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"The Gourmet Garden of Goodwill"                                    A free-read children's book tale for your family on "Giving Tuesday"

12/1/2015

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It's "Giving Tuesday", the Tuesday following Thanksgiving dedicated towards spreading philanthropy action around the world!  In honor of today being the fourth consecutive year of celebrating this movement, I thought I would share a story I've written that teaches kids the value of giving back and helping our fellow man.  There is no formal editing, fancy cover designs or illustrations like my other books but there is a fun and educational message about our youth taking it upon themselves to volunteer in areas of their own communities.  Intertwined within the poem, "The Gourmet Garden of Goodwill", I've tried to touch upon the love for life, growth and a child's ability to make incredible changes just by following their own hearts and taking action <3 

Pass it around, read it to the kids or simply enjoy it for yourself!  
​If you like magic, flowers, gardens and FOOD-I think you might be interested in this tale... :)

The Gourmet Garden
Of

Goodwill
 
Written by Suzie Hearl Canale



Dedicated to my oldest and dearest friend Leslie...


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Some people say that a child is too small,
To change a community’s fate,
Well this is a story that proves all of that wrong-
A story that will set everything straight. 
 
 
The tale begins in a land far away,
In the middle of a farm country,
Where people work hard as they tend to their fields,
Growing gardens as big as can be.
 

The town was known for their special skill,
Referred to as “Green Thumb Plantation”,
Where each family possessed a gardening secret,
That had been passed down from each generation.
 

​One farmer believed in rich soil,
To make his crops hearty and strong,
A second laid seaweed to nourish the roots,
And a third sang to his plants a sweet song.
  
 
To conceal every plot, they built fences,
Tall walls were all you could see,
Signs reading "Keep Out!" and "Beware of the Dog!"
Hung on doors to ensure privacy.

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Day after day, they woke early,
Tilling and seeding the earth.
“Early to bed means early to rise,”
Was the motto taught straight after birth.


​They grew fields of round curly cabbage,
Kale, cucumbers and red ripe tomatoes,
Others grew broccoli or turnips and carrots,
While some dug in the soil for potatoes.
 
  
Farms produced green zucchini by the thousands,
As a few loved the snap of green beans,
And last but not least was the pride of the cornstalks,
A delectable veggie cuisine!
 
 
For those who loved fruit, there was plenty,
Bushes swelled with plump, juicy pink berries,
Trees sprouted apples, peaches and plums,
Some even grew fresh, shiny cherries.
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But there was one farm that sowed something different,
Where no vegetables or fruits could be found,
Instead they grew flowers by the hundreds of dozens,
Raising blooms of bright colors from the ground.  
 
 
There were shoots of delphinium and hollyhocks,
Mounds of poppies and sunflowers galore,
Dahlias and peonies sprang from every which way,
While morning glories climbed the garden gate door.
 
 
Each day, the neighbors all wondered,
What had made those blossoms grow?
Did that garden contain a new farming secret?
What had caused it to flourish so?”
 
  
The family who lived there were special,
For they gave much more than they received,
“Give unto others who are in need of the most,”
 Was the old saying they truly believed.
 

Although they had little, they managed,
And somehow, could always get by,
Even though their flowers were worth less in the market,
Enough food was kept in supply.
 
 
The children of the house were two sisters,
Who both had a gift- so they say,
Many amazed at how close the girls were,
Since they were as different as night is to day.
 
 
Annie was ten and the eldest,
Who said, “The strong must aid the weak.”
She helped when she could and gave all she could give,
For a young child, this was unique.
 
​
Her sister, named Lucy, was nine,
A girl who was hard not to love.
She drew people in with her laughter and warmth,
A true friend who none measured above. 

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Once a week, the farmers would gather,
Trading bushels of goods all day long,
Swapping for foods to ensure a good diet,
That would keep them both healthy and strong.
 
 
Until one very hot summer,
A blithe had infested the land,
Poisoning the crops until most were all gone,
Leaving food in desperate demand.
 
 
One would think that this hardship would trigger,
And exchange between farming tips,
But alas they still stubbornly struggled alone,
Still squandering their ideas with tight lips.
 
