This month is called, “Month of the Military Child.” Why is it called this? It is a celebration that was established in 1986 by the Defense Secretary to recognize and celebrate the military child. According to the Dept. of Defense website (https://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Month-of-the-Military-Child/),  “there are over 1.6 million military children.”  
 
Military children deal with issues related to self- esteem, making friends and having to leave, adjustments, living sometimes out of country, separation from one or both of their parents being deployed (being gone for long periods of time from months to even years )  and many other issues that relate to the life of a military child.
 
There are some benefits of military life for a child though in that the child has experiences that many other children never get to do like traveling around the world to new overseas bases and living on a military base (sometimes which is like a giant city with some or many amenities depending on the location).
 
Lately, I have been seeing a lot of videos about homecomings where the military parent stops at the child’s school and hug them after the parent has been gone for a long time and return from their deployment. Many times, it is a total surprise. The videos are very emotional in that they touch your heart. It goes to show you how emotional and difficult these times are for military children. The reunions though are priceless. At the same time, you begin to realize how rough life can be for a military child.
 
               As a former military member, my children had to deal with the life of a     dependent. As I was never a military child, I cannot relate to that life. I can    tell   you though as a young   boy, I did move around a lot so that part, I can   relate to.
             
               I moved to an area of Florida so many times that I went from one   elementary school to another every grade from 1st grade to 6th grade from   one city to another. It is extremely hard to make   friends when you know that    you must move. I even moved from Florida to   New Hampshire. Check out    my book, “Brains Over Brawn” (https://a.co/d/fXuGhQv)    which talks about   the issue of moving and adjustments.
 
              With the onset of technology like video calls, it has made it easier but not the   same as in person. However, it is extremely helpful. Many parents use this  form of communication but letters, post cards, and phone calls are often                                        used too. Imagine that your mom, dad, or both have been gone for a year. That    is a long time for a child to have to deal with absences.
 
 I began my journey by writing several military dependent related books. One book I wrote was “Did You Come Home for Lunch?” (https://a.co/d/858eaf1 )     which talks about what a three-year-old military   dependent says when his dad comes home.
 
Then, I authored a book called, “Living on A Military Base”   (https://a.co/d/7xZbbCk )  which is a book that    explains from a military dependent what it is like to be a military dependent. The boy is telling the story from his perspective to a non-military child what it is like to live in a foreign country as well as living on and off a military base overseas.
 
Another book that I wrote talks about moving which is “I Was Just About…”   (https://a.co/d/eoTvK1y ) . This is a story about a boy who is happy that he has friends, home, and school friends but he moves which turns his world upside down. Now, he is given encouragement that everything will be okay with new friends, new place, and lots of room in his room of his new house.
 
 One book I would highly recommend is “I Move A lot and That’s Okay “by Shermaine Perry Knights (https://a.co/d/aKjNF8y). This is about a boy whose mother is in the Army who moves to Italy and how they deal with their experiences moving overseas. I really enjoyed this book.
 
 As a former military member and now a Veteran, I love being a part of the Month of the Military Child. This is the second year that I have participated in Month of the Military Child Celebration. Last year, I was at the Proclamation Party which was so much fun with the whole room covered in purple props, purple t-shirts on staff and military dependents and families with their purple shirts on, and lots of purple items throughout the event. There was a lot of music and some fun events that the military parents and their children participated in.
 
I had the opportunity to be a part of this fun event giving out 77 books out to military children. Each parent was allowed to pick one of my books for their children that I signed for them.
 
This year, I was able to give out over 121 books to military dependents at the “Month of the Military Child- Purple Up at the Zoo” I also had the opportunity to participate in the introduction line of staff clapping for the entrance of the military families and their children as they came into the zoo. I had wonderful conversations with the children when they came to my table after they went through the zoo. My table was right inside the entrance to the zoo.
 
Since this is how I   first started in the author business as a Military Veteran and the fact that my children were military dependents, I wanted to give back to the military families. 

​I had a blast working at an author booth at Tinker Air Force Base Exchange. Since this is the Month of the Military Child, I like to celebrate this month by doing venues that relate to this theme. Like I said in previous blog posts, you must find your niche. Since I was in the military at one time, my children were also exposed to me doing my duty to the Air Force, and duty to country while having a family which included duty to my family. I have authored several books that relate to this month to include “Did You Come Home for Lunch?”, “Living on a Military Base,” and a future military book coming this year. 

​​My next venue was attending an Author Showcase at Belle Isle Library in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. At this event, there were over 20 authors or more highlighting their books and genre with over 175 people attending. Another author friend, Makenzi Fox, was in attendance. We both write children’s books. I also got to meet up with many other author friends from Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, authors that I have done events with, and a publisher that I hope to sign on with this year to publish another military book.

