Texas Children's Author Melissa M. Williams

February News!

2012-02-07T11:08:00.006-06:00

Happy Valentines Day!

She's finally here!

Introducing

the

Molly Doll

Just in time for Valentines Day ... Molly the Iguana has arrived to make the hearts of little girls dance!

To celebrate Molly's arrival to the shelf, we are offering FREE Shipping on all Molly Doll orders placed within the next 24 hours, so hurry! CLICK HERE to order Molly.

Creative Writing Workshops

for Kids!

Presented by Children's Author
Melissa M. Williams

Saturday March 3rd 2012

How to Create Unique Characters and a Stand Out Storyline

Students will learn specific creative writing and character development techniques used in their favorite books, movies and stories, including:

· Plot structuring for a stand out storyline

· Transitioning between story acts

· Archetype roles, critical to the development of fictional characters

· Important aspects of the conflict, climax, & character change

· Theme development, utilization of the senses, emotion & imagery

· How to connect to your audience.

(Seating is limited, register NOW!)

*** Lunch will be Provided ****

Price per Workshop: $50

Saturday, March 3rd 10:00am-3:00pm

Grade Level: 4th through 6th

Location: Hobby Lobby Classroom

16011 FM 529 Houston, TX 77095

For registration
Contact Melissa

READ3Zero's

Publishing Contest
I Write Short Stories by Kids
for Kids Vol. 3

This is a great opportunity for children who have dreamed of seeing their own story or artwork professionally published in a book. First round short story and book cover design submissions will be accepted during the months of December 2011-March 2012. Once the Finalists are announced, they will have until May 1st 2012 to resubmit their edited revisions and final copy of their short story and/or artwork for the book cover. Grand Prize Winners will be announced by September 1st 2012 on the Read3Zero Website and published in the 2012 Anthology. All winners will receive one complimentary copy of the anthology.

Calling All Authors and Artists!

This year we have 3 Categories for Entry:

Short Stories, Poems and Cover Design (Art)

Visit www.Read3Zero.com to download the entry forms.

Everything's about to change for
Iggy the Iguana!

Crazy Days of
5th Grade
The 3rd book in the
Iggy Series...

COMING THIS APRIL 2012!

Contest for 5th Graders

5th graders,
Have you ever thought about being a book reviewer? LongTale Publishing is looking for a 5th grade student to review the brand new Iggy Book, Crazy Days of 5th Grade and tell us what you think. The winner will be allowed to read the Iggy manuscript before it's published and see their book review on the back of the book!

Contest Rules:

Read one of your FAVORITE Chapter Books. Type one paragraph (no more than 4 sentences) telling us why you love the book. Please include your name, age, and title of the book at the top of the paragraph and email it to: Melissa

Please Title your Email:
5th Grade Book Review Contest

All emails must be received by March 1st.

The winner will be notified by March 8th, and they will be the first person to read Iggy's Crazy Days of 5th Grade!!!

ATTENTION 5th GRADE TEACHERS!

We would like to hear from you too! If you are interested in being a part of Iggy's 5th grade review, please contact: Melissa

The Spring 2012 Book Tour Season is Here!

School Presentations are available for K-8th grade
Book Now and Receive a Set of Iggy Books for your library.

This season your school may also book 3 hour creative writing workshops.

Visit the booking section at www.MelissaMWilliamsAuthor.com

The Students at Heath Elementary are AWESOME!

2012-01-24T09:50:00.003-06:00

I want to give a big thank you to all of the students at Heath Elementary for being such a wonderful audience and kicking off the 2012 Book Tour! One of the most important things to me as an author is my AUDIENCE ... the readers! It's important that all of us as writers consider the audience and always put ourselves in their shoes. When we do this ... being creative offers a wonderful challenge to us all, and it helps our editing techniques reach a whole new level.

REMEMBER one of the best ways to edit is to have your friend read your work back to you. This will help you remove yourself and hear what it sounds like to be in the shoes of your reader!

Once of my favorite parts of the day was getting to hear from all of you and answer some really great questions! I hope that each of you continue to write stories after talking about the many ways to find inspiration for stories and develop characters. One of the easiest ways to exercise your creative brain is to find one picture and make up a story ... just like we all did with this little guy!

When developing a story ... start with the main character and get to know him/her as best as you can. It will help you later develop a conflict and resolution revolve around your characters' fears, desires and growth while he/she changes in your story. After developing your main character, do the same for your villain, tricksters, mentor and shapeshifter too! (Check out the writings of Christopher Vogler to learn even more about these character/archetype concepts.)

Never stop writing! You will find there is something to write about every day of your life if you start the habit today.

Good luck and happy writing! I can't wait to get some of your stories for the I Write Short Stories by Kids for Kids Contest!

Now here's the fun part! If you still have questions for me that didn't get answered, please leave your questions in the comment section below, and I will answer them for you.

Melissa

The Molly Doll is HERE!!!!

2012-01-21T13:15:00.004-06:00

Just in time for Valentines Day ... Molly the Iguana has arrived to make the hearts of little girls dance!

To celebrate Molly's arrival to the shelf, we are offering FREE Shipping on all Molly Dolls until February 8th ... just in time to make the perfect Valentines Day gift for anyone! Use the paypal link below to receive free shipping on your order.

Creative Writing Workshops at Hidden Hollow Elementary

2011-09-30T09:32:00.002-05:00

Hidden Hollow Students: You ALL are AWESOME! During my school visit at Hidden Hollow in Kingwood, TX, I spent the day teaching creative writing and character development techniques to the 3rd through 5th graders in separate 1 hour sessions. The kids blew me away with their ideas and eagerness to write. I'm looking forward to getting everyone's stories for the Read3Zero Contest. The new deadlines for the 2012 contest will be up soon!

Here are some of my favorite lessons from the day! I encourage all of my Hidden Hollow Students to post your favorite part of the day in the comment section too.

WHAT IS A STORY? A Character who has a Problem and what that character does about it!

THE 3 IMPORTANT THINGS TO INCLUDE IN THE BEGINNING OF A STORY.

The Main Character
The Character's Problem
The Setting

WHAT IS THE JOB OF OUR SECONDARY CHARACTERS? To HELP out the Hero (Main Character) ... yes, even the Villain helps the main character grow and change.

Last but not least ... ONCE WE REACH THE CLIMAX OF THE STORY, WHAT DO WE KNOW IS NEXT?

THE END

A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Cleverly for organizing this years school visit! I had such a nice time working with you and the teachers. Also a big thank you goes out to Gabriella for her awesome book review!

"I liked Iggy the Iguana because I can relate to him about all of the things that happened to me on my first day of school at a new school. I felt everything Iggy did and lots of my friends have the personality of all of the Iggy characters!!! I think Iggy the Iguana should be a Everybody book NOT a chapter book!" -Gabriella

Blessings,

Melissa and Iggy and Snap Shell!

Children's Book Writing and Insight Behind the Publishing Industry

2011-09-05T17:20:00.000-05:00

Workshop for Adults

Presented by Children's Author and
Owner of LongTale Publishing
Melissa M. Williams

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO UNCOVER THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE WRITING AND PUBLISHING INDUSTRY? DON'T MISS THIS SATURDAY WORKSHOP.

COME WITH YOUR QUESTIONS!

·Insight behind the making of Children's Books

·What to know before you start writing

·Ways to Define and Reach your Audience

·Creative Writing Tips for Storyline Development

·Developing Characters that kids can relate to

·How writers turn their passion into a career

·Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Publishing

·Do Author's really need agents?

·It's more than just writing

·How to be in the Book Business

·Marketing Tips and Must Knows!

·Author School Visits

·MUST HAVE Resources

·AND MUCH MORE

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 17TH, 2011

11:00am-4:00pm

Age Level: 17 years to Adult

Pre-Registration Rate: $40

Cost at Door: $ 50

Location: Hobby Lobby Classroom

16011 FM 529 Rd, Houston, TX 77095

Seating Limited. Email for Registration Form.

Melissa@LongTalepublishing.com

Instructor's Bio:

Melissa Williams is the author to the Iggy the Iguana series and the Turtle Town series for kids, the owner of LongTale Publishing, and founded the Literacy Foundation--READ3Zero. Melissa has been writing stories since the age of eight years old. Many of her stories were inspired by real-life experiences with childhood pets she owned while growing up in Houston, Texas. Melissa's first series came out in 2008 after completing her Master's degree in professional counseling. Melissa continues to connect to her young readers by visiting schools and speaking to students about her journey while giving hands on insight into the writing and publishing process. Melissa also hosts writing workshops, summer camps, and book clubs for her readers through out the year.

Melissa has been a guest and presenter at various literacy, publisher and school organization events and featured on local Texas Stations:

Keynote speaker at the 2010 & 2011 Texas PTA Leadership Conference, Austin, TX
Guest Speaker at the PBS Ch. 8 Houston Kids Go Writing Awards Ceremony, Houston, TX
Guest Speaker at the Independent Book Publishers Associations Conference, New York
Guest Speaker at the Barnes and Noble's Educator's Appreciation Brunch in Houston, TX
Interview on Houston, TX Channel 2 News
Guest interview on CNN 650 Radio, Houston, TX
Guest interview on KPVU 91.3 FM Public Radio, College Station, TX
Guest at the Texas Book Festival, Austin, TX
Guest to the Houston R.E.A.D. Festival, Houston, TX
Guest to the Conroe, Texas Junior League Literacy Event
Guest author at the Kemah Kids Festival, Kemah, TX
Guest author at the Texas Library Association Annual Conference
Guest author at the John Cooper Event, Woodlands, TX
Guest Speaker at the Denton, Texas' 2009 Literacy Conference

Ten Thousand Words In

2011-07-26T09:23:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite parts about writing books is the concept of start and finish. I love getting started, and finishing has its ultimate perks, naturally.

So, the third book in the Iggy series is underway with a first draft goal date of September 1st. After releasing the first book in Turtle Town, it has been refreshing to get back to those original characters and tie in old with the new. Summer has always been my writing time, and this summer has been no different, even though I got a late start. There is so much excitement that revolves around this job, yet at the end of the day, I forget how much I truly love to write. Just write. The summertime never fails to remind me. Yes, I love the research and experiences the stories at times force me to do, but still raw creativity is an ultimate euphoria. My hope is that children get back to the basics of creativity. It's so much better than the standardized and mechanical off and on switches of today's society. The word "bored" should be wiped from childhood ... really!

The goal for the next book is to lightheartedly play around the stigmas of school and childhood in an all accepting way. Diversity can come into play in so many fashions in children's writing, and often you see the author's veiw point and beliefs through character interaction or narrator talk. I laughed to myself when reading a section of Rick Riordan's 4th installment in the Percy Jackson Series when he used a Sphinx character who was obsessed with standardized tests, and the young female character in the book, Annabeth, asked why the questions were so standardized when they were supposed to be challenging riddles, not memorization type questions. The young character argued that it was insulting she didn't get to use her brain anymore, and the Sphinx argues she needs her grading machine to grade for her. Hmmm. Wonder where that idea came from? Reality. Let's just say, Iggy and characters will be going through something that parallels this subject matter.