 
Through the months, they suffered greatly,
Storing all of the edibles they could,
By selfishly hoarding any crops that were left,
Without sharing, as one always should.
 
 
Low and behold there was one farm,
Whose garden still thrived on its own,
An enchantment had fallen on all of the petals,
Blessing the flowers the two girls had grown.
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All the blossoms produced a new offer,
Each one of a different kind,
A yummy assortment of magical goodies,
Oh so strange for a garden, keep in mind!
 
 
From the callas had fallen real mangos,
As spuds grew from potato vines,
The grape hyacinth had swollen with sour grapes,
And the sweet peas dropped legumes in straight lines.
  
 
There were cymbidiums that burst with green kiwi,
And tulips that cupped strawberries and cream,
Oranges drooped from the beards of the iris,
It was beyond any gardener’s dream.
 
 
If dessert was desired, they were covered,
By the dahlias, which had now donned new sweets,
Blackberry ripple, butterscotch and candy canes,
They even made chocolate brownie treats!
 
 
At first the girls stared in amazement,
Then they smiled with a grin ear to ear,
“There is now enough food to feed all that are hungry!”
The girls bellowed in excited cheer.
  
 
They quickly dashed off in a hunt,
Picking the gifts off of every vine,
Then they went straight to the kitchen to plan a big feast,
To be held in the garden divine.
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 Once the cooking had finally been completed,
The girls invited the entire town,
Family by family, they arrived with thanks,
Then they graciously sat right down.
 
  
Laid before them was a collection of dishes,
A smorgasbord by any means,
Platters of casseroles, breads, dips and soufflés,
There were even homemade Boston Baked Beans!
  
 
As they sat with each other in enjoyment,
Their hearts swelled on that very spot,
For the farmers decided it was time to exchange,
Their “green thumbs” with the rest of the lot.
 
 
All of a sudden as they happily chatted,
The garden pulsed and exploded in size,
Breaking the gates and the walls that surrounded,
No one could believe what they saw with their eyes!
  
 
The town took the display as an omen,
To tear down all of their guarded gates,
And as soon as they did, all the crops grew anew,
Offering food for their empty plates.
 
  
The people had learned a fine lesson,
and right then, changed their greedy ways,
Pledging to share all of their own growing secrets,
For the rest of their gardening days.
 
  
Except Lucy and Annie were still bothered,
The girls felt they could do so much more,
Suddenly they realized what they could do with the harvest,
And knew just what to use it for!

 
They would start their own volunteer service,
Asking those who owned automobiles,
To deliver good food to all those in need,
Starting the town’s first “Meals on Wheels”.

 
And so this is exactly what happened,
Many farmers signed up right away,
To commit to the people who needed their help,
To end hunger, handing out tray by tray.

​ 
The last question to be answered were the flowers,
What had been the girls secret skill?
Annie and Lucy used their family’s real gift,
They grew magic from their heart’s own goodwill.
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A New Book, A New Direction..."Boston,You're My Home!"

2/3/2014

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Traditionally over the past few years, The Beantown Tales Children’s Book Series has centered on the core concepts of environmentalism, humanitarianism and endangered animal preservation.  I created these story lines to mirror the importance of these issues with the intention to not only teach, but to also inspire a child to react to these topics with thoughts of improvement and change.  Chapters such as “The Land of Chocolate Cosmos”, “The Popcorn Hydrangea of Poppingtom” and “The Candy Roses of Cape Care” were written in response to my desire to enchant a young reader with magical places while conveying messages that they too, could effect the world with their ideals, creativity and perseverance.  This was my plan from the very beginning, a premeditated platform where words would be strung together in poetic language, hopeful to stimulate just one curious mind into believing, “maybe I can…”

Although nothing has given me more pleasure than to continue The Beantown Tale fables, unforeseen experiences can sometimes assault original plans and veer you towards another direction.  Writers, painters, musicians, sculptors, photographers and other artists use their means of “expression” to respond to situations, sometimes giving reason and understanding to themselves and possibly to others as well.   That’s exactly what happened to me after seeing a city I loved undergo the April 15th  Boston Marathon bombing.

