Book: Wipe The Slate Clean: The Story Of Nester The Pester
Author: Lauretha Ward
Available On: Amazon
Language: English
Rating: 5/5
“Wipe the Slate Clean: The Story of Nester the Pester” is a Children’s Book written by the author Lauretha Ward and illustrated by Pardeep Mehra. Story features a school boy Nester the Pester who is mean. One day his teacher narrated him a wonderful story that made Nester realize that he didn’t care about others’ feelings in the past but now he wanted to live a kind life.
Grab a copy of this book for your little ones. This book teaches about forgiveness to them. Story is wonderful and author has written it nicely. I am glad to read this book to my nephew. He enjoyed it a lot. Language of the book is lucid and illustrations are eye catchy. It’s a must read book. Strongly recommended for little ones.
Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
Thanks so much – it’s a pleasure to be with you. I started writing children’s books back in 2015, when I lost a ball of yarn in Paris! I thought it would make a great plot for a children’s book and decided to write and publish one as a creative challenge. My first book, “Lulu and Lainey … a French Yarn”, was published in 2016. It is about a little French girl who is going to knit with her grandmother and loses her favorite ball of yarn in the park. The yarn has an adventure and (spoiler alert!) eventually returns to Lulu. Sadly, I never saw my yarn again. Today there are six Lulu and Lainey books and each one recounts an adventure that the yarn (Lainey) has. While I was writing these books my long-time friend, Jackie Bunn, was creating and selling party supply merchandise online and contacted me about an idea she had for a group of racially diverse mermaids, as there was little to no diversity in children’s party products at that time. I thought it was a great idea and we agreed that I’d write the children’s books to support these mermaid characters, who we named the Five Enchanted Mermaids. We then developed the character and personality of each mermaid to include a specific super-skill that each mermaid uses to help their undersea friends and children ages 3 – 7 develop socio-emotional skills.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘Tales Of The Five Enchanted Mermaids:You Can Do It!’ book?
“Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids: You Can Do It!” was our first book about a situation that needs a solution and looks to all five mermaids for their advice. It was an interesting challenge to use each of the mermaids’ super-skills and have them offer tangible advice to Otto the octopus, who is learning how to control his frustration. Establishing the differences among developmental skills such as independence, honesty, courage, confidence and kindness really made me think about different approaches to use for each of them. Five mermaids can’t all offer the same advice, after all! Another challenge I have in all our books is to set up visual scenarios for illustrations that can work with undersea creatures, who may not have physical arms and hands. The octopus, Otto, is easier, but fish, dolphins, sharks, seahorses, sea turtles and an oyster each presents a different challenge.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
I’m quite independent when it comes to finding inspiration in works from other authors. I never wanted to imitate or copy someone else’s style. I can say I admire some of the authors from earlier times such as Ludwig Bemelmans, Francoise Seignobosc, and Margaret Wise Brown. Jean-Jacque Sempé has always been a favorite illustrator.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
My favorite spot in the US is the Napa Valley in California. We have relatives who are growers in the valley and it’s a very special place to visit in all seasons. I love the peace and tranquility up in the hills among the trees and vines.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you drive in and start writing a book?
Mostly thinking and imagining. As I’m working out the plot I’m also thinking in images. By the time I sit down to put my thoughts on the page I’ve usually sorted out at a high level what I want the book to say and how I want it to look.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘Meet the Mermaids: Hi, I’m Sofia’ book?
This book was written during the pandemic in 2020. As I mentioned earlier these books start out in my imagination so I can’t really quantify that time. By the time they get laid down onto the page I generally know what I’m aiming for, but I’m constantly tweaking until the last minute – usually working to shorten the text. Since other people are involved in the production I’m also constrained by their schedules.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find your books to buy?
All my books are available on Amazon.com. Most are in both English and Spanish. We also offer doll and book sets, which encourage role playing in children, to coordinate with the books. We also have a great line of Five Enchanted Mermaids dolls, gifts and party supplies. The complete Five Enchanted mermaids line can be purchased at the Amazon Five Enchanted Mermaids store. You can also reach our Amazon store through our website: http://www.fiveenchantedmermaids.com.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the cover and the title of your books?
For the cover I work with the same illustrator who did the Lulu and Lainey books (Tanja Russita). We wanted a unique look and one that complements the interior images. It’s not easy getting 5+ characters onto a cover in a meaningful way. We ended up with great images that look like selfies, which I love. The covers for the individual mermaids are more like portrait shots, showing off each mermaid at her best. The colors all work beautifully against the shimmering jewel-like tones of the blue background.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
.I change the focus. Each book highlights a different subject, mermaid or undersea friend. We’ve covered Otto’s frustration, birthdays around the world and first school day jitters. Each of the mermaid books focuses on a different mermaid and her super-skill. I research the individual skill and generally find that they have many unique aspects. Sometimes a subject comes up more often, such as the fear of making mistakes, but I work to present it in an individualized way. Also, over time we’ve added more information about the mermaids and their home, Atargatis, as well as new undersea friends, such as Sally, Charlotte and a soon-to-be-named sea turtle. With these beautiful fantasy mermaid characters there are so many ways we can take the theme that it is unlikely I will every be bored. The mermaids have become like family!