​My next venue is Month of the Military Child event at the OKC Zoo. I look forward to participating in this event for military children. Then, this month, I will be recording “Eli’s Shenanigans” on another Indie Read Aloud, will be a guest on a podcast about trauma and triumph, and am currently collaborating with an illustrator on my newest book for this year. Finally, I will be in an upcoming magazine and another author who is also a publisher will interview me in June.

​I am so happy to be blessed in this author’s journey.
 
Recently, I was asked to read Storytime and book signing at Knights Nook on Saturday, February 1st, 2025, in Yukon, Oklahoma at 10:30 a.m. I am looking forward to this event. (https://www.facebook.com/events/2565244750338336 )

Then, I will be a guest speaker for the Oklahoma City Christian Writers talking about the “5 P’s of a Successful Author”. This event will be at a coffee shop in Oklahoma City, OK on Saturday, February 8th, 2025.
 
 I am also working as a volunteer two times in February for the Oklahoma City Public School Book Bus at various elementary schools.
 

I also was recently approved to be a guest reader at the Books By the Bay Festival in Pensacola, Florida in March 2025 to read, “Nicoli Picoli”

I will also be at an author table with another author for the day and at a separate Author Signing Tent. So, I will be busy that day, but it is a blessing that I got approved to be at the festival for the second year. 

 During the festival week, I will be attending some other venues at a military base and a public library. I hope to have some school author events too which are in the works.
 
Oh, glad I am not there now. No, I think it would be cool. It is snowing in Florida where I grew up. Can you believe that? Snow is on the beach. In several areas around the panhandle of Florida, some cities have up to almost seven inches of snow.

The next blessing is I will be announcing soon in my blog about another adventure so you will have to wait and see for more information to come soon.
 
       I am coordinating with my illustrators for two     upcoming books that should be done by the end    of the summer and one other book that will be   worked on in the fall of 2025 hopefully with an   Oklahoma publisher.
 
  Several of my manuscripts were entered into the  Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc. and I am still    waiting on results from the National VA Creative   Arts Festival which has not announced   the national winners yet but hopefully the results
        will come out soon this month.
 
  Finally, I am trying to line up some readathon   activities for March and am signing up for one   for the Oklahoma City Public Schools read   across the district.

I have always heard the statement “busy as a bee” in the jobs I have ever had. Bees are always buzzing around going from one place to another.
 
 This past week, I have felt that way with finalizing entries for the Oklahoma Writers Federation Inc. writing contest and the Oklahoma Book Award Competition.
 
I have also been waiting on results of the national Veteran’s Administration Creative Arts Competition results that are supposed to be released this month. The anticipation is real.
 
 Bees must also feel the anticipation of going to the next adventure as well. So, besides finishing my entries into the contests, I have been “busy as a bee” working on writing some 2025 manuscripts to get ready for publishing this year, working on finalizing my 2025 calendar as much as possible, and waiting for some exciting new adventures with some book festivals this year.
 
So, authors stay busy constantly marketing their books through social media, other avenues, and venues as well as doing our main task which is writing. Writers write! This is what we do. Honing our craft is a constant process.

The good news is my fourteenth published story is now in an Anthology called “Visions” which was recently released. I have two other stories that are in two other anthologies, called “The Quire” and “Flights of Fantasy.”

​I also entered the Creative Slingers of Ink Ink and Image Challenge Cover contest for the month of May for children’s books.  You can vote daily between now and the end of May for BOTH of my covers, and any others that you like.  There is a creative rubric that covers will be judged against... but in the event of a creative tie... the popular vote will act as the tie-breaker.  So your votes REALLY count!    I appreciate your kind support for this contest!

Now, on to the next flower, so to speak!

​This week I had the opportunity to run into my good friend  John Cox, author of four books (www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BXW1HY3T) . Both of us were having an enjoyable conversation about being an author. I always look for him when I go to my doctor’s appointments there at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Oklahoma City, OK.

 Further fun was had this week when I made a    Christmas ornament for a table at a place I attend and   then took time to take some fun pictures at another    event.

  I am off to do some planning for 2025 and spending time  with the family. Look forward to momentous events and
    books to come. 
 
     Happy Holidays to everyone! Do not be surprised if you   see me on Facebook and other social media platforms. 

​This week has been busy also with babysitting, reading to over 40 children at an author visit at a daycare, and attending the Author Showcase in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Not to mention, my birthday is fast approaching. I will be an older decade. I will tell you though, I realize I do not have the energy of these children but I thoroughly love “being a kid at heart” and will continue as long as I can to “make a difference in the lives of children” by continuing to provide quality children’s books that  “come from the heart”,  provide the literary elements and themes for children to learn from, continuing promoting being a military Veteran, and encouraging children to read and write more.
 