It was almost a year ago that I received a call from my publisher at Mascot Books and discussed the aftermath of the horrifying events that took place during one of Bean Town’s most beloved time honored traditions.   From watching nurses on the television assisting injured runners and spectators to the city’s lockdown (my home at the time had been included in the zone), we talked in disbelief as many others were doing across the globe.  As the conversation continued, I was asked if I would consider writing about the experience.  Was it feasible to write a children’s book reflecting Boston’s atmosphere without stimulating the negativity of the incident throughout the pages?  
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I honestly didn’t think it was possible.   He asked, “Maybe you could write about Boston’s strengths reflecting the “Boston Strong” slogan?  Think of ten ideas and see what you come up with.”  I remember being extremely torn in making a decision.   Mulling over the idea, I was unsure if I would be able to find the words and even if I could, should it be written in the first place? My stomach flipped back and forth struggling over the concept, in fear of how the book would be received.  Would young readers, parents, teachers and my community as a whole, acceptably tolerate my perception of Boston’s Strong and how I would explain it?
I agreed that I would try.


The book was strangely easy to write.

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It took me only three weeks to build a plot, characters and ten reasons, which I believe make “Boston Strong”(although there are millions of reasons that exist).  I’m not sure why, except I have learned the truth in the knowledge that the things we love and understand the most in life are the easiest topics to reflect in our writing.   It is within these subjects that our opinions (both positive and negative) are best conveyed and have the greater potential to be convincing to others.  

With all author profits donated directly to the One Fund, “Boston, You’re My Home” will be released in spring 2014 with the intention of conveying my perception of the strengths, ambitions and pride that this city reflects so magnificently.


Storyline
Caroline is a little girl struggling with the change of soon moving to her new home in Boston.  Concerned with the city’s size and the uncertainty of the unknown, her fear converts to excitement when her parents tell her a bedtime tale comprised of ten reasons, which make “Boston Strong”.   The character visits several special places throughout the tale, convincing Caroline that she will love saying, “Boston, You’re My Home!”

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The Pictures
Roberto Almanza is the talented illustrator who completed the artwork found within the pages of “Boston, You’re My Home!”.  Being a Bostonian himself, Almanza created beautiful images of Bean Town’s most cherished locations such as the Emerald Necklace, The Isabella Stewart Museum and of course, Fenway Park which no Boston book could ever be completed without.  
Fun Facts
*All author profits made from the book, “Boston, You’re My Home!”, will be donated directly to the One Fund.

*The Union Oyster House (featured within the book) was where I had my 1st book party after the release of “The Candy Roses of Cape Care”. 
They really do have the most delicious clam chowda’!

*The Isabella Stewart Museum is my favorite artistic realm, not only possessing beautiful exhibits but stunning gardens and a titillating mystery surrounding stolen paintings.

*“Caroline” was inspired and created after a dear childhood friend of mine from Andover, Massachusetts.  Not only did her name emulate Fenway’s long tradition of singing “Sweet Caroline” at Fenway but she also reflected the curiosity and endearment in nature that I was searching to mirror in the fictional character.  Roberto did a wonderful job capturing her image and spirit through actual photographs .

*The puzzle piece placed in the frame next to Caroline’s bed was drawn to honor all children effected by autism, a topic held closely to my heart.


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Run, Run, Run...

4/19/2013

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After the terrifying acts that have occurred in Boston over the last week, being a Bostonian, I felt the need to cope along with the rest of my city, a place that I love dearly.  Since a writer writes, here is my reflection of these events. Although completing all verses rather quickly, I was at a loss of words for a title.  My 8 year old son simply turned to me and said, "Name it Run, Run, Run."  
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Beantown Tale Books, Events and New Beginnings...

