Diana Scimone

Can an ebook for kids help stop child trafficking?

I hope so! In fact, I'm counting on it.

Each year more than 1 million kids get lured into trafficking all over the world, including in the U.S. Some of them are just 5 years old.

If you read this blog regularly, you know that The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking is smack in the middle of pilot-testing our innovative program to reach kids before the traffickers do.

Now we're hoping to fund expansion of the program through sales of a new ebook for kids:

It's called Born to Fly: The tale of a dream that would not die. And it features the same storyline as in the wordless book that's the centerpiece of The Born2Fly Project.

It's a delightful tale about what it takes to pursue your dream. I like to say it's a novel for children--and adults who can still think like children.

Born to Fly costs just $5.99. What a deal, huh? And proceeds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.

Blossom shows kids how to go after their dreams

OK, so I'm biased, but Born to Fly is one of the cutest children's books you'll ever read. Here's a little teaser on the plot:

Blossom is in big trouble. Her grandfather warned her not to go beyond the village gates. After all, no caterpillar in Twig Valley has ever ventured there and returned to tell.

For centuries the caterpillars of Twig Valley have lived with a Dark Cloud over the land. For as long as anyone can remember, no caterpillar has ever become a butterfly. In fact, no one thinks about being anything more than a bug that crawls in the dust of the ground.

Until Blossom...

A companion website, www.borntoflybook.com, has games and activities for kids and a free reading guide/curriculum for teachers and schools.

The storyline is by yours truly with 43 charming illustrations in soft pastel by artist Leah Wiedemer:

 

You don't need an iPad, Kindle, or Nook to read it!

If you don't have an ereader, just download Kindle for PC on your computer (it's free) and you can read Born to Fly (and any ebook).

So click here to order your copy today:

• Amazon (for Kindle)
• iBooks (for iPad or iPhone)
• Barnes and Noble (for Nook)
• Sony (for Ereader)
• And many other readers

And remember, proceeds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.

Give a gift for Christmas or Hanukkah

If you know a child who likes to dream big, you can give Born to Fly for Christmas or Hanukkah. Just click the "give a gift" tab on each of the bookstore sites to send a gift ebook.

One more thing...Blossom has her very own Facebook page, so please be her fan, okay? She'll be thrilled. And maybe she'll tell you what in the world she's doing in this picture:

 

Look what I found in my inbox (and no, it's not spam)

ПРОГРАММА И ПОСОБИЕ ДЛЯ ПРЕПОДОВАТЕЛЯ

Проект «Рожден летать»
- остановим торговлю детьми

Диана Скимон, Карен Армистед, Джорджия Ана Ларсон

Can you guess what it is? It's the cover of the Russian translation of the Born2Fly anti-trafficking curriculum--our very 1st translation!

In case your Russian is a little rusty, it says:

CURRICULUM AND LEADER'S GUIDE

The Born to Fly Project
to stop child trafficking

By Diana Scimone, Karen Armistead, and Georgia Ana Larson

Pretty exciting, huh? This week Russia joins our test phase as we begin testing B2F at 3 orphanages there (more details here). 

Orphans everywhere are extremely high-risk for trafficking, particularly when they age-out of the system. Once they reach 18, they're on their own--and traffickers are all too willing to befriend them.

Remember, you can sell a bag of drugs once but you can sell a child over and over again. That's why organized crime is so involved in child trafficking.

Here's what the Russian director of the group we're partnering with told me:

"It's a relational luring. These kids are easy prey because they're not educated well and [when they leave the orphanage] they're looking for ways to live independently.

"Criminal groups exist in Russia [that are involved in human trafficking] and orphans are extremely high risk.

"Kids with families have a support group that will say, 'Who is this person who's befriended you? Let's check him out. Did you ask him this or that?' Orphans don't have anyone to stand up for them or protect them or even be interested in what's going on."

The team that's test-teaching B2F in Russia is serving as that support group for these older orphans. They'll train them in the B2F program so that they can go back to the orphanages and teach B2F to the younger kids.

That's the model we've built into the B2F curriculum: Trusted adults teach B2F to "junior teachers," who in turn help teach the younger kids. That way the junior teachers learn the material and also learn a skill (teaching).

Our goal is to compile all the feedback from the tests in Russia, Bulgaria (complete), Thailand and the Philippines (going on now). We'll tweak the curriculum and by early next year begin printing and distributing it all over the world along with the companion wordless book.

Thanks for sticking with us through the process and helping us reach kids before the traffickers do.

 

 

 

Bulgaria finished...on to Thailand!

So much good news to tell you! I've waited 5 years to have information like this to share with you!

We finished our 1st test of the B2F anti-trafficking materials in Bulgaria among gypsies and orphan children of various ages--and the 2nd test is well underway in Thailand at a safe house for very young children.

The reports are all great!

 
Remember, our goal in this phase is to test the 6-session wordless book (above) and 70-page companion curriculum with kids of all ages to find holes or anything we need to change. Once we get feedback from children and students, we'll make changes and begin printing.

Here's what the kids and teachers have told us:

Bulgaria

From the director: "Last week we finished testing your book and curriculum, and everyone is so impressed with it. Valeria kept their attention well; these children were orphans, ages 6-18. She taught three different classes. Here is a picture of those in attendance last week:

"We are all a part of Born2Fly now. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this process."

From the teacher: This skilled teacher took the story about Blossom [main character in the book], her life and her friends and ran with it! She found so many areas to expand on the lessons we taught in the curriculum and customized it for the specific situations that her children face--exactly what we wanted to happen.

This teacher, who is Bulgarian, even offered to help us expand the lessons if we want to add to the curriculum. She also offered to help us condense the material to a shorter format since she did not have 6 sessions with the kids. We're thrilled by her offer, of course!

