The Dream Keeper - Guest Post and Giveaway!

 

Hello friends! Today I have the honour and pleasure of hosting a guest post and GIVEAWAY by my lovely friend and wonderful author MIKEY BOOKS!

For those who don't know Mikey, here's his author Bio:

Mikey Brooks is a small child masquerading as adult. On occasion you’ll find him dancing the funky chicken, singing like a banshee, and pretending to have never grown up. He is the author/illustrator of several books including BEAN’S DRAGONS, the ABC ADVENTURES series, and author of the middle-grade fantasy-adventure novel, THE DREAM KEEPER. He spends most of his time playing with his daughters and working as a freelance illustrator. Mikey has a BS degree in Creative Writing from Utah State University. He is also one of the hosts of the Authors’ Think Tank Podcast.

I had the great privilege of meeting Mikey at Rhemalda Publishing's first ever Got Stories? conference in Salt Lake City in June 2012. We got talking, and once I returned home to the UK, we carried on the friendship through email and Facebook. When he was looking for a copy-editor to help him prepare The Dream Keeper for publication, he came to me. I was honoured to work with him, especially as The Dream Keeper is such a brilliant book!

Dreams: Dorothy called it Oz, Alice called it Wonderland, but Nightmares call it HOME.
When an evil shifter takes over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, it falls to 14-year-olds Parker and Kaelyn to stop him. Their only hope lies with Gladamyr, the Dream Keeper, but can they trust a Nightmare to save their world?

SYNOPSIS:
Loser—the most frightening word to ever be uttered in junior high school. Even the coolest kids are afraid of being associated with it. 14-year-old Parker Bennett is no exception. He can’t even be himself around his friends for fear they might not accept who he really is. When circumstances force him to team up with Kaelyn Clarke, the biggest loser in the ninth grade, Parker has to decide what is more important; protecting his social status or saving the world. Nightmare named Fyren has taken over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, with the intention of controlling mortals, and it falls on Parker, Kaelyn, and Gladamyr – the Dream Keeper – to stop him. They learn being called a loser is no longer a fear, when compared to the terror of real nightmares.

In Praise of THE DREAM KEEPER:
“This really is a cracking novel. Action-packed and spellbinding!”—Cas Peace, author of the Artesans of Albia series.

So you see, I am already a fan of Mikey's work. Below you will find links to where you too can connect with Mikey, and also links to The Dream Keeper on Amazon. Oh - and don't forget the GIVEAWAY! You'll find the entry form at the bottom of the post. But now Mikey would like to share some of the thoughts that were going through his mind while he was planning and writing The Dream Keeper. Over to you, Mikey!

 

The Darker Side of Dreams

By: Mikey Brooks

 

I am excited to announce the release of my middle-grade fantasy THE DREAM KEEPER. It is an action-packed adventure with a toe in both the real world and the fantastic. When an evil shifter takes over the gateway to the realm of Dreams, it falls to 14-year-olds Parker and Kaelyn to stop him. Their only hope lies with Gladamyr, the Dream Keeper, but can they trust a Nightmare to save their world?

One of the most thrilling things that came from writing THE DREAM KEEPER was being able to delve into the nightmares of children. It was fun to explore the realms that scare kids. One thing that I’ve been asked is, how do you know when the ‘scary stuff’ is too much?

I believe kids can handle a lot more than we give them credit for. Look at the Harry Potter books; there is some scary stuff in there that kids didn’t pick up on because they think differently than adults. They don’t worry, like a parent, about losing a child to a dark wizard. Adults fear tangible things that may or may not happen, like death, an attacker, a break in, a terrorist act, and natural disasters. All these things have happened and we as adults fear they could happen to us. That is what is scary for adults. Sure kids have similar fears too, but it is the unknown that is scary for kids. Not knowing is worse than knowing. They fear the dark intangible things.

