Part 1 - Trivia Question
Which famous star received a Salk polio vaccine shot before he appeared on the “Ed Sullivan Show”?
Johnny Cash               Ricky Nelson               Mickey Mantle               Elvis Presley​
​

                And the answer is . . .
                        Elvis Presley! 
​Here’s the story about Elvis and the polio vaccine . . .

Elvis was scheduled to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956. He was a new star back then. His most famous song – Heartbreak Hotel.
​
Elvis was given a challenge – to take the polio vaccine in front of the press before his appearance. He did!

The photos appeared in newspapers across the country. It was a stunt to promote the struggling polio vaccination campaign. Stephen Mawdsley reported that teens were at risk for polio, and they were refusing to get the shot. ​

Public health officials talked to the teen heart throb, and he agreed to get the shot, plus the photo. It was about that time that US businesses realized that teens were both consumers and influencers.
​
Those teens were the ‘baby boomers,’ and they were coming of age. Boomers were born between the end of World War II and the 1960’s. I’m a boomer. I was born in 1959, near the end, and I’d never heard this story till I started writing this post. Click the link below to learn more.
More Info: www.theguardian.com
My Source: Quizclub.com – Sorry I don’t have the link for the question and answer.
 
I wasn’t born when Elvis sang Heartbreak Hotel in 1956, but if you’d like to hear it, click on the next link. The image is of Elvis performing Jail House Rock from 1957. I found a link for it too.

• https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=video+of+elvis+singing+heartbreak+hotel&view=detail&mid=AA745720D3AD2A52E3C5AA745720D3AD2A52E3C5
• https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Jail+house+Rock&view=detail&mid=5BE2D14A5E942FCB85615BE2D14A5E942FCB8561&FORM=VIRE0&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dJail%2bhouse%2bRock%26cvid%3d10ab438c19f7436e98e2f02dd761add6%26pglt%3d547%26FORM%3dANNTA1%26PC%3dASTS

​Part 2 – A Table and a  Few Photos
The first black peak came in 1916. There were 27,000 cases of polio. A red peak at the bottom shows 6,000 deaths.
​
In 1949 it spiked again, with 28,000 cases and almost 2,000 deaths. The final high point was 1952, with over 36,000 cases and 2,000 deaths.

​The chart doesn’t show the worst part of Polio – it attacked children. It left some in wheelchairs, others with crutches and leg braces, and some with deformed legs. I couldn’t share that picture.

Polio struck one of our presidents – FDR – Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He got polio when he was 39, but he didn’t let the disease stop him. To learn more about FDR, click on this link: https://www.fdrlibrary.org/polio

In the 1930’s researchers invented the Iron Lung. It kept you alive and breathing if polio weakened the muscles that helped you breathe.  The only place you’ll see one now is in a museum.

 
Click the link below to stay current with CDC guidelines for children and adults. CDC stands for the Center for Disease Control.
 
Link: 
​ https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/vaccines-age.html
 

Part 1 – Trivia Question
​Which basketball player died on January 26, 2020, in a California helicopter crash?
Kevin Durant                Michael Jordan                LeBron James                     Kobe Bryant
​

The answer – Kobe Bryant.
​The others are alive and doing well!

I’m not a big basketball fan, let alone one of Kobe Bryant, but I remember the day he died. I remember the grief felt across the country. I felt it too.

It was the details about that last day that made me want to write about him. They inspired me.
I put Kobe’s name on my list back in January, but when I saw the trivia question last week, it was a sign – time to write this post. Here are 5 fast facts from my source at Quizzclub that caught my eye. They show his character and say something about him, something great.

Part 2 – Five Fast Facts
1. Kobe played all 20 years of his career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Most players move around.
2. He went right from high school to the Lakers. I knew LeBron did, but not Kobe.
3. He was an All-Star for 18 of 20 seasons. It took 2 short years to make him one
4. He helped the Lakers win 5 NBA championships. He was picked twice as the Finals MVP – Most Valuable Player.
5. He led the NBA in scoring for  2 seasons. He’s #4 in all-time scoring during both the regular season and postseason.

