Books, Kids & Creations with Tracy Blom

Tracy Blom goes to Hocking Hills to interview the legendary glass a, Jack Pine at his one-of-a-kind studio! Jack grew up in Southern Ohio and studied art at the Columbus College of Art and Design. He refined his skills at the famous glass houses of Seattle. Drawn to nature and inspired by its organic forms, he returned to his Southern Ohio roots to perfect his art in the woods of Hocking Hills. Jack Pine Glass Studio is located in the heart of the Hocking Hills state parks of Ohio. When you visit their studio, you can watch glass blowing up close and witness blobs of molten glass turned into beautiful pieces of artwork. Demonstrations are going on daily and the gallery is open for shopping. To learn more: https://www.jackpinestudio.com

Tracy sits down with Stephen White, Chief Strategy Officer at COSI (one of her favorite science museums!), and discusses Learning Lunchboxes, the power of STEM, and engaging exhibits that people love. Mr. Stephen White, Esq. is the Chief Strategy Officer, and serves as In-House Counsel at the Center for Science and Industry (COSI), the number one science center in the nation by USA Today. During his career, he founded the theory of Servant Learning as an engagement strategy to help bridge the “COVID Canyon” education gap with the philosophy to inspire others to dream more, do more, and become more. In his role at COSI, he oversees the development of optimizing the entrepreneurial business model for the organization, building new models of impactful education programming, creating and implementing a global strategy for public partnerships at the city, state, and federal levels, and leading the execution of COSI’s Strategic Plan. A signature initiative during his career was the creation of the Learning Lunchbox model of engagement, which seeks to, among other things, help feed hungry lives and feed hungry minds. These STEM kits are developed in partnership with the White House, NASA, U.S. Department of Energy, and more, with over 150,000 being distributed across the globe. Stephen is the recipient of several awards, including the U.K. Global Blooloop 50 Influencer, Midwest Museum Association Leadership Award, 40 Under 40, Columbus CEO Future 50, the John Glenn Young Alumni Achievement Award, and more. He has over a decade of experience in partnerships and policy, including serving as General Counsel in the U.S. Senate, where he worked on critical areas of public policy to help address issues such as workforce development and education. As a first-generation student, Mr. White earned three degrees, all from The Ohio State University, including his B.A. in English and Political Science, J.D. from the OSU Moritz College of Law, and his M.A. in Public Policy and Management from the OSU John Glenn College of Public Affairs, and extended his learning at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at the OSU Moritz College of Law covering nonprofit law and leadership, as well as several state and federal boards including as Chair of the International Space Station Subcommittee on Education. He has served as a speaker at SXSW EDU, U.S. Department of Education, TEDx, and other conferences examining innovative strategies on partnerships to help address workforce development and education equity.

Tracy Sits down with author Jen Malia to discuss her book series, The Infinity Rainbow Club, geared towards neurodivergent kids.

She writes the books that she wishes she had growing up, and works to inspire children to be more inclusive of others.

About Jen:

An autistic mom of three autistic kids, Jen Malia is the author of the children’s chapter book series The Infinity Rainbow Club and the picture book Too Sticky! Sensory Issues with Autism. She is Professor of English and Creative Writing Coordinator at Norfolk State University. She has written for or appeared on the New York Times, the Washington Post, New York Magazine, NPR, Parents, Glamour, Woman’s Day, and others. She has a Ph.D. in English from the University of Southern California. She is pursuing an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Originally from Pittsburgh, she currently lives with her husband and three kids in Virginia Beach.

