Lily Ruth Publishing's Writer Stop

Illustrator Submission Guidelines

2012-01-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

Lily Ruth Publishing isseeking illustrators for upcoming projects. We are looking forillustrators who can design supporting artwork for book manuscripts,as well as front/back cover illustrations and promotional material.Quick turn-around time is a must. Payment will be made on a perproject basis as outlined in our illustrator contract. Pay will bediscussed with candidates who are contacted by Lily Ruth Publishing forpossible contract.

For any illustrators wishingto be considered by Lily Ruth Publishing's acquisitions department,please submit 3-5 sample illustrations along with contactinformation, links to your professional website and/or links toprevious work to jstone@lilyruthpublishing.com. Please include sampleillustrations in the body of the email. No attachments.

Character Development: Making Characters Real

2011-12-16T14:17:00.000-08:00

As I sit in a bookstore coffee shop Icarefully observe the hustle and bustle around me. From themiddle-aged woman speaking just a little too loudly about her pendingdivorce to the young man who sits alone and can't seem to maintaineye contact with anyone in the room – I watch them all.

No, I'm not a serial killer or enemy ofthe state. I'm a writer researching characters.

One of the most effective ways toensure your characters 'act' like real people is to always think ofthem as real people. Why do theyfeel/think/act the way they do? Would your sister/brother/best friendtalk like that?

Keep in mind that characters typicallychange over the course of a story. They learn life lessons and newperspectives that cause them to grow and change. These characters arereferred to as 'dynamic' characters.

Static characters, on the other hand,remain the same throughout the events of the story. They don't sharein the changes of heart and mind that move other characters.

Of course, you could have characterswho are moved by some events but not others, giving your story a mixof static and dynamic. Whatever qualities you chose to give eachcharacter, make sure it is consistent for the character. Considertheir background. Culture and gender play great roles in making uswho we are. So does financial status.

I find it helps to imagine mycharacters as new friends. I'm curious to learn about their past,their hopes and dreams, and their present reality. I make characterprofiles for each one - major player or not - to determine how eachwill move the story forward. That is the point to developing greatcharacters; that they might bring personal experience and bias toeach scene and intrigue the reader further.

When you remember the greatest storiesever read, it's the characters who come to mind. They were likable orvile, funny or dry, impressionable or 'set in their ways.' Thecharacters involved are what make the events of a story important.Flat and uninteresting characters are an injustice to your story.Remember to always keep 'em real.

Overview of Self-publishing

2011-12-07T07:26:00.001-08:00

This is a very short overview of self-publishing. I usually provide this list to authors who ask me what they should do if they want to publish their own title. While the overview might be an oversimplification of the tasks involved in starting up a publishing venture, the thing I stress most to authors in conversation is the need for further research into these topics and dedication to gaining attention for their book.

1. Research book printing companies tocompare prices and options if you are planning on keeping aninventory on hand. Otherwise, research print-on-demand (POD)companies.

Personally, I have printed inventory with Morris Publishing and BookMasters and have found good and bad qualities with each. Morris Publishing was easy to work with and shipped the books within three months (a very standard time frame in the book printing industry). However, they do not offer matte covers which I've found to be more durable, and they only offer white paper options. BookMasters was extremely difficult to work with, but produced beautiful matte covered books with cream colored pages. They were also able to shrink wrap each individual book for an extra charge.
Having kept inventories and researched POD companies, I believe POD has some distinct advantages. I especially liked the look of Createspace (https://www.createspace.com/) by Amazon.com. They have an option to make your book available for free and they pay you royalties on copies sold.

2. Obtain an ISBN.

Bowker.com is the official distributor of ISBNs. If you purchase them anywhere else, they will already be listed with Bowker as belonging to someone other than you. There is no way to change who an ISBN belongs to.
Bowker.com offers ISBNs on their website (http://isbn.org/standards/home/index.asp) in sets of 10, 100, and 1000, etc. You may also purchase a single ISBN.
You will also have the option to purchase bar codes through Bowker.com. It is important to know how much your book will cost when purchasing your bar code, as this information is included on the bar code.

