VBT# Meg Collins and Twinkle, Twinkle Starry Sky.

                                                    
Today we have author Meg Collins featured on my blog , I came across her on Facebook and offered a spot on my blog as I think she is doing a wonderful thing by donating the partial proceeds of her book to go to  Cancer and Leukemia research and/or research of many facets for children, as well as Children in Distress in Romania.

                                                     

                                                               About The Author:

Meg Collins  Author, Poet, Novelist, and Radio Show Host
Editor and Co-Writer for Dr. Win WengerPublisher: Don Odom of Dystenium LLC.
Alternative email: beachermeg@gmail.com
Website: Diaryofastarfish@blogger.com
twitter: pageturnerswithmegcollins2010
Publisher: Don Odom of Dystenium LLC, Publishing For the Third Millennium

Meg Collins is a celebrated Author, Poet, Novelist, Children's Book Writer, and a Radio Show Host with Nancy Duci Denofio and the wonderful Co-Host, Jenny Blakey, on Page Turners on Red River Radio Show. She is also a freelance editor for Dr. Win Wenger of Mensa since May 2010, also helping to promote his book, "3 Easy Tactics,” into the county school systems here in MD, DC, and VA. Meg is currently on her twenty-seventh children's book. Meg and her brilliant Creative Team, (Lorna Mack and Leonard Greenberg), are all dedicated to supporting their community by donating partial proceeds of all books purchased to cancer research, environmental impact, and children’s health and well-being. She will be mentoring in a local hospital in January as a volunteer with her books and the activities in the books as well.

                                                           

 

                                                    Interview with the Author : Meg Collins

 

1) Tell us about your book ?

Twinkle, Twinkle Starry Sky is a magical story about a little girl and her fascination with the moon and stars. She looks to heavens for her wishes to come true. Through imagination and creativity, she finds a way to make her dreams a reality. This story shows a fun and unique look into a child’s imagination. It is truly inspirational and spiritually uplifting. This story is recommended for children ages 2-6 years of age, but will be loved by all." A cut, color, and make a wish activity can be found in the back of this book.


Twinkle, Twinkle Starry Sky is available for purchase at twinkle.limidededitionspress.com  for $12.95.

2) Why the donations to a certain charity - Cancer and Leukemia?

I began my journey as a writer approximately ten years ago at an Open Mic forum at Barnes and Noble in Rockville, Maryland. I became an advocate for cancer research when my Mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. I started writing my novel that month. It is now forty chapters, and under editorial review with Leonard Greenberg. I showed my Mother my novel before her death. Her breakfast went cold that morning, and in my family, breakfast never went cold. My Mother did not say a word for fifteen minutes; engrossed in my work. When my Mother finally looked up at me, she stated, “I cannot believe how well written it is, Meg.” I asked her if I should go for it and try to get it published and she stated yes to me directly, while we sat at the kitchen table with my laptop.


Before my Mother passed away of brain cancer, (one of three she suffered within under a 6 year time frame), she told a family friend, “Make sure she keeps writing.” She gave me her blessing and knew I was born to be a dedicated writer. Since my Mother’s passing, I have had seven cancers in my family. My Business partner and brilliant illustrator is a leukemia survivor and tell her true story in her book Lorna’s Whale. She has been an inspiration to me in my life and heart. I have had many mentors on this journey and a few are: Don Odom, Nancy Duci Denofio, Laura Schultz, Claudette Walker, Jonathan Weyer, and Italia Trent. I begin my personal volunteer work with my books in a local hospital, as a mentor to aid sick children with cancer and leukemia in January 2011, as well as many speaking forums locally.

3) What gives you the innovation to write a particular genre?

What animals my daughter plays with in her room, what books she tends to gravitate towards, ideas I get by doing writing prompts in brainstorming activity books. I ask questions to my friends, spend ample time in the local bookstores for hours upon hours, I look at my competition, get lists of books that are best sellers to try to get a feel for what is selling in the children’s book industry. Most importantly, I research all the time and I network every single day with an abundance of writers and artists.

4) Has your characters or writing been inspired by friends/ family?

Yes, mostly my family and my daughter.

5) Did you experience writers block? If so, what did you do to get rid of it?

I never have writer’s block any longer, as I write every single day.

6) What are you working on now?

My Magnum Opus A decade of my poetry in which I am currently revamping with pictures.

Rompy's Adventures by Meg Collins
This is an eight book arctic series about a polar bear and his journeys with arctic animals such as the penguins, the snowy owl, the wise walrus, the snappy shark, the sled dogs, the blue whales, and many more arctic animals. There is a lesson for children in each book. It begins with the polar bear and his two new friends, the penguins named Topsy and Turvy. This series is completely edited and will launch in 2011.

Lorna’s Whale by Lorna Mack
The true story of a young girl’s journey in her struggle with leukemia at a very young age. A heartfelt story that will capture many of an audience; the true story of a woman and her courage, bravery, and strength to overcome what doctors told her she would never survive. She is living proof that you can survive anything in life, even leukemia.