2/4/2013

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With the turn of a new year, it’s time I laid plans for what’s to come, where to go and what to write!  Although there’s no denying the snowy days of New England where rest and hibernation is on everyone’s priority list, The Beantown Tale books are moving steadily along with new ideas, partnerships and yes, even a new illustrator.  As the fables continue, it is my hope to maturate the series with a richer sense of imagery and thematic subject matter.   Evolving from my first book, “The Land of Chocolate Cosmos”, where the young boy, Coco, feels compelled to save his magical chocolate producing town from environmental destruction, the 4th storyline promises to immerse young readers inside a newfangled concept of enchantment, captured by a child’s determination to help her fellow man.  It is also my intention to extend concentrations of advertising and marketing strategies to include a more “creative” spectrum of possibility.  Whichever paths appear in the next few months, I know that each step taken is one pace further to towards The Beantown Tale’s final outcome, purpose and resolution.

Events and News

2012 New England Festival Marketing Panel  (Boston, MA)

Serving as a panelist to discuss the marketing and advertising techniques of book publishing on January 19, 2013 at the Omni Parker House in Boston, I was honored to accompany Stephanie Blackman, Publisher at Riverhaven Books,  Mollie Ostroski, Author/Publisher of “Duck Tape”, Luann Robinson Hull, Author of "Happily Ever After...Right Now" and Jonathan Womack, Publisher at Charles River Press.  Topics included press kit creation, bookstore relations and sales and social media strategies.

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Author Suzie Canale ("The Beantown Tales") and Author Roseanne Kurstedt ("And I Thought About You)
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WERAWC at West Elementary  (Andover, MA)

I will be visiting and presenting to students of West Elementary School of Andover, MA on March 4, 2013 to discuss the ins and outs of writing and publishing.  Excited to join the week long annual event which teaches children the different perspectives from authors, illustrators and publishers about the book biz, students receive direct information as well as inspiring true stories from the literary presenters.

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“Drinks With The Author” Website  (Online)

The Beantown Tales is thrilled to be accepted as a featured series on the new literary website, “Drinks With The Author” this upcoming spring!  Visitors can search for their favorite authors as well as keep track of their signings, events and appearances, while learning more about their upcoming releases and honors.   I will be joining authors Jeff Kinney (“Diary of a Wimpy Kid”) and Dr. Paulette Kouffman Sherman(“When Mars Women Date”)on this interactive site where you can connect with your favorite writers.  Visit www.drinkswiththeauthor.com and keep an eye out for me this April!

"Share Learning" Website  (Online)
Last month I was contacted by the owner of the online quote site, sharelearning.com to submit a personal statement about my feelings of becoming a children's book author.  Here's what I had to say...
Jan 26, 2013, 8:16 pm “Writing children’s books is a gift to witness the true creativity, wonderment and magic that a child possesses within their imagination. A children’s author has simply only laid the words of a path for their inquisitive minds to explore in which the real genius of a story is found within a young reader’s laughter, questions and ‘what if’s’. It truly is the gift that I cherish most…” suzie canale  
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The Big Book Club Giveaway (Mohegan Sun, CT)

The Beantown Tales will be attending the Big Book Club Getaway Convention at Mohegan Sun, CT on February 1-2, 2013 where we will have a table from 2-4pm on Saturday.  Tons of authors, free books and presentations on how to make it BIG in the book business.

Awards

There’s no better way to ring in a new year for a writer than to be lucky enough to receive accolade for their literary offerings.  On January 19, 2013, “The Candy Roses of Cape Care” won its second award, obtaining an Honorable Mention from the 2012 New England Book Festival.  Holding ceremonies at the Omni Parker House in Boston, MA, (the historic venue where Longfellow was said to have stayed while composing many of his work), it truly was a special evening as authors accepted recognition for the published pieces.
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New Work on the Horizon

Vine #4 has sprung from the city, holding a new storybook of adventure, learning and DELICOUS GOODIES!  Entitled, “The Gourmet Garden of Goodwill”, the book tells the tale of a secret held within a flower garden whose florets become charmed with the ability to produce delectable, toothsome treats.  Including a brownie blossoming dahlia, juicy grapes springing from hyacinth and legumes dropping from the heads of sweet pea, the enchantment continues with inventive cuisine never seen before within the pages of The Beantown Tale book series.  Designedly composed with lessons involving humanitarianism, two youthful heroines set out once again to prove that children are in fact capable of changing the world.