Grab a pencil and a sheet of paper, and join us on this fun-filled drawing activity with Mark Kistler! Learn about creativity, drawing, and how anyone can become an artist. (yes, even you!) Over the past 44 years, Mark Kistler has taught millions of children how-to-draw on his Public Television Series “The Secret City” in the 1980’s, and “The Imagination Station” in the 1990’s. He has presented thousands of K-12 Visual Arts School Assembly Workshops around the world including; Australia, Germany, England, Scotland, Mexico, Japan, Spain, Brazil, Dubai, India, France, Ireland, Tonga, and the United States. Mark has written and illustrated many popular drawing books with over 1 million books sold. With Simon & Schuster Publishers Mark’s books include; “Learn to Draw with Commander Mark”, “Mark Kistler’s Draw Squad”, “Mark Kistler’s Imagination Station”, and “Drawing in 3-D with Mark Kistler”. With Scholastic Publishers his four-book children’s series is titled “Dare-to-Draw in 3-D!” His books, “You Can Draw in 30-Days”, and “You Can Draw in 30-Minutes” published with Da Capo Press, are his first books oriented more for adult learning. As a result of his television series, drawing books, and school appearances Mark Kistler has generated over one million fan letters and emails containing 3-D drawings from children around the world. To learn more about Mark visit https://www.markkistler.com and Sign up online and learn how to draw in 3D! https://www.draw3d.com/

Join me on a melodic journey as we celebrate the remarkable career of Kathy Wade, an EMMY-award-winning jazz singer and visionary co-founder of Learning Through Art, Inc. For over three decades, Kathy's passion has touched the lives of over a million participants, leaving an indelible mark on the arts education landscape. As the brilliant mind behind Books Alive! For Kids®, a nationally acclaimed performing arts literacy program, Kathy has captivated audiences and garnered multiple regional EMMY awards. Her creative genius and executive production skills have brought literature to life in enchanting ways, sparking a love for storytelling and fostering imagination in young hearts. To learn more about Kathy Wade visit https://www.learningthroughart.com

In this interview, Tracy sits down with award-winning animator and producer Carlos Douglas Jr. to discuss his incredible project, Kenya's Symphony. Carlos masterfully combines his love for music with his profound ability for storytelling and talks about the journey to create such a magical piece. Carlos Douglas Jr is the director and producer of the award-winning animated short, Kenya’s Symphony. He is a spring 2020 graduate of Columbia College Chicago's Interactive Arts and Media program, earning his Bachelor of Arts in Traditional Animation. In addition to executive producing the newly-released Kenya’s Symphony album, his newest projects include producing an upcoming 2023 animated short film titled Buster and Jamson, as well as exploring the world of book authorship and illustration with the children’s book adaptation of Kenya’s Symphony. To Learn More About Carlos Douglas Jr, or download his album, visit https://filmfreeway.com/CarlosDouglasJr

You don't have to go to a galaxy far, far away to learn about Christopher Sean... you can do that right here! In this interview, Tracy sits down with actor Christopher Sean to discuss storytelling, manifestation, and his incredible journey as an actor. Christopher Sean is a versatile actor known for his captivating performances on both the big and small screens. Born and raised in California, Sean always had a passion for the arts and knew from a young age that he wanted to pursue a career in acting. After completing his education, Sean dove headfirst into the entertainment industry, quickly making a name for himself with his raw talent and undeniable charm. He has since appeared in a variety of popular television shows, including "Hawaii Five-0," "You" "NCIS LA" and "Days of Our Lives," where he played the role of Paul Narita for four years with over 300 episodes. Sean has also made his mark on the performance capture world, appearing as DC's Nightwing in "Gotham Knights" and lending his voice to the character of Kazuda Xiono in the animated series "Star Wars Resistance."