When I write to scare kids, I try to emphasize the dark hidden things. I try to look at what kids are afraid of and set that as my goal. While I was writing THE DREAM KEEPER I did a lot of research into what kids are afraid of. What I found interesting is the number one thing kids are afraid of is the dark. Kids are afraid of the unknown. They fear what might be there hiding. I built off that fear in creating the nightmares for my book. I did find myself pulling back on some of the scenes in the book, but only when I found myself questioning if that was just too freaky or not. Mostly I ignored it, knowing I’m a wimp compared to most kids.

Mikey. 
 

Thanks for sharing that, Mikey, it's always fascinating to hear the mechanics of how an author decides what to write. And now that everyone's read your guest post, and heard so much about the book, I think it's time to read an excerpt! And people, below the excerpt are all the links you'll need to buy The Dream Keeper. Please don't forget to enter the GIVEAWAY to win a SIGNED COPY of The Dream Keeper!

EXCERPT FROM BOOK:

Parker was about to assassinate the general of the goblin army. It wasn’t murder, it was an assignment. He tried to justify what he was about to do as he jumped from the rooftop and landed just above the battlement wall. It was the perfect spot to scout the camp. The goblins filling the keep were everywhere, sharpening blades and axes or gathering weapons for the impending battle. Parker noticed a large troll in the right hand corner of the space below, hammering solidly on a sword large enough to split three men into six. He spotted his target.

The general of the goblin army was a large brute with golden braids hanging down his chest. He was the one who had ordered the burning of Parker’s home village. The one who had ordered the death of Parker’s family and friends. This monster, this villain, was the reason Parker had set out on his journey to seek vengeance upon the unjust. This was the creature responsible for Parker swearing allegiance to the Mightercore army, who quickly gave him the role of assassin-scout.

Parker maneuvered his way down the wall, careful not to move too fast or his invisibility cloak would lose its power. He placed his foot in one crevice, then his hand in another. After a few moments of skilled climbing, Parker found himself precariously positioned just behind the golden haired brute, leaving only a small distance between him and his foe. In a quick session tactic, Parker could ignite his blade with the magic of the Mightercore and his target would be no more. He positioned himself to strike, raising his sword and whispering the incantation that would release the blade’s power—

“Parker.”

He ignored whoever was calling his name; they did not matter. All he saw was the villain before him. The completed spell ignited Parker’s sword with a blazing haze of blue fire, and he had to act fast.

“Parker!”

The loud call startled him and he swung too late. The goblin general had already turned and he struck, forcing Parker back against the rocky battlements. Parker parried the attack and thrust forward with a low slash. The general sidestepped and lunged forward again. Parker parried and rolled away from the wall. A lightning spell was the only magic he had left. If he could find enough time to call out the incantation, he could have the general radiating electrons from every appendage.

He rolled until he was a good ten feet from his opponent, then quickly stood. Lifting his hand into the air, he called down the lightning. The sky filled with a brilliant white light, and the crack of thunder reverberated off the walls. Parker briefly closed his eyes then opened them, praying he had hit his target. As the white dust began to clear, he made out an image before him. He peered at it, his heart thumping.

The screen went black.

“Parker, I’ve called you three times. Now get off that machine and go do your homework.”

EMAIL MIKEY: insidemikeysworld@gmail.com

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/

Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Mikey-Brooks/e/B00B8ICZ4W

Blog: http://writtenbymikey.blogspot.com/
Podcast: http://www.foreverwriters.com/category/podcast/
Goodreads at: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17727253-the-dream-keeper  
Facebook at: http://facebook.com/writtenbymikeybrooks
Twitter as: @writtenbymikey
WattPad: http://wattpad.com/MikeyBrooks

BOOK LINKS:
Hardback: http://www.amazon.com/Dream-Keeper-Mikey-Brooks/dp/1939993016
Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1939993032
Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/The-Dream-Keeper-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00CPE0PT0
Paperback Create Space: https://www.createspace.com/4260677
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17727253-the-dream-keeper
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115262781?ean=9781939993014

TITLE: THE DREAM KEEPER
ISBN:
Hardback: 978-1-939993-01-4, Paperback: 978-1-939993-03-8, EBook: 978-1-939993-02-1
PRICE:  (US)
Hardback: $19.95, Paperback: $12.99, EBook: $4.99.
PRICE: (UK)
Paperback: £852, EBook: £3.30.

