11.10.09
Posted in Bird watching for children, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds, The Reading Tub at 1:34 am by Administrator
Author Showcase from The Reading Tub
MEET PEGGY WILLIAMS
Even in retirement, Peggy Williams sees herself as an educator. When she set upon her counseling career, her primary interest was to help children build self-esteem and to give parents ideas for positive parenting.
Early in her career Peggy set a goal to use the concepts she learned in her studies to create books that teach children needed social skills. She wanted to write easy-to-read stories that would engage a variety of audiences. Friends in the Meadow - Birds is her first attempt at this goal. She found that when both children and parents do things together, they have opportunities for sharing and bonding. According to Peggy, bird watching offers the benefit of building the child’s self-esteem and can help to form a closer parent-child relationship.
In recognition of her work for documenting local history, she received a community award as the author of Memories of Randolph Bibb County, Alabama.
Peggy and her husband Wayne are natives of Alabama. Peggy holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a Master of Arts degree in Counseling. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor.
FALL 2009 FEATURED AUTHOR PEGGY WILLIAMS
RT: Good morning Peggy, and welcome to the Reading Tub®. Congratulations on Friends in the Meadow: Birds, your first book. Could you tell us about how you decided to write this story?
Peggy: My life’s work has always centered on helping others. As a mom, licensed therapist, and wife of a Methodist minister, I am surrounded by children every day. What I see is that many children today are hurting for quality time and closer relationships with adults who offer positive guidance. The best way I’ve found that parents can provide this for their children is to plan and take the time to be with their children and enjoy activities together. This provides time not only for hobbies or whatever activity but also for the much needed conversations to take place between parent and child that helps to form closer, trusting relationships. This goes a long way in getting through the teen years for both of them. I decided to use the children’s book genre to share with the children while encouraging parent participation as well.
RT: One of the things that I enjoyed about the book were all of the pictures of birds. Are these pictures of birds in your back yard? You even got picture of the brand new baby birds in their nests. How were you able to do that safely? Did you need a special camera?
Peggy: All the pictures are from my yard. I try not to go far away without my camera, because I always seem to miss a good shot when I do. Some of the photos I took from inside the house through the window. I try to keep feeders and water close by so that I have plenty of birds and photo opportunities. The photos of the bird eggs and newly hatched birds were taken from a shrub just beside our deck. The Mockingbird mom chose a very close and busy place to make her nest. I was able to get very close shots using the zoom without disturbing the nest or bird family. I have upgraded my camera once, and am getting ready to do it again so that I can start digi-scoping, a fairly new method of attaching a digital camera to a high powered spotting scope. This gives a very detailed picture, even very fine feather patterns, from a much greater distance. I hope to use digi-scoped images in the next book of the series so the pictures will be a better quality.
RT: Friends in the Meadow is part story, part nature guide. You have given some of the birds distinct names, like Tuffy Titmouse and Melodie (a Northern Mockingbird). Can you tell when Melodie or Tuffy return to your yard, not just a titmouse our mockingbird?
Peggy: 
I can recognize some of the birds that remain year round because of certain markings or sometimes by behavior. When I go out to fill the feeders “the regulars” begin to chatter and sing. They also let me know when I go outside and the feeders are completely empty. So we have our little relationship going. There are some migrants that I have recognized a few years in a row; one hummingbird in particular comes to mind. I named the birds in the book more to describe their personalities or behaviors rather than a particular bird. I chose names that hopefully will help the children remember a particular bird as they are learning to identify them.
RT: In addition to keeping Bird and Nature Friends, a blog about Friends in the Meadow, you also author Grow Green Kids. Do you envision writing children’s books about responsible living?
