feng feng hutchins

GET together with BOOKS

2011-12-01T06:42:00.000-10:00

Books take a stand—especially locally written or content driven titles. Native Books and Nā Mea Hawai‘i have been organizing “get together with books” events for the past few months, and the gatherings continue with the newest locally published titles. These gatherings are held outside of Native Books/Nā Mea Hawai‘i at the corner of Ward Avenue and Ala Moana Blvd, ‘ewa end of Ward Warehouse, under the old spaghetti factory. Parking is free, and all GET together with BOOKS’ are always open to the public. The December and January events are as follows:

• Sunday, December 4, 2011, 2pm to 4pm. Launch Celebration and signing for "The Queen and I: A Story of Dispossessions and Reconnections in Hawai’i" Written by Sydney L. Iaukea

In this expose, Sydney L. Iaukea ties personal memories to newly procured political information about Hawai’i’s crucial territorial era. Spurred by questions surrounding intergenerational property disputres in her immediate family, she delves into Hawai’i’s torical archives. There she discovers the central role played by her great great grandfather in the politics of late nineteenth and early twentieth century Hawai’i—in particular Curtis P. Iaukea’s trusted position with the Hawaiian Kingdom’s last ruling monarch, Queen Lilioukalani.

• Wednesday, December 7, 6 to 7:30pm. Launch Celebration and reading of "Kapoho: Memoirs of a Modern Pompeii" Written by Frances Kakugawa

Once There Was a Kapoho… From the wartime drama of “The Enemy Wore My Face” to the sweet poignancy of “A One- Chopstick Marriage,” Frances H. Kakugawa weaves a coming-of-age memoir of life in a Hawaiian plantation village—now buried beneath a blanket of lava. “Kakugawa’s amazing recall of details helps remind us of the beautiful innocence and naivete of youth and the realities of growing up poor in Hawai‘i—all too cognizant of the ethnic, linguistic and cultural barriers she would have to overcome to realize her literary dreams,“ says Guy Aoki, Founding President, Media Action Network for Asian Americans. Author Charles Pellegrino calls it “a rare poetic history that will make you think, laugh and cry.”

• Sunday, December 11, 2pm to 4pm. Launch Celebration, Reading and Signing of "Up Among The Stars" Written by Matthew Kaopio Jr.

Matthew Kaopio Jr.’s Up Among the Stars follows Ikau’s journey as an adolescent doing his best to live a normal life while homeless, never fading in his will to do good and help others. Perhaps what he longs for, a family and home, remain as distant as the stars, but his courage and strength to never give up on himself leads him to a future brighter than he could have ever imagined.

• Saturday, December 17 @ 2pm to 4pm Reading and Signing of "Plenty Saimin" Written by Feng Feng Hutchins

For everyone who loves to eat saimin - this book is for you. Birthday boy, Ah Kee, couldn't wait for his long life noodles. On his way to the market with Ma he invites friend after friend to join him for noodles. Will Ma have enough to feed everyone he's invited? As the noodles are being prepared one by one each guest brings an ingredient to add to the pot. Not too much, just what they can offer. Soon all gather to celebrate Ah Kee's birthday. This book is a tribute to the late 1950's rural life style here in Hawaii. A time when folks farmed the land and took care of one another so naturally. Something we'd like to always remember, continue to practice and pass on to youngsters.

• Sunday, December 18, 3pm to 5pm Launch Celebration, reading and signing of "Georgia O’Keeffe’s Hawai’i" Written Patricia Jennings

For three months in 1939, Georgia O'Keeffe visited Hawai'i and painted the Islands' tropical plants and landscapes, capturing their essence and beauty. During two weeks on Maui, 12-year-old Patricia Jennings served as O'Keeffe's guide and companion showing her lush valleys and hills of Wailuku and the plunging waterfalls, lava bridges and black sand beaches of Hana. The bond formed between the pre-teen and the American icon lasted a life-time. O'Keeffe's letters and paintings give us a view of the Islands through the lens of the great American artist. Georgia O’Keeffe’s Hawai‘i sheds light on a transitional period in O’Keeffe’s art and life, and shares for the first time this inspiring coming-of-age story.

Located in the breezeway outside of Nā Mea Hawai’i, in front of an original Solomon Enos fast-kine mural, these gatherings bring a mix of great elements together, music, food, learners and lovers of the written word, enjoying the camaraderie that comes with good books in good company. The authors are always present, as are local publishers, family and friends. Native Books has been presenting these kinds of events for over twenty years in community, join us in celebrating what only Hawai‘i nei has to offer, the best books about our Island home, and the people that live here.

For more information, please contact:
Mathias Maas 597-8967
Maile Meyer 783-2786

Line Up for Nov. 8

2011-11-08T00:01:00.004-10:00

PRESENTING Tuesday Nights Da Kine Readers Theatre at the ARTS at Marks Garage @ 7:30pm

“Eddie and the Upside down Canoe”
By Marion Lyman-Mersereau
Directed by Steve Wagenseller
CAST
Tutuwahine Whale -Haunani Abdul
Iwa/Manu-Stephanie Kong
Mr. Mano/Ikaika-Danny Lyman
Lele- Lauren Medeiros
Kaleo-Kalia Medeiros
Mr. Honu/Nanaka-TBD

“Story of a Fly”
By Richard Goodman
Directed by Terri Madden
CAST
Kubei- Allan Okubo
Oku-san- Blossom Lam Hoffman
Tama- Tracy Hanayo Okubo

“The Ghost Wedding”
By Feng Feng Hutchins
Directed by Wil Kahele
CAST
Lily (Wong tai tai) and Mei-Li – Blossom Lam Hoffman
Paul – Dann Seki
Ruby – Nani Morita
Ah Long – Justin Fragiao

Playbuilders Tuesday Night Da Kine Readers Theatre

2011-10-29T19:22:00.002-10:00

A beautiful poster from my friend Terri Madden of Playbuilders of Hawaii. Go to "Current Production" to check out the schedule of plays. Note the correction of dates to Nov. 8, 22, 29, Dec. 6 and 13. Come join us every Tuesday!

Happy Birthday

2011-09-25T10:23:00.004-10:00

It's time to eat saimin for long life. Plenty Saimin is one year old today. Yippy! Thank you all for the support and a successful year.

Kailua Public Library

2011-08-13T13:46:00.001-10:00

TV interview on OC16

2011-06-02T20:30:00.000-10:00

If you missed my tv interview, watch it here. Enjoy!

In Alphabet Soup

2011-05-18T07:44:00.006-10:00

Freshly made by Jama Rattigan! To read her review on Plenty Saimin, click HERE.

In Star Advertiser

2011-05-15T08:05:00.000-10:00

Winners of the Ka Palapala Po'okela Awards are announced in the Sunday paper!

Margaret Lim, 1947-2011

2011-05-08T23:59:00.000-10:00

I am sad that my Malaysian friend Margaret Lim passed away today on Mother's Day. Although we never met, we emailed each other often and shared ideas, including apple recipes. She was a special woman. Rest in peace, Margaret. I miss you. :'(

To buy Margaret's books Payah, Four Eyes, Precious Jade & Turnip Head and Nonah illustrated by her daughter Su Jen Buchheim, go to Amazon.com.
To read my interview with Margaret, click HERE.
For more info about her, go to her blog.

Plenty Saimin wins!

2011-05-06T22:46:00.003-10:00

2011 Ka Palapala Po'okela Awards

Plenty Saimin by Island Paradise Publishing (Sept, 2010)
Winner of Excellence in Children's Literature
Honorable Mention of Excellence in Children's Illustrative & Photograhic Books

With Publisher Kerry Germain

To view a list of all the winners posted on Hawaii Book Blog, click HERE.

2011 Ka Palapala Po'okela Awards

2011-04-01T19:08:00.000-10:00

The Ka Palapala Po'okela Awards gala is scheduled for Friday, 5:30-9:00pm, May 6 @ Mission Houses Museum. It will be a ticketed event with entertainment by Na Leo, 'ono pupu, and gourmet chocolates. Purchase tickets at Mission Houses Museum, Native Books, or visit www.hawaiibooks.org to buy online.

Here are this year's nominees:

1. Excellence in Children's Hawaiian Culture
Books for young readers reflecting Hawaiian culture or Hawaiian history.
■Kohala Kuamo'o: Nae'ole's Race to Save a King -- Kekauleleanae'ole Kawai'ae'a, illus. by Aaron Kawai'ae'a, mo'olelo by Luana and Walter Kawai'ae'a
■Legend of the Gourd -- adapted and illus. by Caren Ke'ala Loebel-Fried, Hawaiian translation by Kaliko Beamer-Trapp
■Mohala Mai 'O Hau/How Hau Became a Hau'ula -- Robert Lono 'Ikuwa, illus. by Matthew Kawika Ortiz
■No ke Anila/Our Hawai'i Weather -- Kaulana Dameg, Mahealani Kobashigawa, illus. by Eve Furchgott

2. Excellence in Children's Illustrative/Photographic Books
Books for children where illustrations or photographs are the essence of the presentation.
■Aia he Kaheka/There's a Tide Pool -- Makela Bruno, illus. by Maile Ka'ai
■Kekoa and the Egg Mystery -- Tia Monteaux Walls, illus. Holly Braffet
■Kohala Kuamo'o: Nae'ole's Race to Save a King -- Kekauleleanae'ole Kawai'ae'a, illus. by Aaron Kawai'ae'a, mo'olelo by Luana and Walter Kawai'ae'a
■Legend of the Gourd -- adapted and illus. by Caren Ke'ala Loebel-Fried, Hawaiian translation by Kaliko Beamer-Trapp
■Lio the Carousel Horse -- Carol Moen Wing, illus. by Ruth Moen
■The Little Greenies, Manu the Seabird -- Petronella Evers
■Lucy and Lilo Help the Honu -- story and illus. by Mary Kate Wright
■Maile and the Huli Hula Chicken -- Mary Braffet, illus. by Holly Braffet
■Mohala Mai 'O Hau/How Hau Became a Hau'ula -- Robert Lono 'Ikuwa, illus. by Matthew Kawika Ortiz
■Pili the 'Iwa Bird Flies Again -- Gail Omoto, Jan and Judy Dill; illus. by Garrett Omoto
■Plenty Saimin -- Feng Feng Hutchins, illus. Adriano F. Abatayo III
■The Story of Chinaman's Hat -- Dean Howell, illus. by Don Robinson

3. Excellence in Children's Literature
Books for children, including fiction and non-fiction.
■I Choose You -- Patricia Lei Murray, illus. by Stephanie Britt
■Kohala Kuamo'o: Nae'ole's Race to Save a King -- Kekauleleanae'ole Kawai'ae'a, illus. by Aaron Kawai'ae'a, mo'olelo by Luana and Walter Kawai'ae'a
■Mohala Mai 'O Hau/How Hau Became a Hau'ula -- Robert Lono 'Ikuwa, illus. by Matthew Kawika Ortiz
■No Punia me ka Lua Ula/Punia and the Lobster Cave -- William H. Wilson, illus. Brook Kapukuniahi Parker
■Pili the 'Iwa Bird Flies Again -- Gail Omoto, Jan and Judy Dill; illus. by Garrett Omoto
■Plenty Saimin -- Feng Feng Hutchins, illus. Adriano F. Abatayo III

4. Excellence in Hawaiian Culture
Books reflecting Hawaiian culture or Hawaiian history
■A Pocket Guide to the Battle of Nu'uanu 1795: An Illustrated Pocket Guide to the O'ahu Battlefield -- Neil Bernard Dukas
■Mai Pa'a i Ka Leo: Historical Voice in Hawaiian Primary Materials, Looking Forward and Listening Back -- M. Puakea Nogelmeier
■The Queen's Medical Center: Hale Ma'i O Ka Wahine Ali'i -- Jason Y. Kimura
■Uncle Kawaiola's Dream: A Hawaiian Story -- Victor C. Pellegrino, illus. by Linda Rowell Stevens
■Wahine Noa: For the Life of My Country -- Keahi Felix

