tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75008039375702927012024-03-20T06:28:54.677-07:00Andrea RandBlogging about writing, parenting, politics and whatever else comes to mindAndrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-6237354068657799142017-12-24T16:08:00.002-08:002017-12-28T11:24:57.130-08:00"If we don't do it, who else can?" The Courage of Charles SchulzAs this year comes to a close I had wanted to write a holiday blog post about one of my favorite Christmas specials, <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i>. I have been busy working on <i>The Web</i> and scheduling book signings left and right, and my blog has been neglected indeed. I planned on writing this post before today, however things got delayed when I suffered an injury wrapping Christmas presents.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUstU-Ee37t4MLc9JFF1ows95nps8z1whtO6vJL7Ic3oLL5ABeprWvGID04yf0wdsq2eq3gVC7SwGJFrMakxctQPSOX6L4D5ffpBwz2P2zDAqnjHiFkeWAK7BbkAAd2g98WRoA7uH1MdQ/s1600/IMG_5617.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUstU-Ee37t4MLc9JFF1ows95nps8z1whtO6vJL7Ic3oLL5ABeprWvGID04yf0wdsq2eq3gVC7SwGJFrMakxctQPSOX6L4D5ffpBwz2P2zDAqnjHiFkeWAK7BbkAAd2g98WRoA7uH1MdQ/s320/IMG_5617.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Information for this blog post was gathered from<br />
"A Charlie Brown Christmas: The Making of a Tradition" <br />
by Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
What? You might ask. How can you injure yourself wrapping presents? Well, believe me, you can if your back is forty-something years old and you are doing a lot of leaning over as you cut, tape and furiously wrap each gift, and then you turn and bend at the waist to reach the next present. You can suffer a painful spasm that wreaks havoc on your entire lower back and sends you to the urgent care for muscle relaxers, steroids and painkillers.<br />
<br />
It happens. And it happened to me.<br />
<br />
That was a few days ago but now I am much better and since it’s still before Christmas, I will proceed with the blog post that explains why we all need a little bit of Charles Schulz’ courage inside of us.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
In 1965 Charles Schulz was notified that Coca-Cola was interested in sponsoring a thirty minute Christmas special featuring his <i>Peanuts</i> characters, and that he needed to come up with the outline for a script in five days. Schulz calmly rose to the challenge. He shared with his producer, Lee Mendelson, his ideas, saying, <b>“If it’s to be a Christmas special, I certainly want to deal with the true meaning of Christmas.”</b> His outline was sent to Coca Cola, who bought it and gave him six months to produce his special—a very short time considering the task at hand. But Charles Schulz – or Sparky, as his friends called him – rolled up his sleeves and got to work, and did not back down when a few of his ideas were challenged because they went against the popular opinion of the times.<br />
<br />
<b>Number One:</b> Sparky refused to use laugh tracks (dubbed in laughter to signal to the audience when a joke was told). Shows like <i>The Flinstones</i> and <i>The Jetsons</i> had built in laugh tracks, but when Mendelson suggested using one to Sparky he said, “Absolutely not.” And that was the end of that.<br />
<br />
<b>Number Two:</b> Charles Schulz insisted on using children to voice the parts, instead of using adult actors pretending to be kids. Some of the children who were cast were even too young to read and had to have their lines fed to them. I found that seven-year-old Christopher Shea was the young actor cast to voice Linus, and this is where my research into this blog post took a bit of a turn.<br />
<br />
<i>I could not escape the fact that the picture of Christopher Shea had an uncanny resemblance to the boy from "The Poseidon Adventure" (one of several disaster movies of the 1970’s that made me never want to set foot onto a cruise ship). So I stopped my research and performed a few Google searches to satisfy my nagging curiosity. As it turns out the actor who was the voice of Linus is the older brother to Eric Shea, the actor who followed Gene Hackman to safety aboard the overturned Poseidon ship. Consider this your random fact of the day. </i>:)<br />
<br />
<b>Number Three:</b> Charles Schulz, who was a strong Christian, wanted his cartoon to include the true meaning of Christmas, which meant adding a religious component to the show. His main animator, Bill Melendez, was not so sure. When he first looked at that part of the story he told Sparky, “We can’t do this, it’s too religious.”<br />
<br />
To which Sparky replied, <b>“Bill, if we don’t do it, who else can? We’re the only ones who can do it.”</b> They finished the special which included Linus’ now-famous reading of the King James version of Luke 2: 8-14 then took off for New York to present it to CBS’ top executives.<br />
<br />
Producer Lee Mendelson was apprehensive. Many of the animators had shared their opinions that something seemed a little off. Indeed, this was the first <i>Peanuts</i> animated special, and they were using jazz music, no laugh tracks, children's voices and a Bible verse inserted into a cartoon when cartoons were supposed to be funny. The top two CBS executives watched the special, and when it was over they turned to Mendelson.<br />
<br />
“Well, you gave it a good shot,” said one executive.<br />
<br />
“It seems a little flat … a little slow,” said the other.<br />
<br />
However, despite their misgivings CBS still aired the show and incredibly 15 million households tuned in to watch. <i>A Charlie Brown Christmas</i> came in second in ratings (losing out to <i>Bonanza</i>) and later won an Emmy and spurred several more <i>Peanuts</i> specials.<br />
<br />
So why do I say we all need a little bit of Charles Schulz’ courage inside of us? When I learned of how Charles Schulz had the courage to stick to his vision of keeping religion in his Christmas special, despite some doubters around him, it reminded me of what would happen three years later when he had the courage to add an African American character to the <i>Peanuts</i> gang, despite people around him worrying it could kill his comic strip. <a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2015_11_01_archive.html">see my blog post</a><br />
<br />
<b><i>"If we don't do it, who else can?"</i></b><br />
<br />
Both times Schulz did what he felt was right, and both times the nay-sayers were wrong and Good Ole Charlie Brown thrived. We need a bit of Sparky's courage because we live in times where it can be intimidating to voice an opinion or stick to a vision. There will always be people who may disagree or have doubts (or troll you on Twitter) but if you believe in your vision, don’t be afraid to let it shine. The world may be a better place because of it.<br />
<br />
