpoint. Great blog posts and a really great sense of humor.

Radio interview!

If you're in Michigan, you can tune into Spartan Nation Radio 1080 AM tonight between 7:30pm and 8:00pm to hear a short, but very sweet interview between Hondo Carpenter and I. I was humbled by his words, and I still can't believe that he sought me out for the interview.

If you aren't in Michigan or your AM radio won't pick up the station, you can tune in on the internet at

 

I'm hoping to get the audio file in case you missed it. Stay tuned!

Two More Days to Enter!

Hi All! There are just two more days to enter my C-E-L-E-B-R-A-T-I-O-N giveaway!

When Toby Karlson, aka TK, is at the wrong place at the wrong time, he goes from cool kid to total outcast with just one hip check. Sixth-grade orientation was scary, but TK didn’t realize it would change his life. Now he has to hang out with the smartest and geekiest kid in school, while dodging the school bully and his posse. If TK were on the ice, he’d know exactly what to do. But this is life and not a hockey game. Can TK get his good-guy status back at fifth-grade camp?

Here's what people are saying:

“Hockey is not just a sport that teaches kids how to play a game; it teaches a lot of life lessons including how to conduct yourself off the ice. TK demonstrates the different life lessons he’s learned through hockey in his own wacky way in Cracking the Code: Spreading Rumors.” ~Scott Wedgewood, 2010 New Jersey Devils 3rd draft choice 84th overall, 2012 Team Canada World Juniors Bronze Medalist

“Outstanding! I especially liked this book because I can relate to almost all the events that happened. You will especially love the ending!”~Drew P., ten years old (almost eleven)

“As a teacher for more than thirty-eight years, I have longed for a book that truly depicts the many trials and tribulations of youngsters I teach on a daily basis. Kris Yankee has beautifully penned a selection through TK, her main character, that brings to light the ups and downs of typical eleven-year-olds who often struggle with friendships, bullying, camp, and the loss of a loved one on a daily basis. It is a selection I will definitely keep front and center on the reading shelf of my classroom! This book is one that my students will not be able to put down as they will easily relate to so many events depicted from front to cover.” ~Tom Williams, sixth-grade Language Arts teacher

“Author Kris Yankee captures the hearts and minds of preteens in this great book. She shows you what it is like to be a kid in 5th grade again...and why they do the things they do. I highly recommend it.” ~Neil Dixon, fifth-grade teacher

 
So click on over to my author Facebook page and enter. You know you wanna!

Books have arrived!

An early Christmas presented arrived today! Books will be shipped to the distributor and should be available through Amazon very soon! If you don't want to wait, you can order from my website.

Let the Celebration begin!

To celebrate the  release of my new book, I'm holding a giveaway over at my author Facebook page. Please hop over, answer the simple question (What's your favorite children's book?) and be entered to win an autographed copy and a $10 iTunes card! Hurry...the giveaway ends on December 27th! All entrants must be at least 13 years of age and live in the USA.

Woohoo!!! My book is off to the printer!

Hi All! Today is the day that those pretty little files for Cracking the Code: Spreading Rumors go to the printer. I'm so proud of this book and I can't wait to share it with you. Rumor has it the book will be available the third week of December. When I know for sure, I'll be running a contest to give away two copies of the book. Catch is...you'll have to leave a comment about a rumor you either heard or inadvertently spread because I know YOU don't spread rumors!

Check back to find our more deets!

Updated Cover for Cracking the Code: Spreading Rumors

I'm so excited to show you the updated cover for my upcoming middle grade novel.

What do you think?

Inside Look of Cracking the Code: Spreading Rumors

When people ask me what my new book is about, I immediately start rattling off the chapter titles. Sure, I do have a quick little blurb of what it's about (When eleven-year-old Toby Karlson accidentally hip checks the school district’s oldest secretary, his life turns into a big rumor), but it's the chapter titles that I think are really cool. I thought I'd share a few... CODE 1: No Matter What, Don’t Hip Check Little Old Ladies CODE 2: Sometimes Taking One for the Team Means Putting Your Head in a Toilet CODE 3: Listen to Your Coach, Even if You Think He’s Crazy CODE 4: Just Because You’re the Captain Doesn’t Mean You Should Climb a Gazebo CODE 5: Arguing With the Ref Won’t Get You a Dance Trophy What do you think? Silly, huh? The one thing that I've heard from the fifth and sixth graders who have already read the book was that they really liked the humor. That made my heart sing. Kids nowadays have so many commitments between school, sports, music lessons, etc. If they can read something that makes them laugh (and learn a few lessons - shh!!!), then that's all I can ask for as a parent. Did you have a favorite book that you read over and over, as a child, that you loved because of the humor? My favorite was Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. I LOVED that book - still do.