5. Excellence in Literature
Books of fiction (novels), essays, stories, and poetry
■Anshu: Dark Sorrow -- Juliet S. Kono
■If You Live in a Small House -- Sandra Park
■Mauri Ola: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English -- ed. by Albert Wendt, Reina Whaitiri, and Robert Sullivan
■No Choice but to Follow -- Jean Yamasaki Toyama, Juliet S. Kono, Ann Inoshita, and Christy Passion
■Tweakerville: Life and Death of Hawai'i Ice World -- Alexei Melnick

6. Excellence in Illustrative or Photographic Books
Books where illustrations or photographs are the essence of the presentation
■Akule -- photographs by Wayne Levin, essays by Thomas Farber and Frank Stewart
■Hart Wood: Architectural Regionalism in Hawaii -- Don Hibbard, Glen Mason, and Karen Weitze
■Hawaiian Birds of the Sea: Na Manu Kai -- Robert J. Shallenberger
■A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Hawai'i: The Main Islands and Offshore Waters -- Jim Denny
■Polynesia: The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art -- Adrienne L. Kaeppler

7. Excellence in Natural Science
Books reflecting nature, plants, animals, the earth, the ocean, the sky, etc.
■Hawaiian Birds of the Sea: Na Manu Kai -- Robert J. Shallenberger
■Living of the Shores of Hawai'i: Natural Hazards, the Environment, and Our Communities -- Charles Fletcher, Robynne Boyd, William J. Neal, and Virginia Tice
■A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Hawai'i: The Main Islands and Offshore Waters -- Jim Denny

8. Excellence in Text or Reference Books
Books intended specifically as textbooks or reference books
■Ancient Sites of Oahu: A Guide to Hawaiian Archaeological Places of Interest, Revised Edition -- Van James
■Arts and Crafts of Micronesia: Trading with Tradition -- Barbara Wavell
■Asian Supernatural -- Alex G. Paman
■Beyond the Sandbox: Preschool Matters -- Phyllis De Graff Kunimura
■Living of the Shores of Hawai'i: Natural Hazards, the Environment, and Our Communities -- Charles Fletcher, Robynne Boyd, William J. Neal, and Virginia Tice
■Regulating Paradise: Land Use Controls in Hawai'i, Second Edition -- David L. Callies

9. Excellence in Cookbooks
Books reflecting food preparation and/or the culinary arts.
■The Blue Tomato: The Inspirations behind the Cuisine of Alan Wong -- Alan Wong with Arnold Hiura, photography by David Murphey, Yasuo Kondo and Alan Wong
■The Hawai'i Farmers Market Cookbook, Volume 2: The Chef's Guide to Fresh Island Foods -- Hawai'i Farm Bureau Federation, ed. by Joan Namkoong
■Hawai'i Bento Box Cookbook, 2nd Course: More Fun Lunches for Kids -- Susan Yuen
■What Maui Likes to Eat -- Chef Tylun Pang

10. Excellence in Special-Interest Books
Books reflecting humor, trivia, craft, hobbies, sports, travel, etc.
■Ancient Sites of Oahu: A Guide to Hawaiian Archaeological Places of Interest, Revised Edition -- Van James
■Let's Kanikapila! 2: Play Hawaiian 'Ukulele Around the World -- Michael Preston
■The Polynesian Tattoo Today -- Tricia Allen
■Practice Aloha: Secret of Living Life Hawaiian Style -- edited by Mark Ellman and Barbara Santos
■Waikiki Tiki: Art, History and Photgraphs -- Philip S. Roberts

11. Excellence in Nonfiction
Books reflecting history, biography, atuobiography, science (other than natural science), geography, language, etc.
■Bright Triumphs From Dark Hours: Turning Adversity to Success -- David Heenan
■Hamakua Hero: A True Plantation Story -- P. Y. Iwasaki, illus. by Berido
■Hart Wood: Architectural Regionalism in Hawaii -- Don Hibbard, Glen Mason, and Karen Weitze
■Kohala Kuamo'o: Nae'ole's Race to Save a King -- Kekauleleanae'ole Kawai'ae'a, illus. by Aaron Kawai'ae'a, mo'olelo by Luana and Walter Kawai'ae'a
■Mai Pa'a i Ka Leo: Historical Voice in Hawaiian Primary Materials, Looking Forward and Listening Back -- M. Puakea Nogelmeier
■The Value of Hawai'i: Knowing the Past, Shaping the Futrue -- edited by Craig Howes and Jon Osorio

12. Excellence in Design
Books where the design (including, but not limited to, text and/or illustration presentation and/or cover presentation) is deserving of special recognition.
■Anshu: Dark Sorrow -- Juliet S. Kono
■Beyond the Sandbox: Preschool Matters -- Phyllis De Graff Kunimura
■The Blue Tomato: The Inspirations behind the Cuisine of Alan Wong -- Alan Wong with Arnold Hiura, photography by David Murphey, Yasuo Kondo and Alan Wong
■Bright Triumphs From Dark Hours: Turning Adversity to Success -- David Heenan
■Hart Wood: Architectural Regionalism in Hawaii -- Don Hibbard, Glen Mason, and Karen Weitze
■Mohala Mai 'O Hau/How Hau Became a Hau'ula -- Robert Lono 'Ikuwa, illus. by Matthew Kawika Ortiz
■No Choice but to Follow -- Jean Yamasaki Toyama, Juliet S. Kono, Ann Inoshita, and Christy Passion
■Plenty Saimin -- Feng Feng Hutchins, illus. Adriano F. Abatayo III
■Polynesia: The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art -- Adrienne L. Kaeppler
■Regulating Paradise: Land Use Controls in Hawai'i, Second Edition -- David L. Callies
■Stories of Rell Sunn: Queen of Makaha -- Mariko Merritt (compiled by Greg Ambrose)
■What Maui Likes to Eat -- Chef Tylun Pang

13. Excellence in "Aloha from Across the Sea"
Books with Hawai'i or Hawaiian themes from publishers outside Hawaii.
■Captain Cooked: Hawaiian Mystery of Romance, Revenge and Recipes! -- S. P. Grogan
■Gaff -- Shan Correa
■The Symphony of Leif -- Paul Y. Csige

Author's Night at Waialua Public Library

2011-03-03T22:01:00.003-10:00

"Ancient Sites of Oahu" by Van James
"Plenty Saimin" by Feng Feng Hutchins
"Anshu" by Juliet Kono
"Windows Into Western Life" by Jim Parsons

With Publisher Kerry Germain

Parking

Food before the event

Best Small/Rural Library in USA 1997

At the podium

Left to right: Jim Parsons, Juliet Kono, me and Van James

Librarian/Organizer Donna Nathanson

Reading at Waipahu Public Library

2010-12-29T18:04:00.000-10:00

What a great afternoon at Waipahu Public Library! Thank you, Arlene Ching for inviting me! I had so much fun and the kids enjoyed their bowls of saimin...

December Schedule

2010-12-01T14:35:00.001-10:00

I will be signing my new children's book, PLENTY SAIMIN at these locations:

Dec 4 Sat (10am-1pm)
CALVARY CHURCH OF THE PACIFIC
99-400 Aiea Heights Drive
Aiea, HI 96701
Winter Wonderland V
2pm
BORDERS WARD
1200 Ala Moana Blvd
Honolulu, HI 96814 (808) 591-8995

Dec 5 (Sun) 10am-2pm
CASTLE HIGH SCHOOL
45-386 Kaneohe Bay Dr.
Kaneohe, HI
3pm
BORDERS KANEOHE
46-056 Kamehameha Highway
Kaneohe, HI 96744 (808) 235-8803

Dec 12 (Sun) 9am-3pm
MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL
1039 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96814
(enter on Pensacola St)

Dec 29 (Wed) 3-4pm
WAIPAHU PUBLIC LIBRARY
94-275 Mokuola Street
Waipahu, HI 96797 (808) 675-0358
Reading

November Schedule

2010-11-01T18:28:00.021-10:00

I will be signing PLENTY SAIMIN at these locations this month:

Nov 6 (Sat) 9am-1pm
KAPOLEI ELEMENTARY
91-1119 Kama'aha Loop
Kapolei, HI 96707

Nov 13 (Sat) 8am-2pm
AIEA ELEMENTARY
99-370 Moanalua Road
Aiea, HI 96701

Nov 20 (Sat)
9am-2pm
WAIPAHU HIGH
94-1211 Farrington Hwy
Waipahu, HI 96797-3297
3pm
BORDERS WAIKELE
Waikele Shopping Center
Waipahu, HI 96797

Nov 21 (Sun) 12-2pm
WAIMEA VALLEY (North Shore)
59-864 Kamehameha Hwy
Hale'iwa, HI 96712

Nov 27 (Sat) 12-1pm
BORDERS PEARLRIDGE
98-1025 Moanalua Road
Aiea HI 96701 (808) 487-1818

YA Author Interview: Beth Fehlbaum

2010-10-17T00:32:00.021-10:00

I have always admired authors who write from their own experiences. Child abuse, especially sexual abuse, is not something most people talk about openly. But Beth Fehlbaum has the courage to dig in and show how complex the healing process is. Recovery is possible.

It has been two years since I last interviewed her on her first book, Courage in Patience. When she told me about her second book, Hope in Patience which will be out this month, I was happy to ask her some questions on her journey.

Congratulations again, Beth, for your second book, Hope in Patience (WestSide Books, Fall 2010). Can you tell us about this sequeal?

Thank you, Feng! Well, Ashley Nicole Asher, 15, is a mess. She's starting a new school in the tiny East Texas town of Patience, Texas, but that's not her biggest problem. It's her mother, Cheryl, who can't see that the sexual abuse perpetrated on Ashley for six years wasn't Ashley's choice. A woman who, even after her husband, Charlie, breaks Ashley's arm in an attempt to take her back to their home in the suburbs of Dallas, still testifies on his behalf at his trial for injury to a child. Ashley's stuck in a cycle of self-injury and self-hatred as a result, and the people who love her are struggling to pull her out of it.

David, Ashley's long-absent father, hadn't seen his daughter since infancy, until he showed up in the offices of Child Protective Services to bring her back to his home in the woods of East Texas, and the life he's built with his wife of ten years, Beverly, and their son, Ben. No longer a heavy drinking rage-a-holic, he's sworn he'll spend the rest of his life making up lost time with Ashley, and hopefully earning her trust and love.

Beverly is balancing her life as stepmom to Ashley with her job as a high school English teacher, and her reputation in the community as a magnet for controversy.

Scott "Dr. Matt" Matthews, a slightly unconventional, drop-kick-the-teddy-bear and kick-the-desk therapist, is determined to pull Ashley out of the darkness she crawls into when her self-destructive tendencies overtake her better judgement, and the "squirrel on speed" that gets going in her mind is making laps and chugging Red Bull.

More than anything else, Ashley craves normalcy. She envies girls who can experience relationships with guys without fear of being touched, and she wishes that being a consistent back-of-the-pack finisher in cross-country was her biggest problem.

But..do other people have it that easy? Krystle "K.C." Williamson has an electric guitar named Kurt and a mother who believes that the best cure for K.C.'s homosexuality would be a trip to J.C. Penney's to pick up some cute skirts instead of the t-shirts and jeans that K.C. wears every day. Pam Littlejohn is driven by jealousy and insecurity to push herself hard for a cross-country medal in State, and to spread the rumor that Ashley moved to Patience because she had an affair with her stepfather Charlie. Marcus Merriweather is so afraid of not having all the answers, he hides behind THE Holy Bible (the only "version" that's right), and a stiflingly narrow world-view. T.W. Griffin quit his position as running back for his father's Patience Panthers football team, and now his dad's hell-bent on making Bev Asher pay for taking his son from him. Zaquoiah "Z.Z." Freeman, self-described as "bountiful, bodacious, and beautiful", is fighting the urge to knock Pam's smirk right off her face and beat Marcus to death with his holier-than-thou attitude. She's still reeling from her cousin, Jasper, being nearly beaten to death earlier in the year, and depends on dancing to help her deal with the fear that comes with being a racial minority in small Southern town.

In a shocking turn of events, Ashley is forced to choose between living her life or longing for a relationship that was never what she had convinced herself it had to be. Will her new family be enough to keep her from treating her skin like a scratching post, sliding back into suicidal fantasies and hiding in small dark spaces?