Until next time! I wish you all happy writing this summer!

Melissa

Summer Fun!

2011-07-07T21:18:00.003-05:00

This Summer has been a BLAST with all of the exciting events that have taken place! The school year ended with another amazing California Book Tour! Thank you to all of the schools in San Diego and Sacramento for an exciting time!

As always my schools went above and beyond to make me feel welcome and at home in California!

A big thank you goes out to Sub Sea Systems for being such a huge support to the Turtle Town Series! It was such a treat to not only spend one of my school visits in Sacramento with Hannah Mayfield from Sub Sea Systems (The Home to the Trekker Character) but also with my graphic designer Monica Thomas!

I want to thank all of my June summer camp kids for working so hard and sharing your creative spirit with me and Ryan Shaw our illustrator.

I was so impressed with your ideas as we developed not only a stand out main character, but multiple other characters to help our hero move along in his journey.

I would also like to thank everyone who came out to the Inner Puka Book Release Party at Barnes and Noble. We had such an excellent time getting to meet the readers and see many familiar faces!

Many visitors entered our hourly drawings and contests!

One of my favorite parts of the day was the Character Reading with my Turtle Town Character Development group!!!

Thank you to everyone who made this day so special for me. Nothing is more inspiring than getting to hang out with your readers for a day!

The Texas PTA Annual Summer Leadership Conference

2011-07-05T20:31:00.003-05:00

Parents and Teachers!
It's that time of year again! The Texas PTA will be holding the annual Summer Leadership Conference at the Austin Convention Center this weekend. I'm honored to be a part of this organization's schedule again this year. I invite all of you to join me on Saturday July 9th from 4:00pm to 5:30pm in Room 12-B for our speaking topic:

Inspiring a Child’s Love of Literacy
Venture into the world of creativity by expanding your
reading and writing inspiration kit, while encouraging
a child’s self-esteem through a love for literacy, creativity
and learning. Discover opportunities for children
to become published authors by the READ3Zero
Literacy Foundation for Kids.

Books will be available at the book store, including the newly released Turtle Town: The Inner Puka chapter book! I will be at the book store on Friday evening from 6pm to 8pm for a signing.

I hope to see all of you there!

Melissa

The Official Turtle Town Book Release Party is THIS SATURDAY!

2011-06-23T16:25:00.000-05:00

The NEW Turtle Town Series:

The Inner Puka

by Melissa M. Williams

Come to Barnes and Noble-Copperfield THIS Saturday June 25th as we celebrate the Release of THE INNER PUKA all Day from 11am-3pm!

7026 Hwy 6 North
Houston, TX 77095
(281) 861-6842

What will you get if you visit Children's Author Melissa M. Williams at Barnes and Noble???

A Free Turtle Town Poster
Turtle Town Bookmarks
Turtle Town Stickers
Enter to win a Stuffed Snap Shell
Enter to win a spot in Melissa's Creative Writing Summer Camp
Enter the Turtle Town Coloring and Illustration Contest: Winner's drawing will be posted on the Turtle Town Website www.TurtleTownBooks.com
AND Get your copy of The Inner Puka Autographed by the Author

The Inner Puka is available for purchae online at Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and TurtleTownBooks.com

Release date: June 25, 2011

The first book in the Turtle Town Series, The Inner Puka, is about Snap Shell, a box-shell turtle from Texas, who must find his place among a society of surfing sea turtles along California's southern coast.

Snap Shell, the box shell turtle we all loved from the Iggy the Iguana series, has waited his whole life to follow his dream of becoming a real surfer. When his father is transferred to California, Snap gets the chance to embrace the much sought after waves of the West Coast. He faces many challenges, due to his physical differences from the other sea turtles. Good thing he brought his trusty blue flippers! On Snap's journey of becoming the only surfing box shell on the beach, he discovers long hidden secrets that will have the power to either destroy him or truly help him find the inner puka of his soul.

Genre - Juvenile Fiction

ISBN: 978-0-9818054-6-7

Page Count: 240

List Price: $12.99

Reading Level: 8-12

Available at: Ingram

AND BARNES AND NOBLE NOW!

The Making of a New Children's Series "The Arrival"

2011-05-13T16:40:00.000-05:00

It's the scariest and most exciting time for any author ... The Day You Open Up Your First Box of New Books! You pray that everything turned out alright at the printer. Well, we are happy to say that Turtle Town: The Inner Puka couldn't look better ... thanks to the design team at TLC Graphics. I'm so excited to share this new series! Turtle Town is NOW available to order!

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

The Making of a New Children's Series "Going to Print"

2011-04-17T22:32:00.001-05:00

It's the letting go ... the follow through ... the completion of a brain child that is one of the most satisfying and trivial experiences for an author. When you are involved in all aspects of a book project from the start of a mere idea to building a creation with a team, you literally witness the first artistic stage of gestation to the release of your brain child off to college.

As you wait for your book to come off the printer and make a place for itself in the world, a few things start to happen. You plan for its successful future while at the same time you become troubled to the thought that you are not raising, producing and nurturing a project. After two full years of parenting it, it stands alone. So, naturally the circle of life continues. You must create!

The first book in the Turtle Town Series called The Inner Puka is in production and will be making it's public appearance this May. I can't believe the time is finally here. The story, design and research have literally come full circle. As this book finds it's place on the shelf, I thank everyone who was involved in it's life ... and look forward to a new season of writing.


Cover Design by Monica of TLC Graphics and Illustrations by Kelley Stengele

THE 3rd ANNUAL CREATIVE WRITING & ILLUSTRATION SUMMER CAMP for KIDS

2011-04-08T11:58:00.000-05:00

Hosted by the Author of the Iggy the Iguana and Turtle Town Chapter Book Series

MELISSA M. WILLIAMS

With guest Illustrator RYAN SHAW

5 Day Creative Writing and Illustration Workshop

Students will learn how to think outside the box and create unique characters with interesting stories. The author, Melissa Williams, will discuss the way she used her own experiences with her pets to create the fictional characters in Iggy the Iguana and Turtle Town series while teaching the use of archetypes, conflict resolution, and original storyline development tactics. Students will learn how to bring their own ideas to life through words and illustrations as professional illustrator, Ryan Shaw, explains the process of connecting to the author’s characters with art. During the week, the students will have the opportunity to use their newly learned skills to come up with their own character and develop a unique short story that will be eligible for publication in the “I Write Short Stories by Kids for Kids” Contest.

The 5 Day Workshop Includes:
-Creative Writing Instruction with a published author and illustrator
-Insight into the publishing process from a professional publisher
-Short Story Bound Project and take home curriculum packet
-Daily Prizes and a Camp T-shirt
-Daily Lunch and Awards Celebration

SCHEDULE AND INFORMATION:

Location: Hobby Lobby, 16011 FM 529 Rd, Houston, TX 77095

June 20^th to 24^th 2011 (5^th to 8^th graders)

July 11^1h to 15^th 2011 (2^nd-4^th graders)

Time: 9:30am to 1:00pm

Price: $300 Hurry, only 12 spots available!!!!

Encourage your child’s love for Literacy, Creativity, & Learning this summer!

Email to Register

Or Download forms at Scribd

www.iggytheiguana.com

Creative Writing Workshop for Kids Saturday, March 26th

2011-03-02T17:02:00.001-06:00

Presented by

Melissa M. Williams, Children’s Author

How to Create Unique Characters and a Stand Out Storyline

Students will learn specific creative writing and character development techniques used in their favorite books, movies and stories, including:

· Plot structuring for a stand out storyline

· Transitioning between story acts

· Archetype roles, critical to the development of fictional characters

· Important aspects of the conflict, climax, & character change

· Theme development, utilization of the senses, emotion & imagery

· How to connect to your audience.

Students will have the opportunity to use their newly learned skills to come up with their own character and develop a unique short story that will be eligible for publication in the “I Write Short Stories by Kids for Kids” Contest.

Email: Melissa or 713-724-6372

to register or to ask questions.

Spaces are limited

CLASS SCHEDULE

Select one of the 3 hour workshops - Price: $30

9:30am - 12:30pm

Grade Level: 2^nd 3^rd 4^th

- OR -

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Grade Level: 4^th 5^th 6^th

** (4^th grade may select either session)

Location: Allen Hilton Garden Inn 705 Central Expressway Allen, Texas, 75013

All materials will be furnished - a writing packet and folder will be provided for students to take home!

Check out the author’s websites:

www.iggytheiguana.com and www.MelissaMwilliamsAuthor.com

The Turtle Town Book Club

2011-02-19T14:06:00.002-06:00

with Children’s Author Melissa M. Williams

One Month this Summer!

Houston Area

· Reading Comprehension Skills

· Question/Discussion Time each week

· Behind the scenes California research discussions with the author

· Learn the components of symbolism and character development each week

ALL PARTICIPANTS receive the first book in the
TURTLE TOWN SERIES with Registration

EMAIL FOR DETAILS

The Making of a New Children's Series "The Who's and What's"

2011-02-07T20:11:00.007-06:00

Over time, as my publishing company has grown, LongTale Publishing has had the opportunity to work with many different people with all kinds of titles. I find in conversations, that so many people do not realize how many are involved in the process in order for a book to become a success. From authors, to publicists, to line editors, to website designers, and all the way to the connections you make with book store managers, there is never a dull moment to say the least.

I have been a part of many brainstorm groups, and the one problem is when many creative people get in a room, you get millions of ideas. Why is this a problem? Well with all of those wonderful ideas, you must have just as many plans and people to execute those visions. This is why everyone's job is so important, but at times you may see some jobs overlap. At least at LongTale Publishing they do.

Let's begin with all of the people who work under the publishing umbrella.

The Publisher: The head decision maker who has a direct relationship with all of the following people:

The Author: The Writer of the Story

Senior Editor: The lead person who reads and critiques the entire story, looking for holes in the storyline, a weak theme, character development, and overall correctness. The senior editor and author work hand in hand to make the story appropriate for the desired audience. The senior editor can also be credited for taking the next step to to push a book to become a best seller. The senior editor sits right under the publisher.

Line Editor: There are many different names for other kinds of editors and additional editors at a publishing house. Line Editors look for mistakes in the story's wording, punctuation, typos, inconsistency in word choice, etc. Sometimes the senior editor ends up doing all of the editing though.

The Illustrator: The Artist who draws pictures for the interior and cover of the book

The Graphic Designer: The artist who cuts, cleans, manipulates, creates, researches, adjusts, and finalizes all art work through a scanner and onto the computer using programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign for books.

The Interior Designer and Copy Editor: These are the people who layout the entire interior of the book into the proper page arrangements that will later be sent to the printer. The Indesign program and others are specifically made for creating professional book layouts. The copy editor must make sure all of the words in the book are just right. They check for alignment and mistakes. Both of these job titles check for the pictures lining up with the story and create a consistent look inside the book.

Marketing and PR Relations: These individuals work as publicists, marketing managers, and public relations coordinators. They not only market the book on behalf of the publishing company, but they predict the market and targets. They put together a marketing plan with the publisher for the author's upcoming year. The publisher also works with this group in order to set up book signings and bookings for speaking events.

