Author Interview - Jo Linsdell on her new book Fairy May

Jo Linsdell is a best selling author and illustrator, award winning blogger and freelance writer. Originally from the UK, she now lives in Rome, Italy with her husband and their two young sons. Her published books include:  Out and about at the zoo Italian For Tourists: Pocket Edition     A Guide To Weddings In Italy But today we're here to talk about her newest book, Fairy May, available now! Fairy May Written and illustrated by Jo Linsdell   Fairy May dreams of one day becoming a tooth fairy but she struggles at school and always seems to get things wrong. With hard work and determination she prepares for her test. Will she realize her dream and become a tooth fairy? Product details: Paperback: 32 pages Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Language: English ISBN-10: 1481951424 ISBN-13: 978-1481951425 Product Dimensions: 10 x 8 x 0.1 inches Purchasing links: Amazon Createspace   Q & A with Jo Q: Please tell us a bit about Fairy May.   Fairy May is a rhyming children's picture story book about a fairy called May that dreams of one day becoming a tooth fairy. She struggles at school and always seems to get things wrong but with hard work and determination she prepares for her tooth fairy exam. Q: What lessons does this book carry for the reader? The story carries two main lessons for the reader; A. To follow your dreams. Just because it isn't easy doesn't mean it can't be achieved. " But Fairy May tried and tried for she had a special dream; one day she'd be a tooth fairy, the best you've ever seen." B. The importance of dental hygiene. The text subtly introduces the reader to how to take care of their teeth correctly. "She learnt how to brush and keep teeth clean and how to floss right in between." Q: What was your inspiration for this book? This book is dedicated to my niece who, after seeing that my last book Out and About at the Zoo was dedicated to my two sons, asked if I'd write a book for her too. It needed to have fairies in it and so I brainstormed on ideas and came up with Fairy May. I wanted her to be a little girl fairy and to show that it's OK to not be perfect. I wanted young children to be able to relate to her and to encourage them to go after their dreams. The tooth fairy part came about because several of my 5 year old's friends have recently lost their first tooth and he has been full of questions on the subject. My 17 month old is also teething at the moment and so the topic of dental hygiene comes up a lot in our house at the moment. Q: What did you learn while writing Fairy May? The importance of having the right direction for my story not just a good text. In the original version the text worked fine as a story and rhymed nicely but the overall message wasn't as strong. After rewriting the last part I was much happier with the focus of the story. Simple changes can make a big difference. Q: What projects are you working on now? I'm busy with several projects at the moment. "The Bedtime Book" which is another rhyming children's picture book. "The Writers and Authors Guide to Social Media" and "Virtual Book Tours" which are two non-fiction books. 2013 is going to be a busy year for me as I have lots of other ideas too. Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers? I could write loads here but I'll limit it to my top 3: 1) To learn as much as you can about writing and the writing industry. Understanding how every works really helps. 2) Build your online presence. Marketing is part of the job description and what ever publishing route you take you'll need to do some marketing. By building your online reputation and growing a solid fan base you'll have more success at sending your content viral. 3) Write. If you write you are no longer an aspiring writer. You ARE a writer. Think about it, if you write just one page a day at the end of a year you'll have written 365 pages. That's a novel. if you don't have the time to write, make time. You'd be surprised at how many words you can get down in just a 5 minute writing sprint. Taking part in challenges like NaNoWriMo or more genre specific ones like PiBoIdMo can be a great motivator too. Q: Why do you think it's important for young people to read? Reading is an important life skill. Reading is needed to understand day to day things like what's on a medicine bottle. It's needed to enable you to find a good job. Through reading we learn new things and develop our imaginations. Reading is exercise for our brains and helps encourage creativity. Reading strengthens character too as it gives you the chance to build your own educated views on things. Knowledge is powerful and leads to better self esteem. I could go on and on but the bottom line is that young people are the future and by being able to read that future will be better. Q: Any closing words? Be like Fairy May and always follow your dreams. Just because something is difficult doesn't mean it can't be done. To learn more about Jo and her books, please follow these links: Author website: www.JoLinsdell.com Contact details: Email: webmaster@jolinsdell.com Social Media Links: Facebook Twitter Google+ LinkedIn YouTube Goodreads Amazon  Happy Readings, Casey Sean Harmon www.caseyseanharmon.com

Meet the Author Event - Hohenfels, Germany

I will be signing posters and reading parts of my new book at the Hohenfels, Germany library this Saturday (2 Feb) from 1200-1400. Book reading times: 1230 & 1330. Hope to see you there!

