Mez Blume

Author and Adventurer

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Writing Adventures

Katie Watson Goes on Tour!

 

People often ask me why I refer to myself as an Author and Adventurer. “Easy!” I say. “Because, in my opinion, the two are one and the same. You have to become an adventurer in order to discover stories! They don’t just pop into your head like pieces of popcorn. You’ve gotta get out there and catch them.”

Mez Blume book tour

This Easter season, I enjoyed sharing my story-hunting adventures with thousands of amazing young readers and writers in the state of Georgia. In the span of 10 days, I had the privilege of visiting four primary schools to talk about my journey to becoming an author and the adventures that inspired Katie Watson and the Painter’s Plot. I also ran Detective Training at local bookshops and libraries (the result, I’m pleased to announce, was many new members admitted into the official Katie Watson Detective Society). By the end of the tour, my voice might’ve sounded like a bullfrog’s with laryngitis, but I truly LOVED every minute of it!

 

I was tickled and humbled by the warm welcomes I received from each one of my phenomenal hosts, all frontliners of inspiring children to love reading. But I have to say, the best bit of the tour was witnessing those kids’ creativity at work during our “What if…?” story-writing workshops. Who could’ve believed so many original, exciting ideas would erupt from my simply showing them a picture of a dirty hole in some tree roots! I can say with robust confidence that the next generation of authors is well on its way… at least in the State of Georgia!  Mez Blume

As I look forward to my next tour — this time in the UK — I must take one more glance back to say a ginormous THANK YOU to my hosts: Prince Avenue Christian School, Malcom Bridge Elementary, Whitehead Road Elementary, Rocky Branch Elementary, Barnes & Noble, The Story Shop in Monroe, Normal Books in Athens and the Oconee County Library. You all made the magic happen!

I also owe a huge debt of thanks to the friends (old & new) and family who came out to support the events! And to my special assistants: my Dad (aka. Mr Incredible/ Jim Blume), my sis-in-law Eileen Blume and my niece Jasmine (who, by the way, is turning out a stellar detective in training… look out, Katie Watson!). And mega thanks to Blume Photography (notice a Blumey trend here?) for capturing all the fun in photos, not to mention my new headshots!

Can’t wait to come back to share Katie Watson’s next adventure next year!

Mez Blume book tour

 

“Magic Through the Year” – Spring Illustration Contest

Spring is in the air, and I’m on the hunt for some budding illustrators. This Spring’s story is actually a poem I wrote called “Magic Through the Year” (a slightly bland title, so feel free to suggest a better one). It’s all about the magic that sits right under our noses… the magic we can discover each and every day in our very own, wonderful world!

Contest Rules:

  • Read the poem, pick the month you like the best, and draw an illustration for that stanza!
  • Illustrations must be sent to me (mez@riverotterbooks.com) by Friday, 23 March.
  • Along with a photo or scan of your illustration, include in the email: your name, age (all ages welcome), and where you live, & tell me a little bit about your illustration!

Prizes:

  • All illustrations will be featured on the website and newsletter.
  • The winners’ illustrations will be included in the ebook edition that will be available to download, print and share!

Good luck, artists!

And here’s a little visual inspiration for you…

Magic Through the Year

In January, Falls with silent grace
A glistening shower of soft white lace.
The earth with pride is sure to glow,
When dressed in a shimmering gown of snow.

 Magic’s yours for the taking,
If only you dare.
If you’ve not yet claimed it,
You must not care.

In February,
When nature’s left bare by the cold,
Is a grand time to go out hunting Leprechauns’ gold.
Take a peak in mum’s garden, or on window sills
For the shining golden heads of spring’s first daffodils.

 Magic’s a treasure most precious,
Though not terribly rare.
So don’t waste one more moment
Before claiming your fair share.

 In gently March,
When earth’s long sleep is shook,
The sprite’s and pixies sneak out for a look.
But should spring showers threaten their fun with gloom,
They’ll pop up, spit spot, and umbrella mushroom.

 Magic’s no fib,
No story, or fable.
Don’t suppose you can’t find it.
You are perfectly able.

 In April,
Sky’s majestic concerts play
While silver streamers the night array.
Tucked snug in bed, safe, dry, and warm,
You can dream to the music of a spring thunderstorm.