3. Obtain a Library of Congress ControlNumber (LCCN)

Use this website, http://pcn.loc.gov/ to access the Preassigned Control Number Program of the Library of Congress. You will need a LCCN if you are planning to market your book to libraries and book dealers. Don't forget to send them a copy of your book once it's in print. This could lead to being kicked out of the PCN program.

4. Edit, edit, and edit yourmanuscript. Then find someone else who is willing to do the same –preferably someone who works with the written word on a daily basis.It is always a good idea to consider hiring a professional editor.It's money well spent if it helps you produce a book free ofgrammatical errors and typos.

5. Obtain an official copyright of yourtitle once it has come through it's final round of edits.

6. Read “The Complete Guide toSelf-Publishing” by Marilyn Ross and Sue Collier for advice forevery step of the publishing process, including many tips formarketing your title.

7. Design a cover and/or interiorillustrations, or hire a graphic designer to do it for you.

8. Leave time between production andpublication timelines to send out review copies to potentialreviewers. Reviewers typically require three months lead time.

9. Research and pitch reputable bookdistributors such as Baker & Taylor or Ingram.

10. Be prepared to really marketyourself. Develop a pitch for newspapers, magazines, tv, radio, etc.Look for opportunities to do book signings, and highlight why yourbook is relevant, different and needed by potential buyers.

Review for "Graceling" by Kristin Cashore

2011-12-05T16:57:00.001-08:00

Kristin Cashore begins her novel with adark heroine in a troubled setting. Katsa is her uncle's “ladykiller.” Graced from childhood with an ability to kill, Katsalearns to have very few friends and keep herself numb of the emotionsof others around her.

Thats is, until she meets Po, a Lienidprince who shows up at her uncle's castle looking for his kidnappedgrandfather. As Katsa learns to trust and eventually love Po, shefinds herself along the way. They team up to find his grandfather'sabductor, traveling across the country side to Monsea where the kingis hiding a deadly secret. Katsa and Po wind up trying to rescue KingLeck's young daughter from his own hands.

My only complaint with this book isthat I'm disappointed to have been built up and excited as I readthrough the plot, only to find a lack-luster ending.

I felt the last 60 pages were rushed.The defeat of the evil King Leck wasn't nearly as satisfying as itshould have been. The ending just wasn't strong. The reader is sweptalong in the whirlwind of events that occur after the understatedclimax, and it seems the remaining surprises are wrapped up much tooquickly.

I'm giving this book three stars forits fast-pace beginning and entertaining storyline, and hesitantly recommend it to readers of young adult fantasy, particularly thosewho like a love story woven into the fabric of fantasy.

Updates to Lily Ruth Publishing's Submission Guidelines

2011-12-01T06:25:00.001-08:00

Lily Ruth Publishing is acceptingsubmissions once again for children's fiction books ranging frombeginner to young adult. All submissions should be directed tojstone@lilyruthpublishing.com.Please do not include attachments, as these won't be opened.

FOR MIDDLE GRADE AND YOUNG ADULT BOOKS:Lily Ruth Publishing is a publisher of children's fiction with aninterest in growing our category selection. We will consider humor,action/adventure, fantasy, historical and romance provided it iswholesome and appropriate for children. Keep in mind that we won'taccept any materials containing obscene language or themes.

All material submitted forconsideration by Lily Ruth Publishing should be double-spaced. Thepublisher would prefer only the first three chapters and query letteror brief synopsis be sent to the email listed above. (See picturebook guidelines below) Please remember to include you name, contactinformation, the title of your story and word count in the body ofyour email.

FOR CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOKS:Submissions are now open for children's picture books intended forchildren ages 2-6 years old. For children's picture books pleasesubmit the complete manuscript along with your contact informationand brief bio.

Illustrations are not necessary. LilyRuth Publishing reserves the right to assign an illustrator to anymanuscript as deemed appropriate. However, if you have illustrationsfor your manuscript, please feel free to submit 3-5 samples forconsideration.

These guidelines can also be viewed atwww.lilyruthpublishing.com/submissions.aspx.

Why do I need an ISBN?

