According to Valerie Jacobsen, her posting on "First Amendment" rights over at The Bookroom blog hits it all on the head, wraps it up in a nutshell.
CPSIA is unconstitutional and violates first amendment rights big time. So even if CPSC says that CPSIA is a law and that it became effective February 10, it really doesn't exist as a law and the governing bodies cannot enforce it in any amount due to it being unlawful and a violation of our rights as given to us by our forefathers. So I think this will be the fight we now need to take, CPSIA - no worries, since it isn't a law based on the infringement of our first amendment rights.
For more read Valerie's blog. She has many good postings about CPSIA and fighting the good fight. She also has some cute sidebar pics and fun stuff about CPSIA.
See you all in the postings - don't worry about CPSIA any more since it isn't even a real law. - Keep you posted on more updates. E :)
Showing posts with label Vivian Zabel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vivian Zabel. Show all posts
Friday, March 20, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Best description of what CPSIA will do to the nation
Yep, it's been a while since this topic has come up and although I'm not blogging as much about CPSIA, I am still voicing my opinion to folks about getting this dangerous law repealed, revoked, or totally revamped.
I found The Bookroom blog through a posting on Vivian's blog (scroll to the paragraph that starts: However, most libraries aren't complying...) with this posting and thought it was exactly what I've been looking to describe what CPSIA is really doing to the consumers in general. If you thought we were over racism, prejudice, and other horrors, read the description of what CPSIA is (as through the eyes of one person, but really is reflective of how every American voting citizen should feel about it) and how it will totally destroy the nation's well-being.
I cannot say what CPSIA is doing to us better than this and I feel as I did two months ago, that every American citizen of voting age needs to continue to contact their representatives and let them know that even if they don't have children this law will effect that eventually it will effect them in the long run by causing higher costs for every day products that they as adults need or will buy in the future. They also need to remind their representatives that they (the reps) work for the public, voting constituents and must do as the public wants since we are the ones who put them in office and we can very easily have them removed.
Don't let our libraries become shells of buildings where kids are no longer welcome to enjoy the freedom of speech (writing books is speaking in a way) found in books. Don't let our economy suffer any more. Speak up and let your voices be heard. Keep calling and writing your representatives and tell them - No more CPSIA; repeal stupid laws and start thinking rationally or listen to voices of reason. Everyone, old or young, with children in the home or not, needs to be heard and speak up.
(as a side note, I've heard from some overseas friends that CPSIA is also affecting the publishing industry in England and Canada and as far as Australia, so this is no longer a national issue; it is international but it is all because of our stupid governing officials that this law has been put into place and we are the nation that needs to get it repealed.) If you think George Orwell's 1984 was an extreme of "Big Brother", think again; CPSIA of 2008 is the ultimate, furtherest reaching "Big Brother" we have out there.
Follow other issues with CPSIA but going to Publisher's Weekly, the ALA and other large businesses who feel this is a very stupid, alarmist way for the nation to act. Hope you all continue to do your part and see you in the postings - E :)
I found The Bookroom blog through a posting on Vivian's blog (scroll to the paragraph that starts: However, most libraries aren't complying...) with this posting and thought it was exactly what I've been looking to describe what CPSIA is really doing to the consumers in general. If you thought we were over racism, prejudice, and other horrors, read the description of what CPSIA is (as through the eyes of one person, but really is reflective of how every American voting citizen should feel about it) and how it will totally destroy the nation's well-being.
I cannot say what CPSIA is doing to us better than this and I feel as I did two months ago, that every American citizen of voting age needs to continue to contact their representatives and let them know that even if they don't have children this law will effect that eventually it will effect them in the long run by causing higher costs for every day products that they as adults need or will buy in the future. They also need to remind their representatives that they (the reps) work for the public, voting constituents and must do as the public wants since we are the ones who put them in office and we can very easily have them removed.
Don't let our libraries become shells of buildings where kids are no longer welcome to enjoy the freedom of speech (writing books is speaking in a way) found in books. Don't let our economy suffer any more. Speak up and let your voices be heard. Keep calling and writing your representatives and tell them - No more CPSIA; repeal stupid laws and start thinking rationally or listen to voices of reason. Everyone, old or young, with children in the home or not, needs to be heard and speak up.
(as a side note, I've heard from some overseas friends that CPSIA is also affecting the publishing industry in England and Canada and as far as Australia, so this is no longer a national issue; it is international but it is all because of our stupid governing officials that this law has been put into place and we are the nation that needs to get it repealed.) If you think George Orwell's 1984 was an extreme of "Big Brother", think again; CPSIA of 2008 is the ultimate, furtherest reaching "Big Brother" we have out there.
