10 Things that Make Me Happy

I was tagged by RunningDivaMom back in January to list some things that make me happy and pass it on to other bloggers. If you know me, I’m a fan of lists. They help me think straight and keep me from veering too far off course.

So, on this first Tuesday in March, I give you:

10 Things that Make Me Happy

1. Sunshine (like the nearly 5 days of it we had on Oahu last month – THAT’S where I was!)

2. Music from my high school days (I’m sure the list would surprise you . . . )

3. Empty laundry baskets (SO satisfying!)

4. A full workout clothes laundry basket (Yes, that’s the opposite of #3, but it means I’ve been running!)

5. Phone calls/letters from friends

6. Tomatoes fresh out of the garden

7. My children singing

8. Book reviews from like-minded folks who celebrate the power of girlhood (and running)

9. Date night with my husband

10. Outdoor family adventures

Now I’m asking YOU to make your own list. Or just feel free to leave one or two of your favorites in the comments below. I’d love to see lists from my fellow redheaded gals (who count for #5):

Celeste of The Freckled Forest

Beth at A Sweaty Quest for Enlightenment

Erin C of The Connolly Clan (who I just now realized hasn’t blogged in over a year . . . seems Facebook is her new fav. But she still makes my list because I wouldn’t be where I am without her!)

Oh, and Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss. We read Fox in Socks and The Sneeches in your honor tonight! His books make me happy, too.

Lost in the Pages: Review of Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle

I picked up Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? by Carmela LaVigna Coyle at our local drug store on a whim one day. As an author, I’m a total sucker for books, especially picture books, and even more especially picture books for girls that somehow incorporate healthy living. Usually I think about them longer than 5 seconds before purchasing them, though. But this time the cover grabbed me, I totally forgot the purpose of my stop at the store, and off I went to the check-out to make it mine (under the guise that the book is for my daughter). Kudos to illustrators Mike & Carl Gordon for their whimsical artwork that truly stopped me in my tracks.

Things that make this book shine:

1. The author’s daughter is credited for asking the question that created the book.

2. The book is a dialogue between a mother and daughter.

3. The girl’s dog joins her on her questioning adventure (“Do princesses climb trees?” one page reads. The illustration shows the girl dangling from her knees on a branch. Her dog is doing the same with its back legs on the next branch over!).

4. The mother’s answers to her daughter’s questions are both playful and real.

5. This book celebrates the joy of life with healthy balance of adventure and responsibility (the girl has chores and goes to school – what more could a mom ask for?).

The only thing that I would change about the book is to make the main character a redhead. But only because my favorite little girl is a redhead (that would be my daughter), not for any REAL reason. But, since the mom is a redhead (like me), I really can’t complain.

Without saying too much more (like giving away the surprise ending – which adds icing to the already wonderful cake of a book), I do have to add that I think this book has some great parallels with We Are Girls Who Love to Run and another book I reviewed just a little while ago, Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen. All three books encourage girls to embrace the many facets of girlhood, let their inner selves shine, and to follow their hearts. Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots? is truly a gift from the author and illustrators to the world of little girls. I look forward to sharing this book with my daughter as I help her recognize her inner strengths and explore the beauty of our day-to-day world.

How about you? Is there a book that really grabbed YOU recently? Do tell!

Starting with a Thankful Heart (and a new swimsuit!)

After the great weekend we had, it was a bit more difficult to get in the swing of the day, but by around 10:00AM I finally had a handle on it (more or less, anyway). Now that the day is drawing to a close, I’m able to reflect on some things for which I am thankful:

1. The new potty seat for Little Sister that has her interested and ASKING to go potty. We’ve got 3 success stories since yesterday. I’ll take ’em!

2. Hooray for Big 5 Sports. Not generally my favorite store, but they came through for me today when it mattered – I needed a swimsuit for ME for Little Sister’s swim lessons (they start tomorrow morning and I haven’t gotten a swim suit in YEARS) and they had one in my size – in November, no less!