Other Relationships: Print houses, distribution channels for book stores, libraries, book fairs, and gift shops, CRM (Community Relationship Managers) of book stores, online retailers, education channels of teachers and librarians, school districts, superintendents, principals, product designers, etc.

Intellectual Properties Lawyer: This type of law is either necessary to research yourself or hire a specialized lawyer who can deal with trademarks, copyrights, registrations, business issues, tax advice, and so much more.

Accountants and CPA's: Are a must!

Assistants and Interns: All of the titles above can come with an assistant and/or intern. These two important jobs make life at the publishing house so much better! If you are interested in any of the above jobs, look for assistant and intern positions for the best experience the business can offer.

Agents, Reviewers, Readers, Kid Critique Groups, etc. Did I miss any? YES! But I'll stop there for now. I would like to add a special thank you to the group of individuals who have put so much time this past month into the Turtle Town project. Kelley Stengele, Illustrator, Bobby Ozuna, Senior Editor, Monica Thomas, Cover Graphics, Sharon Wyatt, Interior Designer and Copy Editor, and Michele Williams, Line Editor.

DON'T FORGET to register for the 2 Part Series: The Children's Writing and Publishing Industry Lecture this February 15th and 17th from 6pm to 9pm at the Lone Star College Library on Barker Cypress in Houston. Click Here for a registration form.

Now it's time for the fun part. I was able to meet with my illustrator, Kelley Stengele, while I was in New York last week, and I would like to make the official announcement .... DRUM ROLL ....

We will both start working on the Molly Picture Book Series for girls ages 4-6 this year! We are so excited to work together on a picture book! You know what that means ... the Molly Doll is next!

You can continue to give your thoughts about the Turtle Town Cover as we continue to build and change it with the team at TLC Graphics. Your ideas may just be used on the cover. Can you tell me what's different about these two covers? The first person to guess on the comment page will win a free Snap Shell Stuffed Animal!

See you next week when we break down the major changes in the editing process of Turtle Town.

The Making of a New Children's Series "Knowing the Industry"

2011-01-31T19:09:00.004-06:00

What a week! I've been in New York (during the storms) for the past 7 days for school visits and the SCBWI Conference. (The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) I have always been a big advocate for the conference and seminar experience, probably because I really love to learn! Direct information and teaching from top experts, authors, publishers, and industry people in what ever industry you are in is such a steal. You might as well get this insider information to keep you from wasting precious time and making unnecessary mistakes. I believe that we learn greatly and the most from our mistakes, however, there is no reason to make more mistakes than spending time being proactive to create success.

I would like to list some of the major things I took away from the conference, not from my notes, but off the top of my head. I'm a note taker, but I'm trying to reconnect my long term memory synapses.

1. YES, you need an agent. If you are submitting to one of the top dog publishers, like the Penguin Group, Harper Collins, Scholastic, etc. the chances of your work getting attention are as likely as a record label signing the next big singer. You basically need that middle man to get in the door and negotiate legal contracts. Think of the publishing industry like the music industry. Large Labels and Small Labels. Large Houses and Small Local Houses. Of course it is easier to get picked up by a smaller local house, but much of your success will solely depend on your marketing experience and energy to get out there. To find the right agent, check out the acknowledgment page in the back of books like your own. Authors usually thank their agents, and that is the first place to go to start researching agents. You can also go to online market sites for agents as well.

2. GET OFF the Facebook and Twitter obsessed wagon. If you are a writer, the best thing you can do for yourself is to write. Yes, online marketing is 100% necessary, but people who market on their computers all day are creating the habit of NOT perfecting their craft, getting in front of people, having more experiences, and learning what else works. Nothing is more memorable than "in person." You will never create the true word of mouth phenomenon if you aren't creating "real relationships." There is a reason why I hate taking online classes and much rather see the professor and be around others. I get more and remember the experience.Yes, time is everything, but so is choice.

3. VOICE is the number one thing editors look for when signing publishing contracts. Develop a unique and original voice through your flow of word choice and character building. Voice takes practice and a lot of re-writes.

4. There is a right and wrong way to do humor. Intentional humor doesn't work. Humor is used to help bring a light feel to a usually awkward or hard situation. Humor and laughter makes a book worth reading.

5. Have a HOOK! You should be able to sell your story idea in 20 seconds. Know your story and know why someone else should read it. Why will your story satisfy your audience?

If you would like to get more insider experience register for my 2 day workshop for adults on February 15th and 17th. Click Here for a Registration Form.

Okay everyone, I promised to unveil some of the cover ideas from the very first creation of the Turtle Town: The Inner Puka cover. These ideas came from the second rough draft of a second cover design collaboration and we have many more to choose from, but I would love to get your initial reactions. This process has taken a team of 5 people. The Publisher, Author (only because it's me; usually the author is not involved), Illustrator who draws the actually images, Graphic Cover Designer who puts the entire cover together and she collaborates with others on her team and the Publisher. The publisher makes the end decision with the help of industry professionals' advice. Our cover ideas have been going through continual changes and complete re-dos for the past 8 months. Let us know which one you like the best and why. A, B, or C??? Your ideas may get picked!

Please leave your comments below. I would love to hear from you and your children!

The Making of a New Children's Series "Editing Everything!"

2011-01-24T21:40:00.010-06:00

The process of writing and producing a book takes not only future planning, but patience and present moment thinking. There is never a day that goes by where I don't feel like I'm running behind. From making sure I haven't missed important deadlines in the time line of getting a book ready for publication, (Library PCN's, ISBN's, Barcodes, Copyrights, Website updates, Endorsements ...) to pre-marketing, working with everyone in art and graphics, planning sales and tours and book launches, but at the end of the day you have to take a deep breath and remember it will all get done, you'll be stressed, but it's that stress in the moment that makes it exciting and worth it.

Some of my favorite support systems that keep me going are emails from children asking about the next book. The emails at times can be blunt: "How much longer? I've been waiting forever! How long does it take to write a book?" I find the honesty refreshing and humorous at times, but I remind the kids of the publishing process and an author must edit and re-edit just like they have to in their own classroom. The kids definitely push me to keep it moving, but also show me why I'm doing it all in the first place.

So today's moral is, we must be patient with ourselves as writers. We work at our craft, just like we work on ourselves. It's funny, love/hate feeling during the editing phases of publication. You feel like you have finished something because the story is complete, yet it is so far from finished. You watch the story come to life as if it were on it's own internal journey, as you yourself are while embracing each change and letting go and moving to the next phase. Helpers come in and out, guiding you, and at times consoling you through blocked moments. Right now, while the story edits continue, I check in with my illustrator, Kelley Stengele on the interior illustrations. She sends me a few sketches for approval and then works on her own edits to get the final copy. Here's one of my favorite before and afters by Kelley!

You may recognize the Sea Trek Helmet from tonight's episode of the Bachelor reality show. The Sub Sea System's company's mascot is called Trekker the Lizard. The owner of the company asked if I would be interested in doing a licensing agreement and put their character in my next book. Well, ironically the Sea Trek company is based in California, so it made perfect sense to put Trekker in the Turtle Town book. This my friends is just another way two businesses market for each other. I reach the California Market while Sub Sea Systems brings in more children with their awesome underwater adventures and discovery lessons and a children's book with Trekker on the first page to top it off. It's imperative in this day and age everything you do have some type of marketability behind it. It's one way you disperse your gift into the world, what ever that may be.

Be sure to check in next week to see the very first revealing of the Turtle Town pre-cover. You can cast in your votes to choose the official cover in the weeks to come. I'm off to New York for the Annual Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrator's Conference to get a taste at the new industry talk and get some critiques from editors and agents on the big side of publishing. Wish me luck in the cold!

Keep on Writing!
Melissa M. Williams

The Making of a New Children's Series "In the Beginning"

2011-01-17T20:25:00.005-06:00

Everything starts with an idea in the beginning. Visionaries are known for having continual ideas flowing through their head. So much that at times the ideas become personified warriors fighting with one another making it hard to find a place to start. As we all know, with out a start their is no finish. The best advice I can give to fellow creatives is to loose the fear and need for perfection and move on. Start with the first idea and watch it create itself into something the mere 8 percent of your usable brain power would have never fathomed to recognize. That is the euphoric spirit in the art of all creatives.

The idea for my new series was actually an easy steal from my old series. I became aware to the fact that my readers and audience really liked my main character, Iggy's best friend, Snap Shell ... the wanna be surfer dude box shell turtle from Texas. The more and more I wrote the Iggy Series, the more and more I filed away ideas for Snap's own series. Due to the foundational character development I was able to prepare for Snap and grow during the writing of Iggy the Iguana, he became a character who had a story all of his own and needed a venue to tell it.

Now, I have to admit there is a fine balance between being a creative driven worker and the necessary skills of being on the business side of the literary world as well. My publisher's brain was telling me, "Melissa, your 3rd and 4th grade readers are growing up and they may not want to read the Iggy the Iguana series by the time they reach 6th grade, you have to keep them and give them what they want ... they need a more sophisticated, deeper, cooler, and longer chapter book series." Turtle Town was born.

During the inner collaborative process of developing the Turtle Town story, I realized I knew nothing about the background subject matter the book was to present. Yes the themes were ready to go, acceptance, gossip, clicks, and trying to find yourself during adolescence, but not the reality behind the location I was committing myself to ... Southern California. So, what did I do? I moved.

Seeing that I had a prior series to get my foot in the door with the San Diego school systems, I started doing author school visits for my Iggy Series with the California kids. The experience was exactly what I was looking for as I allowed the children to be a part of my project. They were eager to tell me all about what they do in California. My weekends were spent writing at the beach, going to surf competitions, hanging out with the Turtle and Tortoise Society, visiting all the major surf breaks along the coast, taking pictures, notes, and writing down lingo and conversation I heard along the way. With out that aspect to my writing journey, Snap Shell would have never become a real life surfer dude.

Today my 40,000 word manuscript is complete and in the editing and story critique stages. My book coach Bobby Ozuna is busy working the story into a creature of more depth and dimension, something I as the author have allowed another expert to take over while I continue my work as a publisher preparing for the next stages. To read up on the process and see pictures of what my book coach does to my rough manuscript, click the picture below to view Turtle Town's polishing and fine tuning done by the pro.

Bobby has given me many ideas along the way as he has come to know my story well. For instance, I had an idea for the title to my second book in the Turtle Town series, but couldn't put my finger on the first title. After discussing the essences of the story, Bobby suggested the story re-focus on my deeper meanings and the title for book one was born: The Inner Puka. It was perfect and brilliant. I may have never thought of it myself. That's what you call, Double Inspiration!

As a publisher I must work with many people in the art department of LongTale Publishing. My illustrator, Kelley Stengele is busy at work, working all the inner illustrations and waiting on my signal to finish that last bit of character illustrations for the cover while I collaborate with a group of experts to discover the perfect cover ideas, but I don't want to give too much of that away right now. Much of creating a book is about trial and error and trying on new looks with words and images. It is absolutely beautiful when it all comes together.