Follow other issues with CPSIA but going to Publisher's Weekly, the ALA and other large businesses who feel this is a very stupid, alarmist way for the nation to act. Hope you all continue to do your part and see you in the postings - E :)
Monday, January 19, 2009
The Prairie of Prairie Dog Cowboy
by Vivian Zabel
The setting for Prairie Dog Cowboy was fictionalized but exists in the Oklahoma Panhandle. The prairie runs from what is now northeast Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, and north into Kansas and Nebraska.
Many people think the panhandle is drab, ugly, and flat. Not so. Yes, a person may think the land is flat because few, if any hills, are found, but the land has unexpected valleys and gullies that contain green, living things.
The view is spectacular in its own way. I’ve stood outside the house where my husband grew up and looked “forever” in all directions. The sky bright and blue arched above my head. The horizon stretched at the edge of the skyline miles and miles away. At night, the stars against the black velvet of darkness seemed closer than in other places. The lights of towns twenty to thirty miles away could be seen without trouble.
The gullies, deep and rather narrow cuts in the land caused by wind and rain run-offs, often hide green grass when the land above is dry and grass is brown. Valleys, which are different than gullies in that they are usually wider and have more flood plain created by rivers, are filled with trees and lush plant life.
Along the roads in pastures of prairie grass and man-planted plants, cattle graze, slick and fat. Fields of wheat or milo, sometimes corn, can be found creating breaks between thousands of acres of native pasture.
In the book, the ranches owned by the Hyman family and James Buck are found along the Beaver River. Much of the area used as the Buck ranch and a portion of the ranch used as the Hyman ranch were taken by the government to make the Optima Lake and hunting area. The land still exists though, cutting through the Oklahoma Panhandle prairie.
Buddy rode and worked the land that can still be found, rich and valuable filled with hardworking people.
Prairie Dog Cowboy
4RV Publishing
Vivian Gilbert Zabel
by Vivian Zabel
The setting for Prairie Dog Cowboy was fictionalized but exists in the Oklahoma Panhandle. The prairie runs from what is now northeast Oklahoma, the Texas Panhandle, and north into Kansas and Nebraska.
Many people think the panhandle is drab, ugly, and flat. Not so. Yes, a person may think the land is flat because few, if any hills, are found, but the land has unexpected valleys and gullies that contain green, living things.
The view is spectacular in its own way. I’ve stood outside the house where my husband grew up and looked “forever” in all directions. The sky bright and blue arched above my head. The horizon stretched at the edge of the skyline miles and miles away. At night, the stars against the black velvet of darkness seemed closer than in other places. The lights of towns twenty to thirty miles away could be seen without trouble.
The gullies, deep and rather narrow cuts in the land caused by wind and rain run-offs, often hide green grass when the land above is dry and grass is brown. Valleys, which are different than gullies in that they are usually wider and have more flood plain created by rivers, are filled with trees and lush plant life.
Along the roads in pastures of prairie grass and man-planted plants, cattle graze, slick and fat. Fields of wheat or milo, sometimes corn, can be found creating breaks between thousands of acres of native pasture.
In the book, the ranches owned by the Hyman family and James Buck are found along the Beaver River. Much of the area used as the Buck ranch and a portion of the ranch used as the Hyman ranch were taken by the government to make the Optima Lake and hunting area. The land still exists though, cutting through the Oklahoma Panhandle prairie.
Buddy rode and worked the land that can still be found, rich and valuable filled with hardworking people.
Prairie Dog Cowboy
4RV Publishing
Vivian Gilbert Zabel
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Prairie Dog Cowboy coming soon
More on Vivian and Prairie Dog Cowboy coming later this week. The guest posting article should be posted tomorrow. It's fun learning something historical you never knew. Come check out what Vivian has to say on prairie living. SYNOPSIS OF PRAIRIE DOG COWBOY:
Description of Prairie Dog Cowboy by V. Gilbert Zabel
Genre: middle grade/ young adult / historical fiction
Publisher: 4RV Publishing
Hardback, 180 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0-9797513-5-6
ISBN-10: 0-9797513-5-7
Time passes so quickly and history is getting rewritten all the time. So much of our heritage is lost with those changes. It is refreshing to see a slice of reality portraying the daily life of 1899 Oklahoma in V. Gilbert Zabel's latest literary work, "Prairie Dog Cowboy".
Buddy Roberts is but a small boy at the start of the story. It isn’t clear right away why his mother is set against the child. Although he has an older brother, he's tending to the cattle at the age of five, all alone with only his dog to keep him company. Buddy is a mindful child, doing what needs to be done, even at such a young age, hoping some day to grow up to be a cowboy. Instead of him and Patch doing the work on foot, he dreams of herding cattle on horseback someday.
