An Overview of My Reading at the Blair Library

So many of my best ideas come from research that at every school I visit, I introduce myself by by describing the library where my research begins: the Blair Library (a.k.a. the Fayetteville Public Library) in my hometown, Fayetteville, Arkansas.

The Fayetteville Public Library was the recipient of Library Journal's 2005 Library of the Year Award. Photo by me!

Today I read “Sea Horse, run!” at 10:30 am in the Walker Community Room at my favorite library. A wonderful audience filled with children, parents, and educators heard my dramatic reading (yes, I sang Coral’s part!), then I launched into how I created my new, award-winning picture book. I’ve written a few blog articles about some of the topics I discussed such as…

Rewriting the end of “Sea Horse, run!”. (Spoiler Alert!!!) This post includes the video I showed during my presentation. You’ll see step by step how I research and draw characters for the book.

The Power of Three. The number “3” defines story structure and is an important number in children’s stories.

 

 

One thing I forgot to discuss during my presentation is why Coral sings in the story. Read Coral as Greek Chorus to find out.

I brought markers, boxes of crayons, and copies of activities for the kids. Several children came up the stage and colored the pictures while I read the book.

              

You can check out a copy of “Sea Horse, run!” at the Blair Library (a.k.a. the Fayetteville Public Library), or purchase a hardcover in Fayetteville at Nightbird Books on Dickson Street, French Quarters Antiques on Block Street, or Barnes & Noble across from the Northwest Arkansas Mall.

Fayetteville's Blair Library.

Blair Library became the first building in Arkansas to register with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification program. The library received its LEED silver certification from the USGBC in December 2006. Read more or visit  Fayetteville’s Blair Library online at: www.faylib.org.

Want to learn more about me (Tammy Carter Bronson)? Visit my personal blog or read a recent post that sums up 2011 so far: “Summer 2011 in Review.”

Press Release 22 August 2011

Book Deal Signed With Mariposa Press: Bookaroos’ Books Now In France

22 August 2011, Fayetteville, AR, USA

Thanks to recent exposure of “Sea Horse, run!” at American trade shows, Bookaroos Publishing has signed a deal with Mariposa Press for distribution of Bookaroos’ books in France.

“Sea Horse, run!” was listed as the picture book winner in the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Awards catalog which was distributed at Book Expo America (“BEA”) in New York (May 24-26, 2011). “Sea Horse, run!” was also on display in a cooperative booth staffed by members of the Independent Book Publisher’s Association (“IBPA”) at BEA and the American Library Association in New Orleans (ALA 2011, June 23-28). The national exposure for Bookaoos’ new title paid off when “Sea Horse, run!” caught the attention of Mariposa Press, a distributor of English language titles to bookstores throughout France. The company’s President, Laurie Blum Guest, requested samples of every book published by Bookaroos.

Bookaroos Publishing has four children’s picture books in print: Tiny Snail, The Kaleidonotes & the Mixed-Up Orchestra, Polliwog, and the award-winning “Sea Horse, run!”. Tammy Carter Bronson, President of Bookaroos Publishing, says, “We feel our picture books have a timeless, universal quality, and we are thrilled that Mariposa Press has chosen to represent all of our books for distribution in France.”

"Sea Horse, run!" at Book Expo America 2011

All four books will be highlighted in the Mariposa Press Fall/Winter children’s catalogue which will be distributed to bookstores and to potential buyers at France’s children’s book fair, the Salon du Livre et de la Presse Jeunesse (Nov 30-Dec 5, 2011 à Montreuil) and at the French Book-Expo in Paris, Salon du Livre, March 16-19, 2012.

Mariposa Press has been in existence since 1981. Prior to taking over Mariposa, company president Laurie Blum Guest worked in New York as both a book packager and editor with Simon & Schuster, Harper Collins, and Henry Holt. She also created her own series of books with 63 titles, sold several million copies, and has been a regular guest on CNN television.

For additional information, or to schedule an interview with Tammy Carter Bronson, e-mail books@bookaroos.com, or visit the Bookaroos Publishing website at: http://www.bookaroos.com.

QS? Contact: Matthew Shane Bronson, Publicity Department
Bookaroos Publishing, Inc., P. O. Box 8518, Fayetteville, AR 72703
Phone/Fax 479-443-0339 or 479-443-6789

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“Sea Horse, run!” Wins First Award June 2011

Click to view the PDF: Press Release 14 June 2011

ARKANSAS AUTHOR WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARD

14 June 2011, Fayetteville, AR, USA

Arkansas author and illustrator Tammy Carter Bronson won the 2011 Next Generation Indie Book Award for her new children’s picture book, “Sea Horse, run!”.

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest not-for-profit book awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. The award is open to all indie book authors and publishers including small to mid-size publishers, university presses, self-published authors, e-book authors, seasoned authors and even first time authors in the U.S., Canada or internationally who have a book written in English. Awards are given in sixty different categories, but according to Mrs. Bronson, “The children’s picture book category is very popular and competitive. At best I hoped to place as one of the three finalists. I never imagined I would win!”

The Next Generation Indie Book Awards were established in 2008 to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books of the year. Winners receive gold medals and are featured in national news media and events. Presented by the Independent Book Publishing Professionals Group (www.ibppg.com), award winners also receive a cash prize and the opportunity to display gold award stickers on their book.

Tammy Carter Bronson lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She is the author and illustrator of three previous picture books: Tiny Snail (2000), The Kaleidonotes & the Mixed-Up Orchestra (2001), and Polliwog (2004). The award-winning “Sea Horse, run!” is her fourth picture book.

Two book signings are scheduled in Fayetteville: one at Barnes & Noble on Saturday, July 9^th at 3:00 PM and another at Nightbird Books, Saturday, August 6^th at 1:30 PM.

QS? Contact: Matthew Shane Bronson, Publicity Department
Bookaroos Publishing, Inc., P. O. Box 8518, Fayetteville, AR 72703
Phone/Fax 479-443-0339 or 479-443-6789, books@bookaroos.com, http://www.bookaroos.com

Category Audience Title Pages Price Binding ISBN Publication Date Publisher Websites

Children’s Picture Book Ages 3 to 8 years Sea Horse, run! 32 pages with 21 illustrations $17.00 Hardcover 978-0-9678167-7-7 June 1, 2011 Bookaroos Publishing, Inc. http://www.bookaroos.com http://www.seahorserun.com http://www.tammybronson.com