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Tiny Hands in Bookshelves

11/26/2012

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As I opened the door into my two little boy’s bedroom, I saw what most parents see on any typical day.  Toy trucks scattered throughout the floor, teddy bears with poked heads from their embracers half made beds and an assortment of trinkets that can only be called treasures by their youthful owners.  Picking up and replacing one item after another to return to their rightful places, it dawns on me that a child’s bedroom is more than a place to sleep or to change clothes.   It is dwelling in which wishes, dreams and adventures take place, a sanctuary where every creative idea is kept safely and nurtured by the tools we provide.  As parents, we supply instruments such as crayons, blocks and puzzles to enhance our children’s ability to think, interpret and problem solve.  We make sure that coloring books and construction paper are constantly stocked and that the Lego bins are filled to the brim knowing that as soon as one model is erected it will soon be taken apart and rebuilt.  We encourage this playtime as a critical area of development, realizing that one day this form of play will mature into a valuable skill set necessary to succeed as adults. 


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As an author of children’s books, I have always stressed the importance of reading in my home, stacking shelve upon shelve with both paperbacks and hardcovers.  “Where the Wild Things Are”, “Snipp, Snapp and Snurr”, “Curious George” and my littlest’s favorite, “Dr. Seuss”, are a few of the staples accompanied by the visitors borrowed from our weekly trip to the local library.    Science, fairytale, arts and crafts, biography and action-hero themes are all represented, ensuring an eclectic array of options to suit the little intellects perusing the cases for the perfect find.    Whether a book becomes a soother for bedtime or a greeting at morning, literature can be useful for a wide variety of reasons including as an aid for routine scheduling, early learning, or even yes, FUN! 

 

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For myself, I am a mother of two, having an eldest child who held an accelerated ability for conversation at an early age and a second child who possessed speech difficulties, often producing mumbled pronunciation or one worded dialogue.  His trouble became noticeable to us at the age of 1 ½, when he would exhibit distress when trying to communicate his needs.  Although he was enrolled in speech therapy, we only began to detect a strong improvement after he started preschool and a love for books began to manifest.  He no longer would only sit for a lightning second after “Once upon a time…” was spoken, but would now hold his attention and convey sincere interest towards hearing the stories read from beginning to end.  Reading became his best medicine as he watched our lips form the words of the pages, adding influx to our voices for questions, exclamations and excitement.   Almost always opting for his favorite book, “Green Eggs and Ham”, the soon- to -be three year old has expanded his vocabulary exponentially while honestly enjoying the experience of being swept up within wonderful worlds of rhyme and fantasy.  


As I write this, I begin to map out an outline for my next book in the hopes that it will capture that precious piece of a child’s imagination to dream, hope and aspire big.  I will remember my son’s laughter after he hears a funny sentence of Dr. Seuss while I conjure entertaining plot lines of my own.  I will try to duplicate the effects of his wide eyes in my own storytelling as he does when he experiences the gripping scene of the three bears finding Goldilocks in their beds.   And last, I will be sure to formulate the soothing ending that will put young readers at ease as my son feels drifting off to sleep after lulled by “Goodnight Moon”.  Mystical places, enchanted people and the desire to fix problems which might at first appear unfixable must be included.  After all, these are the pieces which make the heart, mind and spirit of a tiny hand pull your book down from the shelf.  

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Written By Suzie Canale

Author of The Beantown Tales children’s book series

“The Land of Chocolate Cosmos”

“The Popcorn Hydrangea of Poppingtom”

“The Candy Roses of Cape Care”

         


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The Gift of Curiousity

10/1/2012

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One of the most infamous creators of all time, Walt Disney, once said, “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”  I love this quote.  Particularly because most of the ideas, strategies and efforts that I’ve made to move The Beantown Tales forward have been derived from an innate curiosity of what’s to come next?  It is this “curiosity” that propels us, attempting new successes and achievements even if we experience a failure or two along the way.  I realize that I have certainly made my fair share of mistakes in the past year and a half as an author, but I appreciate that within our implementation of “curiosity” towards new projects, there is a risk included.  That if we never risk listening to our curiosities, than the ability to grow or evolve would be obsolete.  After all, it is the compilation of our wins and losses that tells the rich tale of who we really are, where our curiosity guides us to towards the writing of each and every chapter.

