The Bug Book Launch Party

And the winners are...

2010-10-23T19:31:00.001-04:00

I still can't believe all the fun we had this week and what's better than announcing some of the winners of our hot giveaways?

If you see your name below, please CONTACT me and send me your email address, so I can get your gifts in the mail!

The winner of the Children's Book Prize Pack worth over $75 is The Rheinlanders!

The winner of the Children's Book Halloween Prize Pack worth over $55 is Jo's Health Corner!

The winner of the autographed paperback copy of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade is Paula Schuck!

If you don't see your name, don't worry because there are still many giveaways up for grabs. Be sure to check out Contest #1 in which there will be three giveaways of a The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Prize Pack (Oct., Nov. Dec.) and all you have to do is take a pic of you or your child with my book!

You can also pick your mission (of leaving a review at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble and/ or requesting my book at your library) and you'll be entered to win a The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Prize Pack!

Congratulations to all of our winners and I hope everyone takes the chance to enter the ones still open!

Thanks again for a great week and please be sure to visit me at my regular blog: http://loricalabrese.blogspot.com where I also offer children's book giveaways and host Fish For a Free Book every Friday!

Thanks for celebrating

2010-10-22T09:16:00.000-04:00

My launch party for The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade was a huge success--thank you to EVERYONE who stopped by, played games, read more about The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade, ordered your copies, and busted open all of the piñatas full of fun giveaways! If you haven't left a comment on any of the posts, make sure you do to be automatically entered into the random drawing for an autographed paperback copy! Sign up for my mailing list, so you can receive your party favors and don't forget to leave a review on Amazon and Barnes & Noble for your chance to win a The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Prize Pack, or take a picture of you and my book and post it to my Facebook wall to win a The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Prize Pack!

I can't even begin to tell you what it meant for you to come by and help me celebrate! It's been so much fun having an event online and getting to include all the people I know online as well as in real life to celebrate the release of my first picture book.

I'll be announcing the winners of some of the giveaways here tomorrow, so stop by and see if you were chosen!

Thanks for sharing the excitement with me!

Your mission, should you choose to accept...

2010-10-21T14:52:00.000-04:00

If you think The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade is fun, would you be willing to do one of the following tasks to help me spread the word?

The following tasks are all free and would take five minutes or less. If you're willing to pick one and do it,I'd be forever grateful and you'll be entered into a GRAND PRIZE drawing where you can win The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade gift pack! Each mission you choose to accept, gives you an extra entry into the drawing to win this... (a tote bag, t-shirt, bug jar craft kit, bookmark, postcard, magnet, and autographed hardcover copy!)

And the missions, should you choose to accept are...

ASK YOUR LIBRARY TO ACQUIRE THE BUG THAT PLAGUED THE ENTIRE THIRD GRADE

If your library takes online acquisitions suggestions, you could email them with this text or just bring the following information and ask in person:

Dear Acquisitions Librarian:

I would like to suggest a book for purchase by our library. Here’s the book information.

The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade
written by Lori Calabrese
illustrated by Chet Taylor
Dragonfly Publishing, Inc., 2010
ages 4 to 8,
Color Hardcover ISBN#: 1-936381-04-4
Color Paperback ISBN #: 1-936381-05-2
About the book: Hoping to win the upcoming Bug-A-Fair, Matt pries a strange bug off the grille of his Dad's car. But as the fair nears, Matt catches a different kind of bug: a cold. Will Matt become student of the year or will he create a third grade epidemic?

Thanks very much for considering my request.

LEAVE A REVIEW AT AMAZON OR BARNES & NOBLE

If you like the book, adding a Customer Review would be great. These don't have to be long or involved! Just a couple of sentences about why you liked the book.

For Amazon, go here.
Scroll down and click on Create your own review.

For Barnes & Noble, go here.
Click on Write a review (which is right next to the cover image).

Let me know which mission(s) you chose in the comments section below along with your email (if it's not included in your Blogger profite), so I can contact you if you win. For each mission, you'll automatically be entered in a drawing to win an AUTOGRAPHED copy of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade GIFT PACK.

Contest ends November 30th! U.S. entries only.

