A Smartphone: The Latest Addition to this Author’s Toolbox

When I first became serious about becoming a children’s book writer, there were many items I picked up along the way to help me learn the craft and to get organized.  Among the first of these items were various books with words like “Dummies” and “Complete Idiot” in their titles.  Along the way, I also added a dictionary, thesaurus, and grammar guides.  All of these items helped me avoid making the obvious mistakes that would make an editor groan and reach for a form rejection letter.  Doing my homework and using the right tools definitely made a difference. 

Now that I am published, my focus has shifted to learning how to promote myself.  Because let’s face it…what good is spending all the time and effort involved in creating a book and seeing it to publication, if nobody knows that you have written it?  To aid me in this endeavor, I have found a new “high tech” ally, my Smartphone.

In addition to my writing, I also have a full time day job and a family.  My free time is definitely in short supply.  This is where my Smartphone has become my time-management savior.  I commute every day by train into New York City for my day job.  I used to spend this time reading the newspaper or staring out the window.  Now the train has become my mobile office.  I answer emails, check social media sites, do research for my next book, or even write blog posts.  In short, I’ve been able to squeeze another productive hour out of my day that I didn’t have before.

I have apps on my phone for all my email and social media sites.  I have shortcuts on it to my online critique groups.  I have a word processing app to proof my work and make quick revisions.  And of course, I have downloaded a few games to play because I need to have some fun.  I do try to apply discipline to this new found hour of productivity though.  It’s just as easy to waste time on a smart phone as it is on a computer. 

So if you happen to be traveling into New York City on a commuter train and you see me intensely focused on my Smartphone screen, you may be seeing my creative process at work as I proofread my latest manuscript.  Then again, there’s always the chance that I’ll just be playing Spider Solitaire.

Kevin McNamee is a writer and poet living in Yonkers, NY.   He is the author of seven children’s picture books.  Kevin’s poetry has been published in the collection, An Eyeball in My Garden: And Other Spine-Tingling Poems. 

To find out more about Kevin, please visit his website at www.kevinmcnamee.com or his blog at www.kevinmcnameechildrensauthor.blogspot.com.  

My Brother the Frog: A Fun and Creative Approach to Sibling Rivalry

Today we welcome Kevin McNamee, who is thrilled to be talking abut his latest children’s book, My Brother the Frog.  This is Kevin’s sixth children’s book published with Guardian Angel Publishing.

Kevin, what is this story about?

This book focuses on sibling rivalry between two brothers.  Sibling rivalry can be a problem in any family.  But in this story, a little brother deals with this dilemma in a most unusual way.  He changes his brother into a frog.  He does have a bit of trouble changing him back though.  He manages to change his brother into a variety of animals until he finally gets it right.  Meanwhile, he starts to realize how much he cares for his brother, and how much his brother cares for him.

How did you come up with this story?

I wanted to come up with a wacky story that would be a lot of fun to read, and be something that boys would relate to.  In my humble opinion, there are not enough books for boys out there.  So I was happy to contribute one.  The basic idea was: What if a boy could change his brother into a frog?  What would happen then?  I was thinking about using animals, but I’m not sure why I chose a frog as the first animal.  Maybe it’s because frogs are funny and My Brother the Frog is an interesting title.  But even though this book was a lot of fun to write, I wanted it to have a serious message.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?

To me, the hardest part was the pacing.  In a picture book, every word counts.  So it was a particularly difficult challenge to keep the action moving along using a minimal amount of words, while still being able to tell a complete story.  Alexander Morris’s illustrations are top notch and really helped to tell the story.  So I think that together, we were able to put together a story that both kids and parents will love.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Relationships with siblings may not always be perfect, but this book points out some very good reasons to love your family … warts and all, especially if your brother just happens to be a frog.

 

This book is available as a print book, an E-book, or a book on CD from the Guardian Angel Publishing Children's Bookstore.

Books are also available from amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, or ask your local bookstore.

Kevin McNamee is a writer and poet living in Yonkers, N.Y., and has never, ever changed anyone into a frog, although there were times that he really wanted to. 

Other books by Kevin include: If I Could Be Anything, The Sister Exchange, Lightning Strikes, The Soggy Town of Hilltop and What Is That Thing?    

Kevin’s poetry has been published in the collection, An Eyeball in My Garden: And Other Spine-Tingling Poems. 

To find out more about Kevin, please visit his website at www.kevinmcnamee.com or his blog at http://www.kevinmcnameechildrensauthor.blogspot.com/.