1. North Rhine-Westphalia has more people than any other state in Germany, but Düsseldorf is the 2nd biggest city, and its capital.
2. ‘Dorf’ means village in German. It’s a funny name for a HUGE city.
3. The biggest city in North Rhine-Westphalia is Köln. I can say Cologne, but not Köln. I just can’t do vowels with double dots, and we don’t have that sound in English.
4. Düsseldorf is the sixth best city IN THE world to live in.
​5. Its airport is the 3rd busiest in Germany. Frankfurt and Munich are busier.

​6. Düsseldorf is an international business and financial center. It’s known for its fashion and trade fairs.
7. It’s also known for its Rhenish Carnival. It’s in 3rd place behind Köln and Mainz. Do you know what a Rhenish Carnival is? Think ‘Carnival . . .’ In the US we call it Mardi Gras!

​​ I’m thrilled to be a part of this wonderful summit. It starts August 17th and ends the 20th. It sounds wonderful so I thought I’d do my bit to invite you all to come, to learn!
​Link: https://www.kidlitindiepubsummit.com/
And the link to my post for the first day, August 17th 
http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/kidlit-indie-publishing-summit-august-17th

August 18th - The Printing Process
Session 1: Using KDP Print and IngramSpark to Publish Children’s Books (And Should You Use their Free ISBNs and Barcodes?)
Author Brigitte Brulz will provide an overview of using KDP Print and IngramSpark to publish your next children’s book. Learn about print-on-demand publishing, expanded distribution, ISBNs and barcodes (and whether or not youshould use the free ISBNs provided by KDP Print and IngramSpark),and some additional tips to guide you in the right direction for your publishing journey.

​
Brigitte Brulz is homeschooling mom, Regional Social Chair for SCBWI Iowa, author, journal creator, and freelance writer. Her writings have appeared in various places in print and online. All three of her picture books have received a Readers’ Favorite Five Stars review, and her book Pickles, Pickles, I Like Pickles was chosen for the 2019 Read Across Connecticut program. She offers free coloring pages, activity ideas, and more information about her and her writings on her website at www.brigittebrulz.com.
 
Connect with Brigitte:View Her Website                        Take her Publishing Course
                                              Connect on Twitter & Pinterest @BrigitteBrulz

                   This is just Nordrhein-Wetfalen. 

I couldn’t answer even though I’ve been to North Rhine Westphalia four times.  Quiz Club offered me a 50/50 chance, and I took it! I’ll give it to you too. It’s either –  

Düsseldorf          Köln or Cologne

What do you think?
I guessed Köln, but I was wrong. It’s Düsseldorf! I’ve never been there, not once. 
 ​Part 2 – Fun Facts about Düsseldorf
1. North Rhine-Westphalia has more people than any other state in Germany, but Düsseldorf is the 2nd biggest city, and its capital.
2. ‘Dorf’ means village in German. It’s a funny name for a HUGE city.
​3. The biggest city in North Rhine-Westphalia is Köln. I can say Cologne, but not Köln. I just can’t do vowels with double dots, and we don’t have that sound in English.
4. Düsseldorf is the sixth best city IN THE world to live in.
5. Its airport is the 3rd busiest in Germany. Frankfurt and Munich are busier.

6. Düsseldorf is an international business and financial center. It’s known for its fashion and trade fairs.
7. It’s also known for its Rhenish Carnival. It’s in 3rd place behind Köln and Mainz. Do you know what a Rhenish Carnival is? Think ‘Carnival . . .’ In the US we call it Mardi Gras!
Source: https://quizzclub.com/games/bonus/which-city-is-the-capital-of-the-german-state-of-north-rhine-westphalia/answer/463750/
​
Tomorrow – I’ll take you to my favorite part of North Rhine Westphalia. BUT it’s not on the map. ​

​ Session 4: The 7-Step Process to Write a Children's Book with Maya Sara Karthik
Every book needs to have a story in order to capture readers' hearts. Learn what Maya tips are for creating characters and a setting for your story, plus how to write an interesting read.

