Adventures of Waffles and Pancakes

Author Cindy Springsteen has created two characters

children are sure to love, and never forget!

Cindy Springsteen lives on Long Island with her husband and two kids.

 Since her teens she has been writing.

 She started writing poetry and has published, and won awards for her work. 

"Waffles and Pancakes" is her first published children's book.

Waffles and Pancakes are two friends who met at a pet store. 

They are hamsters. Their new owners became friends through Waffles and Pancakes. 

You can follow the adventures they have through friendship, lifestyles, 

sharing, being kind, bullying, and overcoming a bully!

Waffles and Pancakes are two hamsters who were bought

 from the pet store on the very same day. But their owners,

 Danny and Griffin, don't treat them the same way.

 Pancakes has a lovely new home to play around 

in with wheels and tunnels. Waffles only has a small box. 

But when Waffles and Pancakes meet up again,

 they realize that there are more important things

 than material possessions.

Amazon Waffles and Pancakes

Waffles and Pancakes are two hamsters, from the same pet store,

 that went to their new homes on the same day. 

They also happen to be the best of friends. 

In their first adventure, their owners became best friends, too. 

Together the four learned the lesson of true friendship. 

Now Waffles and Pancakes, along with their owners, 

are about to learn another lesson, A Lesson in Bullying.

 Join Waffles and Pancakes, along with Danny and Griffin, 

their owners, as they come face to face with a couple of bullies; 

Tom and his guinea pig, Oscar.

 Will Waffles, Pancakes, and their owners be able to become friends with Tom and Oscar? 

Find out when you read Waffles and Pancakes: A Lesson In Bullying. 

Waffles and Pancakes: A Lesson in Bullying 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My own family has read and reviewed both books,

below are our reviews. 

But I also wanted to note, 

we gifted Waffles and Pancakes,

as well as both books to my son's school.

We gifted them as a Christmas present

to his kindergarten class. 

The teacher was unsure what we were gifting,

but as she read them that evening,

she fell in love with the characters,

and the classroom had new class pets! 

They loved the books SO much,

they spent a WEEK reading them,

and then added them to the library for their friends to share!

Waffles and Pancakes

First-what an adorable tale! Two friendships formed in an unusual way! 

 This is the story of two boys who meet when they adopted 2 hamsters, separately. 

One boy has lots, one boy has all he needs but not more. 

They learn through their friendship, and the hamsters incredible friendship, 

that sometimes money is not everything, and sometimes when you have 

everything you think you ever would want, you really don't have anything you need! 

The story offers an incredible kid-friendly way to show

 children that friendship outweighs money,

 and everything has a value-that isn't a dollar sign. 

The book is illustrated with colorful and defined illustrations that draw you in

 and make the characters stand out, but at the same time,

 follow with the feel of the story.

 It is a great read all parents should want, 

because it teaches a fabulous lesson to your children! 

*Awesome*

Waffles and Pancakes: A Lesson in Bullying

Fat and Ugly---two words I have heard enough in my life...

but this books explores the pain, sorrow, and real hurt that being a bully causes-
and the affect it brings on those who are bullied. 

You learn about Oscar-the big BULLY guinea pig! 

And how he said some VERY mean things to Waffles and Pancakes :-( 

The owners of the hamsters, Danny and Griffin

 (whom we met in an early book and learned they had become best friends), 

become very worried, and they take the hamster to the vet. 

The vet says-they seem fine, but they are depressed! 

Where could this depression have come from....

maybe the big mean Oscar grouch! 

The boys decided to go talk to Oscar's owner-Tom. 

Tom was not a friendly fella himself, and the boys were very worried. 

However, Tom had someone who let him know he was being WRONG. 

But.....then Waffles and Pancake get with put with Oscar, 

and Oscar has a confession---what is it you ask,

 READ THE BOOK!!!!! 

It will SHOCK you! <3 

The boys have some realizations, as well as their furry friends!

 Cutest story ever. 

Really a great educational read for educators, parents, and friends. 

Perfect addition to your library or bookshelf! 

And...makes an amazing teacher gift! 

The illustrations in this book draw you into the cute characters, 

and show the emotion for each situation. 

They are beautifully created and help the story POP! Great job!

Thank You Cindy for tackling an issue that is so real, 

 so hurtful, and that our nation is struggling with so deeply right now-

and cheers to your best friend and you for overcoming life!

https://www.facebook.com/author.cindy.springsteen
  https://twitter.com/C_Springsteen
http://www.cindy-springsteen.com/

Thanks for being our featured author this week Cindy! 