THE DREAM KEEPER GIVEAWAY!! ENTER TO WIN A SIGNED COPY!!



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The Alchemy of Song.

I adore being a writer. I love it for so many different reasons, but one of the strongest is being able to use something I’m good at for helping other people, or making them smile.

 

Of course, I hope that my fantasy series, Artesans of Albia, connects emotionally with my readers. I like to think I can feel them laughing, crying, getting angry, feeling sad, experiencing the first pangs of love, grieving, and all the other human emotions that keep us alive, along with me as I write. I have always written from an emotional viewpoint, and I have a hard time imagining how you could NOT write from an emotional viewpoint. I invest every bit of my heart and soul into what I write – be it fiction, non-fiction, or songs. I know from the wonderful reviews that King’s Envoy and King’s Champion have received that many readers are able to feel what my characters feel, and this is something vitally important to me. I know I have succeeded as a writer when that happens.

 

The other aspect of my creative life, however – song writing – is different. The addition of music to the words heightens or changes the listener’s responses, because there are two different connections going on. First you have the meaning conveyed by the words of the song. This, generally, is unambiguous, although some song writers do seem to delight in producing words that confuse and puzzle! With those who don’t, the listener immediately knows what the writer is trying to say.

Then there’s the more visceral, maybe even spiritual, connection formed by the music, which is a far more subjective and fluid medium than the written word.

With written words, readers can impose their own ‘voice’ or imagination over that of the writer, and this can sometimes alter the meaning of those words beyond anything the writer envisaged. Written words can be fickle, even misunderstood. Think of those texts or emails sent in haste, whose recipients took umbrage over what was meant as a joke. It is nigh-on impossible to convey tone of voice with a few bald words, and emoticons must be used instead, to provide a visual key.

With music, however, it is so much easier to convey emotions that everyone can instantly relate to. Even people who don’t like music can hear the mood the composer intended to create. And when you put both together! – well, an alchemy occurs unlike any other, instantly transporting the listener to a unique place inhabited only by that song.

 

This is what I have tried to do in my own song writing. The songs I am creating for my Artesans series are steered by each book – some exist in full within the book itself, in poem form, such as The Wheel Will Turn, from King’s Envoy, used here in the book trailer from Rhemalda Publishing. Others exist as snippets, or are only mentioned by title. Creating these is a challenge I relish.

A completely different challenge, however, comes into being when you decide to create a song for someone else. It becomes a beast with dual nature, because there is someone else to please – someone else’s feelings and desires to consider.

When I read Mikey Brooks’ soon-to-be-published MG novel, The Dream Keeper, I immediately wanted to create that alchemy by writing the lullaby that eases young sleepers into the Land of Dreams. Mikey’s prose enabled me to hear the song so clearly, and the more I thought about it, the more I found myself humming a pleasing and soothing melody. In his book, the lullaby exists only as a hummed melody – there are no words. However, my creative juices had started to run and I simply had to add some words. Once this was done, of course, I had to face the hardest part of all – I had to let Mikey hear it! What he didn’t know – and won’t know until he reads this blog post – is that I have never written a song for anyone else before. I have written songs with people, and I have worked with others on my own songs, but I have never actually created a song completely and totally for someone else – let alone without their knowledge! Plus, I had to record it on my computer, with just my voice and my rusty old guitar that I haven’t played for years!

