The Exciting Moments of Author Bernard Kowalski

Bernard Kowalski is

a Stockbroker as well as an Author.

He's blessed with two wonderful children Robert who is 36 years.

Alexis who is now 26 years old and about to have a baby of her own. He's anxious for the arrival of his first grandchild. Alexis was born in the Virgin Islands where her mother and I owned a restaurant/nightclub.

Bernard always did well in English. As a teenager, he always wrote stories. His moment arrived for him to shine, when one of his stories was published, in a School Magazine. Another was the birth of his son.

His daughter Alexis inspired him to write children's books. She literally started reading at the age of three years old. When they ran out of books to read around the house Bernard would create stories of his own. His stories would make her laugh and have a positive impact.

What's funny about "Alexis and Ralph the Dragon", is he wrote the children's book 23 years ago. It was typed on an old Underwood Typewriter his grandfather left him. He believed it had merit and submitted it to Publishers. Unfortunately, it got rejected. So, it went back into a shoe box and every few years he would resubmit the story. A year ago, Bernard submitted the story via Internet and got more rejections. Then he found Dawn Phillips, an illustrator, and she believed it provided a unique creative twinkle. At last, the illustrations and the story came together and the children's book was accepted by Publishamerica.

Bernard finds his best writing moments to be around an audience or a child. He tends to create a story for them on the spot. If it's received well and he gets a laugh out, then he commits the story to paper.

Bernard has really come to love the big Fella...lol. So much he views himself as the animated character, "Ralph the Dragon".

He finds the acceptance by a Publisher to be his challenge. It took several years for his story to be accepted. He encourages everyone to "NOT GIVE UP".

He believes the reward is the outcome of the book in print for everyone to read all over the world. Also, to see how Dawn Phillips brought the illustrations to life.

Bernard's next children's book will be "Alexis and Ralph the Dragon Meet the Boy Who Ate Spaghetti".

Be sure to visit Bernard at Myspace, Jasonsnetwork, and Facebook.

When he's not at work or writing Bernard loves to meditate on the beach, read a lot of Wayne Dyer and Chopra, and of course Dr. Seuss.

"Alexis and Ralph the Dragon", his first children's book published.

Available for purchase at Publishamerica, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and Borders.

Bernard would be happy to sign every one.

Alexis and Ralph the Dragon...The # 1 Children's Book of 2009

From first time Published Author....Barney Kowalski.
This new released children's book is an adorable story of a baby dragon left on a human couple's doorstep.Raised as a little boy ,Ralph doesn't know he's a Dragon until he meets other children.Befriended by a little girl "Alexis" ,they discover Acceptance ,and learn to celebrate their differences and how much they have in common.

Written in language for young children,Ralph has a tongue-in-cheek humor that the adult that reads to them will get a few chuckles .

I wrote this book ,Dawn Phillips did the eye-popping illustration and the publisher is Publishamerica.

Available for Purchase at Amazon Bookstore.

Thank You For Your Support ,
Barney Kowalski

April's Featured Interview with Michelle Nelson

This month's featured interview with Michelle Nelson will put you into a tailspin. How did she go from writing on a park bench to Scandal Reporters, and publishing her first children's book, "Curly Top"?







Michelle has always maintained a journal but back then it wasn't called a "Journal" (lol). She would rather sit on a park bench and write then play with friends.

Who would have thought her days on the park bench would turn her focus to Scandal Reporters. But it did, after the Monica Lewinsky scandal. What Michelle remembered the most about the scandal was how the Pope was in Cuba, and so were all the Reporters. What an historical moment in time! Word spread fast about Monica, and the Pope was left alone, as fast as you could turn a page. All the Reporters fled back to the United States to cover the Monica Story. She felt so let down, and dejected by the Presidential Scandal to the point she could not work within this environment. At this point, she decided to work in the corporate world.

Education has been extremely important to Michelle. She has achieved a BA in Journalism. With her passion to learn more about dialogues, mix of ideas, and perspectives she wrote a few chapters for her novel. They were so well received, she received a standing ovation in an English College course, and was overwhelmed with written and verbal feedback from 13 Students and the Instructor of the writing course in New York. The Instructor prodded the class to offer at least one critical critique and yet, no one could. Her Instructor felt her work was superb!

With so much left unknown, Michelle has decided to pursue a Master's Degree in Risk Management with emphasis on Business.

As a Grandmother, Michelle was inspired by her granddaughter to write her first children's book, "Curly Top". Her granddaughter has curly hair and really h-a-t-e-s it! One day, her granddaughter watched as Michelle gave her daughter, who has kinky hair, a perm. Her granddaughter saw the hairstyle of the model on the box and went into a tailspin. She wanted her hair to look just like it! This went on for months. Finally, one day, she had a meltdown which was caught on tape by Michelle, as she cried and went to everyone in the house individually! She told the same story over and over with tears. Right then, Michelle knew she had to stop her "Great American Novel" and write about what she'd witnessed.

Michelle found the most challenging part of her book being published was finding an Illustrator who gets her idea. The reward of the final product was well worth it!

"Curly Top," can be purchased at her website www.houseofwalkerpublishing.com and www.lightningsource.com. Michelle plans to publish another children's book this year, "I'm Tellin Nana".

