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Present Pile-Up – The Elf Game

Present Pile-Up – The Elf Game

It’s chaos in the North Pole. The head elf is retiring and Santa needs a new head elf to keep the presents flowing to the kids. Who will it be? Present Pile-Up is a family card game where each player tries to prove they have what it takes to be the head elf by...
Email Newsletter December 2023

Email Newsletter December 2023

It’s Christmas! I can totally relate to Elf and want to scream this every year. Whatever holidays you celebrate this year, I hope they’re magical! I love this time of year and look forward to decorating and the music and all the activities! Have some fun...
Newsletter Email October 2023

Newsletter Email October 2023

Welcome to Post-Halloween! I hope everyone read something good and scary! Just because Halloween is over, doesn’t mean you can’t read scary stories. I mean, ghost stories on Christmas Eve used to be a tradition. Stay tuned for more on that. If you’re...

Christmas Ghost Stories

There are many traditions at Christmas time. Putting up the tree. Decorating. Making Christmas cookies. There is one tradition that is no longer in favor that I’d like to bring back.. Christmas ghost stories. In the Victorian era, during the darkest days of the...

Newsletter Email – Sept 2023

I want to welcome everyone to a glorious fall! I do so love the Ohio colors during this time of year. It can be inspiring, plus we’re getting into my holiday favorites of the year – Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas! I watch scary movies, spend time...
Oddish Questors Fan Picture

Oddish Questors Fan Picture

Oddish Questor’s  Hunter by Gianna Many of you have heard me talk about my wolf, Hunter. How he’s a big, goofy, sweet boy. He is also going to be part of the upcoming Oddish Questors series.  At the recent Cuyahoga Library roundtable, I had some pictures...

Discovered Wordsmiths: Avyan Shah – Writer

I want to introduce a young writer by the nae of Avyan Shah. At the age of 8, Avyan wrote a True/False fact book about anatomy. This was part of a school project that he turned into the start of a great career. On top of that, any money he makes is donated to his...

Newsletter Email – May 2023

Hey all, I wanted to touch base with everyone in the hopes that we can meet face to face and chat sometime in the next couple months. I will be doing an author visit on Thurs May 18 at Southeast primary schools. If your kid attends, I hope to see them there. May 27th...

Imagination Inspiration: Rewriting C.S. Lewis

C.S. Lewis is a popular fantasy writer. He was a contemporary of Tolkien, but his books were more aimed at kids. I’m sure everyone has heard of “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe”. I remember reading this book when I was a kid and then read it to...

Newsletter Email – February 2023

Hello [FIRST NAME GOES HERE], Greetings once again. I wanted to shoot you a quick email to mention a writer’s festival happening this weekend. If in Northeast Ohio, Main Street Ravenna and Reed Memorial library are hosting a cool writer’s festival...

Newsletter Email – Feb 2023

Do you even remember who I am? Quick reminder – my name is Stephen and I write middle grade fantasy under the name S.A. Schneider. My first book in the Town Magician series, Embracing the Magic, has recently been re-released. You may also have some other stories...
The Halloween Tree – Ray Bradbury

The Halloween Tree – Ray Bradbury

Today’s journey will take us through history. AH! I can already hear the kids screaming. But this is the history of Halloween as written by esteemed author Ray Bradbury. You might know Bradbury from Something Wicked this Way Comes. He is well known as a sci-fi...

Winter Writer’s Festival – Ravenna, Oh

I was fortunate to be involved with the 2021 Winter Writer’s Fest in Ravenna, Oh. This year it was virtual, but we had a good time being remote. In the class I taught, I worked with kids to help spark their imaginations and help them make creative stories. We...

Riverstone Books – Pittsburgh, PA

This is a nice bookshop near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There’s a lot to like about this bookstore. The best thing is that the staff put index cards on the shelves for recommendations. That’s always nice when the people that work at the bookstore can give...
Books in Stock – Wooster, OH

Books in Stock – Wooster, OH

Home Books in Stock home page https://www.facebook.com/BooksInStock From the sidewalkLooking in through doorinside is bigger … 🙂 Books in Stock (Wooster, Oh) is one of those bookstores that you just can’t help but browse forever. They have been in downtown...

Paperback Shack – Niles, Oh

This is a nice little bookstore, and it’s in an area that doesn’t have many bookstores. I’ve been wanting to visit because the owner used to do writing classes (which she may start doing again). When I stopped, a girl was there getting her senior...