No wonder he’s considered one of the greatest players of all time. But that’s not why I wanted to write about him. Tomorrow, I’ll tell you why!

My sources: More Info: en.wikipedia.org
https://quizzclub.com/games/daily-trivia/which-basketball-player-died-on-jan-26-2020-in-california-in-a-helicopter-crash/answer/1677696/

​ The last time I saw Kobe was in 2004. It was a horrible time for Kobe, his family, and his accuser. He was involved in a court case. I felt bad for all of them. Everyone goes through dark times. It’s how you respond to them that says something about you. It does about Kobe.
​
Part 3 – Three Inspiring Stories
Story 1. NBA marriages usually don’t end well. There’s intense pressure from fame and travel. Kobe’s lasted until death parted them. It wasn’t perfect. It had its ups and downs. I am so impressed by how much Kobe and Vanessa went through, and still stuck together. 
Photo Source: By Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA - Kobe Bryant, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=85728664

The waves kept coming with a baby girl in 2003, the court case in 2004, a miscarriage in 2005, and another little girl in 2006. So much joy and so much pain in three short years for a young couple. It took its toll.

In December of 2011 they separated and were headed for divorce, but they didn’t. The Bryants reconciled in January of 2013. Not many couples can put a marriage back together. It says something wonderful about them, and the value they placed on family.
​
The Bryants had a third daughter in 2016, the same year Kobe retired, and a fourth in 2019. Kobe and Vanessa packed a lot of life into their 18 years of marriage. My wish, everyone’s wish, would have been for Kobe, Vanessa, and their four girls to have had more time together. My heart, my prayers go out to Vanessa who lost a husband and daughter, and to her three girls who lost a father and a sister. It’s hard to believe it was only eight short months ago. With coronavirus, it feels like forever. 

​ Story #2. I watched Vanessa Bryant speak from the Staple Center Celebration of Life, for her husband and her daughter. Her words stayed with me. It’s one of the big reasons I wanted to write this post. Here are her words . . .

 “Kobe was the MVP of girl dads, or MVD. He never left the toilet seat up. He always told the girls how beautiful and smart they are. He taught them how to be brave.”
​
But I discovered even more. I didn’t know Kobe stopped watching basketball, or that it took his 13-year-old daughter to bring him back to it. I didn’t know that he’d been coaching Gigi and her team for two years. Parents with daughters, can you imagine an NBA star coaching your girl? I think it says something wonderful about Kobe, and Gigi.

 I also discovered Kobe became a partner in a sports academy where he’d coached Gigi. Imagine – inspiring your dad to get back into basketball, to the thing he loved 2nd best. His wife and daughters came first. WOW!

It was the love of his family that got Kobe into helicopters. I heard him talk about it in an interview. He could spend his time waiting in traffic, or, fly home faster. He chose faster. I’d call Kobe an MVFM – Most Valuable Family Man.

Story #3. Did you know Kobe Bryant was a practicing Catholic? I didn’t, until the day he died. That story stayed with me, and I saved it for last.
​
Kobe lived his faith, every day of his life, including the last one. That Sunday Kobe and Gigi went to early service. They took communion. They didn’t sleep in, skip church, then head off to Gigi’s basketball game.

They put church first and basketball second. Not many people do that. Falling short is easy, like rolling over and going back to sleep. Getting up, keeping the faith is harder.
​
Kobe wasn’t perfect. He said faith, and his priest, helped him through the hard times. He brought his family to Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Newport Beach. They became part of the faithful.  Here are the words of Vanessa Bryant, and her faith . . . 

“God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home to have them together,” said Vanessa, before telling her late husband. “Babe, you take care of our Gigi. And I got Nani, B.B. and Koko. We’re still the best team.”

“May you both rest in peace and have fun in Heaven until we meet again one day. We love you both and miss you. Forever and always, Mommy.”

My Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_Bryant
https://people.com/sports/vanessa-bryant-daughters-kobe-gianna-staples-center-memorial/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2020/01/23/inside-kobe-bryant-mamba-sports-academy/4527552002/

Part 1 – My August Schedule
This is my August post schedule. I don’t put dates on it because I pick them as I go. I skip around.

