Book Signing at Angela's Happy Stamper on 12/4!

Angela's Happy Stamper, a really fantastic stamping and papercraft shop in Reston, Virginia, invited me to sign and sell my book at their Holiday Open House this Saturday. I'm really looking forward to it! The open house runs from 9-5 but I'm there from 10:30 to 2:30. There are so many fun activities planned (make & take cards and ornaments, music, etc.) that I'll probably be around longer than that. Check out the website at www.ahappystamper.com for a full schedule of activities and directions to the shop.

Upcoming school visit

I'll be visiting with the K and 1st graders at Blessed Sacrament School in Alexandria, VA this coming Tuesday. I'm going to read Card Auntie, hopefully read an unpublished children's story that I also wrote, show the kids a story board, and give out Thanksgiving coloring sheets and bookmarks (if I get the latter made in time, lol). I'm really looking forward to this event!

Book Signing coming up on Dec. 4th in Reston

Angela's Happy Stamper, a fantastic craft shop in Reston, Virginia, has invited me to sign and sell Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop at its Christmas open house on Saturday, December 4th! This is the first time the shop has hosted a book signing so I'm very proud!! More details to follow...mark your calendars.

Alexandria Story Festival was great!

The 1st annual Alexandria Story Festival, sponsored by Wright to Read and Hooray for Books, was a lot of fun. It was a beautiful day, fortunately, because many activities were outside on the field. I was inside the school, with two other local authors (I love saying that). I had coloring pages, crayons, markers and stickers all ready for the kids. My sister, Nora, and my friends Marie, Tracy and Tessie, were there to help me all day, bless them!! The children made about 40 letters for soldiers, which I sent with my card shipment to Operation Write Home. I'm sure the soldiers will appreciate hearing from kids at their outposts in Afghanistan and Iraq!
I posted several photos from the event at my cardmaking blog: www.bitsofcheer.blogspot.com in case you want to pop over there.

"Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop" reviewed in August edition of the Midwest Book Review!

I'm very excited that my book is in the Midwest Book Review's August edition. I so appreciate this thorough and descriptive review, which follows:

"Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop is an inspirational illustrated story about Card Auntie, a wonderful, creative old woman who creates and sends thoughtful cards all sorts of people giving them special notes of appreciation, thanks, or cheer. One day Card Auntie has a terrible accident, tripping over her cat, Zip while carrying boxes of her cards. She breaks her arm and has to convalesce under the care and supervision of grumpy (but well meaning) Nurse Hopkins. Oh dear! Card Auntie worries that no one will receive her wonderful cards while she is unable to do her special, creative work. A marvelous surprise solution takes shape from the people of Card Auntie's community, and everything does work out for the best in the end. The painstakingly detailed colored pencil illustrations of "Card Auntie's Workshop" will keep young readers searching for their favorite little orange snail and other guides and cues to the story. "Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop" has a gentle tone and a message of kindness returned that will resonate with young and old alike."

Here's the link to the Midwest Book Review's Picturebook Shelf:
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/aug_10.htm#Picturebook

Wright to Read Festival/Hooray for Books on Saturday, September 18

I will be part of Alexandria, Virginia's Wright to Read Festival, sponsored by Hooray for Books (where my book is on sale) on Saturday, September 18. Since my book is about a lady who makes cards and I've gotten involved in cardmaking for Operation Write Home, which sends handmade cards to our troops overseas for them to send to their loved ones, I'll be making cards and letters for OWH with kids. I'll also read my book to small groups. Here is a link to the event:
http://www.wrighttoread.org/alexandria-story-festival.html

Another great book review!

My new friend, a crafter and Mom of six, has posted a review of "Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop" on her blog, www.helloholley.blogspot.com. I hope you will check it out, and also enjoy Holley's beautiful cardmaking.

Where to find Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop!

Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop can be ordered from Amazon.com or Barnesandnoble.com; I believe it is also on booksamillion.com. You can also ask any bookstore to order it for you, which is great because they might order a few extra copies and put them on their store shelves! Just remember that I used my real name on my book: Sharon Hickey. I'd love to hear from you if you happen to read my book!