Peggy: To my way of thinking, Friends in the Meadow - Birds, is a children’s book that not only introduces kids to a great hobby, but also talks about nature and the need to be responsible for our planet. Many adults move slower toward an environmental consciousness than the younger generations due to better environmental education opportunities during the last 20 years or so. The adults get there by reconnecting with the great outdoors, like they did as kids. When they start to enjoy nature, then they start to care about it and begin to think and act responsibility. Kids relate to birds and other animals with wide-eyed enthusiasm. It pretty much comes naturally with just a little effort on the parent’s part. It’s not hard for the kids. They easily understand that animals and birds need clean water and environment in order to live, just like they do. They are being taught it in school, the TV shows they watch, and the Internet, too. In many cases it is the adults in the children’s lives who need convincing to act responsibility and be an example for their children. I try to encourage parents to participate in birding activities with their children first to spend time and assist the child with learning the hobby, but more importantly, to get us all to work together and become more environmentally aware.
RT: Staying with the theme of being responsible stewards, what do you think is the most difficult – but important message – to convey to children through books?
Peggy: It is difficult for children to understand the history and full impact of our negligence over the last 60+ years. We are now trying to repair a lot of damage that was the result of “progress.” Several generations of adults grew up without any knowledge of the harm that had come about and therefore did not teach their children. Now we are trying to do better, but still only about 40 percent of Americans recycle and our landfills continue to fill up. We take two steps forward and one step back; it is very slow progress. The big picture is certainly too complex for a children’s book. But the most important message - keep our earth healthy - they can get from a book. Similarly, they can learn personal responsibility. Each of us has a role and must do our part. As I continue the Friends in the Meadow series, I will bring this message out with the different animals we meet.
RT: You displayed Friends in the Meadow - Birds at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference in Chicago this past summer. Was this your first experience with a trade show? What did you learn during the event that you want to use in talking about your book at other venues?
Peggy: My book was on display at this conference, but I was not able to attend. It was part of the publisher’s display. I still have this venture to look forward to when the opportunity presents itself.
RT: One of your goals for the Friends in the Meadow series is that it can help children develop social skills. Is it difficult to create transitions using nonfiction content for more conceptual lessons?
Peggy: 
Some authors may find fiction easier for this task. I have the luxury of being able to draw on my experiences as a mental health therapist for children and families. My mind tends to stay in the real mode when thinking about children and their needs. My desire is to use animals and their real behaviors to get social skill points across, with some fictional conversation or circumstances mixed in to keep the interest of the child. For instance, in Friends in the Meadow - Birds, I make the point that all of Lovie Dove’s bird friends had things about themselves in common and things that were different. The point being that the differences make the group of birds more interesting and that everyone accepts each other as they are. I used hummingbirds to show selfishness. They are possessive, guard the feeder as if they owned it, and chase others away when they try to come near. But when so many hummingbirds were in need of a drink, the dominant hummer backed down and allowed the others to share his feeder. The social skills of decision making, problem solving, and sharing with others were present and of course can be discussed in more detail between the child and the parent as they read the book together. Such discussions can also take place using the book in a group setting at school, scouts, or wherever.
RT: What do you envision for the other books in the series? Will they continue with the stories of the birds or will you introduce other animals?
Peggy: 
Right now, I am going to use the Wilson’s small farm and meadow as my setting. There are lots of animal stories. For example, the next book tackles the constant battle between the squirrels, Mrs. Wilson, and the birds. As most of us have seen, squirrels create havoc at the feeders by robbing the birds of their food. They make a mess for the Wilsons in the process. Somehow, they need to work out their differences. Again, the use of non-fiction regarding circumstances and behaviors, but some fiction mixed in to make the story interesting for the child. I am purposely building in social skills lessons and plan to have some type of related activity to reinforce what they learned from the story. Friends in the Meadow - Birds has a life list in the back of the book so children can record the first 20 birds they have learned to recognize. Once an adult verifies the list, a certificate, also in the book, is completed and presented to the child. These activities will hopefully build the child’s self-esteem along with the birding skills.
RT: Learning about birds (e.g., being able to identify species) is the foundation of this book. Could you tell us how you got hooked on birding?