A Giveway Bigger-Than-A-Shopping-Mall!

Here it is..the details of Sheri Larsen's HUGE, HUMONGOUS, MASSIVE, OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD, did I mention, HUGE?, giveaway. Please take it away, Sheri!

Today, I invite you to celebrate with me!! I've signed with Literary Agent Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary! And because our literary community is so freaking fabulous and generous, I'm having a Bigger-Than-A-Shopping-Mall GIVEAWAY!! The giveaway consists of:

•  two separate Rafflecopters with multiple giveaways 
• and one grand prize Rafflecopter giveaway - to enter for the grand prize, you must enter either giveaway #1, #2, or both. 

There's only one mandatory entry. Everything else is up to you!! I know Rafflecopters can be a pain, but it was the only way to organize such a huge giveaway. The giveaway is open until September 27th. WINNERS will be announced on September 28th. (Entrants may win more than one prize!)

Thank you so much for entering, spreading the word, and celebrating with me!!

List of Rocking Participants: Lenny Lee, Colene Murphy, LM Preston, Darby Karchut, Joanne Brothwell, Patti Larsen, Christine Fonseca, Catherine Stine, Jessica Bell, Kelly Hashway, Leigh Moore, Christine Danek, Alex Cavanaugh, Katie Mills, Matthew MacNish, Beverly McClure, Marcy Hatch, Jennifer Million, Nicole Zoltack, Christina Lee, Kris Yankee, JL Spelbring, Sharon Mayhew, Candice Granger, Dianne Salerni, Lisa & Laura Roecker, Elana Johnson, Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi, Susan Kaye Quinn, Lydia Kang, Julie Musil, Natalie Agurrie, Talli Roland, Medeia Sharif, Kelly Polark, Angela Brown, Sarah Fine, Stina Lindenblatt, Lynda Young, Susan Fields, PK Hrezo, Shannon O'Donnell, Shelli Johannes-Wells, Theresa Brown Milstein.

Links to Rafflecopters: 

Giveaway #1
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway #2

a Rafflecopter giveaway Giveaway #3 


a Rafflecopter giveaway I've donated a chapter critique in Giveaway #1. Here are my credentials in case you decide to enter that giveaway:

I've been working for a medium-sized press since 2007. Over 25 books that I've edited have won awards including Mom's Choice, Teachers Choice, Purple Dragonfly, and many, many more.  Not only am I an editor, but I'm an award-winning writer.

So...click the links above and see all of the great prizes! Good luck to you, and especially Good Luck to Sheri!!

A 6th grader's take on Spreading Rumors

The publisher who is publishing my middle grade chapter book likes to have kids' perspectives as endorsements. I know a few 5th and 6th graders, so I was happy to send out an arc to them for their thoughts.

Here is verbatim what one 6th grader said in an email:
I loved the book!!! here are my first two reactions.

This book was so good it made me laugh just because!!
This book teaches you a lot of lessons. Here is the one that appealed to me. Friends are the best thing that happend to the world(at least that's what I think!!!!)

 
It gives me goosebumps to know that he enjoyed the book so much. Obviously, we'll have to do a bit of editing for the back cover, but his words were spoken from the heart.

I just had to share with you all.

Cover Reveal and Early Praise~

I'm so excited to be able to share with you the cover of my upcoming middle grade novel, Cracking the Code: Spreading Rumors.

I would love to know what you think!

When Toby Karlson, aka TK, is at the wrong place at the wrong time, he goes from cool kid to total outcast with just one hip check. Sixth grade orientation was scary, but TK didn't realize it would change his life. Now he has to hang out with the smartest and geekiest kid in school, while dodging the school bully and his posse. If TK were on the ice, he'd know exactly what to do. But this is life and not a hockey game. Can TK get his good-guy status back at fifth-grade camp?

Early praise:

“Kris Yankee’s Cracking the Code: Spreading Rumors is full of action, adventure, and fun as Toby Karlson learns how to handle enemies, make friends, talk to girls, and just plain fit in. Hockey fans will be cheering with every turn of the page as Yankee has created a winner of a series!”  

