tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50333583815102569892024-03-13T06:07:39.081-06:00Flying Solo PressUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-71926930005149651842020-12-22T08:24:00.003-07:002020-12-22T08:32:26.029-07:00An Audible Promised Land<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p>Obama does accents. </p><p>Check out the Audible version of his new book. He reads in other people's accents and does a mighty fine job. </p><p>Check it out: https://amzn.to/2WCJI3P</p><p><br /></p><p>-StaffPicks SFP</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-56760381676034574362019-09-17T16:52:00.002-06:002019-09-17T16:52:51.977-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WVmw_xSIdj4/XYFf7nmnQcI/AAAAAAAATxo/1G7bYuegdOYO0JJnb2g2riUSqIo9jWYswCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Month9Book%2BMerged%2BPhoto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WVmw_xSIdj4/XYFf7nmnQcI/AAAAAAAATxo/1G7bYuegdOYO0JJnb2g2riUSqIo9jWYswCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Month9Book%2BMerged%2BPhoto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Interview with
Orfyn from “Merged” by Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<strong><span style="background: white; border: none 1.0pt; color: #4f4f4f; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; padding: 0in;">“MERGED” – Seven of our country’s most gifted
teens will become Nobels, hosts for the implantation of brilliant Mentor minds
in an effort to accelerate human progress. But as the line between what’s
possible and what’s right draws ever blurrier, the teens discover everything
has a cost. Scientists have created an evolved form of living known as Merged
Consciousness. Sixteen-year-old Lake, the Nobel for Chemistry and Orfyn, the
Nobel for Art, are two from among the inaugural class of Nobels, and with the
best intentions. But when Stryker, the Nobel for Peace, makes them question the
motivation of the scientists behind the program, their world begins to unravel.
The Nobels work to uncover the program’s dark secrets, and they realize no one
can be trusted, not even the other Nobels. As the Mentors begin to take over
their bodies and minds, Lake and Orfyn must find a way to regain control before
they lose all semblance or memory of their former selves.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Interviewer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Why do you think
you have such a big following as a street artist?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Orfyn:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I don’t take myself seriously. I
like choosing a famous painting and then adding my own twist. Like I once made
Mona Lisa look like she was from our time. She had on a hoodie, wore ear buds,
and she was texting. My fans loved it. The owner of the pawn shop? Not so much.
He covered it over with black paint before the sun set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Interviewer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Does that happen
often?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Orfyn:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Yeah, almost everything I do gets
destroyed one way or another. But that’s the way it goes when you paint on
someone else’s property.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Interviewer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Have you ever
been arrested for vandalism?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Orfyn:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Thank God, no. There’d be serious
blowback if the police ever figured out where I live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Interviewer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Why is that?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Orfyn</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">: I can’t get into it because it might
reveal my true identity, but believe me, there’s more at stake than just me
ending up in jail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Interviewer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Then why do you
do it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Orfyn:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> I’ve asked myself that question too,
especially when painting alone in a dark alley at three in morning. I guess
it’s that I like giving normal people who’d normally never see a masterpiece
the chance. I want to blow their minds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Interviewer:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> But don’t you
want your artwork hanging in a museum one day?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Orfyn:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Sure, who wouldn’t? But, I can’t
see that ever happening. Who’d take a chance on someone like me? It’s okay. I
mean, I’m still famous, even though nobody knows who I really am.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our
young adult science fiction novel “Merged” is being released on September 17,
2019 by Month9Books. Visit us at www.jimandstephbooks.com.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">RECOMMENDED!</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-87640192392735378382019-07-02T06:26:00.001-06:002019-07-02T06:26:15.441-06:00Kids Are Bookin' It: Crime Travelers - A Trip You Want To Take This Sum...<a href="https://kidsarebookinit.blogspot.com/2019/07/crime-travelers-trip-you-want-to-take.html?spref=bl">Kids Are Bookin' It: Crime Travelers - A Trip You Want To Take This Sum...</a>: <i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; text-align: center;">Crime Travelers</i><br /><br />
<h3 style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; margin: 0px 0px 0in; position: relative;"><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Brainwashed</i></div></i><div style="text-align: center;">By Paul Aertker</div><div style="text-align: center;">Recommended for ages 8 – 12, Middle Grade</div><o:p><div style="text-align: center;"></div></o:p></h3><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">Happy summer vacation! Time to take a trip. Pack up and join the Crime Travelers on their exciting adventure to France. Large groups of kids and even babies are being <i>Brainwashed </i>and disappearing. Danger lurks from page one all the way through the book. It’s up to spy kids to solve this mystery and save these innocent victims.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-87574487701282529262019-03-12T13:56:00.000-06:002019-03-12T16:19:22.638-06:00POSTHUMOUS Named 2018 Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; line-height: 2.04; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Denver, Colo. —Today, Flying Solo Press is pleased to announce that POSTHUMOUS (a novel about the power of belief) has been recognized as a finalist in the 21st annual Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As part of its mission to discover, review, and share the best books from university and independent publishers, Foreword Magazine, Inc. hosts an annual awards program each year. Finalists represent the best books published in 2018. After more than 2,000 individual titles spread across 56 genres were submitted for consideration, the list of finalists was determined by Foreword’s editorial team. Winners will be decided by an expert team of booksellers and librarians—representing Foreword’s readership—from across the country.