Author Spotlight

It's always nice to open an email to find that you are the subject of a nice blog post at someone else's blog. To read the interview, click on the links. Enjoy!



http://clcreviews.blogspot.com/2012/11/award-winning-author-joyce-shor-johnson.html





http://www.authorsbistro.info/2012/11/author-spotlight-joyce-shor-johnson.html

Review of The Casting by Superfastreader

Lovely Review of The Casting by Annie on her blog Reading is My Superpower.

You can read it here!

Spring Fling Hop W1nners!

The winners are:

Drum roll please....

Bridget H.

Melissa F.

Tobi H. 

 The winner of Timeless will receive their ebook copy in June when the book is released.

Thanks to all who entered! Check back often so you can enter the next book giveaway coming this summer.

Thanks

T is for Training

Training yourself to do anything takes time. You have to train to break bad habits and to build new ones. Writing daily is a habit, but you can form this habit by writing daily.

Recently, (okay, last week) I started training for the C25K. The first day was horrible. I could only make it through 6, 60 second runs. But the second day, I made it through 8. The third day, I did all 9.

I thought that if it gets easier and easier the more you do it, why don't I put this same concept into practice for my writing? So yesterday, I wrote for 20 minutes. Today, I wrote for 23 minutes. I do have a job and still want to run, but if I manage my time, I can do a little of everything on a regular basis.

How to Make Writing a Habit
Do this three times a week.

• Brisk five-minute free write warmup. Write about anything: grocery list, character traits, setting.
• Then alternate 60 seconds of writing and 90 seconds of reviewing, do this 8 times for a total of 20 minutes. 

Before you know it, you aren't stopping to review what you've written, instead you are writing for 20 minutes.

NESCBWI - No Place Like Home

     It was a great weekend and I hated to see it end, but it was nice to be home.
     I sat with my husband at the kitchen table and between bites of salad I explained why it felt to so good to be at a conference.
     My conference peeps aren't just colleagues, they are friends. They are genuinely happy to see me, make feel loved and appreciated, and inspire me to more than I would settle for.
     He smiled. He understood.
     To every single person who attended this year’s NESCBWI Conference in Springfield, MA, Thank you. You made this past weekend one I will never forget.

ISBNs

I've known what an ISBN is for as long as I can remember. I've been a reader since I was 4 years old and those numbers on a book cover or jacket flap always represented something secret. Add a barcode and you have a secret language.

Cat In The Hat & Springfield, MA

When I was nineteen, I lived in La Jolla, California for two years. During that time, I worked as a floral designer. Richard (who liked to be called Dick) owned the florist and he was an interesting guy. He knew many celebrities and often had me “do up” the floral arrangements for the events he hosted or was attending.

One of his closest and dearest friends was, Ted Geisel. I met Ted several times. He had an opinion about everything! Some of which I just can’t divulge. He did think I a was talker and called me Voyce instead of Joyce after he got to know me.

I’ve been thinking about him lately because I have been to Springfield several times in the last few months as I help organize this years NESCBWI “Keeping It Real” conference taking place April 20-22.

He used to joke about Springfield and that is all I going to say about what he would say about Springfield.

Just to keep this post interesting, here are the inscriptions in the two books he signed for me.

This a 1957 printing.

My 4 year-old signature

His opinion of my love of his book.

 Shortly before I returned to the East Coast he gave me this book.

And a warning!

 I often wonder how he was able to sum up my life in these two captions? He was just amazing!

Oh yeah, Springfield is also where my husband and I lived right after we were married. So here’s to you, Dr. Suess & Springfield, MA!

Being Brave

Bravery isn’t the same for everyone. 

Sometimes, the bravest thing to do is to go about your day without worrying what others think of you. 

Sometimes, it’s walking into a classroom knowing that your bully is there, waiting for you. 

Sometimes, it’s all about facing the real truth, yours not theirs.

Sometimes, it’s about not giving in because it’s the easiest thing to do.

The brave are often the least recognized.

Courage doesn't always roar.  Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.  ~Mary Anne Radmacher

Who do you know that is brave and should be recognized?

Amazing - The Casting is out!

Please celebrate with me! The Casting debuts today. Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this process. I am so excited. Please if you read the book, take a moment to comment on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, etc. It really does make a difference.

You can order the softcover book here 

and the hardcover here

and don't forget to support your local independent bookstore. BUY LOCAL. Just ask them to order The Casting for you. I'm available for author signings and school visits as well! Just drop me a line.

THANKS!