Neighbor rancher Caleb Hyman is impressed with Buddy. He wonders, too, why the child works hard while his older brother, Jake, is doted on and spoiled. But, Caleb can see the man that Buddy will become, encourages him, and teaches him to rope. Once Buddy can rope a prairie dog, Caleb promises he'll give the boy a job on his ranch. Not an easy thing to do, but Buddy works hard to reach his appointed goal.
Through the years, Buddy becomes a part of Caleb's family, a friend of Caleb's twin sons, and the unknowing object of affection for their younger sister, Katie. Life begins to take a turn for the better as he approaches manhood. An ironic twist at the end brings the cycle of life in full circle.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Let's meet Vivian, author of Prairie Dog Cowboy
Vivian Gilbert was born to Raymond and Dolly Gilbert, July 28, 1943, on Randolph Air Force Base, Texas. The base for years was outside the city of San Antonio, but now the city surrounds the base.
With a military father who was transferred around the world, Vivian often changed schools, in fact when she graduated from high school in Limestone, Maine, she had changed schools twenty-two times.
After graduating from high school in 1961, Vivian returned to Oklahoma where she enrolled in Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University, in Bethany, Oklahoma). During the one semester she could afford to attend, Robert Zabel visited his sister, and Vivian and Robert met. They married February 18, 1962 and are still together.
During the next few years, Robert and Vivian had four children, three of whom lived. A story that shows the love and closeness between the couple is found in the short story “Romance Midst Tragedy,” published in Hidden Lies and Other Stories.
As she reared her children and was a stay-at-home-mother, with spells of working in the business world, Vivian wrote short stories, poetry, and articles, which were published. Once her children were in school, Vivian returned to college and, in two and a half years, earned her BA with two majors (English and speech).
Vivian attended workshops, clinics, conferences, and classes about writing during her twenty-seven years of teaching. The further education helped her better teach her students and helped her hone her own writing skills. Finally in 2001 she was able to write full time and write longer works, after she retired from teaching.
At present, Vivian has six books to her credit, two co-authored. Her latest books are Prairie Dog Cowboy (written under the name V. Gilbert Zabel) and Midnight Hours (written under the name Vivian Gilbert Zabel).
Her interests besides writing include her family (husband, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren), reading, helping other people publish their books (through 4RV Publishing), and traveling (which she can’t do much any more).
Links:
4RV Publishing
Vivian Gilbert Zabel
Midnight Hours
Prairie Dog Cowboy
For ordering information:
Click here or go to Amazon
Check back later in the week for an article on life on the prairies of Oklahoma that is tied into Vivian's new book "Prairie Dog Cowboy".
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Middle of month and so much going on
Here it is the 14th of January and I've not gotten myself organized for the upcoming tours (working on it, though). Tomorrow I am hosting Vivian Zabel, my publisher, for the Virtual Book Tours forum. I will post some introductory information later this evening and then an article pertaining to her new book, Prairie Dog Cowboy, which will be the topic of this tour.
Saturday I begin my actual blog tour for State of Wilderness and State of Quarries which may not get released until late February but I am still promoting it. We will begin by being on the Book Roast Blog and end up on my JGDS blog on Sunday the 25th. So come travel the states with us and see what's in store for you at each stop.
Stay tuned to see what fun things we can learn about being a Prairie cowboy all this week too.
(and as an aside to how busy I will be during the blog tours, I have to take my daughter to two appointments on the same day and have a writing group meeting that night, with another meeting the next night and then in class with the 6th graders on Thursday, the 22nd, and having a live book signing on the 24th at The Open Book in Greenville, SC - so if you are in the area and want to help launch the second book in the series, come out and visit and get a signed copy of book 1, State of Wilderness and preorder your copy of State of Quarries. (Hopefully CPSIA will be on its way out the door and publishing of books will be able to continue as before)). And on the 26th of January - ALA will be announcing it's winners and honors in each of their award categories - Newberry, Sibert, Caldecott among others - (State of Wilderness is entered in those three, so we'll see.
If you have read a copy of State of Wilderness, and I haven't contacted you, would you mind going to this site and nominating it for the Crown Award. We want to get books in the schools for kids to read and this may be my way in. Appreciate it - see you all in the postings - E :)
Saturday I begin my actual blog tour for State of Wilderness and State of Quarries which may not get released until late February but I am still promoting it. We will begin by being on the Book Roast Blog and end up on my JGDS blog on Sunday the 25th. So come travel the states with us and see what's in store for you at each stop.