This post will self-destruct in

Lines that didn't make it into the book

2010-10-21T08:48:00.002-04:00

Want to read some lines that didn't make it into the book? It's hard for a writer to tear herself away from certain lines and I wish I could have included these, but when you factor in page count, and the amount of words to a page, etc... something had to go. And frankly, I think that's one of the hardest aspects of writing a picture book--telling a great story in so few words

Can you guess where these lines would have been in the book? (Answer below)

Matt stared at the bug’s bright emerald green eyes
and transparent wings. He measured its size.

No doubt, this bug was certainly unique.
Its metallic green body, smooth and sleek.

The yellow stripes could help Matt detect,
study and uncover this distinct insect.

(Answer: These lines originally appeared after the text on page 4 and before the text on page 5)

Win a Children's Halloween Book Prize Pack worth over $55!

2010-10-20T12:58:00.005-04:00

Halloween is near and a great chance to keep The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Virtual Book Launch Party vibe going. That's why today's amazing giveaway is a Children's Halloween Book Prize Pack worth over $55 that includes an autographed copy of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade! The books included are...

The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade (autographed paperback)
Vampire Boy's Good Night (hardcover)
The Zombie Chasers (hardcover)
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (paperback)
More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (paperback)

For your chance to win this amazing prize pack, all you need to do is:

1) Comment on this blog post

For extra entries:

1) Blog about this contest and leave a comment below telling me
2) Tweet about this contest and leave a comment below telling me
3) Share on Facebook and leave a comment below telling me

And if your e-mail address is not included in your Blogger profile, PLEASE make sure you leave a way for me to get in contact with you when you win! (U.S. entries only)

The contest will run through midnight on Friday, October 22, 2010!

It's a party, people! Time to mingle!

2010-10-20T12:46:00.000-04:00

I hope you guys have been enjoying the party. It's been full of cruising, schmoozing and industry gossip. It's been fun sharing some of my stories like where I got the idea for The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade, what one of the original titles was, and even sharing a little secret about when I write. But it's a party and the place is jumping! In fact, let's take a spin around the party and see what everyone's talking about...

Hey, look there's Amy Allgeyer Cook, author of The Iron Bodkin: Lux St. Clare ~ Book One and some of the Indie Debut 2010 authors (Yep, that amazing group of debut authors, I'm honored to be a part of!). Looks like they're talking to an aspiring author. Let's jump in on their conversation...

Amy Allgeyer Cook, author of The Iron Bodkin: Lux St. Clare ~ Book One: "Small presses are great. Have you checked them out in Children's Writers & Illustrators Market or Children's Book Market? What about on Preditors & Editors or Writer Beware? Make sure they don't have any bad feedback."

Beth Bence Reinke, author of A Wish and a Prayer: "You're right, Amy, small presses can be a great way to publish. When considering a particular small publisher, I suggest talking to authors who have published with them first to get a feel for the company."

Donna M. McDine, author of The Golden Pathway: "Yes, research their authors and reach out to a couple of them personally and ask them about their experience with their publisher. It's a sure fire way of getting accurate feedback."

Tamara Hart Heiner, author of Perilous: "I agree with Donna. You don't really know what it's like to work with the small press until you talk to their authors. And it's good to know how well they stick to schedules, what the editor's like, the communication speed, the financial help with marketing, their ability to get into bookstores. I wish I had done this homework before hand!"

Danika Dinsmore, author of Brigitta of the White Forest: "There are more options than ever out there when it comes to publishing, and there are pros and cons along every path. As a debut author with any publishing house, you're going to have to do a lot of promotion anyway. But with a small press, you won't get lost. You'll probably get more personal attention, more influence in decisions, and your book's life could last longer."

Lori: "I couldn't agree more, ladies. I always wonder, if I had the chance to do it all over again, would I? And I always say yes. I've learned so much publishing with a small press and it's been a wonderful opportunity to share The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade with readers. And we get to have this really cool party!

Mingle on...

My little secret

2010-10-20T09:42:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Day 3 of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Virtual Book Launch Party! If this is your first time popping into the party, be sure to check in on some of the discussions going on and don't forget to enter Contest #1 and Contest #2! Later today, we'll bust open another piñata full of fun prizes and giveaways! Also, don't forget to leave a comment on any post, so you'll automatically be entered into a drawing for an autographed paperback of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade! Later today, we'll do a little mingling and see who's been partyin' it up!