If you want to make your child learn some important lessons of life then “Adventures with Keena and Kylee” written by Lauren Reichenbach and illustrated by Ila Taylor Bologni will be a good choice.
This is a story of two kitties namely Keena and Kylee. They are four-legged friends that love to learn and grow. They went for the outing and also invite you to come along with them to experience a day full of fun and have a thrilling adventure. On the way they met many friends from whom they learnt many lessons. They are thankful to them for the lessons they learnt along the way. Grab a copy of this adorable book to know what lessons they learnt and how you adapt them in your routine life. Children will surely have a great learning from this story.
The story is fast paced and exciting. A good read and highly recommended. This is a great story that teaches kids to learn the basic values of life. The way author has presented this story is quite impressive. Illustrations are mind blowing and has won my heart. This book could be included in school moral values classes.
“I WANT TO BE LIKE MOMMY” is an adorable Children’s Book written by the author Courtney N Scully.
This is a story of a daughter who wants to be like her mommy as she is a queen for her. She wants to do everything like her mommy. Give a quick read to the story to know what are the things that inspires her to be like her mommy and will she become like her mommy or not?
Mothers are really a true inspiration for their daughter and this is well depicted in this lovely story. Kids will definitely love the story. Grab a copy of this book to know how her mother assist her whenever she wants her mother to be with her.
Author has well written this book and I am glad to get my hands on this adorable book.
“BossLadyShip: Color Me a #BossLady” written by the author Dr. Suzanne Morrison Williams is a leadership guide to help women especially women of color on their paths to professional and entrepreneurial success. In this book, author has used her own unique journey as an example so she could guide other women.
Author has shared pie charts to express the % of women who have faced particular scenarios. I really liked #Bossbabe rules Cntrl+Alt+Delete that is mentioned in this book:
Control Your Thoughts Alter Your Behavior Delete Negative People
This book will guide you for leadership in American Corporate world or your own business. With the help of this book, author is giving a push to other women so they can go to the next level. Self Review questions are thought provoking and helped me to be more aware about myself.
Grab a copy of this book and read it yourself to know what is BossLadyShip, what are the communication rules for BossLadyShip, etc. This is a great book on women leadership. The knowledge that I have acquired from this book could hopefully help me to bring a difference in the life of women of color.
“York the Yowie: And His Very Big Dream” is a Children’s Book written by the author David Goff and illustrated by Shiela Alejandro. Story features York the Yowie who has a big dream to be the world’s most amazing chef. One day, he left the woods and went to the city to demonstrate his skills as a restaurant chef. Will York’s dream come true? What challenges he will face in fulfilling his dreams?
This is a very interesting story that teaches a beautiful lesson to kids. We should believe in ourselves and if we don’t get the opportunity for which we are looking then we should create it. Illustrations are mind blowing and story is interesting. I read it to my nephew and he enjoyed this story.
Q1. Hello Ma’am, can you please introduce yourself? Readers would love to know more about you.
I am a teacher, living in the Gallatin Valley in Montana with my husband, who I call Professor, and our precocious tortoiseshell cat, Trouble. I live an active lifestyle – hiking, biking, gardening and traveling. In the evenings, I enjoy reading a good book while Trouble sleeps in my lap. I’ve lived in other parts of the U.S. including Florida and Pennsylvania. My husband and I have travelled across America and Europe, and Trouble has been with us on many of those trips. I have written many stories based on our travels and The 30,000 Mile Cat is my first memoir.
Q2. What were the key challenges you faced while writing ‘The 30,000 Mile Cat Travels Across America’ book?
The main challenge was finding time to write The 30,000 Mile Cat book. I work full time as a teacher, so I had to work on the book in the evenings and on the weekends. Another challenge was not being able to consistently work on the book. When I was very busy with my job or family matters, I had to put my writing aside for a week or two. Then when I sat down to continue writing, I felt a bit lost, trying to get back into the story that I was working on.
Q3. What books or authors have most influenced your own writing?
For The 30,000 Mile Cat book, I read other memoirs to learn from their examples. One modern author, William Alexander, has been a major influence. I have read The $64 Tomato several times – for inspiration and a good laugh. The same is true for another modern author, A.J. Jacobs. I also read classic authors. Pearl Buck’s books are full of time-honored wisdom. I have also benefited from the cultural insights presented in John Steinbeck’s books.
Q4. What’s your favourite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?
Yellowstone National Park is one of my favorite places. The natural wonders including geysers, mud pots and wildlife are amazing. We’ve had incredible experiences at Yellowstone, including having our tent surrounded by bison. Many of the Yellowstone stories are in The 30,000 Mile Cat book. We’ve also been to many wonderful lesser-known places which I included in the book. The next 30,000 Mile Cat book will feature our travels across the Western United States including Crazy Horse Monument in South Dakota and Arches National Park in Utah.