Stay tuned to see what fun things we can learn about being a Prairie cowboy all this week too.
(and as an aside to how busy I will be during the blog tours, I have to take my daughter to two appointments on the same day and have a writing group meeting that night, with another meeting the next night and then in class with the 6th graders on Thursday, the 22nd, and having a live book signing on the 24th at The Open Book in Greenville, SC - so if you are in the area and want to help launch the second book in the series, come out and visit and get a signed copy of book 1, State of Wilderness and preorder your copy of State of Quarries. (Hopefully CPSIA will be on its way out the door and publishing of books will be able to continue as before)). And on the 26th of January - ALA will be announcing it's winners and honors in each of their award categories - Newberry, Sibert, Caldecott among others - (State of Wilderness is entered in those three, so we'll see.
If you have read a copy of State of Wilderness, and I haven't contacted you, would you mind going to this site and nominating it for the Crown Award. We want to get books in the schools for kids to read and this may be my way in. Appreciate it - see you all in the postings - E :)
Friday, January 09, 2009
CPSIA and Publisher's Weekly
There is some buzz about the publishing industry and you can follow postings all over the web. This is from Publisher's Weekly which is an industry standard that most publishers follow.
Now, the big boys are stepping in on this ill-written, poorly thought out Act. For those of you who haven't been following what is going on, the buzz is about the Consumer Product Safety Information Act of 2008. This Act was signed in August by President Bush and was enacted by the Commmittee of Energy and Commerce and passed in both the Senate and House of Representatives in July of 2008. The whole act was meant to target "manufacturers" of products aimed at children ages 12 and under and came on the heels of having two serious recalls of toys that Mattel(R) sold that were manufactured in China and had lead contents and small parts unsafe for children. The lawmakers all meant to target the manufacturers of said products but by creating this ill-written, ambiguous and contradictory Act. The lawmakers have impacted the small business and "one of a kind individuals" in a major way. The testing required for any product (that is everything, clothing, toys, books, et cetera) geared towards the children of this age group is expensive and has to be done on every batch of any item produced. If you run a 50-item batch this month, you have to test it. If you run a 5000-item batch next month, you have to have it tested. The burden of proof is falling on the wrong people. Small businesses, second-hand stores, publishers (large and small) will have to pay the costs and in turn end up going out of business.
This is a serious matter so I appeal to all my readers to please check out all the postings on the following websites: Vivian's Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap, Holly Jahangiri's Do I Have to Spell It Out? site and Idea Girl's spot and please voice your opinions. Send those letters to the appropriate people. Post on your blogs. Make this a national effort to get the word out that the publishing industry and small businesses will soon be a thing of the past.
Now, the big boys are stepping in on this ill-written, poorly thought out Act. For those of you who haven't been following what is going on, the buzz is about the Consumer Product Safety Information Act of 2008. This Act was signed in August by President Bush and was enacted by the Commmittee of Energy and Commerce and passed in both the Senate and House of Representatives in July of 2008. The whole act was meant to target "manufacturers" of products aimed at children ages 12 and under and came on the heels of having two serious recalls of toys that Mattel(R) sold that were manufactured in China and had lead contents and small parts unsafe for children. The lawmakers all meant to target the manufacturers of said products but by creating this ill-written, ambiguous and contradictory Act. The lawmakers have impacted the small business and "one of a kind individuals" in a major way. The testing required for any product (that is everything, clothing, toys, books, et cetera) geared towards the children of this age group is expensive and has to be done on every batch of any item produced. If you run a 50-item batch this month, you have to test it. If you run a 5000-item batch next month, you have to have it tested. The burden of proof is falling on the wrong people. Small businesses, second-hand stores, publishers (large and small) will have to pay the costs and in turn end up going out of business.
This is a serious matter so I appeal to all my readers to please check out all the postings on the following websites: Vivian's Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap, Holly Jahangiri's Do I Have to Spell It Out? site and Idea Girl's spot and please voice your opinions. Send those letters to the appropriate people. Post on your blogs. Make this a national effort to get the word out that the publishing industry and small businesses will soon be a thing of the past.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Time flies, yet again
Over a week has passed since the SCWW writer's conference in Myrtle Beach and I have yet to post anything about the conference nor other updates. So I figured I'd take a brief moment and get something posted. So here goes:
1) SCWW conference was a blast. Because of being able to lock the complete building where the silent auction items were held, most of my volunteer duties got taken away from me. I felt bad because I wasn't being used for what they paid for me to do (the SCWW covered the cost of the conference for me in exchange for working half the conference). I felt it was a successful conference and seemed to run pretty smoothly. We didn't have any incidents like last year (someone stalked one of the agents or authors by gaining entrance to their room and leaving a manuscript on their bed or some folks got a bit disorderly from drinking too much). The slushfests were fun and the workshops I attended were pretty cool too. Karen Petit and I shared a room and got to know each other better. In February, I will be staying with her when I attend the SC Book Festival (probably as an exhibitor this year since I've not heard about being a guest speaker or panelists or anything). I found out who is chairing the conference next year and I may have an in as a guest speaker/panelist with Karen. We can do panel discussions or workshops and share a room again - lol - it will be a lot of fun for us both (fingers crossed and will keep you all posted on that as things develop since nothing can really be done until after the first of the year).