I remember Courage in Patience took you a year to write. How long did Hope in Patience take? Was it easier to complete a sequel than the first book? Any struggles?

Hope in Patience was not a quick write, and while it was a healing experience, I was less frantic-feeling than when I wrote Courage in Patience, which was really about processing unfathomable pain. The pain was beginning to settle, but I was struggling mightily with the notion that the losses I had experienced were not just temporary. I started writing Hope in Patience the summer after Courage in Patience released, mainly because I realized that Ashley had unfinished business, and that was acceptance of the situation with her mom. Ashley—and I—were still waiting for the people who should have loved and protected us to—you know—snap out of it! Ashley thought her mom had to change because, well, she’s her mom, and no mom could really be that cold and messed up… could she?

You may remember that I wrote Courage in Patience during the school year (I’m a teacher), mostly in the middle of the night. By the time I started Hope in Patience, there was no more middle of the night writing: my body had readjusted to a normal schedule, and I could not pull the all-nighters that I had with Courage in Patience. I treated writing Hope in Patience like a full-time job. The entire summer (between “Mom Stuff” I did with my college-age daughters, that is), I wrote from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. I did a lot more research than I did for Courage in Patience. Unlike Courage in Patience, which takes place during the first summer that Ashley lives in Patience, Hope in Patience takes place during the regular school year. I researched World War II, since the Ashley’s American history teacher, Coach Griffin, is a WWII fanatic. I bought an American History textbook off Amazon and used it as the basis for what Coach Griffin teaches.

Ashley’s stepmom, Bev, teaches the novel Farewell to Manzanar, and I reread the novel (I used to teach it when I taught middle school). I wrote to Dwight Okita, the wonderful poet who wrote, “In Response to Executive Order 9066”, for permission to use the poem in Hope in Patience. I also wrote to Densho: The Japanese-American Legacy Project, for permission to quote from a video they have online. I studied World War II propaganda and newsreels. Ashley is in a class called Human Ecology—I LOVE that label!— it’s the study of families and child development. I researched a lot of Consumer and Family Science lesson plans. Throughout this process, I had kind of a spider-web-looking flowchart because I wanted all three of these classes to intersect. Luckily, I have enough experience in planning cross-curricular units that it was not very difficult for me to do.

Ashley’s stepfather, Charlie, goes to court for breaking her arm, so I did a lot of research into the trial process. My brother, Brett, is a police sergeant, and for many years he worked child abuse cases. I peppered him with questions about the legal process and sent him the early drafts of the chapter in which the trial takes place. He walked me through the Victim Impact Statement and told me whether the events in the courtroom seemed realistic.

I drew on my therapist’s expertise not only for myself, but for writing Hope in Patience, too. I needed to understand from an objective point-of-view the “why” behind self-mutilation, because I had never done it to the extent Ashley does, and I needed to know it from the mental health professional’s standpoint, too. I questioned him about how he would actually talk to a teenage girl. I wrote to Tom Russell, a Texas singer-songwriter, for permission to use a few lines from his song, “It Goes Away”, which Ashley’s therapist, Dr. Matt, plays for her during a therapy session.

I even researched haunted houses—you know, the kind that people put on around Halloween-- and Halloween theme parks, so that the Tour of Terror that Ashley goes on would be authentic. Even though I worked steadily on Hope in Patience for one entire summer, it took me most of the following summer to complete it. I really don’t write novels during the school year. My full-time job requires so much creative “juju” that just keeping up with lesson plans, grading, housework, and promotion of my already-out-there- books pretty much leave me too drained to storyweave. That said, I started the third (and final??) book in the Patience series, Truth in Patience, this past summer (between moving two of my daughters to Colorado and working on final edits for Hope in Patience).

Writers worry about characters and voice. How do you find the characters and voices for your books?

I look around for inspiration, and I frequently meld personalities of people I know into an amalgam that becomes a character. Each character has a role to play in terms of moving the story forward. As far as voice, I strive for authenticity and realism. I may want a character to be funny, but I need that person to be believable above all else.

I see Kunati, Inc., publisher for Courage in Patience, is now out of business. When a book becomes homeless, what options does the author have?

Great question!! When Kunati went out of business, all rights were reverted to me. In that case, the author has the right to try to sell the book to a new publisher, or self-publish it.

I am glad that you found a home for Hope in Patience at WestSide Books. Is there any plan of reprinting Courage in Patience with this publisher? What about your third and final book, Truth in Patience?

WestSide Books is the perfect fit for my work! I am thrilled beyond words to be associated with such an outstanding publisher. At this time, we have talked about the possibility of printing a reedited version of Courage in Patience. However, nothing has been set in stone, and it would be down the road and only if Hope in Patience and Truth in Patience do well. I am about four chapters in on Truth in Patience and I anticipate having it finished this coming summer.

What are your plans after the Patience series? Any more young adult books?

I do plan to continue writing. I am very interested in writing a novel having to do with an eating disorder—compulsive overeating. It will be for a young adult audience. I am also considering at some point writing a memoir of sorts about my own recovery from childhood sexual abuse. Both of these are still in the “thinking about” stage.

What message would you like to give writers who had suffered abuse in their childhood? Any message for readers like Ashley Nicole?

Writing can be an incredibly healing, freeing experience. It’s very important to be able to take the stuff that’s in your mind and allow it to escape. Putting it down on paper, kind of allowing it to sit awhile, then going back and rereading to see where you were at the time, can also be enlightening. I would encourage anyone who is suffering abuse to tell. Ask for help. If the first person does not listen, keep telling until someone does. You are not alone; there are many, many of us just like you. It is possible to overcome that which frightens you the most.

Thanks, Beth, for sharing your stories with us in the Patience series. May you sign lots of copies at your book launch in Texas!

Thank you so much for having me! I invite readers to stop by my website, http://www.bethfehlbaumya.com/, and read chapter previews of Hope in Patience and Courage in Patience!

In Hawaii Book Blog

2010-10-04T04:59:00.000-10:00

Oct 4: For Author Interview, click HERE.

Sept 27: A great review on Plenty Saimin! Click HERE.

In Star Advertiser's Career Changers blog

2010-09-27T04:56:00.001-10:00

To read about my book launch at Native Books/Na Mea Hawaii at Ward Warehouse, Honolulu, click HERE.

HAWAII NOW -- KFVE Sunrise

2010-09-24T16:21:00.002-10:00

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Island Paradise Publishing has scheduled a book launch weekend for our latest children's picture book, Plenty Saimin, starting Saturday, September 25, 2010 at Hawaii's Plantation Village in Waipahu and Sunday, September 26, 2010 at Native Books/Na Mea Hawaii, Ward Warehouse.

Click HERE to watch interview.

In The News

2010-09-15T07:24:00.009-10:00

Hutchins' First Book has Plenty of Lessons For Keiki

by Rasa Fournier

Lessons about sharing get a local twist in the new children's book Plenty Saimin, written by Pearl City resident Feng Feng Hutchins.

The book hearkens back to 1950s rural life in Hawaii. In the story, birthday boy Ah Kee heads to the market with his mother, all the while inviting friends to join him for noodles. After all, says Ma, "You must eat long noodles for long life."

But any worries Ma might have had about feeding the ever-growing number of guests are relieved when each person arrives with an ingredient to add to the pot.

"(In the plantation days) people shared more freely, even when times were hard," Hutchins said, adding that children represents the various ethnicities from the plantation era working together to create saimin, a dish inspired by Japanese, Chinese and Filipino dishes.

Hutchins found inspiration for the book's storyline in her own childhood in Malaysia.

"I remember my mom making 'long life' noodles for my birthdays," she said. "It was always a family affair, we never had big parties. So, in Plenty Saimin I wanted to invite every kid I see on the way to the market."

Today, she continues the tradition of cooking saimin for her young son and daughter, for whom she makes the dish almost every day.

Hutchins immigrated to California nearly 30 years ago, and when city life lost its appeal, her family headed to West Oahu, where they've lived for seven years.

Over the past few years, Hutchins has had several short stories published in compilation books such as Bamboo Ridge, but she always hoped to move on to bigger projects. "The thought of writing a novel scared me, so I decided to try a children's book," she explained. It didn't hurt that she was intimately familiar with the material, having read stacks and stacks of stories to her own children, sometimes checking out "20 to 30 picture books at a time from the library."

Plenty Saimin is being released by Island Paradise Publishing, which is responsible for the popular Kimo series: Surf's Up for Kimo, Kimo's Summer Vacation and Kimo's Surfing Lesson. The colorful illustrations for Plenty Saimin are provided by Nanakuli-born Adriano F Abatayo III.

Hutchins will be on hand for a book launch celebration and signing from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p. m. Sept 25 at Hawaii's Plantation Village (94-695 Waipahu St.). The first 25 signed copies come with a free pack of saimin. For more information, visit islandparadisepublishing.com.

Authors' Night @ Wahiawa Public Library

2010-08-04T05:00:00.020-10:00

Wahiawa Public Libarary
6-8pm August 3

ISLAND LIGHT CUISINE
by Carol Devenot

PADDLING MY OWN CANOE
by Audrey Sutherland

PLENTY SAIMIN
by Feng Feng Hutchins

SURF'S UP FOR KIMO
KIMO'S SUMMER VACATION
KIMO'S SURFING LESSON
by Kerry Germain

When I was invited to talk about my new children's book, I gladly accepted the offer. Here were some questions Noelle presented to us that night:

What got you in writing?

As a kid growing up in Malaysia, the only books my parents bought were textbooks. I only read when I HAD to, so reading was sort of like a punishment. I never thought I would become an author. When I first came to America twenty years ago, I was homesick. Writing short stories became my way of coping with these feelings and adjusting to new life. Now I enjoy writing for children...

How easy or hard was publishing in Hawaii?

I think it's hard to get published no matter where you are. One publisher said she enjoyed my book but wanted me to try back in a year or two. I assumed there was no budget then. One said old time stories don't sell. Almost all rejection letters or slips that I have received do not say why. Whatever their reasons maybe, you just need to have the right book at the right time. Island Paradise Publishing read my manuscript and loved it instantly!

What is your favorite part of the book that you are presenting tonight?

Since I love to eat, I must say the ending is my favorite part where all the children sat down to enjoy their bowls of saimin. Also, I included a simple recipe for children to prepare with their family.

My little display table at the Children's section of the library

2009 Kumu Kahua Theatre/UHM Theatre and Dance Dept. Playwriting Contest

2010-06-14T14:13:00.000-10:00

This announcement found its way to the Asian American Theatre Revue:

HONOLULU, HI Kumu Kahua Theatre and the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Theatre and Dance Department proudly announces the winners of their 2009 playwriting contest. The winner of the $600 Hawai‘i Prize is Troy M. Apostol of Aiea, Hawai‘i for his Sci-Fi parable, Aloha from the World of Tomorrow. Feng Feng Hutchins of Pearl City is the winner of the $250 Resident Prize for the play The Ghost Wedding. The Pacific/Rim Prize will not be awarded this year.

Kumu Kahua productions are made possible with support from the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, celebrating more than thirty years of culture and the arts in Hawai‘i, and the National Endowment for the Arts; The Annenberg Foundation; Paid for in part by the taxpayers of the City & County of Honolulu; the Mayor’s Office of Culture and the Arts, Mufi Hannemann, Mayor; and Foundations, Businesses and Patrons.

Coming this September!

2010-03-24T17:27:00.026-10:00

PLENTY SAIMIN
2010 Island Paradise Publishing
9" x 8.5" Hardcover/44 pages $12.95
ISBN 978-0-9705889-6-8
Age 3 to 8

To pre-order a copy from my publisher, click here

Birthday boy Ah Kee couldn't wait for his long life noodles. On his way to the market with Ma he invites friend after friend to join him for noodles. Will Ma have enough to feed everyone he's invited? As the noodles are being prepared one by one each guest brings an ingredient to add to the pot. Not too much, just what they can offer. Soon all gather to celebrate Ah Kee's birthday.

"This book is a tribute to the late 1950's rural life style here in Hawaii. A time when folks farmed the land and took care of one another so naturally. Something we'd like to always remember, continue to practice and pass on to youngsters."

"For everyone who loves to eat saimin--this book is for you."