Mamada by Meg Collins
A story of a beautiful child with many questions. She is being raised by her Mother. Her Father has never seen her. She looks up one day and asks, “Where is my Daddy?” A heartfelt story that captures the spirit of a parent playing two roles, both Mother and Father in one home. I titled the book, “Mamada,” meaning both Mother and Father. The child finds out how lucky she is, just to have one person who loves her to the moon and back. The moral is the book is that all you need is one person to love you, heart, mind, spirit, and soul in life.

I Painted in the Dark by Meg Collins
A story of a five year old boy who paints in the dark. Is it a dream, or did he actually make a huge mess in his bedroom? The story unfolds in the book.

Her Road to Success by Meg Collins
A story of a corporate business woman and her struggles to excel in the riveting business industry, while being in a relationship with a man. She is tormented by her past, putting all her energy into her work. Beth, not remotely aware of what she is scarred by in her life, emerges to find out who she really is, and slowly unravels the mysteries of her past, beginning with her Father’s absence One murder, and slowly she questions many people, even Brett. She finds herself swinging as a pendulum, trying to solve a murder, a crime that is now encompassing her entire life. Her Father’s brutal murder, and a story, a story so catastrophic behind his murder that Beth finds herself running for her life. But can she keep running from the past or does she need to stand and face it? What will the danger of staying be for Beth and her family?

Don’t Puree Me by Meg Collins and Nancy Duci Denofio
The Fear of The Hole-A Lesson in Potty Training by Meg Collins and Nancy Duci Denofio
Autism book series for children to be announced at a later date
Imagination crib book series to be announced at a later date
The Night I became a Big Girl (The Story of the Binky’s Removal from the Home) by Meg Collins
A co-written book with Dr. Win Wenger of Mensa on effective listening tools and techniques.

7) What is your favorite scene in your book?

What the young girl uses her imagination to do with the stars and the moon, and the activity in the back of the book.

8) Had you previously written anything?

Yes, I have been writing for over ten years now.

9) Were there any scenes that were cut in the editing process you wish had made it into the book?

Not really, just the wording was altered a bit by my editor.

10) Can you give us one fun fact we might not know about your book? Something about the story itself or the writing process?

When my daughter Elizabeth began to walk, she started to gravitate to a wall in a play room locally where there was a huge corner specifically with the stars and moon. That is when I wrote Twinkle, Twinkle Starry Sky. I had to unravel the mystery of her gravitational pull towards that one wall every single visit to Romp and Roll. Hence, the book was created similar to that of my daughter’s image.

11) How did you get into writing? Did you always want to become a writer?

I was noted as a serious artist in a Detroit Newspaper when I was in third grade. I found the article a few months ago, and my Mother was apparently so proud of me that she bought five newspapers, and cut out my picture and the article five different times to put in her scrapbook. I began ten years ago as a poet at a Rockville, Maryland venue at Barnes and Noble, and I have been writing ever since that day. My writing has merged into several forms now, and it is my second greatest joy in my life and heart.

12) If you were stranded on a desert island, what are three material things you couldn't be without?

My amazing and brilliant daughter, Elizabeth, the world’s biggest journal, and a pen that would never run out of ink.

13) What are you reading now?

Something More-Excavating Your Authentic Self, The Faithful, C Street, 3 Easy Tactics, The Einstein Factor, Writer’s Digest Magazine, Life Lessons-Mastering The Law of Attraction, John Grisham books, Stephen King books, James Patterson books, as well as Stratemeyer Syndication writing.

14) Which author has inspired you most and why?

Robert Frost is my favorite poet in the world and I am still also immensely inspired by Kevin Alexander, the former columnist for Writer’s Digest.

15) What advice would you give aspiring authors?

“Good writers write, but great writers write every day.” Stays focused and pursue your passion in writing. Study authors and novelists, and get involved in several writing groups. “Got Poetry,” has been a blessing in my life and I use the fast writing prompt nearly every single day. Join the famed, Don Odom on, “All Things Publishing,” each Sunday evening to ask questions and to chat with other authors and poets.

16) As a Quotes Person I always like to ask To finish off, do you have a quote or poem that has stuck with you over the years and what is the story behind it?

“Make sure she keeps writing.” My Mother, Margaret Y. McKoy, told someone that before she passed away of brain cancer, after reading several chapters of my novel. I write to make a difference, to have a healthy outlet, and to be an advocate for cancer research. I write to truly help in aiding sick children in hospitals. I write because my Mother gave me her blessing and believed in my work up until the very end. Now, I give back and will aid in being a mentor and an advocate for cancer research with young children. I do it for the children, the suffering families; I do it also in lieu of my Mom’s memory and my family’s personal struggle with cancer. I want to stand up for people who are not strong enough to stand up for themselves.