3. Mr. Music’s interest in writing. Between his new science observation notebook and card-making for family and friends, it consumes 1-2 hours of each day. Guess he’s following in his mama’s footsteps. 🙂

4. Two heart-warming reviews of We Are Girls Who Love to Run from readers from my high school hometown (remember, I was an Air Force Brat!). One from my best friend from those days, another from a teacher at my school (who bought 3 copies!). I’m truly honored that they took the time to let me know what they thought in the midst of motherhood/teaching/taking classes, etc.

5. Pediatric Dentists. Who knew that my 4 year-old wouldn’t need me for an entire appointment (x-rays and all!)?

I hope your week started out smoothly. Have a great one!

And Illustrators, Don’t Forget Your Favorite Illustrators!

Somehow in my post yesterday I neglected some of my favorite people: illustrators! (I’m sure it had something to do with the fact that I was typing while Little Sister squirmed in my lap while fighting off a nap)

I don’t know where I’d be without the talents of Nicholas A. Wright, the illustrator of We Are Girls Who Love to Run . . . or the talents of Kirk Werner, our graphic designer and an author/illustrator in his own right. I’ll be reviewing Kirk’s Olive the Little Woollybugger books for you in the not-so-distant future.

So, to the list I shared with you yesterday about how to support your favorite books and authors, just mentally add THE ILLUSTRATOR to each of those comments. Illustrators make our world bright and beautiful, bringing authors’ words to life.

And a special welcome to any visitors from the Blissdom blogging conference – I’m honored to have you here!

Tuesday Trials & Achievements: Support Your Favorite Authors

First a big HOORAY to celebrate the achievement of a fellow author:

Congratulations to author PJ Hoover – today is the official release date of her book The Emerald Tablet! Be sure to read my review of her book here and then stop by her blog to wish her a wonderful day, because for authors Book Release Day is much like a child’s birthday. A big deal. A really big deal. But if you’ve read my blog before, you already know that!

And now onto a discussion of a related on-going trial:

PJ sent out a great announcement email this morning. And it struck me, now that I’m 6 months into this published book world myself, that a significant chunk of the success of an author really does lie in the hands of READERS!

Think about your own reading cycle:

1. You pick out a book (either because it LOOKS interesting or because ANOTHER reader tells you it is).
2. You read the book.
3. You tell others about the book (either that they SHOULD read it, or that they should AVOID it – and why).
4. The cycle repeats with the next book. And if you recommended the book, the cycle repeats for the book with another reader (or thousands!).

In her announcement email, PJ Hoover included a great list of things readers can do to help celebrate and spread the word about their favorite books (which is especially helpful for first-time authors and small presses who don’t have the big house man/woman power behind them). I think it is such a great list that I’m including it here. While PJ created the list to help publicize her book, The Emerald Tablet, but I think it is applicable to any book/author that you enjoy (maybe even a yellow-hatted girl who loves to run – I think you know who SHE is, right? – and her book, or her author friend Carol Goodrow):

– Buy THE BOOK!
– Tell everyone you meet to buy THE BOOK.
– Review THE BOOK and post the review on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Good reviews are even better. Brianna’s note: It is even better if you’ve taken the time to review at least one other book – it adds credibility to your review and helps YOU with your writing skills!
– Suggest THE BOOK as the kid’s book pick for Al Roker on The Today Show or for Oprah Winfrey’s kid’s book list.
– Give THE BOOK as a gift to every kid you know.
– Make THE BOOK your standard holiday gift this season. Remember it come birthday party time, also!
– If you order it at the bookstore, suggest they order a few more copies to keep in stock!
– Recommend THE BOOK to your school or public library and ask that they order it for their shelves.
– Blog about THE BOOK or THE AUTHOR or both.
– Suggest THE AUTHOR to your school librarian for an author visit. Brianna’s added tip: Coordinate visits with neighboring schools/clubs to share travel costs and make a visit affordable for everyone!
– Have your kid recommend THE BOOK as a read-aloud book in their classroom.
– Interview THE AUTHOR, write an article about THE AUTHOR, or even just mention THE AUTHOR in passing to an old acquaintance.
– Use THE BOOK in your book club.
– Form a book club for your kids if needed just for this purpose.