2011-11-29T07:34:00.001-08:00

One of the greatest joys of writing abook is having the opportunity to share it with others. So mucheffort and creativity is put into a writer's work that the sharing ofit can be one of the most rewarding experiences of the process.

This is one of the motivators thatsends so many novelists in search of book printers andself-publishing companies. There they are inundated with vagueinformation (at least, that's how it was in the past when I firststarted Lily Ruth Publishing) about ISBNs, barcodes, LCCN's, booklayout, bleeds, etc.

So what are these items, and why arethey important? I'll start with the ISBNs in this article and coverthe other topics in later posts.

An ISBN is a 10 or 13-digitInternational Standard Book Number that identifies the publisher ofthe title. This number is assigned only to books published in theUnited States and can be purchased in blocks of 10, 100, 1,000,10,000 and 100,000 numbers. It is also possible to purchase just oneISBN for a self-published book.

Beginning publishers often ask if it isnecessary to purchase an ISBN for their book. The answer depends onwhat their publishing goals are. To publish a fiction or nonfictiontitle for the sake of sharing it with family members and closefriends might not warrant an ISBN, as an ISBN useful and necessary inmarketing.

I've heard it asked “Couldn't I put abarcode on my book and skip the ISBN?” While it is certainlypossible to purchase a barcode without first owning an ISBN, keep inmind that most bookstores use the Bookland EAN barcode becauseit allows for the embedding of an ISBN.

The U.S. Bowker ISBN Agency states ontheir website that “the purpose of an ISBN is to establish andidentify one title or edition of a title from one specific publisherand is unique to that edition, allowing for more efficient marketingof products by booksellers, libraries, universities, wholesalers anddistributors.”

So if you wish to market and sell yourtitle through bookstores and distributors (or even online, in mostcases) you will definitely want to purchase an ISBN.

Finally, make sure you purchase yourISBN(s) through the official U.S. ISBN agency, Bowker. This isespecially important because ISBNs purchased through Bowker areassigned to the purchaser and can't be reassigned.

There are websites out there that willtry to sell you a 'used' ISBN. I encountered this back when I ran thefirst print run of “My Weird Family Series: My Vampire Cousin.”At the time, the Bowker website was less than user-friendly and I washaving difficulty figuring out how to purchase a single ISBN fromthem. I ran across a handful of websites offering to sell a singleISBN and transfer ownership, and decided to call Bowker's customersupport number before making a purchase. At that time I was told ISBNownership could not betransferred and purchasing a single ISBN through another site orindividual would result in them owning the unique identifier to myclient's book.

Moralof the story? Always do your homework when it comes to bookprinting/publishing. There's a lot to learn and a lot of informationto take in at once, but it's better to study it all up front so youcan make decisions in the best interest of your book.

2011-11-28T07:02:00.001-08:00

Kirkus Reviews has released their list of the best teen books for 2011. Check it out at http://www.kirkusreviews.com/best-of/2011/teen/. There you will also find links to their lists for the best children's books for 2011. Happy reading!

Manuscript Rejections from an Editor's Viewpoint

2011-11-28T06:40:00.001-08:00

As an editor and awriter, I get the opportunity to experience rejection from two verydifferent, very distinct viewpoints.

On theone hand, I pour myself into my stories, working for hours and dayson end emptying myself into the worlds I create. Reading andre-writing sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph. Surrenderingmyself to the long and tedious project of writing novels. Putting inthe sweat, tears, and even blood (if paper cuts count!), only to sendthe completed work out and see it rejected.

I admitI have crumbled under letters that briefly stated, “This work doesnot meet our criteria.” The words are a simple rejection, or formletter, yet they had such far-reaching consequences. It left mefeeling like my work wasn't even good enough to warrant a secondglance.

To date,as an editor, I have had to send out a dozen rejection letters. Thiswas painfully done. Perhaps because I am so new to the process, Icouldn't help but wonder what damage rejection would do to thesewriters. After all, rejection letters are still sometimes enough tomake me want to quit, forget I ever knew how to write and never lookat pen or paper again.