From the director just today: "We used Born2Fly again this week as we hosted a new group of orphans from the northwestern part of Bulgaria. A sponsor brought them up here for a week at the Black Sea. They heard the lessons and did not want to leave here.  So Born2Fly continues to 'blossom' in Bulgaria."

 Thailand

We're testing at one of the safe houses that I visited when I was researching the B2F Project, so it's very exciting to know that the kids I met are now reading about Blossom. This is the home where one of the little boys spoke of the van that goes around the neighborhood taking children.

Here's what the teacher emailed me:

First report: "We did our first lesson last night. The kids enjoyed making up their own names for the characters. I'm telling the story in English. We had 3 kids who seemed to turn their attention elsewhere and I'm thinking it may be the language so, I thought I'd try it again with just those 3 in Thai.  

"They were all very interested in the story. So far so good. Thanks again for giving us a chance to participate in this. I really appreciate it."

Second report: "We just completed the second part of the first lesson. When I got to the part where Blossom put the note on the door, I thought the kids were going to rip the book right out of my hands to find out what happens next. They were so interested.

"I spoke in Thai this time and all eyes were fixed on the pictures. I think using their mother tongue really helped the kids who weren't paying attention the first time.

"[Kim] asked me if she could have a copy of the book when I was finished teaching it to them. Some kids have books they like to read over and over again. I think this is one of them. It's safe to say it's going well so far."

* * *

Thank you for making all these wonderful reports possible through your encouragement, prayers, and financial support. You really are helping us reach kids before the traffickers do.

 

 

First feedback from B2F testing in Bulgaria (and it's fantastic!)

We've gotten the first feedback from Bulgaria from our beta test of the Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking--and it's fantastic!

Below is what the teacher wrote us. (She's Bulgarian, and her English is a lot better than my Bulgarian.)

You can imagine how thrilled I am to get this glowing report after 5 years of work on this project. Enjoy it as you read it and see the pictures of these kids, knowing that many of them will be saved from being trafficked because of Born2Fly. Thank you for making this all possible.

* * *

From the teacher:

"I taught three lessons on the Born2fly book between 07.18.11 – 07.21.11 in children camp “Heaven."

"I emphasized on the basic idea – to protect the children from child trafficking but at the same time I tried to help the children to start thinking about:

• What is choice? How our mistakes can hurt the others and what is the price we pay when we do a mistake?
• How can we ask for wisdom when we have to make a decision?
• Why sometimes the fruits of our mistakes are so bitter? (Example: cutting down the moon trees and the decision Blossom made to leave the village when she wasn’t prepared yet)
• Why do we have to take our time when we have to make an important decision? What do we gain when we sacrifice from our time on it?
• How to recognize your real friends? What do our real friends do when we are in trouble? (support us, help us, let us know they are there for us)
• What is a dream? Why do the dream thieves are trying to take our dreams and future?
• Why do we have to be patient and work hard for our dreams?
• Why waiting is so hard?
• What does the school give us? – knowledge, preparation, skills. It’s more difficult for someone to trick you if you have all that. The school teaches us how to live a safe life.

 "The second lesson I taught was with older campers. We talked about:

• The value system of a young person and what are their goals in life.
• We talked about the dream thieves – how they may look (good, attractive), what may they offer us (money, easy life, etc.), what they may want in return; why they want to steal our dreams (future)?
• We discuss that a dream thief may an idol  in our life like – expensive things, modern technologies, even close friends whom we trust too much, different addictions, etc.
• The common thing about all of the above is their purpose – to steal our dream, our future, our life. That’s why the tree in the prison where Blossom is kept is ugly and dead.
• We talked about the good friends we have – people who want to give, not to receive. The children were making very smart comments.

"At the end I gave them paper where they were able to write down their dreams. The children think positively and dream beautiful dreams.
 
"I think that the message of the book worked well and provoked them to be more careful for the dangers in their lives and to know what has real worth. It’s another stage in our prevention work against the evil in this world."

 
 

One Day, One Place, One Voice: DC Stop Modern Slavery Walk

If you're in Washington DC in October, make plans to be part of the DC Stop Modern Slavery Walk:

Sat., Oct. 23, 2010
National Mall - Constitution Gardens
Constitution Avenue and 19th St. NW
Washington DC

www.walk.stopmodernslavery.org
walk@stopmodernslavery.org

The SMS Walk is a united effort to bring attention to the fact that human trafficking is the 2nd-largest illegal industry on the planet--and to raise fund for organizations that are working to stop it. 

It's organized entirely by community volunteers who are passionate activists.  100% of the contributions go directly to organizations in the US that combat human trafficking and care for victims:

• Provide emergency, short-term, and long-term care and services for victims of human trafficking
• Create, strengthen, and implement anti-trafficking laws
• Operate the national human trafficking hotline
• Train law enforcement to identify victims
• Rescue victims
• Raise awareness about all forms of human trafficking

For more information or to help sponsor this event, check out www.walk.stopmodernslavery.org or www.meetup.com/wdcsms.

UPDATE:  The Born2Fly Project has a "virtual" team for the walk.  You can join us without having to walk a step. :-) Just go here, scroll down the list of teams til you find Born2Fly, and make a donation to "walk" with us. Pretty cool, huh?

Sneak preview of the Born2Fly book to stop child trafficking

"When can we see the Born to Fly book?  When, when, WHEN???"

Okay, you win! I'm trying to keep the book under wraps until the companion curriculum is complete, but I WILL give you a tiny sneak peak at the cover.

So here for the 1st time ever (drum roll) is the cover of the wordless book that's the centerpiece of The B2F Project to stop child trafficking:

The words you see are the only words in the entire book!  They are the title of the book in about 40 languages ranging from A to Z (Arabic to Zulu -- really!). 

Shout out to many people, including the Twitterverse, for helping to get all those translations. We have so many translations in fact, that they spill over to the back cover (which isn't shown here). The actual cover is about 8x10" so it will be a lot easier to "read" than the tiny image you see here.

Why wordless?

