Monthly Archives: February 2013

Dragon Books for Children Dragon Fan Mail

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Dragon books for children can be a fun way for children to get interested in reading. I know it worked for me when I was a kid.

The dragon, especially if he’s a ‘nice’ dragon, can be a great character for children to relate to. Children love animals and fictitious creatures that talk and act as humans.

I have been fascinated with dragon books since I was a child. And I never believed all those things said about the ‘mean’ dragons in some dragon books for children. I always believed that dragons should be treated as any other pet; with love, kindness, and compassion.

So, because of my life long love of dragons, that is how I became a writer of fantasy children books. And now that I am the writer, I am finding that my dragon, Snarls, is getting more fan mail than I am.

Who is Snarls, you ask? Well, he is a secondary character in my adventure kids books series that wants to hog all the limelight. Below is a post of one of his ‘fan’ mails. I will be posting more of his mail later because it’s just too funny.

Dear Author Person,

I am miffed. I never thought you would post my last letter for all the world to see. How is this going to make Snarls feel? Okay, he will feel great. Attention is attention to him. But what about me? I don’t need the entire world knowing I have a dragon friend? Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Okay, maybe you don’t, but it does.

Who is that with Snarls in the picture?Some hooligan character of yours? It is bad enough he hangs with Petra (a princess), and now some character named Babblin wants to talk his ear off, and mine too. Why did you send her with Snarls to my house? Do you really think I need a talker on top of a fire breathing snoring dragon?

I like Snarls, I really do, even the fire he puts everywhere is kind of endearing. Oh,and thanks for the tip about giving Snarls water before bedtime—to cut down on the fires.

Snarls is most welcome, as long as he stops scaring the kitties. As soon as one of them climbs up his tail, by his invitation, Snarls flips his tail and sends the cat flying through the air. Sure they always land on their feet but I always nearly have a heart attack. I got an email from him saying he was quite busy with book two, something about getting the editors to see things his way “or else.”

I have never been visited by story book character before yours. I am kind of getting used to it. 

And yes, when Snarls visits me he always brings pajamas and snacks.


P.S. Fire department bill for all the previous havoc Snarls created at my house is in the mail.

Miss Anonymous.
****************************
Dear Miss Anonymous,
What can I say. My dragon has a mind of his own and he does play a little rough. We’re working on that. But he’s not your typical dragon in dragon books for children, is he now? I can’t believe he complained about his role in book 2. He seemed fine with it all through the writing and editing, and I presumed he liked being a character in fantasy kids books. Well, there is a little part about him wearing a pink, tasselled saddle that he complained about, but I thought he was over that.
Sorry for all the havoc he creates. Snarls really likes visiting you and, all the sleep-overs.
The Author.
For more information on Snarls and the other characters in book one, Sir Princess Petra – The Pen Pieyu Adventures, or go to :http://www.dragonsbook.com/for-kids.html  You can also download the free coloring book on that page.

How to write dragon books for children

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DRAGONS . . .very interesting creatures, and always up to stuff.

Snarls the dragon in Sir Princess Petra

I write children’s chapter books in the fantasy/adventure genre. But most important about writing fantasy kids books is that I write dragon books for children. My first book in this series is entitled,  Sir Princess Petra – The Pen Pieyu Adventures

Snarls, the dragon, is a secondary character in this series. And he is quite the character.

Even though Snarls is an imaginary creature, he still possesses important traits that any human character would possess. And possessing important traits is what makes any character whole and round.

When I start making the character outlines for a book, that character’s attributes and flaws, as well as personal appearance, have to be consistent.

Making characters whole and round is the most important thing you can do for your characters, and it starts with a notebook. Each character has their own segment, and as I think about characteristics for that character I write them all down.

For instance: Is the character mostly serious or goofy? Are they generally a good or bad character?   What things do they stand up for? What do they look like? And what are their likes and dislikes?

The list goes on and on, but the more characteristics I write for each character, the more real those characters become. And all the characters in my books must be real to me or they will not be real to my readers.

It is also important to note that not every characteristic will come out in the story, but when the writer knows their characters inside and out, it is easy to choose the what, when, and why that characters does or says something in the story.

Snarls, the dragon in my books, is therefore treated as any character in the book–and he has to pull his weight as an intriguing character.

So in order to write dragon books, or any fiction kids books, the characters must be real to the writer first. And the sky’s the limit as the writer mulls over what kind of characteristics the players will have.

For more information about my characters, go to: http://www.dragonsbook.com/for-kids.html and scroll down for the kid’s coloring book to download, and for info about Book One characters.

 

Award-winning author featured on CTV T.V.