Peggy: I have always loved nature and living in a rural area. Birds have always been a pleasure to watch from afar. I didn’t get hooked, though, until I had to retire early due to an illness. I went from 20+ years of a very busy, long and stressful workday to being alone all day with little I could do. I began looking for something I could do that was interesting, not stressful, would keep my mind active, and would not interfere with my recovery. The birds got my attention because of their singing. I began to spend a lot of time at my windows just watching and enjoying the view. Someone gave me a bird field manual and I began studying the birds I was seeing every day. My husband then added a pair of binoculars. Not long after I asked for a good camera for Christmas. I was hooked. The birds came to my rescue!
RT: If you could do it all again, what would you change (if anything) about the process or the story?
Peggy: I am already doing it. This time I am spending a lot more time on research before moving into the publishing phase. With the first book, I learned so much about publishing and marketing processes - some of it good and some of it overwhelming and scary. My fear is that I have barely scratched the surface and that there is still a lot out there I need to figure out. Even so, I have learned a lot and the next go round will be easier because of it.
As for the story, while I might tweak it here and there to make it more readable, I wouldn’t change the plot that much. There is always room for improvement. I have written two books for local fund raisers, one a family history book and the other a history of our small community from the early 1800s onward. From those experiences, I learned that no matter how many times a book is proofed (even by different people), there will inevitably be some errors. I do the best I can and then move on.
RT: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Peggy:I really appreciate The Reading Tub® and its mission of helping children with literacy and providing them with books. This opens up the whole world to them and offers opportunities they would not have otherwise had living in a home with no books. I appreciate this opportunity to share my thoughts and to introduce Friends in the Meadow - Birds.
From: The Reading Tub
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10.31.09
Posted in Amazon.com, B&N, Bird Watching, Bird watching for children, Goodreads, Jacketflap, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds, Parent-child relationship, Shelfari, Svetlana Kovaalkova-McKenna, The Reading Tub, USA Book News, weRead at 3:31 am by Administrator
Friends in the Meadow-Birds is progressing along as well as any new children’s book I suppose, unless of course the author is Madonna or the book ends up on Oprah, by miracle. I’ll put the latter on my Christmas Wish List!
The book and information was placed on The USA Book News site in September, 2009 and will remain on display through December, 2009. The USA Book News site is http://www.USABookNews@earthlink.net.
The Reading Tub chose the book as one of the Fall Author Showcase features. It introduces the book and interviews the author, which was fun. See this article at http://www.thereadingtub.com/displayAuthor.asp?
The book has received several reviews on Amazon.com, B&N, and other sites. Friends in the Meadow-Birds continues to be mentioned on Twitter and Facebook and other social networking sites. The reading sites include Goodreads, Jacketflap, Shelfari,The Reading Tub, and weRead. It continues to be offered on online bookstores.
One of the lastest reviews is from the book/reading site Goodreads by Svetlana Kovalkova-McKenna. She wrote:
“Thank you Peggy, this is my review for Friends in the Meadow Birds
. I gave the book 5 stars:
This is a great starter book on birding for budding young naturalists. Once you get past the introduction, which is intended for parents, it is a little too serious for children to digest, but has loads of useful information, recommends two more great books on birding, and even has a link to Cornell Lab of Ornithology; you enter my absolute favorite part of this book - bird stories.
The bird stories are these great little gems with simply gorgeous real life photos of the birds. Most of the birds are given names, so you feel like you are reading fiction, while learning an immense amount of useful and academic information about birds. The stories can be read aloud to 4-6 year olds and given to 3-4 graders to read independently. Great book for home-schoolers.
That is not all! The book has space for your child to write notes about birdwatching, a very impressive glossary with scientific vocabulary and a certificate of completion that can be framed.”
So we keep moving forward, this book and I. Who knows what waits around the corner.