I willalways remember the first two submissions I had to refuse. Not somuch because the submissions themselves stand out, but because of thetime I spent considering these books and the emotional turmoil I wentthrough knowing that my opinion, my words of rejection (no matter howcarefully I crafted them) could forever impact a hopeful writer. ButI rejected them for a reason.

Onesubmission was underdeveloped. The plot was sketchy and the storynever really came together. The other submission wasn't bad at all.The children's story was cheerful and sensitively handled a difficultsubject, death. I liked the piece, but I wasn't looking for afull-color illustrated book. It simply didn't fit the publisher'sneeds.

Fromthese experiences I have come to understand a little about what takesplace when a writer submits their work, unsolicited, to an editor.There is a formal process that a submission goes through not justwhen being reviewed, but when being created, too. It is important toremember that your submission is the first impression an editor has,not only of your book, but of you as an author. In order to succeedin your submission efforts, it is necessary to abide by a fewstandard “codes of conduct.”

First,manuscripts/illustrations that come without a formal query seem likea social misstep. The query letter, an overview of the proposed storyand the author's credentials, is as necessary as saying hello to anew acquaintance. As an editor, I typically don't know the author whois submitting their work, and when the introduction begins as such,“I'm submitting three stories, and sixteen illustrations. You don'tknow me, but I hope you'll publish my work,” I feel like animportant step has been skipped. A query letter is of the utmostprofessional importance when submitting your work.

Also,it seems that many writers who approach me this way don't realizethat there are submission guidelines listed on the website thatoutline what I expect to be included in the submission and how Iwould like to receive it. These guidelines make the submissionprocess a little easier for me, but more than that, they help me todetermine who can follow directions, and who can't. Or who won't.It's not pleasant to work with authors who won't work with me, andtherefore, I'm likely to lean toward rejecting any submissions thatignore the guidelines.

If youcan research and follow submission guidelines and take the time topolish your submission by including a well-written query letter andany other requested materials, you are already a step ahead of manyother writers. Unfortunately, not following guidelines is not theonly reason I turn down submissions. Sometimes the story just isn'tmarketable as it. It could be the writing, it could be the plot, itcould be the subject matter.

As awriter myself, I have learned that rejection slips rarely come withany advice on how to improve the work. Editor's suggestions, whilethey are just that – suggestions, are worth their weight in gold.Should you happen to receive any advice on bettering your writing,take it and learn from it. However, should you find yourself rejectedwith no advice to help you along, consider finding help elsewhere.

Now,keep in mind, if you submitted a fiction piece to a publisher whoonly publishes nonfiction, there may not be anything wrong with yourwriting at all. Failing to place your story before a publisher whohandles your kind of work will draw a rejection for sure.

Thatbeing said, joining a writer's group in your area could be a wisemove. Collaborating with people who are dedicated to the craft caninclude a number of benefits. Other writers will be more familiarwith what works and what doesn't. You may have an opportunity to readyour story aloud to the group, or submit pieces of the work forcloser inspection by individuals. They will be familiar with grammarand punctuation problems, and they will check your piece for clarityand cohesion.

Once youhave revised your manuscript and researched publishers who arelooking for works such as yours, try submitting again. Remember,follow their submission guidelines and be professional. Respondpromptly to any questions or a request for the full manuscript. Doingthis will allow the editor to see that you are dedicated to yourcraft, and that publishing your novel is an important project to you.Remind yourself that no one wants to get excited about a book thatdoesn't even motivate its creator. So get excited in a professionalsort of way, and don't let those rejection slips pull you down.

Writing a Fiction Novel

2011-11-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

Iremember back in grade school my teacher telling our class we weregoing to eat an elephant. I was very perplexed that she seemed soserious about it and began asking us how we would go about eating anelephant. After all, elephants are huge,and I could barely finish a sandwich and chips in one sitting. Howwere we going to eat this elephant she was talking about?

Ofcourse, you know the answer: One bite at a time! Writing afictional novel is much the same way. Beginning writers (and Isuspect some of us experienced writers, too) may balk at the idea oftackling such a project. Yet writing is such a creative outlet thatgives us an opportunity to express ideas and emotions that we arewilling to 'eat the elephant' anyway.