Kickstarter Success Story: The Backers

EVENT: FUNDED!

I would like to thank the following individuals for their support and contributions to my Kickstarter campaign. These individuals pledged a combined total of $1,859.00 toward pre-order sales of my novel "Reign of the Night Creatures." Let it be known that these individuals are the first people to own copies of  "Reign of the Night Creatures." These individuals are (in backer order):

Travis Kamper
Jack David Dean
Kendra S. Berni
Jane Uhlig
David Nye
Jose A. Ortiz
Ginger Howard
Darlene Mitchell Bray
Andrew Nye
Kelly Watson
Angela O'Malley
Cody Brown
angand65
Megan Burg
Melissa Steele
Ryan Hills
Ligia Meza
Wade Epperson
Amy Balf
Christina Gresham
Alicia Mills
Jared Payzant
Emma Parsons
Christine Ditzel
Myrlo Hall
Rodney B. Bush
Daniel R. Ringgenberg
Gillian Michel
Rita Binns
Sunny Omyk
Amanda Arthur Krill
Donna Garland
Betty Mason
Carol Lightfoot
Heather Gunn
Evelyn Ward
Erin Calderon
Manuel T. Rosedo
Keno Weingarten
Nan Hood Barker
Kristi Hunter
Jenny Kile
Shane Murray
Jeanne Oconnell
Alene Geed
Tina Wagner Mattern
Mark McCay
Delores A. Murtha
Jamie Myers
Margaret St. John
Shelly Sergent
Jamie Danielson
TheChosenOne
Heather Garcia
Monta Jackson
Henry W. Schubert
Matt Gilleland
Dewitt Tal Latimer
Amber Harris
Larry Edwards
Tommy Schubert
Galvin Danzy
Paula Hicks Smith
Tina Shifflett
Matthew S. Heller
Christopher D. Sandford
Jennifer Sidoli
Gina Weinzetl
Ebony Leavitt
Jennifer Myers
Justin Blaylock
Heather Upchurch
DeeGee
Lori Casatta
Rebecca McCay

The Everafter Chronicles: Reign of the Night Creatures will be available by Tate Publishing wherever books are sold this Spring! Click HERE to learn more.

Happy readings,
Casey Sean Harmon
www.caseyseanharmon.com

My Kickstarter Campaign - Final day!

We're currently up to $1,866.00 in pledges! If you haven't already pledged, now is your chance. Event ends in 25 hours! CLICK HERE!

Happy Readings,
Casey Sean Harmon

SGT Harmon's Secret Identity - AFN Commercial

I was recently featured in an American Forces Network (AFN) commercial. Please see below, and share. :)

Behind the scenes photos. (Courtesy of Scott Myers.)

Happy readings,
Casey Sean Harmon
www.caseyseanharmon.com

The Countdown Begins!

Have you pre-ordered your autographed, first-edition copy? If not, what are you waiting for?!

There are only FIVE days remaining for you to take advantage of this special offer. Once the five days are up, this opportunity may never come around again.

We're currently up to $1,542.00 in pledges. Help me to reach $2,000.00 by the 26th of January!

Support family-friendly reading...

CLICK HERE TO PLEDGE!

So what do I hope to accomplish from this book?