So that's all for now. Be sure to check out the blog next Monday for further detail into the creation process and to be the first to hear about the new changes to the story. I am so thankful for all of the wonderful people I work with ... it takes more than one person to make a book series, and that's where I will end today!

See you next week!

Melissa M Williams

The Making of a New Children's Series Part 1

2011-01-10T00:09:00.000-06:00

It's been awhile since I have taken time to speak out to my readers and fellow writers, so with the new year and a few new projects under my 2011 belt, I felt the need to let you all in on the process of creating and publishing stories that have now become second nature and to an extent, routine. Even so, the industry is constantly changing and with each new year, I learn so much through the ongoing experiences.

I am excited to say, that I will now be opening up a new door in my teaching arena for the ADULTS! I have spent many years focusing on teaching children the behind the scenes aspects to being a writer and publisher, but after a few years of adult coffee consultations, I really felt the need to start adult seminars.

With a new teaching adventure and audience, I will be starting a weekly blog series called, The Making of a New Children's Series. In this weekly writing, I will reveal some of the important lessons I have learned after starting my first series, Iggy the Iguana, and later working in the literary world as the President of Read3Zero and Owner of LongTale Publishing.

The process of writing a story is just as remarkable as the process of finding oneself. Each year we discover a little more of who we are and what we believe and want to leave in life. Developing characters, building relationships, and admitting your strengths and weaknesses, not only open your eyes to getting to know this industry but interesting insight also shows itself through the lives of characters who have become so real to you, you swear they were alive and some of your closest friends. I still laugh when telling some of my readers what little Molly did once she realized she would no longer be the youngest after her mom layed an egg. Or that Iggy's new teacher, Mr. Gruff the Goat gets caught eating his homework. Get it, goats eat paper and cans??? Okay, so you get my point.

Writers love their characters ... they empathize with them, get annoyed with them, allow them to grow and change and will do anything for them, just as a dedicated reader would do. It makes sense the narcissist tendencies authors have to love their characters so much, when really they are only looking into a mirror-like reflection within their waters. Don't we all make our characters change in the same fashion we change through life? It's why we feel a universal connection to stories and films.

I will introduce you to what it has been like to start an idea from childhood and to be fixated on a vision to later see it into fruition. Now that vision has naturally sparked another and created the stepping stone to the next. I am eager to see where my new series will take me, as it has already engaged a very hectic travel schedule this past year. The journey is the greatest gift as we look back, for the story would have never been started nor finished without the journey.

The best part about the journey is the people you meet along the way. Those people change you the most, and of course they change your writing by increasing it's depth, filing in the gaps, making it real, and for the most part turning it into a living and breathing masterpiece. Over the time I have taken to research, write, design, and re-develop Turtle Town with my personal writing coach, I had to allow people into the life of the story in order for it to grow. I had to get out of my comfort zone, had that been a different city, a different type of interview, letting go of a safe writing style and letting go of my control to allow other experts to guide my story into something more powerful than just a children book series. I will continue to share the important and trusted people I've met along the way and have allowed into my tight circle of creative visions.

For now I would like to welcome you to my behind the scenes tale of the making of Turtle Town, a spin off trilogy to Iggy the Iguana. The story is deeper, the words more powerful, the read is longer, and the symbolism is more meaningful. I hope to reach a wider range of audience in this new series, but as authors we all know we must always have a target. The Turtle Town Books are written for the 8 to 12 year old, but I hope that the story resonates well with older and younger alike. And for those who are wondering, the third book in the Iggy Series is already in the works, because each time I write a story on paper, I am writing the next story in my head. Enjoy! I would love to hear your thoughts.

Adult Workshops

2011-01-06T19:06:00.000-06:00

2 Part Series

Children's Book Writing and Insight Behind the Publishing Industry

Workshops for Adults

Presented by Children's Author

Melissa M. Williams

HAVE YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO UNCOVER THE MYSTERY BEHIND THE WRITING AND PUBLISHING INDUSTRY? DON’T MISS THIS 2 PART SERIES. COME WITH YOUR QUESTIONS!

• Insight behind the making of Children's Books

• What to know before you start writing

• Ways to Define and Reach your Audience

• Creative Writing Tips for Storyline Development

• Developing Characters that kids can relate to

• How writers turn their passion into a career

• Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Publishing

• Do Author’s really need agents?

• It's more than just writing

• How to be in the Book Business

• Marketing Tips and Must Knows!

• Author School Visits

• MUST HAVE Resources

• AND MUCH MORE

Tuesday & Thursday Feb. 15th and 17th

6:00pm-9:00pm

Age Level: 17 years to Adult

Location: Cy-Fair Library/Lonestar College Room LRNC131

9191 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress, TX

Seating Limited. Email for Registration Form.

Rate for both nights: $50

(Seating is limited, register NOW!)

Please Email Melissa for a Registration Form.

Creative Writing Workshop in Houston

2010-12-28T00:06:00.000-06:00

Parents! We only have one spot left in the Character Development and Creative Writing Workshop for 2nd-4th graders on Saturday January 8th! Please contact me if you would like to grab this spot. Details are below. Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Character Development and Creative Writing Workshop for Kids!

Learn specific character development techniques used in your favorite books, movies, and stories! Students will learn basic Character Roles critical to the development of fictional characters and how to place them in an original storyline. Heroes, Mentors, Villains, Heralds, and Threshold Guardians, all have a special role while helping move memorable stories from one act to the next.

Learn the fundamental Story Layout: the 3 Act Story Line and transitions between story acts, including character trials, story climax, and character change. These skills can all be used in and out of the classroom.

(Seating is limited, email Melissa for Registration)

NEXT CLASS

*** Lunch will be Provided **** Price per Workshop: $50 ***

Saturday January 8^th 11:00am-4:00pm

Grade Level: 2^nd-4^th

Location: Cy-Fair Library/Lonestar College Room LCNR131

9191 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress, TX

Forget the Labels ... It's all About Encouragement

2010-12-18T16:40:00.001-06:00

“The Key to Success”

Diagnosing certain learning or behavior disorders can be necessary at times, and coming from the mental health field and school of study, I’ve see it happen more often than not these days. I too as a child had major problems with reading comprehension, focus, and memory. Back then we didn’t get treated for Attention Deficit Disorder or you would rarely find a child diagnosed with Dyslexia, etc. My parents and teachers noticed that I was struggling and both spent extra time studying with me. My mom went above and beyond to research different ways that children learn. We do not all learn nor test the exact same “cookie cutter” or standard way. Even though I later went on to be a straight A student, I never received more than average on standardized tests, in grade school and after college, for my GRE to get into graduate school.

I was never treated for a learning disorder. I was never told I was slow or stupid. I was only encouraged to do my best. The common thread through out my entire life was encouragement to be and do anything. I always felt smart, despite the fact I was having trouble in elementary school. Without that encouragement at a young age, I believe to this day that I would have suffered from low self-esteem in school. I highly credit my parents’ actions when asked where my support came from in following through with my accomplished goals, including: finishing college and my master’s counseling program with honors, becoming involved with learning societies, starting a publishing company at age twenty-five and finishing my first children’s chapter book manuscript to later start a literacy foundation and teach children the skills of reading, writing, and comprehension. My question to myself is this: Would I have done these things if I were labeled with a learning disability? It’s hard to say, since that was the past, but I often wonder. Due to the fact that I am just as sensitive as independent, my sensitivity may have gotten the better of me back then.

The reality of the situation in every classroom is a handful of students will become diagnosed with the intent to ultimately help. However, we must remain sensitive to each individual case. It saddens me when I teach a child who has the imagination of a genius, the voice of a little actor, and the artistic skills of a professional cartoonist at age ten, yet when we begin reading or writing, he or she shuts down or becomes irritable because they “think they are stupid.” If you are a teacher or parent who has experienced this with your children, it truly breaks your heart. I often tell my students, if we were all the same wouldn’t this be a boring world? It goes the same for learning and later career specialties. If we looked at the differences toward learning styles in a positive way, we could turn low production into over-achievement. The first step is working together with encouragement as the foundation.

Remember some of the most brilliant names in literature, history, psychology, and Hollywood became who they are today because they were different. Those energies that were once looked down upon were channeled into a talent. You may find that your child who is having difficulties in school will become the most passionate and talented of his or her peers. You have this to look forward to. Passion for individuality and creativity is often a direct result if given a little encouragement to be true to yourself.

I say these things not to look down on the realm of mental health, for I have been on both sides of the system. The part that we all must play today as mentors to our youth is to encourage children to be true to themselves and not feel like they have to be like everyone else. The conflicts that arise in all of our lives often have the opportunity to grow us and shape us for the better, not the worse.
I would like to thank those teachers who have changed the lives of students because you have believed in these concepts. I hear your stories shared by parents and children, and you who go above the standardized school curriculum with positive energy are truly a blessing to this world.

Creative Writing Workshops and Publishing Opportunitites for Kids

2010-12-07T21:48:00.000-06:00

December News

Workshops for Kids (Houston)

The Creative Writing and Character Development Workshop

Saturday January 8^th 11:00am-4:00pm

Grade Level: 2^nd-4^th

Location: Cy-Fair Library/Lonestar College Room LCNR131

9191 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress, TX

The Art of Writing Fiction and

the Insight Behind the Publishing Industry

Saturday January 22^nd 11:00am-4:00pm

Grade Level: 5^th-9th

Location: Cy-Fair Library/Lonestar College Room LRNC215

9191 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress, TX

*** Lunch will be Provided **** Price per Workshop: $50 ***

Email Melissa for a Registration Form and more information on each workshop.
Melissa@LongTalePublishing.com

Workshops for Adults (Houston)

2 Part Series

Children's Book Writing and Insight Behind the Publishing Industry

Insight behind the making of Children's Books
What to know before you start writing
Ways to Define and Reach your Audience
Creative Writing Tips for Storyline Development
Developing Characters that kids can relate to
How writers turn their passion into a career
It's more than just writing
How to be in the Book Business
Marketing Tips and Must Knows!
Author School Visits
AND MUCH MORE

Tuesday & Thursday Feb. 15th and 17th

6:00pm-9:00pm

Age Level: 17 years to Adult

Location: Cy-Fair Library/Lonestar College Room LRNC131

9191 Barker Cypress Road, Cypress, TX

Seating Limited. Email for Registration Form.

Rate for both nights: $50

Melissa@LongTalePublishing.com

Short Story and Poetry Publishing Contest for Kids

Read3Zero is now taking submissions for short stories, artwork, and poetry for the 2011 I Write Short Stories by Kids for Kids Anthology.

Visit the "I Write" Link and the
"I Write-Poetry" Link at www.Read3Zero.com for rules and entry requirements to be a part of the next I Write Book, published by LongTale Publishing.

Read3Zero will be taking submission through the end of March 2011.

Check out the Book Signing event from the 2010 Publication below!

Read3Zero's 2010 Book Signing

Congratulations to our 45 published Authors and Illustrators! We had an amazing time at the book signing held in Houston for our young talent! Thank you to all of our sponsors and everyone who helped out to make this event so special!