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The complete list of finalists can be found </span><a href="https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/finalists/2018/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><a href="https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/finalists/2018/juvenile-fiction/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">juvenile fiction here</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Determining the INDIES Finalists is such a rewarding process,” said Victoria Sutherland, founder/publisher of Foreword Reviews. “Each year we are reminded what a vital part of publishing indie presses occupy, and knowing what the recognition could mean to an individual book inspires us to provide our finalist judges with the best choices to help them determine the winners. We take this privilege very seriously.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"We have been thrilled with the success of POSTHUMOUS and excited by its momentum. The book just won the SCBWI Spark Honor Award for excellence in independent publishing and this recognition from Foreword Indies Book of the Year is more icing on the cake!” - Paul Aertker, writer and publisher. To purchase, please support local independent stores wherever and whenever possible.</span><a href="https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781940137995" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">IndieBound</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://amzn.to/2XSaWmo" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amazon</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://www.paulaertker.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Website</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Winners in each genre—along with Editor’s Choice Prize winners and Foreword’s INDIE Publisher of the Year—will be announced June 14, 2019.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Founded in 1998, Foreword Magazine, Inc. is the only media company completely devoted to independent publishing. Publishers of a Folio: award-winning bimonthly print review journal, special interest products, and daily online content feeds, Foreword exclusively covers university and independent (non “Big 5”) publishers, the books they publish, and their authors. Foreword is based in Traverse City, Michigan, with staff based worldwide.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">About</span><a href="https://www.paulaertker.com/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #665ed0; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">POSTHUMOUS</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: While living in Paris, Ellie Kerr’s mom pens a series of children’s stories, yet sadly dies before they could be published.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once Ellie and her father return to the US, the twelve-year-old decides to finish what her mother could not. When Ellie is mysteriously blocked by a password on her mother’s computer, she becomes determined to find the truth — even though four failed attempts will destroy the computer’s data, including her mom’s stories!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ellie’s father thinks that the code is unbreakable, but Ellie believes that her mother might have left a posthumous message in the new password. With the help of friends, Ellie tries to crack the code, publish the books, and ultimately honor her mother.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also by the same author:</span><a href="https://t.sidekickopen05.com/s2t/c/5/f18dQhb0S7lC8dDMPbW2n0x6l2B9nMJW7t5XYg63JVZCW7fckt46448bPVRzDdF56dNtYf1Q67dx02?t=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.crimetravelers.com%2F&si=6588432065232896&pi=f754b59b-e5cd-4a04-d6e6-e5f582c7edf8" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="color: #665ed0; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crime Travelers</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- "A funny & smart middle-grade series that reads like the Bourne Identity - but for kids."</span></div>
</span><a href="https://amzn.to/2EEL0mD" style="background-color: initial; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="270" src="https://docs.google.com/uc?export=download&id=17_xR4G1wk3_-osBQp6RfCqWIf_yqjvgY&revid=0B3bhS2nj8sUySVpkaDBvVHJyakFIczNpOWMvN0tQVWU3WUtjPQ" width="420" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-9938192380513315522019-02-27T13:36:00.000-07:002019-02-27T13:36:06.276-07:002018 SCBWI Spark Honor WINNER<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Dear Paul,</span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Congratulations!! You have won a 2019 <span class="m_4386938571509064901gmail-m_1903191036099156606gmail-m_1270737839594023454gmail-m_-8290125585980144775gmail-m_-1027366382281460160gmail-m_3475599297314033397gmail-m_6014704119926456561m_-137480909878004348gmail-il">SPARK</span> Honor<span class="m_4386938571509064901gmail-m_1903191036099156606gmail-m_1270737839594023454gmail-m_-8290125585980144775gmail-m_-1027366382281460160gmail-m_3475599297314033397gmail-m_6014704119926456561m_-137480909878004348gmail-il"> for excellence in independent publishing for children, in the Novel category</span>. There were hundreds of entries to choose from, but the judges were especially impressed with POSTHUMOUS. The professionalism and quality of the writing is an exceptional example of independent publishing. </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">https://www.scbwi.org/scbwi-announces-spark-award-winners/</span></blockquote>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-84696338578727931452018-06-26T13:30:00.003-06:002018-06-26T13:30:49.846-06:00<h1 class="entry-title fusion-post-title" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #203c7b; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 27px; margin-bottom: 28px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-size: 28px;">10 Questions – Author Interview: Paul Aertker Shares His Marketing Tips, Struggles, and Inspirations </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(reprinted from Chanticleer Reviews)</span><a href="https://www.chantireviews.com/author/s-e-anderson/" rel="author" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #044e93; font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: 12px; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: color, background-color, border-color; transition-timing-function: linear;" title="Posts by Sharon Anderson">by Sharon Anderson</a></h1>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: blue;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Meet Paul Aertker, 2017 Grand Prize Winner in the<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Chanticleer Gertrude Warner Awards</em></span></h2>
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<img alt="" class="size-full wp-image-18206 aligncenter" height="125" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" src="https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/GERTRUDE-WARNER_GRAND-PRIZE-1.jpg" srcset="https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/GERTRUDE-WARNER_GRAND-PRIZE-1-150x75.jpg 150w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/GERTRUDE-WARNER_GRAND-PRIZE-1-200x100.jpg 200w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/GERTRUDE-WARNER_GRAND-PRIZE-1.jpg 250w" style="border-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; display: block; height: auto; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; max-width: 100%; text-align: center; vertical-align: top;" width="250" /></div>
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I first met Paul Aertker when we were in Portland Oregon last year. My first impression: Dynamic, Intelligent, Generous. In short, I am so glad we met! When I found out he was coming to our Chanticleer Authors Conference, CAC18, and that he was indeed in the running for an award – I was thrilled.</div>