Cheers to future endeavors you may have!

An Authors wish...can come true!

Once in a great while you meet someone,

and they change your outlook on life. 

They teach you that everything is possible...

how you accomplish is promised by your fight! 

In my lifetime I've been blessed to meet a few of these people,

but none more so than authors. 

In the time I have been able to work with authors,

I have learned several things about them. 

They are:

Ambitious

Aspiring

Brilliant (Thanks Erin)

Concerned

Dedicated

Devoted

Energetic

.....

I could go on and on, several for every letter of the alphabet. 

Why? 

Because authors are a bit of everyone, 

rolled up in one BIG basket of dreams, 

moods, emotions, and personality disorders. 

Authors work day and night. 

They not only work on their books (WIP),

they work on promo, marketing, advertising, street teams,

giveaways, peace-keeping, helping one another,

and hitting the pavement for signings. 

They don't instantly become "Stephen King",

and they surely don't have the income of Donald Trump. 

But the one thing every author I've had the pleasure to work with has is...

DREAMS. 

They have a dream for readers to read their book. 

They have a dream for fandoms.

They want their books to be inspirational! 

But one author-deserves this, and much more!  

She deserves to have her birthday wish...

COME TRUE!

This month the talented  

Author Wendy Nystrom.

will celebrate her 50th birthday. 

Wendy is a children's author.

She has 3 astonishing children's books out

with a fourth coming very soon!  

All 3 of her children's books have accredited 5 star reviews. 

The most popular being from Readers' Favorite ,

although in an author's world-every review matters.

*That is another post coming soon*

I work as an assistant for Wendy. 

However, lets be clear-

she has no idea I'm blogging about her,

so Shhhh

Keep the Secret!!! 

Being an assistant I see a LOT! 

I see the in and outs of the author world,

I see the challenges she faces,

I see her writing come to life,

I see her illustrations beautify from a dream,

with the incredible talent of Kelly Murray Designs, 

and I see her working....

tirelessly, dedicated, and hopeful! 

Wendy puts her whole heart into a book. 

She brings adventure, mystery, 

imagination, intrigue, 

and some of the greatest characters.

Her books have been praised for helping

families with children who have difficulty sitting through. 

They have a captivating feature,

both in the illustrations and the words. 

Together, a magical adventure arises every time. 

I know this...because I've witnessed it. 

Not just in my own children,

but school children,

friends, neighbors, family, and more!

So why I am singing praises when I should be celebrating her birthday...

Because she has a simple wish for her 50th birthday! 

To sell 50 books to readers, in lieu of birthday presents for her!

How can you help make a wish come true?

For an author-there is only one thing to do...

Buy a simple book or two! 

Wendy doesn't mind if its an eBook or print,

she just hopes to sell 50 and celebrate great gifts! 

Your neighbors and friends, your children's classrooms....

You can even donate to your local libraries eBook room!

But my goal is simple, and I hope we can acheieve,

50 books for Wendy's 50th...

Celebrate and Read!

Below are the buy links! 

I hope you'll pass this along,

and come back to tell me,

your sharing the fun! 

If you order a print book Wendy has a great gift

a very cool book plate that just fits right in. 

She'll sign it special, or just her name

whatever you wish---a very cool treat!

Buy Links:

Amazon

 James Saves the Moon Print- JSM Print

James Saves the Moon eBook- JSM eB

Helga Returns Print- HR-P

Helga Returns eBook- HR eB

Tomfoolery and 13 Yule Lads of Iceland Print- T 13 Lads P

Tomfoolery and 13 Yule Lads of Iceland eBook- T 13 Lads eB

Barnes and Noble:

James Saves the Moon Print- JSTM P

James Saves the Moon eBook- JSTM eB

Helga Returns Print- HR P

Helga Returns eBook- HR eB

Tomfoolery and 13 Yule Lads of Iceland Print

Tomfoolery and 13 Yule Lads of Iceland eBook- T 13 eB

All eBooks are presently on sale for only $0.99. Great score!

....And to Wendy, whose reading this now going...

Candice DID WHAT?!?!?!?

Here are my thoughts...

Keep writing, reading, and sharing...

We appreciate, love, and share your passion for words and adventures!!

May your many years ahead bring GREAT success!

Lubs to you!

Kidtales Adventures into, Dragon Wars with Author Emily Fogle.

Author Emily Fogle

Emily Fogle was born and raised in Southern California.