To learn more about Christopher Sean visit https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1268478/?ref_=nmbio_bio_nm

In this interview, Tracy sits down with children's author, founder, and CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy. When Maria Dismondy was a little girl she was teased for her curly hair and favorite lunch-box fare, spaghetti in a hot dog bun. Many moons later, these and other real-life moments continue to fuel what is now her critically acclaimed career in the publishing world. In 2020, Maria was named as one of the Publisher Weekly Star Watch Nominees, leaders who were nominated by colleagues in the industry. As CEO of Cardinal Rule Press, Maria is dedicated to having her publishing company produce picture books that empower children with timeless messages of hope, courage, and the Golden Rule. She works diligently to have Cardinal Rule Press release children’s literature that represents today’s diversity while remaining dedicated to messages that make a difference. To learn more about Maria's work visit https://mariadismondy.com

In this interview, Tracy sits down with award-winning children's book author and travel journalist, Maxine Schur. Her stories convey the depth of her world travels and provide readers a glimpse into the rich, and enchanting world she has discovered. With decades of writing experience, Maxine is truly a master at what she does, and her passion for travel and experiencing all that the world has to offer shines through beautifully written and illustrated stories.   

About the Author:   

Maxine Schur was the Baker-Nord Guest Lecturer on Writing for Children in the Humanities at Case Western Reserve University and teaches children’s book writing at the San Francisco Writing Salon. She has won several awards including the Sydney Taylor Award which she has won twice.  Maxine has written children’s fiction and non-fiction for numerous trade publishers and for educational publishers including Houghton-Mifflin, Heinemann, Addison-Wesley, National Geographic Kids. She has also written imaginative children’s content for the BBC television program, Playschool and the Children’s Television Workshop. 

Learn more about Maxine and her books at www.maxineroseschur.com

In this interview, Tracy sits down with award-winning author, Ritu Anand to discuss her heartwarming children's book, Kara's Dreams. Ritu Anand draws her inspiration from nature around her and her scripture – Sri Guru Granth Sahibjee.              

When she sat down to write Kara’s Dreams, her pen flowed its ink onto paper, as a river floods its banks. The beautiful verse within the scripture that guided her story provides – Pavan Guru, Paani Pita, Mata Dharadh Mahat, Divas Raat Duii Dayee Daya, Khaileh Sagal Jagat. It means the Wind is the Guru. Water is the Father. Earth is the Mother. Day and Night are caretakers. All the elements – Wind, Water, Earth, Night and Day work in concert to enable creatures to play and enjoy this playground called Earth.

Inspiration is all around us if we take time to slow down and observe. 

To buy the book visit: https://www.amazon.com/Karas-Dreams-Ritu-Anand/dp/1955088098

Who doesn't love a good Sherlock Holmes Story? Well, how about five of them written by Emmy Award Winning writer, Bonnie Macbird?  

In this interview, Tracy sits down with Bonnie to discuss her incredible career as an author/director/producer and gets a rare glimpse into the world of Sherlock Holmes.   

San Francisco native Bonnie MacBird attended Stanford University where she earned a BA in Music and an MA in Film. Her long Hollywood career includes four years as a feature film development exec at Universal, the original screenplay for the movie TRON, three Emmy Awards for documentary writing/producing, eleven Cine Golden Eagles for scripted and documentary work, numerous produced plays and musicals, and theatre credits as an actor and director.  

Art in the Blood, her first novel, written in the style of Arthur Conan Doyle and featuring Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson, was published in 2015 by HarperCollins and released in 17 languages worldwide to critical acclaim. It is the first in her series and was followed by Unquiet Spirits in 2017, The Devil’s Due in 2019, The Three Locks in 2020, and her fifth Holmes Adventure, a Christmas novella, What Child is This?   In addition to her writing, Bonnie has worked in theatre extensively as a playwright, actor, and director. She has studied Shakespeare in the US and the UK and recently appeared in The Show Must Go Online. Bonnie teaches a popular screenwriting class at UCLA Extension, a course which develops creativity based on multiple art forms while honing the very specific techniques of screenwriting. Bonnie is a regular speaker internationally on writing, creativity, and Sherlock Holmes.

Katie Otey is an author and poet with a passion for spinning heartwarming tales laced with humor. When she’s not writing she’s singing, performing skits with her kids, practicing Spanish, traveling, and making her family laugh. Every Other Christmas is a nod to her children and her heartfelt desire to blend her experiences as an African-American with close ties to Colombian culture.   