 

Thankfully, the recording came out well enough for Mikey to imagine how the polished lullaby would sound. I was so relieved he liked it! I recorded it to a lovely sound track created by my wonderful song-writing partners: David Snell (my brother) and David Shepherd (collectively known as Nex’t’Nothin). I will be adding it to my website as a free download, and I’m sure it will feature on Mikey’s website too. Maybe even on a trailer for The Dream Keeper, so why not watch out for it? And while you’re at it, why not buy The Dream Keeper when it is published? It’s a wonderful book, well written, with lots of tension and action. It’s classed as MG, but it’s a great read for adults, too! I will be hosting a Giveaway and a guest post by Mikey on this blog on May 24^th. Hope to see you then!

Cover Reveal: A Change of Plans by Donna K Weaver

Today I am very excited to participate in the cover reveal for fellow Rhemalda author Donna K Weaver's debut novel, A Change of Plans. Donna is a lovely person and I am very much looking forward to reading and reviewing her novel. Here are the details:

Author: Donna K. Weaver (author website: http://donnakweaver.com)

Genre: Adventure Romance

Publication Date: Jun 1, 2013

Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing (publisher website: http://www.rhemalda.com)

Book Description:

When Lyn sets off on her supposedly uncomplicated and unromantic cruise, she never dreams it will include pirates. All the 25-year-old Colorado high school teacher wants to do is forget that her dead fiancé was a cheating scumbag. Lyn plans a vacation diversion; fate provides Braedon, an intriguing surgeon. She finds herself drawn to him: his gentle humor, his love of music, and even his willingness to let her take him down during morning karate practices. Against the backdrop of the ship’s make-believe world and temporary friendships, her emotions come alive. 

However, fear is an emotion, too. Unaware of the sensitive waters he's navigating, Braedon moves to take their relationship beyond friendship--on the very anniversary Lyn is on the cruise to forget. Lyn's painful memories are too powerful, and she runs from Braedon and what he has to offer.

Their confusing relationship is bad enough, but when the pair finds themselves on one of the cruise's snorkeling excursions in American Samoa, things get worse. Paradise turns to piracy when their party is kidnapped and Lyn's fear of a fairytale turns grim. Now she must fight alongside the man she rejected, first for their freedom and then against storms, sharks, and shipwreck.

Author Bio:

Donna K. Weaver is a Navy brat who joined the Army and has lived in Asia and Europe. Because she sailed the Pacific three times as a child, she loves cruising and wishes she could accrue enough vacation time to do more of it with her husband.
At fifty, Donna decided to study karate and earned her black belt in Shorei Kempo.

After recording city council minutes for twenty years, Donna decided to write something a little longer and with a lot more emotion--and kissing.

Donna and her husband reside in Utah, they have six children and eight grandchildren who live all over the world.

Personally, I think the book sounds awesome and I can't wait to read it. The cover looks fantastic, another winner from Rhemalda Publishing, and there's an awesome book trailer. Donna's son plays in a band called Kinslayer, and the music on the video is theirs. Even more awesome! You will find the trailer link below the cover - why not take a look and let Donna know what you think?

 

http://youtu.be/MPI1uZQG66k

Authors Tagging Authors Blog Hop - Q&A.

Hello Everyone!
Here is my contribution to the ‘Authors Tagging Authors’ blog hop. I was originally tagged/tigged by my favourite historical novelist Judith Arnopp (do check out her books, they are wonderful!) http://www.juditharnoppnovelist.blogspot.co.uk/ back in December 2012, but was tardy in posting to my own blog (apologies, Judith – better late than never?) More recently I was tagged/tigged again by Simon Andrew Stirling, author of ‘The King Arthur Conspiracy’ – a fantastic book. Here’s his blog link: http://simonandrewstirling.blogspot.co.uk/
So I thought I’d better get to it and finally answer these blog hop questions! Hope you enjoy them. And below you’ll find links and a brief intro to the authors I’ve tagged/tigged in my turn. They are all great writers with some brilliant books to share. Why not check them out?

Ok, here we go:

 What is the working title of your next book?

The title of my next book is King’s Artesan, and it is the concluding book in my first trilogy, Artesans of Albia. It goes to my editor in March and will be published in July. The first two books  in the series are King’s Envoy and King’s Champion. After that, Rhemalda will be publishing all three books in my second trilogy, Circle of Conspiracy, in 2014. Should be a fun year!