Ihave heard new writers say, from time to time, that they just don'tknow where to begin in writing a novel, so I've put together a quickguide to creating a fictional story. I will cover more information onthis topic in later posts, but this where I usually start.

1.Choose and research your topic. Fictional writing lends itself to amyriad of topics. When preparing to write your story, gather as muchinformation as you can about subjects you are passionate about.Reflect on your reading tastes to help in determining what type ofbook you might write and what age group you will write for.

2.Outline your plot on a piece of paper. The plot consists of the majorevents that will take place during your story. Organizing theseevents will give your story direction. Note the physical time andplace of your story on the outline. Writing out the plot, along withthe theme or meaning behind the novel, will give you something torefer back to later and help keep your story on track.

3.Characters can make or break a novel. Weak or uninterestingcharacters, or characters that don't behave and speak like realpeople, can easily be avoided with careful planning. Think about whatdrives the individuals in your story. What are their origins? Whatdid they experience during their childhood? What are their likes anddislikes? What conflicts and struggles do they face? Getting to knowyour characters will help you to identify with them and help you toknow how they should react and speak. Profile them and pin theirprofiles up on a pegboard alongside your outline so you can easilyrefer back to your notes. (Note: Many times in place of the pegboard,I organize my notes and story drafts into a zipper binder. I alsofind it helpful to collect pictures of real people who look similarto my characters. It helps me to not lose sight of the fact that mycharacters are 'real people' in my story, and that they must behavelike real people at all times.)

4.Decide if you will write your novel from one character's point ofview, or from an all-knowing author point of view. Each style hasbenefits and drawbacks.Forinstance, writing from a character's point of view (known as writingin first person) gives you the opportunity to show your character'sthoughts and emotions from their own unique perspective. However, beaware that with this style of writing you cannot reveal anything thatthe main character doesn't know or see. You can switch to asub-character's point of view in the course of the story to show thereader things they could not otherwise know, but be careful. This canbecome confusing to the reader if not done well.

Alternately,you can show the story line from an author's point of view, or thirdperson. This gives you the freedom to show how the story relates tomany characters at once, and allows the reader to see thingshappening that the main character doesn't necessarily know about.

Nomatter which view point you choose, be sure to stick with it throughyour story.

5.Begin writing the first draft of your story. Refer back to your plotand character profiles, and begin writing out the scenes that willmove the novel. Try to devote a little time to writing each day, evenif it is only fifteen minutes. Set reasonable goals to keep youmotivated. I personally try not to look back over what I've writtenuntil I'm done with the first draft. Penning the first draft is adifficult step, one that you should tackle without the distraction ofediting and constant re-reading.

AsI said, this is usually how I begin writing a novel. Knowing thateveryone writes and organizes thoughts differently, I would encouragebeginning writers to use this guide as they discover their own uniqueway of developing plot, characters and point of view.

Young Adult Title by Jennifer L Stone

2011-11-21T11:03:00.001-08:00

Lily Ruth Publishing is proud to introduce our debut young adult fiction title, Quest of the Swords: Swords of Blood by new author, Jennifer L Stone.

Stormi Claver is a seventeen-year-old girl living in a land driven by prejudice and fear. When Stormi is captured by Rylan, the rogue Finin prince, she fears her death is near, for their clans share a common curse – to war with one another until none remain.

Her fear heightens when she learns Rylan is taking her to the Temple of the Swords – home of the evil Goddess that cursed their clans; a place where no Claver has ever left alive.

Stormi knows her brother, Gideon, pursues her rescue, but her captor continues to evade him. While the desire to kill one another burns strong in Stormi and Rylan, they find themselves working together toward a common goal – to retrieve their clan swords from the temple and break the curse that is devastating their people.

Gideon is forced to abandon Stormi’s rescue when he learns the Finins are plotting a war against the Claver’s homeland of Malinna.

With war at hand and the curse consuming their clans, Stormi and Rylan must battle friend and foe to defeat the curse while Gideon, aided by a mysterious, dark ally, raises an army to battle the blood-thirsty Finin forces that have set out to annihilate the Clavers.