About the Book:  After his parents' divorce, a young bi-racial child spends every other Christmas celebrating the differing traditions between the African-American and Colombian sides of their family.  Every Other Christmas is a picture book that explores the heart, soul, and fun of Christmas. The narrative’s parallel structure highlights how each family’s celebrations are similar while showcasing their exciting differences. Every Other Christmas invites any child who reads this story to reflect on what makes Christmas with their family just as special. 

To learn more about Katie Otey and her books, visit: https://www.katieoteywrites.com

In this interview Tracy sits down with Helen and Thomas Docherty to discuss the creative process, walking to your own beat, and their newest book, Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune, published by Sourcebooks.   

About The Authors  

Helen is a children’s author based in Swansea, Wales. Her picture books have been translated into 27 languages, shortlisted for various national awards, and staged as plays. The Snatchabook was voted No. 1 in the Kids’ Indie Next List Autumn 2013 in the US and won the Oldham Brilliant Book Award 2014 in the UK, which was voted for by school children. Helen often collaborates with her husband, who is both an illustrator and author, Thomas Docherty.  Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune is their latest book together. Helen worked as a Spanish and French teacher before turning her gift with words to writing for children. She has delivered many creative writing workshops and loves helping children write their own stories.  

About the book: Orange moon, blue baboon. Blue baboon spies bassoon. Blue baboon is eager to play the bassoon – but she’s out of tune! After the music is interrupted by a big monsoon, she flies off in a hot air balloon to a distant dune…but will she find a friend to play her tune with?  

A rhyming read-aloud that makes for a perfect bedtime story, Blue Baboon Finds Her Tune follows a bassoon-playing baboon, who, at first, struggles to learn her instrument and fit in with the other animals. Blue Baboon’s story is a wonderful story about friendship, self-acceptance, and finding your own tune.

Kaela Rivera grew up believing in will-o’-the-wisps and el chupacabra, but even ghost stories couldn’t stop her from reading in the isolated treetops, caves, and creeks of Tennessee’s Appalachian forests.  She still believes in the folktales of her Mexican-American and British parents, but now she writes about them from the adventure-filled mountains of the Wild West. When she’s not crafting stories, she’s using her English degree from BYU-I as an editor for a marketing company (or secretly doodling her characters in the margins of her notebook). Her award-winning debut novel, Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls, came out on April 13, 2021. The sequel was published by Harper Collins in September 2022.  

Her biggest hope is to highlight and explore the beauty of cultural differences—and how sharing those differences can bring us all closer.   Cece Rios series is a Middle Grade,  Latinx fantasy series that people have described as Coco meets Pokemon.

Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age  

The Authors on the Air Global Radio Network presents, Books, Kids & Creations with Tracy Blom a podcast that features people who inspire and uplift future generations with their work.  In this episode we sit down with Lori Garver, Former NASA Deputy Administrator, to discuss her experience with NASA, serving under multiple presidents, persevering even when it seems like everyone is against you, and of course, her new book, Escaping Gravity: My Quest to Transform NASA and Launch a New Space Age.   

About the Author:  Lori Garver was the principal advisor on aerospace issues to three presidential candidates and led the NASA transition team for President Obama. She served as the Deputy Administrator of the Space Agency from 2009 to 2013 and is known as an architect of the new era of commercial partnerships that allow SpaceX to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station.    Garver is the founder of the Brooke Owens Fellowship, an internship and mentorship program for collegiate women interested in pursuing space careers. She is the recipient of the 2020 Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in Aerospace and has been awarded three NASA Distinguished Service Medals. She lives in Washington, DC.      

