Play it Again, Pal! or 2:48 Minutes More
Settle your little ones in front of the monitor, click on an Author Read-Aloud video (below), and let them watch and listen while you enjoy some lazy time. Okay, you can view, too--if you promise to act OUR age!
Reruns played a huge part in my summertime's past. (And, good or bad, are the reason why Gilligan's Island, Petticoat Junction, Beverly Hillbillies, "Dah-dah-dah-DA-daaa/Dah-dah-da-DAHHHHHHH"* & "People Let Me Tell You Bout My Beeeesssst Friend**...are high on my personal playlist.) We never minded--frankly enjoyed--watching reruns. Still Do!
With that in mind, I'm rerunning my blog post FREE BABYSITTING from a few weeks past. For those of you who viewed it then, and aren't into reruns, take heed: If you scroll to the bottom, you'll find a SURPRISE!!!! 2.48 minutes more (Thanks to Ink In Motion) and a chance to win a sweet SURPRISE!!!!
Here's What You May Remember From the July 30th Episode of Kelly's Fishbowl:
Summertime is fun time. Summertime is laz time. Summertime is read-all-those-books-you-don't-have-time-for-other-times. Summertime is I-don't-have-an-original-thought-in-my-head time.
Here's something that addresses all those Summertimes, especially if you may have had a little too much sun or fun time and need some laz time:
FREE-ABSOLUTELY NO OBLIGATION--BABYSITTING SERVICE!
"We want to hear you read it!" they tell me. "How do you say:
“ Bom bom bom baaaa Ba ba ba booo Bo bo bo beee?”
“ Oogie, boogie, bah bah lou.”
“Glug . . . Glug . . . Glug . . .”
The wondering is over! Thanks to my nephew Will O Bennett who recorded me reading, and Ink In Motion for their video magic, Author Read-Alouds are now available on U-Tube.
So, here's my Summertime Free Babysitting Service:
Settle your little ones in front of the monitor, click on an Author Read-Aloud video (below), and let them watch and listen while you enjoy some lazy time. Okay, you can view, too--if you promise to act OUR age!
And a preview of coming attractions:
If all went well, you've enjoyed 12:49 + 2:48 minutes = MORE! free time.
Don't you feel terriffic!
P. S. Should you need more time: Teaching Guides, Activities & Puzzles for these books and others are downloadable from my website. Click on the ACTIVITIES tab.
BTW: Yes, it's Beethoven's 5th Symphony on the sousaphone courtesy of Curtis.
* ** Play "Name the Theme Song" Correctly match these theme song snippets with their associated TV programs, post the name of the show in the comments section and you'll win a sweet surprise! (One entry per reader; No limit on how many can win!)
Bonus prizes if you sing one!!
Click on SUBSCRIBE if you'd like to receive email notification when entries are posted on Kelly's Fishbowl.
#12 Confessions of A Vampire: Rambling at the Texas Book Festival
Texas Book Festival is on! Come join me and the gang from Bright Sky Press
"Sunny" Eva, Lucy Chambers, & Marla, hosting the Bright Sky Press booth.
We're celebrating ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING--winner of the Writer's League of Texas Best Picture Book of 2013 Award. Noon today at the Writer's League Booth!
Promise not to bite!
The "I Vant My Vampire Baby" Book Trailer Contest--is NOW!!!
Here's how: View the Vampire Baby by Kelly Bennett book trailer on Youtube. Leave a comment. You're entered to win you're very own authographed copy of the book. It's that easy!
Rocking and Rambling
Zane's pirate flag is flying high today!
ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING
is a finalist for the Writers' League of Texas Book Award!
For more on WLT click: http://www.writersleague.org/131/2013-Book-Awards-Contest-Finalists
The 2013 Writers' League of Texas Book Awards Finalists
*Winners will be announced on this page in early September.
FICTION
Along These Highways by Rene S. Perez Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale by Lynda Rutledge Pillow Book of the Flower Samurai by Barbara Lazar Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club by Benjamin Alire Saenz Appearances: Stories by Jan Seale
NONFICTION
Floyd Patterson: The Fighting Life of Boxing's Invisible Champion by WK Stratton Secret Sex Lives: A Year on the Fringes of American Sexuality by Suzy Spencer Gated Grief: The Daughter of a GI Concentration Camp Liberator Discovers a Legacy of Trauma by Leila Levinson My Boys and Girls Are in There: The 1937 New London School Explosion by Ron Rozelle In the Shadow of the Carmens: Afield with a Naturalist in the Northern Mexican Mountains by Bonnie Reynolds McKinney State of Minds: Texas Culture and Its Discontents by Don Graham
POETRY
Horse-Minded by Suzette Marie Bishop Crane Creek, Two Voices by Vanessa Furse Jackson & Robb Jackson Strange Light by Derrick C. Brown Begging for Vultures by Lawrence Welsh Jan Seale: New and Selected Poems by Jan Seale
MIDDLE GRADE & YOUNG ADULT NOVELS
Breaking Lauren by Jordan Deen Chained by Lynne Kelly Summer and Bird by Katherine Catmull The Veil by Cory Putman Oakes The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin Return to the Willows by Jacqueline Kelly
PICTURE BOOKS
Alicia's Fruity Drinks by Lupe Ruiz-Flores HummingBirds: Facts and Follklore from the Americas by Jeanette Larson It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw by Don Tate One Day I went Rambling by Kelly Bennett
HIT 'EM WITH A GUT SHOT
Yes, I'm a Cat whose been away (and boy have those mice been busy...) They aren't the only ones. My pal and brilliant writer, Janet Fox has been hard at work as usual!