Merry Christmas!<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-44558958254374669672017-09-11T15:16:00.001-07:002017-09-11T15:16:42.664-07:00A Conversation With My Son. Are You Having This Conversation?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On this 16th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks, I thought I'd repost the conversation I shared with my son a year ago to this day. </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Did you watch the movie at school about 9/11?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Yeah."</div>
<br />"Have I ever told you about what I remember about that day? I had watched the first part of the <i>Today Show </i>and from the stories they were covering that morning I remember thinking, 'must be a slow news day' so I started switching channels. Your dad called and said, 'Did you hear? A plane crashed into the World Trade Center.' I assumed it was a small private plane that had lost control but I quickly turned back to the <i>Today Show</i> and there was the live coverage. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Of course no one knew exactly what had happened. Terrorism was under suspicion but that didn’t become clear until the second plane hit. Then when the third plane hit the Pentagon it was really scary and almost surreal. It was hard to grasp that our country was actually being attacked, and we didn’t know where it would end. What else was planned? Your dad came home from work. I called Grandma and Grandpa and other family to see where they were and make sure they were okay. Air traffic control ordered all planes to land. But there was one plane that kept flying.”<div>
<br /><div class="MsoNormal">
“Flight 93?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Yeah.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Let’s roll?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I smiled. “You remember me telling you about that? How the
passengers fought back?"<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He nodded.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Your dad and I stayed glued to the television set. It was horrible. I can remember
seeing things falling from the towers and realizing those were people who were
jumping to their deaths.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Why would they do that?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“There was no other way out. Fire was all around them. And I
can remember seeing the towers leaning, thinking those are going to fall. They
stood for awhile but you could see it. You could see they were going to fall.
And imagine all the firefighters and first responders. They ran <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">into</i> those buildings, even though they
were full of fire and could collapse at any minute. Can you imagine running
into a building that looked like that? They ran <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">into</i> those buildings to try and save people.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At this point I had to stop. My tears were too close to
falling.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Mom, the movie at school talked about the good in 9/11.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I looked at him. “The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">good?</i>”
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Well yeah. I mean, it told stories about how people helped
each other.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I nodded. “Yes, people did help each other. They worked
together and in the days following 9/11 we all really felt … I don’t know,
united, patriotic. You know how people chant USA USA USA? People were chanting
that a lot.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I went on to tell him about how Jay Leno said in his first monologue
after the attacks that we’d been sucker-punched. I told him that a concert was
given to raise money for the victims and their families and all kinds of
artists and celebrities pitched in to help. Tom Petty sang “I Won’t Back Down”
and I can remember thinking about what an appropriate song that was to sing,
and how to this day I always identify that song with September 11<sup>th</sup>. I told him
how we as Americans knew that our country would fight back, and feeling pride
when the news broke that our troops had invaded Afghanistan. I told him that despite
all the talk he may hear about the war in Iraq and whether it was justified, that
I believe that George W. Bush is a good man, and always had America’s best
interests at heart.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then I told him the story about what happened at the
Minneapolis airport, not too long after the attacks. I don’t remember where we
were traveling, but our family was waiting for our flight. The gate was so crowded
we couldn’t even find seats so we sat on the floor. Finally our plane arrived
and the door opened for the passengers to deplane. We watched as service member
after service member came through the door and were greeted by their families.
I remember tearing up as I watched people hug their loved ones like they never
wanted to let them go. And then the coolest thing happened that I will never
forget. People started to clap. As the military members and their families
started walking through the airport people stopped what they were doing and
stood aside to applaud them as they walked by. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It wasn’t planned. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It wasn’t
organized. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We were simply Americans, united by tragedy and applauding those who
were defending our country. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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These are the stories that may not be covered in textbooks,
but we can pass them down. What about you? What do you tell your children about
that fateful day?<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-5559810396824340222017-01-18T19:00:00.000-08:002017-01-18T19:03:24.009-08:00Coming Soon to a School Near You ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0OKjcGuQb-fkf0RSOoKqNc8aIBPH13fUA6Qwdr1gV4BIs8dCVnLjF5H-jTXzBZeRoR-tFWCT5j-qZ8nf_Oip0xrBwaBX_t_rApdEoO_PW0gOdnusKwwdNaQCGElizGw7LsAPpKwg3QE/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI0OKjcGuQb-fkf0RSOoKqNc8aIBPH13fUA6Qwdr1gV4BIs8dCVnLjF5H-jTXzBZeRoR-tFWCT5j-qZ8nf_Oip0xrBwaBX_t_rApdEoO_PW0gOdnusKwwdNaQCGElizGw7LsAPpKwg3QE/s400/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