Other ideas I have:
– Use THE BOOK (or related products) as a fundraiser to support a cause (check with the publisher for how you can do this!).
– Donate a copy of THE BOOK to a local Boys & Girls Club or community center.
– Write a letter to THE AUTHOR or THE PUBLISHER about why you like THE BOOK (they may include it on their website!).
– Take advantage of special offers THE AUTHOR or THE PUBLISHER provide for buying THE BOOK and share the offer with other readers.
– Visit THE AUTHOR’s blog and leave a comment.

How about YOU? What suggestions do you have for supporting your favorite author?

Lost in the Pages: Book Review of The Emerald Tablet by P.J. Hoover

I imagine this has been a glorious (yet exhausting) month for author P.J. Hoover. Her debut novel, The Emerald Tablet, releases this month. Now readers can hold and enjoy the fruits of months and months of her labor (moms will find the process remarkably similar to pregnancy and labor for humans – without the visible stretch marks).

The Emerald Tablet is a science fiction novel, the first of a trilogy for middle grade readers (target ages 8-14, with an emphasis on 11+, I believe). Anyone who enjoyed discovering the world of magic with Harry Potter will enjoy diving into a different magical world with Benjamin Holt and his friends. The group forms after meeting up at a summer school on the hidden, submerged continent of Lemuria. Can you imagine finding out one day that you have amazing “magical” skills – and that you’ve come from an underwater continent? What a plot line (and for you Potter fans, the experience is TOTALLY different from Harry’s)!

In the midst of developing teleportation, telekenesis, telepathy and other new found skills, Benjamin and his friends discover the magical Emerald Tablet and find they must work together to save the world and battle adversaries from Atlantis (Lemuria’s rival hidden continent). This is no easy summer school experience!

Filled with adventure, unusual experiences, plot twists and character trials, The Emerald Tablet is a book readers will not want to put down. Readers will find themselves in a new and exciting world, anxious to learn more about Lemuria and the conflict with Atlantis. Though their dialogue is sometimes lengthy, the characters are likable and easy to identify with: the curious bookworm, the competitive best friend, the confident girl, the shy and uncertain yet strong girl, and the confused but determined protagonist. I look forward to seeing how they continue to develop and what they tackle together in the next book!

Be sure to check out P.J. Hoover’s website to learn more about The Emerald Tablet and for links to some other fresh middle grade and young adult novels being released this year. You can also visit P.J.’s blog for her perspective on being a newly released author!

Next book up for review: Janey Junkfood’s Fresh Adventure! by Barbara Storper, MS, RD

And, as always . . . send ideas for reviews my way! Anything new, unusual, fitness, and/or youth related is game!!! Special thanks to MizFit for sending The Emerald Tablet review opportunity my way. Who will I get to thank next?? Could be YOU!

Wednesday: Lost in the Pages . . . quite literally

One three-hour block of time each week I’m treated to kid-free time. This is achieved by taking on my friend’s two girls for a different three-hour chunk in the week so she can have some kid-free time, too. I usually reserve this time for one or more of the following:

1. A business meeting with my mom (top priority)
2. A run (if it weren’t for the importance of #1, this would get top billing)
3. Finding my kitchen
4. Running errands
5. Pulling the too-small clothes out of my children’s closets when they aren’t there to object

Today took on a bit of a twist because I headed with my dad (a piano technician who runs his own business) to a marketing writing meeting about an hour from here. So, it was sort of like a business meeting with my mom . . . except my mom wasn’t there (she was quilting, lucky gal!). And, it was sort of like running . . . except I was in my “fancy” jeans (ie – no kid spit, food, snot, etc. on them) and nice tops and the distance was covered by my car rather than my feet.

