GONE FISHING: A Novel In Verse is Available in Paperback 3/24/2015!

Today I'm celebrating the paperback release of Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse! It looks just like the original hardcover and has the same content, but the paperback is a tiny bit smaller: 

It makes me very happy that Gone Fishing is available as a hardcover, paperback, and e-book.

To celebrate, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is helping me host an online giveaway. Between now and 12:00 Noon Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, March 31, 2015, you can Tweet or Retweet using the hashtag #GoneFishingPaperback for a chance to win a paperback copy of Gone Fishing: A Novel in Verse. Here's a sample you are welcome to use:

The Gone Fishing paperback by @TameraWissinger is here! Tweet or retweet #GoneFishingPaperback for a chance to win a copy from @HMHKids! 

If you'd like to purchase a copy, it's available through the publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 

It's also available wherever books are sold. 

Thanks for stopping by and celebrating with me!

THE POETRY FRIDAY ANTHOLOGY FOR CELEBRATIONS is here!

The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations recently released!

There are two versions of the book - a Teacher/Librarian Edition that includes activites, Common Core information, and references, and the Student Edition without those extras, but with delightful illustrations. Both versions include 156 poems in both English and Spanish. I'm honored that my poem, National Aviation Day, is included with poetry from 115 poets whose poems make up this fantastic book. Here is a peek at my National Aviation Day poem: 

This April, during National Poetry Month, I'll be running a giveaway for a copy of The Poetry Friday Anthology for Celebrations, so check back then to enter. In the mean time, if you're interested in learning more about the books or would like to purchase a copy, here are a few links:

PomeloBooks.com

PoetryCelebrations.com

(Where THe PFA for Celebrations is #1 on the Hot New Release list for Language Arts Teaching Material!)

The book is also listed at the CBC as a March 2015  "Hot off the Press" book! 

Thank you to the editors, Janet Wong and Sylvia Vardell, for the opportunity to participate in this fun book. 

Good News! There Was An Old Lady Who Gobbled A Skink Has a Cover

I recently received the lovely cover art by Ana Bermejo for THERE WAS AN OLD LADY WHO GOBBLED A SKINK, my forthcoming picture book from Sky Pony Press. I love the vibrant colors, the sweet old lady, the cute skink, and that darling little bobber with the fishing line bow on its head! Now I'm really looking forward to seeing the final interior illustrations. This book is scheduled to arrive next year, on February 2, 2016.

March 5, 2015 Marks the Two Year Anniversary of Gone Fishing's Release

It's hard to believe, but my first book, Gone Fishing A Novel in Verse, was released two years ago on this day. A fun aspect of being an author is having the chance to see copies of your own books just before they are released. Houghton Mifflin sent this box of books to me a few days before that release - what a thrill!

Happy Anniversary Sam and Lucy! 

My first peek at the hard copies of Gone Fishing in 2013.

It's World Read Aloud Day 2015!

People all over the world are celebrating World Read Aloud Day today. Click on the logo for more details.This note is from Litworld.org:

"Every year on the first Wednesday of March, World Read Aloud Day calls global attention to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories."

I love this concept. If you would like to hear me reading from my picture book, This Old Band, click on the book cover and the link will take you to my Soundcloud recording set to music:

Happy World Read Aloud Day 2015 - Have fun reading!