Maya Sara Karthik is ten years old and she is an award-winning children's book author of the book "The Pari and Kayal Adventures - Saved by Sid" . She is a voracious reader and loves the fantasy-fiction genre. She writes reviews for all the books she reads and posts them on her Instagram and Facebook pages. 
​
Besides reading and writing, Maya enjoys teaching her little sister, doing anything creative, dancing, swimming, and spending time with her friends and family. She lives in Chennai, India.
Connect with Maya:     Visit Her Website              View Her Books                 Get Her Free Worksheets
Connect on Facebook & Instagram @WriterMaya

​ I’m thrilled to be a part of this wonderful summit. It starts August 17th and ends the 20th. It sounds wonderful so I thought I’d do my bit to invite you all to come, to learn! 
Link: https://www.kidlitindiepubsummit.com

First, I’d like you to meet the awesome authors who will be sharing their insights throughout the summit. Spanning across 4 continents, 6 countries, and 14 Cities, they offer their insights into book writing success.

August 17th - Creating Books
​Session 1: Deciding Whether Self-Publishing is Right for You With Brooke Van Sickle

​Brooke Van Sickle is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) and  Regional Webmaster for the Iowa-SCBWI region. She’s also a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) and Midwest Independent Publishers Association (MiPa).
​
Brooke is a 3-time published author with BiblioKid Publishing. Her first picture book, PIRATES STUCK AT "C", was awarded a 2020 Purple Dragonfly Honorable Mention and 14th Annual NIEA finalist for children's picture book. When not writing her own books, Brooke teaches other aspiring writers how to write and publish kids’ books at www.journeytokidlit.com. 
                       Connect with Brooke:
Visit Her Website                       View Her Books
Connect on Instagram & Twitter @AuthorBrookeVS    
Connect on Facebook & Pinterest @JourneytoKidLit

​Session 2: How to Find New Ideas to Write about with Katie Pye
​Ready to start the writing process? Here are the steps Katie takes when she's ready to start a new book, plus, how you can find new ideas to write about. 

Katie Pye is a New Zealand-based author with a daft sense of humor and an uncanny ability to make anything rhyme. Bemused with her 'Three Little Pigs' story concept on wise trust, Katie had so much fun penning 'The Wolf Strikes Again' that she launched headlong into her hilarious journey of re-crafting fairytale favorites with her Fairytale Fraud series. With 8 books already illustrated and 12 already penned, Katie is progressively sharing the fairy tale fun to her growing fan base.
​
Katie's goal is to provide families fun memory hooks into strong resilient thinking, including her own young family! Each story has a 'Behind the Scenes' section, with even more resources and printable as available on her website: www.fairytalefraud.com Pop over there and join her 'Fraud Squad' email list, so you don't miss out on her new Fairytale Fraud releases and enjoy finding out the TRUTH behind fairy tales!

Session 3: Working with Editors with Ceeley Mack
Before submitting your book to be published, Ceeley strongly suggests working with an editor. Listen to his tips on the different types of editors to help you choose the right one for you!

​Ceeley Mack is an independent author of debut Middle Grade novel Wolf Moon: the house on bloom street, a spooky story for children short on time or attention span. As an Air Force veteran, Ceeley knows that time is in short supply, so he began writing short, fast-paced fiction to keep his friends and children engaged. He graduated from an American Military University with a bachelor’s in English and currently lives in Maryland with a houseful of children, cats, dogs, and books.
Connect with Ceeley:
Visit His Website                                View His Books
Connect on Facebook & Twitter @MidniteMonsters

​ Session 4: The 7-Step Process to Write a Children's Book with Maya Sara Karthik
Every book needs to have a story in order to capture readers' hearts. Learn what Maya tips are for creating characters and a setting for your story, plus how to write an interesting read.

Maya Sara Karthik is ten years old and she is an award-winning children's book author of the book "The Pari and Kayal Adventures - Saved by Sid" . She is a voracious reader and loves the fantasy-fiction genre. She writes reviews for all the books she reads and posts them on her Instagram and Facebook pages. 
​
Besides reading and writing, Maya enjoys teaching her little sister, doing anything creative, dancing, swimming, and spending time with her friends and family. She lives in Chennai, India.
Connect with Maya:  Visit Her Website                      View Her Books                 Get Her Free Worksheets
Connect on Facebook & Instagram @WriterMaya

​Session 3: Working with Editors with Ceeley Mack
Before submitting your book to be published, Ceeley strongly suggests working with an editor. Listen to his tips on the different types of editors to help you choose the right one for you!