Check out her historical novels FAITHFUL, FORGIVEN, and soon to be released Roaring 20's romance, SIRENS.This week Janet offered me a helping heaping of her hospitality; I'm guesting on her blog, "Through the Wardrobe."
Hungry for more... Here's the Link: Monday, October 8, 2012
The Gut Shot: Hitting Readers Where it Counts
(If that doesn't work, cut and paste this: http://kidswriterjfox.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-gut-shot-hitting-readers-where-it.html)
HURRY! DON'T MISS YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!!!!!!!!!!!
Hurry! Only 4 days and 17 minutes to enter the fabulous RAMBLING prize Give-Away Package. 
Don't miss this opportunity (and see some never-be-for pics and prose)
Click over to Cynthia Leitich-Smith's blog spot. Check out my interview:
Career Builder & Giveaway: Kelly Bennett
http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2012/08/career-builder-giveaway-kelly-bennett.html
And enter to win the Prize! It's a gob-stopper!
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?????????????
Spilling My Guts to Cyn...
When the cyn-sational , Cynthia Leitich-Smith, Author of, among others, the Vampire/Werewolf/Romance/Suspense/Fab series TANTALIZE, asks you to take part in her Career-Builder series what else is there to do but. . . SPILL YOUR GUTS! So I did. Read all about it (and be the first to see me in my so groovy ballerina tutu). Click here to enjoy the interview: CAREER BUILDER AND GIVEAWAY WITH KELLY BENNETT Or here (if the link doesn't work): http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2012/08/career-builder-giveaway-kelly-bennett.html
Best, sign up for the Cynsational ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING PRIZE PACKAGE GIVE AWAY
Don't miss your chance to Win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LET'S GO RAMBLING BLOG TOUR 2012 AWARD CEREMONY
LGRBT 2012, LET'S GO RAMBLING BLOG TOUR launching my new picture book, One Day I Went Rambling, illustrated by Terri Murphy (published by Bright Sky Press) culminated yesterday at with the LGRBT AWARD CEREMONY.
A couple of couple of handsome friends, Pucia & Brujita, drew the WINNERS of our LGRBT Cool Prize Giveaway. ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING's talented illustrator of and blog tour organizer extraordinaire, Terri Murphy, recorded the festive finale on U-TUBE. WATCH THE AWARD CEREMONY HERE: And the WINNER IS...
Huge thanks to our blogger friends who hosted and toasted and boasted (not roasted) us and ONE DAY I WENT RAMBLING.
LET'S GO RAMBLING BLOG TOUR STOPS:
June 8: “Author School Visits BY STATE!” Illustrator Interview by Kim Normanhttp://stonestoop.blogspot.com/2012/06/pleasant-ramble-with-illustrator-terri.html
- “Kim Norman’s School Visit & Author Blog” Book Review by Kim Normanhttp://www.kimnormanbooks.com/www.kimnormanbooks.com/Blog/Entries/2012/6/8_REVIEW__One_Day_I_Went_Rambling.html
- “Andi Butler Studio & Workshop Chicago” Book Review by Andi Bulter www.blog.andibutler.com/?p=1620
- “Picture Book Depot” Book Review by Rita Lorraine picturebookdepot.com/review/one-day-i-went-rambling
- “Meandering Lane” Shout Out by Lindsey Lane www.lindseylane.net/blog/2012/06/lets-go-rambling/
June 9: “Simple Saturday” Book Review by Debbie Gonzales http://www.debbiegonzales.com/simple-saturday/2012/6/8/things-to-love-about-one-day-i-went-a-rambling.html
June 10: “Vonna Carter.com” Author Interview by Vonna Carter http://vonnacarter.com/wordpress/?p=7783
June 12: “Little Deb’s Doodling” Book Review by Debbie Meyer http://www.thelittledeb.blogspot.com/2012/06/one-day-i-went-rambling.html#links
June 13: “Four Thousand Sentences to Go” Book Review & Author Interview by Cindy Faughnan http://www.cindyfaughnan.com/faughnan/index.php/4000-sentences/item/37-picture-book-one-day-i-went-rambling
June 14:
- “Conjuring Tales for Young Minds” Book review by Susan Kaye Quinn www.susankayequinn.com/.../new-release-one-day-i-went-ram...