We're going wordless so that we don't have to translate the book into thousands of languages. We tell the story in 400 illustrations by artist Leah Wiedemer -- about 80 pages in all.

That's Blossom on the cover -- a caterpillar who has a dream to fly. In her quest to follow her dream, she gets kidnapped by the Dream Thieves, who are out to steal everyone's dreams (including hers). In the process she learns 4 important lessons that will help keep kids from getting trafficked:

1. Choices have consequences.
2. It's important to know who your true friends are.
3. You are valuable.
4. You were born to fly; don't settle for less.

Want to see more?  You'll just have to wait!

Companion curriculum

Meanwhile, for the past 6 months we've been working on the companion curriculum that will teach kids the important concepts in the wordless book.  It's about 75% finished -- and a whole lot longer than I ever thought it would be, but the more material we can include for teachers, the better. This will have to be translated into major languages, of course.

Remember, most kids get taken because they don't know the lures that traffickers use (their parents don't, either).  We can dramatically reduce the number of kids being trafficked simply by educating kids and their parents ahead of time.

If you'd like to partner with us to do that, you can make a tax-deductible donation via PayPal or credit card by clicking here.  Thank you for helping us reach kids before the traffickers do.

Who Knew Santa Was an Abolitionist?

It's amazing what you can learn by reading children's books.

Earlier this year I had an opportunity to edit a new children's book called Tales of the Tick-Tock Time Traveler: Saint Nicholas's Secret, written by Karla Johnson and illustrated by Nathan Wiedemer.

Nicholas, a 3rd-century bishop who lived in what is now Turkey, learned about a poor man with three daughters to marry off. 

The man was too destitute to pay the dowry for the girls, meaning they would be sold into slavery (aka child trafficking).

Nicholas heard of the girls' plight and late one night quietly waited outside the family's meager home and threw coins into their window--making sure no one, especially the father, saw him.

The father found the money and used it to pay off his debts--and his girls were rescued from a life of slavery.

OK, no one knows for sure if that truly happened, but according to the Saint Nicholas Center there's good reason to believe it did:

This story, distinct to Nicholas, can be regarded as historical in its essence. There are three very ancient accounts which only differ in regard to the number of maidens and other detail.

This event reveals important aspects of St. Nicholas's personality, namely, his charitable nature and humility. This story is not found in hagiographic accounts of other saints' lives.

Saint Nicholas, of course, became the model for modern-day Santa Claus. 

Who knew Santa was really an abolitionist?

A Kid's Book That Will Help Stop Child Trafficking

 
It's been a great week for The Born2Fly Project!  We completed 2 milestones on the road to publishing our picture book to help stop child trafficking. 

Early in the week, artist Leah Wiedemer finished the last illustration for the book.  You can read about that here and see some photos of the day.

On Wednesday, Leah and I worked with the great staff at Eurografix, who took digital images of the illustrations.

Here's photographer Marnie Burkett setting up for the photo shoot:

It took a while to photograph the first illustration, of course, as Marnie made sure the lighting and settings were right.

Once we were all happy with it, the 3 of us went into action.  First, Leah handed Marnie an illustration...

 

which Marnie carefully tacked up on the wall.  Leah used soft pastels, which are very fragile; we joked about dropping one of the illustrations and watching all the chalk fall off. Thankfully that didn't happen.

As soon as Marnie shot one illustration, she gingerly removed it from its perch on the wall, handed it to me to put back into the box, and took the next one from Leah's waiting hands. It took about 2 hours to shoot all 75 illustrations. 

The next day, Marnie popped the memory card into her computer and color-corrected every illustration, making sure it was as close to the original as possible.

Late this afternoon I picked up a DVD with all the illustrations and gave it to graphic designer Cathleen Kwas, who'll now turn everything into a book.  

I'll have more photos for you next week as we continue to document the process of producing this book that will keep many, many kids from being lured into child sex slavery. 

Our goal is to reach kids before the traffickers do, so we want to print truckloads of these books and the companion curriculum to teach kids about the lies that traffickers use. The more funds we have, the more books we can print.

You can donate by clicking the orange Chip-in button at the top right or here and donate safely by credit card or PayPal. All funds go to The Born2Fly Project to help stop child trafficking. Thank you for partnering with us to make this happen.

* * *

Donations are still coming in from the 09-09-09 fundraiser for The Born2Fly Project--thanks, everyone!  Here are the latest totals:

     Total donors:                            595

     Donations via Chip-in:   $12,396.46  

     Donations via check:        3,457.99    

     TOTAL:                           $15,854.45    (as of 10/3)

How to donate: Click the orange Chip-in button at the top right or here and donate safely by credit card or PayPal. All funds go to The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.

 

Finished!

Today was a big day for Born to Fly International. Artist Leah Wiedemer finished the final drawing for the wordless picture book that is the centerpiece of The Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking. Can you hear us celebrating?

Now, you may ask, "How in the world can a wordless book keep kids from getting trafficked?"

Good question.

Most kids are lured into sex slavery because they don’t know the deceptive tactics of traffickers. Wherever awareness training takes place, the rate of trafficking plummets. There’s just not enough, nor is it available in the languages of most at-risk kids.

The B2F Project is a strategic plan to educate kids, parents, and teachers about the dangers of child trafficking—with the ultimate goal of ending it.  Our goal is to reach kids before the traffickers do--and we'll do it with a wordless book.

Why wordless? So we don't have to translate it into a million languages.

Leah did a brilliant job of taking my storyline and retelling it completely in pictures--no words. All in all, she did 75 pages, each with 4, 5, or even 6 individual illustrations.

I have to tell you I had tears in my eyes as I looked at the last illustration. I've worked on this project for 4 long years, including 2 trips to Thailand to research it.

Tomorrow Leah and I have digital images taken of all 75 illustrations. Then the baton passes from Leah to designer Cathleen Kwas, who'll take all those images and turn them into a book.  (OK, so we didn't have a baton, but we used one of Leah's paintbrushes.)