2) State of Quarries is completed except for a few minor edits for Vivian. The teacher's guide is finished as well. State of Wilderness's teacher's guide is completed. I am using my NaNo month/goal to get ahead on the state stories. I can't wait to see the illustrations for the book and see it laid out (will keep you updated on that as well).
3) NaNo - November is National Novel Writing Month and the goal is to write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days. I have adjusted my goal to 20,000 words in 30 days (there is a lot of family stuff going on this month, will be in a virtual book tour and have two book signings scheduled) which will basically be (hopefully) three new state stories and the teacher's guides to go with them. I will post my "excerpts" which are my updates on where I am on my goal on my NaNo site. So if you want to see if I am on track with my self-adjusted goals and getting things accomplished, check out www.nanowrimo.org and look for elysabeth42 (you can check out my profile and click on novel info to see everything I've posted).
4) Cybil award nomination: State of Wilderness and Prairie Dog Cowboy are in the running for this award in the middle grade fiction category. Trockle has been nominated for the children's picture book fiction category. Winners will be announced in February. Nominations are made from anyone (but you have to scan through a lot of posts to see if the book you want to nominate has already been nominated as they only want one nomination per title and each person can make one nomination per category - there are 9 total) between October 1 and 15. Then the group of folks decides if all nominations are valid (checking to see when the books were published to make sure they fall into this year's timeframe) and then they have to contact all the publishers and/or authors to request review copies which are not mandatory but do help the panelists. Then after receiving all the books, they have the fun job of reading and picking a winner. So here's to the three 4RV books nominated and hopefully one will take the award or maybe two (one in each category would be nice). (I'd like them to add another category to cover books that present facts with fictional characters like my state stories do but for now, I'll have to take whatever nominations and the categories I can get.) The finalists will be listed in January with the winners announced in February - so stay tuned for more updates.
That about covers all my goings on for now - see you all in the postings - E :)
1) SCWW conference was a blast. Because of being able to lock the complete building where the silent auction items were held, most of my volunteer duties got taken away from me. I felt bad because I wasn't being used for what they paid for me to do (the SCWW covered the cost of the conference for me in exchange for working half the conference). I felt it was a successful conference and seemed to run pretty smoothly. We didn't have any incidents like last year (someone stalked one of the agents or authors by gaining entrance to their room and leaving a manuscript on their bed or some folks got a bit disorderly from drinking too much). The slushfests were fun and the workshops I attended were pretty cool too. Karen Petit and I shared a room and got to know each other better. In February, I will be staying with her when I attend the SC Book Festival (probably as an exhibitor this year since I've not heard about being a guest speaker or panelists or anything). I found out who is chairing the conference next year and I may have an in as a guest speaker/panelist with Karen. We can do panel discussions or workshops and share a room again - lol - it will be a lot of fun for us both (fingers crossed and will keep you all posted on that as things develop since nothing can really be done until after the first of the year).
2) State of Quarries is completed except for a few minor edits for Vivian. The teacher's guide is finished as well. State of Wilderness's teacher's guide is completed. I am using my NaNo month/goal to get ahead on the state stories. I can't wait to see the illustrations for the book and see it laid out (will keep you updated on that as well).
3) NaNo - November is National Novel Writing Month and the goal is to write 50,000 words of a novel in 30 days. I have adjusted my goal to 20,000 words in 30 days (there is a lot of family stuff going on this month, will be in a virtual book tour and have two book signings scheduled) which will basically be (hopefully) three new state stories and the teacher's guides to go with them. I will post my "excerpts" which are my updates on where I am on my goal on my NaNo site. So if you want to see if I am on track with my self-adjusted goals and getting things accomplished, check out www.nanowrimo.org and look for elysabeth42 (you can check out my profile and click on novel info to see everything I've posted).