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Award winning author Diane Mae Robinson recently appeared on a segment of ‘Around The Region’, a television program that airs on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm on CITL-TV Bell 237 and Shaw 319. The show focuses on happenings in the Midwest and Lakeland regions in Alberta, Canada. Robinson was interviewed about her award winning childrens book ‘Sir Princess Petra’

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Award Winning Children’s Book Author Diane Mae Robinson Featured On “Around The Region” On CITL-TV

St. Paul author Diane Mae Robinson was featured recently an “Around The Region” segment On CITL-TV. In the interview she discussed her latest children’s book, ‘Sir Princess Petra’.  The segment was aired on CITL-TV Bell 237 and Shaw 319. The show features events and happenings that impact the Midwest and Lakeland regions in Alberta, Canada

[February 5, 2013, St. Paul, Alberta, Canada] Award winning Canadian author Diane Robinson recently appeared on ‘Around The Region’, an Alberta Canada television program that airs on Wednesdays at 7:30 pm on CITL-TV Bell 237 and Shaw 319. The show, hosted by Kahla Buchanan, features events and happenings around the Midwest and Lakeland regions in Alberta Canada. On the show Robinson discussed her award-winning book for children, ‘Sir Princess Petra’.Robinson has taken two major awards for her children’s book, ‘Sir Princess Petra’. She was honored with the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artists Award for Children’s Book Author. She also took 2nd place in the Purple Dragonfly Book awards for Children’s Chapter Book. In 2012 she was chosen as a finalist for ’50 Great Writers You Should Be Reading’.’Sir Princess Petra’, the first book in the Pen Pieyu adventures, is an engaging children’s book that features surprising plot twists and turns, brilliant flashes of humor, zany characters and is rooted in timeless values that shine through the charismatic main character.“It’s exciting promoting my first children’s chapter book in The Pen Pieyu Adventure series. The book has a great message for kids—To believe in yourself and follow your dreams.”’Sir Princess Petra’ is written in the tradition of C. S. Lewis and is reminiscent of ‘Shrek’. Reviewers have labeled the award winning book a ‘fantasy adventure that is sure to become a timeless classic.’Robinson uses the dragon books concept as the background to teaching young people traditional values. Dragon books are one of the most popular segments of fantasy fiction and children’s books in today’s marketplace. In this fantasy fiction work, Ms. Robinson’s highly praised work demonstrates that dragon books can be something much more than dragon books.“I have always loved books with dragons in them, and I believe that dragon books are a great way to engage children in reading.”Ms. Robinson is available for media interviews and can be reached using the information below or by email at robinsond@mscnet.ca. More information, including reviews, information for teachers and librarians and a special children’s section is available at her website. ‘Sir Princess Petra’ is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Tate Publishing. The “Around The Region” segments can be viewed in the ‘news’ section on her website at http://www.dragonsbook.com.

About Diane Mae Robinson:

Diane Mae Robinson has a journalism diploma from the Schools of Montreal, and an advanced diploma from the Institute of Children’s Literature in Connecticut.  She is also an artist, and teaches acrylic and watercolor art to children. She lives with her husband, Allen, in a small hilltop castle near St. Paul, Alberta.  They have four dogs and three horses, along with a forest inhabited by gnomes, fairies, a princess, and a dragon. This magical forest is where Diane creates her characters and gets the inspiration for her stories.

Contact and to read more about Diane’s multi-award-winning dragon books for children series

Diane Mae Robinson

Author Diane Mae Robinson

http://www.dragonsbook.com
robinsond@mcsnet.ca


 

Lessons From Picasso

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There are lessons to be learned from the art and the mind of Pablo Picasso. His techniques, creative insights, and empathy of his art has distinguished him as the revolutionary artist of the twentieth century.

Pablo Picasso
Oct. 25, 1881 – Apr. 8, 1973

“When I was a child, my mother told me, ‘If you become a soldier, you will be a general. If you become a monk, you will end up as the pope.’ Instead I became a painter and wound up as Picasso.”

Ah, the confidence to do what you were destined to do in life, and to do it well. This is a lesson all creators of the arts can take to heart.

Pablo Picasso was an innovative thinkers of his time. He reinvented himself many times over during his career. Depending on his mental state and what was going on in the world at the time, his paintings took on the persona of: depression during his ‘Blue Period’; love during his ‘Rose Period’; shocking abstracts from his ‘Cubist Period’; and the ‘Classic Period’ as World War 1 broke out. But at each stage, the art was profound and empathetic.

Does this mean that, as a writer, if we can feel the deepest emotions of what we are writing at a certain time, the work will be more poignant? I think that is exactly what Pablo Picasso was telling the world.

If a writer or an artist does not have their emotions wholeheartedly invested in their art, then neither will the reader or the viewer.

Pablo Picasso knew of the complexity of creating a piece of art, but he also understood the simplicity of art. Upon passing a group of school kids in his old age Picasso remarked, “When I was as old as these children, I could draw like Rapheal,  but it took me a lifetime to learn to draw like them.” 

 

Pablo Picasso, Self Portrait, 1907, oil on 

As a children’s book author, this statement is a profound lesson to me. It’s as if the artist is telling me to leave behind my adult ego and think as a child, to play as a child, to create as a child. And then, and only then, when I have re-mastered the skills of being a child, to write the books for the child.Being an artist has also taught me lessons in writing for children, and teaching art to children, more so. Teaching children helps me to understand their creative insights, their lack of ego or competition, and their pure imagination that is so very intense.

The Princess Knight by Diane M. Robinson
2009, acrylic on canvas

 

Children create from their heart. So as a children’s book author, the lessons I’ve learned  from being around the creative minds of children is what grounds me in my writing, and teaches me how to create stories for children, through the eyes of a child, and with the heart of a child. Children have also taught me how to capture childlike innocence in my own art.

Picasso has made a profound impact on the world of art, and his creative genius is a lesson to all who create, in all aspects of the arts.

.”If only we could pull out our brain and use only our eyes.” Pablo Picasso
http://www.biography.com/people/pablo-picasso-9440021http://www.abcgallery.com/P/picasso/picasso-2.html



                                    May the wheels of creativity never stop turning.