Author Interview: Laura E. Williams on Father Damien

2009-10-01T00:00:00.016-10:00

Laura and wonder

In Feb. 2009, the Vatican announced that Father Damien would be canonized on Oct. 11, 2009. When I learned that the publication of Father Damien will coincide with this historic event, I was eager to talk to Laura E. Williams.

Aloha, Laura, congratulations on the release of your new book, Father Damien (Island Heritage) today! Can you briefly tell us about your book?

Thanks, Feng. :) This is an illustrated “chapter book” about Father Damien, starting from his childhood in Belgium and then covering his time in the Hawaiian Islands. Readers might be aware of Damien in Hawaii, but his childhood and young adult years aren’t that well known.

What makes you decide to write a biography of a missionary?

It wasn’t so much that I was writing about a missionary as it was writing about Father Damien. I grew up on Oahu and I remember looking at his statue in front of the state capitol building. Perhaps I learned about him in elementary school, because I’ve remembered him all these years.

How long did it take you to write, Father Damien? What were the challenges on your road to publication?

Illustration by Kristen Kofsky
I wrote the first version of the story at least ten years ago. It was to be a picture book, and though I got publishers to look at it and praise it, no editor could see how an illustrator could portray Father Damien and his flock of patients who suffered from Hansen’s Disease. No one thought it would make a good picture book. Then I got the idea of trying to sell the book to a publisher in Hawaii – a publisher that would know about Father Damien and all his good work. Island Heritage decided to publish the story, but they wanted it to be in the longer chapter book format, so I had to add a lot to the writing. That’s when I delved deeper into Damien’s childhood. Overall, I think it’s now a fuller story that really portrays Father Damien’s personality.

Big Bang

Have you visited Father Damien’s resting place in Kalawao, Molokai?

Just this past winter I spent a couple weeks in Hawaii on my honeymoon, and we flew to Molokai for a day. We actually took the treacherous mule ride down to Kalawao. It was an amazing experience to see the cliffs and experience the raw beauty of what sadly was a prison for so many men, women, and children.

Black Hole
You have published over two dozen books for children. When did you decide you wanted to write for children?

I was an avid reader as a child, and I guess I always wanted to be a writer. My first book was published in 1995, and since then I’ve had over 30 books published! I recently had a novel come out called SLANT, about a Korean adoptee who wants to have eye surgery to make her eyes more Caucasian, and next spring I have a picture book coming out about a boy who befriends a homeless man, called THE CAN MAN.

Starburst

What can your fans look forward to next?

I haven’t written anything in a while, but I do have an idea for an adult novel that I’d like to start this fall. Also, I am doing a lot of photography and am trying to get shows and sell limited edition prints. (I’ll attach a couple for you to see) I’m in the process of creating a website called Sophia Sung Designs. Sophia Sung was my birth name when I was born in Korea. :)

Galaxy
Mahalo, Laura, for a wonderful interview. Wishing you all the best in your book!

Thanks so much, Feng. I really appreciate this. :)

To contact Laura, visit her website. Father Damien is available at Island Heritage Publishing and your local public library in Hawaii.

Laura and solar panels

[note: all photos copyrighted 2009 laura e. williams; unlawful to electronically reproduce, print, or reuse in any format without express permission from the artist]

10/4/2009: Click here for a great book review from the Honolulu Advertiser.

Interview with Author Margaret Lim

2009-02-07T18:29:00.034-10:00

I am honored to interview Margaret H. L. Lim, a children book author from my home country Malaysia.

Margaret is the founder and director of Fairy Bird Children's Books. She divides her time between her residence in Germany and her home country Malaysia. She has no pets, but enjoys feeding the birds that flock to her garden.

Margaret was included in the Sarawak Women's Museum, Kuching, Malaysia, on August 6, 2007. She is also nominated for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Awards (ALMA) 2008.

Her childhood dream was to be a Librarian or Museum Curator, both alas, remain unrealised. Her advice is: "What ever you do, dream on!"

Congratulations on your publishing firm, Fairy Bird Children's Books! What make you decide to be a publisher?

I could not find a Malaysian publisher who shared my idea and ideal of quality children’s books with original illustrations. Books have to be “cheap” in Malaysia. Writers are paid a pittance, so are illustrators who work with templates and are paid 5 Ringgit (about US 1.50) a page. I wanted chiefly control over my work. There is no money in books in Malaysia.

How did you start this Malaysia-based publishing firm?

I have a Malaysian passport, so there was practically no hassle about setting myself up as a publisher. I paid 700 Ringgit initially to register my firm and fifty Ringgit for the name. As for my website, Andy Lim in KL did a good job on the design.

Can you briefly tell us about PAYAH? What was your initial inspiration for this adventure series?

Payah is a little eight-year-old girl from the tribe of Kayans, one of the many tribal groups of Sarawak’s indigenous peoples.

Like all eight-year-olds, she is full of spunk. She has a soft heart for animals and is ready anytime for an adventure. I remember myself at this age, and the freedom I had to run around practically all by myself in rural areas that were “jungly” and undeveloped at that time. Rain forest is the politically correct word nowadays. This was the happiest part of my childhood.

How long did it take you to write your children play, JUMP, BILUN, JUMP! What was the hardest scene to write?

It took a couple of weeks because I have time to write only after work and during weekends. The starting scene is the hardest bit, as with all books, but once you get going, there’s nothing to stop you.

As a children writer of both novels and plays, what is the biggest challenge you face?

Trying to convince parents that they should buy my books! And that they are just as good as the imported books about bunnies and teddy bears and Jack and Jill.

Why did you choose to write for children?

I thought that it would be easy! Since I have memories of my own childhood and the “dumb” things that I and my siblings and my friends did.

What will you be exploring in your next book?

Sarawak’s endangered species. This is a book for very young children which I hope their parents will read to them. It is about a very rare white crocodile, (a false ghalial, not a salt-water man-eating crocodile!) with a very long narrow snout. It eats mostly fish, so there’s nothing frightening about it. I have called it TOMASINA (her Latin name being Tomistoma Schlegelii). She is freshly hatched and is extremely egoistic, having no mummy to teach her manners. Bilun, the mouse deer and his friend Spider Bird, feed her and lad her to safety.

I am working simultaneously on a young adult novel about pirates from the Phillippines who robbed and pillaged the coastal villages of Sarawak and the Celebes and Malay Archipelago 150 years ago.

And also about an eight-year-old Muslim girl from West Malaysia who wants to be a power-boat racer.

You notice that my characters are females! Boys don’t read!

Thank you, Margaret, for this delightful interview. All the best to you and your books!

To buy Margaret’s books, go to Fairy Bird Children’s Books.

May 14, 2009: Announcement from Fairy Bird Children's Books

"Sadly, but true, we have made the decision to close our little publishing company. When we set sail in May 2005, we wanted to enrich Malaysia's bookstores and libraries with the finest of local children's literature. Unfortunately, we found ourselves navigating in difficult waters, overlooked by big ships and waiting for closed harbours to open a gate. We have met many people in similar situations and we wish them all the luck for their future. Of course we would like to thank you for your loyalty, and we thank everyone that has supported us. However, Margaret has not stopped writing yet. We hope that another publisher will take on her projects, and that fans of Margaret's books will find her future stories in bookstores throughout Malaysia."

ALL BOOKS MUST BE SOLD!!! Enjoy discounts up to 50%and the usual free shipping within Malaysia. So visit our online store and get your Payah books for the last time. Sale until June 30, 2009.

Interview with Author Tricia Morrissey

2009-01-24T11:29:00.032-10:00

Tricia Morrissey loves writing children’s books because as a child she loved reading them. Born on the edge of one continent (Nairobi, Kenya), she now lives on the edge of another (Vallejo, CA) with her wonderful husband Mark Ready. When she is not reading or writing she enjoys sailing on the San Francisco Bay.

With Chinese New Year approaching, I am able to reach Tricia Morrissey for an interview on her book, Hiss! Pop! Boom! Celebrating Chinese New Year (ThingsAsian Press, Jan. 2006).

Aloha, Tricia! Congratulations on the publication of this wonderful festival book. Can you briefly tell us about it?

Thank you very much! I’m glad you and your kids enjoy reading it. Hiss! Pop! Boom! is a picture book celebrating Chinese New Year traditions. Since there are so many traditions associated with CNY, we picked just a few we thought parents and grandparents might enjoy sharing with their children. The illustration style is Traditional Chinese Brush Painting. The illustrator lives in Hawaii too!

What was your initial inspiration for this book?

This book is the 2nd in a series of three books about Chinese culture. The first, My Mom is a Dragon (and My Dad is a Boar), is about the lunar calendar animals. So we thought a natural follow up would be a celebration of Chinese New Year. The 3rd book, Everday Life, shows scenes of country life in China and is illustrated with Chinese Peasant Art. That one is special too - it’s the first in this series that’s bilingual!

How long did it take you to write, Hiss! Pop! Boom! Celebrating Chinese New Year? Can you tell us your road to publication?

I spent about 4 months researching, writing and rewriting. I was asked to write this book by the publisher, who provided the book design and the artwork. I was given the topic of each page initially and immediately started researching. Since I’m not Chinese, I wanted to make sure my descriptions of the traditions were authentic and true, both out of respect to the people of the culture and so the book would teach kids well.

In terms of the process, I would send the text to the book designer and she would send back pages that included the artwork and the text. From there, I would often make edits because the text on the page often reads differently when you can see the picture. That is the beauty of a picture book. The images and the words together tell the story.

Why do you choose to write about Chinese culture?

I write about many, many things. These projects were brought to me by the publisher, Albert Wen at ThingsAsianPress. He publishes several beautiful books about Asia for adults and wanted to start a series that would introduce children to Asia. We decided to begin with a set of 3 books about China. It has been a great education and I’ve enjoyed the process very much. We’re planning children’s books about other countries in Asia and I’m very excited to learning more.

What advice would you offer to authors writing outside their ethnicities?

Research, research, research and more research. Listen to friends from the culture but read all you can as well. I live in an area rich with Chinese Americans and have many Chinese friends. So I’m familiar with elements of Chinese culture. However, it’s a huge, diverse country and different families have different traditions. I never rely on personal accounts as my primary research. For each page in Hiss! Pop! Boom! I read 20-30 articles from different sources until I could sift out what element of each tradition I should highlight.

It's hard work and you have to be very honest about your cultural blindness. But you learn so much and are made different yourself in the process. Let me give you one example. The last pages of Hiss! Pop! Boom! provide a short lesson on Chinese Brush Painting. I have to confess that when I began working on those pages I was not inspired. I didn’t particularly care for that style of art and my initial drafts reflected my lack of interest – to put it bluntly, they were dull. I spend several days avoiding working on it. Then I stopped writing and went back to researching. And I discovered why I couldn’t make sense of this art form. I was raised looking at Western art, European masters and the like. The emphasis with western art is the light source. Painters use the shadow from candles or light through the window, etc., to show dimension in their subjects. Traditional brush painting has no light source, no shadows. There is no sense of time of day and therefore the picture seems, to my eye, to be floating and devoid of context. When I read about this distinction between eastern and western art, I went running for a set of teacups a friend had brought me from China. They have beautiful scenes on them, and were the only examples of Brush painting in my house. When I looked at them I could see what I was supposed to see – the delicate movement, elegance of form, deceptively simply beauty. It changed how I looked at traditional Chinese paintings. The artist has a different starting place from what I was used to and I had to learn to change my starting place when looking at this incredible, ancient art form.

After that, writing the page about the book’s style of illustration became much more interesting to me. I just had to figure out how to distill the ancient, elegant study of art into simple, engaging description children could understand, which was challenging…

What are you working on now? Any goals for the coming Year of the Ox?

This past summer I completed my 4th books with ThingsAsian Press and am delighted to announce its publication. H is for Hong Kong is a beautiful picture book about things you would see when visiting this vibrant and busy city. The illustrations are a type of painted photography called cyanotype. The cyanotype process creates a blue print of the photo which the artist then hand colors. The result is stunning. We tried to marry the lyrical feel of the pictures with rhythmic text. And so far the reviews have been very good. Please check it out! You can find it on Amazon and soon it will be in stores.

True to the hardworking Ox, I will be working hard reading this new book in schools around the country. If anyone is interested in setting up an author visit please contact me through Things Asian.