The day started off with a reading from each of our authors and an art work display by each of our illustrators.

It was an honor to have everyone sign the I Write Poster, which will be displayed in our Read3Zero office!

There was never a dull moment during the massive book signing as everyone got a real taste of what it's like to sign hundreds of books in an hour!

EVERYONE was eager to get their books signed by our famous authors and illustrators!

Many of our authors personalized their autographs to family and friends ... and Press!

Many of our illustrators brought their original artwork illustration to share at the event!

What a turnout!

Thank you for sharing your talent with us at Read3Zero! We are so proud of all of you!

Iggy is excited for the Holidays! Check out his special deal at the bottom.

Author School Visits
Spring Book Tour

Melissa Williams will be in your area during the following months for author school visits. Book your school today!!!

HOUSTON,TX

-Jan 6th-24th

-March 28th-31st

-April 18th-29th

NEW YORK CITY

BROOKLYN, NY
-Jan 26th-31st

AUSTIN,TX

-Feb 9th-12th

-March 7th-10th

DFW, TX

-Feb 22nd-March 5th

-May 2nd-4th

SAN ANTONIO, TX

-March 8th-12th

NASHVILLE,TN

-April 4th-11th

SAN DIEGO, CA

-May-6th-June 2nd

TURTLE TOWN

Coming this March!

If you liked the Iggy the Iguana Series then get ready for, Turtle Town, the spin off chapter book series to Iggy the Iguana, staring Iggy's best friend, Snap Shell, the Texas Box Shell Tortoise! Snap's dream is to become a West Coast surfer dude, but he has one problem ... he can't swim. When Snap Shell and his dad leave Texas to head for the sandy beaches of San Diego, California, the locals, "the sea turtles," find it odd that Snap Shell has to wear flippers while in surf school. Snap won't let the fact that he doesn't have webbed feet get him down, and to everyone's surprise he manages to place in the Southwest Surfing Conference. Lucas the Leatherback gets wind of the surfing newcomer and THE HEAT IS ON, because no one will ever out surf Lucas. Will Snap's new sea turtle buddies help prove that he has the natural spirit of a surfer, or will Snap need something bigger than talent to show that differences shouldn't come between turtles and tortoises when strange things start to take place on the beach? Be sure to check out Turtle Town, coming in early spring 2011. And don't forget to read about Snap Shell's Texas tales in the Iggy the Iguana Chapter Book Series! www.IggytheIguana.com

Turtle Town Books
Ages:8-12
Pages: 300
Type: Paperback

Save 25%	Just in time for the Holidays! Buy either a paperback or hardback Iggy the Iguana book set and automatically receive the Iggy the Iguana Audio Book as a gift from Iggy for Free. Offer can be used on two of the same book or any Iggy the Iguana book, including the sequel, Summer League. Go to www.IggytheIguana.com to order.
Offer Expires: 12/25/10

Lessons from Iggy the Iguana

2010-10-01T17:46:00.000-05:00

The Key to Acceptance

Often we may find that our notion to accept one another for who they are on the inside, comes from being around others who may at first seem to be different on the outside.

Meet Iggy! He’s a Green Iguana, born and raised in the suburbs of Houston Texas. Young Iggy has attended a private “All-Lizard” school his entire life. All kinds of lizards went to his school, geckos, water dragons, chameleons … you name it, Iggy has seen it. To compare it to human terms, just think of one broad race going to school with a bunch of similar looking people, but maybe not all from the exact same place. Iggy is surrounded by diversity on a very small level.

Everything changes for Iggy in fourth grade, because he is about to move to an “All-Animal” school and has no idea what to expect, due to the shelter of his past experiences. He’s heard a lot about other animals (Rumors and Stereotypes) but has never actually met a turtle, cat, monkey, or a guinea pig. His worry and fear of not fitting in has him extremely anxious and worried on his first day of school.

We all understand that we have to leave our comfort zone at times to experience new situations, which then lead to growth and change. Iggy starts to realize this through his journey. The theme inside Iggy the Iguana speaks to our empathetic hearts, as the main character understands that first impressions are not always correct and not to judge too quickly, because everyone has a story. His lesson of acceptance and understanding rises multiple times through out the story, as he also starts to realize that not all of the animals at his new school have grown up in the same type of family structure as him, either. Diversity may mean many things, but acceptance and a healthy sense of curiosity is beneficial to our youth as they learn not only through their experiences, but their friends’ experiences too.

As an author, I love being able to use personification to place fun and interesting animals into a realistic setting that kids comprehend. During my years in the counseling profession, acceptance of self was always the goal of psychological study and theory. When we accept others entirely for who they are on the inside and outside, we are exercising our own form of self-acceptance. This type of acceptance is a proactive choice, and it may not always come naturally to everyone, so we have to continually make the effort to stay open-minded.

The entire Iggy the Iguana series has been written to give adults and children realistic scenarios to discuss together, while reading a story that is still light hearted and full of laughter, drama, and excitement. I would love to hear your thoughts on childhood acceptance and diversity today! For more information on the books, check out Iggy on www.IggytheIguana.com

Poinsettia Elementary: The FIRST School on the Southern California Book Tour

2010-09-11T14:51:00.000-05:00

I had a fabulous day with the students at Poinsettia Elementary in Carlsbad, CA. Not only did I get to tell everyone about where the ideas for the Iggy and Turtle Town Books came from, but they shared their ideas with me as well. We learned that writers use many different kinds of research methods to prepare for the writing of a good fictional story. Talking to other people who live in the location, "setting" of the story is the best research! The students shared with me their favorite places to go in California and their favorite activities, all which included GOING TO THE BEACH! Good thing Snap Shell visits the beaches everyday in his new book, Turtle Town!

During the creative writing portion of our presentation, the students immediately caught on to the importance of side kick characters to help the HERO in our stories move on their adventure. I was very impressed with some of the examples they gave me, the Lion King being one of my favorites. We all know the Lion King wouldn't be as great as it is with out Timon and Pumba!

Different types of characters with different roles in the story make our books and writing more interesting! But most importantly, we all learned that the BIG way to make a story more interesting and exciting is to give our HERO a conflict, or "problem," to overcome! Conflicts in our stories encourage our characters to grow and change! This is why you will always find a villain, or an "antagonist," in good stories. They are there to actually challenge the HERO, and we all love a good challenge!

A big THANK YOU goes out to Ms. Boss and to all the staff at Poinsettia for setting up my school visit and giving me the opportunity to work with some very creative and intelligent students!

Melissa M. Williams
Literacy~Creativity~Learning

You can help sponsor a child for a READ3Zero Workshop

2010-09-02T15:30:00.004-05:00

Partner with us today and take a stand for literacy, creativity and learning in our youth. READ3Zero offers hope, encouragement, creative mentoring and literary opportunity for our youth.

***

Weekly Discount on the Iggy the Iguana Audio Book CD

2010-08-23T20:36:00.000-05:00

Get the Iggy the Iguana Audio Book for ONLY $4.99 this week ONLY! This is $10.00 off the regular $14.99 price! Offer ends Monday August 30th.

The Iggy Audio Book is a great addition to any elementary classroom or home book shelf. Visit www.IggytheIguana.com to learn more about Iggy and Friends!

Creative Writing Class for Kids NOW in DFW

2010-08-19T13:04:00.002-05:00

Creative Writing Workshop
DFW Texas Area
Presented by Read3Zero

You will never read a book, write a story, or watch a movie the same after this workshop!

The Archetypes and Roles Characters

play in Award Winning Stories

Instructors:

Children's Author, Melissa M. Williams

Author/Writing Coach, Bobby Ozuna

(This class will be available to adults and in additional cities in the future)

Saturday September 25th 10:00am-4:00pm

Grade Level: 5th-12th

Location: Holiday Inn Express (WESTERN CENTER) Meeting Room

6351 North Freeway
Fort Worth, TX 76131

(817) 234-9033 (Hotel Number)

Class Details:

Learn specific character development techniques used in your favorite books, movies, and stories! Students will learn basic Psychological Archetypes/Character Roles critical to the development of effective fictional characters and how to place them in an original storyline. Heroes, Mentors, Villains, Heralds, Threshold Guardians, all have a special role while helping move memorable stories from one act to the next.

Learn the fundamental Story Layout: the 3 Act Story Line and effective transitions between story acts, including character trials, story climax, and character change.

Learn how to discover an effective Theme for your story, including tactics to apply emotion, imagery, and utilization of the senses, while connecting to your audience. These skills can all be used in and out of the classroom.

***Lunch will be Provided***Price per Workshop: $50***

CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE WORKSHOP
REGISTRATION FORM

Email ME for questions and details.

(This particular class is GREAT for Parents who would like to learn creative techniques for their own writing. Parents may attend this class with their child for a reduced rate of $40 each.) Please note if you will be attending on your child's registration form.

It's time to introduce the newest member of the Turtle Town family--Spike!!!

2010-08-06T09:32:00.002-05:00

Okay, its time to introduce the newest character in the Turtle Town Series--Spike, the Olive Ridley!!!

Spike, Tula's big brother, has been surfing the waves of Costa Rica and California for years. Always known for wearing a spike necklace and talking the surf lingo, Spike is totally legit and well known amongst his bale of turtles. After the Olive Ridleys' mother dropped them off in Turtle Town, Spike took on the role of big brother and protector to little Tula, (who can take care of herself, thank you very much!) Everything seems cool and layed-back, until Spike gets wind of a new relationship forming between his little sister and you know who...

Don't forget to subscribe to this blog or join my newsletter, to stay current with all the Turtle Town and Iggy the Iguana news!!!

To meet the entire Turtle Town squad...click HERE!

LongTale Publishing, staff

Literacy. Creativity. Learning.

The Summer Creative Writing Camps End with a BANG!

2010-08-05T19:52:00.000-05:00

The Annual Summer Camps ended with a BRILLIANT group of 5th-8th graders at the 5 Day Creative Writing and Illustration Workshop!

The week was filled with a wonderful group of instructors who accompanied me in the teaching of my passion, CREATIVE WRITING! Author and Writing Coach, Bobby Ozuna, taught the students the importance of the roles each character, (archetype), plays in a story, and the way a writer moves form Act I, Act II, and into the closure of a story, Act III.

Illustrator, Ryan Shaw, shared his talent of art as he spent one-on-one time with each student as they found their characters on paper, through their own imagination. The students learned that details in regards to illustrating are just as important as the visual details we give our audience through words.

I was also able to spend one-on-one time with each student as we worked on their developing character and changes through each day of editing.

The days were filled with fun and excitement as the students proved their comprehension skills in our daily games with prizes!

Who knew a writing class could be so fun? Not only did we learn about the writing industry, but the publishing industry as well!

The small group environment encouraged students to give feedback and help with ideas for each of their stories.

Snap showed up late one day in his bathrobe, but still didn't miss a beat! Neither did his mom who brought him and his best friend, Iggy, each day to learn about the writing of children's books.

Oh, Snap! Seriously?!

Reid and Morgan are returning students who I have had the privileged of working with in previous workshops, song writing classes, and critique groups.