~Kari Lee Townsend, National Bestselling Author of The Fortune Teller Mysteries and Digital Diva

My 2012 Goals

The end of 2011 really had me thinking about what I wanted as a writer and as a woman. I'd just started a new job for a non-profit and was unsure of my role. My job at the publisher was continuing as always, so no changes there. I was feeling very overwhelmed with life between two jobs (the non-profit especially because I loved it and it becoming more than I had ever thought possible), a husband, two kids, two dogs, a house that was consistently dirty, and a manuscript that was supposed to be finished. My wonderful agent was having no luck selling any of my manuscripts, and my self-published book had very slow sales.

Being a mother just makes me naturally want to take care of others. This is good and this is bad. The other people love that about me - especially since it spills over into other areas that have nothing to do with my family. But this is bad because I rarely have time to take care of myself.

2012 is the year of Kris taking care of herself.

Here are my 2012 goals:
1. Join a bible study (done)
2. Make my writing a priority
3. Only say "yes" to opportunities that I really want, not say "yes" because I feel I have to
4. Spend quality time with my husband and kids outside of sports (this will be hard!)
5. Meditate
6. Practice yoga
7. Forgive myself if I don't get everything done (another hard one!)
8. Cultivate the friendships I have that are meaningful to me
9. Remember to say "I love you" even to my friends
10. To not worry


I think the hardest one for me with be #3. I like to be involved and many times will volunteer for something or accept someone's request because I feel it's my "duty". That gets me in a lot of trouble - I end up doing things that I really don't want to. By giving myself permission to only say yes when I want to, I think the quality of my life, and of my family's, will increase.

There are several of us who are taking this pledge. To see the full list and to give encouragement throughout the year, please visit Sheri's blog.

Rebel Writer's Pledge 2012

I saw this on Sheri Larsen's blog, Writer's Ally. I'm always looking for something to spur me into blogging. Here's the premise:

"That's what the Rebel Writer's Pledge is all about: rebel against our views from last year that hindered us from reaching our goals, and give us new insight and a fresh start. I started it last year, and figured it was a good way to join us as writers, committing goals and support to each other. Only this year, I'm making it a BLOG HOP."


So either click on the sidebar badge or hop on over to Sheri's blog to join in the rebellion. I did.

Happy 2012!

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a safe holiday  season. It's difficult for me to believe that today is the first day of 2012. Time - as in "the years" - is flying by. I can still remember when I worked in the mortgage industry and there was such panic over the whole Y2K business. Look at us now - 12 years later!

I apologize for my lack of blogs. My second job over at Living Stations has really become my primary job. I love it, so no complaints! If you're in the Metro Detroit area and are a Christian, I urge you to take a look at our website and learn more about Living Stations.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about my 2012 goals. I have the usual ones - lose some weight, take more time for myself - but I'm want to make one even more important than those other two - be happy. For the most part, I'm pretty happy, but I think I can be happier. Another one is be grateful each day. So many out there have nothing, and I really have so much. Being grateful each day will definitely make me happy.

What about you? What goals have you set that are not the norm?

I'm being GREEN people!

If you're looking to buy the print copy of Saving Redwind, you'll have to wait a few more days. I decided to change the spacing of the interior, thus reducing some pages (need to be green, people!) and then I was able to lower the price by a buck! As soon as I get the review copy, you'll be able to get YOUR copy!

Not too late to join in the discussion - Pantser vs. Plotter

Yesterday was a whirlwind of a day for me. I forgot to post that I'm over at Ciara Knight's blog talking about Pantsers vs. Plotters. The post is still up and if you're inclined to head over there, I'll be sure to answer any comment you leave.

A Writer's Dream

I have been out of the social media circles this past month or so because I've taken on another job - Editor in Chief of Living Stations, of Living Faith-Fine Arts Apostolate. I am extremely happy with this new venture, even though, along with my editor/project manager responsibilities at Nelson Publishing & Marketing, I have very little brain energy left for much else at the end of the day. That being said, I haven't stopped writing, but it's a much slower process these days and honestly, I'm not always inspired. I am so very happy with Living Stations that I often think that that is what I'm supposed to be doing - not writing books for young readers.

But then something incredible happened. A 5th grade teacher read my book to her class and they LOVED it. A whole class. Like more than one kid - and girls loved it just as much as boys. I've had a few kids tell me they like the book - but most of them are children of my friends. With having two boys of my own, I know that kids will say what they think (and not necessarily what their parents want them to say), so I know that they're not trying to make me feel good when they tell me they like Saving Redwind.


But a whole class where neither of my kids attend? Way cool!