It was a great experience, despite the fact that I didn’t get to do my usual kid-free stuff. We figured out a catchy headline to use for upcoming marketing stuff (that goes to print in the next 2 weeks – clock’s a tickin’!) and got a few other things figured out. It also helps that I sold and signed 2 books at the interactive lecture, too.

So, you are expecting a review of Carol Goodrow’s Treasure book. And you shall have it – tomorrow! I’ve read and digested the book and shall be prepared to report to you in tomorrow’s installment of my TRUE Wednesday: Lost in the Pages . . . despite the fact that it is Thursday. I can do that because this is my blog (I say this with a mix of authority and apology!). And, this is a remarkably accurate reflection of how life has been rolling as of late – a true peek into the life of an author on a shoestring budget!

For now, I’m lost in the pages of the notes I took, those darn press releases, and another newspaper article. I can totally see why there copy writers and ad agencies that you can hire to handle these things!!! If only I had the moolah to pass on this more tricky and precise writing so I can be left to the creative end of writing – you know, the FUN stuff: special interest newspaper pieces, another book, emails to long-lost friends . . . . *sigh*

Before my brain shuts down completely for the night, I’d like to remind you that I’m looking for books and book reviewers to spotlight/do a guest review (I originally set the deadline for August 31st, but since this is the start of the school year and tends to be a chaotic time of year, I’ll extend the offer to September 15th). Send your suggestions my way, folks! I’m all ears and can’t wait to get my hands on the books you share!

Wednesday – Lost in the Pages (Review: Girls on Track)

It was spring of 2004 when I first encountered Molly Barker’s book Girls on Track, right after its release. I was finishing my Master’s Degree in Teaching, rounding out the end of a school year teaching 3rd grade, and pregnant with my first child. I wasn’t running anymore (I was walk/waddling), but I was looking forward to my return to running.

I clearly remember the girls in the program Girls on the Run being excited to see Molly after school on day, waving copies of the book in the air to have her sign. “Molly, Molly! We have your book,” they cheered. Molly is the founder of the international program Girls on the Run and is the mother of two great kiddos, one of whom I had the pleasure to have in my science class. With her two kids at my school, our GOTR girls got to visit with her from time to time.

I didn’t realize at the time, mostly because my brain was near capacity with everything requiring MY attention and my body was busy growing a baby and dealing with the hormones that help, but Molly’s book captivated those girls because they knew who she was (and LOVED her positive energy and encouragement!) and it was about girls. But it wasn’t really written FOR the girls, it was written as a guide for parents to help their girls “achieve a lifetime of self-esteem and respect.” So, as excited as those little runners were, I’m hoping that their parents were even more excited to have the book in THEIR hands, as I’m pleased to have it at my disposal now that I’M a parent of a little girl (my second child).

Written in a remarkably open and honest fashion, Girls on Track is filled with insight and personal stories that bring the book’s lessons to life. Barker’s witty and down-to-earth language makes the book a hard one to put down. Reading it is very much like having her in the room with you, chatting over a cup of of decaf latte (or whatever your drink of choice is . . . ) or out for a conversational run. It is especially fun to read when you know what her beautiful Southern voice sounds like so you can imagine her reading it . . .

Molly talks of her own childhood, its ups and downs and the low, low downs of her adolescence – ALL of which led to getting her stuck (and later unstuck!) in “the girl box” (a term Molly coined and describes in great detail throughout the book) and in a cycle of self-destructive behaviors. One day, on a run (no coincidence here, folks!), Molly had a breakthrough and found the power to leave The Girl Box. The book talks about how she literally turned her life around and then created Girls on the Run to help young girls discover their inner strengths and build healthy self-esteem, hoping to save them from the pain and trials she underwent – or to help them create the tools to shatter their own boxes.

Filled with anecdotal stories from her childhood, about her experiences as a mom, and of girls from the program and the lessons they learned (and that Molly learned FROM them!), Molly examines the workings of weak and strong interpersonal relationships. She asks us to examine them from all angles and think about what we can do to strengthen and value communication between adults and kids so kids can strengthen their own skills with adults and their peers. These stories are the meat of the book and really bring the theory she presents to life.

