“Pop” “Clink” Have you all got a glass to celebrate?
I can’t tell you how tickled pink and bubbling over with excitement I was, when I heard Joanna, one of my lovely Children’s Book Hubber buddies announced her first book, “Snow Games” was published. I was falling over myself trying to get in touch (drat time zone differences) to congratulate her and invite her here on my blog.
I had known Joanna since January 2011 on Emma Walton Hamilton’s Children’s Book Hub and later met up with her, at the LA 2011 SCBWI Conference in August. Even before our first meeting at the elevator of our hotel I felt this adventurous, free spirit. A lover of travel to exotic and different places myself (having just come back from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam at the time), the overwhelming energy and people at the conference did not, sadly, allow us time to swap stories. A lover of all things nature, humanitarian and cultural, Joanna’s Blog Miss Marple’s Musings reflects this and is always a delight to visit, and her adventurous spirit is evident in her writing.
Here is my Review of her book…… Snow Games
By: Joanna Marple and
Illustrated by: Maja Sereda
Published by: uTales
Opening Lines: On a crisp, frosty mid-winter’s day, the woodland youngsters ran out to play.
The first game that popped into squirrel’s head was to slide down a hill on a homemade sled. Bear charged forth and crashed down the slope, on a sled from boughs tied together with rope.”
Synopsis: Joanna’s gentle rhyming text sweeps across the snow covered pages of beautifully soft hue illustrations courtesy of Maja Sereda. The animals make up their own forms of transport to race down the mountain and then decide on a snow fight, leaving poor mouse combating difficulties. A sweet story of true friendship overriding competitiveness, as Bear with his blue and white scarf, Squirrel donning bright pink earmuffs and Owl in pink and white tights, while proving how powerful and clever they are, agree to a different kind of sport in which tiny mouse excels. Wrap up warm and join Joanna and her cuddly friends on the slopes for some adventure and fun.
I love, love this story. Joanna’s ability to write in rhyme with great ease and energy is page turning quality alone and the adorable pictures makes this a beautiful gift anytime of the year.
Right now you can sign up for free for two weeks, and read the story in its entirety on uTales and vote for the book! Here is the link…
http://utales.com/books/snow-games-3 Be a sport and vote!
Always game for the fun and quirky when it comes to interviewing, I thought I would turn the tables on her; here are some fun facts about Joanna..
Me: Favourite colour?
JM: Pink, blue
Me: Breakfast: Continental or full/cooked?
JM: Bacon’n Eggs
Me: Favourite time of the day?
JM: Sunset
Me: Favourite ice-cream?
JM: Pistachio
Me: Favourite drink?
JM: Bordeaux
Me: What does your workspace look like?
JM: A coffee table piled with: manuscripts, writing craft books, picture books, novels, journals, iPod, camera, laptop, pens, coffee mugs, cats, baseball cap… (Me: that sounds like my dining table, minus the cat….lol.)
Me: If you had to spend the day as a book character who would that be and why?
JM: Eloise so that I could spend a day in New York in style (and visit the Plaza)! (Me:.. Cool!)
Me: Do you have a favourite or most productive time of the day for your writing muse?
JM: From dawn until midday is the best time for me! Definitely a lark and not an owl!
Me: Will your two quirky cats ever appear in one of your books in the future?
JM: I have written poems about them both on the blog, so I guess they may well appear one day in a story – they are really chalk and cheese!
Me: If I turned up at your place for a visit, what would you feed me?
JM: Well, first I would ply you with wine (Me:.. chuckles), and then, I always keep some good steak in the freezer so as long as you came in the morning, I would have time to marinate the meat and cook you a tasty Daube, accompanied by fresh pasta from a delicatessen within walking distance of mine! (Me: mmm… yumm, I’ll just get my plane ticket organised, start marinating…lol)
Author Bio: Joanna grew up surrounded by the architecture and awe of the University Of Cambridge, UK, and immersed in the books and the landscapes of the Bronte’s, Tolkien and Beatrix Potter. Her tall tales were not always appreciated as a young child, but her passion for storytelling remained unfettered and was fuelled by the marvellous people and animals she encountered during her humanitarian work across the continents. More recently her years as school librarian in Southern France relit her passion for children’s literature. Her stories focus on her love of the natural world and the richness of the cultures she has encountered in her travels. She lives presently in Nice with two quirky cats and a stream of visitors from all over the globe.
