My "Christmas Jones" book: #1 New Release on Amazon!

[Bethers]

I didn't need the dictionary. But there were a couple words I know I would have needed it when young. I can't remember now and I wouldn't change them. I find that a good thing.

[snowball]

I am sure if I went back and reread the post that I would find the answer but is this only on e books that type of book or is it also on paper? have a 9 year old granddaughter that loves to read both electronically and books also listens am thinking of getting it for her although I need to check with parents see if it's something she would enjoy... I know she likes hmmm spy school series have heard parts of several of those books
so glad that you got your book published
sheila

[JudyJB]

I bought a copy and read it last night. I really like that you did not give the book an ending. In other words, you left the boy and the reader hanging as to what might have been and could be in the future. Life does not have endings like a lot of books do, so I liked the reality of this.

A few decades ago (I hate to think how many) I had to take some courses to go with my education graduate program so I took children's literature and young adult literature. In all the years I have gone to college, I will say those are the ones I enjoyed most! Most of my classmates were future librarians and they knew so much more about this than I did. I remember reading 8-10 kids books for class each week. Loved it, and although I have never been very knowledgeable or interested in art, but I really learned to look at the art in children's books.

And I liked the few photos you included in yours at the opening of each chapter. Which reminded me that over the years I have taken photos of old ranch houses, churches, and stores in various states of falling down, so if you ever need any of these for a western-themed book, let me know!

[Cudedog]

I am sure if I went back and reread the post that I would find the answer but is this only on e books that type of book or is it also on paper? have a 9 year old granddaughter that loves to read both electronically and books also listens am thinking of getting it for her although I need to check with parents see if it's something she would enjoy... I know she likes hmmm spy school series have heard parts of several of those books
so glad that you got your book published
sheila

Hello Sheila! Thank you for your kind comments. The book is available both electronically (e-book) and in printed paperback.

Paperback is 6" x 9" format.

In paperback, the book is about 100 pages, 12 chapters, but the story itself is fairly short (the pages have wide margins, and the text is 1 1/2 spaced, rather than single-spaced.) About 8,000 words. The photos (that Judy mentions below) in the paperback version are in black-and-white, the photos in the e-book version are in color.



I also include the first chapter of my upcoming fantasy/science fiction novel, "The Rhond Growers" (working title) at the end of the book. This fantasy book is aimed more towards the "Young Adult" (teenage) market, but it is completely suitable for reading by younger children (older readers as well - I am trying to hit a kind of "middle-ground").

LOL. 350 pages, and counting, for the new one! Hope to have this one finished around the first of May.

Any more questions, please let me know!!

Thanks again.

Anne

[Cudedog]

I bought a copy and read it last night. I really like that you did not give the book an ending. In other words, you left the boy and the reader hanging as to what might have been and could be in the future. Life does not have endings like a lot of books do,
so I liked the reality of this . . .

Wow. Judy! Thank you for your purchase!!

Thank you, also, for your comments, this one, above, was particularly interesting to me. It is a remarkable, and an excellent, insight. Thank you for it!

Truthfully, I had to think about this comment for quite a while! Believe it or not, I actually had not realized that the story is "open-ended", in just the way that you suggest. It was not particularly intended to be that way, this is just the way the story flowed out of my brain.

An earlier draft had a bit at the end illustrating that Tad still possessed his treasure, although he was all grown up by this time, and had children of his own. I decided to remove that part, because I felt it would be too limiting to the imagination for young readers, and would "take them out" of the story that had come before.

So, yes! You are correct! The story is open-ended! Very surprised and impressed that you saw this! Thank you!

And I liked the few photos you included in yours at the opening of each chapter. Which reminded me that over the years I have taken photos of old ranch houses, churches, and stores in various states of falling down, so if you ever need any of these for a western-themed book, let me know!

Thanks for the offer of photos! This is a real find for me, as I am in the preliminary stages of planning another Western-themed children's book (LOL! With volcanoes!) after I finish my current Sci-fi/Fantasy.

Let's talk some more about that at the Eagle Lake GTG, ok?

The original draft did not contain any kind of illustrations at all, the illustrations were a "last-minute" decision. Why? I decided to add illustrations only when I was working on the book cover (after the writing was finished), and remembered when, as a young child, I was "transitioning" from strictly children's books to simple chapter books. I remembered that I appreciated book illustrations at this time, so decided to add a few in.

Finding photos that would complement the story was a bit of a chore. I didn't just randomly download photos from the internet, all of the illustrations in the book were purchased as "stock photos". Then I spent many hours on each individual photo manipulating them so that they more closely represented what was in my story (using PhotoShop).

Here is an example. The original photo (this is the first illustration in the book, and can be seen in the book's "sample" on Amazon) had a pipe running across the front of the house, green grass, tall pine trees and some kind of building in the background. Also, the original photo was narrower than I needed it to be (read more below the photos).