​​I have a letter first, a short title idea, and a number. The number comes last. It tells how many days I spent on the post, and I don’t know that until it’s done.
August
S- Instructable ideas   4         
B- My book pages + 2020 PB     2 + 4                
M- Social media friends     5 
I- N. Rhine Westphalia    4                 
19 Total so far in August

Part 2 - The letters stand for:
I – Inspiration            S – Share            M – Me           B – Business​
​

​​'I' is for Inspiration.
​These posts come from the things that I want to write about, for a story, for a post. I look for people, places, and things that inspire me. My last ‘I’ post was about North Rhine Westphalia. If I hadn’t traveled there in 2007, I might not have ever become a writer, or I might have waited till I retired from teaching.
​
I forgot . . .. I waited already. I had a story idea when my kids were in elementary school, but I put it off. I didn’t think I could teach all day and take care of my family at night. When I went to Germany, I had one kid in college, a senior, and a sophomore in high school.
PS – I still haven’t written that first idea, but it’s in my list of titles, waiting to be told. 
​

‘S’ is for Share. These posts come from things I see online, in the news, from small town Ohio and Tennessee. I pick things that interest me, that I want to share. I write for the kids I know – the ones in elementary school, their parents, and their teachers. I look for things I’m interested in. Kids usually are too. I also look for things they study in school. Then I try to expand on it, or give it a new spin.
​
My August ‘S’ post highlighted one of my favorite websites, Instructables.com. I love the range of topics they cover from food to technology. I found my wind tunnel project design on Instructables. The kid who designed and wrote it was a 7th grader. He just graduated from college, and now he designs robots in California. I hope you’ll take a look at Instructables and let it inspire you too.

M is for Me!  I pick things that I think you’d like to discover about me, the things I do, the places I travel. Basically, I write about what fascinates or horrifies me.

But I have to be careful. I have a husband, 3 adult children with 2 spouses, and a granddaughter. I want to tell you all about them, but they don’t. They want to keep somethings private, like pictures. I won’t share those on my website or social media because they don’t want me to, and I have to respect that.
​
My last ‘M’ post was about my social media friends, how we find each other, and how we talk. I also wrote about what happens when someone crosses into my personal space. There was no social media when I grew up in the 60’s and 70’s. Computers were as large as a couple classroom. My kids grew up with them. It’s like breathing for them, and they were my first social media teachers! Without them I wouldn’t be on Facebook! Really! 
​

​B is for Business I didn’t realize in November of 2016 that I’d become a business woman. That’s when my website went live, and I learned how to write blogs and book reviews. I didn’t earn a dime, but I built my writing skills each night. I also built a platform. It was the one small step I could take towards getting published, the only one I could control. 

Every 4th post is about my business. It started with the website. Now I have two books from Beach Girl Press. That’s me! My last ‘B’ post was about freebies on my website. I have a coloring page and bookmark for Neil, and a journal page and bookmark for Lake Fun. I hope someone read the post and got one freebie, maybe all 4. If I sold a book, that’s even better!

I also write for my debut group, 2020 PB Stars. I highlight their books, and I hope they’ll highlight mine. 

Part 3 – What’s Next in August?  When I started this post, I had days to fill in August.  I had to decide what to do and fast. Can you guess where I started? With the four pillars. I jot down ideas when I get them under the right letter. Here are the number of ideas I have for each pillar.

I – Inspiration            S – Share            M – Me           B – Business
                        7                             4                       3                       7

End of August/September
S- Elvis & vaccines              B- how I find/track posts              M- being stuck              I- Kobe Bryant

Can you tell where I started? Yep, with finding and managing posts. I’m almost done. My last step is my book review. Now, to find the one that fits this post! Then – time to start the next one.  I’m torn between Elvis and Kobe. Both of them just had trivia questions that will help me get started.  We’ll both know Monday night!