Today, I'm going to reveal a secret I've been holding in for a long time...

My name is Lori Calabrese and I'm a doodler. That's what I do. Ever since I was a kid, I LOVED to draw. And I still do. When my son says he'd like to color, I'm usually still coloring even though he's moved on to the next thing!

Even though I love to doodle, when it comes to my children's books, I've decided to concentrate solely on my writing. Along my path to publication, I've realized that writing is hard work and I compare it a lot to putting together a puzzle. But as I'm sliding all of those pieces into place, I often find myself still scribbling one of my characters for inspiration. They always say, as a writer, you need to imagine your characters and know them inside, out. Well, I guess you can say this is how I do just that. I thought I'd share with you some of my doodles while I was writing The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade...

So whadda 'ya think??

If any of you have any "Bug" drawings you'd like to share, feel free to post them to my Facebook Wall. I'd LOVE to see them!

Win a children's book prize pack worth over $75!

2010-10-19T14:55:00.000-04:00

Did you know that if you leave a comment on any of these posts, you're automatically entered into a random drawing for an AUTOGRAPHED paperback of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade? That's right! Just leave a comment and you're automatically entered! Winner will be announced on Friday!

Our second HOT GIVEAWAY is for a Children's Picture Book Prize Pack that includes The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade, and hardcover copies of I'm Big!, Betsy Red Hoodie, I Didn't Do It, and Jeremy Draws a Monster. This is a total package worth over $75 in children's books!!

For your chance to win this amazing prize pack, all you need to do is:

1) Comment on this blog post

For extra entries:

1) Blog about this contest and leave a comment below telling me
2) Tweet about this contest and leave a comment below telling me
3) Share on Facebook and leave a comment below telling me

And if your e-mail address is not included in your Blogger profile, PLEASE make sure you leave a way for me to get in contact with you when you win! (U.S. entries only)

The contest will run through midnight on Friday, October 22, 2010!

What was one of the original titles?

2010-10-19T12:18:00.000-04:00

Want a glimpse into how I write? The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade didn't start out as The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade and it took a little over a year for the manuscript to take shape into what it is now. In fact even the title was different. I was digging through my files the other day and discovered this VERY EARLY version of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade! Can you see the title?

At one point in time (and I'm sure it changed a bunch!), The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade was originally titled The Pesky Bug! The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade sounds WAY better don't you think? I had even named the bug in the book at one point as Buzzy! What was I thinking?

It just goes to show that a manuscript goes through MANY revisions--did I say MANY revisions--before it even gets to a point that
1) you'll show it to others
2) you start feeling confident that you have something
3) you get the courage to submit it to publishers

And it's just crazy to think that all of that turned into this...

GO FIGURE!

Where'd I get the idea?

2010-10-19T09:18:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Day 2 of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Book Launch Party! I hope you guys are having just as much fun as I am and I really appreciate you stopping by!

As an author, one of the biggest questions you often receive is where did you get the idea? That's the cool thing about writing. Ideas come from all over and different authors have different sources of inspiration. You never know when the idea will spark, but an author's mind is usually turning 24/7 for that next great idea.

For me, all of my writing inspiration comes from my two boys. They constantly crack me up and have such a fresh take on the world. In fact, the idea for The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade came to me when one of my sons had that dreaded stomach virus every parent dreads. You know--the one they catch, then it spreads to every other single family member in the house? Ugh!

Anywhoooo... When everyone asked how he was doing, I would say, “He caught the bug.” It's something everybody says when they're sick, but the more I said it, something clicked. So I expanded on the play on words of catching a bug--meaning getting sick and catching an insect.

The book didn't nearly start out the way it ended up and it saw many transformations over the year that it took to write. (I'll show you some pictures of my manuscripts later today!) I also needed to figure out what my bug was going to be. It had to be fun, but it also had to be rare. So I researched bug after bug and knew I had the one when I stumbled upon the Hine's Emerald Dragonfly.

I had never heard of The Hine's Emerald Dragonfly before writing this book, but it turns out, this dragonfly is quite special. It's an endangered species and the only dragonfly added to the U.S. List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants. It is illegal to harm, harass, collect, or kill the dragonfly without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Historically, the Hine’s Emerald Dragonfly was found in Alabama,Indiana, and Ohio and probably has been extirpated in those states. Today the dragonfly can only be found in Illinois, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin. So it's quite a feat for our main character, Matt, who lives in Ohio to discover one of these amazing dragonflies on the grille of his dad's car!