​Ceeley Mack is an independent author of debut Middle Grade novel Wolf Moon: the house on bloom street, a spooky story for children short on time or attention span. As an Air Force veteran, Ceeley knows that time is in short supply, so he began writing short, fast-paced fiction to keep his friends and children engaged. He graduated from an American Military University with a bachelor’s in English and currently lives in Maryland with a houseful of children, cats, dogs, and books.
Connect with Ceeley:
Visit His Website                                View His Books
Connect on Facebook & Twitter @MidniteMonsters

​
Session 2: How to Find New Ideas to Write about with Katie Pye
Ready to start the writing process? Here are the steps Katie takes when she's ready to start a new book, plus, how you can find new ideas to write about. 

​ Katie Pye is a New Zealand-based author with a daft sense of humor and an uncanny ability to make anything rhyme. Bemused with her 'Three Little Pigs' story concept on wise trust, Katie had so much fun penning 'The Wolf Strikes Again' that she launched headlong into her hilarious journey of re-crafting fairytale favorites with her Fairytale Fraud series. With 8 books already illustrated and 12 already penned, Katie is progressively sharing the fairy tale fun to her growing fan base.
​
Katie's goal is to provide families fun memory hooks into strong resilient thinking, including her own young family! Each story has a 'Behind the Scenes' section, with even more resources and printable as available on her website: www.fairytalefraud.com Pop over there and join her 'Fraud Squad' email list, so you don't miss out on her new Fairytale Fraud releases and enjoy finding out the TRUTH behind fairy tales!

Who doesn’t love free stuff! It’s like getting a Christmas or birthday present on an ordinary day. It’s lovely! If you go to my website on the LAKE FUN book link, you can get two things for nothing. What a deal! You don’t have to buy a book or anything!

Here's the LAKE FUN LINK:
http://www.rindabeach.com/books-775072-751265.html

If you want to take a look at my book, you can! Click on the word ‘Amazon,’ and off you go. It’s really a link. You can read about my book,  its  reviews, then decide if you need it. If you went to a lake this summer, you don’t have to, BUT, my book will help you remember your vacation, FOREVER, or as long as you have your book.

FREE LAKE FUN PRINTABLES.
Click the links below to download a FREE journal page and bookmark!

​​Then you’ll see this: Printable journal page
Click on it, and you’ll get a journal page with the frame at the top and lines below it. You can print as many as you want. Then start journaling about whatever you want to write/draw about. You could put it in a special folder or notebook so that you never lose it.
​
PS- this is the frame I picked for my lake book. It’s part picture book, part journal for lake-loving kids like my own! PPS- they’re all adults now,  but they still love the lake.

Pixabay is a great site for those of us who can’t draw but can picture the image we want. All you have to do is search for what you’re imagining!

Need a book mark, scroll past that journal link, and you’ll find: Printable bookmark
​
Here’s a copy of my bookmark. The first half is my cover. The other half has a mini-treasure hunt. I copied the directions so you can see how to put it together.

PS- I can't paste the treasure hunt in the same way I can on Microsoft Word, but it's close enough that you can get the idea.                                                                                           A Treasure Hunt – What can you find?

                                     Paperback $9.95 on Amazon                                                                                    Find me at rindbeach.com!   
 
Directions: Fold this bookmark in half. Then glue it together. Less glue is better! If you want a short bookmark, cut it underneath the word ‘Paperback.’ If you want a long bookmark, cut it off above the word ‘Directions.’ Happy Reading!
​
Part 2 – Free Stuff from Neil Armstrong

This is my first book. It came out last year, in May of 2019. If you visit my website, you’ll find the book link and three freebies.

Here it is:  
http://www.rindabeach.com/books-775072.html
​
You can take a peek at Neil’s story by clicking ‘Amazon’ or ‘Barnes & Noble.’ It could help you decide if Neil’s story if for you.