​Where did I find the 4 pillars? From Deb LaFlamme. She’s a marketing guru and my teacher. Her pillars guide my blogs. They have for a year or two.
​
What I love about them is that they challenge me. They make me stretch to offer you more. Thanks, Deb!

​
​Session 1: Creating Your Marketing Plan with Andy Stonehouse
In order to sell your book and find new readers, you need to market. Learn what Andy did for his children's book series and how you can apply the tips to your own marketing strategy!

Andy Stonehouse is a writer and illustrator of children’s books based in Leicestershire, in the UK. He is married to Victoria and father to 3 young girls. Between them, Andy and Victoria have created the Adventures of Lily Series and have published five books via Amazon KDP. The series follows their youngest daughter, Lily, and her first experiences. The latest, Lily’s Lockdown Birthday, was published at the end of July. All profits will go to Chartwell Children’s Cancer Trust charity to support Paediatric oncology Units in the London area. 
Connect with Andy:       View His Website

Tieska Jumbo is the proud wife of Daniel and mother to David and Danny. Professionally, Tieska is a technical writer for a financial software company. With a Bachelor of Arts in English, with a Spanish minor and a Master of Science in Library Science, writing and books have always been a significant part of Tieska’s life. As a mother, Tieska’s desire to write children’s picture books stems from the need for her Nigerian-American sons to see themselves represented positively and with strength in a variety of everyday situations. 

 Connect with Tieska:      Visit Her Website
 Connect on Instagram @jumbohousepublish             Connect on Facebook @jumbohousepublishing

​ 
Session 3: How to Use Your Self-Published Book for New Opportunities with Dr. Dawn Menge
Dawn has been in the self-publishing world for 10 years now, but she's not just publishing books. Learn what kind of opportunities this has opened for her and what kind of things you might be able to do once you have a book, too.

Dr. Dawn Menge has won forty-one national awards including selection in the Conquering Disabilities Film Festival and Action in Film as the author of the Queen Vernita educational series. The series is named after her grandmother Vernita and is based on her real adventures and real friends.  Dr. Dawn also judges Indie romance books and children’s literature. She writes book reviews for Story Monster Magazine. 
​
Dr. Menge holds a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction, a master’s degree and a Clear Credential in moderate/severe disabilities, and a bachelor’s degree in human development. Dr. Menge has been teaching severely handicapped students for nineteen years. She has three children and five beautiful grandchildren and lives in Southern California.

Connect with Dawn:   Visit Her Website                              View Her Books
Connect on Instagram @DawnMenge                                    Connect on Twitter @QueenVernita

​Session 4: How to Overcome Your Fear of Putting Yourself Out There with Delanda Coleman
Marketing can feel very intimidating to writers, but it doesn't have to be! Learn how Delanda overcame her imposter syndrome and what you can do to plan your next launch!

Delanda Coleman has spent fifteen years as a leader in Product Marketing for some of the world’s largest and most innovative software companies, including Microsoft and Brightcove.  Having seen the fast-paced and evolving nature of technology, she was surprised by the lack of urgency or innovation in recruiting and developing women of color in the software industry.  Inspired by the birth of her daughter, she and her husband, Terrence, recognized the need for more diversity and inclusion for people of color in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM).  Together, they created Sydney and Coleman LLC  to expose young black girls and boys to concepts and careers in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), through books, toys, games, and experiences.  

They also aspire to equip parents and caregivers with tools to influence every child’s success in these areas. 

A native and resident of Boston, MA, Delanda holds an MBA from New York University and a Bachelors’s from Northeastern University.  She is an avid reader and world traveler.  

