Herman by Tayler Roberson

Today I'm going to do another author interview. We haven't done that in awhile so thought it was time. This author is a first time author. Tyler Roberson is author of a children's easy-to-read, short chapter book. First, let me introduce the book a little. I would say 1-3 graders would enjoy this book and learning a little from and about Herman.

Herman and Eugene, better known as Gene, both have something in common. They are orphaned.
Eugene is a lively, but responsible, serious and shy (around kids) black-haired, blue-eyed, freckled-face, nine year old boy. He lives with his grandparents and Uncle Don on their farm in Northern Michigan. Eugene loves fishing, talking and singing songs. He is a hard worker around the farm. He finds a baby heron that quickly becomes his friend as he nurses it back to health. Eugene affectionately refers to the heron as Herman.

This is a cute story and your child will learn facts about herons and what it means to rescue and release an animal back into the wild. I was impressed. I give this book two thumbs up and a fishing pole to boot. I've asked Mr. Roberson if he'd be so kind to answer a few questions so you may get to know this new author better.

Could you share with my readers a little bit about yourself?

I am 45 years old. I am married and have one son, two stepdaughters, and a stepson. I also have four beautiful grandchildren and two on the way. I was born in Cheboygan, Michigan which serves as the setting for Herman. I currently live in Harrison, Michigan which is in the central part of the state or "middle of the mitten".

I'm from Michigan as well. Niles, right on the Stateline MI/IN, Southwestern corner more less

Are you a full-time author or do you have another occupation besides?

Currently I write full-time and take care of three of my grandchildren.

That is so neat that you take care of your grandchildren. What a big job.

Could you share a few (3-5 would be nice) fun fact with my readers about yourself that they might not know and you wouldn’t mind if they knew, of course.

I enjoy fishing whenever I get the chance which is why Gene, in my story loves fishing. I also like to travel. Two of my favorite places I visited are Yellowstone National Park and the Gettysburg Battlefield National Park. I am fascinated by shipwrecks in the Great Lakes and have visited the Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point in Michigan's upper peninsula.

Cool. I really loved reading about Gene.

Have you always been interested in being a writer?

I would say a better way to say it is I have always enjoyed writing. Writing became my "creative outlet". I always wanted to paint or sketch pictures, but I lacked the skill. As a result, I started to "paint with words"; writing in a descriptive style to allow readers to envision something the way I see it.

I'm not much of an artist, and I can't say I'm a good word painter either, but I love reading what others write.

Who or what had had the most influence in your becoming a writer?

When I was young I watched a TV show called The Waltons. John Boy, the oldest brother, wanted to be a writer and was always scribbling in his notebook. That was my first exposure to someone actually aspiring to writing as a career. Louis L'Amour, my favorite author, was another major influence as were, of course, my parents and grandparents.

I loved the Waltons too when I was growing up. Let you in on a little secret. We're the same age.

Could you share a little bit of how you came up with the inspiration for this story?

Herman is based on an actual event from my father's boyhood. I grew up hearing him tell the story of a young heron chick he rescued and named Herman, so when I was casting about for an idea to write about, my dad's experience was a natural choice.

What better way to write than from personal experience, well dad's personal experience, he passed on to you through stories.

Is it easy to get into the Children’s genre?

I think the most challenging part of writing for children is remembering that you are writing for children. Childhood is a time of constant wonder and discovery. The challenge is to relate to kids on their level without becoming condescending.

Sometimes as adults we have a hard time getting on child's level.

This being your first book what were your feelings when you finally saw and held the finished product in your hands?

A tremendous sense of accomplishment. Holding a copy of the book and knowing it was something that would last beyond myself was a truly rewarding moment.

Well, congratulations. I enjoyed reading this book and trust there will be more in the works.

Do you have any more books in the works? If so can you share with us a little bit.

I am currently developing stories about a Michigan family that experiences life just prior to and during the Civil War. There will also be future stories about Gene and his family.

Well, I love reading children's books. I guess that's the teacher in my. Hopefully, I'll be able to review many more of your books. They sound interesting. We need good clean books for our kids to read.

Is there any character in your book Herman that you best relate to? Why?

At this point in my life I'd say Uncle Don. I enjoy my grandkids and try to infuse humor as well as discipline into their lives.

Well, I enjoyed getting to know Uncle Don in this book and hopefully, we'll see him in future Gene books.

Have you ever been involved in an animal rescue/release effort before as you use in your book? If so could you share a bit about this with the readers.

Nothing as dramatic as Herman. When I was young we found two abandoned kittens that had gotten their heads stuck in a snack chip bag. We freed them and took them home.