Many of the students were inspired to continue writing their stories this summer and enter their work into the 2011 Read3Zero I Write Short Stories by Kids for Kids Contest!

Benjamin's Story, Run Away, made it into the 2010 Publication! Way to go Ben!

And many of the students, like Cecily, impressed me with their extreme talent for drawing and words!

It was no surprise that I had a very talented group of writers in the room, as students, like Sarah shared their manuscripts with me that she had been working on prior to the camp.

As always, the week ended with a celebration! It was hard to see these students go, but I look forward to seeing many of them in my advanced classes next year.

The Story and Songwriting Summer Workshop with guest instructor Misha Williams

2010-07-19T21:07:00.003-05:00

We would like to thank all of the writers who participated in last weekend's story and songwriting workshop.

Many talented kids around the Houston area joined together to not only learn the process of story structure and creative expression, but we had special guest instructor, Misha Williams, teach the techniques used in hit song writing.

The students were able to dissect the different parts of a song and break down the verse, pre-chorus, and bridge, while creating their own song and theme at the end of the day. Misha demonstrated the importance of hooks and extra ways to really appeal to your listeners.

Logan, who has been playing the guitar for over 3 years, even shared a few of his favorite songs! After the hit song hook lesson, it didn't take long for everyone to see what makes popular songs stick.

It didn't take long for the students to understand the connection between stories, books, movies, and songs!

We hope to see everyone again in one of the fall writing workshops! Some of my students have attended every one of my classes! Amazing ... amazing kids and writers! It has been such a treat to work with such motivated and talented kiddos!

2010 Character Development Summer Camp

2010-07-10T14:30:00.001-05:00

We had such a fun time last week at the Iggy the Iguana Creative Writing and Illustration Summer Camp in Houston, TX. Students spent the entire week learning about the process of developing some of their favorite movie and story characters, which led everyone to create their own unique character.

I even got to share my own writing techniques while creating the new characters in the Turtle Town Series!

Not only did all of the campers come up with amazing stories, but they got to work personally with Illustrator, Ryan Shaw, as he helped each of the students create their starring character.

One of our campers even received an autographed Snap Shell Illustration for winning one of the daily contests.

Many of the campers created their own turtle characters after being inspired by some of Iggy's friends in his story.

Drawing really is hard work, especially if your character is a guinea pig with a mission or a rat who falls in love.

To celebrate all of the students' achievements we all had some Snap Shell cake followed by awards and prizes!

Congratulations to Zoe who won an autographed book set for answering over 20 creative writing questions through out the week!

Congratulations to Caroline whose story was chosen to be published in this year's "I Write Short Stories by Kids for Kids" contest by Read3Zero!

Creative Writing Opportunities for Kids this Summer

2010-06-19T19:40:00.010-05:00

It's Time for the 2nd Annual Summer Creative Writing and Illustration Camp!

Last year we had so much fun developing our own characters! Two of the characters created by Morgan and Logan were used in the new series, Turtle Town, scheduled to come out this winter!

Meet Star the mute starfish and Herbert the French Hermit Crab who wears prescription goggles!

To check out the rest of the Turtle Town Characters, click HERE!

This year campers will give their critique and feedback to the author after hearing a sneak peak at the unedited manuscript for Turtle Town! Campers will also have the opportunity to have their work published by Read3Zero and LongTale Publishing.

The creative writing workshops and camps are a wonderful way for children to later get involved with future projects and opportunities. Soon LongTale Publishing will be offer internships and shadowing to students who have proven their love for writing, publishing, and of course, reading! It is important for our youth to get involved with these unique opportunities at an early age.

Here are pictures from last years camp! We hope to see you there!

Contact me for a registration package. Registration for the June 28th camp will be over soon!

Melissa M. Williams & Iggy the Iguana introduce the new series from LongTale Publishing: TURTLE TOWN!

2010-06-04T14:12:00.001-05:00

It's time to meet some of the stars to the upcoming spin-off series to your favorite 'Tale of a Different Kind'--TURTLE TOWN!!!

If you loved the Iggy the Iguana Series then get ready for, Turtle Town, the spin off chapter book series to Iggy the Iguana, staring Iggy's best friend, Snap Shell, the Texas Box Shell Tortoise! Snap's dream is to become a West Coast surfer dude, but he has one problem ... he can't swim. When Snap Shell and his dad leave Texas to head for the sandy beaches of San Diego, California, the locals, "the sea turtles," find it odd that Snap Shell has to wear flippers while in surf school. Snap won't let the fact that he doesn't have webbed feet get him down, and to everyone's surprise he manages to place in the Southwest Surfing Conference. Lucus the Leatherback gets wind of the surfing newcomer and THE HEAT IS ON, because no one will ever out surf Lucus. Will Snap's new sea turtle buddies help prove that he has the natural spirit of a surfer, or will Snap need something bigger to show that differences shouldn't come between turtles and tortoises? Be sure to check out Turtle Town, coming in early spring 2011. And don't forget to read about Snap Shell's Texas tales in the Iggy the Iguana Chapter Book Series! www.IggytheIguana.com

Click HERE to visit the new blog dedicated to the Turtle Town series and meet the various assortment of stars for this new series!!!

LongTale Publishing, staff

Literacy. Creativity. Learning.

Colony Bend Elementary end the Texas School Book Tour

2010-06-03T09:37:00.001-05:00

I want to thank Colony Bend Elementary and all of the schools in the greater Houston Area for being a part of the Iggy the Iguana School Book Tour this season! We had an absolute blast and I look forward to seeing many of you in my summer writing camps.

I was able to visit with a select group of students who were given the privileged to participate in our presentation. The kids were eager, for the last day of school, but were instantly captivated by their own desire to be creative writers. Some of the questions asked were not only about the writing process but the actual business model of being a publisher. I was so impressed to answer such thought provoking and realistic questions.

Here was one of my favorite questions.

Where do you, the illustrator, editors, graphic designer, marketers and everyone else meet to work on publishing the books?

Very seldom is everyone able to meet as a group ... I usually meet individually with everyone I work with to brainstorm. Most of all of the work is done over the phone and through email at our own offices all over the U.S. Because of technology, we are able to complete a project like creating a book series with all kinds of products to go with it from all over the world.

A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Taylor for inviting me to share Iggy and all his friends with your students!

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SCHEDULE AN AUTHOR VISIT AT YOUR SCHOOL, WE ARE ALREADY PUTTING TOGETHER THE 2010-2011 FALL/SPRING SCHEDULE! AUTHOR VISITS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS.

Texas
California
Tennessee
Kansas
Florida

Please email me for registration information at.

Rahe Bulverde Elementary School Visit

2010-05-19T21:02:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all of the students at Rahe Bulverde Elementary for a day full of fun, laughter, and of course ALL THINGS creative. You all had great ideas for interesting characters in your group stories. I will never forget old Nick Larry the Horse from Texas who had to move to New York City. It's a shame he has that fear of small and crowded places, but hopeful his cow sidekick will show him the ways of change and conflict resolution.

I also have to say that I was really surprised that two of my groups mentioned a Komodo Dragon for our stories. Have you all been studying up on the Komodo? I thought I would share real pictures of my encounter with a Komodo Dragon at the San Diego Zoo. He didn't look all that mean. His looks are definitely deceiving.

Thank you Mrs. Mulder for inviting me to share the Iggy Story! I would love to come back and visit the students at Rahe Bulverde when Turtle Town comes out!

Literacy~Creativity~Literacy
Melissa and Iggy

Nursery Elementary School Visit

2010-05-18T12:13:00.000-05:00

Thank you Nursery Elementary for inviting me to Victoria, Texas for a day full of creative writing fun. I loved getting to hear your questions about writing, ideas, time frame, and experience. You all are very creative and inquisitive, and those two things will always help your imagination grow.

Now I have questions for all of YOU!

1. If you turned into an animal and became the main character in your own fictional story, what kind of animal would you be?

2. Would you write your story in First Person or Third Person? Here is an example ...
First Person: My name is Iggy the Iguana and I have a long clumsy tail.
Third Person: Iggy is an Iguana and he has a long clumsy tail.

3. Did I write Iggy the Iguana in First or Third Person?

4. What is your favorite Chapter Book?

Please email me your answers to iggytheiguana@gmail.com, and I will post them online! I love getting to hear from you.

A Big thank you goes out to Mrs. Greenfield for setting up the author visit and inviting me to share my Tale of a Different Kind with your students!

Melissa Williams visits St. Stephens's Episcopal School

2010-05-14T18:30:00.007-05:00

Melissa M. Williams recently visited the students of Saint Stephen's Episcopal School in Houston, Texas to share her message of literacy, creativity and learning!

The presentations were amazing and the students and staff were even more amazing! With two presentations given, the students were eager to ask questions, share their thoughts on the story and of course, inquire of all things Iggy the Iguana.

Check out the Barnes and Noble Book Fair Commercial,

presented by LongTale Publishing and the Student Actors
from St. Stephens! This commercial can be seen on the
Iggy the Iguana YouTube Channel as well!

Many of the students at Saint Stephen's showed great interest in artwork and will get a chance to submit artwork for the official first anthology release of READ3Zero's short-story anthology: "I Write: Short-Stories By Kids, For Kids!"

Theme for this year's Cover Contest:

Literacy, Creativity, Learning! The student who produces the most creative, imaginative and unique cover concept, based on these three foundational pillars of LongTale Publishing, will have their artwork publicized and recognized as THE official cover for this year's first anthology!

The Saint Stephen's Episcopal School Book Fair Night at Barnes and Noble at the River Oaks Shopping Center in Houston, TX was a night full of fun, prizes, and all things literacy!

The students shared their thoughts and reviews about the Iggy series in a presentation given by three of the St. Stephen's Students. They spoke about the different types of story writing over time, from the classics to the new and current books today ... one of them being Iggy the Iguana.

After giving their excellent review, they closed the presentation with a story created by one of the 2nd grade students. It was wonderful to see the Iggy Story inspire these children to write their own stories about their pets while using their imagination to create original characters.

One of my favorite parts about being an author, truly is getting to spend time with my readers.

The night was full of fun and prizes! As all of my students know, I LOVE giving away prizes, so the prize of the evening was an autographed Iggy Audio Book CD given in the traditional Barnes and Noble Drawing!

I can't wait to receive the drawings and illustrations from the students at St. Stephens who will be entering the Cover Artist Contest for Read3ZEro! Your pictures that you brought to the bookstore were AWESOME!

A BIG thank you goes out to all of the teachers and students who made the Author Visit and Book Fair possible! Your hard work and planning made this event such a success. Be sure to check for the Barnes and Noble Book Fair commercial presented by LongTale Publishing and Read3Zero on the website next week! Thank you to all of the students who participated in the commercial for giving such great feedback.

Literacy~Creativity~Learning
Melissa and Iggy

Barnes and Noble Harzard Center San Diego Signing

2010-05-10T00:02:00.003-05:00

I HAD A BLAST ON SATURDAY WITH ALL OF MY IGGY FANS!

I want to thank all of you for spending your time at Barnes and Noble with me and all of the Iggy Family and Friends! Here are some of my favorite parts of the day.