Young adult readers will be swept away to a world of dark secrets and vengeance, where the triumph of good over evil lies within the hands - and heart - of a young, captive girl.

“Quest of the Swords: Swords of Blood” tells a story about finding the strength to love and trust in the face of hatred and war; about the power of the human spirit to defy the destiny thrust upon it. With open hearts and minds, and a dash of courage, even the most difficult of circumstances can be overcome.

Wonderful read aloud book!

2011-11-21T08:27:00.001-08:00

The Sundancer

Ben Joy

ISBN-13 978-0982300923

The Sundancer, written by Ben Joy, is a greatread aloud story book. It's vivid colors and fun dance moves capturethe imaginations of young children as they follow the story of avillage boy who dances to make the sun rise each morning. This storyteaches values of community involvement (i.e. the sun won't rise forthe village until the boy dances) and makes for a fun read. Welldone!

Reviewed by Jennifer L Stone, 11/18/2011

Thought-Provoking Adventure

2011-11-21T07:25:00.001-08:00

The Nameless World

Heather Payer-Smith

ISBN-13 9781461112655

Noah is the target of the schoolbullies every day. They taunt him, take his possessions and even hithim over the head with his own book!

The young protagonist is afraid tofight back, but when the bullies throw his favorite book into a mudpuddle during recess he snaps and launches a rock at the biggestbully's head. A teacher comes at the sound of the bully's distressedcries and Noah hides behind a large oak tree.

It is there that he finds his missingscience teacher's glasses and two mysterious puzzle pieces thattransport him to another world. As Noah travels through this worldtrying to get back home he makes new friends, discovers an ecosystemwith life-giving rivers and rescues native creatures from being eatenby bigger beasts. He also discovers that the humans of this worldaren't well liked by the native creatures – for a very good reason:they are destroying the delicate ecosystem along with the creatureswho depend on it.

Noah must find his way through thisworld to the Chatalbin who can send him home, and to do this he mustfind the courage within himself to brave the nameless world.

The Nameless World is an exciting andthought-provoking adventure that middle grade readers are sure tolove.

Reviewed by Jennifer L. Stone

Now Available!

2010-09-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

Lily Ruth Publishing is proud to announce the release of their debut children's picture book, The Sundancer, (published under the imprint, Lily Ruth Kids).

The Sundancer is a wonderful story about a boy whose job is to make the sun rise every day. But he doesn’t yell or poke at the sun to make it rise, Instead, the boy dances!

This story encourages kids to express themselves in creative ways and teaches them that everyone has an important role to fulfill in their community.

Purchase your copy today by visiting:
http://lilyruthpublishing.com/lilyruthbooks.aspx.

The Sundancer by Ben Joy

Paperback - $11.95

To the PRESS!!

2010-04-16T12:45:00.001-07:00

We are excited to announce that production on Ben Joy's new children's book, "The Sundancer", is well underway! We have had the opportunity to view preliminary proofs of the book and it has come together nicely. We will be hard at work over the next few months, preparing for the book's September release and will be sure to keep everyone posted on it's progress.

New Author - Ben Joy

2010-03-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

Lily Ruth Publishing would like to welcome new author, Ben Joy, to the Lily Ruth Publishing family! Ben Joy's debut children's picture book, The Sundancer, was recently offered a publishing contract under the new picture book imprint, Lily Ruth Kids. We have been hard at work getting the book through pre-publication and look forward to working with Ben and illustrator, Heather Payer-Smith, as we finalize the book for print in the coming months. The Sundancer is scheduled to be released in September of 2010! Congratulations Ben Joy!

Now Accepting Submissions

2010-03-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

Lily Ruth Publishing is excited to introduce our new children's picture book division, Lily Ruth Kids!

Submissions are now open for children's picture books intended for children ages 2-6 years old. For children's picture books, please submit the complete manuscript along with a cover letter and brief bio. Please include a SASE with your submission for a response or if you would like your materials returned. Any submissions lacking a SASE will be recycled. LPR will not respond to submissions that do no have a SASE enclosed.

Please direct all materials to Lily Ruth Publishing, P.O. Box 2067, Jacksonville, TX 75766, ATTN: Lily Ruth Kids.