By November, we'll be ready to print. How many books will we print?  Right now we have funds to print about 400. That's not nearly enough. We want to blanket the globe with these strategic books and the companion curriculum.  Remember, our goal is to reach kids before the traffickers do.  That means printing a lot of books (at least 100,000).

If you'd like to partner with us to do that, just click the orange Chip-in button at the top right or here, and donate safely by credit card or PayPal. Born to Fly International is a 501c3 non-profit organization and your contribution is tax deductible.

Watch this space for more photos as The Born2Fly Project prepares to take flight.

Day 9: A Word or 2 (or 3 or 4) About Child Trafficking

Our countdown to 09-09-09 is now in the single digits. It's just 9 days until the 09-09-09 1-day fundraiser to stop child trafficking. 

Our goal is 9,000 people each giving $9 on 09-09-09. So far we have nearly $1,400 in advance donations. All funds go to the Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.

We'll give away lots of great prizes on September 9, and everyone who donates on the day or ahead of time is eligible. Here are some great books andCDs we'll give away.

1.  Adventures With PawPaw children's book series, written by Diana Scimone and illustrated by Leah Wiedemer (@DianaScimone and @RoamingArtist)

Adventures With PawPaw is a series about a little dog who travels to a different country in each book, introducing young children to other countries and cultures. We'll give away 2 sets of all 3 books in the series--China, France, and Costa Rica--which will be signed by yours truly (the author) and illustrator LeahWiedemer (who's illustrating the Born to Fly books for the B2F Project).  (Retail value $25 per set)

2. 3 books by Dr. John Stanko (@JohnStanko) Unlocking the Power of Your Purpose; I Wrote This Book on Purpose So You Can Know Yours; and Beyond Purpose: Keys to Unlocking a Life of Productivity and Fulfillment

John is my own personal purpose coach and serves on the board of directors of Born to Fly.  His excellent books will help you know your purpose and then move beyond that to actually do something about it.  We'll award the 3 books to 3 separate winners. (Total retail value of all 3 books $34)

3. 2 books by Ed Folino (@mypittsburghedf) Long Time Coming and My Pittsburgh

Ed is known as the Pittsburgh Poet. After he retired a few years ago working as an office products dealer  in the Steel City, he realized a life-long dream: to publish the poetry he'd been writing for years. He's already published 2 books, which we'll give away on 09-09-09 (1 book each to 2 winners). (Total retail value $29.90)

4. Slave Hunter: One Man's Global Quest to Free Victims of Human Trafficking, by Aaron Cohen and Christine Buckley (@AaronCohen777 and @ChristiBuckley)

There's nothing like tweeting with someone who posts riveting updates such as, "We're about to break into a brothel in Cambodia to rescue trafficking victims." Aaron Cohen and co-author Christine Buckley have brought that immediacy to their brand-new book, which is already #75 on Amazon's list of human rights books. We'll give away a copy on 09-09-09. (Retail value $24.99)

5. Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust, by Chris Brogan and Julian Smith (@ChrisBrogan and @Julien)

I already posted about this hot-off-the-press book a few weeks ago, but wanted to include it in our book giveaway list. You can read that post here. BTW, kudos to Chris and Julien because Trust Agents is now #13 on the NY Times best-seller list. (Retail value $24.95)

6. How to Write a Book: 7 Steps to Help You Write the Book You've Always Dreamed of Writing, by Diana Scimone (e-book)

This book by yours truly will help you write the book that's inside you. It's practical, motivating, and encouraging, and will show you how to move your book from dream to reality (which every author on this page had to do).  This is an e-book, and if you win, I'll send you instructions to download it free. (Retail value $14.95)

7. The Quiet Place, by Nancy Scimone (music CD)

Nancy is my sister, and I'm a little miffed that she got all the singing genes in the family. She graciously left me some of the writing genes--but she can write, too.  In fact, she wrote all the gorgeous songs on this CD, which is a collection of favorite psalms set to jazz and classical (both of which Nancy does beautifully). It's one of the most relaxingCDs you'll ever hear--and you could win it on 09-09-09. (Retail value $11)

You could win one of these great prizes on 09-09-09 simply by donating to our fundraiser to stop child trafficking. Just click the orange Chip-in button at the top right (or here), and donate safely and securely by credit card or PayPal.

Remember, all the funds go to the Born2Fly Project to help stop child trafficking, and will help us print and distribute these strategic materials to at-risk kids and their parents all over the world.

* * *

Here's the answer to Friday's question:

Q: A young girl named Rosa testified before Congress about how she was smuggled into the US. What country was she from, and what US city did she end up in?

A: Rosa was from Mexico, trafficked into the US, and brought to Orlando, where she was held in a trailer and raped for profit many times throughout the day and night, until she finally escaped. She told her story before Congress, which you can read about here.

Today's question is:

Q: What does the travel industry have to do with child sex slavery?

Watch this space tomorrow for the answer--along with another prize in the 31-day countdown to the 09-09-09 fundraiser to stop child trafficking. We've got some pretty big prizes coming up this week!

Day 22: Agents of Trust

We're well into the 31-day countdown to the 09-09-09 1-day fundraiser for the Born2Fly Project to stop child trafficking.  Our goal is 9,000 people each giving $9 on September 9.

Here's another one of the prizes we'll give away on September 9 to a lucky donor: Trust Agents: Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust.  It's a brand-new book by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith based on the premise that trust is the key to building online relationships:

Trust agents aren't necessarily marketers or salespeople; they're the digitally savvy people who use the web to humanize businesses using transparency, honesty, and genuine relationships.

As a result, they wield enough online influence to build up or bring down a business's reputation. This book will show you how to build profitable relationships with trust agents, or become one yourself.