About the Book:   “Former NASA official Lori Garver offers a front-row seat to the decades-long struggles within and among space bureaucrats and space billionaires. Bring popcorn, as you bear witness to an untold slice of space history.” —Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist and author of Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier   Escaping Gravity is former NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver's firsthand account of how a handful of revolutionaries overcame the political patronage and bureaucracy that threatened the space agency. The success of Elon Musk's SpaceX, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic, and countless other commercial space efforts were preceded by decades of work by a group of people Garver calls “space pirates.” Their quest to transform NASA put Garver in the crosshairs of Congress, the aerospace industry, and hero-astronauts trying to protect their own profits and mythology within a system that had held power since the 1950s.  Published by Diversion Books Amazon Link: https://www.amazon.com/Escaping-Gravity-Quest-Transform-Launch/dp/1635767709

Award-winning author Laurie Wallmark writes picture book biographies of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) as well as fiction. Her books have earned multiple starred trade reviews, been chosen as Junior Library Guild Selections, and received awards such as Outstanding Science Trade Book, Best STEM Book, Crystal Kite Award, Cook Prize Honor, and Parents’ Choice Gold Medal. Her titles include ADA BYRON LOVELACE AND THE THINKING MACHINE, GRACE HOPPER: QUEEN OF COMPUTER CODE, HEDY LAMARR’S DOUBLE LIFE, NUMBERS IN MOTION, CODE BREAKER, SPY HUNTER. And her debut fiction picture book, DINO PAJAMA PARTY. Laurie has an MFA in Writing from VCFA and frequently presents at schools as well as national professional conferences (NSTA, NCTE, ALA, TLA, etc.). She is a former software engineer and computer science professor. You can find Laurie on the Web at www.lauriewallmark.com and @lauriewallmark.

In this episode, Tracy sits down with author, teacher, and theatre enthusiast Dianne Pede to discuss her newest book, My Dancing Feet. 

Dianne Koebel-Pede’s life-long calling is turning work into play. Whether teaching, writing, reading, or reviewing children’s books, her adventures have been rewarded and sprinkled with tons of love, laughter, gratitude, and awe. (And a few zillion mistakes, which she prefers to call opportunities for growth!) . Her favorite former gig was accidentally owning a dance studio, then writing and choreographing musicals for recitals.  Her first book, My Dancing Feet, is a rhyming celebration of dance. Released in October 2021, it made it to #1 in two Amazon bestseller categories and #2 in a third. It’s the perfect partner for children that love to move and groove. Featuring hip-hop, ballet, tap, and jazz, the young reader is invited to be the star of the story.   

Her book is available on Amazon and a personalized version can be ordered from Eman Books at https://www.emanbooks.com/

https://www.pdplace.online 

https://www.facebook.com/dianne.koebelpede 

https://www.instagram.com/d.k.pede

Join Tracy as she interviews Steenz, a St. Louis-based cartoonist, editor, and professor. They’re the cartoonist on the Ringo Award-Nominated syndicated comic strip ‘Heart Of The City’, the co-creator of Dwayne McDuffie Award-Winning GN Archival Quality, and is featured in short story anthologies such as Eisner and Ignatz Award-Winning Elements: Fire, Mine!, and Dead Beats. Steenz also launched and edited the popular RPG periodical Rolled & Told. They participate in and create community building comics related programming, and are frequent panelist at comic cons. Steenz currently teaches cartooning at Webster University while editing comics for independent publishers.  They live with their husband and two cats, and watches a lot of esoteric social documentaries.  

To learn more about Steenz: https://www.oheysteenz.com/ 

The link to their Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1803389958/unico-awakening-manga-by-gurihiru-and-samuel-sattin?ref=lqonqx 

Andrews McMeel Universal: andrewsmcmeel.com

Tracy sits down with veterinarian and author Melissa Shapiro to discuss her new children's book, Piglet Comes Home. Piglet’s story has been featured in PEOPLE Magazine, NBC NIGHTLY NEWS, CNN, GMA3, CBS NEWS, THE DODO and more!  