It's 2017 and time to set goals and declare resolutions. To be very honest, I am not the most focused person. In fact, my husband calls me "squirrel!" as I'll be in the middle of doing something, see something that distracts me, and I go off pursuing it like a dog chasing a squirrel before my original task is complete. Not a good trait to have when you need focus, but despite my tendency to get off track I still like to set goals and work towards them. And this year my goal in 2017 (besides finishing the third installment to my <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Kibblestan-Revolution-1/dp/0996749101/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=andrearand5-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=e02aee7c80fc14c835286241a0a8d0a2&creativeASIN=0996749101"><span style="color: blue;">Kibblestan</span></a></i> series) is to do some Author Visits at schools! I have already done a few and am having a total blast with the kids and hopefully they are having a blast with me! I have updated my website with the presentations I offer, so please check out the <a href="http://www.andrearand.com/author-visits.html"><span style="color: blue;">Author Visits</span></a> tab on my <a href="http://www.andrearand.com/"><span style="color: blue;">website</span></a> and give me a shout. If you live locally, I can come visit. If you don't, we can Skype! And have a very Happy 2017!Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-54135897591824879782016-11-22T19:54:00.000-08:002016-11-22T20:20:10.269-08:00Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown and Racism ... a year later<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dPIyzeQOSqC2zOngGNlVnE35sbYI2mcR727cLgGHp3dzUgRMH9ScBu4sPeSad3K9C4EjLOhOhC7dNf2lnqCvQGRPhgAYY2GJZMJgGk8nqI1tpCJzLlwckjzzPnhK2Dk0hBt6o8ZoFQc/s1600/charlie-brown-thanksgiving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0dPIyzeQOSqC2zOngGNlVnE35sbYI2mcR727cLgGHp3dzUgRMH9ScBu4sPeSad3K9C4EjLOhOhC7dNf2lnqCvQGRPhgAYY2GJZMJgGk8nqI1tpCJzLlwckjzzPnhK2Dk0hBt6o8ZoFQc/s320/charlie-brown-thanksgiving.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ABC</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In honor of Thanksgiving I thought I would link to the <span style="background-color: white;"><a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-charlie-brown-and-racism.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">post</span></a> </span>I wrote a year ago about Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown and racism. Coming off such a crazy election season, with accusations of racism, bigotry, xenophobia, homophobia, and so many other phobias and isms filling our daily news cycle, I looked at this <a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-charlie-brown-and-racism.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">blog post</span></a> and realized it is still pretty relevant, perhaps more so this year than last.<br />
<br />
The election was stressful for many, and politics is probably a subject that should be avoided at many a Thanksgiving dinner this year, especially if a sufficient amount of wine is consumed. So my Thanksgiving wish is for people to assume the best in each other, instead of jumping to the worst of conclusions about people with whom they disagree. I try to teach my kids to do this--life's just easier that way.<br />
<br />
And what does this have to do with Charlie Brown? Well, read the <a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-charlie-brown-and-racism.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">blog post</span></a> and then ask yourself what <i>should</i> people see when they watch the cartoon clip? In the end, no one can know what the animators were thinking or what their intentions were nearly 50 years ago. Why assume the worst? Why not focus on the good in the story - the debut of the first African-American <i>Peanuts</i> character?<br />
<br />
Or even better, <b>how about not thinking about race at all,</b> and just enjoy the story of Good Ol' Charlie Brown trying to please a demanding Peppermint Patty with a Thanksgiving dinner filled with toast, popcorn and jellybeans? I might enjoy that more than turkey anyway.<br />
<br />
And have a Happy Thanksgiving!<br />
<attachment webkitattachmentpath="/Users/mac/Downloads/charlie-brown-thanksgiving.jpg"></attachment>Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-45865317472591075062016-11-14T14:59:00.000-08:002016-11-14T14:59:14.781-08:00Writing, Publishing and Fur Babies ... Oh my!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOf72mr3aWueiEIDMQxzbswvGQbqFhaAvZDJfpZWerXEqW08pEG2XGTYqsWjmzhmFeZn9FfwucCVd8QcbFwSBy27nm-juQGAY0ybCpyBjakAbyr9HEkV9yYt731w74TwI9God7EKEV_k/s1600/Speckles+Kibblestan.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvOf72mr3aWueiEIDMQxzbswvGQbqFhaAvZDJfpZWerXEqW08pEG2XGTYqsWjmzhmFeZn9FfwucCVd8QcbFwSBy27nm-juQGAY0ybCpyBjakAbyr9HEkV9yYt731w74TwI9God7EKEV_k/s320/Speckles+Kibblestan.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>
Here is a link to my second Author Interview of all time! Mercedes Fox is an author whose website has a section dedicated to author interviews, and I am happy to say that she interviewed me! Please take a look as I answer questions regarding my thoughts on the writing and publishing process, discuss my fur babies and talk about Kibblestan. She even features a picture of Speckles, my inspiration for Philecia's character. Hopefully Speckles won't let the fame get to her head. :) Enjoy! <a href="https://mercedesfoxbooks.com/meet-author-andrea-rand/" target="_blank">https://mercedesfoxbooks.com/meet-author-andrea-rand/</a>Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-17553878808633393972016-11-11T15:58:00.000-08:002016-11-14T14:43:03.836-08:00Kinzie, Kibblestan and American Sniper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_C05VJQO8dNYW6gf9ie5PujJ0n9JpcqNeMzH5O0tE531mXwhf2CKZ4D5U_Y1ZJ1-gogmosJspcpLOeFGHaYfDLxqs6pb_EXgvJnlQjLhW-lKQSl6527P7EHW6VTNU9PMNHmuBwtRVFmQ/s1600/SoldierChildImage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_C05VJQO8dNYW6gf9ie5PujJ0n9JpcqNeMzH5O0tE531mXwhf2CKZ4D5U_Y1ZJ1-gogmosJspcpLOeFGHaYfDLxqs6pb_EXgvJnlQjLhW-lKQSl6527P7EHW6VTNU9PMNHmuBwtRVFmQ/s320/SoldierChildImage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
When you're writing a novel it's important to know your characters inside and out, including their backstory. In writing my second book, <i>The Chronicles of Kibblestan: Canines,</i> I really struggled. I had a good story -- a dog that's gone missing in a Kibblestan that has drastically changed since the first book in the series. Kibblestan is no longer a happy place, there's something sinister about the canines, and my eleven-year-old heroine, Kinzie, is determined to find her missing dog, no matter what the cost. But for some reason there was a disconnect. While Kinzie's actions and story flowed onto the page, her heart and soul stayed just beyond reach. I couldn't figure out her backstory and the writing showed.<br />
<br />
Then I went and saw the movie <i>American Sniper, </i>and Kinzie's backstory hit me hard. I came home that day, went straight to my computer and typed out that first chapter like it was nothing. <br />
<br />
I recently attended a Veterans Day event at my son's school, and my heart twisted when the speaker asked the kids to raise their hands if they had a parent in the military and close to a hundred kids raised their hands. They sacrifice, too, and I hope that my book can play a small part in showing my appreciation to our military families.<br />
<br />
In honor of Veterans' Day, I'd like to share an excerpt:<br />
<br />
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpFirst">
<i>“Dad?” Kinzie said. “Do you really have to go
again? Can’t you get out of it somehow and stay here where it’s safe? With me?