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It is at this point in time that I am listening intently to my inner "Curios George" to signal the next direction of The Beantown Tales .  With the closure of the first Green segment and the honor of winning honorable mentions in three book festivals as well as Author of the Year from my publisher, Mascot Books, I am searching for the next path of creative development.  Hopeful to initiate alternative forms of media and marketing tactics, I am excited to see what lies ahead.  Although there is an undeniable fear and uncertainty of the future success of The Beantown Tales, I still recognize that without trying and trusting our natural inquisitiveness, there can be no achievements, adventures or escapades.  It’s time to take a chance.  Time to move forward.  Time to indulge in my curiosity.


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Therefore, The Beantown Tales will be “evolving” into a second theme of child education and entertainment, focusing the next three books on humanitarianism.  The stories will utilize fun and tasty flowers as before but will unfold tales about people helping people, particularly, children helping people.  Magic and fantasy will envelop these new stories but will be written to encourage young readers to become involved with non-profit and charitable organizations present in their own communities.  The first segment of the Do Good series, “The Gourmet Garden of Goodwill”, orchestrates an enchanted flower patch growing and abundance of delicious treats where the children must decide how to use the yummy crop for the town’s best interest.  I hope you enjoy the new venture and may your own curiosity take you to wonderous places!~

“The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind, is curiosity.” 
 - Edmund Burke

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Beantown Tale Beach Book For Kids Launch

6/27/2012

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Summer is finally here and so is The Beantown Tales final chapter of the “Green” segment, “The Candy Roses of Cape Care”!  With an official release date of July 1, 2012, this beach read tells the tale of a group of children who are determined to save their sandy cove’s enchanted candy producing roses from falling victim to water pollution.  Written and illustrated to reproduce the beauty of Massachusett’s cherished coastline, “The Candy Roses of Cape Care” is expected to successfully close the environmental chapter of the children’s series with fun but educational messages meant to empower young readers to make key changes within their own society.

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As many writers, illustrators, publishers, agents and book lovers know, launching a new title takes a little planning and strategy.  Common marketing techniques include book signings, mass emailing, website design and immediate product placement.  While these “have to” marketing tactics are absolutely necessary for every author to tackle, there are other helpful incentives to encourage book-buying to begin.  Over the last two weeks, “The Candy Roses of Cape Care” was extremely fortunate to experience two favorable factors instrumental in generating interest towards The Beantown Tales…


1st Award
The New York Book Festival
June 22, 2012

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The 2012 New York Book Festival

“The Candy Roses of Cape Care” has officially won its first award of an Honorable Mention in the children’s division of the 2012 New York Book Festival!  With an award ceremony, which took place on June 22 at the Grolier Club in Manhattan, literary figures from across the industry joined together to enjoy the recants from honorees discussing the background to their literary publications.   Winners received plaques, Internet observance and a multitude of other helpful merchandising prizes to further the success of their books not to mention the pleasure of networking within one of New York’s most beautiful historical venues.


The Beantown Tales Book Party
June 22, 2012

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Release Party at The Union Oyster House

Although there is no doubt that a Manhattan awards ceremony would have been thrilling, I found myself elsewhere with the coincidence of throwing my first ever Beantown Tales book party at the Union Oyster House also on June 22nd.  Reflecting the charm and tradition of Boston, no other place could have been better to celebrate “The Candy Roses of Cape Care’s” release.   Having a catered menu of New England’s finest clam chowder, a raw oyster bar and favors of chocolate, popcorn and antique swirly lollipops, it was a fantastic night to remember surrounded with family and friends.


Now that the "Green" segment has been completed, keep an eye out for the "Do Good" books of the series dedicated to teaching children about HUMANITARIANISM!

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The Finale to The Beantown Tales "Green" Segment

5/7/2012

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Beach roses flourish on many New England seacoasts due to the sandy soil and salt infused air.