Where did the idea come from for the book?

I have to answer this for the entire first trilogy, as it was actually written as one hugely long story. And I didn’t start out to write a book, all I was trying to do when I began writing was to make a cold and boring winter go a bit quicker! But there are two main reasons why I began writing. The first stems from a children’s TV programme that I used to watch back in the 70s. Called ‘Tarot, Ace of Wands’, it was about a magician who was also a bit of a crime solver. For some reason, a small thought sparked by this programme stuck in my brain for years. When I returned to the UK in 1994, after three years of living in Italy, I had a lot of spare time on my hands. During the winter of 2001, I became increasingly bored with not having a job, and so I decided to write this small idea out. No one was more shocked than I when all these other ideas and extensions of this tiny idea began snowballing into a book. In case you are interested, the initial thought or idea that started the whole thing off was, where would someone born with a special talent or power go to find help with it if no one else around him was gifted? The initial scene that I wrote concerned Taran Elijah’s first meeting with Major Sullyan at the Manor.

What genre does your book fall under?

My Artesans series is Epic Fantasy, which is the genre I am most drawn to. The books themselves are aimed at adults, although I have had readers as young as twelve who have really enjoyed my first two books. The final trilogy in the series gets progressively darker, though, and there are times when it borders on dark fantasy or even horror, so those books are definitely not for children!

 What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

This is quite a hard question in some ways because I am not a film buff and only really know the very famous actors. I would certainly struggle to find someone to play Major Sullyan! But one of my characters, Elias, High King of Albia, was actually modelled on the English actor Sean Bean, who played Bernard Cornwell’s Richard Sharp, and also Boromir in Lord of the Rings and Eddard Stark in Game of Thrones. They’ll have to hurry up with the film version of my books though because Sean Bean is in his 50s now and King Elias is 33!

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I am very fortunate in that my books are published by independent US publishing house Rhemalda Publishing. Like most writers, I went down the route of submitting to agents and UK publishers, and then spread my net to include those in the US as well. I received many encouraging replies from agents and publishers alike, all telling me to keep trying, and that my work was definitely publishable and would find a home. Yet no one ever offered to take me on. In that time I also wrote a non-fiction book, For the Love of Daisy, and that was published with a very small indie publisher, www.canwritewillwrite.com I gathered a wealth of publishing experience through Daisy’s book and came to the reluctant conclusion that I would have to self-publish my Artesans series. Then one day I was on Facebook and saw Rhemalda Publishing www.rhemalda.com mentioned in a post about fantasy books. I did some research and decided to submit, as a final attempt at securing a ‘traditional’ publisher. To my great amazement, they loved my book and offered me a contract! They are an awesome company and I’m very fortunate to be working with them.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I wrote the entire first Artesans trilogy in around seven months. It was such a wonderful experience but also a bit scary, because I couldn’t seem to stop writing, yet I had no idea where all these plotlines and characters were coming from. It was an almost physical ache when I couldn’t write, like at weekends when I had other things to do, and I used to get quite tetchy if an idea was knocking and I couldn’t get somewhere where I could write it down!

 What other books would you compare this to within your genre?

I’m not too good at comparing my own work to others’, but I have had reviewers compare me to Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan and George R. R. Martin (yes, really!). I suppose my tales are on an epic scale, as theirs are, so maybe that’s the similarity. As far as writing style goes, I try to write only like myself.

 Who or what inspired you to write the songs associated with this book?

My own love of singing inspired me, I guess. It seemed natural to include references to music in a tale set within a medieval-style world, because music would have been a major form of entertainment. Songs – and one in particular – also help my characters accomplish their tasks and overcome the obstacles placed in their way. This is especially relevant in the final trilogy, Master of Malice, where a very personal song enables a character to connect with dead souls. On a practical level, my husband plays guitar, and he and I met through singing. My brother and his song-writing partner also helped and inspired me with writing and recording the tracks, and we’re having great fun writing songs for the rest of the series. Having music associated with each book is also a great marketing tool and has opened the doors to several radio interviews for me.