Trust Agents isn't even officially on the market yet (it debuts August 24)--and it's already #43 on Amazon's best-seller list.  Amazing, huh?  I know Chris from Twitter (@ChrisBrogan) and read his blog and newsletter a lot. If his book is anything like his daily writings, you're in for a treat.

Yes, Chris and Julien will sign it for you if you win.

BTW, one of the best tools in the fight against human trafficking is being a trust agent. For too long, kids and parents have been held hostage by traffickers who act like they have the children's best interest in mind, but have anything but. Talk about needing trust agents.

* * *

Here's the answer to yesterday's question:

Q: Which 3 countries improved their efforts to stop human trafficking within their borders and were moved off Tier 3 this year?

A: Algeria, Moldova, and Qatar all moved to the watchlist on the 2009 TIP List. This means they've made improvement, but are still in danger of moving back to Tier 3 if they don't keep it up. 

Today's question:

Q: Police recently broke up a human trafficking ring in Botswana. What country were most of the people headed to, had they not been rescued?

Answer tomorrow...along with another prize we'll give away on 09-09-09.

Take a Look At My Inbox

I have a stack of emails from people around the world who work with kids at risk for trafficking.  They've heard about the Born to Fly Project to stop child trafficking--and they all have one question:

"When will the wordless book for your B2F awareness program be available? We could use it for our work with kids in eastern Europe."
--Holland

"I plan to start teaching human trafficking prevention to the Roma (gypsies) in some of the poorest villages.  Many have little education and may not be aware of what human trafficking is, making them easy targets. I'm interested in learning more about the B2F curriculum you've written. I could translate into Bulgarian."
--Bulgaria

"We are establishing an Advocate Centre to help victims of trafficking in rural areas. I will be very pleased to know how you may collaborate with us to help end child trafficking."
--Ghana

"How can I obtain some of the B2F material for young children? I'm starting a daycare and think it would be good to have."
--USA

Pretty cool, huh?  We have similar opportunities in Vietnam, Cambodia, India, Germany, Indonesia, Thailand, Sierra Leone, Papua New Guinea, and elsewhere.

Right now, artist Leah Wiedemer is taking the B2F book I've written and turning it into a wordless picture book to reach kids and adults alike. Why wordless? So we don't have to translate it into umpteen languages.

Leah has finished about half the illustrations (and is doing a brilliant job).  Meanwhile I'm writing the companion curriculum.

Remember: Wherever awareness training takes place, the rate of trafficking plummets. There's just not enough nor is it available to kids in most high-risk areas. That's the hole that B2F is designed to fill. 

If you'd like to help us, you can donate to B2F here. (We're a 501c3 non-profit organization so your donation is tax deductible.)

You're helping to make B2F a reality so we can get the materials to kids in Ghana, Bulgaria, and the rest of the world. On behalf of the many children who'll never be trafficked because of B2F, thank you.

UPDATE:  Got another email--from the Philippines!

Thanks, Mommy Blogs!

A big shout-out to 2 mommy blogs for giving my Adventures With PawPaw children's books great reviews! 

Mommy blogs are a force to be reckoned with (and if you don't believe me, just ask Motrin). So it's great to have their blessing.  

All American Mommy endorsed the PawPaw books in their holiday children's books mega-review, and gave us their top award:

 

The super-fun Traveling Mamas, whom I've gotten to know on Twitter, also gave us a great review, saying they "highly recommend" the books.  Thanks, Mamas! 

 

If you haven't met PawPaw, he's waiting to meet you. Charming, fluffy, and, well, adventuresome, he travels the world introducing young children to other countries and cultures.  So far he's been to China, France, and Costa Rica--and he's packing his bags for upcoming trips to Italy, Israel, Kenya, Egypt, and other spots around the globe.

A portion of all sales goes to Born to Fly International to help fight global trafficking.

Books are $8.95 each or a special price of $25 for a set of all 3 countries.  They're available at www.adventureswithpawpaw.com. (PawPaw says they make paw-fect Christmas and Hanukkah gifts.)

Order a set for the little travelers on your holiday gift list.  I think the mommy blogs would approve.

90 Days to Go

So how's that book coming?  You know, the one you promised yourself way back on January 1that you'd write in 2008?

No guilt, no pressure, but just to let you know, you've got about 90 days to get started. You don't have to finish your book in 2008, but wouldn't you like to start it?  Here's a painless way to begin--two don'ts and one do:

Don't just sit down and begin writing chapter 1.  

That's the surest way to never finish.  How can you write your book when you don't know what to say--or how you're going to say it?  You may be bubbling over with info, but please do not just sit down and start writing.  Trust me on this.

Do brainstorm. 

Grab a piece of paper or a blank document on your computer--and start brainstorming.  Make a list of everything you'd like to cover in your book. Every thought, every quote, every example, every topic. Make it as long as you like.  Spend a couple of weeks on it.

Don't edit your list.  

Don't hit the delete button or erase a thing.  You're just brainstorming and you have to allow your brain the liberty to think without restraints.  There will be plenty of time to edit your list later.

If you can do that one step, you'll be on your way to writing your book.  Meanwhile, if you need help, direction, and focus, I have two tools for you:

1. How to Write a Book
2. Personalized one-on-one writer's coaching

So what's kept you from writing your book?  Share it with the rest of us.  The more we can understand the blocks to writing, the more we can overcome them.  Just click "comments" below (or go to my blog site and click on "comments" at the end of this post). Let the rest of us know the writer's blocks you face--and how you overcome them.

 

Heroes

Great article by Nicholas Kristof in this morning's New York Times about Somaly Mam, a Cambodian woman who rescues kids from brothels.  She knows cuz she was one.  Somaly is a real hero.  Can't wait to read her book.

How to Write a Book

If I had a dime for everyone who's told me they want to write a book, I'd be a rich woman. 

I can't tell you how many people over the years have said they've always dreamed of writing a book--yet don't know how to do it or where to begin.