Please?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpFirst">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Dad squeezed Kinzie’s hand. “I’m sorry, punkin.
I’ve got to go. I’m a soldier. It’s what I do.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>“But I’m going to miss you so much.” Kinzie
blinked back tears. “And Ria will, too.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Dad squeezed her hand harder. “I know. It’s going
to be rough. But you’ll be moving into that new house with your mom and Nate.
It’ll be exciting.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Exciting? Yeah, right. New house, new school, new
stepdad and stepsiblings. Even Mo was gaining two new step dogs.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>“And we’ll video chat as much as we can. Time’ll
fly. Before you know it, I’ll be back.” Dad smiled but Kinzie knew better. This
wasn’t like the last time he left, when she was too young to fully understand.
This time she did understand, a little too much. She understood that sometimes,
soldiers don’t come back, and this knowledge was like an icicle lodged deep in
her heart that refused to melt.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Kinzie sat up and reached for her father, hugging
him around his neck while she wept on his shoulder.</i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>“I don’t want you to go,
Dad. Why do you have to go? Why? Why can’t it be someone else’s mom or dad? Why
does it have to be you?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Dad returned Kinzie’s embrace, gently patting her
back. “There, there, punkin. It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Kinzie lifted her head and stared into Dad’s
eyes. “But what if it’s not? What if you don’t come back?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i>Dad took a finger and wiped the tears from
Kinzie’s face. “Look. A wise man once said that the only way for evil to win,
is for good people to do nothing. And unfortunately, there’s evil in the world.
Lots of it. And to keep it from spreading, to keep our own country and freedoms
protected, well, the good guys can’t do nothing. Understand?”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
<div class="BodyNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>Slowly, Kinzie nodded. Dad pulled her close and she
leaned her head on his shoulder. “Sweetie, America may not be perfect, but make
no mistake—we’re the good guys. And when evil’s a threat, we can’t just sit
back and do nothing.”<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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To read the entire chapter <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Kibblestan-Canines-2/dp/099674911X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478905807&sr=8-2&keywords=kibblestan" target="_blank">click here</a> for Amazon's Look Inside feature. </div>
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For other patriotic children's books, including a special book for the younger set called "Veterans: Heroes in Our Neighborhood" visit <a href="http://conservativechildrensbooks.com/">conservativechildrensbooks.com</a>.</div>
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Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-29886417844882904032016-11-01T16:20:00.000-07:002016-11-01T16:20:25.654-07:00The Chronicles of Kibblestan: Canines<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBu7nis4r1UJPmvxkvt4At5Xvl4lw_fUr6hLI4SKaKa-G_KjDB4nuTm0yZBJKf3zJ5Wx727F6QACyNfMNhHK9KSD6vqZ-46J3wQC4wdaHhpj9EIhoLsn-0UoCF9aFtv_QW5fOEjJwv9M/s1600/CaninesCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBu7nis4r1UJPmvxkvt4At5Xvl4lw_fUr6hLI4SKaKa-G_KjDB4nuTm0yZBJKf3zJ5Wx727F6QACyNfMNhHK9KSD6vqZ-46J3wQC4wdaHhpj9EIhoLsn-0UoCF9aFtv_QW5fOEjJwv9M/s400/CaninesCover.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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Oh my, oh my. It has been a busy fall! At long last the second book in my Kibblestan series is available in paperback. Yay! If you have read my first book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Kibblestan-Revolution-1/dp/0996749101/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478040114&sr=8-1&keywords=kibblestan" target="_blank">Revolution</a>, you will surely enjoy this second installment in the series featuring characters that are familiar and some that are new, and some canines that are ... well ... Let's just say they would definitely flunk obedience school. <b>I have dedicated this story to the members of the United States military and their families</b>, for I think any military family will appreciate the themes in this book. For more information or to order, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Kibblestan-Canines-2/dp/099674911X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478040224&sr=8-2&keywords=kibblestan" target="_blank">click here</a>.<br />
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E-book will follow, and my grand plan will be to get these books made into audiobooks as well, but I'm not yet sure when that will happen.<br />
<br />
November 1st is National Novel Writing Month and I have signed up to meet the challenge of writing 50K words in one month. Considering this month also has Thanksgiving in it, it will not be easy, but my goal is to have book # 3 out at this time next year, so what better way to incentivize myself to get through this first draft but by signing up for Nanowrimo! Other than that, life is busy but good. I tend to update my Facebook page more often than this blog, so you should follow me on Facebook if you'd like hear more from me!Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-74092800334210823302016-09-02T17:31:00.000-07:002016-09-02T17:36:53.168-07:00And the Reviews are In!I haven't blogged in awhile, as I have been busy doing things to prepare for the release of my second book, <i>The Chronicles of Kibblestan: Canines. </i>My cover artist (the extremely talented <a href="http://www.timjessell.com/" target="_blank">Tim Jessell</a>) sent me the first sketches of another intriguing cover and I am beyond excited. As an author, there's something about seeing your cover for the first time that makes you realize that this writing thing is for real, and that all those words you spent a year or more painstakingly crafting to make the magic of story come to life is about to become a reality. It's pretty cool.<br />
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Another thing I've been doing is updating <a href="http://www.andrearand.com/" target="_blank">my website</a>. I've posted the reviews I've received from my trusted beta readers who are telling me what they think about <i>Canines</i>. I even have one young fan who is making Kibblestan trading cards. Is there ever a bigger compliment than that? :)<br />