Tricia, thank you so much for a wonderful interview. I wish you happiness, luck, wealth, longevity, and continued success!

Thank you! Gung hey fat choy!

Interview with Jennifer Gladen, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of MY LIGHT Magazine

2008-11-01T15:06:00.007-10:00

From Jennifer Gladen's website: "When Jennifer is not tending to her children's needs, she can be found writing for children. Her first picture book, A Star in the Night will be published this summer. Her recent stories, articles and poems appeared in Stories For Children and Once Upon a Time Magazine. Included in these works are "Mrs. Martin's Marigolds," "Shivering Sally and the Scary Sounds," "Fulfilling a Destiny," "Going Out," "Through the Ashes" and much more."

Congratulations on the launch of MY LIGHT in August 2008. Can you tell us briefly about the magazine?

Thank you! My Light Magazine is a Catholic centered magazine for children 4-12. Our mission is to provide material that will remind children of their faith and deepen their faith. We want them to realize that God is not just a thought – but a presence.

What inspired you to start this free Catholic e-zine?

My inspiration to start the magazine was a view of my own spiritual growth. Over the period of just a few years I’ve done things like paying closer attention to the mass, learning more about the faith, reading the Bible and also abut the saints’ lives. I’ve realized that every day we have a chance to better our relationship with God and to grow. Since I am a children’s author, I thought using my writing skills could help children know God from early on.

Do you have plans to bring the magazine into a print publication?

We don’t have any tangible plans yet for print, but it is a goal of mine. Right now we’re offering the magazine online and we’re trying to raise money to support the magazine and pay our contributors.

What qualities do you look for in a story or illustration?

I prefer stories that bring a strong sense of growth by the end of the story. The main character should do the problem solving and generally reflect good values. Many of our stories are based on decision making and applying the characters’ values to solving the problem.

For illustrations, I love bright, cheerful colors. Our illustrators have done an excellent job of capturing our stories.

What do you do outside the world of children’s publishing?

Outside of Publishing and writing for children, (I have a Christmas themed picture book coming out from Guardian Angel Publishing titled A Star in the Night), I am a stay at home mom who takes care of three children. We are regulars at the doctors’ office since 2 out of three children have a serious chronic medical problem.

I also enjoy reading and journaling.

Thank you, Jennifer, for taking the time to answer my questions. I wish you continued success on MY LIGHT magazine.

I enjoyed the interview. Thank you for having me. God Bless you and your readers.

Visit Jennifer Gladen’s MY LIGHT magazine and her blog!

Author-Illustrator Cambria Evans on BONE SOUP

2008-10-01T00:00:00.000-10:00

Earlier this week, Cambria Evans took a break from her hectic schedule of readings and signing for an interview about her new book, "Bone Soup" (Houghton Mifflin, Sept. 2008).

Aloha, Cambria! Congratulations on the publication of your second book. Can you tell us a bit about the book?

Thank you! Bone Soup is a Halloween take on the classic folk-tale Stone Soup. My version is about a skeleton traveler who tricks townscreatures into adding ghoulish ingredients into a soup.

What inspired you to write a horror book for children?

I would not call it a horror book, as horror implies violence. I think it's more of a playfully dark Halloween story. I've always loved anything to do with Halloween and funny creatures, so it seemed like a natural thing for me to write. The "ah ha" moment for the book came when I saw a strange soup at an outdoor market in Peru.

Did the idea for the book come first with words or with images? Which stage was the challenging and most fun for you?

The idea first came with the play on words, but images and words are so intertwined that while I am writing, I see the characters and the settings. The most challenging stage for me is finishing. I am a perfectionist, so finalizing all the details and making the colors consistent can take forever. The best part is designing the characters because at this stage there are limitless possibilities.

What were you like when you were a kid?

I was very curious and outspoken. I was constantly building forts, climbing things, making up stories and imagining. My mom says I was an adult at age 3 because I didn't take naps, loved to stay up to watch the late shows and M*A*S*H, and discuss the news. Basically, I was a precocious monkey.

Cambria with husband Kari Christensen

at a zombie prom last Halloween

Do you dress up for Halloween and eat lots of candies?

Yes! I love candy and costumes. Jr. Mints are my favorite. I still have a crocodile tail that I wore when I was 8, and I have bins full of costumes.

What do you do outside the world of illustrating and writing for children?

I was formerly an art director at Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Now, I am freelance product and graphic designer. I still do design work for Martha Stewart Crafts, but now have time to make books and work for other clients.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions. It’s a pleasure taking to you. All the best to your books!

Check out Cambia Evan’s book tour and blog! Her books “Bone Soup” and “Martha Moth Makes Socks” are available online and at your local bookstores.

Interview with Author-Illustrator Carla Golembe

2008-09-18T19:07:00.028-10:00

Carla with husband Joe Eudovich at a recent opening of her art show

Carla Golembe is an award winning artist, illustrator, author and teacher. Her children's books include A Story of Surfing, The Story of Hula, M is for Maryland, Washington DC ABC’s, Annabelle's Big Move and Dog Magic, all of which she wrote and illustrated. She has also illustrated Why the Sky is Far Away, The Creation, People of Corn, How Night Came from the Sea and The Woman in the Moon, Sun and Honeybees. Carla wrote and illustrated the Zippy and Zoe series, published in Taiwan.

Aloha, Carla, congratulations on your publication, “The Story of Hula” and “A Story of Surfing” (Bess Press)! Can you briefly tell us about them?

“The Story of Hula” shares the spirit, meaning and history of hula. I wrote it as a rhyme/chant so the words and pictures work together in the same ways as chant and dance compliment one another in hula.

“A Story of Surfing” combines history and fiction. It’s non fiction within a fiction story. A little girl, on the night before her first surfing lesson, dreams that she surfs through time and meets the ancient and modern surfing greats. She feels part of the continuum of surfing history. It’s also written as a rhyme/chant.

What was your initial inspiration for these children books?

In 1992 I was an artist in residence at Kalani Honua on the Big lsland. It was my first time in Hawaii and I fell in love with the place, the culture and hula. The first book I illustrated was just about to be published and I was struck by how hula tells a story and how the movements of hula illustrate the chant the same way pictures illustrate a story. The idea of doing a book about hula stayed with me and I started writing it in 2001. After “The Story of Hula” I wanted to do another Hawaiian theme. I love the ocean and live close to it (South Florida) and surfing intrigued me because it’s so universal. The roots of surfing come from Hawaii and I wanted to write about that. I was also intrigued by writing a story that had the outer frame of fiction but contained a center of history. (Kind of like a chocolate covered macadamia nut)

When did you know that you wanted to be a children’s book writer and illustrator? How did that happen?

I’ve been an artist since the time I could pick up a crayon and have been a professional exhibiting artist for about 30 years. My paintings are colorful and joyous. Illustrating children’s books seemed like a logical extension of my painting. In 1991 I sent out 80 postcards to publishers with an image of my work and my contact info with the headline “Magical and Whimsical Illustration”. I got one reply and things fell into place. I loved it and wanted to do more. After illustrating 5 books I decided to try writing.

Did the idea for these books come first with words or with images? Which stage was the challenging and most fun for you?

First there’s the concept or idea. Then the writing, since the pictures illuminate the words. You have to know what it is that you’re illustrating.

Writing is the most challenging for me since I’ve always been an artist and I feel that’s the core of my being. The whole process of illustrating, from figuring out what the picture will be of, to sketching the design of the page, to painting it is the most fun. I love it!

I struggled with the format and writing of “The Story of Hula” for a couple of years. “A Story of Surfing” seemed to flow. I was in the ocean one day shortly after deciding to do a surfing book and the phrase “Watch the break, find the waves, travel out beyond the foam. Pop up when the crest is best and you will ride that long wave home” just came to me. And that became a refrain in the book.

Do you hula and surf?

I studied hula with Halau Ho’omau I ka Wai Ola ‘O Hawaii in Virginia when I was writing “Hula”. Researching facts was not enough, I needed to experience hula from the inside. Kumu Hula Manu Ikaika and everyone in the halau were very welcoming and supportive. I have no dance memory so I wasn’t very good, but I felt the soul of hula and was able to put that in the illustrations and writing. I don’t surf and felt I had too many knee and ankle injuries to learn. But I did go boogie boarding a lot while working on “Surfing” and that allowed me to experience riding the waves. I just did it lying down rather than standing up. I also visited Hawaii while I was working on each book and that connection was very important.

What is your technique for your artwork? Where did you study and/or otherwise develop your skills?

I work by hand in gouache (an opaque type of watercolor) on paper. I received my BA in art from Bennington College and my MFA from Instituto Allende in Mexico. Every project that I do develops my skills further. Being an artist is a constant journey of growth and creative discovery and development. I also learn a lot from teaching because I have to verbalize and demonstrate.

What advice would you offer beginning author-illustrators?

Write about what you know and feel strongly about. If you don’t know about something you want to write about, learn it both intellectually and experientially. Enjoy the process because to do a book well takes a long time and a lot of effort. Don’t give up if you get rejections. Keep trying if this is what you truly love and want to do.

Carla with Bird of Three Mermaids

What can your fans look forward to next?

In the last couple of years my work has taken me away from writing. I’ve been doing a lot of illustration for private and educational clients and doing a lot of paintings to show and sell in galleries. I’m just finishing illustrating a wonderful story about love and adoption called “The Magical Friendship Garden” by Rebecca Rounce. She is self publishing with Xlibris and contacted me about illustrating the book. I read it and thought the story and message were great. I’m also working on a set of stock images for ImageZoo.com with the theme of events, festivals and parties. I don’t know if/when I’ll be writing another book but as long as I’m painting and illustrating I’m very happy. I hope fans will visit my website, http://www.carlagolembe.com/ to see what I’m doing.

Mahalo, Carla, it’s a pleasure talking with you. All the best to you and your books!

“The Story of Hula” and “A Story of Surfing” are available at Bess Press and your local public library in Hawaii.

Author Interview: Beth Fehlbaum on Courage in Patience

2008-09-01T07:00:00.001-10:00

"I write fiction for young adults, although the fiction I write is rooted in truth. Even though I'm no longer a teenager, I still see the world through the lens of a teen, and that enables me to shine light on parts of life that some adults would prefer to keep hidden."

--Beth Fehlbaum

Congratulations, Beth, on your publication, Courage in Patience (Kunati Books, Fall 2008)! Could you tell us about it?
Thank you! And thank you for inviting me here today, on the day that Courage in Patience releases!

Courage in Patience is the story of fifteen-year-old Ashley Nicole Asher. After six years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from her stepfather, she finally finds the courage to reveal the painful details of her experiences with her mother, who refuses to acknowledge the problem and turns her back on Ashley. After confiding in her teacher—the only adult whom Ashley can trust—she is removed from her home and sent to live with her father and his second wife, Beverly, an English teacher. Nurtured by Beverly, an extraordinarily positive influence in her life, Ashley and a summer school class of troubled teens learn to face their fears and discover who they really are.

What was your initial inspiration for writing this book?
I am a long time teacher and also a survivor of sexual abuse at the hands of a family member. I went into recovery for sexual abuse about four years ago. I wrote a lot of poems and short stories and I shared them with my therapist. He suggested that I tried writing a novel. It took me about four months of starting and stopping, trying to get out of my own head enough to imagine someone else's life. When it finally came to me, it flowed pretty easily. Ultimately, I hope to communicate that there is hope for anyone who has to face their greatest fears and find out what they are made of.

Why do you write for young adults today?
I am so inspired by YA fiction authors like Chris Crutcher and Joyce McDonald—I am honored to be considered a YA fiction author. That said, I don't know that Courage in Patience is necessarily ONLY a YA book, because people of all ages have expressed interest and enthusiasm about it to me. I will say that even though I'm 42 years old, I taught middle school long enough that I understand how teenagers think. My own children are in college, and it wasn't that long ago that they were in high school. And, I still see the world through the lens of teen in many ways, so I feel I can write in a way that they can relate to.

