Sofia's Stoop Story made the Children's Book Council list: It's About Time!

Exciting news for Sofia's Stoop Story!

Blue Marlin Publications shared a link.

It's About Time!!!

The Children's Book Council has made a winter Seasonal Showcase list of children's books that explore the many facets of time -- time travel, historical fiction, history, the passage of time, counting, and so much more! Sofia's Stoop Story is listed alongside Eileen Spinelli's Now It Is Summer. You can view the full list here: http://www.cbcbooks.org/cbc-book-lists/about-time/

About Time! | Book Lists | Children's Book Council

www.cbcbooks.org

Yesterday, February 10th was the official release date of my first children's book!  My publisher, Francine Poppo Rich at Blue Marlin Publications sent me a text message to congratulate me and tell me that I am officially a published author.  Wasn't that so sweet of her!  I couldn't be happier.  Blue Marlin Publications should be receiving the entire order of books next week...so anyone who ordered a book directly from them, Amazon.com, or Barnsandnoble.com, please be patient.  A special thank you to Francine, Blue Marlin Publications, Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson for making my dream a reality!!!

My publisher sent Carl Furillo, Jr. two copies of my book...one for him and one for his brother.  This morning, he surprised me with a phone call.  What a personable guy!  (But, I already knew that, we have spoken before.)

Carl told me that he is not an emotional person, but the story brought tears to his eyes.  He said he loves the warmth of the whole story, the Italian family, and the stoop.  He said it brought back childhood memories of his days living in NY.  And he loves Uncle Frankie's story of his dad.  We talked about Filomena, (which was his grandmother's name) one of the store owners in the book.  Carl said that his dad loved his mother dearly.  He told me that she was heartbroken when her son, Carl Sr., went away to play baseball.  Oh, and Carl told me that he loves the illustrations...as we all do!

Today he is going to bring his copy of the book to share with his mom who will be 92 on Tuesday.  I hope Mrs. Furillo enjoys reading it, especially Uncle Frankie's story about her dear husband, Brooklyn Dodger, Carl Furillo.

I was truly touched that Carl Furillo, Jr. took the time to call me and share his feelings about Sofia's Stoop Story. 

Kirkus reviewed my book.  At first, I was upset about their comment regarding my Nana's accent.  But after reading the rest, I can't complain.  It is mostly a positive review.  I just wish I could tell them that my Nana did speak with a strong Italian accent.  I actually interviewed two friends from Italy before I wrote her dialogue, so it is authentic.  I guess they can't relate.  Oh, well.  I'm still so thrilled to have my very first book reviewed by Kirkus. 

 

SOFIA'S STOOP STORY
18th Street, Brooklyn
Author: Maria LaPlaca Bohrer
Illustrator: Steve Johnson
Illustrator: Lou Fancher

Kirkus Reviews

Review Issue Date: February 1, 2014
Online Publish Date: January 22, 2014
Publisher:Blue Marlin
Pages: 32
Price ( Hardcover ): $17.95
Publication Date: February 10, 2014
ISBN ( Hardcover ): 978-0-9885295-2-6
Category: Picture Books

A richly sentimental picture of a Sunday gathering from the author’s youth.

In present tense, Sofia recalls sitting on the stoop with her six cousins listening to Uncle Frankie’s tale of the time he met Carl Furillo. As he regales the gathering, she’s repeatedly called away to fetch cheese and other ingredients from local shops for Nana’s meatballs. Though she uses effectively evocative names and cadences in speech, Bohrer gives Nana an accent that is overwrought to the point of parody: “Bella mia, go downa to D’Amico’s Bakerya, get two loaves o’ Italiano breada, fresh Italiano breada, make sure isa fresh. And, we needa some cannoli for desserta.” When everyone’s finally called in for dinner, Nana promises to save Sofia “braciole and a nicea sweet sozeecha” while Frankie stays outside to fill the little girl in on the parts of the story she missed. Johnson and Fancher incorporate glimpses of old news items and handwritten recipes into loosely brushed scenes of the stoop, neighborhood and an antique kitchen, but aside from Uncle Frankie’s plaid pants, the setting has a timeless quality. It is capped, as is only proper, with a mouthwatering meatball recipe.

Though a little heavy on the ethnic flavoring, the memories are as rich and savory as Nana’s homemade sauce. (afterword) (Picture book. 6-9)

My publisher sent me several copies of Sofia's Stoop Story....I can't believe it!  My dream is finally a reality!  I held my hardcover book in my hands and thought, "This is a real book, and it's mine."  I'm still on cloud nine!  And it is absolutely beautiful!!!  I couldn't be happier with the illustrations, actually collage paintings by Lou Fancher and Steve Johnson.  They are fabulous!!!

I just saw some of my cousins today and we were talking about this old photo of our grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles at a "Football" wedding in Brooklyn in 1955.  My Uncle Frankie's son, John, can name just about everyone in this photo.  Wish we would take photos like this at weddings nowadays.  Don't you?

Tonight, I was going through my numerous files and came across my certificate from a writing course I took in the fall of 2006.  It was conducted by Francine Poppo Rich at the OWL Teachers' Center in Lindenhurst.  Francine is a talented writer and instructor.  I learned so much from her about writing for children.  Actually, that's where I wrote my first draft of Sofia's Stoop Story or should I say, Uncle Frankie's 18th Street Stoop Story, the original title.  After that class, I wrote, rewrote, and revised it countless times.  Then I gained the courage to send it out to publishers.  I received numerous rejection letters.  My best was from an editor at Viking...on a form rejection letter she handwrote these encouraging words "Since I just edited a pic book on Roy Campanella, I'm not interested, but this does sound like a good story.  So no doubt another editor will like it."  Needless to say, that was hanging on my fridge for a while.  But, after receiving many other rejection letters, I gave up.  Then one day, years later, I ran into Francine.  She asked me about my manuscript and I told her that I was at a dead end.  She asked to read it....and as they say, the rest is history.  You see, Francine and her husband run Blue Marlin Publications.  So tonight, I sent Francine and Jennifer Bova (the director of the OWL Teachers' Center) a copy of my original certificate.  If it weren't for both of these amazing ladies, I would not have achieved my dream of becoming a published author.  I am so grateful to both of them, to the OWL Center, to Blue Marlin Publications, and to the talented illustrators Francine hired to illustrate Sofia's Stoop Story!