The Beantown Tales is set to release the third and final chapter of the series "Green" segment this May 2012 featuring all new magical flowers and a predicament that only our earth friendly heroes and heroines can solve!  "The Candy Roses of Cape Care" is the whimsical story about a beautiful sandy cove which grows enchanted roses capable of sprouting sweet treats for all summer visitors.  Danger strikes when tourists begin to leave candy wrappers on the beach causing the potion-making ocean to become polluted.  When the coast becomes consumed with trash, threatening the existence of the roses, six cousins decide to devise a plan to clean up there beloved home.  

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Suzie's favorite sweet treat!
Themed after the environmental holiday, "Earth Day", readers will once again learn about the importance of "Going Green" while being entertained by mouth watering flowers sprouting lollipops, M&M's, licorice and more!


Fun Facts 
About 
"The Candy Roses of Cape Care"
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Long Beach, Gloucester, MA
1.  The location of the story was intentionally written and illustrated after Suzie's love of beach's, namely Long Beach of Gloucester, MA.   Having spent years of her childhood playing, swimming and dreaming on the rose bordered cove, she now brings her two sons to enjoy the very same gifts that the cherished beach possesses.

2.  "Candy Roses" are an actual flower (as all of the previous books have featured) which commonly grows along the sea, flourishing off of the well drained soil and salt air.  

3. "The Candy Roses of Cape Care" is the first book in the Beantown Tales to introduce a second flower into the same story.  Readers will be surprised to find yet another bewitched bloom to add extra fun to the adventure.

4.  Many of the treats found bursting from the roses are the author's favorite candies, particularly Gummy Bears and Reese's Pieces.  Other treats which are mentioned in the tale that hold special meaning are the Candy Ring Pops, her son, Ryan's, preferred indulgence.

5.  Similar to "The Land of Chocolate Cosmos" and "The Popcorn Hydrangea of Poppingtom", the main charters featured in the final piece of the environmental puzzle are molded after the children who have inspired her the most in her life.  "The Candy Roses of Cape Care" will be dedicated to her six nieces and nephews; Amanda, Kristina, Johnny, Michael, Maria and Briana.  Once again, the talent of the illustrator, Kevin Coffey, was able to sketch the charters similar to the their actual appearances.
Hope you all enjoy 
"The Candy Roses of Cape Care"!  
Reviews are welcome to be sent to beantowntales@aol.com
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It's Funny Where An Idea Can Take You...

11/30/2011

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Ideas can come from the funniest places. Sometimes they arrive after an inspiring trip, a peaceful night's rest or right out of the blue with no warning at all.  Some are dismissed without further interest or intention and others are disregarded out of the fear of not finding the "how  to" in completing the
task. One year ago, an idea came to me after chatting with a friend about her daughter's interest in writing stories.  As simple as any other idea might have
presented itself, my only reaction became, "What do I have to lose?" 
Little did I know that I would someday find myself teaching this idea to young people around the New England area, smiling as they took with them the lessons that I have learned since becoming a writer...
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Throughout the past year, The Beantown Tales has worked steadily to expand beyond the publication of children's books to include writing workshops for children throughout Massachusetts. 
As a project that began "literally" out of my house, the first official
writing workshop was offered as an after school program for Boston elementary
students.  The program was initially designed to strengthen and excel writing skills for children from the ages of five to eight through creating their own books complete with original storylines and illustrations.  Classes included
the implementation of brainstorming, eye catching drawings, About Author pages,
dedication phrasing and clever front cover layouts.  Taught through the experience of a children's book author, students would become engaged in not only writing stories that they desired to read but would tighten their own English skills in the process by planning plot outlines and developing characters.  Children could also gain the experience of learning how books were put together within the publication
industry, giving them a higher confidence in their capabilities
towards becoming authors...  
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The  first
necessary step in converting my idea into a realty was to find others willing to participate in a trial run.  After completing and designing a lesson plan that I scribbled on a yellow pad of 
paper, I began searching for students by contacting my son's elementary school,
asking if I could promote my new endeavor with a send home flyer. 
Thankfully, the administration agreed and two weeks later I anxiously
awaited to see if I would gather anyone at all. I did. My first class took place on a Monday afternoon at the dining
room table, seated by six children including five of my son's kindergarten friends.  I learned how to reorganize an entire course out of the time I spent with those kids and am so grateful to both them and their parents for giving me my first chance at teaching.  I truly believe that we never really know the full circle of our adventure
until we take those chances that seem out of our reach, out of our believed
character or even out of our pre-planned paths...