My-Weird-Family-Series:-My-Vampire-Cousin

2009-10-30T08:24:00.001-07:00

Now accepting submissions

2009-07-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

Calling all authors! Lily Ruth Publishing has just opened submissions for children's books no more than 30,000 words in length that follow an adventure/humor or sci-fi/fantasy slant. If you have a ready manuscript that you would like us to consider, please review our submission guidelines by visiting www.lilyruthpublishing.com/submissions and send us your materials!

Now on YouTube.com!

2009-06-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

J.K. Hawkins and "My Weird Family Series" are now featured on YouTube.com! You can check out the video for "My Vampire Cousin" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zN0LNLlLAQ and the video for "My Werewolf Brothers" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-oKqaGbxP4 - both of which are narrated by J.K. Hawkins herself! The videos also feature illustrations out of the books.

J.K. Hawkins Featured on KLTV News

2009-06-22T09:04:00.000-07:00

Check out the news story covering one of J.K. Hawkins' recent book signing events at Goodday Coffee + Books in Kilgore as featured on KLTV (link to report below)!

Child Author Publishes Second Book
An aspiring east Texas author has published her second book in a series, at the age of 13.
http://www.kltv.com/global/story.asp?s=10567847

Be a part of the action!

2009-06-17T14:28:00.000-07:00

Want to see J.K. Hawkins as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show? So do we!!! But we need your help, your VOICE, to get there. We ask all of J.K.'s followers to go to: https://www.oprah.com/ord/plugform.jsp?plugId=216 to fill out the form and submit your request for Oprah to interview young Miss Hawkins as a show idea! Be creative, be sincere... most of all, BE A SUPPORTER! Thanks to all who will help get the word out about our talented young author!

New Releases

2009-05-22T07:47:00.000-07:00

June is quickly approaching, and with the much anticipated release of TWO new books in the "My Weird Family Series" by young author, J.K. Hawkins, we at Lily Ruth Publishing have been busy busy! Some events to look forward to for the release of the new books:

Back to back book signings for the Premier Release on June 20th from 1-3pm at Goodday Coffee + Books in Kilgore, TX and again from 4-6pm at the Hastings Book Store in Longview, TX. We hope to kick of the new releases with a bang and encourage those of you in the area to "Save the Date" for one of these upcoming book signing events.

Want to schedule J.K. Hawkins for a book signing at one of your local book stores? Drop us an email at lilyruthpublishing@yahoo.com!

Book Review from AllBookReviews.com

2009-05-05T13:36:00.000-07:00

Title: My Weird Family Series: My Vampire Cousin

Author: J.K Hawkins

My Weird Family is about a young girl of twelve who finds out that her long-lost relatives are in fact, monsters. The story portrays Alice Trivett as a true adventurer with a quick wit and attractive personality. After stumbling accidentally-on-purpose into a haunted castle, she comes across her vampire cousin and learns things about her family that she hadn’t known before. Alice has to decide whether she has enough curiosity to continue on the path of monsters and vampires or to return back to the human world, something that no one has ever been able to do before.

J.K Hawkins’ has a very developed and hilarious writing style. Her story, My Weird Family, reminds me of the types of stories that made me fall in love with reading when I was younger. Although targeted at a slightly younger audience than myself, her quick one-liners would make even the oldest of readers smile if only for a moment. All of her fictional characters have realistic personalities with quirks and pet peeves. It is these types of traits that make one story stand out more than others. My Weird Family is definitely a stand-out kind of story.

J.K Hawkins is a first time children’s book writer who created her first character, Alice, at the age of eight. She is now the author of the, My Weird Family Series, which includes twenty stories, including My Vampire Cousin. Her favourite hobbies include writing and playing soccer.

In conclusion, My Vampire Cousin, is creatively written and inspires the imagination of it’s readers. Highly Recommended, for young readers who want a memorable read that will inspire their own creativity.

Nicole Harris, Allbooks Reviews www.allbookreviews.com

Online Interview with J.K. Hawkins

2009-04-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

J.K. Hawkins recently corresponded with www.coolstuff4writers.com in an interview where she shared comments and insight into her inspirations, ideas, characters and more. You can check out her interview at http://www.coolstuff4writers.com/Interviews/JKHawkins.html.