 Magic’s no secret,
It’s as plain as blue sky.
If you’d like me to prove it,
Why just open your eyes.

 In May
When day gives way to night,
I watch the flickering fairy lights.
They disappear in the blink of an eye.
What a curious creature, the firefly!

 Magic isn’t just in books.
If you haven’t found it,
You haven’t looked.

 In June,
You’ll find a magical gem
To put in your pocket should you have the whim.
Watch violet turn green before your eyes
When june bug opens his wings and flies.

 Magic comes in packages
Of every size.
Should you come across it,
Don’t be surprised.

 In hot July,
While seaside dreaming,
I can hear the mermaids singing.
There sweet and mystic voices swell
Deep down inside an old conch shell.

 Magic is found
In every cranny and nook.
If you’ve not yet found it,
You’ve not yet looked.

 In August,
Silvery silken nets are cast
To catch moon droplets of liquid glass.
Morn’s sunbeams turn these to dew drops instead,
That dangle from each dainty spiderweb thread.

 No need for a wand,
spellbook, or white rabbit.
If it’s magic you seek
Just reach out and grab it.

 In September,
When nights are cool, crisp, and quite clear,
The sky’s faithful watchman is sure to appear.
A sign that fall’s magic will be upon the world soon,
Is the sleepy-eyed man on the pale harvest moon.

 Magic’s oh so much more
Than a make-believe game.
Why to miss out on magic
Would be a most dreadful shame.

 In October,
You may encounter upon neighbors’ porches
A mischievous nymph with eyes shining like torches.
But don’t be alarmed by his snaggle-toothed grin,
For jack-o-lanterns, quite often, make jolly good friends.

 So if life’s too ordinary,
Then do precisely as I say:
Take a daily dose of magic,
And add dazzle to each day.

 In November,
Fair rubies drip from trees;
But shaken by an autumn breeze,
They dance down gracefully as you please,
To make fall’s rainbow rug of leaves.

 Magic is there.
It doesn’t hide.
If you’ve never seen it,
You’ve never tried.

 In December,
When magic falls in drifts like the snow,
A billion flick’ring candles set all earth aglow.
On still, frosty nights, these bring joy near and far,
To hearts warmed and eyes twinkling under heaven’s kind stars.

 So whatever the season, day, or the hour,
Enjoying some magic requires no special powers.
Just open those eyes up,
Dust off your nose and ears.
With practice,
you’ll find magic every day of the year!

 

Now get illustrating!

 

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6 Tips for Raising Good Readers

What parent doesn’t long to see their child grow into a good reader? Unless your Mr. or Mrs. Wormwood, raising a bookworm is something to aspire to. The reasons for this hardly need outlining — besides the obvious usefulness of literacy, we want our children to develop curiosity and creativity. We want them to engage with ideas and encounter challenges and hardship on page as a training ground for real life. We want them to stretch their concentration muscles. And let’s face it, we do not wish to raise Dudley Dursleys or Michael Wormwoods whose only achievements in life are square, vacant eyes from countless hours of “telly” and an inner tube of a belly to match the mush in their heads. But what’s a parent to do in an increasingly frantic, technology-driven culture? Who has time to “foster a love of reading,” not to mention where does one begin when our children know, nearly from birth, that whatever comes out of a prehistoric book, they can get it from a screen and faster? How do we compete with the instant gratification of all those finger-swiping, eye-glueing machines?

First of all, don’t despair! The battle is not lost… yet. Even if your child has never voluntarily picked up a book, there is hope. But believe it or not, it starts with you, parent. You must shift the attitude. You must take the initiative.

After all, suppose your child detested all real food but loved a nice bag of sugary sweets. Would you simply throw up your hands exasperated and say, “There is nothing I can do!” as you hand over the bag of sweets? Of course not! (…or at least I hope not!)  Why, then, are we often so quick to surrender when it comes to books vs. technology? Perhaps we’re too ready to accept the narrative — my kid doesn’t like to read — as fact. Then, defeated, we hand over the instant-gratification on a screen.

