Tag Archives: Createspace

Writing

Spivey’s Web, a Christmas Story: Interview with Author, Sandra Warren

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Spivey’s Web written by Sandra Warren; illustrated by Susan Fitzgerald. Available on Amazon.“Spivey’s Web, a Christmas Story: Interview with Author, Sandra Warren” by Joan Y. Edwards

Today, it is an honor to interview Sandra Warren, author of Spivey’s Web. Thanks for coming today, Sandra. I want to hear all about SPIVEY’S WEB, a picture book that’s out now that you had in your head for 15+ years! 

Sandra Warren

1.Tell us about Spivey’s Web.
I am very excited that Spivey’s Web is out now since it has a Christian twist at the end. It’s about a spider who wants to spin a web of her own design, not the expected web for a barn spider. After being ridiculed for her efforts, she moves to a window high in the loft and when the Star of David shines through, it sprinkles stars, like a disco ball, around a manger and calms a very special baby. Although the baby is not named, you can tell by the illustration that it’s the baby Jesus. I love the last line….My web didn’t catch flies. It caught the light!

Spivey’s web is more than a Christmas story, however. It’s also about having the courage to follow your heart and do what makes you happy even when everyone around says it can’t be done or it’s never been done like that. From Spivey we learn to never give up.
Writers take heed. When agents and editors say, no, no, sorry no, we have to keep at it and never give up because if we do, we’ll never know how close we came and we’ll never know what amazing things might come from our creative, imaginative minds. We all need Spivey’s courage to spin a web of our own design.

2. Did you submit Spivey’s Web to traditional publishers? Christian markets? 
Sandra: I tried for years to get Spivey’s Web traditionally published, but it was too secular for the Christian market and too Christian for the secular market. A major agent loved it until she got to the end and realized it was a holiday/Christian theme. She said she doesn’t do holiday books. Although I was still holding out for a traditional publisher, everything changed when I met an amazing artist. 

Spivey’s Web
https://www.amazon.com/Spiveys-Web-Sandra-Warren/dp/1981217673/

3. Marvelous illustrations. Who is the illustrator? 
Sandra: Susan Fitzgerald, oone of our part-time neighbors at Hidden Lake is a FINE artist who approached me asking if I’d LET her illustrate a manuscript of mine. I was floored because she’s an amazing artist who exhibits full-time in a gallery in Jacksonville. Her concept of Spivey and all her illustrations are fabulous in my opinion.

4. Did you encounter any problems with the formatting of the book?
Sandra: Oh my, yes! One problem we had that took us almost a day to figure out was that we were trying to put a landscape/horizontal illustration into a square template. A landscape picture book template was not offered by the company we chose. We also had trouble balancing the required minimum 300 dpi of each illustration for printing. It’s tricky to send illustrations through email without losing dpi. Now we know how to do it. Our original vision was to have a horizontal format with illustrations that bled off the page–flowed to the very edges. But because of issues with the horizontal formatting of the original artwork, we had to compensate by reducing the size of each illustration allowing for a border or frame around each. 

Here are suggestions if you’re self-publishing a book:

  • Make sure you download the publisher’s PDF Specification Guide from CreateSpace or other publisher and read it before beginning to make sure they print books in the size and format you want.
  • Don’t be afraid to contact Support if you have any questions. The folks at CreateSpace are very helpful! 

Despite all the formatting issues, we’re thrilled with the end result that Spivey’s Web is now available online. 

https://www.amazon.com/Spiveys-Web-Sandra-Warren/dp/1981217673/

Thanks for being a guest on my blog, Sandra. Thank you for offering a giveaway, too.. The GIVEAWAY was completed on December 21, 2019.

Thank you to all those who left a comment! You make my blog sparkle with excitement.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Sandra Warren’s website: http://www.sandrawarren.com
Sandra’s blog: http://sandrawarrenwrites.blogspot.com
Other books by Sandra Warren:

 

 

 

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Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards, Author
Copyright © 2018 Joan Y. Edwards
Flip Flap Floodle Will this little duck’s song save him from Mr. Fox?
Joan’s Elder Care Guide A guide to help caregivers and elders find solutions.
80 Gospel-Based Crossword Puzzles for Year B Fun for Children’s Liturgy, Children’s Church, Sunday School, and Home Bible Study.

 

Interviews, Writing

Writing Tips and a Poem from Joan Reid aka Gianna B. Reid

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“Writing Tips and a Poem from Joan Reid aka Gianna B. Reid” by Joan Y. Edwards

Hi, Joan Reid.  I’m very happy to have you as a guest on my blog today.
It’s a pleasure to be here with you. 

My readers are anxious to learn about you, so let’s get started.

a. Where were you born?
I was born in New York City.  My family moved to New Jersey when I was 2 years old. I have lived in New York State for the past 20 years.

b. Did you have a favorite place to read a book as a child? Where and why?
I read often on the couch in the living room or at the kitchen table after supper.

c. Who or what inspires you to keep on writing?
My parents and a grammar school teacher, then people whom I have met along the way, and now my husband, daughter and my friends…and you, Joan Edwards! (See Joan Edwards smiling)

d. What do you do for the pure fun of it?
I love riding my bicycle! It helps clear my mind for more writing.

e. What are your hobbies? Do you draw? Paint? Work with clay? Sew? Do woodworking?