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09.24.09
Posted in Bird Watching, Bird watching for children, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds at 4:02 am by Administrator
Adorable and educational!, September 21, 2009
By Lisa A. Maddock (Shakopee, MN USA)
I really enjoyed “Friends in the Meadow: Birds” by Peggy Williams. The book was full of wonderful photos and descriptions. I have been feeding and watching birds for over twenty years and I learned new things! It was fun to learn about the different birds through the viewpoints of the bird babies who each had a cute name, personality and relationship to the others. My daughter and I name and find personality in the birds who come to our feeders, too! I love the idea of the birds playing together and having celebrations and parties. Cute! I recommend this book to parents, teachers or leaders of organizations interested in exposing kids of any age to the wonderful hobby of birding. What a win-win to be involved in! And kids, what a great book for gathering information for a report, or for your own hobby, too! The author includes some nice lists at the back of the book for keeping track of the birds you have seen and other notes. Thank you Peggy, for putting together such a sweet and educational book for kids.
Thanks Lisa for the great review and the kind words.
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Posted in Bird Watching, Bird watching for children, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds, Parent-child relationship at 3:51 am by Administrator
First Review: Delightful, September 15, 2009
By Kbird
Peggy Williams has written a delightfully fun and educational introduction to bird watching. The reader gets to meet Lovie Dove, a mourning dove that lives on Mr. and Mrs. Wilson’s farm. Lovie Dove introduces us to all of her bird friends, both those that visit the farm year round and those that stop on their migrations. The reader learns about doves, finches, bluebirds, cardinals, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, and many, many more. Wonderful color photographs are included of each bird along with a detailed description. I love that Mrs. Williams includes a very detailed glossary, a place for notes, a Life List (a place to enter all the birds that have been found, when, where, etc.), and a Certificate of Completion. The book is wonderfully written with younger children in mind, perhaps pre-school through elementary school. I think this book would make an excellent addition to elementary school science curriculums, Girl Scout and Boy Scout troop activities, 4-H and Cloverbud group activities, or for that special child who loves nature. I hope Friends in the Meadow: Birds is just the beginning of a wonderful nature series.
Second Review: Guide for Future Generations of Bird Watcher’s, September 16, 2009
By G. Reba
“Friends in the Meadow: Birds” offers children the chance to experience birding from a unique point of view…that of the “educated” watcher. Author Peggy H. Williams brings to life the wondrous world that exists just outside our front doors. In story book fashion, you are introduced to such loveable “characters” as Lovie Dovie, Robby Robin, Reddy Cresty Cardinal, Fee Bee Chickadee, as well as others, while learning about their way of life. From habits to habitats, and friends versus foes, young readers are certain to walk away with a better understanding of the feathered world around them if not a newly uncovered desire for birding!
At the stories heart is a message of acceptance. By accepting each other the way we are, not in spite of our differences but with them, the world can be a more peaceful place. Who wouldn’t want to impart both the knowledge of Nature as well as these heartfelt sentiments to the next generation? For the budding birdwatcher in your neighborhood, a definite must read…..
Third Review: Bird Watching - sounds like fun!, September 17, 2009
By M. Stanhope
This book titled “Friends in the Meadow-Birds”, by author Peggy Williams is all about bird watching. It’s quite unique in the fact that it starts out with a couple who keep bird feeders filled and enjoys watching all the birds stop by to feed. As you go through the book, it describes each bird and little facts relating to the species. There are also pictures for each bird described. How cute!
This would definitely be a book to work with if you were interested in getting started on bird watching. If you wanted to start a hobby with a child this book has a blank list at the end so they can fill in birds that they’ve seen. It also offers a certificate of completion if you wanted to use this book as a project. It even offers a detailed glossary at the end of the book.
Most importantly, it offers ways for adults and children to have fun, find a hobby to share and become familiar with the environment, nature, and the serenity it offers. I found this book quite enjoyable.
Thanks so much for taking the time to write these reviews and for the wonderful words about the book!