During the daycare visit, I had the opportunity to read to 3–5-year-olds in the morning. They are so funny and enjoyable to read to. I use a lot of props with this age and interactive activities since the attention span is usually short. I read my book , “Did You Come Home for Lunch” which by the way will be on display in a couple of weeks at the Miami Book Fair which I am excited since it has been to San Diego Festival of Books, Times Square in New York with my publisher , and now on to Miami, Florida Book Fair.

​I came back in the afternoon to read to the school age children which consisted of children from four elementary schools. I really enjoyed the “Ask the Author” segment and reading my book, “Nicoli Picoli!” and “It Happens.”   This group of children was an amazing group to have the opportunity to read to. 

​ The event was held at the Sapulpa Library with 11 other authors besides me. The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (https://www.scbwi.org/) provided a panel discussion for authors and the public who attended.

​



​Next, I was up on stage as the first of the 12 authors to read their work for five minutes each. Then, the public was invited to go shopping at each author’s table and speak with the authors. I ended up meeting someone there that I have been collaborating with about coming to speak to their reading group in Feb. 2025. It was a fun event that I thoroughly enjoyed, and it was a road trip since Sapulpa is over an hour away from where I live.

​Next stop is the upcoming “Picklemas” event all about pickles which fits nicely with my themed book, “Nicoli Picoli!”  in Edmond, Oklahoma on November 30th and the final event in December, “Christmas in the Park” at Choctaw Creek Park in Choctaw, Oklahoma on December 14th, 2024. 

​Boy, what a busy year! I have attended close to 50 events this year. I am excited to see what journey lies ahead for me in 2025 regarding events I will attend such as the Virtual Author Festival in February and the Books by the Bay Festival in Pensacola, Florida in March. I better get busy pre-planning the first quarter of 2025.

​What does “collaboration” mean in the author world? For me this week, I collaborated with two vendors and one non-profit Adult Day Care for Veterans. This was a busy week from Sept. 22-28th, 2024. I had two events going on this week. Also, I was collaborating with other vendors online to work on a new logo and formatting my new 11th children’s book which is set to release this month. Authors are always busy behind the scenes working on different projects in writing, editing, formatting, publications, and marketing.

​FRIDAY NIGHTS IN THE PARK
 
I participated in the last Friday Nights in the Park event at Choctaw Creek Park in Choctaw, OK. In addition to selling, I was also promoting “Home Away from Home,” an adult Veteran Administration approved Adult Daycare located in Midwest City, Oklahoma. I was selling ceramics that Veterans had painted.

​SATURDAY CRAFT FAIR AT CHOCTAW UNITED METHODIST CHURCH IN CHOCTAW, OK
 
This was a long but rewarding day of selling my books I wrote and promoting “Home Away from Home” Adult Day Care by selling Veteran made ceramic items. I met so many people at the craft fair.
 
 So, authors collaborate with vendor coordinators, other authors, and other vendors. It is always good to free up my time to focus on writing as other vendors are working on my marketing and publication projects. This is what “collaboration” is all about. In the past, I have also had the opportunity to ‘collaborate” locally with two authors at different book signing events together.
 
The first author that I worked with is Ron Cisneros ( https://www.roncisneros.studio/roncisneros.html). We did an event together at Barnes and Noble. He is an amazing author in Oklahoma. He is also a local actor.

​Another author who is an Oklahoma children’s book author is Makenzi Fox ( https://www.choctawnation.com/biskinik/people-you-know/fox-releases-first-childrens-book/)
 I did a joint author event at Barnes and Noble near Quail Springs Mall in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma with her, myself, and another author who is a ten-year-old co-author of “Nicoli Picoli.”

​It seems so long ago that my first book, “Did You Come Home for Lunch?” came out in print in 2021 but was in work in 2020 for nine months. This book is a military story that inspired my writing journey. I never thought I would get past book one. Then, the journey began.
 
In August 2022, I was invited by my publisher to have my book on display with my publishing company, Archway Publishing booth at the San Diego Festival of Books held at San Diego Festival of Books. I was not in person at this event. Over 8,000 people visited this festival.

In 2023, Archway Publishing invited me to their conference in Times Square in Manhattan, New York City where over 200 authors were there from age 9-90 years old from the U.S. and other countries. My book, “Did You Come Home for Lunch?”  was on display at the table of books. During the conference, I learned from the many sessions from Simon Schuster from their different departments from editing, marketing, and publishing. This conference really enlightened me and was great for my self-publishing journey.