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Paul is an amazing human being – but don’t take my word for it! Find out for yourself! Read on and be sure to comment at the end – and share if you like.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Chanticleer: Paul, tell us, how did you start writing?</span></em></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> I started writing on September 12<sup style="box-sizing: border-box;">th</sup>—the day after 9/11. I guess I saw what the world had become or rather, what adults were capable of doing, and I thought maybe I should focus on kids and maybe kids could make things better. So that’s how I got started writing.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Chanticleer: That’s amazing, Paul. Thank you for taking action in this way. What led you to the middle-grade crowd? </span></em></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> I write middle-grade books mostly because I act like an 11-year-old. No, but seriously, I do. I enjoy working with and writing for the middle grades for several reasons. Nine to twelve-year-olds are at a perfect stage in life—before the challenging ages of young adult, yet they are still old enough to understand what’s going on in the world, and most importantly, they get my jokes!</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Chanticleer: You’re right! What inspired you to write this particular series, The Crime Travelers? I hear, by the way, that this series is doing quite well…</em></span></div>
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<img alt="" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-18338" height="163" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" src="https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-300x163.png" srcset="https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-150x81.png 150w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-200x108.png 200w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-300x163.png 300w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-400x217.png 400w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-600x325.png 600w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-768x416.png 768w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-800x433.png 800w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-1024x555.png 1024w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1-1200x650.png 1200w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/All-3-books-best-sellers-1.png 1783w" style="border-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 15px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: top;" width="300" /></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> I think most everything I write is about travel. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Crime Travelers</em> series is about international action adventure—”like the Bourne Identity but for kids.” What’s more, this new book <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Posthumous</em> is about an American family in Paris, and the mother dies, and the dad and daughter move back to the US. I think of travel as a catalyst for writing, a means of generating ideas mostly because I see reading and writing as a form of travel.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Chanticleer: Oh, good answer! Reading is the best form of escapism. Give us five authors whom you would love to meet on your travels – and tell us how they have influenced your work.</em></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> What I’ve done is a little different from most children’s book writers. I love Roald Dahl and Margaret Peterson Haddix and Rick Riordan and Gordon Korman and the rest. However, most of my influence comes from the adult authors who write international and action adventure novels—specifically, James Patterson, Robert Ludlum, Lee Child, John Grisham, etc. I like these guys, and I like their work. In the Crime Travelers series, I bring the action and adventure of adult novels into the kid world.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Chanticleer: I think Middle-Grader readers are ready for these books. Look at their video games! Tell us a little about areas of writing you feel most confident in – and what advice you can give someone who is struggling in this area. </span></em></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> I’ve gotten much better at getting the words on the page. I used to struggle to create a lot of volume of pages. But, I have a trick that has helped me. I think we all struggle with the internal critic telling us that we are not good enough or whatever we’ve done is terrible. We all have this. Sometimes I find that I cannot sleep so instead of tossing and turning, I will get up, put on my glasses, and sit at my desk. I’ll write in the middle of the night for hours. And what I’ve learned is that my internal critic doesn’t get up with me! He’s too tired to criticize. So I write for a while and then go back to sleep. In the morning I wake up and notice that someone has written in my document! Yes, sure it needs work, but editing seems to be easier than cranking out the first draft.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Chanticleer: Good advice – If your inner critic is too loud, wait until it passes out, and then write. So, I hear you sell a lot of books… Which business books have helped you the most?</span></em></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> I think one of the best business books for writers is Tim Ferriss’s <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">4-Hour Work Week.</em> We all know that we will not work just four hours a week. Writing has no end. We know this. What I took from this book was that it’s important to delegate tasks. You need to hire an excellent cover designer, and you need a good interior designer for your book… You also need a developmental editor, a copy editor, and a proofing editor. Then you need to assemble a team of beta readers. And, and, and. The point being: ask (or hire) others to help.</div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Chanticeer: What do you do in your community to improve/promote literacy?<img alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-18337 alignright" height="225" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" src="https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Author-Teacher-11YO-1-300x225.jpg" srcset="https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Author-Teacher-11YO-1-150x113.jpg 150w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Author-Teacher-11YO-1-200x150.jpg 200w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Author-Teacher-11YO-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Author-Teacher-11YO-1-400x300.jpg 400w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Author-Teacher-11YO-1-600x450.jpg 600w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Author-Teacher-11YO-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Author-Teacher-11YO-1-800x600.jpg 800w, https://www.chantireviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Author-Teacher-11YO-1.jpg 960w" style="border-style: none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 15px; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: top;" width="300" /></em></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> I frequently speak at local schools whether I’m in my hometown or traveling to a new place. I love speaking to classrooms and bringing excitement to books and reading. I promote reading for the sake of reading. Period. I think it’s important for kids to enjoy the activity. If we want kids to read great literature and to be healthy adult readers, we have to get them to like reading, first.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Chanticleer: Love your passion for reading and helping kids discover the joy of reading. Give us your best marketing tips, what’s worked to sell more books, gain notoriety, and expand your literary footprint.