 What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

My main female character is quite a charismatic and unusual person. I wanted to create a believable female fantasy lead because I so often found that the females in other books I’ve read have either been there mainly as ‘love- (or lust!) interest, or they’ve been Red Sonja types, totally over-the-top Amazonian male-hating women. I wanted to create a woman who could exist, and compete, in a male-dominated world without sacrificing her femininity and vulnerability. She had to be powerful, yet humble; beautiful, yet approachable; capable of great leadership, yet without arrogance or pig-headedness. Judging by some of my reviewers’ comments, I succeeded, and that really pleases me. There are also some very rounded male characters too, though – I didn’t neglect the men!

Thanks for reading, please don’t hesitate to contact me at cas@caspeace.com if you’d like more information. Or you can visit my website: www.caspeace.com

 Up next on this blog tour is author/illustrator Mikey Brooks. He has published several picture books including Bean’s Dragons and ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures. He’ll be discussing his middle-grade fantasy novel The Dream Keeper. Check him out at www.writtenbymikey.blogspot.com

 Then we have Steven D Jackson, a fellow Rhemalda author whose paranormal thriller Shifter is just brilliant. See his blog: http://thecerberusarmchair.blogspot.co.uk/

You might like to try author Gordon Long’s unique fantasy tale, “A Sword Called … Kitten?” and also his insightful and humorous look at the human race, “Why Are People So Stupid?” He also has a great blog, plus poems and short stories. His website is: http://airbornpress.ca/Home.php and you can find his blog here: http://airbornpress.ca/arewestupid/blogweb/index.php

And you MUST check out Tom Barczak, the author and illustrator of Kindle serial epic, Awakening Evarun, and his debut novel, Veil of the Dragon, Book One of the Prophecy of the Evarun. See his website: http://tombarczak.com/

Last but by no means least we have the hugely talented Candace C. Bowen, another member of the Rhemalda family, who formerly wrote under the name Candace Bowen Early. She has several published novels, all of which are awesome:
Titles available through Seven Realms Publishing:
A Knight of Silence - Vol. I
A Knight of Battle - Vol. II
Jack of Hearts (Available March 2013)
Voodoo Fire (Available Fall 2013)
Available through Rhemalda Publishing:
Spur of the Moment
Wicked Embers (Sequel)
Check out her website for more details: http://www.knightseries.com

Enjoy!!

 

 

Coming Up With Ideas

Hello everyone, and may I take this opportunity to wish all my friends, followers, fans and fellow book lovers a very Happy New Year!

Today I am privileged and excited to be kicking off 2013 by welcoming onto my blog my lovely friend and fellow writer Mikey Brooks. This is a first for me, because I haven't before hosted a guest on my blog. It's high time I did and I'm so very pleased that my first guest is Mikey.

Mikey and I met in June 2012 in Salt Lake City, Utah, at Rhemalda Publishing's 'Got Stories?' reading and writing conference. We didn't have too much time to get to know each other then, but the spark of friendship and kindred spirit was born. Since then we have worked together, and I have come to realize what an undiscovered talent Mikey is. Not only in his writing (watch out world - Mikey has some great novels to share!) but also as an illustrator. Having dabbled with "art" in a very superficial way myself, I know how hard it is to produce something good. Not only is Mikey's artwork appealing and pleasing to the eye, it also has an irresistible quality that makes you want to see more. I'm sure you will agree when you see the examples further down this post. 

Mikey has some great tips in his post about where you can find ideas to fuel your writing muse. He also has a GIVEAWAY going on over at Goodreads - details at the bottom of his post, so don't miss it! I will hand over to him now and let him tell you all about his work. Take it away, Mikey! 