Photography, creating collages, and reading are three activities I most enjoy.

f. What are your favorite books that you enjoy reading more than one time? Why?

  • A Year By the Sea by Joan Anderson; and
  • Tao of Writing by Ralph L. Wahlstrom

These books are vastly different, but each brings a fresh focus every time I read a passage.

g. Do you have a funny story to share?

I have a sense of humor for sure, but I cannot recall a specific funny story.

Incidents are funnier when I tell them.

h. Why do you write? 

My reasons for writing:  I have to write what I observe and feel; Writing is enjoyable and fun;  Writing is my connection to myself and others.

i. What are three tips for writers?

  1. When you write, don’t edit until all your ideas are down.
  2. Leave the piece for a day or more to look at it with fresh eyes. When you revisit the work you will be able to edit for content.
  3. READ!

j. What is the most essential ingredient of a poem?

For me, the most essential ingredient of a poem is emotion which is an intangible.

k. Do you have a poem you’d like to share with us that’s not in And the Woman Smiled and is shared first and exclusively in this guest post?

 

I am a Word – © Gianna B. Reid 2017

 

Poetry is—

words scribbled across people’s faces,

on objects, landscapes, in empty rooms,

the splendid and the ugly.

I see and feel words in open spaces, hallways,

in a blade of grass

looking upward to its sun-god.

Soaking in the 24-carat butter of

its rays smeared on blue-toast.

Can we separate ourselves from words?

I am a word.

Today, I am joy.

 

Aww! Thank you, Joan (Gianna B. Reid). That is a great poem.

l. Would you share three of your favorite poems? (Title and Author)

  1. “August” by Helen Maria Winslow
    https://lettersfromahillfarm.blogspot.com/2013/08/todays-poem-by-helen-maria-winslow.html
  2. Numerous poems by Billy Collins
    https://www.poemhunter.com/billy-collins/poems/
  3. Numerous poems by William. S. Merwin
    https://www.poemhunter.com/william-stanley-merwin/

 

m. And the Woman Smiled is your latest book. What company did you choose to publish this poetry book?

I self-published it on CreateSpace.com/

n. Where can readers buy And the Woman Smiled?

Readers can purchase it on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Smiled-Gianna-B-Reid/dp/1545143323/ref

o. Did you pay for editing services before you submitted to CreateSpace?

CreateSpace does offer editing services. However, I did not pay them for editing services for “And the Woman Smiled.” I did all the formatting and editing myself.

p. Did CreateSpace design your cover? Did you have any choices?

CreateSpace has many choices of book covers, fonts, and trim-sizes on their website. I chose a design provided by CreateSpace.  

q. How are you marketing your book?

I sent review copies to publications that consider self-published poetry, and two local magazines in the Hudson Valley area.  And, I am thankful for this interview!

r. Did you get to choose the retail price for your book?

CreateSpace determined the retail price. There is a minimum charge which
I made every attempt to stay close to.

s. Were you ever traditionally published?

I was a contributor to a traditionally published book, The Bicycle Book – Wit, Wisdom & Wanderings, Published by Satya House.

t. What are the titles and links to your other books? Are they available on Amazon, too?

I have 16 titles on Amazon as Gianna B. Reid.

I self-published Life is a Bike;  and Yes We Can!

I contributed to the following book with Anisa Claire West:
Crime Flies! (Mystery Collection)
https://www.amazon.com/Crime-Flies-Mystery-Collection-Claire-ebook/dp/B00WIYC76Q/ref

Here are links to some of my other books:

Gold Trotter Mystery Series (First 3 from the 9-book series)

Dogs Never Lie
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C51ASDQ/ref

Blue Hill Heist
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DuGTU3E/ref

Until We Kiss
https://www.amazon.com/Until-We-Kiss-Revised-Expanded-ebook/dp/B00I2DOIJQ/ref

m. Do you have a blog?

My blog is: http://joansview-jbreid.blogspot.com

u. How can others connect with you on social media? 

Readers may connect with me on Facebook and Linked In.  Send an email request to me at joan.reid@yahoo.com

Short Bio

Joan Bellofatto Reid (Gianna B.Reid) began writing plays and short stories in elementary school. She has since written and produced several plays: The Jobless Chronicle (winner of Monologue Mania, performed at The Producer’s Club, NYC); and His Last Word, about Holocaust survivor, Primo Levi.  Life is a Bike was a newspaper column that appeared in the US and UK, the essays are available on Amazon.  She contributed essays to The Bicycle Book: Wit, Wisdom and Wanderings.  Other published works: “The Marriage Game”  “Path to Promise” (Student Aid Transcript Magazine); “Not a Fake Pollock” (Art Times); “Not Guilty” (Modern Collage).  Joan hosted a radio show, “Cool on the Groove” (Rockland World Radio) from 2003-2006, featuring authors, poets and journalists.  She currently freelances on education and healthcare; and writes poetry.

Wow! Joan Reid. I’ve really enjoyed learning about you. I had no idea you’d written so many books! I am very proud of you. Thanks again for being a guest on my blog.

Thanks for reading this guest interview.

 

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Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards, Author
Copyright © 2017-2019 Joan Y. Edwards
Flip Flap Floodle Will this little duck’s song save him from Mr. Fox?
Joan’s Elder Care Guide A guide to help caregivers and elders find solutions.