MACKEY LOVES "TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW"

My character Mackey has been accompanying me on author visits lately as part of a community service project she started called "Bringing Books to Life for Literacy". She loves to perform as well as meet kids from lower income areas to get them excited about reading, but she hasn't been able to do a solo because she didn't feel she had the perfect music to perform to. She just told me she found it!

Mackey loves the song "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" by Selena Gomez. I listened to the song and I have to agree. This song shows the TOMGIRLZ spirit I see in my characters and in amazing children everywhere. The song has attitude...that's for sure...but the attitude is POSITIVE which I really love! The song also tells children that it's okay to follow their dreams, even when others tell them there is no way they can make it. Selena Gomez exemplifies that dreams really can come true and now she shares with everyone how she made her own come true...

1. Understand that things don't come easy
2. Believe in yourself
3. Don't let others determine who you are and want to be (the control is yours if you take it...the control belongs to others if you allow it.

Hey...this message is one that adults should keep in mind in their own lives too. Creating and publishing my books is a dream and is DIFFICULT. Everyone says that getting the word out and having the TOMGIRLZ embraced by the world will be a daunting task...so now in the words of Selena Gomez I will answer:
"TELL ME SOMETHING I DON'T KNOW" I believe that dreams really can come true, so you might as well DREAM BIG!!

BOOKS ABOUT CHILDHOOD OBESITY, BULLYING & TEASING UNDER WAY

Between scheduling activities for my two children, driving like a maniac all over South Florida, and working on marketing ideas for my books, workout, and dance classes, I have not had much time for writing. But I have had a lot of time for thinking! Finally, the first couple of chapters of the first book are complete...and I actually like them!

My next three books will read as a kind of mini series within the TOMGIRLZ series. Two new brother/sister characters, Abbey and Bob, will be introduced. Both of these children are overweight and they deal with their weight issues in very different ways. Looking at the issues that overweight children face...not just physical, but mental stress caused by bullying and teasing is the challenge of these new TOMGIRLZ books. After calling Barnes and Nobles about books on the subject, I have learned that mine will be a first of its kind! There are plenty of books written for adults, but none directed as children's books. These books are taking me a bit longer to write than the other 5 Tomgirlz books because I want to deal with the topic sensitively and accurately, and still maintain the spirit and humor of the TOMGIRLZ. I'll keep you posted!