What were you like as a teen? Are any aspects of your inner adolescent reflected in Ashley?
I was a very shy, quiet teenager. I read a lot and I had a very active imagination as a child. I was thought of as a "brain" by my peers, although I did not see myself that way. I did my work, so I made good grades in most my subjects. I wrote a lot. I'd stay up all night long, writing, trying to deal with what it was like in my house. Ashley writes a lot, too. There were many times I felt helpless, and Ashley experiences that as well. I realize now that I was much tougher than I thought I was. Ashley does not necessarily realize that about herself yet.

How long did it take you to write Courage in Patience? What were the challenges on your road to publication?
It took about a year, from the day my therapist suggested I try writing a novel, to the day my publisher, Kunati, Inc., offered to buy Courage in Patience. In the publishing world, that's pretty fast. From the day Kunati offered to buy it until the day of its release—today, September 1, 2008—it took about ten months.

Throughout that time, there was rewriting rewriting rewriting revising revising revising editing editing editing rewriting rewriting rewriting—and so forth. I rewrite a lot any way, but it's amazing how much a manuscript really morphs from what it is at the beginning and what it becomes—the final product.

In terms of challenges, I am a very intense person, and when I make up my mind to go for something, I do it 110%. I sent out at least a hundred queries for agents and submitted on my own to independent publishers such as Kunati. I did land an agent, Rachel Dowen, of Talcott Notch Literary. She negotiated my contract with Kunati.

I got a lot of rejections from agents, though, and I even received a rejection letter from an agent just about a week ago! But I didn't take them personally. Enough of them encouraged me to keep going that I felt I was on to something worthwhile.

After I met my agent, she made some great suggestions for improving my manuscript. And my editor, James McKinnon, is AMAZING. He helped me immensely. The book that Courage in Patience is, today, is because James is wonderful at what he does.

If I had to name ONE thing that was hard to adjust to, it would be that the publishing world runs at a glacial pace. I know that sounds funny, coming from me after I told you about how I came to be published—but about six weeks passed between Kunati offering to buy Courage in Patience and me receiving my contract from them and sending it back. That was a REALLY long six weeks. But once I signed & returned the contract, things really picked up. Since about the first week in January 2008, it's been a whirlwind.

What are you working on now? Any goals for the coming year?
I'm writing the sequel to Courage in Patience. It's called Hope in Patience. (Patience, by the way, is the fictional East Texas town in which the story is set.)

I have book signings set up throughout Texas for just about every Saturday through the fall and into early 2009. Between my day job—teaching and working on Hope in Patience, and traveling for book signings on the weekends, I'm going to be pretty busy!

What do you do outside the world of writing?
I am a public school teacher. I teach Language Arts to students who are acquiring English as a Second Language. I love music—all kinds, really, except rap, heavy metal, and techno. And I love my life! It's very full and very gratifying to be able to do what I love in both of my jobs, as teacher and writer.

Thank you, Beth, for a wonderful interview! We look forward to reading your book.
To read Chapter One Excerpt, go to Beth’s website or blog!

Interview with Author Marion Lyman-Mersereau on "Eddie Wen' Go: The Story of the Upside-Down Canoe"

2008-08-14T07:01:00.065-10:00

Born and raised on Oahu, Marion Lyman-Mersereau helped build the Hokule'a and was a crew member on its fateful journey in March 1978 and on a subsequent voyage to Tahiti in 1980. A teacher and paddling coach, she has been sharing the story of Eddie Aikau and the Hokule'a for 30 years.

A Heartwarming Tale of Courage at Sea
When the Hawaiian voyaging canoe Hokule'a capsized in rough waters, famed waterman Eddie Aikau paddled off on a surfboard to find help. Now, crew member Marion Lyman-Mersereau imagines what happened next through the eyes of Tutuwahine the Whale, Mr. Mano the Shark and all the other sea creatures who were there that day. Here is an inspirational story of courage at sea, a children's book for children of all ages.

I met Marion in a playwriting class at Kumu Kahua Theatre this summer. When I found out she wrote this inspiring book, I was eager to ask questions about her journey.

Congratulations on your publication, “Eddie Wen’ Go: The Story of the Upside-Down Canoe” (Watermark Publishing, June 2008)! What inspired you to write this book?

I have been telling this story to students mostly but also to some adult groups for 30 years – it always ends sadly and I wanted to write a story that ended on a more uplifting note.

Why did you choose to tell Eddie Aikau’s story through the eyes of the Hawaiian sea creatures?

One of my favorite books to read to my sons when they were little was about a whale and a mouse – I think that was one of my influences plus when we were looking for Eddie the next day, after we were rescued, we saw lots of whales – March is when there are lots of whales in Hawaii – and Eddie Kealanahele, the kahu (minister) for the crew, said as long as there were whales around it meant that Eddie was o.k.

What was it like to be a crewmember of Hokule’a on its fateful journey on March 1978?

I was miserably seasick so when people ask if I was afraid I always say – if you've ever been seasick you'll know that there's no room for fear – you just feel lousy. I remember after Eddie paddled away, spending the day chanting in my mind, "Go, Eddie, go, go Eddie go." That may be where the idea for the chant came from…

My children love the read-along CD that came with this book. What challenges did you face in writing, “Eddie Wen’ Go: The Story of the Upside-Down Canoe” and creating the CD?

When I got to the part where Eddie paddled away, I thought – now what? That's all I know – I had some ideas about where I wanted the story to go but it didn't go there – the characters told me another story and that's the one that came out.

Originally I was going to just read the story myself but I thought that wouldn't be as fun as recording it with my friends. The recording became a real challenge because we couldn't do it as a group in order to get decent quality, we had to record our parts individually and then it was all remastered by a friend who is the father of the slack key guitar artist. That's why I really enjoy doing readings with the whole group but it's difficult to get everybody together…

What can your fans look forward to next?

I've got a few ideas but I've learned to keep them confidential until they become realities. ;-)

Mahalo, Marion, for a great interview. Wishing you all the best in your book!

To buy this book, click here or check it out from your local library in Hawaii!

Interview with Author Marie Lamba on What I Meant...

2008-07-23T10:03:00.000-10:00

From Marie Lamba:
"I was born in Flushing, New York under the name Marie Busterna, and spent from age 2 through high school living in Wyckoff, New Jersey. I attended Sicomac Elementary, where I was often marked down for talking in class, and was never picked for teams because I tended to catch balls with my nose rather than my hands. I discovered Edward Eager's book Half Magic, and fell in love with novels and with anything magical."

Congratulations on your publication, “What I Meant…” (Random House Books for Young Readers, 2007)! Could you tell us about it?

First of all, I want to thank you so much for inviting me to your blog! And to congratulate you on your own upcoming publication. Yeah, Feng!!!!

What I Meant… is a young adult novel about a 15-year-old girl, her mysterious hot guy, her Indian dad, her American mom, her evil aunt, and tons of drama and laughs. It’s my first novel, and it just went into its second printing, so I’m thrilled about that.

What was your initial inspiration for writing this book?

My own teen daughters had a lot to do with it. What I Meant… features Sang Jumnal, who is half Italian-American and half Indian, just like my own kids. It’s so important for kids to be able to identify with people like themselves in literature, film and television. And despite the huge biracial population, and the many biracial actors out there, there isn’t a lot of representation. Plus, much of what has been done in the past has been along the lines of “oh my gosh, I’m (fill in the ethnic group), and my family is so weird and different, how will I ever cope?”

I felt it was time for us to hear other stories about biracial characters. It was time for books where the biracial teen is the hero, and her problems and interests are universal. That’s why Sang Jumnal is comfortable with her background and family, and the book is a mainstream one that every teen can relate to. Sang is trying to do the right thing and follow her parents rules (even though some don’t make sense to her at times), but when her folks stand firm on their no dating until 16 rule, Sang knows something’s gotta give. Plus the whole respect your elders thing kind of flies out the window when her Indian aunt starts stealing food and money, but pinning the blame on Sang. In the end, Sang must stand up for what she believes in and fight to make her voice and the truth heard. Every teen experiences lack of trust, and injustice, so Sang’s tale is totally universal.

Could you tell us your road to publication?

Wow. Long. I wrote What I Meant… in 4 months, and had an agent and a publisher within the year, BUT What I Meant… wasn’t my first novel. My first novel took me over 10 years to write, and never sold. However, I polished, and edited, and learned so much from writing that unsold book, that it enabled me to create a really polished manuscript when I sat down to write What I Meant…

Having a great idea was an important part of the book’s success, but there were many other ingredients as well that I learned over many years. For example, how to edit my book before ever submitting. I gleaned much of this through about 18 years of freelance non-fiction magazine writing, combined with a good 8 years of intensive involvement with writer’s groups. Also, knowing how to meet and speak with editors and agents. Much of this info came through publications and conferences created by the Society of Children’s Bookwriters and Illustrators. I actually met both my agent and my editor through various conferences. An editor I met at a critique session at one conference told me I could use her as a recommendation when contacting a particular agent, and that was a great in. And I met my Random House editor at a conference that had a one-minute pitch slam, which is sort of like speed dating for authors! In both cases, the manuscript had to stand up to their litmus test, but I do think that having that first favorable contact advanced my manuscript beyond the dreaded slush pile.

Why do you write for teenagers today?

I love writing in the teen voice. I have two teens, plus I’m a scout leader of two teen-aged groups, so I’m surrounded by so much energy and excitement, possibilities and angst too. The teen years are a time when people are really deciding who they are and what is important to them. They are stepping away from what they have been told by their families and by society, and assessing what their own opinions are. The plot opportunities are endless, and teens can be so passionate about their feelings and beliefs. What more could an author want?

What advice would you offer YA novelists?

Write what you want and don’t try to pay attention to the market too much. The market and tastes come and go, but an author’s voice is what everyone is really looking for. So be true to your own voice.

Always strive to improve your skills, whether through conferences, writer’s groups, readings, and/or plain old hard work. But don’t be so critical that you never get your work out there. You need faith in yourself, so believe!

And don’t give up. You don’t know what kind of success may be in front of you, but you do know that if you give up, it’ll never happen. Actually, that’s the only definite thing you will be able to count on. So just don’t quit.

What can your fans look forward to next?

My second YA novel, which I’ve titled Over My Head, is currently being marketed by my agent, so fingers crossed everybody! It again features a biracial teen in a mainstream story, this time in a steamy summertime tale. Ani Bahadur vows to say “I love you” to the guy of her dreams before the summer is over, with surprising results.

And currently I’m almost finished with the first draft of my third YA novel called Drawn about a teen artist that unwillingly starts carrying on her family’s freaky psychic tradition when she starts sketching one very attractive ghost. I’m having such a blast writing this, and hope to have a polished manuscript ready for submission come October.

Thank you, Marie for delighting and encouraging so many of us!

Thank you again, Feng, for having me.

Visit Marie's website or blog!

Interview with Writer Helen Chen

2008-07-06T16:02:00.006-10:00

From Helen Chen:
"When I was five year old, my father took a job far away from home. As soon as I could write a handful of words, Mom started asking me to write letters to Dad for her. At first, I only wrote whatever Mom told me to write. After a while, that became quite boring, so I started reporting to him what had happened at home, and later I added some of my stories to entertain him. I found out that writing makes me feel better. And I haven’t stop writing ever since."

Congratulations on your first place winning story, SISTER GUAN at the 2006 Winnipeg Free Press/Writers' Collective Non Fiction Writing Contest. Can you tell us about your story and path to publication?

Thank you, Feng. The theme for the contest was “I won!” I remembered how I’ve tricked Sister Guan into giving me a pass to go home when I was in college, so I wrote the story.

When I was in junior high in Taiwan, my Chinese teacher sent some of my class compositions to a local newspaper and were selected for publication. A couple of my essays were also published in a college magazine. After I immigrated to the U.S., I did not write again until my daughter was in junior high school. Five years later, one of my writing friends who had an article published in Minnesota Women’s Press suggested that I give it a try. When my submission was published, I knew I need to keep writing.

What inspired you to write for both adult and children?

I like to write about human beings – how we think, how we behave and why we are who we are.

In 2005, I approached an agent with a couple of adult book ideas. He told me he liked my writing, that my writing voice suited young people, and that I should write a children’s book. So I took his suggestion and wrote a young adult novel. To my surprise, I had more fun than I had ever imagined. Still, my desire to write adult stories and novels has not decreased.

You started two writer's groups. What advice do you have for writers in working with peers?

