Book Buzz

Georg R. Sheets will sign ‘York’ at Books-A-Million

Buffy Andrews — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 16:53:42 +0000

Local author Georg R. Sheets will be available to sign copies of his book “York” at Books-A-Million, 3000 Whiteford Road, York, from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Oct. 24.

Highlights from the book include:

The book is filled with pages of many of York’s landmarks, including the Yorktowne Hotel, the York Water Company, the York County Courthouse, Central Market, and more.
A majority of the images in the book are photographs taken from Bill Schintz, a well-known York photographer.
The creative renaissance happening in the city of York is highlighted in the book.

Plan ahead for this weekend’s Book Expo

Blayne Sheaffer — Thu, 15 Oct 2015 15:52:30 +0000

When: Saturday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where: 334 Carlisle Ave, York, Pa.

Agenda:

11:00 am Doors open for Guest Author event

11:30 am NY Times best seller DAVID ROSENFELT (ticketed)

1:00 pm – 5:00 pm BOOK EXPO open
Authors
Illustrators
Publishers
Book Vendors
David Rosenfelt Book Signing
3:00pm Raffle Drawing (must be present to win)
4:30pm Raffle Drawing (must be present to win)

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITY AREA
1:00 – 2:00 pm               Meet Clifford the Big Red Dog
1:00 – 2:00 pm               Make & Take Craft Stations
2:00pm                          Lindsay Barrett George “Create a Story with Pictures”
2:30pm                          Anthony Fredericks “Mad Libs”
3:00 – 4:00 pm               Face Painting with Skeeta
3:00 – 5:00 pm               Make & Take Craft Stations
4:00 – 5:00 pm               Meet Clifford the Big Red Dog

For more information, visit yorkbookexpo.org.

Children’s author releases book for writers

Buffy Andrews — Thu, 08 Oct 2015 16:17:54 +0000

Name: Anthony D. Fredericks
Age: 68
Lives in: Dover
Occupation: Professor of Education, York College
Family: Wife, Phyllis Disher Fredericks; children, Rebecca (lives in England) and Jonathan (lives in Colorado). Oh, and the cat’s name is Tubby.
Hobbies: Writing, hiking, traveling, and writing
Name of book: “Writing Children’s Books: 1001 Creative Prompts for Stories Kids Will Love”
Release date: 09/26/2015
Published through: Kindle Direct Publishing
Where to purchase: Amazon
Synopsis: It’s the universal question asked by thousands of children’s authors every day: Where do you get your ideas? It’s true – coming up with great ideas is tough! You want inspiration and you want direction – both of which often seem to be in short supply. That’s where this book comes in. This book will ignite your brain, stoke your creative fires, stimulate your imagination and get you writing stories, picture books, nonfiction, YA fiction and a plethora of other possibilities that will engage and entertain children. This book is your partner, your guide and your coach. It will get your creative motors started, set you on the writing road, and move you to your ultimate goal – a published children’s book.

MEET FREDERICKS

Fredericks will be at the York Book Expo 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 17 at the York Expo Center.

Follow the Reading Rainbow this weekend

Blayne Sheaffer — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 17:12:46 +0000

Kids and their families are encouraged to follow the Reading Rainbow to York College this Saturday, October 10^th to see children’s author Kim Norman. Known for her books ”Crocodaddy,” “Puddle Pug,” “Ten on the Sled” and more, Norman will kick off the day’s festivities when she takes the stage at 11 a.m. The free event will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Yorkview Hall, which is located on the fifth floor of the Willman Business Center.

ZooAmerica is bringing a variety of critters along on Saturday to provide kids with a chance to see animals they might not otherwise see up close. They will be on stage at 11:30a.m., followed by GO York! at 12:15 p.m. to announce the grand prize winners for its summer program.

The day wil feature stories, activities, and crafts related to Norman’s various books. Partnering organizations involved in the day include: the York College Department of Education, The School District of the City of York-Family Literacy Program, United Way FOCUS, South Central Reading Council, York Suburban School District Northern York County School District, and Wellspan Community Health and Wellness.

York College is located at 441 Country Club Road in York. For more information, go to www.yorklibraries.org or phone 849-6942 to speak with children’s staff at Martin Library.

What will be the next popular children’s book?

Blayne Sheaffer — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 13:15:40 +0000

By Abbey Zelko

azelko@ydr.com @AbbeyZelko13 on Twitter

Elizabeth Dell, right, of York, picks out books with her daughter Mariah, 7, at Martin Library. She said that her daughter has read 100 books and she has read 200 books to her son. (Paul Kuehnel – York Daily Record/ Sunday News)

Clifford the Big Red Dog. The giant, but lovable character is a hard one to forget.

His silly stories of going to the circus, his first day of school, his first Christmas and more fill dozens of story books for the amusement of countless children.

More than 50 years later, the entertainment continues as Clifford, Emily Elizabeth and their friends Cleo, T-Bone, Charley, Jetta, and Mac come to life on stage at Hershey Theatre. As the characters take the audience on a journey to Birdwell Island, the theater will be filled with singing, dancing and lots of laughs — something guests of all ages can enjoy.

With more than 126 million books in print, there’s no doubt Clifford has become a literary classic for parents, teachers and children.

That got us thinking, what will be the next popular children’s book? Here’s what local librarians had to say.

Read the rest of this story here.