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Posted in Bird Watching, Bird watching for children, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds at 3:28 am by Administrator
New Press Release
Peggy Williams tested out her new book,Friends in the Meadow-Birds,with the first grade class at J.E. Terry Elementary in Dallas County, AL. on September 14, 2009. She introduced the hobby of birding to some very alert kids. It seems the book passed!
(I-Newswire) September 15, 2009 - For Immediate Release
September 15, 2009 Central Alabama, USA
The children’s book, Friends in the Meadow – Birds, written by Peggy Williams, M.Ed., and published by AuthorHouse is becoming known around the internet. The book is in online bookstores, mentioned in blogs, book and author websites and other places like JacketFlap, Shelfari, The Reading Tub, Twitter, Facebook, and Flicker among others. It is being featured for the next several months on USA Book News.com. Reviews are beginning to come in as well and so far have been very favorable.
The goal of the author, Peggy Williams, M.Ed., is to connect children with nature while encouraging parents to be involved in nature activities as well with their children. The end result most of the time is a closer bond and relationship between parent and child brought about through the hobby of bird watching. These activities can be shared together throughout their lifetime.
As the book is making its rounds about the internet, the movement took another direction on September 14, 2009. The author presented the book to the first grade class of J. E. Terry Elementary School of Dallas County, Alabama. To demonstrate how much fun the hobby of bird watching can be Mrs. Williams shared bird photos, a real bird’s nest, a bird egg shell, bookmarks and one of the activities from the website’s Kidz Page as an activity to complete later in the day. The class members were full of excitement at seeing the nest and the bird egg. The children listened with interest about the facts of the birds in the book and were enthusiastic about sharing their own experiences about birds. Hands stayed in the air as they volunteered to participate in the discussion. Their teacher, Mrs. Jenny Limbaugh, has been teaching about nature and birds for several days and the children were interested in learning more. They especially liked the male Goldfinch, one of the most colorful of wild birds. One young man in the class stated he would “want to keep him”.
So it seems the book passed the classroom challenge and Mrs. Limbaugh took a picture of the kids with “a real author” for their classroom scrapbook. Mrs. Williams left thankful that she was “the author that wrote a real book”, as one child described her, rather than the teacher. Although the children were very well behaved, Mrs. Williams left with a deeper admiration and respect for teachers that educate our children in that special place called the classroom. Ms. Susan Morgan is the Principal of J. E. Terry Elementary School.
For more information about ordering Friends in the Meadow-Birds or scheduling an event, contact the author, Peggy Williams, M.Ed., by email at: peggywilliams09@yahoo.com.
On website at: http://www.birdandnaturefriends-children.com
By regular mail at: P.O. Box 56 Lawley, AL 36793.
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08.07.09
Posted in Bird watching for children, Birding for Children, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds at 5:46 am by Administrator
I have just updated the website with a Kidz Page with the first puzzles/games for the different age groups. The middle age group matches the book’s character names with the type of bird the character portrays. Knowing that many children will not yet have the book, I listed the main book characters in this post, so that the children can become acquainted and can also complete the matching game on the fun page. The book characters and more information are listed on the Shelfari site (http://www.Shelfari.com/o1514549898). Just click on the Friends in the Meadow-Birds book cover on the shelf and it will take you to the information page. Meet the characters below:
Cast of Characters
* Lovie Dove, the Mourning Dove: Lovie Dove is the main character who lives in the Meadow near the Wilson’s farm all year. She lives in her flock of doves. She eats at the feeders with the other birds and has friendship and fellowship. She weaves the other bird characters into the story as she encounters each one.
* Reddy Cresty, the Northern Cardinal: Reddy Cresty likes to pretend he is guarding the family’s territory but really he is just learning how to be on guard. He enjoys fellowship with Lovie and the other birds at the feeders.
* Bobby Bluebird, the Eastern Bluebird: Bobby Bluebird and his family are admired by all the other birds because Bobby’s family has bird houses made just for them. Lovie is even a little jealous. Bobby and his family live in one of the houses all year long.