Feedbacks from other writers are like free gifts. Like all gifts, you do not have to keep them, but before you throw them away, you should contemplate whether you can use them in any way. And always appreciate them.

Writers know their own stories better than anyone else. Don’t blindly incorporate other writers’ comments, but do consider each suggestion. After all, we strive to write the best story we can.

Helen, it's a pleasure talking to you.

Thanks, Feng. It’s nice to break away from my routine and try to answer some questions. I wish all of your readers a great summer.

Visit Helen Chen!

Update 10/18/09:

Check out Helen Chen's JIN-LING'S TWO LEFT FEET at Amazon.com!

Synopsis: Like yin and yan, Jin-Ling is comprised of two equal parts that fit together. One part is the dutiful Chinese daughter who does everything her immigrant parents expect of her, and the other is the American teenager girl who yearns for the independence that she sees her peers taking for granted for granted every day...

What should she do? No matter what she decides, it seems that Jin-Ling is destined to always feel as if she is walking on her two left feet!

Interview with VS Grenier, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Stories for Children Magazine

2008-06-23T17:12:00.124-10:00

VS Grenier started Stories for Children Magazine, a free E-zine for children 3 to 12 years old, because she wanted to share the wonderful World of Ink with children all over the world. She also started the SFC Newsletter for Writers as an effective tool to keep writers on top of the writing game with timely articles, Market news, current contests, upcoming writing workshops, and so much more.

Congratulations on the first anniversary of Stories for Children Magazine!

Feng, thank you for having me as a guest on your blog. It’s been a crazy year here at Stories for Children Magazine. Hard to believe that we went from three people back in April 2007 to a contributing staff of nine! It’s been lots of fun and really great working with all our contributors and the SFC team.

What inspired you to enter the field of children's publishing?

You know I never really thought too much about Stories for Children Magazine becoming what it is today. The original idea behind Stories for Children Magazine was basically to have a free site where kids could come and read some really great stories, articles, poems, and play some fun games or make an interesting craft. I also thought our site would be a great place for teachers or parents who homeschool their children to come and get FREE information.

Everything changed the day I accepted my Managing Editor’s, Gayle Jacobson-Huset, submission. She wasn’t part of the SFC team at the time. Actually I was the only person behind the scenes then. LOL. Gayle sent me a story for our debut issue that I was a little worried about, but after reading and working with her on a few things, I decided to publish it.

That’s when my hobby of a writing site took off. Gayle told everyone she knew about me. Not that I’m complaining. It’s great . . . really! I love what we’re doing and if it wasn’t for Gayle and a few others like Jan Fields from the ICL (Institute of Children’s Literature), Kevin Scott Collier (who designed our mascot Stanley Bookman), and many other writers I knew from writing to critique groups, we wouldn’t be where we’re at today.

So a big thank you to everyone who supports us by contributing or reading the magazine each month.

How did you start this free monthly e-zine?

I first started Stories for Children Magazine on a free hosting site called Tripod.com. Like I said before, I didn’t plan for SFC to become this highly read monthly online magazine. So we didn’t own our domain name at first. We actually just moved our magazine site to our own domain name this June at http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/.

After finding a place to host our site, I posted about my idea on writing boards for other writers and illustrators to see. I had to do a lot of emailing to website owners who post writing information about markets and such, too.

It takes a lot of hard work to get the word out about a new market for writers or illustrators to submit to, but once I started to make contacts and replies started to show to my posting, I knew I would be seeing some submissions.

Another thing I did was search writer’s websites. Believe it or not, a lot of known and unknown writers post stories, articles, poems on their sites or blogs. I would contact them and ask if I could use their work in my FREE magazine online. Many were happy to let me with a link back to their site. So a lot of Stories for Children Magazine's first issues where were put together that way as well.

Do you have plans to bring the magazine into a print publication?

You know if you would have asked me that about 10 months ago I would have laughed. The thought never entered my mind until the end of last year. After receiving emails from our readers and contributors asking what Stories for Children Magazine’s future was, it got me thinking.

I have been doing research to take Stories for Children Magazine to print. I would really love to see the magazine being mailed out all over the USA and Canada. I know we have a readership to support a venture.

The SFC team and I are working to get Stories for Children Magazine into print. But before we do, we have issues to consider. One is what happens with our site. I still want children who can’t afford to get print magazines to have a place to come and read really great stories, articles, and poems. Not to mention the games and crafts, too.

Plus we want to make sure the SFC site continues to post quality information for parents and teachers to use as well. So once we have the right balance, Stories for Children Magazine will venture into the print magazine world.

We are putting out an anthology of our Best Stories, Articles, and Poems each year. And, Stories for Children Magazine does offer a PDF printable version of the magazine on our site for those who like to cuddle up in a comfy chair to read.

What challenges have you encountered at Stories for Children?

I’m one of those people who don’t look at things they love doing as a challenge. So with Stories for Children Magazine, I wouldn’t say anything I’m doing is a challenge. I would say however that there are obstacles we are working to overcome.

One of our biggest obstacles is letting more readers know about us. Since we are a FREE online magazine we have a very tight budget for advertising. So we really rely on our contributors and readers to let their family and friends know about us.

Another obstacle of course is having enough money to keep us going. A lot of the things we do are covered from my own pocket and the ad space we sell on our site. This just covers our daily operations and so I’m very thankful we have such great contributors donating their talents to us each month and the SFC team who also gives their time and talents to keep us going each month.

What qualities do you look for in a story or illustration?

I don’t handle the illustrations anymore. This is probably a good thing since I’m not an artist. (Smile) We were blessed to have our Art Director Chrissy Fanslau helping out with the illustrations and contributing illustrators. I’m really sad to say that we’re losing her now that the July 2008 issue is almost complete. She’s been a wonderful help and support to me and the rest of the SFC team. Chrissy’s illustration business has picked up and so she needs to spend more time building it up and keeping it running. I’m glad that she’s making a name for herself as an illustrator and that I had the chance to work with her.

As to the story, article, poem, puzzle, and craft submissions, I don’t normally see them unless my editorial team really likes something. We have a few different phases a contributing author goes through before final approval or rejection. I know I said that awful word.

The first step of the process is for our Assistant Editor to look all submissions over to see if the contributing author followed our guidelines. Next, she would look at over the overall story structure. If these two things have been met, then she’ll forward the submission on to the correct Editor.

At this point the Editors will look at flow, plot, storyline, grammar, spelling, etc; the manuscript should be as perfect as possible so the submission is ready for print. We just don’t have the time to fix or critique contributors' works. Sometimes we’ll get a submission that needs some work and we’ll take the time to work with the contributing author on those, but it’s a really low number of submissions we get like that.

After the second phase with the Nonfiction or Managing Editor, a contributing author will either get an email stating the submission is going to the Editor-in-Chief, which is me, or that the submission is being rejected for whatever reason.

My editorial team tries to be really good about not handing out too many rejection form letters. However, it does happen if we have too many submissions to get through or there are too many things to point out that needs work on the submission.

I do want to note that just because a submission makes its way to me doesn’t mean you’re going to be published with us. There are times when either we have too much of the same kind of story, article, poem, puzzle, or craft that forces me to send a rejection or that I disagree with my editor's decision. It’s rare, but I do have to send my share of rejections, too. And it’s hard to hit that send button each time I do.

How can writers/illustrators submit their work for consideration?

If anyone is interested in contributing to Stories for Children Magazine, they can find our guidelines at http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/Guidelines.aspx. You can also go to our site, click on the SFC Contributor section and find our guidelines there or just contact us from the Stories for Children Magazine site.

What do you do outside the world of children’s publishing?

I’m also a freelance children’s and teen writer. I’ve been published in a few magazines and I’ve written articles for children’s writers. I’m also the Editor of SFC Newsletter for Writers. It’s a FREE newsletter for anyone interested in or is writing already for children and teens. The newsletter has lots of great information on markets, contests, conferences, and articles on writing as well.

I have a couple of books I’m currently working on when I have the time or an idea strikes. But mostly when I’m not writing or working on Stories for Children Magazine, I spend my time with my children and husband.

They really are supportive of the hours I put in each day. I don’t know if any of this would be possible without their support and understanding.

Thank you, VS Grenier, for taking the time to answer my questions. I wish you continued success on Stories for Children Magazine.

Thank you, Feng for interviewing me. It’s been lots of fun.

Interview with Publisher Kim Hunter

2007-11-05T07:22:00.011-10:00

Despite his busy schedule of social work and teaching English as a second language, Kim Hunter took the time to talk to me about his new publishing company. He’s dedicated in supporting local writers and illustrators in achieving their dreams.

Congratulations on your new publishing company, One Voice Publications!
Thank you! I am very excited about this new opportunity to express my passion.

What made you decide to become a publisher?
I think this, as it is with many things in life, has been a process over many years. The idea of establishing my own publishing company and how that would happen crystallized around the time I served as a Literacy Specialist at a juvenile detention center in Chicago. 8,000 children are locked up in that facility each year. I worked with young people, mostly boys and young men between the ages of 10 and 18 who wanted to learn to read, write their own poetry, or find inspiring books to read. There would naturally come a time in the new reader's learning process when they wanted to move on from children's picture books. I would often hear, "Okay, now give me something real to read about someone who's making it." I searched bookstores, libraries, and the Internet for biographies of interest to these new readers and found very little.

Other factors have contributed greatly to the establishment of One Voice. I was assigned to facilitate my first reading group by my first grade teacher. My work experience has focused in the areas of education and health. I wrote a health issues related book for children facing HIV and AIDS in the early '90s and have dabbled in the process of submissions and rejections. I joined the Southern California chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators at that time. I volunteered with regional conferences and met amazing authors, artists, and editors. I kept submitting the manuscript, but didn't find a publisher. I kept thinking, "There has to be another way." I wanted to do something about the established process. With my own company, I can offer another way.

I completed an internship in the editing department at University of Hawaii Press after completing a graduate level class in professional editing. My work experience has included teaching on the Leeward Coast of Oahu and teaching English as a second language. I have found very few biographies of interest or relevance to new readers I have encountered and very little in the languages of the Pacific region. One Voice Publications is an opportunity to produce books for this niche.

How did you start this Hawaii-based publishing company?
I returned to Hawaii in 2005 and established the company the following Spring. I found very little help where I expected it, like with Small Business Administration. I studied up on writing a Business Plan on my own and put the study into action. I registered the company and company name with the appropriate governmental agency and got busy making connections with people I thought would make great subjects for books. I talked about my dream with a published author I trust, admire, and appreciate. She was the first person in the business I entrusted with this information. Her thoughts, support, suggestions, and opinions are invaluable to me. The process of establishing One Voice continues now with making artist and author connections through avenues including ads on the Internet, word of mouth, outreach to the Micronesian community, the Pacific Education Conference, and a Pow Wows. I am establishing the company by every means I know how and learning many more as I go.

What is the current market for biographies in Hawaii?
As I see it, the market for biographies in Hawaii is wide open. I see a huge market for books about people with a connection to Hawaii and the Pacific Region who have faced adversity and are living their dreams. The market for the books is here as well as in many other parts of the world. We all look for examples in life as we find the path that is our own. All of the books of One Voice are published in two languages. Hawaiian immersion schools are aching for books in Hawaiian. ESL students hunger for relevant books at their skill level. Newly arriving immigrants look for books of relevance to their lives and respect for their home culture as they learn new ways. Teens and adults who are learning to read search for something real. Third graders are looking for great books to read. People who are proud of their heritage look for ways to pass on the language and culture of their ancestors. People facing hard times hunger for the stories of people who are making it.

In your opinion, what makes a manuscript stand out over the others?
I am looking for very specific skills for the "People Like Me" series of One Voice biographies. The books are written at about a third grade reading level and are of interest and relevance to teens and adults. The manuscripts of One Voice tell the stories of people who have faced adversity and contribute positively in the world. Manuscripts that stand out over others are written by people with experience in or close familiarity with the language and culture of the subject of the biography. The books illustrate the turning points in the life of the subject. The manuscripts I am looking for have relevance for new readers and offer an example of a life well lived.

