Friday, May 3, 2013

Welcome Guest Author Penny Lockwood


Penny Lockwood


 STEPH: Today, Penny Lockwood, author of "Boo's Bad Day" is visiting with us. At the end of the interview, I'll have my review and there will be "find me" links for Penny. 

PENNY: Steph, thanks for hosting me.  At the end of the tour, I will pick out one commenter’s name and send an autographed copy of Boo’s Bad Day to a United States address only.  If the name I pick is someone who lives outside the U.S., I will send a PDF copy of the book.  So remember, readers, be sure to leave contact information when you comment!

If your readers missed yesterday’s post, they can catch up at http://hazelnutt.com/category/picture-book-reviews Tomorrow, I’ll be visiting with http://nancymariebell.blogspot.com

A special announcement for anyone attending the OWFI Writers’ Conference: Boo’s Bad Day will be on display at the 4RV Publishing table on May 3 and 4 at the OWFI Writers’ Conference Embassy Suites Norman, Hotel & Conference Center, 2501 Conference Drive,
 Norman, Oklahoma, 73069
STEPH: I don't know much about Boo's Bad Day What's it about?

PENNY: 

Boo sneaks out of the house and discovers that freedom by himself can be scary.


Blurb:

Boo is a very bored kitten. When Timmy and his mom return home, Boo sneaks out of the house.  Boo is frightened by the noises of the big world outside of the safety of his warm home.  When Timmy coaxes Boo back into the house, Boo realizes some places are safe and some are not.



STEPH: How long did it take you to write?

PENNY: Altogether it was at least a couple of months from the time I wrote my first draft until I was ready to send it off.  Although there are very many words in a picture book, it’s important the words an author uses are just right.

STEPH: What was the inspiration behind the story?

Years ago, we had a black cat named Boo, who was an inside/outside cat.  As a teenager, he went out before an ice storm hit. Although we called him, he didn’t come back.  The next day, we heard him meowing up in a tall fir tree.  My husband tried to reach him standing on the tallest ladder we had. He couldn’t reach him, and Boo spent another night in the tree. The next morning his cries were weaker, and we called the fire department, who said they no longer got cats out of trees. We then called a friend who was a bit taller than my husband. He was able to reach Boo and get him down.  When Boo got inside, he curled in front of the wood stove and didn’t leave for a week.  Boo’s Bad Day was inspired by our cat Boo’s ice storm adventure.

STEPH: Did you have to do a lot of research?

PENNY: No research was involved, as this is a picture book about a kitten having some scary adventures outside in the snow.  We’ve always had cats, so it was easy to imagine what went through Boo’s head.

STEPH: What do you want children to take away after reading the story?

PENNY: I want them to realize how important it is to watch out for your pets and take good care of them.  A simple thing like not closing the door tightly can be a scary thing for a small kitten.  I also want them to think about places where they can be safe.

STEPH: How does the cover reflect the story?

PENNY: The cover is exactly right.  I am just thrilled with the illustrations throughout the book. Ms. Johnson couldn’t have captured Boo more perfectly.

STEPH: How long have you been writing?

PENNY: I’ve been writing since I was a child. I still have some of my “books” from when I was ten, carefully handwritten, illustrated, and bound with cardboard and ribbon.  Professionally, however, I’ve been writing and being published since 1993.

STEPH:  Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

PENNY: The best advice I can give is don’t give up!  I tried submitting my work when I was in my late teens, and since I really didn’t know what I was doing, I gave up after a few rejections. Of course, I was submitting to big name magazines as no one told me to start small and work my way up!  There are so many avenues open to writers now as self-publishing and electronic books are becoming commonplace. There is no reason why someone can’t be published if they want to see their work in print.

STEPH: Do you have an ebook reader? If so, which ones?

PENNY: I do.  I have a basic Kindle, which was my first ereader, and late 2012, I upgraded to a Kindle Fire HD.  I love being able to carry my library with me.

STEPH: Fun question: What're your favorite breakfast foods?

PENNY: I love breakfast and never miss it.  I vary my menu throughout the week:

*Cold cereal with fruit and a slice of whole wheat toast with peanut butter and honey.

*Whole wheat bagel with low fat cheese and avocado and a half grapefruit.

*Scrambled eggs with cottage cheese blended in on top of whole wheat toast slathered with avocado, topped with salso and a half grapefruit.

*On weekends, I usually make a more complicated breakfast for myself and my husband: whole wheat blueberry pancakes, whole wheat waffles, a vegetable fritta, poached eggs on whole wheat muffin with Marmite, or French toast.

*Of course, I have to have my morning cup of coffee…


STEPH's Review

 Boo's Bad Day
Written by: Penny Lockwood
Illustrated by: Deborah C. Johnson
ISBN: 978-0-9852661-5-8
4RV Publishing
5 Stars

Boo is a house cat on a snowy day. He wishes he could go outside and play with the other cats. When his wish comes true, will Boo's adventures lead him into trouble?

Boo's story is one young children can related to - what do when it gets boring. Boo makes several choices that will help teach young readers the value of making good and bad decisions.

The illustrations are endearing and whimsical, perfect for the story.

Overall, Boo's Bad Day is a heartwarming story with a strong lesson about making good choices. The story appeals to children between the ages of 2-6. I highly recommend this book. 


Buy Links:
$8.99 includes s/h

$7.32 prime



About Penny:
Penny Lockwood has published more than 100 articles, 75 stories, a chapbook, and her stories have been included in two anthologies. She writes for both adults and children. Her fiction has appeared in numerous genre and children’s publications, and non‑fiction work has appeared in a variety of writing, parenting, and young adult print magazines and on line publications.  She edits for MuseItUp Publishing.  Visit her web site at http:// pennylockwoodehrenkranz.yolasite.com. Her writing blog is located at http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com/.

She has recently released Boo’s Bad Day with 4RV Publishing and has three other children’s books under contract with them: Ghost for Rent, Ghost for Lunch, and Many Colored Coats. She has three romances published by MuseItUp Publishing: Love Delivery, Lady in Waiting, and Mirror, Mirror.  Her short story collection, A Past and A Future, is available through Sam’s Dot Publishing and Smashwords.


You can find Penny at:

Twitter: @PennyEhrenkranz


5 comments:

  1. Penny, I'm so glad to have you and Boo visiting today! I really enjoyed the book and give it two thumbs up!
    Smiles
    Steph

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  2. Hi Steph, thank you so much for hosting me today and for the lovely review of Boo. I'm off to let people know they should stop by to learn more about Boo.

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  3. This sounds like such a cute book. Loved the cover. Tweeted.

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  4. Hi Ella, thanks for stopping and tweeting! Deb did a fantastic job throughout the book. I'm thrilled to have her as my illustrator.

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  5. Congratulations to Susan York Meyers! She's the winner of an autographed copy of Boo's Bad Day.

    ReplyDelete