So from a stomach virus, and a little research on the only dragonfly listed on the Federal endangered species list, The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade was born!

Got questions?

2010-10-18T16:29:00.000-04:00

Hey, hey, and an even bigger HEY!

Did I say how glad I am to have you here?

There is no doubt that the day when you finally hold your book in your hands is one of the happiest days for a writer. After so many months -if not years- of writing, revising, editing, submitting and finally publishing you can see and touch your baby. This occasion calls for a big celebration and what better way to send this book off unto the hands of your readers than with a Book Launch Party?

I'm sure you guys have some questions, so feel free to shout them out...

Why are you having a VIRTUAL book launch party, Lori?
Well, a huge New York party would have been great, but let's face the facts, it just wasn't in the cards! :)

I got the idea for an online launch party over a year ago, when I realized no matter where I held a party, only a fraction of my friends would be able to attend. With the rise of social networking, friends aren't just local anymore. And I've met a ton of you guys on Facebook, Twitter, Writers' Groups, etc... My friends are scattered all over the globe, so I figured the best way to celebrate with EVERYONE would be to hold a virtual book launch party!

So what's the book about?
The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade is a picture book about the play on words when we say, “I’ve caught a bug.” It can mean catching an insect, or catching a cold! This amusing picture book celebrates the ambitious spirit of a third-grader as he tries to study, and uncover a distinct insect on the brink of extinction. Young readers will be buzzing as they follow Matt’s quest to win his school’s Bug-A-Fair. But as he ignores his running nose and worsening cold, will he create a third-grade epidemic?

What was the best fan letter you got so far?
I get so many great letters from young readers and just got an amazing batch from a school here in CT. I think one of my favorites is from a little boy who wrote...

"I liked the book. It was detailed. The book was also specific. I liked this book so much that I would buy it and read it over and over until I get sick of it. I really doubt I will get sick of the book though."

I mean, really--isn't that the greatest?

Tell me how you feel now that the book is finally out.
Basically a roller coaster of emotions--Excited, relieved, proud, and amazed!

The path to publication takes time, so to have the chance to finally hold The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade in my hands is really exciting. It took over a year to write and revise the book, over a year to submit, and another year for the illustrations to come to life. The whole process has been really amazing though and I've definitely learned a lot about what goes into publishing a book!

Your book sounds so cool. Where can I buy one?
The Bug is available now at:

Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble.com
CreateSpace
Qoop.com (hardcover)
OmniLit (ebook)
Dragonfly Publishing, Inc.
And if you'd like a personalized autographed copy, you can purchase one in the right sidebar!

I think somebody else had a question. Was it you?

Party Contest: Enter the Drawing!

2010-10-18T14:10:00.001-04:00

Alright! Let's get to the good stuff. It's time for our first GIVEAWAY and boy, it's a doozey!

If you do this...

You can win this...

All you have to do is:

1) TAKE a photo of yourself or your child with my book. It can be at home, a bookstore, library, anywhere! (And if your library doesn't have the book, please ask them to order it!)

2) POST that photo to my facebook page (on the wall).
(if you are not a facebook fan, you can e-mail me your photo at lori@loricalabrese.com and I can post for you!)

3)Then, you are automatically entered into a drawing to win a The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Prize Pack that includes a pen, magnet, bookmark, postcard, t-shirt and an autographed hardcover copy of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade!

I will do a drawing once a month until the end of December (Oct. 31st, Nov. 31st, Dec. 31st), so you have 3 chances to win!!

So get your hands on a copy of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade and start snapping away! I can't wait to see your pics!

For extra entries:

1) Blog about this contest and leave a comment here telling me
2) Tweet about this contest and leave a comment here telling me
3) Share on Facebook and leave a comment here telling me

Contest is open to US only and if your e-mail address is not included in your profile, make sure you leave a way for me to get in contact with you when you win!

Hey Party People!