</span></em></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> The single best marketing tip for me has been to give my books away. I give mostly to teachers, fourth, fifth and sixth-grade teachers, and to librarians. If you’re a teacher, please write me, and I will send you a set of books for free. Yes for free! The reason being that a set of books in a teacher’s classroom is without question the best calling card I could ever have. I often have teachers write me back and say, “Oh thank you so much for sending the books. The kids are fighting over them!” That is awesome marketing. <em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">(Reach Paul at <a href="https://www.paulaertker.com/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #044e93; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: color, background-color, border-color; transition-timing-function: linear;" target="_blank">https://www.paulaertker.com/</a>)</span></em></div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Chanticleer: Wow! Well done. So, what are you working on now? What can we look forward to seeing next from you?</span></em></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> I am super excited about this next book coming out called, <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Posthumous</em>. It’s a book about a 12-year-old girl who wants to publish her late mother’s stories. It’s one of those books that I wrote in the middle of the night, and I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever written. It’s sad and sweet, and it’s all about the kids making things right.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Chanticleer: I think we will all want to read this one. Please keep us updated. What is the most important thing a reader can do for an author?</span></em></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Aertker:</span> The most important thing a reader can do for an author? That’s easy. Write a review! I am amazed at how critical getting reviews are, and how difficult it can sometimes be to get people actually to go on Amazon and write the review.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Chanticleer: Paul, it’s been a pleasure. Thank you for spending some time with us. You are a bright star in the universe! </span></em></div>
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Okay, now it’s your turn… If you have a question for Paul Aertker, please feel free to comment on this post or reach him directly through his website <a href="https://www.paulaertker.com/" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #044e93; transition-duration: 0.2s; transition-property: color, background-color, border-color; transition-timing-function: linear;" target="_blank">https://www.paulaertker.com/</a>. If you enjoyed this interview, please SHARE it! Sharing is Caring, baby.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-60357387982598458002018-06-19T16:42:00.003-06:002018-06-19T16:42:41.414-06:00Sometimes the stars align...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JbLNiZje4Z8/WvDJvlVXvFI/AAAAAAAAOGw/vCX3pDK-SUsggpJj5aJZVwwNxAnCEESXwCLcBGAs/s1600/All%2B3%2Bbooks%2Bbest%2Bsellers%2B3%2B.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="883" data-original-width="1600" height="220" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JbLNiZje4Z8/WvDJvlVXvFI/AAAAAAAAOGw/vCX3pDK-SUsggpJj5aJZVwwNxAnCEESXwCLcBGAs/s400/All%2B3%2Bbooks%2Bbest%2Bsellers%2B3%2B.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today all three books hit number one in different categories! Pretty cool.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-28677646933106482252018-04-27T16:47:00.000-06:002018-06-11T13:46:55.178-06:00Middle-Grade Grand Prize Winner: BRAINWASHED: Crime Travelers Series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uPgkzH1o9I/WuOoLySDBiI/AAAAAAAAN_M/TF6jrpyTLRYgDShjeCXxbHSRdmwvbAVOwCLcBGAs/s1600/middle-grade%2Bgrand%2Bprize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--uPgkzH1o9I/WuOoLySDBiI/AAAAAAAAN_M/TF6jrpyTLRYgDShjeCXxbHSRdmwvbAVOwCLcBGAs/s320/middle-grade%2Bgrand%2Bprize.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-8414551549755677862018-01-14T16:09:00.002-07:002018-01-14T16:09:28.540-07:00Letters to authors from children are the BEST!!!<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D0qVVKvwgJg/WlvhY-1pSAI/AAAAAAAAM-Y/bD2RVVwUp3k9KRaAjx6a3v6ouVnzHSJmACLcBGAs/s1600/best%2Bnew%2Bchildren%2527s%2Bbooks%2Breviews%2Bmiddle%2Bgrades.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D0qVVKvwgJg/WlvhY-1pSAI/AAAAAAAAM-Y/bD2RVVwUp3k9KRaAjx6a3v6ouVnzHSJmACLcBGAs/s320/best%2Bnew%2Bchildren%2527s%2Bbooks%2Breviews%2Bmiddle%2Bgrades.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Letters I get from speaking at different schools are always the best! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Kids in 4th, 5th, or 6th grade tend to use the superlative a lot, and anything you do is either the greatest, the funniest, or the best! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">It certainly makes speaking to schools a lot of fun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">This photograph is from a packet of letters I received this week. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">One student wrote:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Dear Mr. Paul Aertker</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Thank you for coming and signing our books and talking to us about geography and Djibouti, Djibouti. (PA: Djibouti, btw, is a country in East Africa on the Horn of Africa, near Ethiopia). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">My favorite story you told us was the royal wedding and I could see everything you described. I want to learn French and the first word I learned was L'abeille = bee.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Sincerely Lilly.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-59215825409902824482017-11-02T12:52:00.002-06:002017-11-02T12:52:43.381-06:00Travel pillow of the gods or travel pillow for those us who fly coach<div style="text-align: center;">
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=crimetrave04-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00O16B85U&asins=B00O16B85U&linkId=271c57d3bf1168829f7d2252c1e78b1f&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe></div>
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Ok. This is an awesome travel pillow. Cabeau neck pillow is kind of like a chapeau for your neck, head, and back. It's thick enough when you're using it to lull yourself into la-la land and it's squishy and small enough to jam into your backpack or travel carryon. Happy trails! </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-32133663277090156432017-10-23T11:28:00.000-06:002017-10-23T13:25:17.657-06:00Best earplugs for blocking out snoring<div style="text-align: center;">
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My <a href="http://amzn.to/2zxrhjq">Crime Travelers</a> series is about kids traveling the world.<br />
This is a blog post about must-have travel tools. Enjoy!</div>
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Sleep next to someone who snores?</div>
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I'm using these silicone <a href="http://amzn.to/2yISwIG">earplugs</a> for minimizing all forms of noise pollution. The silicone turns sirens into a distant cat's meow. Perfect for that late night Harley's that motor through your neighbor at 3:00 in the morning. </div>
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I haven't used them at a football game but I will the next time. Those folks are loud! </div>
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What is the loudest football stadium? </div>
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Use them in the swimming pool or use them on the airplane or use them on a train. </div>
