Jeannine Norris - Children's Author

December 27, 2010

Hopewell Christian Preschool Visit

How great my little friends were at Hopewell! They listened so attentively, and asked wonderful questions. We talked about our favorite part of the book, and the illustrations they liked best. The true meaning of Christmas seems to be a year-round feeling at Hopewell. Thanks for a great day!

St. Thomas the Apostle Grade School

I had a wonderful time with my friends at St. Thomas the Apostle. The kids were excited and the audience even included several newspaper reporters and photographers. I was delighted to be one of the "Real Life Authors" that has visited the school. This article in the Delco Times captures the spirit of the day.

December 13, 2010

Christmas is in the Air - KidLit Authors Club

I had the pleasure of signing with a bunch of fantastic writers from the Kidlit Authors Club at Borders in Exton Mall yesterday. Things were busy at the bookstore (always a good sign!) and we were we were busy signing too (another good sign!). This group of PA, NJ and DE authors spans the genres of picture book, middle grade and young adult. If you are a teacher, librarian or bookstore owner check out our KidLit Author Club. We'll coordinate a party at your school or library. Put Kidlit Author Club on your wish list this year. Check out the website at http://www.kidlitauthorsclub.com/

December 2, 2010

What to Give the Writer on Your List?

Hmm....what to give that favorite writer for Christmas? Can't wrap a publishing contract, movie deal or face-to-face with that sought-after agent? No need to fret - ideas are plentiful!

* a one-year membership to SCBWI

* a Mentoring Workshop or conference sponsored by SCBWI

* a subscription to Children's Writers newsletter

* paid manuscript critique with an agent/editor at a workshop

* book of stamps for submitting manuscripts by snail mail

* gift card to Staples (in an attempt to keep our writing space clean)

* subscription to Fast Pencil for the novel writers

Most valuable gift: a hug sprinkled with encouraging words, and a dash of faith from those who love us. This will keep us happy all year long.

November 22, 2010

'Tis the season . . .for School Visits !

School visits galore! Can't wait for December 1st as I begin the rounds of author visits to preschools and elementary schools. I love the visits - the schools are always gracious and the students ask fantastic questions! If you are on my list of schools this year, see you soon and be sure to check back for photos of our day together!

November 2, 2010

PiBoIdMo: Are You In On The Fun?

Today is November 2nd, and if you are a PiBoIdMo participant you should have your second idea penciled in. If you are not a participant, you are saying, "What the heck are you talking about?" PiBoIdMo is a funny name, but loaded with creativity and imagination. Tara Lazar is sponsoring Picture Book Idea Month on her blog.

The goal: each day in November, come up with a new picture book idea.

The details: it can be just the title, a jacket blurb, an outline or an entire first draft!

The reward: winners will submit their top five ideas to agents. The agents listed on Tara's blog will provide feedback on the picture books.

The other reward: you now have a folder of 30 picture books titles!

Jump on over to Tara's blog and sign up as a participant. And for goodness sake, get writing!

October 22, 2010

Pointers When Pitching Your Manuscript.

Kathy Temean, Regional Advisor of SCBWI-NJ, has a great post on 11 Questions to Answer While Working On Your Pitch. Kathy makes a great analogy of comparing your pitch to a t.v. commerical. You have the ear of an editor/agent for 30 seconds. Make it work for you! Kathy urges us to be clear on the theme, genre, hook and conflict. Check out Kathy's blog here and find other interesting tidbits too.

I Love School Visits! This Is What They Are Saying...

Quick bits ...