Do you accept new writers and illustrators?
The mission of One Voice Publications is to offer publication opportunities to new and aspiring authors and artists. I am looking for people who have the heart as well as the skills for writing and illustrating the biographies of One Voice. I often find this to be the case with new writers and illustrators I meet.

Can you tell us the submission guidelines?
The initial contact that gets my quickest and most complete attention right now comes to me by email and includes the reason for wanting to work with One Voice on chapter-book projects along with the name and a little about the subject of the book the author has in mind. I want to know why the person making the contact believes they would be the best person to author the book. A sample of heartfelt writing makes a great attachment. I want to hear about the languages and cultures with which the artist or author is most familiar. An artist who wants to work with One Voice will send jpeg samples of art demonstrating skills in drawing realistic face and figure illustrations. I want to feel the essence of the subject of the book when I look at the illustration. Manuscripts are best sent after the initial inquiry.

Mahalo, Kim, for taking the time to answer my questions. I wish you success on One Voice Publications.

An Interview with Author Marion Coste

2007-10-13T15:33:00.004-10:00

After her booking signing at Borders Pearlridge, I chatted with Marion Coste about writing for children. One thing I like about Marion is that she’s real. She opened her kind heart and shared what went into making her successful. Everything for Marion wasn't always easy. Her first book, Nēnē, came out the same day she became a senior citizen. She's talented, hardworking, has a great ability to focus, and feeds her spirit by engaging in helping others. This certainly qualifies her to become an author.

Marion Coste is an author of four nonfiction picture books about native Hawaiian species: Nēnē (Hawaiian goose), Honu (Hawaiian green sea turtle), Kōlea (Pacific Golden Plover), and The Hawaiian Bat ('Ōpe'ape'a). She believes that it's important for us to know about the natural world and the ways in which wild things survive.

Her fifth picture book, Wild Beach, takes you on a sunrise walk on the Isle of Palms near Charleston, South Carolina. Her latest title, Finding Joy, is about adopting a Chinese baby girl.

Congratulations on your publication of FINDING JOY (Boyds Mills Press, October 2006)! Could you fill us in on the story?

Thank you! FINDING JOY is a story about adopting a baby girl from China. The birth parents leave the baby under a bridge where they know she will be found, and an old woman picks her up and takes her to an orphanage. Meanwhile, a couple in the United States feel something is missing in their lives – all their children have grown up and gone. The mother, full of trepidation, flies halfway around the world to pick up her new child. The minute she sees the baby, all her reservations are gone. She knows this is the right thing to do. Mother brings the baby back to America and all the family comes to the airport to welcome them. The baby starts a new life in a new country, and her new family gives her a new name: Joy.

What was your initial inspiration for writing this book?

I’ve always admired people who adopt children. It’s such a selfless act. Friends of mine went through the process of adopting a Chinese baby girl. Their children had grown and were beginning to move out to be on their own. Most people would be looking forward to the freedom of empty nest time, but this family decided to reach out and give a child in need a secure life in a loving home. My friend had to fly all the way to China to pick up the baby, not knowing what she would find when she got there. It’s a total leap of faith to do that.

When the little girl got to be around four years old, I could just imagine her asking, “Mommy, where did I come from?” and her mother saying, “Once upon a time, I flew halfway around the world to find you….” It’s almost like a fairy tale. FINDING JOY is loosely based on that family’s true story.

What were the challenges of bringing this book to life compared to your other four non fiction books about native Hawaiian species?

Each of my native Hawaiian species books took months of research and then many, many edits and much feedback from researchers before I could complete the manuscript. Although the first part of each book is not really nonfiction (some people call it “faction”), I still wanted everything to be scientifically accurate and non-anthropomorphic. As a former science teacher and marine educator, I want to share with children the wonder of the natural world and give them a sense of the interdependence of all living things. My fifth book, WILD BEACH, has that same theme, although it takes place on a beach in South Carolina.

For FINDING JOY, I found I not only had to relate the story details, but also express the emotions that lay behind the events: the heart-wrenching decision by the birth parents to give up their child; the anxiety of the mother traveling around the globe to meet a baby of an entirely different culture; the feeling of completion the family felt when Joy entered their lives. The challenge is not only to convey these feelings, but to do it with an economy of language that children will understand. Of course, since it’s a picture book, the illustrations have to help reveal the story. I was fortunate that Boyds Mills Press secured Yong Chen, who is of Chinese descent, as my illustrator. He was able to interpret the story perfectly through his beautiful watercolors.

How do you balance your life as a writer with the responsibilities of being an author?

One thing that I was naïve about as a newly-published author was the amount of energy you have to put into selling your books. I am not good at marketing and I don’t like selling. Luckily for me, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) is an extremely supportive professional organization that provides tips and resources. I learned how to set up book signings, schedule classroom visits, and become involved in other events to get my books “out there.” (I really enjoy working with kids, so the classroom visits are a bonus.) It’s necessary to attend conferences and community events so that people hear about your work and develop an interest in it, but such activities definitely cut into your writing time.

I don’t have a regular writing schedule – I write when the spirit moves me, as my Grandmother used to say. That means that sometimes I’m completely immersed in my latest topic, but I’m often just reading other people’s books and keeping my antennae up for inspiration. I finally put together a website that teachers, parents, and kids can visit to find out about me and my books, download activities, and print out a list of recommended books for all ages. This keeps me from having to repeat myself a lot!

What advice would you offer to beginner writers?

It’s very exciting to be a beginning writer, but it sure can be frustrating. I would advise every person who wants to be a published writer to read as many children’s books as you can get your hands on, and connect with other children’s writers. Join SCBWI and get to know the mechanics of getting published – how to format a manuscript, for instance, and how to write a cover letter. Attend conferences and workshops. Get familiar with the current edition of Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market. Find a critique group and get feedback from people who are not your friends or relatives. Read, read, read, then write, write, write.

What can your readers look forward to next?

At the moment, I’m working on another semi-nonfiction (faction) book and one picture book manuscript that’s just fun. I’m also attempting to rewrite a folk tale, a whole new learning experience.

Thank you, Marion, for a wonderful interview!

Reading stories

2007-09-20T17:45:00.002-10:00

Monkeypod Ink publisher Amber Mui Fah Sterli held a reading for local writers from her first anthology, UNDRAWN LINES at University of Hawai'i at Mānoa today.

(Right to left) Amber Mui Fah Sterli, Tamara Pavich, Marie Hara, Feng Feng Hutchins, and Ann Inoshita. Other writers presented were Michael Tsai, Christopher R. Kelsey, Allan Izen and Norm Winter.

An Interview with Illustrator Nicolette Moore

2007-09-06T19:25:00.006-10:00

I met Kerry Germain (left) and Nicolette Moore (right) on their book signing of KIMO'S SURFING LESSON at The Coffee Gallery in Hale'iwa on August 25, 2007.

Nicolette was born in California and now lives in O'ahu with her husband and two children. As the youngest of four children, Nicolette began doodling at a young age. Her love for art remained as a hobby until Nicolette decided to get serious at age 19. She studied illustration for a short time after high school but fate intervened and she chose to start a family instead. In 2004, she decided to pursue her dreams of illustrating on a full time basis. KIMO’S SURFING LESSON by Kerry Germain is her second book. She also illustrated a children's book for the American Heart Association. When Nicolette is not illustrating, she spends time with her family, pursuing an education in other art mediums.

How difficult was it for you to develop the initial paintings of Kimo and other characters? Was it any easier to paint subsequent scenes?
Character development and subsequent scenes were fairly easy because I had Kerry’s first two books to go by. I only needed to age Kimo, his brothers, and his mother.

Do you take photographs or sketch to prepare to illustrate for this book?
All of the pages were based on "quickly sketched" thumbnails I did a day or two after I was hired.

What is the hardest and easiest thing about being an illustrator?
Drawing on demand according to the direction of a client has got to be the hardest thing. Art is easiest when you are working on something you have a shared passion in. Especially, when your client gives you the "freedom" to create it the way you feel best fits the story (which, I'm very fortunate Kerry gave me TOTAL control on).

Who are your favorite illustrators?
BORIS VALEJO (who does realistic fantasy illustration) is the only artist who comes to mind, though I love many different styles and art mediums.

What are you working on now?
I'm discussing a local funnies magazine with Tiny Tadani.

What good advice do you have for people who want to be an illustrator?
"Practice makes perfect!" and "Don't underestimate the importance of a brilliant portfolio!"

Mahalo, Nicole, for taking the time to meet with me. All the best to you and Kerry!

"Mānoa Stream" poems by Ann Inoshita

2007-07-20T16:40:00.012-10:00

Kahuaomānoa Press
ISBN-13: 978-0-9793788-1-2
ISBN-10: 0-9793788-1-8

*Now available at*

University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Bookstore

Native Books and

Kahuaomānoa Press.

Reason to celebrate: Mānoa Stream is out!
Ann Inoshita's voice is forceful, vibrant and original. She displays an ear for poetry in real-life language of Hawai'i.

Check out her opening poem, "TV" written in pidgin:

Going come dark so my madda call me
fo go back inside da house.
Can smell tonkatsu from da kitchen
and my madda turn on da TV.
“Dinner going be ready soon.”

I watch TV and dey playing Superman.
“Mommy, one day I going save everybody.
I going be Superman.”
She turn da tonkatsu ova in da pan
and tell me das one good idea.

Den, get one commercial about trips to Hawai‘i.
“Mommy, one day we going Hawai‘i.”
She look at me funny kine.
I tell her as one good idea fo go Hawai‘i.
Everybody can live in grass shacks
and going be good fun fo drink da kine
tropical drink wit da fruit and umbrella
and stay outside all da time.
She tell me we live Hawai‘i.

I look at her.
“No, we no live Hawai‘i.
We live in one house like everybody on da TV.”
She tell me one mo time we live Hawai‘i
and dinner going be ready pretty soon.
My madda dunno wat she talking about.
We no live Hawai‘i.

Now, da TV playing one old movie.
My madda said as Breakfast at Tiffany’s
and da lady da actress Audrey Hepburn.
Look like one nice lady. I like her.

Get one wild party and dis guy wit small eyes
talking weird. I no undastand wat he saying.
“Mommy, who dat guy?”
My madda no answer, and she move da katsu
on one plate. She tell me dinner ready.

I eat and she tell me we going have
spaghetti tomorrow. I like spaghetti.
“So who da guy wit da small eyes in da movie?
Da one dat talk funny.”
She tell me she dunno who him,
but in da movie, he suppose to be one Oriental guy.
“Yeah?”
She wen nod and tell me fo eat.
“Wat Oriental?”
She look surprise. “Us Oriental.”
“I thought we Japanese?”
“We Japanese.”

Afta she pau wash dishes,
she hold me close, and I can hear
her heart and her voice vibrate wen she talk.
Den, she stroke my hair, and I get sleepy.

My madda tink she know everyting,
but she dunno.
I not Oriental,
I no live Hawai‘i,
and one day I going save everybody
just like Superman.

My Published Short Stories

2007-02-10T14:50:00.007-10:00

The neophyte looked up. He must have seen her as a Chinese woman in her fifties with short black hair and white roots, her wrinkled face powdered with white Nonya makeup. “You getting married?” he asked with some surprise. “No, lah!” Mrs. Wong answered, annoyed. Her ill-fitting denture slid as she moved her mouth. ---- THE GHOST WEDDING

BAMBOO RIDGE ISSUE 84 © 2004
“New in town?” the towkay asked, his eyes looking her over from her head to feet. Kim who hadn’t thought about her appearance in so many years with Hong, all-of-a-sudden felt plain in her faded dress, with her thick black hair clipped above the ears of her round face.

“Yes,” she admitted in a shy whisper. He stared at her for a second more, then stepped so close she could smell his cologne. She felt her cheek grow hot. --- KIM’S MOON JOURNEY

LYNX EYE Vol. VIII, No. 2 © 2001
"Who are you?" I yelled. There was no answer. Starting to run, I thought I saw a white form approaching me. The rain poured like strings of glass noodles coming down from the sky. The form came closer. It looked like a pale lady with long black hair sweeping the ground. Suddenly, I recalled the ghost woman that Mother told me about. "Tolong!" I screamed for help. The ghost had no eyes, and her long tongue hung down to her waist. --- THE ONE HUNDRED DAYS AFTER UNCLE TUAN