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Use them anywhere anytime!</div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=qf_sp_asin_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=crimetrave04-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B003LZQGN6&asins=B003LZQGN6&linkId=b903d9068019e7af188902f1c8fafb8f&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=0066c0&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"> </iframe>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-11460255818646388132016-10-27T17:07:00.000-06:002016-10-27T17:07:18.604-06:00What's more valuable than priceless?<table align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-1622860000396202447mcnTextContentContainer" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; color: black; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; max-width: 100%; min-width: 100%; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
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Teaching kids geography: <span style="color: blue;">Cool.</span><br />Hearing Hollywood refer to your book series as "a property": <span style="color: green;">Awesome.</span><br />Writing book 3 in the Crime Travelers trilogy: <span style="color: red;">Priceless.</span></div>
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<img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-V3qyGfOi4Q4/WBKG4t7t9xI/AAAAAAAAG_M/lomDTC6holoBBn0UTEOvg-a_iJ06bT0DgCEw/s320/CRIME%2BTRAVELERS%2B1-3.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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<em><span style="color: #990000;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1940137373" target="_blank">Priceless</a></span></em><span style="color: #202020;"> is Now Available: </span><br /><span style="color: #202020;">This is the 3rd book in the middle-grade series that editor Mark Robichaux says,</span><br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B017S0LVHA/ref%3Ddp_st_1940137373&source=gmail&ust=1477695007694000&usg=AFQjCNGweIwxp2qJWXxvVVeJzRNpN65cng" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B017S0LVHA/ref=dp_st_1940137373" style="color: #2baadf;" target="_blank">"reads like The Bourne Identity -- but for kids."</a><br /><br /><span style="color: #202020;">Not for you?</span><br /><span style="color: #202020;">But still want to help kids learn about the world?</span><br /><span style="color: #202020;">Please forward this to a 4 - 7 grade teacher.</span><br /><br /><span style="color: #202020;">Thanks for the support!</span><br /><span style="color: #202020;">Paul</span></div>
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Here's an early review from someone named <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/1940137373" target="_blank">Margo</a>.</div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;">PRICELESS is an action packed ride of underwater scuba adventures and elaborate art heists. Sprinkled amongst the story are interesting and educational examples of Spanish cuisine, art, language, and geography. Most importantly, the book contains a positive lesson on what is truly priceless in life and what can be accomplished through collaboration and a sense of purpose. Lucas Benes and the New Resistance kids have triumphed once again!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: start;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/bookseries/B017S0LVHA/ref=dp_st_1940137373" target="_blank">Amazon here.</a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-66386411392172891942016-10-05T20:47:00.003-06:002016-10-05T20:47:25.902-06:00Adapted from Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass - Reading at my friends' wedding this weekend in Vermont.<div class="MsoNormal">
The day when I rose at dawn from the bed of perfect health,
refresh’d, singing, inhaling the ripe breath of autumn, <o:p></o:p></div>
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When I saw the full moon in the west grow pale and disappear
in the morning light, <o:p></o:p></div>
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When I wander’d alone over the beach, and undressing bathed,
laughing with the cool waters, and saw the sun rise, <o:p></o:p></div>
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And when I thought how my dear friend my lover was on her
way coming, O then I was happy, <o:p></o:p></div>
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O then each breath tasted sweeter, and all that day my food
nourish’d me more, and the beautiful day pass’d well, <o:p></o:p></div>
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And the next came with equal joy, and with the next at
evening came my friend, <o:p></o:p></div>
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And that night while all was still I heard the waters roll
slowly continually up the shores, <o:p></o:p></div>
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I heard the hissing rustle of the liquid and sands as
directed to me whispering to congratulate me, <o:p></o:p></div>
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For the one I love most lay sleeping by me under the same
cover in the cool night, <o:p></o:p></div>
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In the stillness in the autumn moonbeams her face was
inclined toward me, <o:p></o:p></div>
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And her arm lay lightly around my breast – and that night I
was happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-44653345369999035012015-11-29T13:24:00.000-07:002015-11-29T13:24:09.919-07:00A kid's book review: "Full of Action and Hilarious scenes!<div style="border: 0px; color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.57143em; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
Dear Mr Aertker,</div>
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Thank you so much for Skypeing our class! The book Crime Travelers was outstanding! 10 out of 10! I would highly suggest this book. It was full of action and hilarious scenes! My favorite part was when Gini had a certain kind of explosion in her pants. It was amazing.</div>
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Thanks again! </div>
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Macey</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PmGM5vxRem0/VlteZ99_nnI/AAAAAAAAGt8/giDilY6lTqg/s1600/Picture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PmGM5vxRem0/VlteZ99_nnI/AAAAAAAAGt8/giDilY6lTqg/s400/Picture.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">http://www.crimetravelers.com/</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">http://www.amazon.com/dp/194013725X</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">http://www.amazon.com/dp/194013711X</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-40676202815530400972015-11-28T09:49:00.002-07:002015-11-28T09:49:38.090-07:00The exploding diaper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tu99o50IOQU/VlnZ8bLLG8I/AAAAAAAAGts/EkbG0XPsJIo/s1600/One%2Bof%2Bmy%2Bfavorite%2Bbooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tu99o50IOQU/VlnZ8bLLG8I/AAAAAAAAGts/EkbG0XPsJIo/s320/One%2Bof%2Bmy%2Bfavorite%2Bbooks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Dear Mr Aertker,</span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I really enjoyed reading Crime Travelers. I really thought that you put a lot of work into this book. I think it is one of my favorite books. My favorite part is when [Gini]'s diaper exploded onto the guy's face.</span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">From, Riley</span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Thanks Riley,</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I too really like the part in the book where Gini's diaper explodes onto the guy's face and Lucas is then able to flee through the streets of Paris. Thanks for recognizing the amount of work authors (and editors) put into their work.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Paul</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">http://www.crimetravelers.com/</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Brainwashed: http://www.amazon.com/dp/194013711X</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Diamonds Are For Never http://www.amazon.com/dp/194013725X</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-26852395454076631992015-11-21T14:17:00.002-07:002015-11-21T14:17:17.503-07:00Wimpy Kid<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eov08gSLnAI/VlDdQ00vl2I/AAAAAAAAGtM/yMGkzsJWRt4/s1600/Wimpy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eov08gSLnAI/VlDdQ00vl2I/AAAAAAAAGtM/yMGkzsJWRt4/s640/Wimpy.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I love the Wimpy Kid books, and I especially love what Jeff Kinney has done with this entire series. </span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">One of the best things about writing for kids is getting them excited about books. I'm in favor of getting kids to read more, and I especially like series that make kids love reading. </span><br />