"Before"


"After"


Using PhotoShop, I removed the pipe, the pine trees, got rid of the building, changed the grass from green to brown, and made the house look more weather-worn than it was in the original photo. I also digitally "added" more space around the house, so that it would look more isolated, unkempt and forlorn. I changed the sky from sharp, bright, blue to a kind of dusty blue color.

Working on this single, individual, photo took about four-five hours to complete. I know PhotoShop fairly well (I have been using it for at least 25 years) but I am not particularly fast with it.

Each of the twelve photos in the book (Not counting the book cover! That was another story in itself!) all needed to be modified or changed in some way.

One of the most difficult was the illustration of the Sheriff. This was actually a photo of a man wearing a hat standing in a modern shopping mall (!) for some kind of sales event, I think. He only had a partial badge showing! I had to digitally drop out all of the shopping mall stuff, and add in a full badge!

A lot of work, but a lot of fun as well. I really enjoy working with PhotoShop. It is a really fun program. I don't have the full version, what I have is PhotoShop Elements. Which doesn't have all the tools of the full-version, but plenty of tools for my needs, without the full price!!

Judy, thanks again for your purchase and your comments. I VERY much appreciate both.

If anyone else has any further comments or questions, please jump in!

Thanks!

Anne

[JudyJB]

Very good job photo editing. I was spoiled when I worked for big companies because I had lots of good software, but unfortunately did not have the talent. Luckily, we had talented graphic designers who could do things for us--utter magic! The one software I buy and use constantly is SnagIt. It is a screen capture software where you can do things like put ragged edges on something or blur part of something.

Now, here is another idea-----a sequel!!! Seriously.

Your boy is age 11, right? You could still do a children's book at age 13. I would not do it as a young adult book for several reasons. First, is that I don't like most young adult books--my prejudice. I find many of them silly, but second, I don't think many young adults are buying young adult books. Go into Barnes and Noble and look at the space reserved for each type.

Under what conditions could the boy find Jones again. Or under what conditions would he return?

You should have made the boy 9 so you could write two more sequels!!!

[Bethers]

I agree completely with Judy. I also am glad you left the ending open as you did. Whether you do a sequel or not, it allows for the reader's imagination to take over. But, yrs, you have a great opportunity for a sequel.

Good point, Judy, about young adult books. Heck, I was reading adult books from a very early age. But the only possible young adult ones would have been Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys... Such I was reading before the young adult age.

[JudyJB]

You could do a sequel of Tad's son or daughter.

Or a prequel of Christmas Jones' life as a boy--still all children's lit.

Kids really like series because they simplify choosing. Once you find a book you like, you are much more likely to buy the next one because you know you are likely to like it also. Easy for parents and grandparents, also.

All kinds of possibilities. I will end being your critic!

[gypsyrose1126]

That is so exciting, congratulations!

[JudyJB]

Changed my mind about being a critic. How about a sequel about Tad's daughters?? So many "western" books are about boys, while the girls get the romance novels. Maybe two daughters???

It used to drive me crazy when I taught high school many decades ago when kids would ask if something was a girl-book or a boy-book!! Like does Steinbeck write books for girls or boys?? I used to tell them that books have no gender, or some other smart-alack response.

And there is certainly a story or two about Christmas Jones' past. Maybe he is like Nanny McFee and goes from home to home making memories for kids? Where was he the past year?

[Cudedog]

Now, here is another idea-----a sequel!!! Seriously.

Your boy is age 11, right? You could still do a children's book at age 13. I would not do it as a young adult book for several reasons. First, is that I don't like most young adult books--my prejudice. I find many of them silly, but second, I don't think many young adults are buying young adult books. Go into Barnes and Noble and look at the space reserved for each type.

That's a really good suggestion, browsing in a Barnes and Noble store. There isn't one near to where I live. But maybe I'll schedule a trip to Sacramento, I think there is a B & N in Sacramento.

Velda, maybe we could do lunch?

I have done a (tiny) bit of research online regarding "Young Adult" books, and statistics seem to indicate about 40% - 50% of young adult books are actually read by full adults, of all ages. I wonder if this might be because "Full Adult" books these days tend to have so much graphic sex and violence (and misogyny!), often at the expense of the actual storytelling, whereas Young Adult books generally do not.

What do you think? I'm very interested in your thoughts on this, especially from your perspective as a teacher.

Under what conditions could the boy find Jones again. Or under what conditions would he return? You should have made the boy 9 so you could write two more sequels!!!

Hrm. Not sure about the sequel thing . . . but it is a good suggestion. When I was growing up (and constantly begging to be taken to the library when too young to get there on my own) I tended to select books written by the same author as a previous book I had enjoyed, rather than books in a series.

Although I think that there were probably fewer "series" books back then, than there are now. I could be mistaken about this, though.

Thanks, Judy! I LOVE your suggestions! Much food for thought!

Anne

[Cudedog]

I agree completely with Judy. I also am glad you left the ending open as you did. Whether you do a sequel or not, it allows for the reader's imagination to take over. But, yrs, you have a great opportunity for a sequel.