PIGLET’S REAL-LIFE STORY: Piglet, the deaf-blind pink puppy is a double dapple dachshund chihuahua mix rescued from a hoarding situation. When veterinarian Melissa Shapiro learned about the tiny deaf-blind puppy, she and her husband Warren agreed to foster him until his rescue group could find him his forever home, not knowing, initially that that home was going to be theirs!  Early on Piglet’s social media platforms grew exponentially! Videos and pictures of his resilient, and happy nature, inspired adults and children to bring his example of positivity into their own lives.  Piglet is also an ambassador for disabled animals and people.  

The Piglet Mindset™ educational outreach program was created to teach growth mindset and inclusion and has reached thousands of children in classrooms around the world.    

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Melissa Shapiro, DVM, is a veterinarian, a lifelong animal welfare advocate, and mom to three children and many disabled rescued dogs and birds. Since bringing Piglet home in 2017, she has used his social media platform to educate, advocate, and inspire others to adopt pets with special needs. Her nonprofit organization, Piglet International Inc., supports the Piglet Mindset Educational Outreach, a free downloadable educational program that teaches growth mindset, acceptance, inclusion, empathy, and kindness to students and others in the community, as well as various animal rights causes. She lives in Connecticut with her husband Warren, six rescued dogs, one rescued parakeet, and Piglet, the deaf-blind pink puppy.    

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR: Ellie Snowdon grew up in South Wales in the UK, surrounded by books, Welsh cakes, and lots of creativity. After graduating from University of the West of England at Bristol and the children’s book illustration master’s program at Cambridge School of Art, Ellie returned to live and work in her hometown of Swansea, where she is thankfully still surrounded by books, Welsh cakes, and more creativity.   

In PIGLET COMES HOME, when the pup pack’s owner leaves to bring them a new friend, the dogs wonder who will be coming back to join their family. Will it be a little pooch like Zoey or Annie? Or maybe a big dog with lots of energy like Gina? But when Mom walks in carrying a teeny tiny box making lots of noise, everyone is confused. Pups don’t make sounds like that, and surely the creature is too small and pink to be a dog! And poor little Piglet is so shy and nervous, the pack isn’t sure how to say hello. Will the dogs be able to make friends and show Piglet he has a place in his new home?

Kathleen Macferran is a facilitator, author, teacher, Certified Trainer and Assessor for the Center for Nonviolent Communication and the owner of Strength of Connection. She has spent much of her life bringing harmony to communities through music, including two decades as a classical music conductor and seven years as a public-school music teacher.   Kathleen loves children and believes music and giraffes (the main characters in her children’s books) have much to teach us about interdependent social living. Central to Kathleen’s work is a vision for a peaceful, just, and sustainable world. 

Kathleen’s website is www.StrengthofConnection.com where her TEDx talks, books, workshops and music can be found. 

• Author of How Giraffe Found Their Hearts and How Giraffes Got Their Ears, children’s story picture books, and 

• Conductor for Giraffe Tales, a children’s CD setting these stories to music • Co-author with Jared Finkelstein of Choice: A field guide for navigating the polarization of our world and living interdependently 

• Certified Trainer for the Center for Nonviolent Communication (CNVC) 

• TEDxTalks: Houses of Healing, TEDxMonroe Correctional Complex; The Art of Listening, TEDxRainier; Fearless Women, TedxSeattle 

• Conductor on multiple Rainier Chamber Winds classical music recordings  

THE STORIES Giraffe Tales is a two-book series of beautifully illustrated children’s picture story books that are also set to music and narrated in the digital ePub editions. Giraffes, one of the land animals with the largest hearts, are sometimes referred to as symbols of Nonviolent Communication since our hearts are where we hold the feelings and needs we most cherish.   In How Giraffes Got Their Ears, the giraffes find joy when they are able to hear the beautiful feelings and needs in all hearts, in other words, when they are able to empathize with each other.  How Giraffes Found Their Hearts is a story of the importance of being connected to our own hearts so we can live from our own values and joy.