Connect with Delanda:                View Her Website                  Connect on Social @MsDelanda

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!
                   Conference Link: https://www.kidlitindiepubsummit.com/
http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/kidlit-indie-publishing-summit-august-17th
http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/kidlit-indie-publishing-summit-august-18th
​

August 19th - Illustrating Your Book
Session 1: How to Find an Illustrator for Your Book using Kindrling
Trying to find an illustrator can sometimes be the hardest part of self-publishing. A new platform called Kindrling was designed to help this problem! Learn more about the platform with one of the founders. ​

Julian was born in Hamburg, Germany and now lives in Berlin. He studied Business Administration in Germany, the US, and Australia.
Julian is the author of the bilingual children's book Pipo and The Red Balloon (German / English e-learning book) and he co-Founded Kindrling together with Carolina in April 2020 in Berlin. Kindrling is a partner with Kidlit 411 and Pathways Into UK.
​
Julian's hobbies include playing the sax, cooking (Latin American cuisine), and traveling (mostly Europe and Asia).
​About Kindrling:
Julian and his partner Carolina have recently launched Kindrling, a platform that helps authors to find professional illustrators who specialize in children's illustrations.

​As authors of children's books themselves, Julian and Carolina have often had difficulties finding talented illustrators for their book. There was no central point of contact to find artists that met their needs. 

To simplify the process of finding children's illustrators, the team has created Kindrling. The platform allows authors to easily compare professional children's book illustrators by type of service, location and rating.
​
As a user you‘ll be able to view the portfolio services of illustrators alongside price information which makes it easy to find the right illustrator for your project. Illustrators who have joined Kindrling are hand-picked professionals.
Learn more about Kindrling

Session 2: Illustrating Your Book & Becoming an Art Director with Nicholas Roth
No matter if you're illustrating your book yourself or working with a professional, you're going to need to make sure they're done well to tell a story. Learn tips on creating your files plus how to become your own art director.

​Nic is the author and illustrator of the picture book, COCO WANTS A BURGER and hit webcomic BEET AND PANDA. You’ll find his work in national children's magazines such as FACES, ASK and MUSE. He loves fitness, coffee, gardening and tending to his guinea pigs. He loves traveling with his husband, Alec, and walks with his wiener dog, Doogie. Nic is represented by Peter Ryan of Stimola Literary Studio.
Connect with Nic:
Visit His Webcomic             View His Books
Connect on Instagram @NicMcD
Connect on Twitter @NicMcDougal
Connect on Facebook @NicMcDIllustration
​

Session 3: How to Find an Illustrator & Create a Great Working Relationship with Czarina Bernett
It's hard enough to find an illustrator, but sometimes even harder to know if you're going to work well together. Learn Czarina's tips on how to make the connection and ensure you'll make a good team!

Czarina discovered the author route two years ago while getting her daughter to apply lotion on her skin. Persuasion and convincing didn't work in getting her young daughter to moisturize her skin. When she used a made-up word, it got her attention. Then, she described what could happen if she doesn't moisturize her skin. It worked! It was magic! The heartache of watching her dry skin burn with prolong dry air was over. There weren't any books about dry skin. Czarina ventured into the publishing world, and on September 1st, 2019, CRACKODILE was live. The experiences were fantastic, so a second book, Schneider the Spider and His Unusual Friends, went live in July 2020. 

Her interests in children's literature and education led her to complete a bachelor's degree in Urban Education as well as masters' degrees in Child Development and Elementary Math Education. She loves sharing imaginative stories with children, particularly with her two playful daughters, who are her primary source of inspiration. Czarina spent the past twenty years as an educator throughout Southern California and abroad in Japan and Hong Kong. Currently, she manages KidZ Synergy, LLC. 
Connect with Czarina:    Visit Her Website           View Her Books  
                                                           Connect on Instagram @CZBernett

​
Session 4: Writing, Illustrating, & Design for Your Children's Book with Craig Macnaughton
Triple-threat Craig Macnaughton explains his top three tips to create a children's book that encaptures readers. Learn tips to create your own children's book in this session!

Craig Macnaughton is a stay-at-home-parent, fine artist, and budding chef. He launched his first picture book A B Sea Creatures: An Astonishing Aquatic Alphabet! in October 2019 with Birds of a Letter: ABC Together! following in June 2020, and many more on the way! He is also a member of Julie Hedlund’s 12x12 Challenge, The Forest Hill Art Club, and CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers). Craig lives in Toronto with his wife and two little kids.
Connect with Craig:  Visit His Website
Connect on Facebook & Instagram @LittleMittenPress
Connect on Twitter @FleetLoop

​This is one of my favorite sites. They have everything from technology to cooking, and I’d like to show you a few of the possibilities they offer. This is their home page: https://www.instructables.com/

Look at the top left of the black bar. You’ll find buttons for Circuits, Workshop, Craft, Cooking, Living, Outside, and Teachers. I have an account with Instructables so they’re always sending me newsletters that are full of ideas, and that’s where I found this recipe, from an old email.