 Her dream and ultimate goal was to get her

 Masters degree in English and become a teacher 

with enough time to write, as well.

 However, she soon found out

 that the best dreams often come true 

when they aren't planned. 

Instead of fulfilling her teaching goal, 

real life took over and she married the man of her dreams. 

She now has an amazing 7 year old son 

and a beautiful baby boy. 

She dedicates the majority of her time taking care of her family, 

volunteering at her son's school, 

and being a Cub Scout Den leader. 

And though she loves every minute of it, 

the thought of being a writer still tugs at her heart. 

So, after the busy days are done and everyone is finally sleeping quietly,

 she squeezes in time for all the other loves in her life: 

the characters running wild inside her head. 

Now, incredibly, her writing dream is also coming true.

 Her first novel, Dragon Wars, is published by Anchor Group. 

Emily feels sincerely blessed to have been given so much in life 

and can't wait to start the next chapter.
 

Blurb:
Life is filled with changes, 

but sometimes even the most tragic events bring joy in the end, 

which is something Danny Warren learns when he joins the Dragon Wars. 

Danny sadly loses his father in a hit-and-run auto accident 

and is forced to move to a different town. 

But his fresh start is a horrible one 

and Danny desperately wants to find a world he can belong to. 

One afternoon, after a particularly hard day at school, 

Danny finds a mysterious box hidden inside his window seat. 

He soon discovers that the box is his portal to Dorcian, the dragon world. 

Sadly, the once amazing world is in utter turmoil, and its inhabitants are suffering.

 Danny finds the one thing that can bring meaning 

and happiness back to his heart: saving those that desperately need his help. 

Together, one boy and six lone dragons, will defeat evil and wage the Dragon Wars. 

And, in the midst of it all, 

Danny will discover that even the smallest person

 can make a huge difference when it matters the most.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Since we got the blurb out of the way first, 

lets chat about a fun interview

 Author Emily Fogle gave to Kidtales!

~Candice

Not going to lie, when this book first released I was GEEKING. 

Do you know why?!

I have SONS!!! 

I have boys who LOVE adventure, castles, dragons, WAR, and all things boys!

I love and cherish the books my kids read-especially the variety-

but this book is one my children have LOVED from the get-go. 

1) Favorite book? 

 For kids’ books, anything Dr. Seuss has written is golden!!

 Who can argue with Yertle the Turtle and The Star Belly Sneetches.

 2) If you have to give a recommended classics reading list to teens ... what would it contain? Growing up I loved Of Mice and Men, Lord of the Flies, 

and anything by Tolkien will always have a special place in my heart. 

These stories can definitely stand up to the test of time. 

3) What are your go-to children's books to share with families? 

Seuss, again J! The Giving Tree and 

Where the Wild Things Are have always been favorites in our house, as well. 

 4) Where did you get your inspiration for writing? 

I find most of my inspiration from my husband and sons.

 5) Where did you get your idea for Dragon Wars?

 My uncle has always sent me drawings since we were kids. 

He is a fantastic artist! One day, he emailed me this 

amazing sketch done on a post-it note.

 It was of a woman, holding an amulet and standing outside of a cave, 

with a dragon peeking out at her. I loved it so much, Dragon Wars was born.

 The scene is actually in my novel.

 Plus, my son has always had a love for dragons and fantasy, 

so a lot of it was created just for him. 

6) What do you see in your future of writing? 

More of it! I’ve got quite a few projects in the works.

 I just need to find time to finish them. 

My younger son just turned a year, however, 

and I will probably slow down to focus my time on him 

and make some more amazing memories with my little one. 

7) Will you always write Middle Grade or will you venture?

 Definitely venture. 

Actually, I released a YA novel called Chasing Flames in October of 2013.

 I also have unpublished manuscripts that range from epic fantasy to picture books. 

  

8) Are your Dragon War characters based on anyone?

 I’ve picked different characteristics from people I know … somewhat.

 Danny’s love of drawing absolutely came from my uncle. 

Danny’s compassion and his sense of right and wrong comes from my son.

 And Brady, the bully, is kind of a manifestation of all those bullies 

I’ve known throughout my years … all rolled into one rotten package. 

9) What lead you to Anchor Group?

 A friend of mine that I have known for many years mentioned

 that she knew another author that had mentioned Anchor. 

It’s a small world! 

Tell us a little about you... 

A) Did you always want to write? 

I’ve always loved writing. It’s such a great release. 