​I had never been to Times Square. It was a fun time in Times Square but since the conference assumed most of my time, I was at least able to meet my cousin after the conference was over. I met him at Grand Central Station so we could get on a train to travel to his house outside New York City. I enjoyed staying overnight and visiting with my cousin who I had not seen for a long time.

In 2024, my book, “Did You Come Home for Lunch?” will be on display at the Miami Book Fair November 17-24th   (www.miamibookfair.com )  with my publisher Archway Publishing. I will not be in person, but my book will be on display and available for book fair attendees to purchase if they would like.
 
From one book to eleven books with additional stories in two anthologies presently, my journey has been fun, challenging, and full of passion and joy. Book 11 is almost ready for the world to be released to the public hopefully this month, so I am excited to see my book in print.
 
 My next journey is to get out book 12 that has been in the hopper for a while just waiting to be published. This book will be a fourth and fifth grade book. I just need to coordinate with my illustrator this year so I can hopefully publish it in January.

I like to mix up my books in elementary as much as possible, so each grade and child has options. This also helps the teachers at the schools and daycares when I read to the different age levels.
 
 You will probably tell me to “keep those stories coming.” Full steam ahead! I hope to have more exciting books coming out    in 2025. So, be sure to follow me on this website and on Amazon.

It was an eventful day driving to Ponca City Brace Books which was about a two-hour trip north to the top of the state of Oklahoma on I-35. Brace Books was located next to a clinic. It had a great smell and a very homey feeling. This is why it is called Brace Books and More because the store has more than just books. Brace Books has a wonderful and friendly staff attending to your needs to make you feel welcome.
 
  I was like a kid in the candy shop with so much to look at and had lots of stuff I really wanted. I could spend all day in this store with all the books, games, coffee, coffee bar, and cool kids stuff. Deep down, I am still a “kid at heart.” Maybe, this is why I am a children’s book author.
 
I was told to expect maybe just 0-2 years old, so I was highly surprised when various ages of older children came to the event. One little girl’s grandmother came up to me and bought a book before the event. Grandma wanted me and the girl to take a picture, but I knew the girl was shy, so I said, “how about trying to have her take a picture with my book cover (20 x 30 posterboard cover of my book)”. Grandma thought that was a clever idea. I called her the mother which she really appreciated the compliment. I signed the girl’s book with the words “Dream Big.”
 
The girl then joined the other children that began to come into the store for their craft time, snack time, and reading time with me. I was reading my book, “Nicoli Picoli!” So, I got to read to about 10-15 children and their parents. Of course, I had to wear my pickle hat. Before I began to read and share about myself, I asked everyone attending if they liked sweet pickles, sour pickles, or both. Everyone raised their hands for their choice.

It was a wonderful day to be reading to children in a different community and to be a children’s book author. I am incredibly grateful for Brace Books, Ponca City News, and my social media coordinator for putting the word out. We all make a wonderful team. 

This upcoming week, I am off to read to a daycare in another city. Wish me luck!

This week, I switched gears as an author. I participated in the Oklahoma Highland Gathering in Choctaw, Oklahoma on 11th and 12th October at Choctaw Creek Park put on by the United Scottish Clans of Oklahoma (https://unitedscotsok.com/) . I am an Oklahoma Commissioner for Clan MacRae of North America who is responsible for participating as the clan representative at an annual event in Oklahoma.

 People attending the event would come to the booth to learn if they are related to the MacRae’s by looking at the many different septs that fall up underneath the MacRae Clan. I would be responsible for filling the visitors in on Scottish history of the Clan MacRae. In addition, I passed out applications for membership into the MacRae Clan Society of North America (https://www.macrae.org/). Some visitors coming to the clan tent were also invited to march with the clan during ceremonies that were being held at the Highland Festival. These events included an all-clans gathering for a Friday night fire lighting ceremony and a Saturday opening of the Highland Festival with all the clans marching into the athletic field behind the Scottish Military Band with bagpipe players and drummers.

​ The event  had athletic competitions, vendors, demonstrations, clan tents, animals, birds, and activities for the children. The Clan MacRae has a castle in Scotland called, the “Eilean Donan Castle” (https://www.clanmacraescot.org/ ).
 
Many movies have been made at the castle such as Highlander, The World is Not Enough, Made of Honor, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Kuch Kuch Hota  Hai,  Bonnie Prince Charlie, The Master of Ballantrae, and   Prince Valiant.

​I am now preparing for the upcoming book signing event in Ponca City this weekend. I noticed I was in Ponca City, OK news. This bookstore was one of the independent bookstores that reported in March 2024 that “Nicoli Picoli” was in the Top 10 Best Sellers in Children’s Fiction. I am looking forward to Reading Time and setting up a book signing table.