4) Cybil award nomination: State of Wilderness and Prairie Dog Cowboy are in the running for this award in the middle grade fiction category. Trockle has been nominated for the children's picture book fiction category. Winners will be announced in February. Nominations are made from anyone (but you have to scan through a lot of posts to see if the book you want to nominate has already been nominated as they only want one nomination per title and each person can make one nomination per category - there are 9 total) between October 1 and 15. Then the group of folks decides if all nominations are valid (checking to see when the books were published to make sure they fall into this year's timeframe) and then they have to contact all the publishers and/or authors to request review copies which are not mandatory but do help the panelists. Then after receiving all the books, they have the fun job of reading and picking a winner. So here's to the three 4RV books nominated and hopefully one will take the award or maybe two (one in each category would be nice). (I'd like them to add another category to cover books that present facts with fictional characters like my state stories do but for now, I'll have to take whatever nominations and the categories I can get.) The finalists will be listed in January with the winners announced in February - so stay tuned for more updates.
That about covers all my goings on for now - see you all in the postings - E :)
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Midnight Review
I've been asked to host Vivian on her Midnight Hours tour. I am posting a review of this well-written thriller.
I like thrillers and anything that borders on the psychological really intrigues me. Midnight Hours is well written and kept me intrigued all the way to the end. Just when I think it is one person, I got fooled into believing it was someone else. The reasons for Midnight's "calling in life" become apparent as the reader reaches the end of the story. Vivian has a way of weaving a tale and making the reader want more. This is a highly recommended story for those who enjoy getting inside the mind of a serial killer.
Vivian is not only a writer but she is a publisher, my publisher. Over the past few months I have been getting to know her first online and then when I met her for the whirlwind weekend of the Decatur Book Festival. She is an author of several middle grade novels for reluctant readers (Case of the Missing Coach and The Base Stealers Club) and a newly released historical novel, Prairie Dog Cowboy.
Born to Raymond and Dolly Gilbert July 28, 1943, Vivian followed her father as he transferred from military base to military base from Randolph AFB, Texas to Loring AFB, Maine. During her school years, Vivian, always a reader and story teller, discovered a love of writing.
She wrote her first poetry in third grade. By the time she was in junior high, she wrote stories and knew that some day she would write a book.
After marrying Robert Zabel, she became the mother of three children, the grandmother of ten, and the great-grandmother of four, so far. All the time telling and writing.
She now has three juvenile books written under the name V. Gilbert Zabel and under the name Vivian Gilbert Zabel a mystery/suspense novel, a collection of short stories with Holly Jahangiri, and an anthology of poetry with seven other poets.
Product Details
Hardcover: 228 pages
Publisher: 4RV Publishing LLC (June 1, 2008)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0979751330
ISBN-13: 978-0979751332
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
Ordering may be done at 4RV's site or through Amazon or check your local book store for a copy.
CONTEST INFORMATION:
There will be a prize offered: Prize: $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com
Rules:
1. Each person who comments on a blog stop receives one entry.
For example, if a person leaves a comment ( or more) on four blog stops, he has four entries. (one entry per blog tour stop)
2. A purchase of Midnight Hours from the 4RV Bookstore, or from the author, receives fifteen (15) entries.
Books must be bought directly from the author or from the publisher.
A person may have entries from a purchase and from leaving comments.
3. The final step in the contest: Each person with entries must send an email to president@4rvpublishingllc.com with the answer to the following question:
What time does Midnight appear on the game site to chat with Martin?
November 5, a random drawing will be held using a program online to choose a winner. I will notify the winner by email and will post the result on my blogs at Vivian's site and Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap.
Please remember to put your email address in the comment and send the answer to the question in #3 to Vivian in order to be eligible for the contest. No email addy equals disqualification. See you all in the postings - E :)
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Midnight schedule update
I am posting the new Midnight Hours virtual book tour update (since it just changed a couple of days ago and I've not had a chance to do so).
Oct. 26 Holly Jahangiri http://blog.jahangiri.us/
Oct. 27 Brian L. Porter http://tinyurl.com/4qa4tw
Lee Lofland, The Graveyard Shift http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress
Oct. 28 Karen Syed http://karensyed.blogspot.com
Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog
Oct. 29 Elysabeth Eldering http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com
Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog
Oct. 30 Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog and
Jean Henry Mead http://advicefromeditors.blogspot.com
Oct. 31 Aidana WillowRaven http://coverchatter.blogspot.com
Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog
Nov. 1 Crystalee Calderwood http://crystaleecalderwood.blogspot.com
Nov. 2 Vivian Zabel http://vzabel.multiply.com/journal and http://VivianZabel.blogspot.com
Oct. 26 Holly Jahangiri http://blog.jahangiri.us/
Oct. 27 Brian L. Porter http://tinyurl.com/4qa4tw
Lee Lofland, The Graveyard Shift http://www.leelofland.com/wordpress
Oct. 28 Karen Syed http://karensyed.blogspot.com
Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog
Oct. 29 Elysabeth Eldering http://elysabethsstories.blogspot.com
Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog
Oct. 30 Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog and
Jean Henry Mead http://advicefromeditors.blogspot.com
Oct. 31 Aidana WillowRaven http://coverchatter.blogspot.com
Joyce Anthony http://joyceanthony.tripod.com/blog
Nov. 1 Crystalee Calderwood http://crystaleecalderwood.blogspot.com
Nov. 2 Vivian Zabel http://vzabel.multiply.com/journal and http://VivianZabel.blogspot.com
Midnight schedule update
I am posting the new Midnight Hours virtual book tour update (since it just changed a couple of days ago and I've not had a chance to do so).