Well, that's two votes! I guess I really need to give this sequel idea some pretty serious thought.

LOL. I was actually thinking last night, as I was doing the dishes, that I could write a series of four books, featuring the four seasons of the year (LOL! Four-book series!), ending with Christmas Jones. LOL. Just doing a bit of "free thinking" here. IF I got really ambitious (and I am pretty lazy!) "Spring on the Plains", "Summer in the Rockies", "Autumn on the River", "Christmas Jones".

Good point, Judy, about young adult books. Heck, I was reading adult books from a very early age. But the only possible young adult ones would have been Nancy Drew and the Hardy boys... Such I was reading before the young adult age.

Now, Beth, this really did make me laugh right out loud!! We must be two of a kind.

I think the only "Young Adult" books I read as a child were maybe one or two of the "Nancy Drew" books, which I read at maybe seven or eight years old, and found (as I remember!) to be total snores.

I was a very early reader, mostly self-taught. When I was quite small, the (older) boys next door had piles of comic books (comics were considered a bit "iffy" in those days!), and they were willing to share. So I spent a great deal of time next door, looking at the colorful panels, trying (and eventually succeeding) to figure out what was being said.

I'll never forget the day I came home one day and saw the newspaper sitting on the coffee table. Previous to this "aha!" moment, a newspaper had just been an object to me, without meaning. Well, for some reason, on this particular day, I walked in, looked at the newspaper, and realized that there was information there, and that I was reading the headline!

It was a transformative moment. I was about four years old, and had not even yet started kindergarten.

My father was mostly absent as I was growing up (he had a demanding job that had him working odd hours) and my mother was at her wit's end with five children with only about six years between the youngest and the oldest (two of my siblings were severely handicapped, which added to her load).

The upshot of this was that neither of my parents paid much attention to what I was reading, caring only that I was reading.

By nine or ten I had read my way through most of the wonderful Zane Grey western novels. By twelve or thirteen, I had already read my way through Ian Fleming's "James Bond" series, considered quite racy in those days!!

LOL! I was a tall child, and looked quite a bit older than my actual age. Only once was a "James Bond" novel denied to me by a librarian. She deemed that I was "too young" to read it! Little did she know! I just came back later, when a different librarian was on duty.

Anne

[Acadianmom]

When I was in the 6th grade we moved to a subdivision that had a strip mall at the center with a library. They had books for my age arranged by subject. I read all the horse books, then the science fiction, then mysteries. For a long time I read mysteries as an adult. I had a subscription for a magazine that I think was called Ellery Queen. My son called it elderly queen. Now reading puts me right to sleep. I had a book in the old camper that I carried in case I was desperate for something to do. I don't remember how many times I started that book. I should move it to the new camper. Maybe I'll finish it sometime. lol

Martha

[JudyJB]

As a child, I don't think i was an early reader, but i do know i voraciously read everything I could. Even though she regularly went to the library as a child, for some reason my mother never took me to a library. We lived in a very small school district just a mile from the city limits of Detroit, but because our school district was not really part of a town, we had no library. Actually it was part of three towns--an old country school district founded in 1837 but never consolidated as the other one-room schools in the area did. My elementary school had four classrooms and a kindergarten. And no library at all. For 5th and 6th grade, I went to a 6-room school, still with no library, but my 5th grade teacher used to bring in copies of Stars and Stripes, old WWII military magazines which we read--very gory. And my 6th grade teacher had a few shelves of books in the back of the room.

In those days, you had to buy your own school books. My dad would buy them in late August, and I would have read all of them cover-to-cover by the time school started!! School was pretty boring, obviously. This was true all though K-12.

A few times a year, my mother would buy me Nancy Drew books, so I read every one of them, along with the Bobbsey Twins books. However, because I had so little to read, I read books I found on my mother's shelves. My favorite book of all time was Robinson Crusoe--the 1719 version by Daniel Defoe! I read it many, many times, even though the language was extremely difficult for me. It was not until high school (8th grade) that I really had access to a library, school or otherwise. So, even though my parents had more than enough money in the 40s and 50s, I was a deprived child. I thought you had to live in one of the neighboring towns to use a library, so I never even asked to go. I envied those kids living in Detroit, for example, although I did learn to use the main Detroit library when I was in high school. Took the bus by then.

[Bethers]

Oh, Judy... I'd have been lost! First we had the complete Childcraft set of books. I read everything in them at one time or another... Even what didn't interest me. My mother read a lot, as did my sister. Even though they were reading adult books, I'd just read them, too. Then there was a point that because my Dad did business with Bantam books, they decided to put us on their monthly mailing and we received a box of new releases every month! You never knew what it included, but I read most everything it included. I have a memory of it including an English /Russian dictionary. I drove everyone crazy "playing"with that. And we went to the library regularly.

And, Anne, my mother didn't believe in censoring anything I read. But I had to be willing to discuss it.