That's why I wrote a practical and information-packed e-book called How to Write a Book.  I made it motivating and encouraging, and filled it with useful information to help you write the book that's inside you. 

In 7 practical steps, it sets out a do-able plan to help you:

• Move your book from dream to reality.
• Overcome the pitfalls every writer faces.
• Organize your thoughts and research.
• Plan what to include in your book (and what to leave out).
• Fit book-writing into your already busy schedule.
• Keep yourself motivated and moving forward. 

That's a lot of information for the cost of a few visits to Starbucks--just $14.95. 

If you're ready to learn how to write the book that's inside you, just click here to order.  You can pay by credit card or PayPal, and in about 5 minutes How to Write a Book will be in your in-box--and you'll be on your way to writing the book you’ve always dreamed of writing.

I can't wait to read what you write.

The Writer's Workshop: Another Book Trend

Yesterday I mentioned one of the trends I saw at the annual ICRS show was an increase in the number of fiction books.

Here's another trend: more self-published books than ever before. One of the largest booths was a publisher I had never heard of--WinePress.  They do "custom" publishing as well as print on demand; I'm not sure what the difference is, but you can check the various packages on their website.  WinePress had 4 book signings going on at once.  The covers were very nice and the print quality was excellent. 

There are plenty of other POD publishers in both the Christian and secular market.  Just Google "print on demand" and you'll see what I mean.

If you're considering a POD publisher, always ask for samples of their work and references from other authors they've worked with.  Read Writer Beware on SFWA's website; their warnings tend to be a little negative, but they're good to read so that you consider the advantages and disadvantages of POD.  The site also includes links to more articles and resources.

If you missed yesterday's post, click here for two great resources to help you find an agent when you're ready for that step.

Happy writing.  I can't wait to read your book.

Books, Books, and More Books

Yesterday I joined about 13,500 other people at the annual International Christian Retailing Show (formerly known as Christian Booksellers Association) in Orlando, Florida.  There were three highlights--only one of which had to do with books:

1.  I attended a book signing for my brother-in-law, John Stanko, who just published his 9th book, The Faith Files.  (You'll soon be able to download the e-book version on John's website.  In the meantime, take the free assessment on the site to find out your PQ--Purpose Assessment.)

 

 

 

   

   

2.  I met Ben Stein, whose documentary Expelled premiered earlier this year and is about to come out on DVD.  (He was signing posters for the film.) (No, he wasn't wearing his signature schoolboy shorts.)

Expelled exposed the prejudice against scientists who reject Darwinian thinking.  It took in almost $8 million at the box office earlier this year, making it the 12th most successful documentary of all time.

 

3.  I met Roy and Melanie Fields and Lindell Cooley.  Roy leads worship at the Florida Outpouring, the 4-day event that is now in its 105th day with no end in sight; I've gone to the meetings many times and loved them all.  Lindell led worship for years at the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, Florida.  Here we are all acting goofy:

One trend I noticed at ICRS this year was the huge amount of fiction books.  So if you're writing a novel, this is your year. 

And if you've finished your novel, here are two great resources to help you find an agent: Query Tracker and Agent Query.  Who knows, maybe your book will be at ICRS next year and you'll be doing a book signing. 

The Writer's Workshop: Got Books?

Here's an interesting trend in book publishing:

Last year the production of traditional books rose only 1%, but the output of print-on-demand (POD) and other non-traditional books soared--from 21,936 in 2006 to 134,773 in 2007!

You can read the full R.R. Bowker report here.  There's more in Publisher's Weekly and The Book Marketing Expert newsletter.

This is good news for not-yet-noticed authors who haven't been able to interest a traditional publisher in their books.  Self publishing is getting easier and cheaper year by year.

Remember, you can't publish what you haven't written.  If you need help writing your book, I offer personalized writer's coaching anywhere in the world. I'll even pay for the call--via phone or Skype.

There's a book inside you and if you need someone to help you pull it out and get it on paper, a personalized coaching session can do wonders. 

Want more info?  It's here or email me at coaching@peapodpublishing.com.

And You're Not Working on Your Book Because....?

When I read about the 5 men who co-authored a new book, Lost Innocence, I knew the rest of us have no excuse for not writing our own books. 

The authors are convicted murderers serving time in prison.  They decided to band together to write a book that could help young people avoid the same mistakes they made. 

After they wrote it, they pooled their own money with help from their families to pay for an initial printing of 200 books, which they want to donate to schools, libraries, and juvenile facilities. 

You can read more here.

Now, about those excuses you've been giving for not working on your book...

The Writer's Workshop: The Fatal Flaw

A few weeks ago I shared with you some of the writing lessons I've learned as I've worked on the first book for the Not For Sale project to stop child trafficking.  One of them is called the "I want" song.  The hero of your book (or film or musical) wants something--and what he or she wants is what the plot is all about. You can read more about the "I want" song here. 

Here's another powerful plot element--and what happens when it collides with the "I want" song.  This one is called the "fatal flaw."  Every hero needs a flaw.  As writers, we fall in love with our heroes and we tend to make them too perfect.  That also makes them unbelievable. 

No one--not even your hero--is perfect.  Every hero needs a fatal flaw.  That's what makes him human.  It's what we can relate to.  It's what gets her into all the trouble that carries the plot. By the end of the book, he's conquered it or it has conquered him.

Does your hero get angry too easily?  How about impatient?  Prejudiced?  Totally unorganized?  Late?  Controlling?  Codependent?  Narcissistic?  

You may be saying, "That sounds like the villain, not the hero!"  Your hero doesn't have to be possessed or totally controlled by his fatal flaw; it just has to be part of his character traits and his growth.  It's what he has to learn to overcome.  It's how she grows as she learns from her mistakes.

The fatal flaw gets the hero into trouble.  The "I want" song keeps him going in spite of it.  When those two elements collide, your plot begins to take shape.

For more on this, just Google "fatal flaw writing" and you'll come up with a lot of tips, such as this from Dara Marks, this from the "unknown screenwriter," and this from Jessica Morrell.