Local author promotes recent published work

Blayne Sheaffer — Mon, 28 Sep 2015 16:20:09 +0000

Name : Marilyn Jennerjohn
Age : 75
Lives_in : York Township
Occupation : Retired educator
Family : Married with two children
Hobbies : weeding and singing, not necessarily at the same time
Name of book : Education, Assholes and Orgasmic Gardening
Release date : 09/05/2015
Published through : Year of the Book Press
Where to purchase : amazon.com or through the author (www.lazymezzo.com)
Synopsis : The book is a collection of essays and stories. With a bit of snark, some essays reveal the author’s quirks, such as her passion for extracting dandelions. Another defends her refusal to discard a thirty-year-old tank top. In “Toilet Tales,” she discusses her obsession with toilet paper-roll replacement and her success in improving the unsavory conditions in one female faculty restroom. With a degree of sentiment, stories follow both admirable and not-so-admirable characters. In one, a homely child seeks love from her uncaring mother. Its sequel shows this child, now an adult, alone and socially challenged. A poignant story titled “A Dear Father” reflects the narrator’s own father-daughter relationship as she talks to the young child pictured snuggling up to the man reading to her.
Idea : A weeding experience produced my title long before there was a book. Other events in my life led to several stories. I based “Missing Shoes” on a sleep-walking incident during my early teens. Unable to find my sneakers, I stood on a sofa and ran my hands around the edges of a mirror — actions similar to those of the protagonist. I used both my mother and myself as models for the main character in “Gram: A Day on the Street.” Many ideas surface from just watching, listening and taking a few notes. Having taught in secondary schools for twenty-eight years, I gathered a wealth of essay possibilities from faculty meetings, parent conferences and the wording of administrative memos. “Antidepressants? No Way!” is a prime example.
Website : www.lazymezzo.com

Quiz: Test your English smarts

Buffy Andrews — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 19:48:49 +0000

Kids are back in school and a lot of parents are shouting “Hooray!” To get parents prepared for the coming school year, here’s an English refresher built using Playbuzz.

York Rescue Mission hosts fall book sale Sept. 18, 19

Blayne Sheaffer — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 14:52:51 +0000

An “Insiders Tour” of The York Rescue Mission’s Fall Book Sale will be held Thursday, September 17^th between 2 pm and 6 pm at the Fellowship Hall of York Alliance Church, 501 Rathton Road, York, PA.

Come join us and see how through the years, our volunteers have turned a few donated books into well-organized bi-annual book sales. The York Rescue Mission Fall Book Sale will run Friday, September 18 – 8 am to 6 pm and Saturday, September 19 – 8 am to 4 pm.

Thanks to the generosity of the York Rescue Mission’s donors, thousands of books are available. Book lovers can choose from fiction, nonfiction, children’s and young adult titles. All books are priced at 25¢ or $1.00 and all proceeds will benefit the York Rescue Mission (YRM), a non-profit, faith based organization that offers food, clothing, shelter and spiritual guidance for the homeless and those in need living in York County. The Mission depends on local businesses and churches, and the York County community to help with missionary relief and rescue work.

A group of Volunteers have managed this semiannual book sale for many years. Volunteers are an important part of the overall operations of the York Rescue Mission. Their dedication is a reminder to everyone that the York Rescue Mission is a community service organization benefiting those in York County.

Donations of books are accepted at the Mission’s new Donation Drop-Off Center, 350 West Clark Avenue, York or at our Economy Stores in Dallastown (33 East Market Street, Dallastown) or Dover (67 North Main Street, York) during normal business hours. Please call 717-845-7662 for further information or go to www.yorkrescuemission.org.

Windsor writer pens new Harlequin romance

Buffy Andrews — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 21:32:47 +0000

Name: Cerella Sechrist
Age: 35
Lives in: Windsor
Occupation: Author/Barista/Secretary
Family: My father is Wayne Sechrist (owner of local business, Co-Del Construction) This book is dedicated to him.
Hobbies: Pugs, coffee, history, writing
Name of book: “Harper’s Wish”
Release date: Sept. 1
Publisher: Harlequin
Where to purchase: harlequin.com, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, etc.
Synopsis: A few weeks ago, Harper Worth wouldn’t even have eaten at the Rusty Anchor, let alone worked there. But now she’s in no position to be choosy. Fired from her lofty post as Washington, DC’s, toughest restaurant critic, she’s…desperate. Desperate to build a new life for herself in Findlay Roads. And desperate to prove to brooding Connor Callahan, owner, chef and overwhelmed single dad, that she can be a real asset to the Rusty Anchor. Maybe even to him. If he’ll just give her a chance. But he may never forgive her for the scathing review that cost him his DC dream. Or the plans she’s hatching for his current restaurant…
Idea: Living in southern York county, so close to the Chesapeake Bay region of Maryland gave me the inspiration for the fictional town of Findlay Roads where “Harper’s Wish,” the first book in my Findlay Roads series contracted with Harlequin, is set. This first title centers around a restaurateur and food critic, playing to my interests as a foodie.
Website: www.cerellasechrist.com

York native returns for book event

Blayne Sheaffer — Tue, 18 Aug 2015 18:28:19 +0000

Name: David Kennedy
Lives in: Phoenix, From York, Pa
Name of book: A Vicious Cycle: Escaping the Beast Within
Release date: 02/25/2014
Published with: Lightswitch Press
Where to purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Ingram and Taylor
Synopsis: Before conception Devon was bestowed with a generational blueprint that was the ultimate design for failure! The city of York, Pa. played a major role in the birth of the United States, but unlike its rich colonial culture growing up in the ghetto wasn’t easy. Promiscuity reigned supreme in York, and secrets were kept leaving generation after generation amuck. The people in this community also treated each other like crabs in a barrel where it was common to gossip and wish for the failure of their peers. This behavior and mentality among the typical “Yorker” posed many challenges for Devon forcing him to fight physically and mentally in order to reach his goals.

From the author: My inspiration came from my own life experiences as I grew up in York, Pa. I decided to create a fictional story based on my own life with the intent of bringing awareness to various social issues that plague not only York but every community.
Event: September 26th 2pm-5pm at Music and More by Williams at 52 W. Phila St. York, Pa