It is my goal to instill good, positive morals to young readers in such a way that they are having too much fun to realize that they are actually learning valuable life lessons. The writing style and overall spirit of The Everafter Chronicles has been compared by a number of reviewers to The Chronicles of Narnia. It is my goal for my book to appeal to a large and diverse audience. Some might compare the book to The Adventures in Odyssey series, while others believe that it more resembles some aspects of a young adult version of The Lord of the Rings. I believe my book to be an epic tale of excitement and adventure. Nonetheless, I have taken great caution to support good morals and to teach valuable lessons without promoting one certain faith group. It is good, clean fun!

Please join me in my mission to promote high-quality, family-friendly adventure! By pledging you will not only be supporting my book, but you will also be helping to fund my national book tour. Who knows, I may visit a store in your area! Please support!

Reviews:

"Casey Sean Harmon's 'The Everafter Chronicles: Reign of the Night Creatures' has the feel of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia with the story revolving around three siblings and their dog who were pulled to another world and immersed in a magical adventure. It is a world where the fight between good and evil is ever present; a world called 'Everafter' where evil can be defeated by the presence of light. But how can evil be fought when, at night, the moon is nowhere to be found? Can these children save 'Everafter'? I love Harmon's writing style. It is simple, concise, and organized. The way he develops his story and his characters is seamless. I know that if I have kids, this book will be one of those that I'd read over and over again, simply because Casey Sean Harmon has been able to effectively teach courage, compassion, generosity, trust, and most especially love. The way Harmon ended 'Reign of the Night Creatures' reminds the reader to value not just friends, but also family. Casey Sean Harmon is also able to teach the reader the value of community and teamwork; that we are not alone in solving the problems of the world and that the people we meet are instrumental in our success."

-Mina Rivera, Reader's Favorite (5 star rating)


"A fast-paced, fun adventure for young children. Would make a great bedtime story."

-Alison Pensy, Bestselling author of The Custodian Novels


"Reign of the Night Creatures is an action-packed modern story in the brilliant tradition of the Chronicles of Narnia. James and his sisters are kept on their toes in the imaginative world of Everafter, where the battle of light versus dark rages. Who knows what darkness's next move will be?"

-E.P. Marcellin, Bestselling author of Element Keepers


"I truly enjoyed reading this book; I found the story to be incredibly innovative and imaginative."

-Meghan Gregg, Tate Publishing


"Adventure reigns in this debut novel. What a fun ride."

-Obert Skye, National Bestselling author (Leven Thumps series, Pillage Trilogy)


“Inspired, imaginative and very exciting, it’s a great adventure for young readers."

-Brian Falkner, Bestselling author (The Tomorrow Code, Brain Jack)


PLEDGE TODAY! 




 

Happy Readings,
Casey Sean Harmon

The Everafter Chronicles: The Movie!

This is HUGE! A major movie production company (I am not at liberty to say which) recently took an interest in my upcoming YA novel. "Like" the Facebook page below to show that you support the idea of turning my book into a feature film!

Movie producers are always on the lookout for fresh, new ideas. One of the things they look for when considering turning a book into a movie is whether or not the book/author has a large following. Of course, the larger the fan base, the easier the decision is for the producers. (They know that a lot of people will turn out to see the movie.)

Are you a fan of The Everafter Chronicles? Would you like to see my book turned into a movie? Please show your support by liking this page and helping me to get the word out! 

Click on this link to "like":

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Everafter-Chronicles-The-Movie/100288023369964

Happy readings,

Casey Sean Harmon

www.caseyseanharmon.com

Life as a Writer

My life as a writer consists of many things. There's the writing, of course. But the biggest part of my writing career actually revolves around finding inspiration and marketing my work. (For me, the two kind of go hand-in-hand.)
   Remember, I am also an active duty Soldier. It is hard for me to establish a daily writing routine since no two days in the military are the same. The mission always comes first, so there are times when I must go weeks, sometimes months, without writing. But during the times when I am not writing or marketing my work, I am watching and listening for things to get my creative juices flowing. Many of the things that I write about were inspired by life events, and many of my characters are based off of real people in my life. Writing is a job that never ends. Even when I am not writing, I am thinking about things to write about.
   When possible, my favorite times to write are either very early in the morning (before PT) or late at night. However, I have found myself jotting things down during staff meetings, in the middle of movies and during wakeful spurts in the middle of the night. Inspiration knows no schedule. It is a living, breathing entity of its own.
   In closing, I would like to say that life as a writer is a lot of hard work. People who are not writers will never know the amount of work and dedication that goes into writing. And being a writer is not for everybody. There are plenty of people out there who are very good at writing, however they choose not to be writers for the simple fact that the lifestyle is very demanding. In the competitive world today, writers must concentrate just as much attention on marketing themselves as they do promoting their work. This, among many other things, includes constant communication with fans, and that can demand many hours of work which can be both rewarding and fun!