I have a third plot element to add to this collision and will share it with you in another post. 

Meanwhile, keep writing.  If your fatal flaw is procrastination, this is the time to take control of it. 

If you need someone to help you along, I provide personalized writer's coaching by phone from anywhere in the world and am happy to help you get your book out of you and on paper. You can email me for more information. 

Remember: You can't publish what you haven't written.  Take that first step and start writing what's inside you. The world is waiting to read it.

 

A Tip for Writers

One of my favorite free e-zines is the monthly Children's Writing Update, published by Writing4Kids.  For the next 13 days, they've got a great deal on e-books for writers (sale ends April 15).   

While most of the sale e-books are designed for children's writers, some have helpful info whether you're writing for kids or adults.  For example, Author to Editor: Query Letter Secrets of the Pros is great for all writers. (I've found it really helpful, and, yes, I paid full price :-( .)

Here are the other e-books on sale for the next 13 days:

• Improving the Odds: Insider Secrets to Getting Published
• Career Starter, The Beginner's Guide to Writing Children's Books
• The Children's Writer's Big Book of "How To"
• I've Written a Story. What Do I Do Now?
• In Their Own Words: The Best of CBI's Interviews
• CBI In-Depth: Plot Workshop
• CBI In-Depth: Character Workshop
• CBI In-Depth: Brainstorming Workshop

Click here for more info on the e-book sale. (Disclaimer: Yours truly gets a tiny percentage of your purchase price if you order anything from Writing4Kids by clicking through any of the links in this blog post.)

While you're on the Writing4Kids website, here are a few more resources for writers (most of them are free):

1.  Free e-books.  On the home page, click on "articles and tips" on the left side, then on "free e-books."  Scroll down to "free e-books," which you can download immediately. 

2.  Free how-to articles.  While you're on the same page, scroll through the list of dozens of helpful (and free) articles about how to write for children.

3.  Free monthly e-zine, Children's Writing Update.  There's a sign-up box on the home page.  You'll receive a free e-book for subscribing, Getting Started Writing Children's Picture Books.

4.  Children's Book Insider.  There's a charge for this one, but it's well worth the price.  Go to the home page and click "The Newsletter" in the upper left.

Remember, the sale on e-books ends April 15.  Happy reading (and writing)!

 

A Lot of Work

I'm constantly struck by how difficult the writing process is.

I used to think that writers were the only creative types who struggled with their craft.  I assumed that artists, for example, would paint their paintings right the first time.  Poets would jot a few notes on a page, and voila, a poem. Sculptors would know exactly where to tap the stone and a few days later would end up with a stunning work of art.

Then I became friends with 3 artists (who were members of my first creative group), and I saw that painting is hard work.  They plan; they sketch; they wrestle; they visualize; they research; they start all over again; they work; they work, and they work some more.

Why would I think that's any different from writing?  Because when we see a painting in a museum or hear a fantastic piece of music on the radio, we have no clue about the blood, sweat, and tears that went into producing it.

If you want to write something that's going to last a long time (and who doesn't?),  you have to be prepared for a lot of work.  A lot more than you're thinking about right now.  You will get up early.  You will go to bed late.  You will miss TV shows.  You will hibernate from your friends and family.  You will offend some of them.  You will devote time to learning what you don't know. 

You will think you are going crazy.

There is no way around that process. But if you know it ahead of time, you won't be surprised by how much work is required--and you won't be tempted to stop or be put off by the process.

I'm currently working on the children's books for the "Not For Sale" campaign to stop child trafficking, and I'm going through all that and more.  I'm on the third rewrite of one of the books, and frankly I wish it were finished. 

And it could have been, but my writer's group won't let me stop rewriting.  They know there's a lot more potential in the pages, and they're pushing me to make it the best it can be.  I guess I'm grateful. :-)

One of the tools that's helped our writer's group as we're working to finish our various writing projects is Blockbuster Plots, a book-and-DVD set that gives amazingly helpful information about structuring plots.  As I've followed the advice of author and writer's coach Martha Alderson, it's been more work (and more left-brained work) than I care to think about--but it's also been helpful and well worth the time and effort.

There's no way around it.  Writing is hard work.  But like childbirth, once you hold your "baby" in your hands--your own book with your own name on the cover--you'll forget the pain.  It will all be worth it.  You'll see.

Cause for Celebration

One year ago today marked the very first post on this blog.  Thanks for sticking with me (especially during those weeks when I've been mono-tasking and didn't post a single word).

In honor of this momentous occasion, I want to share a super-cool, super-techie, oh-so-2008 way to publish your book--for a mere $20.

I just learned about it via an article in this week's BusinessWeek magazine called "So You Want to Publish That Novel," by BW technology columnist Stephen Wildstrom. 

It's called Blurb.   

In recent years, mega-leaps in technology have allowed writers to publish their own books via print-on-demand.  Blurb goes one step further (and is even cheaper).  With Blurb's free software (which you can download for either Windows or Mac), you can actually design your own book yourself, one page at a time. You choose the layout and drop in your glowing text.

When you finish, click the "submit" button, and a few days later a copy of your very own book will arrive in your very own mailbox.  It's a real, live printed paperback or hardback book complete with shiny bound cover, just like you'd find in a bookstore (so it's more than a "photo book" like you would print on Snapfish, Shutterfly, and other sites, although you can add photos and illustrations if you want). 

Your copy of your book will be the only copy in the entire universe, of course (what do you expect for $19.95, or $29.95 for hardcover?), but you can order more at volume prices.  You can even sell your book on Blurb's website, where friends, family, and others can buy it.

Caveat:  Self-designed and printed books will never replace books designed by professionals--such as my good friends Cathleen Kwas of CLicK Services, a graphic designer who's designed all my Adventures With PawPaw books, and Brian and Kathy Banashak at Evergreen Press, who've designed and published many of the books that I've edited and ghost-written. 