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If you go <a href="http://www.andrearand.com/the-chronicles-of-kibblestan-canines.html" target="_blank">here</a> on my website, you'll see the preliminary jacket flap copy of <i>Canines </i>(that's industry-speak for the summary on the back of a book that's meant to intrigue you just enough to buy it -- a challenge for authors, as you have to find that sweet spot of giving enough information to hook the potential buyer, without giving away too much information. Not sure that I've mastered the art of jacket flap copy, but I give it my best shot).<br />
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I also, sadly, had to update my About Me page, for I suffered the loss of a beloved pet since writing my original bio, but gained two new pets that I think are adorable, despite what many people say.<br />
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But that can be the subject of another blog post.<br />
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I'll leave you with a picture of my constant companion in my office. She is the inspiration for my character Philecia's personality, and someone who insists on cuddling up with me as I type out my stories while annoying me with her incessant licking, which I believe is due to her high anxiety.<br />
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Enjoy your Labor Day!<br />
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<br />Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-63817565563905257462016-07-17T11:55:00.000-07:002016-07-17T11:55:08.021-07:00Yes, Even a Kid Can Make a Difference<div class="MsoNormal">
This blog post is a continuation of my first two posts entitled <i><b>How a Writer's Decision to Give a Character Backstory Altered a Little Slice of WWII History.</b></i> If you missed <b>Part One</b> of this blog post, <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2016/06/how-writers-decision-to-give-character.html"><span style="color: blue;">Click Here</span></a><i>.</i></span></b> If you missed <b>Part Two</b>, <a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2016/07/how-writers-decision-to-give-character_8.html"><b><span style="color: blue;">Click Here</span></b></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So how does an eleven-year-old boy watching <i>Jaws</i> have an effect on World War II history? If you’re Hunter Scott, you decide that Quint’s story is pretty fascinating, and would make a very good History Fair Project. If you’re Hunter Scott’s dad, you tell him to go to the library to do research, as Google was not yet a verb. So Hunter searched the history books, old newspaper articles and scoured the Internet but couldn’t find much information about one of the worst disasters in U.S. Navy history, and Hunter and his dad found this kind of … <i>strange</i>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Hunter didn’t give up in his quest for information, though. He advertised in a local Navy newspaper that he was looking to interview survivors of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">U.S.S. Indianapolis </i>and found a survivor who lived close by. This man’s firsthand account of surviving for five days in shark-infested waters made Quint’s story sound like a casual swim. He gave Hunter a list of names of other survivors, many who were happy to connect with this eleven-year-old boy and tell their stories—stories that some had kept buried deep inside for years. Hunter recorded the tales of these heroic men, who had suffered on a level that’s hard for most of us to fathom. Their stories are grave reminders of the true horror of war, as well as inspiring testimonials of how the human spirit can triumph against unspeakable odds. And as Hunter interviewed survivor after survivor, he heard one common concern that was voiced repeatedly. These men insisted that their captain had been unfairly court-martialed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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You see, the night of the sinking had been dark with poor visibility. Warnings of Japanese submarines in the area had not been taken seriously, so were never passed along to Captain McVay. In fact, he had been denied his request for an escort and was told he could zigzag at his discretion--indicating that the Navy did not think their route was dangerous enough to take these precautions. Zigzagging is something a captain would do in conditions of clear visibility and a high probability of enemy submarines in the area; however to Captain McVay’s knowledge, neither situation applied. However, after the tragedy the Navy decided they needed someone to blame. Instead of focusing on a series of errors that could have prevented the tragedy, the Navy court-martialed Captain McVay for hazarding his ship by not zigzagging. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Sadly, Hunter couldn’t interview the captain to hear his defense. Captain McVay had committed suicide years after the sinking. The other survivors could defend him, though, and they wanted to clear his name. But how could they make the Navy listen? They’d been trying to for decades, without success. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Could an eleven-year-old boy make a difference?<o:p></o:p></div>
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To make a long story short the answer is yes, he could – and he did. Hunter had put his <i>Indianapolis </i>History Fair Project on display in Congressman Joe Scarborough's local office. (This was in the days before Joe made a living bickering with Mika Brzezinski each morning on MSNBC). People started visiting Scarborough's office just to see the display, and eventually he offered to help Hunter and the <i>Indianapolis </i>survivors in their quest to clear Captain McVay’s name. Legislation that exonerated Captain McVay was drafted and introduced to Congress and eventually Hunter's and the <i>Indianapolis</i> survivors' persistence paid off. The legislation was passed and signed by President Bill Clinton.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have only skimmed the surface of this story, but it really is a good one that’s an awesome reminder of how just one person – even a kid – can make a difference in a world that I think we all can agree is getting crazier by the minute. It’s also a reminder to be thankful to our men and women who serve, past and present. As the saying goes, freedom isn’t free, and sometimes it’s easy to take their sacrifices for granted. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For more on this story, I urge you to read Hunter’s book, <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FC1J1W/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1#navbar"><span style="color: blue;">Left for Dead</span></a></i><span style="color: blue;">.</span></b></div>
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It’s been years since I’ve read it, but it obviously has stuck with me.<br />
