“Loki’s” Shed Shell Preserved
A great big thank you to Rick Page of Classic Taxidermy in Middleton for preserving Loki’s shell. Loki was the model lobster for my book, “Something’s Tugging on My Claw!” I let Loki go last year and hopefully he’s happy back in the waters off Cape Ann, and we have his shed shell to remember
Those Remarkable Lobster Claws
Did you know that the crusher claw of a lobster can be found on either the left or right side of a lobster? Since this is the lobster’s dominant claw, if the lobster’s crusher is on its right side, it’s considered a right handed lobster. Pictured are two lobsters that dropped their crusher claws to
Air Plants Growing in Sea Urchin Tests!
What a great idea for an art project using sea urchin tests, that breathes new life into something that was once alive.
Five No Cost Things You Can Do to Help Your Favorite Independent Author
This is such a brilliant, brief listing of ways to help out a favorite author without spending a dime. I know that most independent authors would be excited if you were able to do just one of the first five suggestions. I know it would make my day! THANKS SO MUCH to everyone who has
A New Book Based on True Stories, This One’s Not for Kids
I’m excited to say that although the cold, snowy spring hasn’t been my favorite, it’s given me additional down time to complete the book I’ve been working on for the past three years. I’ve been drawn to writing Bay State Skyesince my life has been strangely intertwined with the conflicting industries of lobstering and seafood processing,
Fascinating Work by the Mote Aquarium Restoring Coral Reefs
Fascinating work the folks down at the Mote Aquarium in Florida are doing to restore coral reefs. I once observed a sea star regenerate four new rays from one ray that had broken off. The four rayed parent sea star also grew another ray to replace the one it had lost, resulting in two complete,
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
What’s your favorite Dr. Seuss story? Mine is “What Was I Scared Of?” Check it out. It’s a lesser known story at the end of “The Sneetches and Other Stories.” I loved Dr. Seuss stories as a kid, and feel they’ve had a significant influence on my own writing and illustrating. Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Amazon Reviews Hold a Strong Influence on a Book’s Popularity
They’re crucial to any Indie author who wants their book to come up in an Amazon search. The more reviews a book has, the better chance it has of being found. If you’ve recently read a book you enjoyed, I know the author would be extremely grateful if you wrote a review on Amazon. This
Celebrating the Holidays Seaside
Hope you’re having a fun holiday vacation, wherever you choose to spend it!
An Enjoyable Evening with the North Shore Reading Council
November 9, 2016: Such a wonderful evening presenting for the North Shore Reading Council, and getting to know a little more about many of the NSRC members. The Danversport Yacht Club was the perfect setting for a memorable evening discussing sea life, and an historical crime, trial, and eerie cottage on the shores of Lake
Exciting Publishers Weekly Article: Tips From An Indie Author
An interview that I did with Publishers Weekly’s bookroom editor, Drucilla Shultz, has been published in Publishers Weekly today, November 7, 2016! Thanks to Drucilla Shultz and Publishers Weekly for taking the time to produce this article. Please feel free to share with anyone who might want some tips about how to succeed at self
Great New Article by David Smith of the Ossipee Lake Alliance: “The Ghost of Lake Ossipee”
Thanks to David Smith of the Ossipee Lake Alliance for this great article. I remember “The Ghost of Lake Ossipee” speaking engagement like it was yesterday, with the lake in the background, and a thunderstorm rolling in… it was the perfect setting for a ghost story! ClicRead the article below or click on this link
Great Experience at the New England Library Association 2016 Conference
Met lots of fantastic people at this year’s NELA Conference. Our beach bag “basket” giveaway was won by this lucky attendee! Can’t wait for her to read the beach towel decorated with all the sayings you’ll only hear in the Massachusetts beach areas, while chewing on authentic salt water taffy, straight from Rockport. Congratulations!
#NELA2016 Game Night a Rare Success for Vendors
We joined in the fun at the New England Library Association’s 2016 game night, and us vendors managed to eke out a victory to win this coveted snail trophy, which used to be a decorative wine bottle in a former life!
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) “Book Blast” is Live
Starting today #SCBWIBookBlast has tons of books for kids and teens you can browse and buy http://www.scbwi.org/bookblast While you’re there, if you could sign the guest book for my book, “Something’s Tugging on My Claw!” I’d be thrilled. The above link will take you to the book’s page. Just click on “Sign the Guestbook” on the
A Clever Vegetable Octopus Exhibited at the Topsfield Fair
This first prize winning creation built by the Kraus family is on exhibit at the Topsfield Fair, the oldest agricultural fair in the country. It’s the perfect blend of the farm and the sea, two of my passions. This “octopus” has an eggplant body, two radish eyes, and carrots for tentacles. It could have been
Surprisingly, Indie Authors and Lung Fish Have Much in Common
I thought a great analogy for an Indie author with very few book reviews would be like a fish without water. They soon die, or so I thought. But not in all cases. Check out this amazing video about the lung fish. Like the Indie author, it never gives up! It actually is encased in
Research Shows One in Three People are Intimidated by STEM
One in three people surveyed didn’t pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) because it seemed too difficult. I’m trying to change that perception by writing and illustrating entertaining, fun books about sea life. I’m hoping that my books will help attract both boys and girls to understanding and enjoying science. Follow this
Introducing “Did You Make the Hole in the Shell in the Sea?” at Barnes & Noble’s “Finding Dory” Storytime
If you’re a reading teacher, you know how important it is to activate prior knowledge and build background information before reading a new story. This is an introduction that I presented for my book, “Did You Make the Hole in the Shell in the Sea?” to a group of children in a Storytime at Barnes