Three Times A Charm with Annie Fox


Three Times a Charm is a weekly feature that spotlights authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the publishing industry.



This week, Annie Fox, joins us to talk about her many projects. Let’s learn a little about Annie:



I am an educator who teaches through my writing. I’ve been fortunate enough to build a successful career doing a combination of things I love to do: helping kids, making up stories, and performing (my brand of public speaking). I’ve written and designed many award-winning computer games for kids, but my transformational career opportunity came in 1996 when I dreamed up the idea for a teen website featuring a relationship advisor Hey Terra! (aka, me). For the past 14 years I’ve been answering email from tweens/teens around the world. All of it highlights the social/emotional challenges of growing up with heart and self-esteem in tact. The kids’ email informs all of my writing and teaching.



You’re a multi-published author and I understand you’re on the cutting edge of book technology with a book app. Please, tell us more.



My award-winning books include:

 The Teen Survival Guide to Dating and Relating,  Too Stressed to Think? and the Middle School Confidential™ series. In April (2011) my writing career went digital when Electric Eggplant (in partnership with Free Spirit Publishing) released our first iPad app,  Be Confident in Who You Are: A Middle School Confidential Graphic Novel (also now available on NOOK Color).We just (August 2011) released our new iBook Are You My Friend? More kids’ apps and iBooks to come!



In between times, I blog about 21st Century challenges for kids and parents. I also manage an anti-bullying Facebook forum, Cruel’s Not Cool!



You sound very kid focused. It’s great to learn about sites we can steer kids toward who may need support in their lives.



Now, for the Threes. Share with us your top 3’s to help us know you a little better.



  • Top 3 books you’ve read in the past year.



Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, The Influence of Teachers by John Merrow, How to Be Good by Nick Hornby.



  • Top 3 skills to hone for people just starting in your business.



Know what you’re talking and/or writing about and learn how to present it in a way that’s accessible, heart-felt and entertaining. Become adept at using Twitter to make connections by always being useful to the community and responsive to your followers (that’s where Annie and I met!). Be confident in your abilities so that you’ve got no problem doing outreach and letting people know exactly why and how you can be of service.



  • Top 3 pieces of advice for kids these days.



1. Figure out what you most love to do that helps you express your uniqueness and do it no matter what other people say. 2. Find an accessible, supportive mentor. 3. Be your own best friend first, always treat yourself with respect and don’t waste energy on people who try to bring you down.



I added the bold highlights above. GREAT advice for anyone, but especially kids.



Annie, where can our readers learn more about you and your writing?



http://AnnieFox.com

http://blog.anniefox.com

http://twitter.com/Annie_Fox

http://www.facebook.com/Annie.Fox.author

http://ElectricEggplant.com

http://RaymondAndSheila.com

http://MiddleSchoolConfidential.com

http://CruelsNotCool.com

http://www.TheInSite.org



It has been terrific getting to know you better, Annie. Thanks for joining us this week on Strands of Thought. Best of luck with all your projects.


THANKS!

Comments

  1. Beverly Stowe McClureOctober 9, 2011 at 12:52 PM

    So nice to meet you, Annie. Your work sounds fantastic. I know nothing about apps for ereaders. Guess I should learn. :) Best wishes for you.

    Great interview, Kai.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Susan Kaye Quinn, Author of Open Minds, Presents:

Image
Finding Time to Write the Sequel by Susan Kaye Quinn, author of Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) Even before I decided to self-publish my new paranormal/SF novel Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) , I knew it would be a trilogy. But once I had made the decision to publish, the need to get busy on the sequel(s) kicked into high gear. Except that I was also publishing a book. Most writers find it difficult to balance writing with all the other demands in life. Even people who are lucky enough to write full time (which I am, since I write while my kids are at school), there’s still a tug between writing time and all the other things that need to be done. Once you’re published, this all changes, and not for the better. Now, not only do you need to write and get the kids to school and get the laundry done, but you also need to market your book, which can mean everything from actually getting it published (edits, covers, websites, blogs)...
Read more

Robot Writing - What It Is & How to Avoid It

Image
Many beginner writers fall into the habit of what I like to refer to as “robot writing.” It’s when you basically write your scenes like a grocery list. Ex: Marcy stood and walked across the room. Then she picked up the candle stick to inspect it. She blinked when she noticed the spot of dried blood. Marcy dropped the candlestick and ran from the room. I call it robot writing because when I'm reading it I tend to fall into a robotic pattern and start to sound like the robot from the old Lost In Space series. "Danger. Danger. Will Robinson." You may as well put numbers in front of each sentence: First Marcy stood and walked across the room. Second she picked up the candlestick to inspect it. Third she blinked when she noticed the spot of dried blood. Fourth she dropped the candlestick and ran from the room. Don’t get me wrong, robot writing is absolutely acceptable in your first draft, no matter your writing experience. Your first p...
Read more

Don't Be Closed Minded. Read a Banned Book. #Giveaway

Image
On this list , compiled by the ALA, of the top 100 challenged books of the decades 1990-1999 and 2000-2009, I've read: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Adventure of Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Blubber Crank The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time The Dead Zone The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things Fat Kid Rules the World The Giver Harry Potter (series) The Hunger Games (series) The Kite Runner The Lovely Bones Olive's Ocean Speak Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes That Was Then, This Is Now Thirteen Reasons Why Twilight (series) A Wrinkle In Time I would recommend any of them, but especially the titles I've linked. The thing with me and banned books is that I don't get it. The banning thing. Why would you ever feel the right to keep a book out of the hands of other readers? Why would you feel you have the authority to say what some can and cannot read? Do you have the right to voice your o...
Read more