I just had a sparrow fly into my house here a few weeks ago. We had to rescue it and set it free again. What would you like the readers to come away with after reading this book?

I would hope that anyone who reads Herman can relate to the story and its characters in a real way. The little heartaches and triumphs of everyday life are something we all go through and it's best to share them with someone who loves us.

Thanks that is so important to remember. What would you say for yourself is the hardest part of the writing process?

Actually setting aside the time to just sit down and write. There is always so much going on and things to do that it can be difficult to step back and take a few moments to pick up my pen.

There always seems to be something calling our needs. Something that needs our attention. What is the most rewarding part of the writing process?

Knowing that you're bringing something to life that you can share with other people.

That's always a good feeling. Do you have a web site? How can someone find more information on this book

Yes. People can find me at www.hermantheheron.com. Also, readornotread.com contains some reviews.

Oh, thanks for the web site. I'll have to go check it out myself. When not writing what is your favorite pastime?

I really like hanging out with my grandkids and playing with them. I also like to play games on my computer or Playstation 3.

I don't have any grandkids yet, but I bet they are fun. You sound like a cool grandpa. Do you have any parting words you’d like to leave with the readers?

I'd just simply like to say thank you for their interest in Herman and myself, and I hope to be able to share more adventures with them in the future.

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. God Bless on your writing adventure. Loved your first book.

Learn more about this book here.

A copy of this book was provided for review by WinePress Publishing

B is for Bufflehead by Steve Hutchcraft

This book is something to tweet about, squawk about, crow about, chirp about, quack about, honk about if you are an inquisitive, young or old, bird lover. Want to help your child learn about birds? then this is the book you need. Your child will fly into the fowls' life while reading. Sssshhhh don't tell them but they'll be learning while reading. It will not only entertain young minds but also educate them as well. The author takes the reader on an ABC flight to the wonderful world of birds in North America. The photos in this book were captured by the author himself. They are bright and eye-catching some even humorous. The book is filled with fascinating bird personalities, unique behaviors of birds, and intriguing fun facts. There are common birds, silly sounding named birds and funny looking birds included in this ABCs of birds. At the end of the book are pages of Who's Who challenge, which are challenges taken from the birds they read about in the book to see if they can remember Who's Who. There is even a Baby bird challenge page and pages filled with more detailed informative facts (ex: where they live, their habitat, and the food they eat) on each bird they encountered in the book. What better way to become a feathered friend lover than with a book.

Take a peek inside the book. If you click on the banner below it will take you to the cover of the book and you can flip through the sample book with the arrows on the page. Or you can click on each picture below which will take you to the the link so you can read the page better.

Emily the Chickadee (stars in three books) by Carol Zelaya

Any child, or person for that matter, that loves birds these three Emily Chickadee books are sure to capture their attention. They are done in rhyming meter. Carol has taken her experience with a chickadee and turned it into three short stories your children are sure to love. I have read these books more than once since receiving them. The illustrations are beautiful too; if the rhyme doesn't hold their attention then the pictures will. The size of these hardback books are cute and little just the right size for little hands. Actually, any aged nature lover would enjoy these books and love to display them on their coffee table. My teenage daughter, who isn't fond of poetry, read the books and loved them. Readers of Emily Chickadee books learn interesting things about the chickadee in a fun way. I loved the unique places where Emily decided to build a home (nest) for her family. These would be wonderful gifts to find under the Christmas tree.

EXCERPT:

As I look closer, what do I see?
In the nest there seems to be,
The little bird named Emily,
And a big surprise of one, two, three!
Yes, three little eggs for me to see.
You’ll soon be a mommy Chickadee!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carol Zelaya is a former nurse, recently widowed, and mother of two grown children. She grew up in the Chicago area, where she eventually met and married her husband and where they raised a family. Having relocated to Oregon in 1996, Zelaya began her love affair with nature and its beautiful creatures. Inspired by her surroundings, she started taking pictures and writing. Writing poetry led to writing three children’s books, of course, in rhyme. Zelaya’s Emily the Chickadee books are the true story of the special bond between a tiny bird and a little girl and the true meaning of family.

Carol is now moving to the San Diego area to be near her children. You can visit her online at http://www.emilythechickadee.com/.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT EMILY WAITS FOR HER FAMILY!

"While there are other authors known for their portrayals of nature and animals, they have not promoted the scientific observation techniques that are used and included in a chart at the end of this book." - Jane Herbst, NYSUT teacher

"A delightful story for any child that enjoys wildlife." - Catherine Allen, Amazon.com reviewer

"The story...is enjoyable and teaches at the same time." - Tara's View of the World

This book was provided for review by Virtual book tours.
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