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Lastly, you might hearing a lot more about the <i>U.S.S. Indianapolis </i>in the coming months, as a movie is being made about it starring Nicholas Cage. However, as I researched for this blog post I came across another film that looks really interesting. <a href="http://www.filmsbyserendipity.com/#projects"><b><span style="color: blue;">Films by Serendipity</span></b></a> has been interviewing survivors for the past ten years, allowing them to tell their stories and now made a documentary called <i>The U.S.S. Indianapolis: The Legacy. </i>Very cool, if you ask me!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/v5QAdf6c-G4" width="480"></iframe>Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-16692663351642290242016-07-08T19:32:00.001-07:002016-07-08T19:34:19.719-07:00How a Writer's Decision to Give a Character Backstory Altered a Little Slice of WWII History: Part 2If you missed Part One of this blog post, <a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2016/06/how-writers-decision-to-give-character.html"><span style="color: blue;"><b><i>Click Here</i></b></span></a><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u9S41Kplsbs" width="480"></iframe><br />
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So how did giving Quint backstory alter a slice of World War II history? According to an article from <a href="http://www.aintitcool.com/node/49921"><b><i><span style="color: blue;">Aintitcool.com</span></i></b></a>, an uncredited writer working on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaws</i> script decided Quint needed motivation for hating sharks so much. He came up with the premise that Quint had been a survivor of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">U.S.S. Indianapolis</i>.<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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But what’s that? you might say--as did Steven Spielberg. The story of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">U.S.S. Indianapolis</i> is one of tragedy, valor and incredible survival—and one of the biggest disasters in U.S. Naval history. She was a cruiser with a top secret mission—to deliver the components of the atomic bomb that would end World War II. But after she delivered her cargo to Tinian Island and made it to Guam, she was ordered to go to Leyte Gulf in the Philippines to prepare for the invasion of Japan. The captain asked for an escort but was denied, and tragically, as the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indianapolis</i> crossed the Pacific waters, she was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine. It only took twelve minutes for the ship to sink, and those who survived the sinking were left to persevere in the water, fighting against thirst, hunger, exposure . . . and sharks. <o:p></o:p><br />
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The true horror of the<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> Indianapolis</i> was that when the ship went down, no one was looking for her. Nobody missed her return. It is estimated that around 900 men survived the sinking. The men suffered at sea for not one day or two days, but for four nights and five days. By the time a passing plane found them by chance, the number of survivors had dwindled to a little over 300. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For any shark fans out there (and I admit I love a good shark attack story, as morbid as that may be) the firsthand accounts from the survivors of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indianapolis</i> are both fascinating and terrifying. Men with fresh burns, covered in oil and floating with their buddies, watched the dorsal fins come and go, felt the sharks bump up against them and wondered who might be picked off next. The men huddled in groups, fending off the sharks and trying to resist the temptation to drink the salt water, which led to insanity and certain death. You read their stories and feel humbled by the tales of bravery and sacrifice, and I am incredibly grateful to these men who suffered so much as a result of defending our great country. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Fast forward thirty years and actor Robert Shaw delivers Quint’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Indianapolis</i> speech with perfection (redeeming himself from the previous day of shooting, where he thought he should drink to get into character and let's just say it didn’t work out so well).<br />
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Some say that this scene became Steven Spielberg’s favorite scene.<br />
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It was a powerful scene.<br />
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And it was this scene that an eleven-year-old boy watched in his living room years later, when he turned to his dad and asked, "Is that true?"<o:p></o:p></div>
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And so began a series of events that altered a slice of World War II history . . . <o:p></o:p></div>
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Stay tuned . . .</div>
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Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-33562515865423031372016-06-27T11:05:00.001-07:002016-06-27T11:05:47.083-07:00How A Writer's Decision to Give a Character Backstory Altered a Little Slice of WWII History: Part 1<div class="MsoNormal">
One of my all-time favorite movies is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaws.</i> It’s one of those movies I could watch over and over again,
even though by today’s standards, old Bruce the mechanical shark is looking
pretty fake. Plus, I already know what’s going to happen, so how is it I can
watch it again and again? <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSl34KZIXwv13R53xclBYuwlbEvEjdRpEPA10uio-y39fyFV2c0KITr64JcAZJRj4PY4G20SKGb-YYdAIW3pZp_TOlFDNU9r3P_goKp4MV_56X0PPe65z0W4d8_a4pIXEAYkcGK6Jt5w/s1600/dreamstime_xs_63379021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSl34KZIXwv13R53xclBYuwlbEvEjdRpEPA10uio-y39fyFV2c0KITr64JcAZJRj4PY4G20SKGb-YYdAIW3pZp_TOlFDNU9r3P_goKp4MV_56X0PPe65z0W4d8_a4pIXEAYkcGK6Jt5w/s400/dreamstime_xs_63379021.jpg" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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Besides the camera angles that allow you to see what a shark
might see as he’s contemplating lunch, and the crowded beach scenes filled with
groovy-looking extras sporting style that would make Marcia Brady proud, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaws</i> is a great movie because of the authenticity
of its characters. <o:p></o:p></div>
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There’s a saying in the writing world that there’s only a
handful of plots in existence, (probably less if you’re watching Lifetime
Television <span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span>),
so when you write a story you’ve got to put your own twist on a common plot to
make it unique. A way to do this is through characters--rich characters, memorable
characters, characters that people can identify with. <o:p></o:p></div>
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But how does a writer develop authentic characters? One key
ingredient to authentic characters is to know their backstory. Even if it never
makes it into the final book (or script) a writer should at least have an idea
of the previous events in a character’s life that have made them who they are.