   Thanks for reading,
   Casey Sean Harmon
   www.caseyseanharmon.com

Updates...and Thanks!

In this post I will attempt to update you on some interesting things that are going on.

First off, I want to thank those of you who answered my call for help in my last post. It means a lot to me when my friends and fans care enough about my work to help me promote it, and I am forever grateful.

The three people (that I know of) who blogged about my book are: Kendra S. Berni, Elaine Taff and Jennifer Owenby. (Click on their names to access their blogs.) Again, thanks guys!

Next, I am pleased to announce that my Kickstarter campaign is up to 47 backers and $1,247.00 in pledges! And we still have 15 days to go until the event ends! I would like to say thank you to all of my faithful friends and fans who have pledged. Please continue to help me get the word out!

Speaking of my Kickstarter campaign, I have created a Facebook group open ONLY to those who have supported my project. Starting now until they receive their packages in the mail, I will post excerpts, behind-the-scenes details and illustrations--exclusive only to backers! This is just my way of saying thank you, and hopefully this will make the "Everafter" experience a little more special. :) So if you haven't already done so, pledge today to see what you are missing!

Today I conducted an interview with The Bavarian Times in reference to what it is like to be an author in the military. The article should be out sometime next week. Also, AFN (American Forces Network) will be filming a commercial to officially expose my "secret identity" (lol) this Sunday. Will keep you posted...

And last, I received news from my publisher a few days ago that I should be receiving my first copy of my book in the mail any day now. I can hardly wait! I will be posting pictures...

Again, thank you all for your support. This has indeed been an exciting adventure so far!

Until next time,
Casey Sean Harmon

Calling All Bloggers: I Need YOUR Help!

Hello, thanks for responding to my call for help. I would like to ask a favor. Don't worry, I'm not expecting you to do something without giving you something in return. I recently started a Kickstarter project to raise money to 1) promote family-friendly reading, and 2) to raise money for my national book tour.

What am I asking you to do? Please help me get the word out about my Kickstarter campaign by posting about in on your blog. It can be as simple as posting the link to my campaign with a headline that says, "Check out this author's new book and help him to promote family-friendly reading."

What will I give you in return? If you decide to post about my campaign, please message me your e-mail address and I will send you a PDF copy of my bestselling poem book, "The Earth is a Floating Sphere," FREE of charge!



As of today, my campaign is already up to 37 backers and $1,068.00 in pledges! I would like to get this up to $2,000.00 by 26 January. Please help me achieve this goal!

This is the link to my Kickstarter campaign:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/caseyseanharmon/the-everafter-chronicles-reign-of-the-night-creatu

Thanks in advance for your support,

Casey Sean Harmon

YAY! We just reached 36 backers and $1,048.00 in pledges!

I am pleased to announce that we just passed our goal of $1,000.00 in pledges!

That means two things:

1) This event was successful! We reached our minimum goal, and now everyone will receive their prizes within the following few months.

2) This event still has 21 days to go until it ends! That means that people can still pledge, so please continue to help me get the word out! Let's see if we can reach $2,000.00 by the 26th!

I want to thank all of you for your support. All of your names will be displayed on my website, and one day when I am famous (knock on wood) you will be known as the people who helped me get started. :)

And last but not least, I would like to thank God. I hope that my life can be a testimony for others.






Blessings,
Casey Sean Harmon