Enjoy holiday traditions for better health and happiness

 Multiple studies indicate that people that engaging in holiday traditions can strengthen relationships and improve mental, emotional, and physical health. In our family, holiday traditions have evolved over time, but I would agree with the studies' statements; that they've brought our family closer together and have helped us in a time of year when mental and emotional could otherwise become more fragile. So, whatever your beliefs, engage or create new holiday traditions and allow them to help you better enjoy the holiday season.

As a Christian, my most cherished holiday tradition is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I love him and I worship him as my Savior and the Savior of the world. Have a wonderful holiday season as you celebrate your religious beliefs and engage in holiday traditions that make this season the most wonderful time of the year.

P.S.

For more on the benefits of holiday traditions, check out my December newsletter.

Italy and Roman Mythology

Last month my wife and I visited Rome and Sicily. It's a beautiful country with a rich culture. To get a taste of our trip, watch our reel. 

In celebration of our visit to Italia, my October newsletter focused on the importance of Roman mythology and other mythology inspired books in terms getting non-readers to read. I hope you enjoy them.

Getting author inspiration from Pinterest

My kids thought it was weird when they found out I was on Pinterest. But I've found it to be an invaluable tool as an author. I have boards with lesson plans that have book tie-ins. Boards about my books. Boards with book trailers. Boards with kid activities that deal with dragons, monsters and cows. And then some miscellaneous boards on other things I like.

But the board I'm lately getting the most use out of contains a variety of images that give me insight, inspiration, and ideas for the current middle grade fantasy I'm working on. If I'm trying to figure out how to describe aspects of a rainforest, I look on my board or search for other rainforest pins. If I need insight into clothes, armor and even hats worn in ancient China, I look on my board or look for more pins to add. If I need help with wildlife or plants, I turn to my board. If I need to refresh certain ideas or get new ones, my board helps me. If it's not on my board, I find other pins that might help. And when I need new inspiration, it's always waiting there for me on my board.

I also think it might be fun for others to look at my board, to just wonder and imagine what in the world this book I'm working on is going to be about. If you're curious, check it out.

https://www.pinterest.com/kenbakerbooks/inspiration-for-current-wip/

Help Kids Deal with Fear and Have Fun

When my picture book Brave Little Monster came out, in addition to being a book that makes young and old laugh, many parents and teachers liked how it could be used to help young children deal with both real and imaginary fears. To help with that effort I created a fun puppet-making activity that can be used in the home and classroom to further help teachers and parents talk to kids about their fears and help them learn how to deal with them. Check it out and make your own "Be Brave" puppet.

http://www.kenbakerbooks.com/lessonplanmonsterart.htm

LIebster What?

I’m not really sure what it is, but I’ve been awarded the Liebster Blogger Award. Liebster looks like it might be a German word, but looks can be deceiving. There is no such German word as Liebster. However, Liebste is a German word that means “best”. So, since Liebste is really close to the same as Liebster, I’m certain this award pretty much signifies that I’m really close to being the best. How awesome.

Anyway, I owe a big thank you to Shaunda Wenger at Slow Stir, who nominated me for this award. By the way, in addition to being a great author, Shaunda is the queen of social media, especially when it comes to tweetdom.

As the award rules dictate, I have to answer 11 questions posed to me by my nominator, Shaunda. Here goes.

1.    What would it take to get you to do something crazy, like a polar bear plunge?
Some things are too crazy, even for me, and that’s one of them. Cold is not my friend.

2.    How do you like to take a good long break to recharge your life?
On a nice sandy beach on a tropical island with my wonderful wife.

3.    Do you prefer a good, old-fashioned malt shoppe, or something exotic like, gourmet truffles with a hint of what-not?
Truffles are okay, but nothing beats a huge sundae with tons of hot fudge topping.

4.    Do you prefer views from the beach or mountain trail?
I prefer viewing the mountain trail from a comfy hammock on the beach. Of course taking a dip in the ocean and relaxing on that hammock after a nice mountain hike is not so bad either. I love the oceans and the mountains. Both are pretty awesome.