NB: This article is not intended to send parents on a guilt trip for resorting to screen entertainment. Nor is it anti-technology. What it is about is setting a balance. Going back to the picky eater example, think of it this way:

Books = The meal; Screen Time = Sweets

I’m all for sweets and treats in moderation and on special occasions, but no kid can live off sugar alone! And there are as many psychology studies out there to suggest children in 2018 still need a healthy diet of books in contrast to a moderate allowance of screen time as there are scientific studies about children’s nutritional needs.

So how do we strike the balance? How do we ensure our kids are getting a healthy mental diet? And most importantly, how do we encourage them to like it?

Here are 6 practical steps you can put into action immediately:

1. Don’t make books a punishment

Think carrot over stick. When you snatch away an ipad and tell your child “You’re not getting it back until you READ THIS BOOK!” you’ve set him up to view books as the enemy. You child’s brain, like your own brain, naturally wants what is easy and immediate (viola the screen) over what takes effort and imagination (ye olde book). Rather than forcing a book as a direct substitute for the screen, try some of the more subtle tactics below:

2. Make small lifestyle tweaks (not a total overhaul)

Brainstorm the times you’re most likely to hand your kid an ipad or sit her down in front of the telly. How can you creatively and gently introduce books into those scenarios? For example, many parents resort to ipads on car journeys. Why not bring a tote back of books instead of an ipad? Or, if your child suffers car sickness, download some great audiobooks the whole family will enjoy for the long journey! Dare to leave the ipad at home. You may be surprised when it goes unasked for!

3. Make reading routine

child experts agree that kids not only need routine, they love it. It gives them security and lets them look forward to what’s coming with excitement. Create a reading routine in your day, week and year. A bedtime story is a great place start. In summer months, my sister sets aside a “reading hour” for her 5 kids just after they’ve had a good, long play outside. They love holing up for some quiet time with a cup of lemonade and a book they’ve chosen all for themselves.

4. Make it a fun challenge

Emphasis is on the word FUN here. Go to a bookshop with your child and make a list of all the books that look appealing to her. Set a challenge to read, say, one of those books each month. Let your child rate each book after she’s read it by placing 1-5 star stickers beside it on the list. Then, make a date to go to the bookshop together and buy the next one!

5. Start a book club

one of the most effective tools for winning over reluctant readers is peer influence. When a good book becomes “word on the street,” even those normally non-bookish sorts want in on the action. A book club that meets once a month is a great way to foster peer excitement about reading. Give the children ownership of the club by letting them select what to read (either in turns or by vote). Your child will also enjoy the chance to get together with a few friends, share book-themed goodies, and maybe even dress up like a character from the book. Make it an event!

6. READ WITH YOUR CHILD

I’ve saved the silver bullet for last. This one is the clincher for making reading enjoyable for your child … and for yourself! Reading together is like going on an adventure together, right from the comfort of your child’s bedroom, or in front of the fireplace. It creates shared memories that will stay with your child forever more, linking the stories you read with the precious time you’ve spent together. **Caveat: Don’t express shock and dismay if your child doesn’t love the same books you loved at his age. Try them out, but be aware that they may not resonate the same way, or it might simply be the wrong time. Find something he’s excited about now, then try your old favourite again later. So there you have it. I’ve outlined 6 actionable points, but let me encourage you to start with the last one, and make the shift today:

The Reading Parent Challenge:

Here’s the baseline, parents. I warned you from the start, if you want your child to develop a love of reading, it has to start with you. Are you practising what you preach? Are you dosing up on a healthy diet of literature and saving screen time for an occasional treat? The shift takes effort. It takes time. But here’s the guarantee: the investment of time spent reading with your child will pay back, not only in mind-growth but in heart-growth. And it will open new worlds to you both!

 

Looking for an audiobook the whole family will enjoy on that next road trip? Download my bestselling debut, Katie Watson and the Painter’s Plot, on audiobook today just by joining her VIP Reader’s Club (monthly email full of goodies for parents, educators and, of course, kids!).

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Fairies, Indians and Little Women: January Adventures

Hello, Friend!

I’d like you to take your right hand, throw it over your shoulder and pat yourself on the back. You made it through the toughest month of the year! Now the January Blues are a thing of the past, and 2018 is positively sparkling with promise!

But hopefully, you’ve not merely survived January. Hopefully, you’ve thrived through it (or is it thriven?) January can feel a bit like my country walk with Hugo this morning – a right slog in the mud. But even as we slog along, a thousand beauties present themselves when we take a  moment to raise our eyes from the gloop and take in the wondrous world around us.