* J.J., the Blue Jay: J.J. and his family are well known for sending the alarm when they think danger is near. Their warning signal can be heard over the whole Meadow. He is one of Lovie’s loudest friends, but for a good reason.
* Melodie, (aka. Mel), the Northern Mockingbird: Melodie and her family have beautiful songs of all kinds that they sing each day. That is until someone or something approaches the nest. Then the parents will become agitated and even attack if necessary to save the babies.
* Tuffy, the Tufted Titmouse and Fee Bee, a Chickadee: Tuffy and Fee Bee have much in common. They are especially quick to get a seed at the feeder and they eat their meals in much the same way, but different than the other birds.
* Woodpeckers: There are six different woodpeckers that live near the Meadow, but Lovie only sees three of them regularly.
* Sparrows: Lovie has many different sparrow friends, some that are in the Meadow year round and some that migrate. Chippy the Chipping Sparrow is one that she is especially close to. Sing Sang, the Song Sparrow is another one she enjoys being around. He has a beautiful song to sing.
* Johnny, the Dark Eyed Junco: Johnny only visits in the colder months because he migrates. But Lovie enjoys his company. He is an especially nice bird, he is not territorial and gets along well with the other birds.
* Hummer, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird: Hummer and Lovie are friends from a distance because Hummer does not feed at the seed feeders where Lovie meets her friends. Instead, he drinks nectar from the nectar feeders or from blooming flowers. It seems to Lovie that they are always in flight. This is in part because they are very territorial and when not feeding they are busy chasing other hummingbirds away from “their” feeder.
* Goldie, the Goldfinch, and her cousins Purple Finch and House Finch: Lovie thinks the finch family has some of the most beautiful colors, especially in the spring and summer. They eat at the seed feeders but they also like a special type of seed that most other birds don’t like and they eat by hanging onto a special feeder.
* Blue Grosbeak and the Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Mrs. Wilson and Lovie look forward to these infrequent visitors. They drop in for a quick meal and drink of water before moving onward to their migration destination. It is a real eat and run (or fly) type visit. But a colorful one.
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07.28.09
Posted in Bird Watching, Bird watching for children, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds, Parent-child relationship at 5:51 am by Administrator
Friends in the Meadow-Birds is now registered on Shelfari, The Site for Books. My address there is http://www.shelfari.com/o1514549898. Visit anytime and leave your comments. Look forward to your feedback. Thanks.
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07.26.09
Posted in Bird watching for children, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds at 12:00 am by Administrator
FACEBOOK UPDATES
The Friends in the Meadow Book Series page is the second page on my FACEBOOK account. Aside from information about the book and more photos, there are blogging posts as well that may not be posted here. Below are some recent posts from that page.
Birding for Children Teaches them Life Lessons
July 21, 2009 at 9:07am
Bird watching helps people in many ways. For children, birding becomes a learning experience that is so much fun they do not realize they are learning. Nature lessons become real life lessons for the child, everything from learning how to just have fun, to being responsible for themselves and other living things. Learning to share, care about others, helping others and when necessary how to stand up for what is right and how to pick their battles carefully. It also gives them an appreciation for God’s world and how there is a cycle in nature that was set in motion from the beginning and continues every day when the sun rises. It offers a sense of routine and security. Birding builds awareness that every living thing is special, the child, the family, even the little birds. (Taken from the introduction to the book, Friends in the Meadow-Birds.)
The Woodpecker and the Cardinal
July 21, 2009 at 9:52am
I did a little bird watching while the boys were still asleep this morning. I have two feeders I can watch easily from my windows. At the front feeder, the red-bellied woodpecker was there every few seconds to gather more seeds to hide in the pine tree bark nearby. After he left the feeder, the titmouse would dart in before the cardinal, who was patiently waiting on the woodpecker to leave, to quickly retrieve his seed. Then before the cardinal could get there, the woodpecker was back.
No one crosses the woodpecker! Then came the titmouse again & the cycle continued. This is so me, always a day late and a dollar short and in the back of the line, no matter which line I choose!