Part 1 – French Toast Skewers You can search for this recipe on the home page. It’s from ElisesEats  and the cooking section. It must have been part of an Instructable contest. It didn’t win, but it was a runner up. Elise put together directions and a video to show you how to make it.  
Here’s her link: https://www.instructables.com/id/French-Toast-Skewers/

You can make it Elise’s way, or take your own shortcuts if you know how to make French Toast. Elise used really thick bread, but you could use whatever you have. Pick your favorite fruits. Elise used strawberries, kiwi, bananas, and blueberries, but I love making it my way.

I’d cut the fruit first. Then I’d make the French toast. Elise sliced it before cooking, but you could do it later. Then let your family and friends have fun putting together their own personal skewers. Give them a little syrup, and you’re ready to eat! YUM!
​

Part 2 – Artist’s Popsicle Stick Puzzle   I searched through my Instructable emails for a craft project and found this one from littlebadwren. It looks easy, and you probably have most of the materials at home already.

You’ll need popsicle sticks, painters’ tape (green or blue), scissors, ruler, pencil, paint brushes, and any brand/color of acrylic paint.
​Here’s her link: https://www.instructables.com/id/Artists-Popsicle-Stick-Puzzle/

Littlebadwren has 6 designs, or you can make your own. If you want something simple, try the cat. Then add in a bunch of leaves. That’s what Little did. I also like the girl (below) and the butterfly (from her page). You can copy her backgrounds, or try your own.

​
​Directions:
1. Tape the edges to hold your puzzle together. Allow ¼ inch edges. 

​​2. Trace or sketch your design. Then paint. 

3. When the paint’s dry, gently bend each stick. Your puzzle will crack apart. Then pull off the tape.
​
PS – For extra fun, paint a 2nd puzzle on the back before you pull it apart.
 

Part 3 – The Science of Color
I have two experiments for you tonight. Both of them are simple. You only need a couple of supplies. My kind of science!

The first is called M&M SCIENCE – CRAZY SCIENCE (RAINBOW). You can find it in the LIVING section of Instructables under LIFE HACKS. Its author is MORENA DIY.

I bet you can guess what you need for this experiment – a glass of water, a bag of M&M’s, and a plate.​

The directions – lay the M&M’s around the plate in a circle. You can use any pattern you’d like. Tell your child you’ll be pouring water over them. Then ask him/her what will happen. Even if they’re wrong, predictions are a powerful part of science. 

Now – pour that water over those M&M’s and watch what happens. When you’re done, talk about your prediction and the results. If you want to have fun, and I always did with my 2nd graders, ask them what will happen if you run a stick through the colors. Then, do it! Check your prediction against the results. I think this is where scientists are born!

PS – if you want to extend the experiment, ask another question – what would happen if you changed your pattern? Then let them try it. There are an infinite number of ways to arrange the M&M’s, but be careful! You don’t want to get them all wet. Save some to eat!
​
Morena’s link - https://www.instructables.com/id/MMs-Science-Crazy-Science-Rainbow
​

This is the 2nd experiment. It’s called AMAZING SCIENCE, and you’ll find it in the Instructables LIVING section under life hacks. Its author is rexbairy1.
​
This photo is actually the end result. This is the only image I could find. Rex has a video for the experiment. I’d watch it before working with kids. I love how easy peasy it is, yet fascinating. 
​

The ​Supplies – 3 clear cups, 2 pieces of paper towel, and food coloring.

The cups are in a row like the photo. Fold a paper towel and put it between the 1st and 2nd cup. Put another paper towel between the 2nd and 3rd.
​
Then add water and food coloring to the 1st and 3rd cups. Any color will do. In this image, they used red and yellow. The 2nd cup will remain empty, at least at the beginning.