Many of you won prizes during our question and answer session for character collector cards!

I had so much fun getting to see how much all of you know about the characters.

Congratulations to all of you who won Iggy Audio CDs and Prizes! You will have to let me know what you think about all of the character voices on Iggy's Audio Book.

I loved getting to read some of the stories that a few of my writers shared with me. It was such a gift to see that you used the lessons and stories during your school visit to create your own stories. I am so inspired and so impressed! Be sure to look on the Read3Zero Website to for information on the next publishing contest! Thank you for sharing your stories!

And of course we can't forget the winners of the Snap Shell Drawing Contest!

I hope to see many of you at Balboa Park on July 17th and 18th for more Games, Prizes, Books, and a sneak peak at the Turtle Town Cover and new Sea Turtle Characters at the San Diego Turtle and Tortoise Society Show! Details will be posted soon!

Thank you to EVERYONE who came to visit me! You made my day so special. It is such a great gift for an author to spend the day with her most important people ... her readers!

If you didn't get a chance to get your Iggy Books during the SANDI School Book Tour, you can still stop by Barnes and Noble at Hazard Center to get your books!

Burbank Elementary: The Last School Stop on the SANDI Book Tour

2010-05-09T11:01:00.001-05:00

Thank you Burbank Elementary for an exciting day full of creativity and fun! I had such a great time sharing the process of creative writing and character development with all of you. You had very imaginative ideas for your fictional characters, Cindy the Horned Toad and Lesley the Pit Bull! I encourage all of you to work on your stories at home and in the classroom and see how many different stories you all can come up with about one character.

As an author, it is really important for me to spend time with my readers and find out what you enjoy. Thank you for sharing your favorite activities and favorite parts of San Diego with me, while helping me brainstorm and research for my next book. So many of you have been to the beaches that Snap Shell plans to visit all over TURTLE TOWN! Here are some of your favorite Beaches!

Mission Beach

Solano Beach

Pacific Beach (PB)

Long Beach

La Jolla Beach

Thank you for all of the great tips! I can't wait to see where Snap Shell is going to surf next!

A Special Thank you goes out to Ms. Clark for inviting me to share the Iggy story

with all of you! I hope to see you all again soon!

Washington Elementary: Stop Eleven on the SANDI Book Tour

2010-05-07T19:39:00.000-05:00

Thank you Washington Elementary for such a special day! It is a wonderful feeling for an author to see so many young readers like yourselves get excited about the stories that I write! I am looking forward to seeing many of you this Saturday at the Barnes and Noble Book signing. I am eager to read some of the stories that you finished about your pets and characters too!

One of the questions I get from many of my Iggy the Iguana readers is this: How many animals did I have as a kid??? Well lets see ...

I had 4 different Iguanas through out my life, 1 water dragon, 13 Horned Toads, 16 Turtles, 2 Dogs, 1 Cat, frogs, lizards, fish .... so around 50.

The next question I get is, what happened to all of my pets??? Well, many of the turtles we would put back in the bayou where we found them, a few of them pasted away, unfortunately, but many we took care of for many many years. A few of the iguanas we had to give away when my sister and I got older and moved away for college. We couldn't bring all those animals to the dorms, but we found AWESOME homes for them.

The last question I get is ... How long have I been writing stories??? I have been writing stories since I was 8 years old!

A BIG thank you goes out to Mrs. Membrila for inviting me to share my "Tale of a Different Kind" with the students at Washington Elementary!

Bayview Terrace Elementary: Stop Ten on the SANDI Book Tour

2010-05-07T10:27:00.001-05:00

Thank you to all of the students and teachers at Bayview Terrace Elementary for an exciting afternoon! I really enjoyed getting to hear all of your questions about the writing process of Iggy the Iguana and the new book in the Iggy Series, TURTLE TOWN! One of the best parts about being an author is getting to spend time with my readers! I would love to hear the rest of your ideas and questions, so be sure to email me at Melissa@LongTalePublishing.com and I will be sure to write you back!

Remember when writing your stories to really spend time developing your characters. Your characters will help your story come to life! AND don't forget to give your main characters a few sidekicks. Remember each secondary character has a special purpose in the book to help the main character out.

Also, don't forget to put a conflict in your story! The conflict helps the reader learn something and ultimately feel satisfaction when the problem is solved!

Here are a few great definitions to remember when it comes to writing stories!

Fiction: A story that is not real and the writer uses his or her imagination to come up with a story

The Hero: The main character in the story, the protagonist, the character who you want your reader to
relate to and want to see succeed

Personification: Giving human-like characteristics to something that is not human

Conflict: The problem in the story that the character is trying to overcome

Climax: The highest part of the story with the most suspense and excitement ... the climax always takes place toward the end of the story

Fletcher Elementary: Stop 9 on the SANDI California Book Tour

2010-05-06T19:50:00.004-05:00

A BIG thank you goes out to the teachers and students at Fletcher Elementary for a BIG California welcome to me and Iggy on the Iggy the Iguana School Book Tour! I had a fabulous time speaking to all of the wonderful students at your school, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see all of the Iggy the Iguana Character Writings and Illustrations Mrs. Hutchinson posted all around the school! That is one of the best gifts you can give an author, because I love getting to see the way you used the Iggy Characters to help you write and review each chapter of the story!

I really enjoyed getting to hear about which Iggy characters were your favorites. I noticed a lot of you liked Kit Kat Kay Kat at Fletcher!

Your stories and illustrations really impressed me! There are many

talented students at Fletcher Elementary!

Many of the girls liked little Molly and all of her silly situations!

Snap Shell has always been a favorite among my Texas readers, and it seems like he is doing well with my California readers too. I hope all of you are excited to read Turtle Town soon. It really helped to hear about your ideas for the Turtle Town Book.

Thank you for making my visit to your school so special! I hope to see all of you at Barnes and Noble this Saturday at Hazard Center from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Be sure to bring your stories to share with me, and don't forget to check out my literacy website, www.Read3Zero.com for information about how you can become published in my writing contests. Last year, 30 finalists were selected to be in the "I Write Short Stories by Kids for Kids" Contest which will be published in the fall of 2010. You can become a published author too. The first step is to never stop writing!

Thank you to Mrs. Hutchinson and Mrs. Mcgrath for

inviting me to share my story with all of you!

Melissa M. Williams visits Knox Prep School San Diego

2010-05-06T14:00:00.003-05:00

Thank you Knox Preparatory School for such a warm welcome today! I had a wonderful time with all of you. Your excitement for the Iggy the Iguana Series felt great. Getting to visit with my audience and readers is one of the best parts about being an author.

I noticed that there are many creative and inspirational students at your school. I loved getting to hear some of you talk about your goals and dreams. Many of you shared with me that you would like to work with animals one day. Some of you wanted to be police officers, doctors, professional singers, and some of you even wanted to be authors too! I hope to see many of you at Barnes and Noble on Saturday, because I would love to talk with you about ways you can be published by entering my Read3Zero Publishing for Kids Contests. Be sure to visit the website www.Read3Zero.com. It is always a good idea to start talking to people who do the very same thing you would like to do one day!

Thank you for all of your questions about creative writing and developing the Iggy Characters. If you have anymore questions be sure to email me HERE and I would be happy to finish answering. One of my favorite questions that I getting often is this: What does it feel like to be an author?

When I get to take ideas out of my head and use my imagination to create a story that literacy comes to life on paper, with characters that become so real, you literally use your imagination to visually create them, you feel so satisfied. When others read my stories and share how much they either relate to the characters, or how much they like to read, or how hey have been inspired to write their own stories, words can not describe how satisfying of a feeling that is for me. We all want to try to make a difference in someone's life, so if I have inspired any of you to believe in yourself and reach for your dreams, then I have done my job for the day. You all are very creative and smart students, so never give up!

I want to give a big thank you to Mrs. Grossman for inviting me to speak to the students at Knox Prep School! I truly enjoyed my time with your teachers and students!

Melissa M. Williams

Literacy~Creativity~Learning

Cadman Elementary Stop 7 on the California Book Tour

2010-05-05T16:45:00.003-05:00

I had such a great time at Cadman Elementary! Not only did I get to meet so many wonderful students, but a bearded dragon showed up to my presentation too! I think she wanted to check out the Iggy Stuffed Animals!

So many of you finished the entire Iggy the Iguana book before I arrived, so it was interesting to hear your favorite parts of the story. You all had really important and insightful questions for me. I have to say, it is such a great experience as an author to know that my readers are really paying attention to the story.

Some of you were able to see some of the rough sketches for the new turtle characters in the book I am currently writing, Turtle Town. My illustrator, Kelley Stengele made some of the changes that we all suggested, so let me know what you think about the new and improved turtles!

I want to give a special thank you to Mrs. Niskey for inviting me to share Iggy with all of your creative and smart students! Keep up the good work and keep using your imagination!

And thank you 2nd grade for the wonderful book of letters! I really enjoyed reading ALL of them! It was so much fun to hear about your favorite characters!

Literacy~Creativity~Learning

Melissa and Iggy

Ibarra Elementary-Home of the Green Iguana

2010-05-05T15:38:00.001-05:00

I had a FABULOUS day at Ibarra Elementary! Not only were the students so excited to be a part of the Iggy the Iguana Book Tour, but I was greeted by my favorite animal as soon as I pulled up to the school!

Meet Ibarra Elementary's Mascot, the Green Iguana!

You would think that one iguana painted on the school wall would be enough, but once I entered the building I was greeted not by one, not two, but hundreds of different iguanas in the school office and through out the building!

They were on the walls!

They were on the ground!

They greeted us in the door frame!

They were on the desks!

And who is to thank for all of these school lizards???

Mrs. Sovereign, the school principal, of course! I want to give a special thanks to Mrs. Sovereign and Ibarra Elementary for inviting me to speak to you about the Iggy the Iguana Chapter Book Series and my own love for iguanas, especially my pet Iggy. It was my dream since I was eight years old to write stories about Iggy and turn him into a fictional character! I encourage all of you to keep writing, because you never know where your creative ideas may take you!

~Melissa M. Williams

LongTale Publishing

Literacy~Creativity~Learning

Vista Grande Elementary: Stop 5 on the SANDI Book Tour

2010-05-04T14:33:00.001-05:00

Thank you Vista Grande Elementary for such a wonderful day at your school and for so many kind compliments! You ALL were an inspiration to me as an author, and I can't wait to hear more about your stories and ideas! I was so excited to see how many of you want to be authors and illustrators too. I REALLY hope to see many of you on Saturday at Barnes and Noble. I would love to finish answering all of your questions!

During my time at Vista Grande, students shared great California Tips for my next book. Here are some of my favorites:

The California area is known to experience earthquakes at times, unlike my home state, Texas, so I'm sure can you imagine what Snap Shell would do if his house started shaking? Maybe hide in his shell???