Join Tracy as she sits down with Miry Whitehill and Jennifer Jackson, creators of the new book, Our World is a Family.    From the creators of Miry’s List, the nonprofit that has helped thousands of people arriving in the U.S. as refugees comes an all-ages story about compassion and human connection. Our World is a Family is a bea   Our World is a Family is a picture book exploring the complicated topic of human migration in a gentle, loving, and affirming way. It lightly touches on the reason people might leave their homes, like climate change or lack of safety, and inspires children to welcome their new neighbors into their communities with love.   About the Authors     

MIRY WHITEHILL is the founder and executive director of the award-winning nonprofit organization Miry’s List, which supports families resettling in the United States as refugees, from countries including Syria and Afghanistan.    

JENNIFER JACKSON has always been a storyteller. She began her career in live theater as a writer, director, and choreographer before transitioning to the page with her first picture book, The Punkydoos Take the Stage.    

NOMAR PEREZ was born on the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. After leaving his homeland at the age of 10 for the U.S., Nomar found himself in touch with all types of media, including animation, puppetry, and computer art. He has worked as an award-winning illustrator for more than seventeen years.

Do you love elephants? Yeah, we do too!

Join Tracy as she interviews author Kim Tomsic, discussing her beautifully written, captivating book, The Elephants Come Home. 

Kim Tomsic is a word wrangler, exclamation point enthusiast, and parallel parking champion who loves animals, especially her dog Sushi. Kim is the author of the Crystal Kite award-winning novel, The 11:11 Wish, followed by The 12th Candle both published by Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins. Her critically acclaimed nonfiction picture book, Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered the Solid Body Electric Guitar and Rocked the World! illustrated by Brett Helquist, was a Junior Library Guild selection, a Texas Topaz list selection, a New York Public Library Best Book of 2019, and a National Science Teachers Association Best STEM book of 2019.

Her 2021 nonfiction picture book, The Elephants Come Home published by Chronicle Books and illustrated by Hadley Hooper, is a CYBILS Finalist and won the Norman A. Sugarman Biography Honor.  Kirkus calls it "lovely, tender, and moving" and Horn Book Magazine says the story has "flawless, gentle pacing" and "riveting details." Kim’s next novel, The Truth about 5th Grade is co-written with Reuben Award-winning cartoonist, Mark Parisi, and will be published by HarperCollins in Summer 2023.

After holding corporate marketing positions for over 30 years, Jean Derespina fulfilled a dream in 2014 and founded The Marketing Gig LLC. An avid writer, her business focus is on digital content. Jean provides blogs, email campaigns, flyers &  brochures, white papers, case studies, newsletters, and web copy for her clients.  In January 2015, Jean’s life was changed when she was a victim in a serious accident.  Unwilling to succumb to her injuries, Jean worked hard during her lengthy recovery. Her passion for writing helped her keep a positive attitude.  In 2021, Jean fulfilled yet another dream. She published her first children’s picture book, The Famous Phoebe of  Long Island: Phoebe’s Adventures at Sailors Haven. 

Their dog, Phoebe, boated with Jean and her husband,  and this is the first story of her travels. Jean hopes to continue writing for children, and she has drafted up the second book in her Famous Phoebe of Long Island Series: Phoebe’s Trip to Montauk.

Anna Lazowski wrote her first picture book for a sixth-grade assignment and has been creating stories ever since. Anna is the author of T-Rexes Can't Tie Their Shoes, a hilarious ABC book for kids.  Learn more about Anna’s writing at  annalazowskibooks.com, and follow  her on Twitter at @anna_lazowski

CREEK Stewart:  Survival Instructor, Author, Host

Creek’s life-long study of outdoor living and survival skills is backed by 1000′s of man-hours in the field. He has been featured on/in The TODAY Show, INSIDE EDITION, Fox & Friends, Men’s Fitness Magazine, Backpacker Magazine, Outdoor Life Magazine, WGN-TV, WISH-TV 8, The Weather Channel, LIVING READY Magazine, American Survival Guide, and countless radio and on-line events.  He has contributed to the hugely popular men’s interest blog ArtofManliness.com and his survival writings have been featured on 1000′s of websites including Huffington Post, MSN News, Lifehacker, and The Daily Beast.