But in the back yard a mother cardinal was teaching her baby how to feed at the feeder. The baby stood under the feeder watching while the mother flew back & forth to retrieve seeds. She would gently give one to the baby. The baby tried to fly to get his own. He would make it up to the feeder but couldn’t maneuver the whole thing just yet. He seemed very content to let his mother do the feeder work. Reminded me of my three year old grandson who last week would not feed himself because, “But I want you to feed me”. I explained to him that he was a big boy and he could do it himself as he has been doing for a long time now.
As I was about to leave the window, the mother cardinal flew away. The baby looked around and began pecking at the ground. He then stood nearby the feeder and just looked up at it. Made me wonder what he was thinking. I have confidence that he will be back and forth to that feeder in no time and before long, he too will come face to face with that woodpecker! It’s all about life lessons.
The Baby Cardinal Update
July 21, 2009 at 9:09pm
Some of you read the earlier post for today about the mother cardinal feeding the baby sunflower seeds out of the feeder. Well, I had another couple of minutes to peek out the window this evening. The dad cardinal had the baby in the front this time and was again feeding it from the feeder. So the parents are taking turns apparently. This time I got a neat picture. See the photo section.
Happy Birding!
Update on Friends in the Meadow - Birds
July 25, 2009
Marketing continues on the book. There are some very interesting groups out there on the massive internet that gives a lot of advice and information about the whole book publishing and marketing process. Several of these groups I have found or joined to receive information and to introduce the book, include The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. This is a national organization that helps writers with resources, conferences and other opportunities. It is divided into regions of the country. Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia make up one region. The website that represents this region is Southern Breeze.org/. This site led me to Jacketflap.com which is a site rich in information, both of what an author wants to hear and some that they don’t. But all of the info is very helpful. Several more groups I will be joining in my efforts is WeRead.com, Goodreads, Shelfari, and LibraryThing. Still much more work to do but I look forward to all I’ll learn along the way.
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07.20.09
Posted in Bird Watching, Green Living, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds at 11:17 pm by Administrator
Friends in the Meadow-Birds now has three posts on Twitter. I spent a couple of hours today reading about the “Green #followFriday” and the Great Green Twitter Follow Parade. Both are great efforts promoting going green and environmental issues. I also found several good birding blogs through Twitter. Check out http://mnn.com/earth-matters/energy/blogs/the-great-green-twitter-follow-parade and join the parade!
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07.19.09
Posted in Birding for Children, New Childrens Book Friends in the Meadow - Birds at 9:35 pm by Administrator
My hummingbirds are busy as well as the bees. The red-bellied woodpecker has started his mid-summer task of gathering sunflower seeds and hiding them in the bark of the pine tree for safekeeping until he needs them this winter. So it seems all is well.
We have also been busy with summer tasks, gardening, birding and other regular summer jobs that come along with living in the country. We have in addition been busy promoting Friends in the Meadow-Birds.
A second press release was issued on July 16, 2009, titled, Friends in the Meadow - Birds, A New children’s Book Promoting Positive Parent-Child Relationships. This one was similar to the first one with more emphasis on the parent-child relationship. This press release was distributed by i-Newswire.com.
On July 17, 2009, the first Press Release (One Bird in the Hand and Two in the Bush) distributed by Free Press Release.com, was listed as part of a search list that was done for a new press release issued by Parents and Friends, which represents The Compassionate Friends which is a worldwide organization.
Friends in the Meadow-Birds has been entered into The National Best Books 2009 Awards event which is sponsored by USA Book News based in Los Angeles, California. Just for entering, the book receives a four month full color listing on USABookNews.com. The timing of this advertisement or promotion is just right for the Christmas holiday season.
Reviews of the book are in the making by several people,
The book now has a presence on Twitter and Facebook. It is becoming easier to find in net searches, so the web presence is beginning to grow.
Other promotional activities are also in the making. So we all have been busy bees or birds or people!
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