Thank you so much for the fun Q & A session Joanna, I am so grateful that you have shared not only your writing but some of your quirkiness with us through your Blog Tour, and I wish you all the luck in the world with whatever you set out to do, be it in writing or traveling. Please remember to come down my way someday where accommodation, a bottle of the best, and a personal tour guide is at your disposal.
Here is the rest of Joanna’s Blog Tour including visits past that you may wish to catch up on….
Wednesday, May 16th, Darshana’s Blog, Flowering Minds – Interview
Wednesday, May 23rd – Krista Rausin’s blog, Parenting with a Dash of Inspiration – Multiple Characters in Picture Books
Tuesday, May 29th – Sharon Stanley’s blog, Sharon Stanley Writes – Interview
Tuesday June 5th – Clarike Bowman-Jahn, Clarbojahn’s Blog – The Story Behind the Story
Wednesday, June 6th – Diane Tulloch’s blog, The Patient Dreamer – Book Review and mini Interview
Wednesday, June,13th – Julie Hedlund’s Blog, Why uTales?
Monday, June 18th – Susanna Leonard Hill’s Blog – The Process of Submitting a Story to uTales
Wednesday June 27th – Patricia Hilton’s blog, Children’s Books Heal, Anthropomorphism in picture books and Book Review
“hic..” Enjoy!
I’ve got my glass and the bubbles tickle my nose. Big Congrates, Miss Marples! Your book sound delightful and I’ll be voting. D. Tulloch, your question & answer session is really fun. That desk sounds a bit like mine. Throw in an empty McD’s cup, psych and science textbook and you’ve got my writing space. Best of luck to both of you ladies.
Cheers, Pam!
Thankyou Pam, glad you enjoyed this.. cheers!
Pingback: Illustrator Interview – Charlie Eve Ryan | Miss Marple's Musings
I liked learning about you again Miss Marple! 😉 I didin’t know you liked blue! Or bacon! 😉
Thanks for your comment Erik, glad you enjoyed this.
Great interview Diane! I too, was very excited when Joanna announced she published Snow Games. I really enjoyed reading it to my children — numerous times!
This is so thrilling for me to read, Eric, thank you!
Thankyou Eric, wow, that is certainly wonderful to hear.
What fun! Thanks for this “insider” interview, Diane and Joanna!
thankyou Beth.
Lovely review, Diane, and I LOVED your interview! What fun questions! Thanks for sharing 🙂
lol… thankyou Susanna glad you loved it.
Yum lets meet up for a bacon lunch and a vino 🙂
Great idea, Catherine!
lol.
Great book review and loved some of the questions you asked Joanna. Very different. I am thrilled for Joanna, as I think this has been a learning experience for her and changed some of her views. Great interview ladies.
Pam, it has truly been a positive learning experience on so many levels.
Thankyou Pat, I am thrilled to.
I just loved the review and the interview. Thanks Joanna and Diane! I facebooked and tweeted Snogames and the Alphabet book. Thanks so much for the links! I sure do appreciate being able to view the books we are talking about! And the opportunity to buy them. When the are bought how do they show up on the computer? Will it be an icon? Like my book? Or what?
Clar, you will always be able to read any uTales book you buy via your ‘bookshelf’ on uTales.com.
Thank you all for your encouraging words and Diane for this sweet review and such fun questions!
Thankyou Clar, I am sure you will enoy it.
The pleasure was all mine Joanna, thanks again.
Great interview ladies! I love the book too – and so do my kiddos! Very fun to learn more about you Joanna.
thankyou Julie.
Cheers, Julie, It’s the best to hear that the kids loved SNOW GAMES!
Congratulations and a great interview! I love your biography, Joanna, cats are quirky beings, aren’t they?
Thankyou for your Comment Heather.
Just voted! Yay for Joanna!
PS- Is ranking with stars the same things as voting? I couldn’t find a separate voting place.
Yep, the stars is our voting system, Hannah 🙂
Excellent interview you two! Pasta! I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And wine. Mmm. Loved learning more about you, Joanna. You rock woman! 🙂
Sweet review and love the quirky fast-paced interview. Joanna – I’ll have a glass of the Bordeaux but sorry will have to pass on the streak. 😉 I also fin that my best creative writing happens in the morning.
oops two typos, meant to say “will have to pass on the steak” and “I also find”
Pingback: Celebrate Save The Bookstores Day and a Picture Book Review « Positive Parental Participation
Lovely to meet another morning person, we are rare. And don’t worry, I would make you one of by fabulous spinach lasagnes, Darshana!
Pingback: Reaching for Rainbows « Opening a Can of Bookworms – Nessa Morris