Oct. 26
Holly Jahangiri
Oct. 27
Brian L. Porter
and
Lee Lofland, The Graveyard Shift
Oct. 28
Karen Syed
and
Joyce Anthony - day 1
Oct. 29
Elysabeth Eldering
and
Joyce Anthony - day 2
Oct. 30
Jean Henry Mead
and
Joyce Anthony - day 3
Oct. 31
Aidana WillowRaven
Joyce Anthony - day 4
Nov. 1
Crystalee Calderwood
Nov. 2
Vivian Zabel's multiply blog
and Vivian's Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap blog
Oct. 26
Holly Jahangiri
Oct. 27
Brian L. Porter
and
Lee Lofland, The Graveyard Shift
Oct. 28
Karen Syed
and
Joyce Anthony - day 1
Oct. 29
Elysabeth Eldering
and
Joyce Anthony - day 2
Oct. 30
Jean Henry Mead
and
Joyce Anthony - day 3
Oct. 31
Aidana WillowRaven
Joyce Anthony - day 4
Nov. 1
Crystalee Calderwood
Nov. 2
Vivian Zabel's multiply blog
and Vivian's Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap blog
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Midnight is Coming!
My publisher, Vivian, is touring her mystery/thriller book Midnight Hours starting Sunday. The following is the tour schedule and prize information.
Oct. 26 Holly Jahangiri
Oct. 27 Brian L. Porter
and Patty @ TAL and Patty @ TAL
Oct. 28 Karen Syed
and Joyce Anthony day 1
Oct. 29 Elysabeth Eldering
and Joyce Anthony day 2
Oct. 30 Jean Henry Mead
and Joyce Anthony day 3
Oct. 31 Aidana WillowRaven
and Joyce Anthony day 4
Nov. 1 Crystalee Calderwood
and Lee Lofland, The Graveyard Shift
Nov. 2 Vivian Zabel on Multiply and Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap for the wrap up of the tour.
There will be a prize offered: Prize: $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com
Rules:
1. Each person who comments on a blog stop receives one entry.
For example, if a person leaves a comment ( or more) on four blog stops, he has four entries. (one entry per blog tour stop)
2. A purchase of Midnight Hours from the 4RV Bookstore, or from the author, receives fifteen (15) entries.
Books must be bought directly from the author or from the publisher.
A person may have entries from a purchase and from leaving comments.
3. The final step in the contest: Each person with entries must send an email to president@4rvpublishingll.com with the answer to the following question:
What time does Midnight appear on the game site to chat with Martin?
November 5, a random drawing will be held using a program online to choose a winner. I will notify the winner by email and will post the result on my blogs at Vivian's site and Brain Cells & Bubble Wrap.
Please remember to put your email address in the comment in order to be eligible for the contest. No email addy equals disqualification. See you all in the postings - E :)
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Updates on everything
I told you all I was being a bad host for virtual book tours. I am supposed to be hosting Stacy Gooch Anderson on the 20th (tomorrow) with a review of The Santa Letters and an interview. For more on her book tour, you will have to check her blog out for a listing of places to follow. The list is extensive and the tour has been going on for a while apparently.
Next week, I'll be hosting two virtual book tours, one for Chris Verstraete and Search for a Starry Night on Tuesday (I think this will be fun since she has it set up as a scavanger hunt from stop to stop) and one for Vivian Zabel and Midnight Hours. I need to finish reading Midnight Hours so I can post a review for Vivian. Fear not, it won't take too long to read and get that written. Vivian is offering a one prize deal for her tour, so check for details next week.