Coming up with Ideas

By: Author/Illustrator: Mikey Brooks

 

The idea of Bean’s Dragons actually came from my three year old daughter. One day I was standing in the dining room and she started yelling at someone in the living room. When I went to see who it was the only person in the room was her. She explained to me that her dragons were jumping on the couch and she had told them over and over to get down. Playing along with her imagination, I opened the front door and asked her dragons to go home. Fortunately they never did.

 

I believe ideas for stories can be found anywhere. We just have to be open to receive them when they do. The best way to keep your ideas flowing is to be doing other things than writing. I know this might sound off the wall, but it’s true. You need to immerse yourself in all things creative. Watch a few shows, read a few books, hang out with kids and ask them to describe crazy things like the tickle monster, or even draw a picture. Ideas really can be anywhere.

 

Once I have an idea I find it helpful to write it down. I have a notebook on my nightstand that has a pen next to it. Sometimes I’m woken by fantastic dreams or ideas that I think will be great to write about. Sometimes I can’t read the scribbled notes in the morning, but most of the time I get the hint of what I was trying to say. I think it is important to have a notebook, or something for you to collect ideas on, with you all day long. Fortunately I have a smart phone now and can jot down notes anytime in it. Before my phone I used to write on the backs of napkins, scrap paper, even toilet paper. Ideas for my middle grade book The Dream Keeper, started as a dream I had one night. I wrote down what I remembered from it and then later when I was at work I began to sketch out notes on cake order forms (yes, I work in a bakery).

 

 Now that you have an idea, should you work on it right away? If you are not working on something currently, then yes. If you already have a work in progress, then file those ideas away. Sometimes I will take the idea and write out a few scenes, maybe even an outline before I file it away. That way I have something a little more to bridge from later. Don’t let the surge of ideas keep you away from finishing your current project. Idea drawers are great!

I started writing Bean’s Dragons immediately after I saw my daughter playing with her imaginary friends. I was also working on my middle grade book at the time so I never got around to finishing it. Once I was able to focus on just the picture book, I wrote out the story line and started to create the pictures of the dragons. Here I used a lot of my daughter’s help. Working with kids can be amazing fun. If you ever have a chance to do it, do it.

 

My daughter helped me pick out all the colors for the dragons and even helped with what they looked like. This was really a joint effort. As I was drawing out the dragons, more ideas for the story came into my head. This goes back to my previous statement that drawing helps with ideas. It didn’t take long to change up the story a bit to fit in what the drawings had given me. In the end I think it turned out to be a terrific book that is a fun read.

I hope you found this bit of information helpful. For other tips on writing, illustrating, and more visit: www.insidemikeysworld.com or my blog at www.writtenbymikey.blogspot.com.

If you have a question, don’t hesitate to ask.
You can find me on Goodreads at: http://www.goodreads.com/InSideMikeysWorld
on Twitter: @writtenbymikey 
on Pinterest at: http://pinterest.com/writtenbymikey/
and on Facebook: as Mikey Brooks,
or email me at: insidemikeysworld(at)gmail.com.          

You are invited to check out Bean’s Dragons and my other books, including the newest release: ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures at www.insidemikeysworld.com or on Amazon.

 

 And thank you Cas Peace for allowing me to give a guest post on your blog. I don’t need to say this because anyone following Cas’s blog already knows how amazing she is, but for those of you who don’t, Cas really is an amazing friend and colleague and I am grateful for her and all she does. Now go check out her books, because they are awesome too!

 

About the Book: Bean’s Dragons.

Have you ever had a dragon in your house? How about a dozen? Bean is a little girl with an imagination that is creating quite a mess. Although Bean loves each of her dragons, she forgets how untidy they can be when having so much fun. When Bean's parents discover what's happened in their short absence, Bean finds herself the blame of the dragons' giant mess.

You can find more about Bean’s Dragons at: http://www.insidemikeysworld.com/beans-dragons/

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There is also a GIVEAWAY on Goodreads for Bean’s Dragons and for ABC Adventures: Magical Creatures. Make sure to enter soon, the contest ends on January 26^th!

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