Why do they act the way they do? What are their motivations?<o:p></o:p></div>
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An uncredited writer of the movie <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jaws</i> decided that the character Quint, the salty shark hunter, needed
a backstory. He needed to find some motivation for why Quint had such animosity
for sharks. What no one realized at the time, is that this writer’s idea would set forth a series of events several years later that would impact a little
slice of World War II history.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Stay tuned … <o:p></o:p></div>
Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-7072602199714243402016-05-20T18:28:00.000-07:002016-05-20T18:29:39.107-07:00Join Me for a Fun Day at the Sachse Author Con!Tomorrow should be a fun day. I'm going to the 2nd Annual Author Con at the Sachse Public Library. If anyone is in the DFW area and is looking for something to do, you should stop by! Plenty of local authors ready to sign their books in all different genres. This will be my first event of this kind for me to attend by myself. I went to Hobby Lobby and bought some patriotic-themed items to decorate my table with, including a little mouse wearing an Uncle Sam hat in honor of what seems to be one of the most beloved characters in my book - Matilda. Here is a link for more information: <a href="http://www.cityofsachse.com/index.aspx?nid=484">http://www.cityofsachse.com/index.aspx?nid=484</a> I hope to see you there! :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is a list of authors that are going to be there. I hope you can come on out!</td></tr>
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Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-24971521264388395542016-04-13T18:04:00.000-07:002016-04-13T18:04:20.359-07:00Music to an Author's Ears<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been a little busy lately. Learning the whole author gig, while fun, can be a bit overwhelming. For awhile, I was doing really well. I had my nose to the grindstone every day, revising the last five chapters of my upcoming book, <i>The</i> <i>Chronicles of Kibblestan: Canines.</i> I attended my first book festival, and I attended my second school visit. Things were chugging along . . .<br />
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Until . . .<br />
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(insert dramatic music)<br />
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I decided to do my own taxes.<br />
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Couldn't be too hard, could it? Doesn't Turbo Tax walk you through all the questions? Well, yes. But as a new author with a new publishing company, there was definitely a learning curve to navigate.<br />
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And that took time. Away from writing, away from blogging, away from social media.<br />
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Now that the taxes are filed, I can get back to the business of writing, and what better motivation than to share with you a message I received from a friend . . . A message that is music to any author's ears.<br />
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My friend bought one of my books a little while ago to give to her friend's eleven-year-old daughter. I received a message the other day that said:<br />
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"<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Just wanted to let you know that I was finally able to give my little friend Danielle your book on Thursday evening. (I know that took a while) And the reviews are in....she is enthralled! Her mom told me she isn't usually a reader but cannot put the book down. She is really excited to know there will be more to come. Congratulations!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Music to an author's ears? That's an understatement!</span>Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-6270343308465696802016-02-12T19:56:00.001-08:002016-02-12T20:38:10.730-08:00Our Politicians are Only Human - Here's ProofWe’re not electing a god, but sometimes it’s easy to act like we are. Especially in the year of a presidential election. Who can forget the infamous Howard Dean scream or the Rick Perry “oops?” Now it’s Marco Rubio who repeated himself one too many times in a debate and people are speculating whether his campaign is doomed. <br />
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I think that in all the hoopla (and yes, I’m the first to admit that sometimes blunders are entertaining), we need to remind ourselves that all these people we see trying to earn our vote are just that – people. They have their strengths, they have their weaknesses and we can’t expect them to be perfect 24/7.<br />
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I try to keep this blog from a mom’s perspective, and leave nuggets on here that can serve as conversation starters with your kids. My book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Chronicles-Kibblestan-Revolution-1/dp/0996749101/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455334503&sr=8-1&keywords=andrea+rand">The Chronicles of Kibblestan: Revolution</a> </i>mentions three things the citizens of a country must do to remain free. One is to value freedom. Teach your kids that if you value freedom, you’re going to take your job as voter seriously, and educate yourself on who you’re voting for. What are their beliefs? What’s their background? What’s their vision for this country and do they have the skills to make that vision become a reality?<br />
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And remind them that the politicians are only human. They make mistakes. They <i>can</i> get corrupted by power. They <i>cannot</i> solve all your problems – that comes from you.<br />
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Here are some great examples of other ways that politicians are only human:<br />
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Politicians sleep,<br />
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They eat pancakes,<br />
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They even throw up on Japanese Prime Ministers (I couldn't find a video of that, but you get my point).</div>
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Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-13698251898835312852016-01-27T18:46:00.003-08:002016-01-27T18:46:59.099-08:00Why Tomorrow's a BIG DAY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Today has been a long day. Tonight I'm feeling like this. Tomorrow . . . the pressure is on. I will be conducting my first school visit to talk to the kids about being an author, and I am PSYCHED! Still, it's a little nerve-wracking. I've never done this before, and I've got to keep it interesting.<br />
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I've put together a Power Point that includes Katniss, a dachshund and a crocodile about to bite off a guy's head.<br />
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I will share how a bout with the stomach flu can influence your writing.<br />
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And I will reveal the two words that are needed for any story to exist . . . and warn the students of an enemy to these words that could have kept one of the most famous fictional characters in recent history from ever existing.<br />
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Wish me luck! :)<br />
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<br />Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-70109816738906723792016-01-06T14:36:00.001-08:002016-01-06T14:36:37.805-08:00My First Author Interview - Woo-hoo!I just saw my first on-line author interview. Pretty cool, even though it's not for winning any awards or solving any world problems. I recently joined the Writers' League of Texas and they give an opportunity for new members to be interviewed so I obliged.<br />
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<a href="https://writersleagueoftexas.wordpress.com/2016/01/04/meet-the-members-119/">https://writersleagueoftexas.wordpress.com/2016/01/04/meet-the-members-119/</a><br />