​Below the book and its two links, you'll see – 

​BOOK TRAILER

​Watch a short video, and you’ll get a taste of Neil Armstrong and his wind tunnel dream. It was designed by Anthony Jones. He took Cole Roberts’ drawings and brought them to life., as a high school junior. I have a feeling good things are ahead for Anthony!

​

​FREE PRINTABLES
Click below to download a FREE Neil Armstrong coloring sheet and bookmark!
 
This is Neil’s coloring sheet. It’s based on the illustration Cole Roberts did in Chapter 3. Neil had gathered all the materials he needed to build the wind tunnel. His next problem – how to put them together.


​This is Neil’s bookmark. 

Meet Poppy Minor! She’s an ant, and she’s been living in my computer since May of 2010. Poor dear!
​
Poppy came out this summer for a new round of edits. I got her to chapter 26. That’s when I hit words  I hadn’t touched in years. OUCH!
The bad news – I slowed down to push up the words. The awesome news – I’ve grown a ton as a writer since then. I still believe in this story, and that someday it will be a published book. Someday!
Here’s the link to the ants: http://www.rindabeach.com/for-kids.html

Meet Queen, Antinet. She’s queen of the food room ants and Poppy’s mother.

When you click on the link, you’ll see the story of these illustrations. Did you know that in traditional publishing that they pick the illustrator, and that the author and illustrator never, ever talk.
​
Fun stuff for kids
Before my last trip to Germany, I asked a friend to read my ant story and do a few illustrations.  I gave these pictures and the first chapter to them as a gift.  Now I’m giving them to you.  All you have to do is download, print, and enjoy!

​The most important thing about Amanda – she believes everyone has a story to tell. Here’s hers!

​She loves to read and write about the important things in life on her blog – like books and boys, faith and marriage,  mom life and yoga, and much, much more.
​
Amanda also writes weekly articles for Kingdom Edge Magazine and quarterly ones for Flourish magazine. If you need inspiration, motivation, or relaxation, visit her website at https://amandaflinn.com/

When Amanda needs to think or do a little research, she goes into a savasana. That’s a yoga pose. It’s also called the corpse pose too.

Whichever it is, it’s working! Amanda has her first two children’s books coming out this year.

Savasana Photo source: By Joseph RENGER - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1728138

Part 2 – Meet Amanda’s First Three Books

​She has three books coming out in 2020, and one is already here. It’s about two of Amanda’s favorite things. Can you guess what she wrote about? Now – look below!
                                                                     

​Yep, meet YOGA BABY! What else would Amanda write about, as a mom, who’s also a big yoga lover?  Yoga makes you reach and bend, rock and sway. It’s a perfect way for a baby to connect with a busy mom.
 
Amanda’s back matter is a guide full of  tips and tricks to add yoga into your busy life as a parent.

​
Coming soon – I’m wondering what it could be . . . I love the clues . . .  like the word at the top.  It could be God. It fits with Amanda’s Christian background.
​
But I have no idea whose shoes are at the bottom. We’ll all have to wait to find out!

​


​Coming soon – I wonder – could it be  a lighthouse . . . or a  prison? I have no idea . . .  but anticipation will keep all of us waiting.

Part 1 – What Does Friendship Look Like?
Do you have friends you’ve known since you were little? You can’t remember life without them. 

​Friends are there when you need to talk, share a laugh, or have a slumber party. You’re never alone, when you’ve got a friend.

​One friend or a bunch? At home or in school? It doesn’t matter – life is a whole lot better with friends!

This is what friendship used to look like. When I was a kid in the 60’s, we met people first, in person. We talked on a telephone. We sent letters and  pictures through the mail. It might take a day, even a week, for it to arrive.. Occasionally we had pen pals, people we only met through a letter, rarely in person. It was usually something a teacher set up, and I did it a couple of times with my 2nd graders.

Part 2 – Facebook and a New Kind of Friend
Today we have options I never dreamed of. Now we can email or text words, pictures, and videos in seconds. We can see and talk to friends and family in real time, right now. It’s common to have friends we’ve never met in person, all because of the internet.