And with that thought in mind, I’d love to share some of my January adventures with you!

Reading Adventures

Confession: I am a very slow reader. But I’ve managed to fly pretty swiftly through Michelle Harrison’s The Thirteen Treasures. It’s got so many of my favourite ingredients: fairies, mystery, old houses with secret passages, spooky forests… you get the idea. But I also love Michelle’s classic style. As a lover of “the classics”, I often lament the loss of beautiful language in modern books for kids (or adults, for that matter), so reading Michelle’s deft command of the glorious English language made my heart skip beats repeatedly. I recommend it heartily! *(little word of warning for sensitive readers: subject matter can get a bit dark (murder, missing children & the like), hence I’d classify this book as older middle-grade.)

Of course, I’ve also been knee-deep in Research Reading for Katie Watson II. You can read more about those adventures in my last post here. But suffice it to say, this book has given me an excuse to revisit one of my primary school FAVOURITES: The Mandie Series by Lois Glady’s Leppard. I gobbled up these historical mysteries as a kid, and do you know, they are just as good now! I’ll have to write a full review of this wonderful collection, but I wholeheartedly believe these books deserve a place among the classics on any family’s bookshelf. They definitely deliver on Adventure, and the lessons I learned with Mandie have stayed with me for life.

Also, whilst not strictly a “reading adventure,” I did watch the new BBC adaptation of Little Women (a literary adventure at least!) and loved it! I’m a tough audience when it comes to remakes of either 1) wonderful books or 2) wonderful films. This was both, and the jury was very much out about it. But after the first episode,

I was hooked! I laughed, cried, wanted to tear Amy’s hair out when she burnt Joe’s entire hand-written manuscript… (too close to home!). If “the classics” are your thing, I suggest you go and watch it. Great, wholesome entertainment for the whole family (plus a peek into Civil War Era life in New England!).

Writing Adventures

The end of 2017 was all about the launch of Katie Watson and the Painter’s Plot. Hence January has been a busy old month for the writing — time to get those creative gears oiled up and churning!

While Katie Watson II is still in the research/ planning phase, the ideas are already simmering away. I feel good about announcing an October release date (Huzzah!).

Katie Watson and the Painter's Plot

But I’ve got a couple of other projects stewing that I’m thrilled to let out of the box for the first time:

  • Katie Watson and the Painter’s Plot Workbook — I’m excited to announce that I’m just putting the finishing touches on a scheme of work designed to accompany the novel in the classroom! The lesson activities are based on learning objectives for children 9-12 years old, and I drew from my past years as a children’s worker and private tutor.  ** I’m on the lookout for teachers to pilot the workbook, so if you or someone you know would like to try it out for Free, contact me Re. “Katie Watson Workbook” & I’ll get you sorted!

 

  • Book Tour + Interactive Presentation — Piggybacking on the workbook, I’m also busy booking my Spring book tour! Again, if you or someone you know is a teacher, librarian, bookseller, equestrian centre worker, or runs a book club in the UK or Southeast USA, get in touch here Re. “Book tour” for details.

Even MORE Adventures

Last week, I had the pleasure of seeing a true author + adventurer, Abi Elphinstone at Waterstones in North London. For those who don’t know Abi, she is the author of the Dreamsnatcher series as well as a brand new Arctic adventure, Sky Song.

    

Abi is also a downright lovely person. She has been something of a mentor to me on my journey as an author, and her positive attitude and passion for life and books always inspire me. I can’t wait to report back next month once I’ve read Sky Song (especially now it’s ‘officially’ signed by the author!).

Something to Share:

Ever dreamed of owning your own chocolate factory? Here’s something to enjoy watching with the whole family — a real-life, young Willy Wonka who makes chocolate that tastes of OLD BOOKS?!

Over to you!

What literary adventures did you set out on in January? Send me a picture at mez@riverotterbooks.com and I’ll share it here in February!

NOW ONWARD, READERS!

A new month of wonder awaits…

Mez

An Adventure the whole family will enjoy! Become a VIP Reader & snag Katie Watson and the Painter’s Plot on audiobook FREE!

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