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<br />Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-29012907344477442802015-12-25T12:18:00.001-08:002015-12-25T12:18:17.168-08:00My favorite scene from a holiday special, and no, it's not LinusTo wish you a Merry Christmas I thought I would share one of my all-time favorite moments from a Christmas special. Yes, Linus reciting the true meaning of Christmas from the Book of Luke in "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is definitely a favorite of mine. But then there's this:<br />
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Though not warm and fuzzy, it puts a smile on my face every time. And besides, I know that later in the story his heart grows three sizes that day.<br />
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MERRY CHRISTMAS!Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-3254432351762864732015-11-26T15:12:00.001-08:002015-11-26T16:37:44.673-08:00Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown and Racism? Part 2If you missed <b><i>Part 1</i></b> of this Thanksgiving blog post, <i><b><a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-charlie-brown-and-racism.html">click here</a></b></i>.<br />
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So how did the <i>Peanuts’</i> Franklin’s character come about? In 1968 a white schoolteacher by the name of Harriet Glickman was upset by Martin Luther King, Jr’s assassination and the racial turmoil gripping our country. Being a mother of three, she knew her children enjoyed comic strips. She decided to write to some cartoonists to ask if they could add some African American characters to their work – so black children can see themselves in a comic strip. To her surprise, she received two letters in response. One cartoonist wrote that he could not do so because he feared cancellation of his strip. The other response was from Charles Schulz, who was reluctant for another reason. He feared adding a black character would appear to be patronizing.<br />
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Harriet didn’t give up. With Schulz’ permission she shared his letter voicing his concerns with some of her African American friends, who wrote to him expressing their support of adding a black character to the Peanuts gang. This swayed Schultz’ decision. Despite a question from United Features Syndicate asking if he was sure he wanted to do it, to which Schulz replied, “either you print it as I draw it, or I quit,” Franklin made his debut on July 31, 1968. And you know what? Not only did <i>Peanuts</i> survive, it thrived.<br />
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I guess some people will read this story and still feel appalled that our country was once in a place where adding an African American character to a comic strip was a potential threat to a comic strip’s survival. But as I read this story, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride in my country and how far we’ve come. As a children’s book author and a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writer’s and Illustrator’s, I know there is a huge demand for stories that feature ethnically diverse characters. There’s even a campaign, #weneeddiversebooks. The very thought that featuring a character of color in a comic strip or a story would lead to cancellation or backlash is a foreign concept these days. Isn’t that something to celebrate?<br />
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Charles Schulz had the courage to do what he thought was right, despite the potential backlash. And while there was some backlash, it wasn’t as much as many feared, and in fact he got a lot of support. Also, someone ordinary was moved to make a difference - an average schoolteacher who wrote the cartoonists not expecting a reply, and look what happened.<br />
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So back to Franklin and Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving Dinner. Do you watch the clip and choose to see racism? Or do you watch the clip and choose to feel good about America and the progress it’s made? Or do you watch the clip and see a bunch of round-headed kids eating a Thanksgiving feast that can only be prepared by a second-grade boy and a beagle that is way too smart for his own good?<br />
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I think I know what Martin Luther King, Jr. would want you to see. What do you think?<br />
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For more on this story, <a href="http://mashable.com/2014/11/26/franklin-black-peanuts-character-history/#FWayyvbl0iqV">click here</a>.<br />
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And have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!<br />
<br />Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7500803937570292701.post-33658396336081292472015-11-24T20:57:00.002-08:002016-11-22T20:07:29.055-08:00Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown and Racism? Part One<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I’ve had a hard time getting into the holiday season this year. A combination of the recent terrorist attacks and the usual stress that comes with the holidays has made me feel kind of down. So the other day, when I confessed to my son how I’d been feeling, he suggested watching some <i>Peanuts</i> cartoons featuring Good Ol’ Charlie Brown. We watched “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” and I couldn’t help but wonder if the holidays would be simpler if we chose to serve the meal Charlie Brown style – toast, pretzels, jelly beans and ice cream sundaes. Honestly, I wouldn’t mind. </div>
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Leave it to Linus to give the Thanksgiving prayer, and I was struck at how refreshing his simple prayer was, telling a little about the first Thanksgiving where the pilgrims thanked God for the opportunity to create a new world with freedom and justice. Are there many shows these days that reflect such a positive message about America? I thought in honor of Thanksgiving, I’d post a clip from the cartoon on my blog, so I searched Youtube.<br />
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That’s when this blog post took a turn in a different direction.<br />
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I found the clip I wanted, and the first comment posted in the comments section was something to the effect of how <i>Peanuts</i> was racist, because Franklin (the first African-American <i>Peanuts</i> character) is sitting by himself across the table from the rest of the <i>Peanuts</i> gang.<br />
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Really? I watched and re-watched the clip, and sure enough, Franklin was sitting by himself. But was it meant to be racist? It’s interesting how I watched the clip seeing a positive message about America, where someone else watched the same clip and saw racism.<br />
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And I’ve got to wonder. How does that happen?<br />
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A friend of mine once said, “You’re born with skin color, but race is taught.” Boy, is that ever a true statement. If there’s one thing that being a parent has shown me firsthand, it’s that our children don’t see race. We might send them off to preschool and they might ask about someone that looks different from them, but they’re not seeing race, at least not until someone tells them to see it.<br />
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But back to poor Franklin, sitting by himself at Charlie Brown’s impromptu Thanksgiving Dinner. I was curious so I did some Googling about how his character came about, and discovered a story that gave me perspective, and inspiration, and made me proud of how far our society has come. Hopefully, you'll feel that way, too. <i><a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2015_11_01_archive.html"><span style="color: blue;">Click here</span></a> for <a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2015_11_01_archive.html"><span style="color: blue;">Part 2</span></a>.</i><br />
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<i><a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2015_11_01_archive.html"><span style="color: blue;">Click here</span> </a> for <a href="http://andrearandauthor.blogspot.com/2015_11_01_archive.html"><span style="color: blue;">Part 2</span></a> of this Thanksgiving blog post.</i><br />
<br />Andrea Randhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11193500168005927147noreply@blogger.com0