Band update: We have finished our regular season of competitions. This past Saturday was upper state (online there had been 26 bands listed to compete but when we arrived only 19 in the program). To get to state, a band has to be in the top 6 from upper state and top 6 from lower state - so there are supposed to be 12 bands competing for the title of best in the state. We hosted a competition on the first week, did a competition the next week, and two the following week. Saturday was upper state and we placed 4th out of the 19 bands that competed. This is pretty good considering we only competed in three actual competitions during this season. It seems that they keep cutting our competitions shorter and shorter. Before you know it, we will host a competition and then the next week will be upper state - but hope not - that would be hard on the kids not having the opportunity to go up against schools in regular competitions and see what they need to work on. It's been a crazy season but we survived.
Next weekend, I will miss the state competition but my ears and eyes will let me know what happens. I may post some pictures of the season but just haven't had time of late.
I'll be attending the SCWW Writer's conference in Myrtle Beach again this year (Oct. 24 - 26th) and am so looking forward to this. With one book in the series of 50 published and the second on its way, I'm hoping that soon I can be on panel discussions or do workshops at book festivals and things like the SCWW conference. I can hope for the fame some way some day.
Be on the lookout for more updates as I get them - see you all in the postings - E :)
Next week, I'll be hosting two virtual book tours, one for Chris Verstraete and Search for a Starry Night on Tuesday (I think this will be fun since she has it set up as a scavanger hunt from stop to stop) and one for Vivian Zabel and Midnight Hours. I need to finish reading Midnight Hours so I can post a review for Vivian. Fear not, it won't take too long to read and get that written. Vivian is offering a one prize deal for her tour, so check for details next week.
Band update: We have finished our regular season of competitions. This past Saturday was upper state (online there had been 26 bands listed to compete but when we arrived only 19 in the program). To get to state, a band has to be in the top 6 from upper state and top 6 from lower state - so there are supposed to be 12 bands competing for the title of best in the state. We hosted a competition on the first week, did a competition the next week, and two the following week. Saturday was upper state and we placed 4th out of the 19 bands that competed. This is pretty good considering we only competed in three actual competitions during this season. It seems that they keep cutting our competitions shorter and shorter. Before you know it, we will host a competition and then the next week will be upper state - but hope not - that would be hard on the kids not having the opportunity to go up against schools in regular competitions and see what they need to work on. It's been a crazy season but we survived.
Next weekend, I will miss the state competition but my ears and eyes will let me know what happens. I may post some pictures of the season but just haven't had time of late.
I'll be attending the SCWW Writer's conference in Myrtle Beach again this year (Oct. 24 - 26th) and am so looking forward to this. With one book in the series of 50 published and the second on its way, I'm hoping that soon I can be on panel discussions or do workshops at book festivals and things like the SCWW conference. I can hope for the fame some way some day.
Be on the lookout for more updates as I get them - see you all in the postings - E :)
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Still time - B-day noncontest and Midnight Hours launch party
There is still time to sign up for my newsletter and check out Vivian's Midnight Hours virtual launch party below. Hurry - noncontest ends at midnight Thursday night.
Hey everyone
There's still time for my birthday noncontest. Just sign up for my JGDS (geography series) newsletter and let me know by email with your snail mail addy so I can mail your gifts out to you. Tomorrow midnight is the deadline (since my birthday will officially be over then). So tell all your friends, sign up and get the newsletters keeping you abreast of the series. Check out my blog, http://jgdsseries.blogspot.com for a signup area.
Speaking of midnight, check out my publishers new book coming out soon and her contests on writing.com. You have to be a member to participate but it's free to sign up too. Here is the link to the Midnight Hours forum on writing.com - http://www.writing.com/main/forums/item_id/1431722 - come on over and check it out.
Also, pass on to your friends and relatives and acquintances that might be interested - thanks - see you all in the postings - E :)
------------
Coming soon, State of Wilderness, part of the Junior Geography Detective Squad 50 states mystery trivia series.
Where will the adventure take you next?
Hey everyone
There's still time for my birthday noncontest. Just sign up for my JGDS (geography series) newsletter and let me know by email with your snail mail addy so I can mail your gifts out to you. Tomorrow midnight is the deadline (since my birthday will officially be over then). So tell all your friends, sign up and get the newsletters keeping you abreast of the series. Check out my blog, http://jgdsseries.blogspot.com for a signup area.
Speaking of midnight, check out my publishers new book coming out soon and her contests on writing.com. You have to be a member to participate but it's free to sign up too. Here is the link to the Midnight Hours forum on writing.com - http://www.writing.com/main/forums/item_id/1431722 - come on over and check it out.
Also, pass on to your friends and relatives and acquintances that might be interested - thanks - see you all in the postings - E :)
------------
Coming soon, State of Wilderness, part of the Junior Geography Detective Squad 50 states mystery trivia series.
Where will the adventure take you next?
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