Creek is the host of SOS: HOW TO SURVIVE on The Weather Channel and the author of:

• Build the Perfect Bug Out Bag: Your 72-Hour Disaster Survival Kit
• The Unofficial Hunger Games Wilderness Survival Guide
• Build the Perfect Bug Out Vehicle
• Build the Perfect Bug Out Survival Skills
• SURVIVAL HACKS
• 365 Essential Survival Skills
• STUCK: A survival short story
• RUGOSA: A survival story from Omaha to London
• And his newest book, The Disaster Ready Home.

Holiday Train Exhibit at The Krohn Conservatory in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The Krohn Conservatory is a plant lover’s dream, featuring over 1000 varieties of plants from all over the world. During the Holiday season,  it transforms into a botanical winter wonderland featuring colorful poinsettias, train exhibits, and miniature replicas of Cincinnati landmarks created by Applied Imagination. Join Tracy as she interviews manager, Mark House, and discusses how the holiday exhibit came to be.

The holiday exhibit runs through January 9th and is sure to bring holiday cheer and wonder to all who attend.

For more information: https://www.cincinnatiparks.com/krohn/

About Applied Imagination:

Nationally recognized, award-winning crew of creative artists, botanical architects, and landscape designers producing original public garden exhibits, seasonal displays, and garden railways .

http://appliedimagination.biz

Applied Imagination has created countless award-winning garden railway displays across the country, including installations at New York Botanical Garden, United States Botanic Garden in Washington D.C., Chicago Botanic Garden, Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, Atlanta Botanic Garden, New Orleans Botanical Garden, Bellagio Conservatory in Las Vegas, and The State Fair of Texas.

#appliedimagination #holiday #trains #trainexhibits #modeltrains #Cincinnati #Christmas #plants #hortaculture #Findlaymarket #Krohnconservatory #stem #authorsontheair #authorsontheairglobalradionetwork #podcast #interview

Join Tracy as she interviews creative guests of all ages who inspire and uplift others through their work, including children's and YA authors.

Tracy Blom is the author of over twenty published books, with her most recent publication, From Beyond the Arctic which teaches children about important environmental topics, including global warming.

@copyright by Authors on the Air Global Radio Network

As a child, Tamara Robertson spent a large amount of time with her father watching Star Trek and tinkering in the garage – rebuilding engines, up – keeping the family cars, and building / renovating homes. She learned her love of machinery, as well as all things technical, from her time working with her dad. 

With a sharp mind for detail and efficiency, Tamara was able to quickly excel in her career as a licensed Chemical & Biomolecular Engineer which afforded her the ability to truly see the world and gain experience in global tech transfers, process & facilities design, pandemic vaccine manufacturing, patented additive technology development, and product design for some of the top Fortune 500 companies. Tamara has found that she loves to utilize the design and beauty of the world around her to help create designs and tell stories.

Tamara resides in Los Angeles, CA where she continues to work as a Science Host, Engineering Consultant, SAG-AFTRA Actor and Wardrobe Designer. In her downtime she volunteers as a board member for a number of STEM organizations across the US, utilizes Superhero Science to get kids excited about careers in STEM and lends her Science and Maker skills to a number of non-profit organizations. She also enjoys scuba diving, hiking, rock climbing, practicing photography and spending time with her Shop Dog Dexter.

For more information about Tamara and her incredible work visit her website at http://therealtamararobertson.com/about/

To check out her podcast Tinkering Belles: 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgsQcc2jU37fkO1lOJ6Q-h_wYPMoXi30L

To check out her new show Maker Science on Midnight Science Club: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzKqYWetfL7it3XUjf-OHmQ