- “The Story Continues -- The Writer's Plot” Book Review by Pam Zollman http://www.thewritersplot.com/news/2012/6/kelly-bennetts-newest-picture-book-one-day-i-went-rambling
- “Kissing the Earth” Author & Illustrator Chat with Sharry Wright and Tam Smith http://www.smithwright.blogspot.com/2012/06/one-day-i-went-rambling.html
- “ReaderKidZ” Book Review with Teaching Guide by Debbie Gonzales http://www.readerkidz.com/2012/06/14/one-day-i-went-rambling-giveaway/
June15:
- “Hurt the Bunnies” Shout out from Pam Zollman http://www.pamzollman.com/2012/06/kelly-bennetts-newest-picture-book-one.html
- “One Word at a Time" Carmen Oliver rambles from the dunes of Lake Winnipeg http://carmen-oliver.blogspot.com/2012/06/one-day-i-went-rambling.html
June 16: “On My Mind” Illustrator Interview with Alison Hertz http://www.alisonhertz.blogspot.com/2012/06/new-picture-book-one-day-i-went.html
June 17: “Writing on the Sidewalk” Author & Illustrator Interview with Sarah Tomp http://writingonthesidewalk.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/one-day-i-went-rambling-by-kelly-bennett-illustrated-by-terri-murphy/
June 18: "San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review" Book Review by Tammy McCartney http://citybookreview.com/2012/06/one-day-i-went-rambling/
June 19:
- “Cherie Colyer” Illustrator Interview with Cherie Colyer http://www.cheriecolyer.blogspot.com/2012/06/book-tour-once-day-i-went-rambling.html
- “More Letters From the Messy Desk” Blue Willow Bookshop’s Blog Book Review http://blog.bluewillowbookshop.com/?tag=one-day-i-went-rambling
June 20: “Kids EBook Bestsellers.com” Author Interview with Karleen Tauszik http://www.kidsebookbestsellers.com/2012/06/rambling-through-cyberspace-with-kelly.html
June 22: “Michelle Kogan Illustration, Painting & Writing” Illustrator Interview by Michelle Kogan http://moreart4all.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/terri-murphys-journey-of-a-picture-book-one-day-i-went-rambling/
Thank you to everyone who joined, liked, shared stories, blogged, tweeted, twittered, chirped, chime-in. . . RAMBLED ALONG!
If you're wanting a creativity boost, the whole long and winding ramble is on the LGRBT 2012 Facebook Page
Rambling On About Rocky Road...
We’re a little late, but since we’re Rambling by way of celebrating One Day I Went Rambling--which sometimes happens on Roads, and in my family, with Ice Cream--why not treat ourselves? Grab a sweater (don’t forget the jingle) and let’s go get us some!
Nanny, my grandmother, was always up for an evening walk. She’d grab a sweater (cause it “might get chilly”) stuff her pockets with tissue and jingle, and we’d set out. Our first stop was usually just up the street to pick up Nanny's sister, Aunt Evelyn. Ostensibly these walks were to check out neighborhood garden, see who'd painted, put their house up for sale or sold. A corner cottage on a wedge of land was the home of an artist, so we'd make a point of walking past to see her latest painting on display in her front window. Regardless of which direction we set out or the number of twists and turns along the way, by unspoken agreement we’d stop for ice cream. Depending on whether we set out on a walk, a long walk, or a longer walk, we had a choice of three: if we needed supplies and/or popsicles tickled our taste buds, we'd make our way to the grocery at Valley Center; a long walk led to Dairy Queen for Buster or Dilly bars; a longer walk led to Freedom Center and the proper ice cream counter. Given the choice, my mother always chose Rocky Road. Where it began: William Dreyer invented"Rocky Road" flavored ice cream in 1929. Before then most settled for chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or other fruit flavors. Some thought Dryer was nuts: Why go mucking up creamy ice cream by adding "mix-ins'? Unheard of! Scandalous! The Holiday Insights website (http://holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/June/rockyroadday.htm) says Rocky Road ice cream was a very popular treat during the Great Depression (Wonder if that poll was taken at a Bread Line...)
Rocky Road Day is always celebrated on June 2nd. We’re a little late, but hey! Since we’re Rambling by way of celebrating One Day I Went Rambling--which sometimes happens on Roads, and in my family, with Ice Cream--why not treat ourselves? Grab a sweater (don’t forget the jingle) and let’s go get us some!
If Rocky Road Ice Cream isn’t available, you can make your own. Just add chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are our favorite), marshmallows and chocolate chunks (broken candy bar or chocolate chips) to softened ice cream (usually chocolate, but any flavor works—it’s your road, claim it!)
Or, skip the ice cream and cook up at slab of Rocky Road Squares. Here’s how:
Rocky Road Squares Recipe
This candy is quick and easy to make. The only problem with this candy, is resisting the temptation to eat too many of them.
Yield: 2 pounds
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Rocky Road Squares Ingredients:
• 11 1/2 ounces milk chocolate morsels
• 4 cups mini marshmallows
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
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How to make Rocky Road Squares:
1. In a saucepan, slowly melt chocolate on low heat.
2. Stir constantly to avoid scorching and burning the chocolate.
3. Remove from heat and beat until smooth.
4. Stir in marshmallows and walnuts.
5. Spread mixture out in a buttered pan.
6. Chill to harden.
7. Remove from refrigerator and cut into squares.
This recipe was posted on the Holiday Insights website: http://holidayinsights.com/recipes/rockyroad.htm