Jeff Strand

First, a bit of a warning – Jeff Strand is not a MG writer. His focus is on horror, and a lot of comedic horror. But I think his writing is ok for a lot of kids. Read on and decide for yourself. When I was 10, I started reading Stephen King, and he remains one...
Cupboardmaker Books – Enola, Pa

Cupboardmaker Books – Enola, Pa

I’ll make this easy – this is one of my all time favorite bookstores. Ever. ‘Nuff said. If you are in the Harrisburg Pennsylvania area, it is definitely worth a detour to get to this store. They have SOOOOO many books. And lots of books that I...
The Dragonlance Chronicles

The Dragonlance Chronicles

For my 16th birthday, my aunt gave me a fantasy book. She really  had no idea what I liked or what this book was about, she just knew I read a lot and that this was a new and hot book. Turns out it was one of the best birthday presents I ever got. The Dragonlance...

Prime book box

Parents, remember the days of Columbia record club? Maybe you don’t. How about Book of the month club? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, the book of the month club would send you a new book every month. You would tell them what types of books...
The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill

This is one of my all time favorite books, but it’s probably one that most people don’t know. In The Pushcart War, we journey back in time to the early 1900’s. Cities are bustling and filling with cars and trucks. Still, there are vendors selling out...
Sizzle – Lee Mclain

Sizzle – Lee Mclain

First, full disclosure – I met Lee McClain several years ago. She and another author were talking books. I didn’t know either of them were authors and jumped in with my 2 cents. 🙂 Anyway, found out she writes christian romance, which isn’t a genre I...
Call of the Wild – Jack London

Call of the Wild – Jack London

Let’s take a journey back in time, to the gold rush of the late 1800’s. Let’s go, not to warm California like you may think, but further up north. In “Call of the Wild” you’ll visit the frozen area’s around Alaska and Canada,...
Call me Scrooge

Call me Scrooge

Every year at Christmas, I try to read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Not only is it a ghost story, but it’s a great message and has a meaning that I think we all understand. The change and redemption of someone. It’s a fantastic book that lets you...
writing exercise

writing exercise

There are many ways to improve your writing. The first, and most obvious, is just to write more. With more practice you should get better. Part of that process is to get feedback from others. What we think we are writing is not always what is coming across to others....
Justice League movie – story fail

Justice League movie – story fail

Have you seen the Justice League movie? If you haven’t, it’s pretty good, you should check it out. It’s supposed to be DC’s answer to the Marvel multi-movie universe. That’s a whole different discussion and not what I want to bring up...

Dr. Time

This was a short story I submitted on Reddit for a writing prompt I found on the Reedsy writing prompts: https://reedsy.com/writing The prompt was: The doctor gave you six months. You lived through it, one year has passed. Not surprised, he then gave you one year;...
Writing with balance

Writing with balance

Many writers, including yours truly, struggle to write not just well but the bestest words. See that, I need to edit that. It’s very difficult to write out what you want to say. Sometimes you write the most perfect thing, then get disgusted when you read it...
They say we need a writing prompt, not a revolution

They say we need a writing prompt, not a revolution

When my kids were in middle school, they participated in a program called Power of the Pen. A group of them would meet once a week after school and work on writing. At the end of the year, there was a contest amongst multiple schools. During the day, the kids would be...
Ramblings like Stephen King

Ramblings like Stephen King

One of the writers I have read a lot of is Stephen King. Starting about age 10, I have read almost everything he has written. The Shining is one of my favorite books of all time. One reason for Mr. King’s popularity may be his comfortable, aw-shucks tone at...
Liza Jane Sketch

Liza Jane Sketch

This is the first sketch I have of one of my characters, Liza Jane Drawn by Maegan Schneider – https://he-mei.deviantart.com/
Manga for everyone

Manga for everyone

I recently came across something that has me completely intrigued. I was at the Cleveland Wizard World Con in the Manga/Anime area. I normally am not a manga kinda guy, but I wandered in. Looking at the one table, a young lady started to tell me what they were about...
Call me Scrooge

Reading a Christmas Carol

Every year at Christmas, I read A Christmas Carol by Dickens and also Skipping Christmas by Grisham. If you’ve never read A Christmas Carol, you should. What other ghost story do you know set at Christmas? I discovered Skipping Christmas because I really like...
First weekend writing

First weekend writing

Who wants to write? Many people have ideas for stories or want to write a novel. Most of those people never will. You probably have friends that keep saying they want to write, but they never had. Maybe you are one of those people also! I was one of those people. I...