Newspaper article about me and my book, June 2010

Arlington Catholic Herald by Dave Borowski, 6-16-10.

Fantastic book signing at Stifel & Capra!

My first book signing event at Stifel & Capra was a big success! I was really touched by the number of friends and family who attended! Everyone seemed to have a great time; there are so many unique arts and crafts to see at the shop. I signed and sold a lot of books! Thanks to Stifel & Capra for making this wonderful experience possible for me.

Beach reads

While we were at Ocean City, Maryland, last weekend I went to Atlantic Books in nearby Fenwick Island, Delaware. It's a huge bookstore right on the main highway. They agreed to sell "Card Auntie" on consignment!

First Friday book signing -- one week away!

I will have a book signing and officially launch my children's picture book, "Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop" on Friday, June 4th, 5-8 PM at Stifel and Capra (www.stifelandcapra.com) at 260 W. Broad Street in Falls Church, VA. It's at the corner of W. Broad and Little Falls Street, in the historic old white house there. My book signing is part of Stifel and Capra's First Friday festivities (held throughout Falls church); there will be snacks and lots of cool Hawaiian shirts on sale, too, in addition to all the other neat things. Y'all come!!

Remembering "Make Way for Ducklings"

I wrote a letter to the Washington Post in response to a wonderful photo that had been on the front page 4/27/10. They printed my letter on 5/1. I thought it would be fun to put it here on my blog.

Card Auntie inspires card-making!

A fellow choir member told me today that her granddaughter, Lucy, her friend, Julia, and Julia's letter brother, Adam, loved reading "Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop". Adam loved it so much he wanted to make a card, so the kids had a card-making session! That makes me very happy indeed!

Tori's kindergarten class loves Card Auntie!

This is a message I received today from my nephew's wife, Susan. Her little girl took Card Auntie's Wonderful Workshop to school today in Massachusetts:

Tori's kindergarten teachers (and students!) loved the book! And Tori was so proud to have it read to the class telling everyone her auntie wrote and "drew" it ... They did have fun looking for the snails... We did see the snail in the clouds and were wondering if it was coincidental or not... Now we know!
It is a very sweet book! Congrats again!
L,
Susan

Mindy Lockard and daughters review "Card Auntie"

Mindy Lockard is an etiquette consultant in Oregon. She teaches and writes about etiquette, networking and interpersonal skills. Her clients include corporations, universities (preparing college kids for the workforce), and people of all ages. I really loved Mindy's blog when I found it, and I thought she might be interested in reading my picture book. Not only did she read it; she also reviewed it with her two little girls and posted the review on her blog: http://mindylockard.com/blog/ .
I hope you will check it out, not only for the review but all the interesting and fun photos, info and crafts Mindy posts on her blog!

Card Auntie's on the shelf at Hooray for Books!

What a fantastic feeling to see my little book on the shelf at a children's bookstore! The store is Hooray for Books, 1555 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia. It's a short walk east of the King Street Metro stop.

Book promotion, continued

My friend and fellow Mirror Publishing author, Sherry Farmer, gives out a bookmark at her book signings. I like that idea. I'm working on a bookmark design with a little snail that kids (big or little) can color.
As I was doing my usual web-surfing to learn about book promotion ideas, I saw that "Card Auntie" is up for sale at Books-A-Million's online site. That was neat; I didn't expect that. Hope someone will post a review there!

Wonderful world of book promotion!

I'm having fun researching various aspects of book promotion, googling book festivals, card making clubs, stamping clubs, and sites that do book reviews. The Midwest Book Review replied to my email and told me how to submit my book. I very much hope they will review it!
I traded books with another Mirror Publishing author; we both have the same first name and nickname (Sharon/Sherry). I'd like to trade with other Mirror authors because it's a good way to learn more about illustration, as well as a good way to get each other's books known to more people!

First post

My picture book is available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. Very soon, you can go into any bookstore and order it. That will save you shipping, and the store may order a few extra copies to put on the shelves! More good news: my book is going to be sold at Stifel & Capra in Falls Church, Virginia. I will have a book signing there on the evening of June 4th to launch the sale of my book there! Hope everyone puts that on their calendar. Stifel & Capra is a really fun place to browse and shop.