Just One More Book!!

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When we put out the call for illustrations that promote a love of reading, we didn’t expect to receive 51 submissions in about a month.

As part of the second anniversary celebrations of the Just One More Book children’s book podcast, we’re conducting short interviews with each illustrator that contributed to our Love of Reading Gallery. These interviews will be published three times each week as extra shows in our interview feed.

On this edition, Mark speaks with Lee Edward Fodi about his contribution called He Was a Tiger of a Storyteller.

Lee Edward Fodi on Just One More Book

• Interview with Lee Edward Fodi
• Waiting at the Door to Unger 9-part documentary series
• Vancouver writers book discussion (featuring Lee Edward Fodi)

Be sure to enjoy all of the amazing artwork in our Love of Reading Gallery.

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One of the amazing things about producing Just One More Book!! is getting geek out on subjects of literature and literacy with the incredible people behind children’s books. One such occasion took place at the Steamworks Brewing Company in Vancouver this past November. Mark had dinner with young adult fiction novelist James McCann, children’s book illustrator Kirsti Wakelin, and children’s book author and illustrator Lee Edward Fodi.

A portable recorder sat on the table and captured the entire conversation – two hours worth – and it was all great. However, two hours is more than practical for a podcast. So, we’ve grabbed about twenty minutes for this edition of Just One More Book!! and more of the recording will be made available on markblevis.com in the coming week.

Follow the JustOneMoreBook.com website for links to more of the conversation when it’s made available.

Highlights of this excerpt:

• how feedback from fans inspires and influences
• sabbaticals
• creativity as a finite resource
• productive times and places
• writer and illustrator toolkits
• how books are like drops of water

Musical stings: Veranda by Robert Farrell

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Children’s books are a phenomenal way to share the remarkable stories of real people. It makes you wonder how generations before us managed to enjoy stories exlusively through the oral tradition, without the combined talents of storytellers and artists.

On this edition of Just One More Book!!, Mark speaks with author Kyra Hicks about magazine articles inspiring books, emphasizing the positive to move a story forward and how Kyra herself has become passionate about the subject of her book.

Relevant links

• Kyra Hicks’ blog
• Liz Burns’ review of Martha Ann’s Quilt for Queen Victoria
• Lee Edward Fodi

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On March 3 we issued the first of a special series on Just One More Book. We called it Waiting at the Door to Unger and it followed the process of writing, editing and publishing Lee Edward Fodi’s book Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger, the long awaited sequel to Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers.

The wait is now over. The Door to Unger opened a few weeks ago, just before the end of October.

Lee Edward Fodi joins us for this ninth and final edition of the series to talk about his release party, early feedback on the book, an upcoming event in New York City and his plans for the next installments of the Kendra Kandlestar series.

You are entering the Door to Unger.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Waiting at the Door to Unger is our ongoing series of Podcast interviews in which we follow the process of writing, editing and publishing Lee Edward Fodi’s book Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger, the long awaited sequel to Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers.

In this eighth knock, join Lee and me as we spend an afternoon together in Vancouver, Canada on what Lee would later call a children’s book pilgrimage. Our afternoon consisted of lunch at Bellaggio Cafe on Hornby Street, shopping for children’s books at a store appropriately called Kidsbooks and then taking a tour of Christian’s Lyceum of Literature and Art — a newly opened literacy centre — all the while talking about reading and writing great children’s books.

Books mentioned:

• Shi-shi-etko
• Foundling
• Porcupine
• Fiona’s Luck
• The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Waiting at the Door to Unger is our ongoing series of Podcast interviews in which we follow the process of writing, editing and publishing Lee Edward Fodi‘s book Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger, the long awaited sequel to Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers.

In this seventh knock, I speak with Lee Edward Fodi about the excitement building up towards the October release of The Door to Unger.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Waiting at the Door to Unger is our ongoing series of Podcast interviews in which we follow the process of writing, editing and publishing Lee Edward Fodi‘s book Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger, the long awaited sequel to Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers.

In this sixth knock, Lee Edward Fodi teases us with a reading from Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger. So come along, pull up a seat, make yourself comfortable and let us put our ears to The Door to Unger. Here is chapter one: A Mysterious Visitor.

Drawing of Oroook and Kendra: Lee Edward Fodi

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Waiting at the Door to Unger is our ongoing series of Podcast interviews in which we follow the process of writing, editing and publishing Lee Edward Fodi‘s book Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger, the long awaited sequel to Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers.

In this fifth knock at the Door to Unger, Lee Edward Fodi makes some announcements including a surprise about the release date of the book, shares his plans for the summer and offers suggestions for those who want to do some creative writing.

Sound effect: Concrete blocks moving from the Freesound project

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Waiting at the Door to Unger is our ongoing series of Podcast interviews in which we follow the process of writing, editing and publishing Lee Edward Fodi‘s book Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger, the long awaited sequel to Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers.

In this fourth knock at the Door to Unger, Lee Edward Fodi talks about plans for marketing and promotion, and keeping things fresh in the public speaking circuit.

Also mentioned

• The Chocolatier’s Apprentice (illustrated by Lee)

Sound effect: Concrete blocks moving from the Freesound project

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Waiting at the Door to Unger is our ongoing series of Podcast interviews in which we follow the process of writing, editing and publishing Lee Edward Fodi‘s book Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger, the long awaited sequel to Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers.

In this third knock at the Door to Unger, Lee Edward Fodi explains the role that illustrations play in developing characters and plot lines, and how being both an illustrator and an author helps him to tell stories.

Also mentioned

• Interview with Lee Edward Fodi on Electric Sky
• The Chocolatier’s Apprentice (illustrated by Lee)

Sound effect: Concrete blocks moving from the Freesound project

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Waiting at the Door to Unger is our ongoing series of Podcast interviews in which we follow the process of writing, editing and publishing Lee Edward Fodi‘s book Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger, the long awaited sequel to Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers.

Editing is critical to the success of all books. It helps to ensure consistency, efficiency, and (above all) quality. While this is true of all books, it is even more important when it comes to a book series.

In this second knock at The Door to Unger, Mark talks to author Lee Edward Fodi about the editing process and the challenges and rewards of working on a sequel.

Sound effect: Concrete blocks moving from the Freesound project

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers was the first gift left by our family’s tooth fairy. That magical and magnificent book made hard-core Kendra fans of our entire family.

Although our girls insisted that a sequel was just a lost tooth away — four teeth later we are still waiting….

…So, to sweeten the suspense, we thought we’d check in from time to time with author Lee Edward Fodi to see how that long awaited sequel, Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger, is coming.

In this first knock at The Door to Unger, Mark talks to author Lee Edward Fodi about the success of Kendra Kandlestar, the pros and cons of various publishing alternatives and the exciting announcement of a November 2007 publication date for Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger.

Be sure to catch the rest of the Waiting at the Door to Unger series.