I found out about this because a wonderful author, Lisa Gail Green, tweeted about the blog post yesterday on Thanksgiving. With that wonderful little @KrisYankee tag, I saw the tweet and immediately headed over to Leslie Rose's blog. I was stunned. And what was so cool was that Leslie posted questions/comments from the kids. I had a blast answering them!

Later last night, after my belly was stuffed with turkey, squash, 7-layer salad, and pretzel jello (YUM), my agent called. Crazy. She should be spending time with her family and taking a much needed break. But no. She called because she'd been thinking about me for the past week, especially after an email of me alluding to my happiness with my current job situation and speculating if this was my real calling. She wanted to make sure that I understood the potential impact of my work on readers. That I needed to keep "hanging on" and to keep writing. It was wonderful to hear her voice and her words of encouragement.

So, what does all of this mean? Book contracts are awesome, and I hope that someday I will have one. But writing is such a personal activity. We pour our hearts and souls into the words and are often met with rejection after rejection. Saving Redwind wasn't bought by a publisher. I only put it out there through Createspace/Smashwords because my agent wanted that story available to readers. I was hesitant to self-publish. If I hadn't taken that leap, I wouldn't have touched the lives of that 5th grade class.

And that's a writer's dream - to touch the reader and maybe make some sort of impact, even if it's just that they want to read more.


Thanks to Leslie Rose's 5th grade class. You guys are A.W.E.S.O.M.E.!

Reviews

It's hard to ask for reviews from people who don't know me. Those are the ones that I expect to be the most honest. They don't have a relationship with me. They don't care what my reaction will be. They don't have to listen to me gripe and complain about the state of the publishing industry. They don't know how much their words mean to me.

So when I get two reviews from two people who fit all of the criteria above and they both didn't say that Saving Redwind sucked, I'm pretty happy. I'm a rather insecure writer. If you know me or attended one of my writing workshops, that statement might seem odd. I'm very comfortable as an editor. I can see the strengths and weaknesses in others' writing. And the fact that I've worked on almost 30 books (many of them award winning) makes me feel safe and secure with my editing hat.

But as a writer, not so much. Especially a writer who decided to self-publish. Other than my agent (who is awesome), there wasn't a panel of people that said, "KRIS YANKEE!! YOU ARE THE BEST. WE MUST BUY YOUR BOOK AND PUBLISH IT!"

My point: all writers need validation. Here's some of mine:

From Simplistik Halloz Books

http://www.simplistik.org/shbooks/?p=229

Saving Redwind – Kris Yankee

By LizzieBeth

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Saving Redwind by Kris Yankee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Having moved to a new place, Nick Stevenson yearns for adventure. To see new sights and more of the world just like his father. But sometimes things don’t work out the way he wants them to.
When things start happening and his ceiling starts turning into some sort of storm, Nick wonders if he’s losing his mind. Perhaps he’s asked for more than he’s bargained for in wanting an adventure. As he ponders this thought, a boy shows up asking him for help in saving his world – one known as Redwind. While everything inside cries out that the boy’s request is completely unbelievable, Nick agrees and is sucked into the very wallpaper within his room. Thrown into an extraordinary world that takes him by surprise, Nick tries to grasp the meaning behind the boys odd request.
Having always considered himself as no one special, he’s completely blown away by the fact that the people he comes to meet are relying on him to set all wrongs to right. With time being of the essence, Nick does his best to do as he is asked, praying that he’ll have enough time to complete the objectives that have been set out before him.

Battling his doubts and insecurities, as well as the obstacles that have been strewn across his path, Nick finds it within himself to give it his all while trying to save a world that has come to mean more to him than he ever imagined. A world that seems more real as the minutes pass by.

While this is a children’s book, it’s truly an enjoyable read. So much so, that once you start, it’s hard to put down. Kris weaves such a delightful tale that you find yourself wanting to know more about what happens to Nick and the friend’s that he’s made along the way. I truly recommend reading this book.

Midwest Book Reviewers: Reviewer's Bookwatch, October
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/rbw/oct_11.htm#burroughs 
Saving Redwind
Kris Yankee
Privately Published
9781463616670, $8.95, www.amazon.com

Wallpaper doesn't seem like the most exciting thing, but for Nick Stevenson, it may as well be. "Saving Redwind" follows eleven year old Nick finds something unusual beyond his bedroom's wallpaper, and finds himself in another world. Finding an adventure of his own, he finds that their continued existence may just rely on him to succeed. "Saving Redwind" is a fine read, not to be overlooked for young fiction readers.
 
What do you think?