B) Do you have a family? 

Yes I do. Two beautiful, perfect boys, 

a fantastic hubby, and a good ‘ol hound dog. 

C) Do you work besides being an author? 

I’ve got the hardest job there is: a full time mommy. 

 D) What kind of hobbies do you enjoy?

 Reading, baking, decorating cookies, scrapbooking, camping (when I can, of course)

 E) Do you have pets? 

Yes. Rocket, our black and tan coonhound. He’s a sweetheart. 

 F) What is the most embarrassing thing you have done/participated in? 

I don’t embarrass easily. But I HATE public speaking with a passion!!! 

So I’d have to say anytime I had to get up in front

 of a class to speak was the more embarrassing part of my life. 

G) What is something humbling you have done and learned from?

 Every year during Christmas, I work with a woman from my husband’s company. 

We try to raise money to adopt as many families as we can. 

Each family has at least one child with a special need. 

It’s just so fulfilling to help others in need 

and to know that you can make someone’s day a little brighter.

 Especially for the kids! 

H) Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

 I actually hope that life doesn’t look too much different. I love every minute of my life.

 I adore being a mommy and a wife.

 However, it would be quite nice if I could get a few more books out and published!

 Silly fun: 

1) You just won a million dollars- what do you do first? 

Look for a castle for sale! It can totally be a fixer-upper! 

You have to be money-wise, after all!

2) You won a trip around the world, but you pick the destinations, 

where are you visiting and why? 

I only want to really go to two places outside the US!

 New Zealand because it’s the beautiful home

 of where so many amazing movies and shows have been filmed! 

Middle Earth … do I really have to say anything else?

 My other destination would be Ireland!! 

I’ve always wanted to go. 

My son said that he will take me when he gets older,

 and we can find a baby dragon. 

 3) Its Halloween ... people can find you dressed as?  

An elvish princess, a pumpkin, or a fairy. 

4) Morning person or night person?

 Either! I am not a good sleeper. 

However, I like writing at night better than I do during the day. 

5) Favorite cold breakfast food? 

Not a huge breakfast person either, but I do love bananas and Golden Grahams

. 

6) Authors have multiple personalities ... what are some of yours, and how do they behave? 

 I’ve got a shy side, a dorky side, and a crazy side. 

Plus there’s the side of me that thinks I am an elvish princess, 

and another side that wants to be a warrior skilled in the art of archery! 

Then I have a very self-conscious side. 

They all work pretty harmoniously together – 

except the self-conscious side 

and the warrior-side don’t see eye to eye on anything! 

 7) Describe yourself using these letters EMILY: 

 Energetic, Mommy, Imaginative, Lovable, Young at heart

 8) Favorite Drink (non-alcoholic for Kidtales). 

COFFEE!!!

 9) Do you like to cook---if so what kinds of food...if not-what do you like to eat? .

I do like to cook. I love pasta, although my hips do not.

 We also eat a lot of tacos! My hubby loves my homemade salsa. 

10) What is something unique about you? 

My white streak in my hair. I’ve had it since I was in kindergarten. 

11) A genie granted you 3 wishes ... what are they? 

That Rivendell was real and I could move my family there. 

Long, healthy lives for me and my family. 

And lastly, super human strength! 

12) What is your favorite quote in life? 

"You have no idea what you don't know." - John Lear.

My family review of Dragon Wars

 (needs updating-they have all been re-reading and talking about it!):

 

Are you ready for an adventure like no other? 

Than grab this book! I saw some promo for the book going on and thought, 

this is something my older boys will enjoy! In fact, it has become a family favorite. 

The adventure begins with Danny finding something (I don't want to disclose too much) 

and then ventures into his epic journey of discovery!

 I would in fact compare this to books such as Harry Potter, 

The Last Unicorn, or other AMAZING children's fantasy novels.

 Emily brings you into the book, into the world, 

and describes every character, detail, and situation to a tee,

 you really feel the action, adventure, and sometimes pulse-racing moments! 

LOVE this book! Highly recommend as Middle-grade novel, 

 family book night, or adult fantasy adventure!

Add on...This is a book that will make you think over your life. 

It will make you reconsider how things are, 

give you insight to the gifts in life you've been given,

and it will allow you to feel for someone else like never before. 

I personally can say my son felt heartache for Danny. 

My son asked questions, and related to some things,

but couldn't wait to read more in the adventures that occur. 

What an incredible way to address some very important 

topics that occur in life! 

Thank You Emily!!

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