Happy Book Birthday: THE BELONGING TREE Plus Double Giveaway

Hello dear readers. It’s pretty unbelievable that you are going to see me very often in the next two months. So many books are launching (which is a good thing) written and/or illustrated by my friends (which is a very good thing) that I just have to join in the celebrations!

And what a special celebration this is! Please join me in singing a glorious Happy Book Birthday to THE BELONGING TREE written by one of my dearest critique buddies, Maryann Cocca-Leffler and illustrated by Kristine A. Lombardi and published by Christy Ottaviano Books, an imprint of Henry Holt and Company.

Here’s a little snippet from Amazon:

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Alayne Kay Christian: Will Write for Cookies Plus GIVEAWAY

WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

Plate of Cookies

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION

FOR WRITERS

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Perfect Picture Book Friday: MAC AND CHEESE Plus Giveaway

Happy Perfect Picture Book Friday, dear friends. It’s been quite a few weeks since I did a picture book review. How did that happen? Well, I put my house on the market, but of course, before that could happen, I had to totally de-clutter it! Good news! It sold on the first day! Now I am sorting/purging/packing. The closing date is August 31 and I’ll be moving in with my daughter and her family who live only 5 minutes down the road.

Easy-peasy, you say. Hmmm…it might be, but my daughter and son-in-law wanted to find the perfect house with a separate space/separate entrance for me which their current house doesn’t have. Therefore, we’ve been house-hunting at the same time. More good news…I think we found a house that will suit us all!! So, now they’ve decluttered their home in record time and their Open House is Saturday. Fingers crossed for a quick sale so we can proceed with the house that we found.

And, to add to this busy mix, I participated in Justin Colon’s #PBChat Mentorship Program. Now I have TWO mentees (hurray for Rebecca Chester and Carolyn Fraiser), two runners-ups and four honorable mentions. And that is the best news of all. I’m really looking forward to working with all of these fabulous writers.

Today’s picture book selection is by another fabulous writer…author Jolene Gutierrez. I was lucky enough to meet her in person when I was in Colorado last summer for a book event at Second Star to the Right bookstore in Denver. Jolene was one of the kidlit folk who came out to support me…and after the bookstore event, a bunch of us walked down the street to Sushi Den for lunch…yum! And speaking of yum…how about some…

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