Guest Post By Yvonne Perry

I have enjoyed much time in the classroom both as a teacher and a student, but the most fun times are when I’m able to visit a class as an author. I have written twelve stories and compiled them into a book titled The Sid Series ~ A Collection of Holistic Stories for Children. I’m hoping for opportunities to visit more classroom and share my stories with kindergarten through 2nd grade students; and now I’ve found a way to do just that without even leaving my home. Love it!

Thanks to Skype an Author Network, I can sit in front of my computer with my video camera and speak live to boys and girls anywhere on earth! All the teacher needs is a computer that has Skype’s free software that can be downloaded at http://tinyurl.com/yknoe4e . If you are an author who wants to do a virtual classroom visit, go ahead and sign up on Skype an Author. It’s free and you could actually be paid for speaking to groups via Skype. Librarians can find author resources to help kids get into reading books. Publishers who are looking for inexpensive ways to help their authors of K-12 books find classroom engagements will love this tool. Isn’t technology wonderful?

If the topic of my book interests you and you would like to learn more about having me visit your classroom, check out http://skypeanauthor.wetpaint.com/page/Yvonne+Perry.
Inspired by adventures I’ve had with my first-born grandson named Sidney, each story in The Sid Series (ISBN: 9780982572207) focuses on skills such as overcoming fear, being environmentally conscious, helping others, being true to one’s self, and following inner guidance. This collection of body-mind-spirit stories highlights unique lessons about love, acceptance, self-worth, caring for the body, diversity, facing fears, dealing with change, experiencing the death of a pet, using spiritual gifts, and psychic experiences today’s children exhibit.

The titles of the stories in The Sid Series are as follows:
Sid’s Fairy ~ Learning about Inner Guidance
A Stormy Adventure ~ Facing the Fear of Storms
The Pirate’s Treasure ~ Finding Treasure Within
You Can Be! ~ Understanding Destiny and Making Choices
Ask Your Body ~ Understanding the Body’s Needs
A Ghost in My Closet ~ Communicating with Angels
A Powerful Potion ~ The Power of Imagination
My Friend’s Skin ~ Accepting and Appreciating Diversity
Puppy Love ~ Dealing with the Death of a Pet
Old Things New ~ Learning About Recycling
Always Be Honest ~ Learning to Tell the Truth
Making Room for Brother ~ Coping with Family Changes
If you would like to read inside my book, please visit http://TheSidSeries.com


BIO: Yvonne Perry is a freelance writer and editor, award-winning Amazon.com bestselling author, podcast host, blogger extraordinaire, newsletter publisher, Internet marketing guru, and an outstanding keynote speaker. She is a graduate of American Institute of Holistic Theology where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Metaphysics.

Lorrie Moore's New Book

On Thursday I got to meet one of my very favorite authors, Lorrie Moore. I only discovered her work last spring, when we were assigned to read her first story collection, Self Help, in my Creative Writing class. For me, it was love at first sentence. I read the entirety of Self Help in one sitting, and promptly went to Amazon and ordered all the other titles by Lorrie Moore I could find.

When you find an author who really "knocks you out" -- as Holden Caulfield says in another one of my favorite books, Catcher in the Rye -- it is such an exciting, invigorating experience. Lorrie Moore came into my life at a time when I was struggling with my writing. My "voice" felt static, used-up, cliched. I felt like I was writing the same story over and over. I was frustrated. I had trouble coming up with ideas.

Self Help was like a giant jolt of energy to my dead car battery. All of a sudden, a wide world of creative possibilities opened up in my mind. Her widely-anthologized story "How to Be a Writer" is a must-read for anyone who has ever tried his or her hand at the writing life.

Amazingly witty, darkly comic, and both smart and wise, Lorrie Moore is, in my opinion, one of the best writers around. To put it simply, when I read her work, I fall in love with writing all over again.

Her latest book, a novel titled A Gate at the Stairs, has just been released to wide acclaim. On Thursday, I got to listen to Moore give a reading and interview at the Los Angeles Public Library. She was charming, funny, gracious and insightful. After her talk, I was actually acutely nervous as I waited in line for her to sign my copies of her books. I felt like a tween girl meeting her favorite celebrity. What would I say? What could I ever say to express to this woman how much I loved her work?

I love my name for many reasons. I am named after my paternal grandfather, who is incredibly special to me. I also love that my name is unique -- I don't meet many other people named Dallas. And I love how my name is a great conversation starter when I first meet people. Lorrie Moore went to sign my book and asked, "Dallas? Is that your name?" I explained how I was named after my grandfather and had just visited the city of Dallas for the first time. And the door opened for a nice, albeit brief, conversation with my author idol.

Who are some of your favorite authors? Have you been able to meet them? I'd love to hear your stories!