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One year later, The Beantown
Tales
Children's Writing
Workshop
has been adopted by schools in the New England
area as after school programs and Special Guest Writing Courses. Within the month of December, I will be visiting classrooms, hopeful to pass on my passion as an author to young writers through teaching the many different components of book graphics and composition. Target age groups have expanded to include children from the ages of six to twelve which has made the course flexible, reaching a wider bracket of students.   Although classes
still include original stories and 
artwork, other areas of discussion now 
include publication tactics of
packaging and cover letters, intending
to further aid their success and
education about the literary industry.
With every visit, I hope not only to
teach a deeper appreciation for
creative learning projects such as writing books, but to also continue the gift of the compelling magic of 
storytelling that one writer can pass on to the next.    

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Learning the In's and Out's of Book Sales

9/26/2011

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Promotion.  Product Placement.   Pricing Strategies. 
These are the three main elements that every author must familiarize themselves with once their books have gone to print.  Maybe intimidating at first, your monopolization of the three "P's" will directly affect the success of your material and likely determine the course of your literary career.  For me, the sales segment of my writing journey was  frightening to say the very least but once I found my rhythm, I slowly became more comfortable with approaching independent bookstores across New England.  Today The BeantownTales have found a place on the shelves of "The Andover Bookstore"(Andover, Ma), "The Spirit of 76' Bookstore" (Marblehead, Ma), "Barnes and Nobles" (Boston, Ma) and the first out of state location, "The Boulder Bookstore" (Boulder, Colorado). 
Needless to say, I had a little help...
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Recently, I attended a writers workshop for authors conducted by The Salem Literary Festival with the intention of learning a few helpful hints as to how I could increase my readership for my two children's books, "The Land of Chocolate Cosmos" and "The Popcorn Hydrangea of Poppingtom".   If you haven't yet attended a discussion, conference or similar gathering, start looking because I promise you, they are invaluable.  Listed below is a summarization of common do's and dont's  of establishing a strong  3 "P" strategy which may prove essential to anyone who has or is planning to release a publication.  Remember, whether you begin pitching retailers by email, in person or hopefully by both, you are your book's biggest asset as a marketing tool so give it a go!

1.  Postcards have taken the place of the traditional business card in the book world for several reasons.  Inexpensive (www.vistaprint.com) and visually appealing to the eye, postcards can be designed with your book cover and other representative images as well as your ISBN number(s) and contact information.  Unlike business cards which are often lost or put  "permanently" away, postcards are larger in size and easier to read.  Send them BEFORE your book release date to give potential vendors a preview.

2.  Research book buyer contacts in advance so you are knowledgeable about to whom you are going to be speaking with.  Sales clerks, stock personnel and other employees are not only unlikely to be able to get your book in the store but are BUSY so make sure you find out who you should be pitching before arrival. 

3. If you are from the New England area, a good place to start looking for bookstores to contact is through the New England Books Organization (www.newenglandbooks.org).  They give a complete listing of every independent bookstore in New England by state.  A fantastic resource for us!

4.  Send book plates to the stores who are carrying your titles after they have received them as a great tool for reordering.  Book plates are small stickers which you can write your signature giving every book a personalized autograph (www.stationarystudios.com).  Be sure to send them after the initial order since not all stores want copies signed.

5. Omit printing the suggested price of your book on the back covers since you may find yourself intertwined with numerous agreements depending on the particular type of retail/wholesale location.  Flexibility is all part of the game.

5. Subscribe to Writer's Digests and Writer's magazines which will keep you updated on conferences, expos, events and contests since we all can admit is one of the best parts of becoming an author!

    ~ I hope this has helped all of the authors reading ~
                                          and 
             ~ to those who dare to dream of becoming one~

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    Suzie Hearl Canale is the author of the children's book series, The Beantown Tales.

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