5.    Can you share information about an upcoming secret project that you shouldn't tell anyone about, but will because your readers are LIEBSTER readers?
All my secret projects are, well, secret. So, I can’t share. However, I do have several not-so secret projects I’m working on, such as a dog and cat picture book, another dragon picture book, an early reader featuring a pig and a turkey, a super hero early reader, a fantasy middle-grade novel, and fantasy YA novel. Is that enough sharing? Who knows which of those will ever see the light of day.

6. Who is your favorite author and why?
I don’t know that I have a favorite author, but two that come to mind are Brandon Sanderson and Terry Pratchett. Sanderson because he writes such engaging stories with tremendous depth and insight. He’s also so versatile, writing epic fantasy and then switching over to more humorous fare for children. He’s truly genius. I love Pratchett’s writing simply because sarcastic wit seems to come so natural to him. You find yourself laughing at the most unexpected places. As I read both authors I often find myself thinking, “Wow, I wish I could write like that.”

7. What is your favorite meal?
I have a lot of favorite meals, but one of them is grilled steak and shrimp with a side of sautéed mushrooms, and grilled peppers and onions.

8. What would you describe as your biggest personal accomplishment?
Raising my children, which is still in progress. They are all so very awesome and much better people than I ever will be.

9. What is your favorite household appliance and why?
A toss up between “my” blender and “my” electric knife. Yes, in our house, these belong to me. They’re the only household appliances that I actually asked for and received as gifts. The blender is awesome for making chocolate peanut butter frozen-banana smoothies. The electric knife is the ultimate power tool when it comes to carving turkeys, roast and ham. It also does a pretty good job on the occasional homemade loaf of bread.

10. What is your favorite restaurant?
Tucanos Brazilian Grill, but I can’t go there more than once a year because I always eat too much and gain too much weight.

11. Why are you so awesome?
I’m not so awesome, but my wife is. She’s a great mom, great wife, great example, great runner, great outdoorsy person, great listener, great jokester, great friend and many many more greats. So, if I’m awesome, it’s only by association with her awesomeness.

The Liebster Blogger Award also dictates that I nominate and pass the award onto 11 others. Here are my nominees, followed by the rules they need to follow to fully accept the Liebster Blogger Award.

Carolyn Fisher
Throwing Up Words
Illustration blog
Teeter Totter Tales
Picture Book Girl
Utah Children’s Writers
Jed Henry Illustration
Kris Chandler Stories
Dene Low Author and Adventurer
Novels by Lisa Magnum
The Writer's Corner (and Also What I Ate Today)

For all you nominees, the rules of the Liebster Award are as follows:

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter (me) on your blog and link back to the blogger who presented this award to you (me again).
2. Answer the 11 questions from the nominator and create 11 questions for your nominees.
3. Present the Liebster Blog Award to 11 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been chosen. (No tag backs) 
4. Copy and Paste the blog award on your blog.

Nominees, here are the 11 questions you need to answer on your blog:

1. What is the one food you can't do without?
2. One thing you want to do before you die?
3. What is your favorite hobby and why?
4. If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
5. What is your favorite book and why?
6. Who is your hero and why?
7. What is your favorite household appliance?
8. Besides yourself, who is your favorite author or illustrator
9. What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
10. What makes you smile?
11. What is your greatest accomplishment?

We're going to be friends

One fun clip from librarian, Besty Bird's Fuse8 blog post on turning Pop songs into children's books. Enjoy!

Werner Herzog Reads Curious George

Another tribute to Curious George-- kind of. A funny parody-reading of Curious George. Enjoy!

Real Flying Robots Playing James Bond

It's not science fiction. It's real flying robots playing the James Bond theme. Enjoy!

3 Little Pigs Shakespeare Style

This is hilarious from comedian John Branyan ! Enjoy.