2010-10-18T00:01:00.001-04:00

Hi there everyone, and welcome to my mega awesome online book launch for my brand spanking new children's book--The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade. Everybody's who's anybody is on the guest list and the paparazzi are lined up, waiting to catch a glimpse of who's partyin' it up! There are favors, contests, games and much more.

Are you looking for the teaching guides, a coloring page, or word find? Maybe you're looking for some crafts and games to accompany the book or you want to read some of the recent reviews! Perhaps, you're all about the food and entertainment. (Hey, nothing wrong with that!).We even have a chat box to the right where I'll be popping in throughout the week to chat, but if I'm not here, remember it's a party and you can always mingle with other guests!

We have a ton of fun in store this week--You can ask me questions about my new book, read deleted stanzas that didn't make it in, and find out where I got the idea. If you're interested in writing your own picture book, I'll offer creativity tips. Get ready to drop in any time during the day all week for lotsa fun, interviews, tidbits, prize drawings - you name it!!

I hope all of this makes The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade even more enjoyable for you or at least piques your interest in it. If it does, I humbly ask that you spread the word and invite others here. It's not a party unless people come! Here a few tweets you can share...

You're invited to a Virtual Book Launch Party for The Bug that Plagued the Entire Third Grade http://ht.ly/2URNM

Don't miss the cruising, schmoozing, and industry gossip at The Bug Virtual Book Launch Party http://ht.ly/2URNM

While you tweet, I’ll pop one of those big confetti tickertape party poppers just for you! (You might want to put your fingers in your ears while it explodes!)

So, have a bug dessert, find out what bug you are or watch the book trailer (in the upper right hand corner)! You can also order a personalized signed copy of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade in the right sidebar. During the week-long party, I'm including an autographed bookmark, postcard, magnet and Bug Silly Band with every purchase and I'm also including a The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade t-shirt with every 25th purchase.

And how about I throw in some more ubercool prizes to give you even more cause to celebrate? Be sure to keep checking in, so you can take home all the goodies up for grabs--it's a lot like busting open a piñata. Here's what you can win throughout the week...

-Autographed softcover and hardcover copies of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade
-The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade Tote Bag
-The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade t-shirt
-Children's Book Giveaway Prize Packs (includes some of the latest children's books just released!)

So browse the party, check out all the free stuff and in the meantime, please order your copy of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade and sign up for my mailing list, so I can send you some party favors.

Email Marketing You Can Trust

The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade has been called:

"hilarious"
a "perfect rhyme"
"wonderfully animated"
"colorful"
a "fun book"
"a very nice debut book"

This book is a great holiday gift for teachers, kids, grandchildren, and that young bug lover in your life.

Don't forget--it's a party, so be wild. Be crazy. Feel free to dance on the virtual tables with a lampshade on your head! And best of all, don’t worry about the mess. The cybermaid will take care of it. Click, explore, enjoy and most of all, thanks for celebrating with me!

A very buggy book launch starts Monday, October 18th

2010-09-17T23:33:00.001-04:00

Oh, I just love a good virtual book launch party, don't you?? Crazy thing is--it's for moi! Pretty crazy, huh? You're a little early, but let me welcome you to the online book launch of

The official party kicks off on Monday, October 18th and we'll keep the neighbors awake all week long until the party winds up Friday, October 22nd. Tell your family. Tell your friends because this will be the place to be.

Nothing you can imagine doing all week could possibly be more interesting and fun than attending this party to celebrate the release of The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third Grade! No, not even checking up on Demi and Ashton's tweets. Nothing! There'll be talking, and reading, and drawing, and . . . more talking. And exciting prizes.

Ask me questions about my new book, how to get a children's book published, what it's like to publish with a small press and more! And did I mention, you'll also get the chance to win a few prizes?

The Bug That Plagued the Entire Third has been called a wonderfully animated and colorful book that will have readers turning the pages to see what happens next. Kristi Bernard of of Kristi's Book Nook Review says, "The rhyming will send your tongue twisting and bouncing with every word. Parents and teachers will love this book along with anyone who loves a bug adventure."

Well, the adventure is just about to begin when the party kicks off on Monday, October 18th! So mark your calendars, scour your closet for your best pair of pajamas (yes, you can wear pj's to this party!), and get ready to bug out and catch a glimpse of who's partyin' it up! Who knows, maybe even Ashton and Demi will show up!