Q5. Is there lots to do before you dive in and start writing a book?
My books are memoirs based on my travels with my husband, Professor, my cat, Trouble and family members including my beloved grandmother. So, taking trips to interesting places and keeping a detailed journal during our travels are important steps in the process. When I get home, I pour through my notes, trying to select the best stories to share with my readers. I’ve learned from past mistakes and have improved my writing process. I’m currently writing the second 30,000 Mile Cat book and am more organized and focused.
Q6. How long did it take you to write ‘The 30,000 Mile Cat Travels Across America’ book?
It took me 5 years to write my first book. I’m hoping to publish the second 30,000 Mile Cat book by 2022.
Q7. On what all platforms readers can find ‘The 30,000 Mile Cat Travels Across America’ book to buy?
The 30,000 Mile Cat book is widely available to readers around the world: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Indiebound.org, Walmart, AbeBooks (UK), Dymocks (Australia) and many local bookstores.
Q8. Tell us about the process of coming up with the book cover and the title ‘The 30,000 Mile Cat Travels Across America’?
Since our cat, Trouble, is very photogenic and one of the main characters, it made sense to put her photo on the cover. However, as pet owners know, getting a good picture of a pet is not always easy since the pets don’t usually cooperate. Thankfully, Trouble is a very smart cat and she seemed to understand that it was important for us to take a good picture of her. It may sound crazy, but I believe she actually posed for the photo which we put on the book cover. The title is based on the number of miles that Trouble has travelled – 30,000 miles (about 50,000 kilometers). That’s the same as driving from London, England to Beijing, China.
Q9. When writing a book how do you keep things fresh, for both your readers and also yourself?
I believe in living life to the fullest and have had a wide range of fascinating experiences. I shared many of those stories in my first book and continue to provide updated information and stories through #30000milecat, the30000milecat.com, Instagram – @ginnielhansen and Facebook – Ginnie L. Hansen.
Thank you so much for your time. I enjoyed sharing information about myself, and Trouble and look forward to hearing from our readers.
Complicit written by the author Amy Rivers is the first installment in “A Legacy of Silence” book series. Kate Medina wanted to spend her life away from home. So, she did college out of states and made a career as a forensic psychologist. She landed her dream job in the prison system where there was high risk and she gets looming threats of violence. One unfortunate horrific event sent her back to her hometown where her broken father needed her.
Kate’s sister Tilly is having a great career as she didn’t sacrifice it for the family. She even didn’t attend her mother’s funeral. There is awkwardness between Tilly and her father Frank. One day Frank broke the news to his daughters Kate and Tilly that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is in Stage IV. Doctor has already confirmed that he gonna die soon. Kate has a childhood friend Roman who is now working with her on one case. Pick this book and find out what more is in store in this book.
It is a rollercoaster read. I am sure that you gonna enjoy it. The story kept me on the edge the whole time. I wasn’t able to keep it aside once I started it. This book is suitable for weekend binge reading. Cover photo is eye catchy and title is appropriate. I am definitely interested to read more books by Amy.
Balance Interrupted written by the author T. A. Davenport is the second installment in “An Angel & Savior Fantasy Adventure Saga”. The story is intense and it hooked me right from the first page. Main characters of the story are Briellyn (a human) and Eric Windsor (an Empyrean). Eric has proposed Brie but she is not sure to say yes as it will be a marriage between mortal and immortal. Also, she won’t be able to have children of her own. Will Brie accept Eric’s proposal? How her best friend Justin will take this?
Brie has to look for gems and that is their goal. Once they find all the gens, they can get some time for themselves. I loved the way Eric’s deep history kept on unveiling. Author has created a great paranormal world in the story and gems hunting part is also exciting.
Since the story involves mature content, this book is recommended only for adult readers. Cover photo is nice. Narration is smooth and strong. Brie and Eric’s characters are penned nicely by the author. Pace of the story is even throughout the book and it kept my interest in the story. I like to strongly recommend this book to paranormal lovers.
“The Secret World of Delia and Mingli” is a beautiful story penned by the author Harley West. Cordelia Magee has just turned seven. She is the only child to her parents and often miss the absence of a friend to play with. One day Delia’s dad took her on a work trip to Beijing. When they were returning from the trip, Delia’s dad bought her a stuffed elephant toy that she liked at the gift shop. Delia saw the name Mingli on the name tag and decided to call her stuffed toy Mingli.
In Mingli’s presence, Delia no longer feels lonely. One night she had a nightmare. Grab a copy of this book and find out yourself on what adventure Mingli will take Delia? Will she get rid of her nightmares?
This is an amazing story. Parents will realize that if they have a single child, they should keep him/her busy somewhere so he/she doesn’t feel lonely. Cover photo of the book is lovely and title of the book is appropriate. I loved this adventurous story. I like author’s choice of Text Font. This book deserves 5/5 ⭐.
Sassy Reviews 