To schedule a school visits, please visit my website

http://www.jeanninenorris.com/

What a wonderful way to start the holiday season. Mrs. Jeannine Norris came to our school and introduced the children to her beautiful book, Tonight You are My Baby: Mary’s Christmas Gift. The children were riveted as she read the story and it was projected large than life on the whiteboard. Mrs. Norris kept them engaged in the story all the while sharing her experiences with them. Many of the teachers commented that Mrs. Norris had such a beautiful “way” with the children, just as she has a beautiful way with words. This book and this author are both truly a gift from God. - Patty Welsh, Principal, Our Lady of the Assumption Preschool and Kindergarten

Jeannine told the story in such a beautiful, poetic way....I felt like Mary was talking to me! What a wonderful gift she brought to all of us with her soothing voice, wonderful story and the amazing illustrations. I wish that all children could be as lucky as ours were to "hear" Mary's story! - St. Catherine of Sienna, Reading

"Our students loved your visit and our teachers and staff were so moved by your book. Thank you for taking the time to visit our pre-k, kindergarten, first and second grade classrooms. You could tell by the children's attentiveness that they really enjoyed the story. Such simple, loving words and beautifully
illustrated artwork to tell the story of that Holy Night. What a wonderful way to help us all focus on the true meaning of our Christmas celebration! ~ Peg McBride, PTO Events Coordinator, St. Philip Neri School

"Jeannine Norris' visit to our preschool was a wonderful addition to our curriculum during the month of December. The children are so excited during this time of year ... it was a perfect antedote to have the children sit and listen to Jeannine read a story about that quiet and peaceful night . ..the night the baby Jesus was born. This book is a beautiful way to introduce and re-emphasize the Christmas story to any age child. It is a story of awe and wonder - what we so desperately need to be reminded of. ~ Donna Hepner, Director, Hopewell Christian Preschool

"On December 15th, St. Agnes School in West Chester had a wonderful visit from Jeannine Norris. Students in Preschool through third grade were able to experience a presentation of her Christmas book "Tonight You Are My Baby". Her presentation is very interactive and students loved the story. The second and third grade also had a presentation on writing, which had them thinking about how an author spends their day. Questions were answered and books autographed. The morning ended with Mrs. Norris meeting with our writer's workshop, which is a group of junior high students. They had an informal lunch in the library. It was an enjoyable day for all! ~ St. Agnes School

"What a great presentation you gave to our K-8 students. Your book captured the beautiful story of the birth of Jesus and Mary's love for her son. Your informative and interactive presentation showed students that anyone can be a writer, and how to find ideas. We were thrilled to have you at St. Katharine of Siena School, especially as we prepared for Christmas." ~ St. Katharine of Siena School

"What a gift to have Jeannine share her heart, her faith and her story with our MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. All of our hearts were moved as Jeannine shared such touching reflections on being a mother, a daughter, a friend and a writer. Her book gives such a precious look into the Christmas miracle through the eyes of a mother. My family will be blessed to have this in our collection for many years to come!"
~ MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), Bethlehem, PA

"The students from St. Joseph School, Downingtown, had a delightful visit from Jeannine Norris as she shared her life as an author and her beautiful book, Tonight You Are My Baby.
Interaction with Mrs. Norris during her presentation was a special feature for the children." ~ St. Joseph School

"What a wonderful presentation to start the Christmas holiday! Jeannine Norris has written a beautiful tale of a mother's love told within the context of the birth of Jesus. The pictures brilliantly capture the spirit of this story. Our school was thrilled to have this wonderful author visit." St. Edmond's Academy

"The book is a gift waiting to be unwrapped and would make a wonderful addition to any family's Christmas collection." Holy Family School

"A wonderful experience for students and teachers! We recommend the book to everyone!" Sacred Heart School

"Our students were so excited to meet a real author! We look forward to future books!" St. Basil's The Great

"Your visit to the school was such a joy. Everyone had such positive things to say about your presentation!" Gwynedd-Mercy Academy

"Our school invited Jeannine to participate in a Christmas program that involved families. Children already love the story of Baby Jesus, but Tonight You Are My Baby drew the parents in a new way." Fairview Christian Academy

"The theme of your book tied in perfectly with our curriculum as we share the birth of Jesus with our preschoolers. We did a couple of your suggested activities to prepare for your visit. Your book is absolutely beautiful!" Providence Christian Preschool

"You truly have a gift for working with children and writing.
On Christmas Eve, our pastor read your book. It was the perfect story as he shared how Mary felt on this special night. Even our seventh grade teacher used the book to show how to write from perspective." St. Mary's School