California is FULL of adventures and activities, so there will never be a dull moment in Snap's new adventure in Turtle Town. What are some of your favorite activities to do in California? I would love to hear from you at Melissa@LongTalePublishing.com

It is important to remember as residents and visitors to the beautiful west coast beaches of California that we must not litter. Keeping the environment clean, doesn't just make the beaches more pleasant, but it also saves the lives of the marine life, especially the sea turtles! Don't you think it would be a good idea to have some of the characters in Turtle Town join the San Diego Sea Turtle and Tortoise Society?

Now I have a special surprise for all of you. I'm sure many of you remember me talking about the editing process that the illustrations must go through before we get the pictures and characters just right. While I was visiting your school, my illustrator, Kelley Stengele, sent me some of the new sea turtle illustrations, so I have posted the very fist sketch of a few of the Turtle Town Sea Turtles ... Timmy, Tula, and Lucus! They aren't ready yet, remember ... the first rough drafts are not perfect the first time around. What should we change about this Green Sea Turtle, Olive Ridley, and Leatherback Turtle?

I want to thank all of you for your excitement and hospitality at Vista Grande. A special thanks goes out to Mrs. Posella for making this visit possible! Your students are AWESOME!

See you at Barnes and Noble at Hazard Center this Saturday!

Click the flyer for details.

National Scholastic Surfing Association Southwest Conference in Huntington Beach California

2010-05-03T17:38:00.003-05:00

SURF CITY USA

Huntington Beach, California

Many of my reading and writing students know how much research goes into writing chapter books. Research is one of the most exciting parts about being an author because you get to experience and learn about new ways of life and so much more. I have been spending time visiting the California Beaches while writing the next book in the Iggy Series, Turtle Town. The surf culture, marine life, environment, and weather have been huge factors in the writing of the new chapter book. By far, my favorite studies have involved all things surfing, which is why I went out to Huntington Beach to watch The National Scholastic Surfing Association Southwest Conference at the famous Huntington Pier!

The NSSA is a non-profit organization which promotes athletics, discipline, and scholastics to young surfers and is one of the few national youth sports organizations that require its participants to maintain academic standards in order to compete. "Since 1978, the NSSA program philosophy has been that athletics and scholastics go hand in hand. More than 80 NSSA events are run nationwide that culminate with the annual National Championships which is regarded as the highest profile youth surfing event in America." For the updated NSSA conference schedule visit http://www.nssa.org.

While taking notes and watching all of the talented young surfers, I was able to speak with a few of the competitors. The Marshall Family loves coming out to support their surfing sons, probably because surfing has been in the family for many years. I had the privilege of watching both of their oldest boys in the conference take home trophies during the two day event. Jake, age 11, has been surfing for over 5 years and plans to continuing surfing in these competitions for many years to come. Not only are all three boys excellent surfers, but they are avid readers! I was so impressed to hear about their intense love for reading, and even more impressed to hear that Jake's favorite book is the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, which happens to be one of my favorites as well!

These boys very excited to read their new copy of Iggy the Iguana, and I look forward to their involvement in Turtle Town! I am always in need of extra eyes to give the new California tale a proper seal of approval. As we all know by now, Snap Shell will be making his debut as an up an coming surfing competitor, while living in Cardiff Beach, California! Snap and I are learning so much from watching these boys ripping it out in Huntington Beach!

If you or your child would like to be a part of the Turtle Town Surfing Critique Book Club this summer, please email me at Melissa@LongTalePublishing.com!

Check out Nick, age 7, cutting back and forth into a curl that brought home a 2nd place trophy in the Open Groms Division on day two.

One of the most refreshing things I witnessed during my time in Huntington and at the NSSA Conference was the family involvement that the beautiful environment and events encouraged between parents, adults and youth. These adults play such a valuable role as "mentor and nurturer" to the creative and active energy the world provides at our finger tips. That energy gets passed down to these inspirational kiddos!

If you haven't visited Huntington lately, go ahead and make the trip this summer to check out the festivals, events, and don't forget to visit the Surf Museum for some great memorabilia from over the ages of surf culture history! No wonder this place is called Surf City USA!

Linda Vista Elementary School 4 on the SANDI California Book Tour

2010-05-03T10:43:00.003-05:00

I had a wonderful time getting to read the Summer League Sequel to the 2nd and 3rd graders at Linda Vista Elementary. I was so impressed that you had already read all of Iggy the Iguana and knew which characters related the most to each of you. All of the students had so many great questions and suggestions in regards to characters and creative writing! Flippers and Dolly the Dolphins were wonderful seawater animals to consider for the next books in California. I can't wait to see all of you at the Barnes and Noble Book Signing on Saturday May 8th at 11:00am ... I hope you bring your finished stories of the Dolphin Duo!

I know many of you had questions about the story and the characters, so here are the answers to some of your most important questions:

How long did it take to write Iggy the Iguana? It took me one year to complete the first draft of the Iggy story, but 3 years to finalize the story before it was published by LongTale Publishing.

What is your favorite thing about writing? I love getting to use my imagination and see a story come to life right in front of me. The hard work is definitely worth it.

What are some of the animal characters in the new Turtle Town Series? Turtle Town will include all different types of sea turtles, lizards, iguanas, hermit crabs, starfish, seals, and sea gulls ... and maybe a few surprise animals!

Can anyone tell me who this lizard is???
http://www.sea-trek.com

If you have anymore questions for me, be sure to email me at

Melissa@LongTalePublishing.com!

A big thank you and HAPPY BIRTHDAY goes out to Mrs. Smith for putting this school event together! You have many creative kiddos at Linda Vista Elementary!

~Melissa M. Williams

LongTale Publishing

Literacy~Creativity~Learning

Angier Elementary ... Stop Three on the California Book Tour

2010-04-29T21:00:00.003-05:00

Wow, Angier Elementary! I had such a great time visiting with you! Iggy and I are expecting to see many of you on Saturday May 8th at Barnes and Noble. I can't wait to hear more of your ideas for the next book in the Iggy Series, Turtle Town. Not only did Angier Elementary come up with some great characters in our character development exercise, including Lash the Leatherback Sea Turtle and Candy the Prairie Dog, but you also gave me many great California Tips for Turtle Town, which is set in Cardiff Beach, San Diego, California. Here are some of my favorite terms and tips from the day.

Getting "Beached" means tumbling off your surf board into the sand. Hmmm, I wonder if Snap Shell gets "beached" in the story???

The climate and environment is very different in California than the original setting in the Iggy Series--Texas. Texas is pretty flat in most parts. California is full of hills and ocean fronts. It doesn't snow in California and there is usually a fog that comes in during certain seasons and time of day.

There are many different types of sea turtles ... Leatherbacks, Loggerheads, Olive Ridely's, Green Sea Turtles...

There are many different types of surf boards that Snap could surf on. The shorter the board, the more professional the surfer!

If you have more tips to share with me, be sure to comment on the bottom. We would love to hear from you. If you would like to share your finished story from our character development exercise, please email me HERE. You never know ... I may just post your story on the website.

A big thanks goes out to Mrs. White for setting up Angier on the California Book Tour! If you have family or friends that teach anywhere in the San Diego Area, please let them know that we will be back in the fall to continue school visits. Your recommendations are greatly appreciated!

~Melissa M. Williams

LongTale Publishing

Literacy~Creativity~Learning

Stop #2 on the Iggy the Iguana 2010 California Book Tour: Rodriguez Elementary, San Diego Unified School District

2010-04-29T10:00:00.003-05:00

We would like to thank the second school on the Iggy the Iguana 2010 California Book Tour for an awesome day at Rodrigez Elementary!!! The students had so many wonderful questions about the process of creative writing and publishing children's literature. Here are some of my favorite questions from the day:

What is the theme inside the Iggy the Iguana books?

The theme in the Iggy the Iguana books and Turtle Town Books are based on friendship, diversity, and acceptance of others. Iggy not only learns a lot about other animals who are different than him by experiencing a new environment, but he learns more about himself in the process.

I was also very impressed that you asked about the process of publishing a book.

Publishers take many steps and work with many different people to produce a book and later market a book. It all starts with writing, writing, re-writing, and more writing. The publisher works with editors, illustrators, graphic designers, and of course the authors to get everything just right. Once all of your work is finalized and put into a computer file, the publisher works with the print house to make hundreds and thousands of books. The publisher also works with distributors and books stores to sell the books to YOU the readers!!

If you have more questions about writing and publishing, or would like to bring in some of your work and get advice from Melissa M. Williams, be sure to stop by Barnes and Noble in Mission Valley on May 8th to get one-on-one time with the author. Don't forget that you can still get your autographed Iggy the Iguana books at Barnes and Noble 11:00am-3:00pm. Be sure to click the flyer below for details. Many of you wanted a Snap Shell and Iggy stuffed animals for yourself, so be sure to enter the contests and drawings all day at the store!

A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Arterberry for making this school visit possible. You have so many WONDERFUL students at Rodrigez Elementary!

Melissa M. Williams

LongTale Publishing

Literacy~Creativity~Learning

Melissa M. Williams & Iggy the Iguana Visit Field Elementary in San Diego, California!

2010-04-27T09:36:00.005-05:00

It is our goal at LongTale Publishing for 2010/2011 to spread the word and share the "tale of a different kind" with children, parents, teachers, librarians and communities all across the United States. After a brief stop in Michigan, Melissa M. Williams and Iggy the Iguana and friends have left for their first stop across the US--the sunny city and beaches of San Diego, California. Melissa and Iggy will be visiting a dozen schools within the San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, California in just over two weeks and closing this tour with a book-signing at a local (Mission Valley) Barnes & Noble.

Iggy the Iguana and Melissa M. Williams would like to thank the faculty and students at Field Elementary for being the first school to kick off the Iggy the Iguana 2010 California Book Tour! Many of you had wonderful questions and ideas in regards to writing and characters! If you would like to continue the story of Sarah the Kangaroo or Bobby the Rino, feel free to email your ideas to Melissa by clicking HERE!

Don't forget that you can still get your autographed Iggy the Iguana books on Saturday May 8th from 11:00am-3:00pm at the Barnes and Noble in Mission Valley. Be sure to click the flyer below for details. Many of you wanted a Snap Shell stuffed animal for yourself, so be sure to enter the contests and drawings all day at the store!

A big thank you goes out to one of my native Texan's, Mrs. Saulnier, the librarian at Field Elementary, for making our visit possible. Field Elementary was AWESOME!

Junior League Literacy Carnival in Conroe, TX

2010-04-18T20:20:00.008-05:00

Thank you to The Junior League of North Harris and South Montgomery Counties for having Iggy the Iguana at the Literacy Carnival at Sam Houston Elementary in Conroe, Texas. Hundreds of children and parents came out to participate in all of the activities aimed to get children excited about literature!

Admission to the Literacy Carnival was completely Free. Clowns, animals, face painting, games, and all things literature surrounded every perimeter of the grounds.

In addition to free admission, the Junior League provided all of the food, prizes, and entertainment to the public for FREE as well ... all in the name of literacy! The Junior League of North Harris and South Montgomery Counties, Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

Many eager children visited the Iggy Booth and walked away with prizes including autographed copies of the Iggy Sequel, Summer League!

Be sure to check Iggy's Calendar on www.IggytheIguana.com for more literacy events this summer!