Michelle is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrators and New York Center for Independent Publishing.

Here's the inside scoop on Michelle. When she's engrossed in a project, and feels in the zone or like the most powerful story ever is about to spew itself onto blank pages. She has to take a shower! For some reason, water solidifies those words and then she's able to put it on paper. You'd have to wonder how many showers she may take in a day sometimes.

When Michelle is not in the shower, she enjoys singing, writing, reading, walking, and swimming (although I can't swim!). Here is one of Michelle's favorite books "I know why the Caged Birds Sing, Eat, Pray, and Love."

Learning the Ropes of Publishing with Author Doris Sweeney

Doris discovered what she didn't learn in grade school wouldn't discourage her from what she would learn from her journey as a writer. 

Doris's journey as a writer began as a child inspired to write, the journey continued through junior High School, and Creative Writing courses at the College Level under Lucille Clifton. 

Doris even has a few poems "created" as the "muse hit me" on napkins and other assorted kinds of papers. 

Doris's children and experiences of teaching at the elementary school inspired her to write children's books. 

As a child,  Doris wrote poetry, but wrote "Teddy", in the early 1990's and tucked him away since, there wasn't any offers of publication from "traditional" publishers. 

A few years later, Doris discovered the world of Self- Publishing and had the additional finances to pursue it. She brought "Teddy" out of hiding. The sight of "Teddy" in print for the first time, even though, it wasn't the final version, was such a rewarding part of self-publishing for Doris. 

The "reward" came with "challenges". Doris dealt with communication barriers with the publisher. It's a very long and complicated process to get published but this will not stop her from publishing again. Doris still plans to learn the ropes of publishing while also finding the time to write. 

Doris's published books are available for purchase at Xlibris Publishing www.xlibrispublishing.com; "The Life and Times of Teddy, the Bear: II (title not finalized) and "The Alliterative Alphabet" (still in the works and almost ready to be illustrated). 

Doris enjoys the following "Hobbies" in her spare time, photography, cooking, writing, and traveling. Favorite Books of Doris consist of multiple genres, "The Giving Tree," "Where the sidewalk ends," "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," "The Biology of Success," anything Seuss, and anything Sci-Fi- - especially the 2001 books. 

ALEXIS AND RALPH THE DRAGON BY AUTHOR BERNARD KOWALSKI

Hi I'm Ralph the Dragon! 

I wanted everyone to know that Dawn has finished illustrating "Alexis and Ralph the Dragon" .

There's illustrations from the Children's Book uploaded into her Art Gallery for all to view. 

www.rdchildrensbooks.com

Hi I'm Alexis a friend of Ralph the Dragon! 

Be sure to visit "Alexis and Ralph the Dragon's Book Trailer."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBOGo04TekM?

2009 LEMONADE AWARD

I have been awarded the When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade Award for this blog by Author and Publisher Joy Delgado. She is an independent children's publisher of Laughing Zebra Children's Books.  

Her blog is at http://goingbeyondreading.blogspot.com/

It is exciting to know there are readers who read, enjoy, and learn from this blog. 

In turn, I must nominate 10 blogs which I find useful and a great resource. If I nominate someone who has already been awarded the prize, it only reinforces the fact that your blog is awesome. 

I will in turn, nominate 1o blogs. Here are my picks in no particular order....

1. http://coloradowriter.blogspot.com - Writer Stephanie Blake 

2. http://inthepages.blogspot.com - Youth Services Librarian

3. http://crazy4kidsbooks.blogspot.com - Annie Galvin Teich - New Day Publishing

4. http://thehappynappybookseller.blogspot.com - Doret Bookseller

5. http://www.write4kids.com/blog/ - Jon from Children's Book Insider - Publisher

6. http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com - Abby the Librarian

7. http://professorowl.typepad.com - Writer Sylvia McGrath

8. http://www.robinfalls.com - April Robins - Writer 

9. http://kimsponaugle.blogspot.com - Kim Sponaugle - Illustrator

10. http://Kit-Grady.blogspot.com - Kit Grady - Writer, Illustrator 

Happy New Year 2009

It's a New Year already! Wow!


What should you expect from myself for the New Year? Where do I begin?
So many "Goals" but not enough time. How many of you hear yourself saying the same thing?

You don't want to set your expectations to low and you don't want to set them to high either. The key is to establish "Three Personal Goals" and "Three Business Goals". With the understanding you can always add goals as you complete them. Think of it as a "Marketing Strategy".

"Three Personal Goals"

1. Live a "Healthier Life", and help my family do the same.

2. Plan a relaxing vacation for this Summer.

3. Finish projects on the house. This is a separate list to complete but if I complete two or three things on this list it's still an accomplishment.

"Three Business Goals"

1. Increase illustration projects, from completing 6 a year to 10 a year.

2. Ready for submission, "Oh Where, Oh Where, has My Shoelaces Gone?", story-board sketches need completed and three final illustrations prior to submitting.

3. Ready for submission, "Roggie's Pet Froggie", story-board sketches need completed and three final illustrations prior to submitting.

Do you have a key word for the New Year?

I've chosen the word "Determination" which can be applied to all of the above goals.

I hope you're able to successfully accomplish your "Goals" in the "Year 2009".