The Children’s War is a blog “committed to helping young readers, parents, educators. and librarians discover well-written books that depict the ways in which war impacts the lives of young people.” This thoughtful review of The Seagoing Cowboy was posted today.
The Seagoing Cowboy travels to the author’s home town
I grew up in Milledgeville, Illinois, and the local press there, Sauk Valley Media, just ran an article about The Seagoing Cowboy yesterday. Read it here.
Heifer International blog lifts up the seagoing cowboys
Heifer International is posting a short clip from seagoing cowboy interviews every Tuesday this month. Check out this week’s post here.
All aboard! The Seagoing Cowboy launches today!
Today is the release date for my children’s picture book The Seagoing Cowboy published by Brethren Press. It’s been a long time coming, and I can’t be more excited!
Claire Ewart’s vibrant illustrations bring the story to life, and book designer Paul Stocksdale’s map illustrated with historical photos following the story adds tremendous value to the book.
I’m grateful to Brethren Press for taking on this project and to all the seagoing cowboys who have shared their stories with me. You can purchase the book here.
Claire Ewart and I will be signing books at Better World Books in Goshen, Indiana, from 6:00 to 8:00 tomorrow night, April 1 (no fooling!). I’ll have my private launch party on Saturday, then head on down to Little Rock, Arkansas, where I’ll be presenting at Heifer International as part of the Arkansas Literary Festival on Saturday, April 16. Watch my events page on this website for something near you.
Karen Kulinski and Sharon Biggs Waller launch new historical novels
It is with great pleasure that I announce the launching of my writers group friend and cohort Karen Kulinski’s RESCUING IVY. This middle grade historical novel, inspired by a true story, is the tale of a girl and the elephant she loves. Danna’s late-night visit with Ivy, the circus elephant, results in the animal being wrongly condemned to death for killing a man. When nobody believes the girl that Ivy is innocent, she sets out to save the elephant herself, teaming up with a circus boy, her older brother, and two hoboes.
Karen kicked off her launch Sunday, March 20, with a circus-themed party for which several members of our TaleBlazers writers group were present.
TaleBlazer Writers Group members celebrate the launch of RESCUING IVY. From l. to r., Peggy Reiff Miller, Peggy Archer, Katie Mitschelen, Karen Kulinski, Mary Ann Moore, Fred Longenecker. Photo courtesy of Karen Kulinski.
TaleBlazer member Sharon Biggs Waller was unable to attend, as she was in New York City promoting her newest YA novel, THE FORBIDDEN ORCHID, which she launched March 12. From the book jacket:
In England
Elodie is a dutiful daughter and sister.
At Sea
Elodie is a reckless, romantic stowaway.
In China
Elodie is a brave plant hunter.
Where does she truly belong?
Two great books by two of my great writer friends!
TeachingBooks.net provides name pronunciation guide
TeachingBooks.net is a wonderful resource for K-12 children’s literature enthusiasts. One of their offerings is an Audio Name Pronunciation Guide where over 2,000 authors pronounce and tell a bit about their names. Want to know how to pronounce Peggy Reiff Miller? Check it out here. And check out other of your favorite authors while you’re there.
Here’s how TeachingBooks.net describes themselves:
TeachingBooks.net is an easy-to-use website that adds a multimedia dimension to the reading experiences of children’s and young adult books. Our online database is developed and maintained to include thousands of resources about fiction and nonfiction books used in the K–12 environment, with every resource selected to encourage the integration of multimedia author and book materials into reading and library activities.
Brethren Press hosts reception for THE SEAGOING COWBOY
Photo credit: Church of the Brethren/Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
“The Seagoing Cowboy” author Peggy Reiff Miller (at center in the back row of the photo below) joined Brethren Press staff and two real-life seagoing cowboys and their spouses for a prerelease reception with the Church of the Brethren Mission and Ministry Board on Sunday afternoon, March 13. The two Heifer cowboys–Matt Meyer (front left) and Merle Brown (front center)–were presented with copies of the new children’s book. By happy coincidence, in 1946 they served on the same boat taking a shipment of horses to Bremen, Germany; in later years both served on the Church of the Brethren staff; and now both attend Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill.