This is really two books in one, as Molly embeds a How-to Book in the fifth chapter by providing curriculum for mothers and daughters to experience together. It is essentially the backbone of the Girls on the Run program adapted for mothers and daughters. The 10 week plan walks moms through growing and learning experiences, discussing emotions, health, beauty, beliefs, letting go, making amends, love and . . . you guessed it, physical fitness through running (and games!!). Each lesson includes:

– an introduction experience
– questions/guidance for processing the lesson’s topic
– warm-up activity
– stretch
– workout
– final processing/debriefing

I’ve talked with moms who have followed this journey with their daughters and they’ve been pleased with the experience. Even the moms who are non-runners looked forward to the time they spent with their girls on the lessons and surprised themselves with how much they enjoyed the running element, too.

My daughter is only 18 months old, so I haven’t had the opportunity to use the curriculum myself yet, but you can bet I will in about 7 or 8 years. In the meantime, I’m passing along the book to a neighbor who is looking for a way to connect with her 11 year old. I couldn’t think of a better way to do it.

Girls on Track is available through Amazon (very few things are not these days!), but if you are looking to make DOUBLE the impact with a copy of the book, please order it directly through Girls on the Run. For those of you who may not know, most authors are not rolling in money. True! Many publishing companies aren’t even breaking even to bring you the books you love (the little companies with BIG heart!). When you order books directly through publishers and authors the money stays with those folks so they can bring you more of what you love. And, in this case, profits from the book will also help spread the Girls on the Run program. Looking for an added perk? Many authors will sign the books when you order through them!

Now that I’m off my soapbox . . . you are wondering . . . what book is next, Brianna?

Carol Goodrow’s newest title: Kids Running: Have Fun, Get Faster & Go Farther

Until then . . . happy running & happy reading!

And, yes, we went for a family run yesterday – 30 minutes, 2.8 miles. Slow and steady with two kids in a jogger with a bit of rain drizzle, but it was good!

Wednesday – Lost in the Pages Introduction

I’ve been waiting for some blog time to land on a Wednesday! Books, books, books. I LOVE ’em! Makes sense, since I’m an author and all, right? Imagine an author who didn’t like to read. Couldn’t happen!

Today will be an introduction to the Wednesday theme so that I can finish gathering my stash for the first batch reviews. I’m planning to focus my reviews on these 3 topics:

1. fitness/health – mainly running/youth/women focused (what, you weren’t expecting me to say scuba diving, were you?)

2. education (brain-based research, classroom resources, parent resources)

3. children’s literature (favorites from my children’s bookshelves and my teacher stash)

Since there are numerous reviews out there for best-sellers and well-known authors, I’m going to do my best to highlight some lesser known titles or those published by small presses. This won’t ALWAYS be the case. In fact, to start, you may recognize a few of the books I review, but as I get rolling I hope to introduce you to some great new must-haves for your shelves that you’ve NOT heard of. That’s my goal really.

In the process of doing this Lost in the Pages portion of my blog, I may reach out to YOU, my friendly reader, for suggestions – or even guest posts. Keep in mind that the books I review (or have a guest review) should fit into one of the three categories mentioned earlier in this little ditty.

Know an author who is looking for a review for their new title (it may even be YOU!)? Let me know!

Know of a book that is deserving of a bit of blog review love? Let me know!

Want to share a review as a guest post? You guessed it . . . let me know!

If I review a title you suggest to me or if I choose your guest post, I’ll enter you in a drawing for a signed copy of MY book (if you are new on the scene, my book is We Are Girls Who Love to Run). I’ll take suggestions for this first round from now until August 31st. Reader recommended titles will be reviewed in September & October. Guest posts will be shared in November.

What will my first review be, you ask? It is the book that inspired me to take that first leap toward writing my own book: Girls on Track by Molly Barker. Stay tuned!

And, by all means – send me your suggestions – you have nothing to lose, and an author-signed book to gain! Don’t worry, I’ll remind you again later if you forget.