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">But to be honest, I have to admit it's a little bit fun to see my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brainwashed-Crime-Travelers-Series-Book-ebook/dp/B00HV251UO/ref=zg_bs_155897011_3" target="_blank">Crime Travelers Spy Mystery Series </a>in second place behind such an awesome series!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #383838; font-family: gotham, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><a href="http://crimetravelers.com/">CrimeTravelers.com</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-47360803904600158932015-11-08T18:05:00.002-07:002015-11-08T18:05:27.534-07:00Free book discussion guide for teachers who want to teach more geography to 4th - 8th graders.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EV6PlYOyxMs/Vj_u_b1ig8I/AAAAAAAAGsw/KMsJxsfcXf8/s1600/free%2Bbooks%2Bfor%2Bteachers.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="223" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EV6PlYOyxMs/Vj_u_b1ig8I/AAAAAAAAGsw/KMsJxsfcXf8/s320/free%2Bbooks%2Bfor%2Bteachers.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We now have this awesome book discussion guide for the Crime Travelers series. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Written by middle school and geography teachers, the guide is focused on getting kids to think about where things are in the world, languages people speak, and the currencies they use in different countries. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b>Want to expand your students' horizons? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Download the free book discussion guide plus the first 101 pages of Brainwashed book one in the Crime Travelers series - #1 Amazon best seller in children's travel books.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.crimetravelers.com/" target="_blank">Crime Travelers Spy Mystery Website</a></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-85952984189161376792015-11-03T09:39:00.001-07:002015-11-03T09:42:22.243-07:00A middle school series like "Alex Rider and the Hunger Games."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kEtuBKCGhQc/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kEtuBKCGhQc?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
Thanks, I'll take that!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.crimetravelers.com/" target="_blank">Crime Travelers</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/194013711X" target="_blank">Brainwashed</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/194013725X" target="_blank">Diamonds Are For Never</a><br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-28728778816406428992015-08-11T15:59:00.001-06:002015-08-11T15:59:43.415-06:00A middle school series like "Alex Rider and the Hunger Games."<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kEtuBKCGhQc" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-88177801149426116302015-06-25T10:52:00.001-06:002015-06-25T10:52:29.334-06:00Middle School Summer Reading Series<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a_UeU_tecSk" width="480"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-51376765181931904672015-06-18T14:02:00.002-06:002015-06-18T14:05:17.035-06:00Summer Reading List for Rising 5th Graders.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pSUV98Risoc/VYMi9RTqqdI/AAAAAAAAGmU/c4YkB2PQnYI/s1600/butterfly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="250" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pSUV98Risoc/VYMi9RTqqdI/AAAAAAAAGmU/c4YkB2PQnYI/s320/butterfly.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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Get Started Right Away<o:p></o:p></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fiction – Adventure/Action<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aertker, Paul. Brainwashed (Crime Travelers #1) FSP, 2014 While
sleeping on the roof of his father’s hotel, thirteen-year-old Lucas Benes finds
a baby alone and learns that the Good Company has restarted its profitable
kidnapping business. Lucas leads a group of teenage spies through the hotspots
of Paris—from the catacombs to the Eiffel tower—in an all-out effort to
sabotage a brainwashing ceremony that could potentially turn them all into
“Good” kids. Amazon bestseller in Children’s Travel. ISBN-13: 978-1-940137-11-7<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Appelt, Kathi. The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp.
Atheneum Books, 2013. Raccoon brothers Bingo and J’miah are the newest recruits
of the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts. The opportunity to serve the Sugar Man
is an honor, and also a big responsibility, since the swamp critters rely
heavily on the intel of these hardworking Scouts. Best Book of the Year 2013
and Notable Children’s Books of 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Barry, Dave and Ridley Pearson. Peter and the Starcatchers.
Hyperion, 2004. Peter, an orphan boy, and his friend Molly fight off thieves
and pirates in order to keep the secret safe from the Black Stache and his evil
associate Mister Grin. Also read the sequels, Peter and the Shadow Thieves,
Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, and Peter and the Sword of Mercy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Birdsall, Jeanne. The Penderwicks. Random House, 2005. While
vacationing with their father in the Berkshire Mountains, four lovable sisters
share adventures with a local boy, much to the dismay of his snobbish mother.
Also read The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette,
and The Penderwicks in Spring (2015).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Black, Holy. Doll Bones. McElderry Books, 2013. Three
friends from a Pennsylvania middle school, who have long enjoyed acting out
imaginary adventures with dolls and action figures, embark on a real-life quest
to bury a doll made from the ashes of a dead girl. Newbery Honor Book 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Burg, Ann. Serafina’s Promise. Scholastic, 2013. In a poor
village outside Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Serafina works hard to help her family,
but dreams of becoming a doctor – then the earthquake hits and Serafina must
summon all her courage to find her father and still get medicine for her sick
baby brother as she promised. A novel written in verse. Best Books of the Year
2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Carman, Patrick. Floors. Scholastic, 2011. Leo, the son of
the maintenance man of the Whippet Hotel, opens a series of cryptic boxes which
reveals hidden floors, strange puzzles, and unexpected alliances that lead him
on an adventure to save the building. Read the sequel, 3 Below (2013).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">DiCamillo, Kate. Flora and Ulysses. Candlewick, 2013. After
Flora saves a squirrel named Ulysses from a run-in with a vacuum cleaner, they
team up to use Ulysses’ superpowers to conquer villains and protect the weak.