I joined Facebook first. I’m not sure when,  but look below. This is the oldest picture I could find. It’s from August  16, 2010. 

Back then my Facebook friends were people I’d met face-to-face. I started with 1 friend and went up to about 150 when I retired from teaching in 2015. 

​The most unusual thing about Facebook was you could friend or be friended by people you didn’t know. Usually they knew someone you did. Now I have  friends in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. Maybe someday – I’ll meet someone in Antarctica or South America!

If you want to be friends, I’ll check who you know.  My rule of thumb – 3 friends in common. If you’re a complete stranger, I usually delete your request. I’ll also go to your page to see if you’re a teacher or a writer. I’ll look at your posts too. Good things mean we’re going to be friends.  Bad stuff, we’re not.

I usually talk to friends through my Facebook page. I only talk on messenger if  I know you personally, or if we’ve already talked on Facebook, and we need to share private information. 

​ Over the years I’ve had a couple people who broke the rules. They wanted to chit-chat, and I don’t have time for that. I asked them to stop. They didn’t so I blocked their account. 

I now have 1300 friends, exactly. I was curious so I went in and counted who I really know. It took a good 5-10 minutes. I recognized 368. I’ve talked to them personally or across Facebook groups. I’ve taken classes with some, or we’ve critiqued each other’s writing.
​
Some are personal friends and relatives. Three have passed, and their accounts were never pulled down. Occasionally their names come up, and I remember them. It’s sad, but sweet. 

About a half dozen sat in my classroom. I always felt it was more important for me to be their teacher, not their friend. Now that I’m retired, I’m so glad they still remember me. A few were my teachers, but most of those 1300 people asked me to be friends. It’s rare for me to ask. I really have enough friends.

This is the header for my business page. Thanks to writing and self-publishing I’m now a business owner, which is something I never expected. The picture above was the first thing I posted on my business page back on March 22, 2019. I was three months away from publishing my first book – NEIL ARMSTRONG’S WIND TUNNEL DREAM.

My life and friends have changed tremendously, for the better, because of Facebook. I feel blessed by each one of you. Thanks!

Trivia Question – Which came first – Instagram or Twitter?
Part 3 – Next Came Twitter
I joined Twitter in June, 2018 because I hoped it would help people find my website – http://www.rindabeach.com/

​My first tweet, October 14, 2018, was about my  cruise to Cuba. The link: http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/take-a-little-cruise-with-me-part-1-ship-shape

​My first tweet, October 14, 2018, was about my  cruise to Cuba. The link: http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/take-a-little-cruise-with-me-part-1-ship-shape

There are two ways to find  followers. Twitter makes suggestions, or people follow me. Either way, I  research profiles, and I usually pick teachers and writers. We work well together!
​ 
I started my Twitter journey on 0  for everything. Now I have 2897 tweets. I follow 2427 people, and I have 1934 followers. That’s a long way from 0!

​Part 4 – And Instagram Was Last
​When I joined Twitter, I could have joined Instagram, but I didn’t. I think it’s because more writers were on Twitter. I’m not sure why I finally joined Instagram, but I’m glad I did.

 This is my first Instagram post from January 17, 2019. It was about a dog named Riley. Would you believe she has her own book? That’s because she’s a service dog, and a great listener!
​
This is the link to my post about her:
http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/riley-the-retriever-is-a-good-dog-a-therapy-dog

​Instagram has followers, and it works pretty much like Twitter. One click, and you followed someone. You find followers the same way too. Instagram makes suggestions, or people follow you.
​
​I still research profiles  before I follow anyone. I discovered something new –  I’m good for librarians and home-schoolers, and they’re good for me too!

​When I started posting on Instagram, I was at 0  for everything. Now I have 436 posts. I follow 1057 people, and I have 687 followers. I’ve come a long way in one short year!
​

With followers on either network, I’ve only run into one person I needed to block. They didn’t follow my rules. I only talk in posts, mine or yours. If you message me and want to chat, I’ll message back, but I’ll ask you to stop. If you don’t, I have to block you.
​
It’s been a blessing to meet so many wonderful people on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but you have to be careful. Not everyone is nice –  That’s why I’m glad to follow or friend you!