A big thanks to Sandy and Lowell from CoolStuff4Writers.com for their interest and support of J.K. Hawkins and "My Weird Family Series."

Book Signing in Paris Texas - APRIL 18th

2009-04-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

J. K. Hawkins and Heather Payer-Smith will make an appearance at Hastings in Paris, TX! Look for them on April 18th, 2009 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.! Hastings in Paris, TX is located at 3518 Lamar Ave., Paris, TX 75460.

Anxious for a sneak peek of book 2 in "My Weird Family Series?" J.K. Hawkins will be featuring pre-released copies of both the NEW EDITION of "My Vampire Cousin" and book 2, "My Werewolf Brothers." This is your chance to preview what's to come and talk to both the author and the illustrator about the books.

Reader Views

2009-04-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

We'd like to thank Brenna for her review! We appriciate her opinion and hope that readers will take a moment to see what others think of "My Weird Family Series: My Vampire Cousin."

"My Weird Family Series: My Vampire Cousin"
Reviewed by Brenna Bales (age 11) for Reader Views (3/09)

This exceptional novel by J.K Hawkins is both thrilling and humorous. The outstanding storyline, along with the main theme of the story, create a tale that I know many kids will really enjoy reading.

The story’s main character, Alice, is strong, and confident, and smart. This is what all kids look for in a fairy-tale. They can easily imagine themselves as the character, fighting off the vampires, andreacting to finding out that their whole family is made up of mythical creatures. This book is probably for children ages 8-10, but any kid who loves a great adventure story will adore this book.

In the story, Alice finds out that her family is not only dead, but the living dead! As she escapes from all the vampire teeth coming at her, she discovers that no matter what types of creatures your family is made up of, you can still love them. It is a superb work of fiction that any child will find irresistible to put down.

The overall plot of the book is very intriguing, and kept my attention throughout. It did have some parts that went a little too fast, or confused me as to what was happening. No book is perfect though, and it amazes me that the author is only 12-years-old! Her writing is stunning!

The cover of the book looks very spooky, but that famous saying to not judge a book by its cover applies here nicely. The book was very captivating, and J.K. Hawkins is an amazing author.

I am really looking forward to reading the rest of this series, and any of the other books that she has written. I give “My Weird Family Series: My Vampire Cousin” by J.K. Hawkins a 5 out of 5.

Goodreads.com Book Review for My Vampire Cousin

2009-03-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

My Weird Family Series: My Vampire Cousin by J. K. Hawkins

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Young author, J.K. Hawkins captures the true imaginative spirit of a 12-year-old in her debut book, "My Vampire Cousin", the first installment of "My Weird Family Series." Her quick wit and lively characters drive the story of Alice Trivett, a curious little girl who discovers a creepy old castle and a dark family secret that lies deep within. "My Weird Family Series: My Vampire Cousin" is full of non-stop action and clever, laugh-out-loud scenarios that keep the story moving from page one.

View all my reviews.

Young New Author

2009-03-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

13-year-old-author, J.K. (Julie) Hawkins has recently announced the release of her debut children's book, "My Vampire Cousin," part of a clever and humorous new series "My Weird Family Series," published by Lily Ruth Publishing.

“My Vampire Cousin” is the first of TWENTY stories written by J.K. Hawkins for “My Weird Family Series.” It is a series to look forward to with laugh-out-loud scenarios played out by unique and unforgettable characters.

J.K. Hawkins is looking forward to the up coming release of a new edition of "My Vampire Cousin" along with the release of book two in the series, "My Werewolf Brothers" in June 2009!

In the meantime, J.K. Hawkins will be making appearances at several East Texas book signing events, including the Barnes and Noble New author Expo on March 28th, as well as several book signing events at Hastings book stores in Paris, TX on April 18th and a back to back signing event with the Hastings in Mount Pleasant and Longview, Texas on May 16th.

We encourage you to learn more about J.K. Hawkins and her book(s) by visiting www.lilyruthpublishing.com.