What I found fascinating with the results is that the water rose to the same level in all 3 cups. I wasn’t surprised by combining colors. When you put red and yellow together, you will always get orange. If you want to keep the experiment going, try other colors to see what happens when you combine them.

PS – if you can explain why the cups are always at the same level, I’d love to read it. I’m fascinated with the magic of science! If no one emails, I’ll ask Rex. You can too, somewhere on his page.
Rex’s link: https://www.instructables.com/id/Amazing-Science/

​​ 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

​Session 2: Working with an Off-Site Printer with Arielle Haughee
Not an option a lot of authors think about when deciding what kind of printer to use for their books, but Arielle argues about why it might be a great option. Learn what it is and why you might want to try it for your next book!

Arielle Haughee (Hoy) is a five-time RPLA-winning author and the owner of Orange Blossom Publishing. She is an editor, writing coach, publishing consultant, contest judge, and the marketing chair for the Florida Writers Association. She is the author of The Complete Revision Workbook for Writers, Falling Into You, the children’s books Grumbler, Joyride, and Pling’s Party as well as the editor of the How I Met My Other anthology series.
Connect with Arielle:
 Visit Her Website          View Her Books
Connect on Facebook @AuthorArielleHaughee or @Orange_Blossom_Books

​
Session 3: Choosing to use a Hybrid Publisher with Brooke from BiblioKid Publishing
Sometimes you aren't sure you want to publish a book all by yourself, which is where a Hybrid Publisher might be able to help. Learn more about working with a Hybrid to decide if it might be a good fit for you

​ 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 4: What to do When You Run into Obstacles with Rinda Beach
Sometimes an illustrator doesn't work out or you experience creative differences. Learn how Rinda overcame 3 lost illustrator contracts and what to do when you encounter your own obstacles.

Rinda was a second-grade teacher who read and told stories, until she met a bat in Germany. She learned to edit, thanks to SCBWI classes and critique partners. Rinda substitutes to stay connected to the kids she wants to write for. She established Beach Girl Press to publish her first book, NEIL ARMSTRONG’S WIND TUNNEL DREAM.
Now she has a second one, LAKE FUN FOR YOU AND ME. Visit her blog and book review at www.rindabeach.com
Connect with Rinda: View her Website
Connect on Facebook @BeachGirlPress or @Rinda.Beach           Connect on Twitter @BeachRinda
Connect on Instagram @RindaJBeach                                                        Connect on Pinterest @RindaBeach   

​ 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

                   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/

​  Part 3 – My Favorite Place in Germany

​Find Münster and Osnabrück on the map. My favorite place is in-between. Lengerich is 18 miles north-east of Münster. It’s 9 miles south-west of Osnabrück. I love both cities, but not as much as Lengerich.

Lengerich and my hometown Wapakoneta, are sister cities. I discovered Lengerich in 2007 when I chaperoned a sister cities trip for my son and his classmates. I didn’t know then, that my life would never be the same again.

I found two photos on the internet of Lengerich, and I’ve been to both.

This is a Fachwerkhaus. That’s German for half-timbered house, and it’s their traditional style home. Half- timber comes from its wooden frame.

This Fachwerkhaus isn’t a home anymore. It’s a store with a parking lot.
​
The address – Im Hook 5. I’ve sent letters to a friend who lives on this street. Back in 2007 I would never have dreamed I’d have a German friend.

​This is the Gatehouse from Lengerich. It’s called the Römer, and it’s one of the places Lengerich Sister Cities loves to share.

The gate was built by the Romans when the Empire was alive and well. It’s incredible to stand beside a structure that’s probably 1000 years older than our country.

I’ve walked through the Römer, but I’ve never been inside. It looks like a Fachwerkhaus.
​
Back when I walked through Lengerich that first time, I never dreamed of writing. I was a wife, a mom, and a teacher. Writing wasn’t on my radar, but I’ll share that story in another post. 

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!