Newbery Winner 2014.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">DuPrau, Jeanne. City of Ember. Random House, 2003. In the
city of Ember, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a
Messenger and finds a message that she and her friend Doon must decipher before
the lights go out on Ember forever! Read the sequels in the series: The People
of Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood, and The Diamond of </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Darkhold. Grabenstein,
Chris. Escape From Mr . Lemoncello’s Library . Random House, 2013.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gutman, Dan. Mission Unstoppable (Genius Files Series).
Harper, 2011. On a cross-country vacation with their parents, twins Coke and
Pepsi try to come to terms with being part of a top-secret government
organization known as The Genius Files. Includes Google Maps coordinates to
follow along. Read sequels: Never Say Genius (2012), You Only Die Twice (2013),
From Texas With Love (2014) andLicense to Thrill (2015).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hanal, Rachel. Can You Survive an Earthquake? Interactive
Survival Adventure. Capstone, 2013. You’re in the middle of one of the most
unpredictable natural disasters, an earthquake. No place is safe as the ground
shudders, shakes, and splits. How will you survive? Readers can choose how the
story ends in different adventures about survival during an earthquake. Read
any title in the series. S<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Jenson, Marion. Almost Super. Harper Collins, 2014. Two
brothers in a family of superheroes are forced to reexamine everything they
knew about being super when the powers they receive are total duds and their
enemy is revealed to be just like they are.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Korman, Gordon. The Hypnotist. Scholastic, 2013.
Twelve-year-old Jackson Opus is descended from two powerful hypnotist
bloodlines, but he has just begun to realize that he can control other peoples’
actions with sometimes frightening results – especially when the head of the
Sentia Institute plans to use Jackson for his own benefit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lloyd, Natalie. A Snicker of Magic. Scholastic, 2014. The
Pickles are new to Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, a town which legend says was once
magic. Felicity is convinced the magic is still there, and with the help of her
new friend Jonah the Beedle she hopes to bring the magic back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lord, Cynthia. Half a Chance. Scholastic, 2014. Lucy has
just moved to a small rural community in New Hampshire, and with her new friend
Nate she plans to spend the summer taking photos for a contest, but pictures
sometimes reveal more than people are willing to see.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lowry, Lois. The Willoughbys. Houghton Mifflin, 2008. A
tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes, in which the four Willoughby children
set out to become “deserving orphans” after their neglectful parents embark on
an around-the-world adventure, leaving them in the care of an odious nanny.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Peck, Richard. The Mouse With the Question Mark Tail. Dial,
2013. Mouse Minor, an undersized orphan with a question mark-shaped tail, is
uncertain of his heritage. He attends a prestigious school but is bullied by
his classmates. He flees beyond familiar territory and ends up in the palace.
All the while, he is unaware that spies are tracking his every move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. Atheneum Books, 1987. After a plane
crash, thirteen-year-old Brian spends fifty-four days in the wilderness,
learning to survive with only a hatchet. Read the sequels The River,
Brian’s Winter, Brian’s Return, and Brian’s Hunt. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Selznick, Brian.
Wonderstruck. Scholastic, 2011. Relates the stories of twelve-year-old Ben, who
loses his mother and his hearing in a short time frame and decides to leave his
Minnesota home in 1977 to seek the father he has never known in New York City;
and Rose, who lives with her father but feels compelled to search for what is
missing in her life. Ben’s story is told in words; Rose’s in pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stead, Rebecca. Liar & Spy. Wendy Lamb Books, 2012.
Seventh-grader Georges adjusts to moving from a house to an apartment, his
father’s efforts to start a new business, his mother’s extra shifts as a nurse,
being picked on at school, and Safer, a boy who wants his help spying on
another resident of their building.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stewart, Trenton Lee. The Mysterious Benedict Society.
