I just received this e-mail message from Peter Ward, the Director of the Lindenhurst Memorial Library:

 

Sophia's Stoop Story is on our YouTube Channel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbg_bOkqNg8&feature=youtu.be and a post on our Create Young Readers @ LML Facebook page.

 

Thanks so much for helping us out.

 

PW

 

Although I am not happy with how my voice sounds....or how I look (on YouTube), I am thrilled with my book and the FABULOUS illustrations by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson.  I am so grateful that Francine Poppo Rich at Blue Marlin Publications chose them to illustrate Sofia's Stoop Story.  I am elated!!!

A year ago today, we lost my mother, Marie LaPlaca Bohrer.  She passed away just six days after her dear brother, my Uncle Frankie.  They were the last of the seven Affisco siblings.  It was a difficult Christmas this year without them, but we are grateful for the many holidays that we did have with them.  My sister, our husbands, our children, my grandson, and all of our cousins treasure the fond memories we have of them, my dad, Aunt Betty, Uncle Al, Aunt Connie, Uncle Chuck, Aunt Katie, Aunt Helen, Uncle Joey, Aunt Millie, Uncle Bernie, Uncle Tommy, Aunt Rosie....and of course, our grandparents.  We will never forget them and all of the memories made on 18th Street.

Uncle Frankie and my mom in 2011

My dear Uncle Frankie passed away a year ago yesterday.  My book is a tribute to him...a very special man who greeted everyone with a smile and always had a kind word to say.  Uncle Frankie was a born teacher and a natural storyteller.  He was loved by everyone who knew him. 

Here's the first page of Sofia's Stoop Story, which by the way, was originally titled, Uncle Frankie's 18th Street Stoop Story.

Hot Off The Press!!!!

Sofia's Stoop Story:  18th Street, Brooklyn has been selected for CBC's (Children's Book Council's) Hot Off The Press for December!  It is featured on their homepage, Facebook page, and Twitter at CBCBook!  I'm so excited!  This is such an honor.  Please go check it out...

Well, I finally have an advance copy of my book in my hands....and I must say, I am OVER THE MOON!!!  Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson did a fabulous job interpreting my manuscript and enhancing my story with their amazing illustrations.  I couldn't be happier!  I am so grateful to my publisher for choosing them to illustrate Sofia's Stoop Story.  And, I am honored that this amazing husband and wife team were willing to illustrate my first book.  They have illustrated numerous books (I think I own all of them.) for some very famous authors...Maya Angelou, Dr. Seuss, Jon Scieszka, and Mary Pope Osborne, to name a few.  I thought you might be interested in the process they used to illustrate Sofia...  Below is an excerpt from my publisher, Francine at Blue Marlin Publications' Facebook page:

 

"I recently attended a luncheon at the Children's Book Council, at which I enjoyed listening to Sarah Harrison Smith, children's book editor at the New York Times, discuss what interests her the most when considering which children's books to review. Ilustrations. "So often, I want to know more about the illustrations, how they were done, the media used, etc. I'd really like to learn more about that process." Of course! That makes so much sense."

"So I asked Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson, our illustrators of Sofia's Stoop Story, to comment on their unique style for this book, and here is what they said: 'The illustrations are collage, acrylic paint, and ink on paper. Photos, patterns, and text are manipulated in photoshop, printed out, and collaged onto a rough sketch. Multiple layers of acrylic paint and ink are then applied. Probably, the most unique part is that we both work on each painting. Most people who work as teams divide the work, but we pass the paintings back and forth, working in layers.'"