But if you want to quickly and cheaply get a single copy of your own book in your own two hands, Blurb sounds like a great idea.

Of course, you know what I always say:  "You can't publish a book you haven't written."  Blurb is great, but it won't write your book for you.  Only you can do that.

So, will 2008 be the year that you not only write but also publish your own book?

 

To comment on this blog post, click "comments" below (or if you subscribe to this post, just go to my blog site  and click on "comments" at the end of this post). 

PawPaw's Newest Pals

PawPaw recently signed his books at a Charles Dickens Christmas Book Fair.  Here are some of his newest pals:

To learn more about the Adventures With PawPaw children's book series, visit PawPaw's website:  www.adventureswithpawpaw.com  A portion of all sales goes to PawPaw's Pals, Inc., a non-profit organization that helps children in disaster and crisis situations around the world.

 

Mono-Tasking

Where, oh where, has Diana been?

Mono-tasking.

God gave me many gifts, but multi-tasking isn't one of them.  I think I've figured out His plan, because not being a multi-tasker means I can spend all my time on one project and not go crazy.

And so for the past three months since you've heard from me, I've been glued to my laptop working on the "Not For Sale" children's books--all part of the child-trafficking awareness campaign that PawPaw's Pals launched earlier this year.  A number of people thought I moved, died, or became a recluse--but I was simply mono-tasking.

The manuscript for the first book is now "marinating"--step 7 of my 7-step How to Write a Book blueprint.  (I hope that means I'm nearing completion.)  I'm taking a breather to let it marinate while I work on some other projects--including writing this blog.

I have to say I'm enjoying the break!  Two weekends ago, I flew up to New York to see family and foliage. (Both were wonderful!)  Last weekend, Urban Think, an independent bookstore in Orlando, held a fundraiser for "Not For Sale."  It was loads of fun, and kids as well as adults came. 

PawPaw made his own appearance and tried to upstage artist/illustrator Leah Wiedemer and me, but what can we do?  PawPaw loves to hog the limelight.  He now has lots of new pals, so he's pretty happy.

Next week while I let the manuscript marinate a little more, I'll head to Jordan to write an article for Charisma magazine.  (I've had two articles in recent issues of the magazine--both on Israel:  "Journey of a Lifetime" and "Top 10 Destinations.")  Jordan will be country #41 in my passport.  I'll blog while I'm there, so look for photos, especially of beautiful Petra.

By the time I get home, the manuscript should have properly marinated and I'll be ready for the next rewrite.

So for those of you who've googled my name hoping against hope that it didn't pop up in an obituary, please know I'm alive and well.  Thanks for sticking with me.

The Writer's Workshop: More on the Hero's Journey

Exactly 3 months ago, I posted a blog from Thailand about one of the books I'm writing for the "Not For Sale" child-trafficking awareness project.  In that blog, I mentioned the incredibly helpful "hero's journey" model for fiction writing.  (To read that blog, go to www.dianascimone.com and look at February 16.)

Since then, two things have happened:  First, I've read The Writer's Journey, by Christopher Vogel, which details the step-by-step model for the hero's journey.  I highly recommend Vogel's book, especially if you are panicked about writing fiction (as I was).  Vogel's book is based on the model that Joseph Campbell wrote about in his book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces. If the hero's journey model helped George Lucas write Star Wars, it can help you and me write our own blockbusters.

Second, using the hero's journey model, I've been writing the books that will make up the "Not For Sale" project.  They include a picture book (for kids and adults), a chapter book, and a companion curriculum.  The goal of all 3 books is to make kids and parents aware of the dangers of child trafficking.  We'll test the books in Thailand, where trafficking is a huge problem, then make them available to other countries where trafficking is also a crisis.

If you'd like more information on the "Not For Sale" child-trafficking awareness project, just visit our website: www.notforsale.info

To comment on this blog post, click "comments" below (or if you subscribe to this post, just go to my blog site and click on "comments" at the end of this post).

 

Who in the World Is PawPaw?

And where in the world is he?

If you're wondering who the "PawPaw" is in "PawPaw's Pals," here's the inside story.  PawPaw is the title character in my children's book series, Adventures With PawPaw, about a little dog who travels the world introducing young children to other countries and cultures. 

Artist Leah Wiedemer painted the watercolor illustrations that bring PawPaw's travels to life, and graphic designer Cathleen Kwas designed the books (and PawPaw's logos). The first 3 titles in the series are China, France, and Costa Rica, which are available at www.adventureswithpawpaw.com, and we're working on Italy, Israel, Kenya, Egypt, and Thailand. 

A portion of the profits from book sales goes to PawPaw's Pals, an international relief agency helping children in disaster and crisis situations around the world.  We've helped children affected by the tsunami in Asia, hurricanes in the US, earthquakes in Indonesia, the famine in Ethiopia, and many more disasters.  Our ongoing crisis focus is child trafficking.

PawPaw is quite the world traveler.  He's already been on 3 international trips with me, visiting a safe house in Thailand for girls at risk for child trafficking, a home for AIDS orphans in Zimbabwe...

 

 

 

 

 

 

and a Bedouin camp in Israel where he met a new pal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the moment, PawPaw is perched by my suitcase, about to head back to Thailand in a few days where I'll be working on PawPaw's Pals' "Not For Sale" child-trafficking awareness project. 

Our goal is to develop a multimedia anti-trafficking campaign to create awareness about child trafficking, with the ultimate goal of ending it.  We'll test the model in Thailand, then make it available to other countries where trafficking is also a crisis.

If you'd like to be part of this project, we're looking for individuals and organizations to partner with us through financial support. PawPaw's Pals is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax deductible.  You can make a secure donation online, or email me for more information. 

I better get back to packing. PawPaw is bringing way too much stuff, and I don't think he's up on the new TSA rules about not bringing hair gel on board...