Little, Brown, 2007. After passing a series of mind-bending tests, four
children are selected for a secret mission that requires them to go undercover
at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that
there are no rules. Read the sequels. S<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Weiner, Ellis. The Templeton Twins Have an Idea. Chronicle
Books, 2012. Abigail and John, the Templeton twins, and their dog Cassie foil a
pair of inept kidnappers intent on stealing one of their father’s newest
inventions.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-62231803074343078032015-06-15T07:07:00.000-06:002015-06-15T07:07:00.044-06:0011 year old journalist at the Denver Post pens the best review ever<h1 property="dc:title" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 2.5em; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0.5em 0px; padding: 0px;">
Fast, Fun, Summer Read</h1>
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ARTICLE | <time content="2015-05-26T15:04:20-06:00" datatype="xsd:dateTime" datetime="2015-05-26" property="dc:issued">MAY 26, 2015 - 3:04PM</time> | BY <a content="Vivian Weigel" href="http://nextgen.yourhub.com/author/vivian-weigel" property="dc:creator" rel="foaf:publications" style="color: black; text-decoration: none;" typeof="foaf:person">VIVIAN WEIGEL</a> (http://nextgen.yourhub.com/article/fast-fun-summer-read)</div>
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<img alt="" class="imagecache imagecache-400xY" src="http://nextgen.yourhub.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/400xY/dscn0193.jpg" height="300" style="border: none; outline: none;" title="" width="400" /><br />
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<span class="main-image-credit image-credit" style="font-size: 0.917em; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.03em;">Vivian Weigel</span></div>
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In "Brainwashed," Lucas defeated The Good Company (who are involved in child trafficking) in Paris. Now, in the second book of the Crime Travelers trilogy, "Diamonds are for Never," he is on the hunt for his birth mom who was supposedly killed many years ago.<br />
<br />
When he is nearly kidnapped by two Curukians (children who were trafficked and brainwashed), he is led to believe that the evidence is in his birth files may lead to his mother. As he begins to decode his files, the adventure continues in Rome where he discovers the code leads to his mother’s treasure. The mysteries of the past are unveiled in this new book.<br />
<br />
Paul Aertker, the author of the books, told me “Whenever I write these stories, I don’t really have a set plot. I just let Lucas become the person he is meant to be and let Lucas lead the story.” Aertker has been approached by Hollywood producers, and we may be someday seeing Lucas on the big screen.<br />
<br />
Recently, Aertker has been skyping with schools to talk about reading and writing. “I feel like the words on a page help kids imagine and become something more,” he said while describing why he tries to help schools make reading fun again. Visualization is an important element in making writing come alive. “If you can convert words on a page into pictures in your mind, you can make the invisible, visible, or the impossible, possible,” Aertker told me.<br />
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I recommend these books to both boys and girls who are looking for a quick, fun read. Eight to ten year olds would most definitely love them, but older kids would also enjoy the thrilling plots and humor that are mixed throughout. Be sure to check out "Brainwashed" and "Diamonds are for Never" to read more about Lucas and his wild journeys.<br />
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Main article here:http://nextgen.yourhub.com/article/fast-fun-summer-read</div>
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GALLERY: </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-49076951051378753362015-05-19T20:52:00.000-06:002015-05-19T20:52:31.833-06:00#BooksArentDangerous<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-41r6E6uL_R0/VVv12BmEgoI/AAAAAAAAGgY/o6F8GUN2zyI/s1600/%2523BookArentDangerous.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-41r6E6uL_R0/VVv12BmEgoI/AAAAAAAAGgY/o6F8GUN2zyI/s320/%2523BookArentDangerous.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Book aren't dangerous? </div>
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Oh! Yes, they are.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-781773786710841392015-05-07T17:54:00.001-06:002015-05-08T05:38:39.227-06:00This former teacher turned writer inspires kids to read!This is one of four videos we made for the launch of book 2 in the Crime Travelers series. This was a lot of fun. Enjoy!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5033358381510256989.post-52334149135355392932015-05-03T09:12:00.005-06:002015-05-03T09:13:37.005-06:002015 Summer reading lists should start with this middle school series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z84xbMM5Ekg/VUY6aOEKwNI/AAAAAAAAGeg/Ov1AV0zYNYk/s1600/Book%2B2%2B2Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z84xbMM5Ekg/VUY6aOEKwNI/AAAAAAAAGeg/Ov1AV0zYNYk/s1600/Book%2B2%2B2Day.jpg" height="235" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Author Paul Aertker (Ett Kerr) takes readers on another gripping world tour filled with adrenaline, humor, and pure excitement in Diamonds Are For Never, the action-packed second installment of the Crime Travelers series.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">#1 Amazon Bestseller in Children’s Travel Books</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The first installment in this series, Brainwashed, has already hit the top spot in Children’s Travel Book on Amazon Kindle. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On May 2, 2015 in DENVER, Colo., at the Bookies bookstore (4315 E Mississippi Ave, Denver, CO 80246 Phone: 303.759.1117) The second book, Diamonds Are For Never, will be available. The author will be in the store from 10 AM - 3 PM signing books and speaking every half hour about inspiring kids to read.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Larry Yoder of The Bookies says, “This one is even better than the first!”- Review </span><a href="http://www.thebookies.com/book/9781940137117" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Synopsis</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After sabotaging a mass kidnapping in Paris, Lucas Benes faces a new and perilous threat from Siba Günerro and her anything-but-good Good Company. When a briefcase-toting kid from the Falkland Islands joins the New Resistance, 14-year-old Lucas learns the truth about his mother and becomes a boy on a mission.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Lucas and friends speed in and around Rome—from the Colosseum to the Vatican—until they stowaway on a cargo ship carrying diamonds that could unlock the secret to Lucas’s past and destroy the Good Company’s future. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Diamonds Are For Never (Flying Solo Press, May 2, 2015. ISBN 978-1-940137-25-4 / eISBN 978-1-940137-26-1, $15.95, www.crimetravelers.com)</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This middle school series is for ages 9 and up. Kids will love this series’ humor and campy flavor. Perfect for 4th, 5th, 6th, & 7th grade summer reading lists.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The underlying theme of the series is self-reliance in adverse settings. Parents, teachers, and librarians will appreciate the worldwide geography & clean language. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">As a traveler and multilingual teacher, Paul has clocked nearly half his life outside the US. When he was a teenager, he slept on the streets of London to watch a royal wedding. He took the CIA exam because he wanted to be a spy for the good guys (and not the Good Company). He was an au pair in France and built a children’s library in Africa.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A former 5</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;">th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> grade teacher and consummate educator, Aertker said he writes for this age group because he relates to it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">“I act like a child,” he said with a laugh. “My emotional level doesn't really go past age 11. For me to write for this age group is easy because I can get there pretty quickly.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The books are available from bookstores everywhere. Please support your local independent bookstores! Review copies and interviews available by request at paul@crimetravelers.com</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">###</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Contact:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Paul Aertker</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">paul@crimetravelers.com</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">303.733.3751</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.crimetravelers.com/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">crimetravelers.com</span></span></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0