World of Ink Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour Schedule for January 2011!

Just in case you thought I would take too much of a vacation from promoting Little Shepherd, I am following the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 up with a new month-long virtual book tour from World of Ink.

January 2011 will be a month full of interviews, guest posts, reviews, and giveaways. Here is my current schedule:

January 3rd

RRRadio-Stories for Children with hosts: VS Grenier, D.M. Cunningham and Tiffany Strelitz Haber.

Live Radio Interview at 11am MST (10am PST, Noon Central and 1pm EST) http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rrradio/2011/01/03/rfk-stories-for-children

Call in number (646) 595-4478

January 4^th

Families Matter Blog Interview

http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com

January 5th

The Product Review Place – Author Spotlight

http://productreviewplace.ning.com/profiles/blog/list?user=0lnk96wyqr6ya

January 6th

Book Marketing Network – Guest Post

http://thebookmarketingnetwork.com/profiles/blog/list?user=VSGrenier&xgs=1&xg_source=msg_share_url

January 7th

The Writing Mama – Guest Post

http://thewritingmama.blogspot.com
 

January 9^th

Utah Children's Writer Blog – Guest Post

http://utahchildrenswriters.blogspot.com/

January 10^th

One Zillion Books – Review/Giveaway

http://www.onezillionbooks.com

January 11^th

Families Matter Blog - Book Review

http://familiesmatter2us.blogspot.com
 

January 12^th

Roth’s Inspiring Books & Products

http://rothsinspiringbooksandproducts.wordpress.com

January 13^th

VBT-Writers On The Move – Guest Post

 http://vbt-writersonthemove.blogspot.com/

January 14^th

Writing to the Hearts of Children

http://terri-forehand.blogspot.com

January 17^th

The Maggie Project

http://www.themaggieproject.blogspot.com

January 18^th

Stories for Children Magazine FG Interview

http://storiesforchildrenmagazine.org/pastfeaturedguests.aspx

January 19^th

Home School Blogger - Book Review/Giveaway http://homeschoolblogger.com/homeschoolbookreview/

January 20^th

Putting Words Down on Paper - Review

http://susannedrazic.blogspot.com/

January 21st

Quadruple Z – Review/Giveaway

http://www.quadruplez.com

January 24^th

Bless Their Hearts Mom – Review

http://blesstheirheartsmom.blogspot.com

January 25^th

Sweeps 4 Bloggers – Review

http://sweeps4bloggers.com

January 26^th

Health, Beauty, Children and Family – Review

http://healthbeautychildrenandfamily.com

Thanks to the World of Ink group and all the bloggers who are putting together a great virtual book tour for Little Shepherd. I can't wait to get started!

Stay plugged into this blog for more virtual book tour updates. I'll be using Facebook and Twitter to help me promote these stops, so feel free to friend and follow me at:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1110037692 

http://twitter.com/#!/ccmalandrinos

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour Giveaway Winners!

This might just be the most exciting post of the entire LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10. These are the announcements for the winners of both giveaways I ran during my virtual book tour.

The winner of Giveaway #1 is: Cathy W!

Here is what Cathy has won:

An autographed copy of Little Shepherd
Angel figurine printed with the Serenity Prayer
A Little Shepherd sticky note pad
Little Drummer Boy 2010 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament
Gift of Peace 2003 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament

Retail value of Giveaway #1 is $65

The winner of Giveaway #2 is Pat C!

Here is what Pat has won:

A "Sparkling Angel" scented jar candle from Yankee Candle
An angel gold and silver lid topper for the candle
An angel tea light holder from Yankee Candle
A Little Shepherd sticky note pad
A Jim Shore Nativity Star hanging ornament
A Jim Shore Holy Family hanging ornament
A $25 Amazon.com gift card

Retail Value of Giveaway #2 is $97

Congratulations to our winners! They have 72 hours to respond to my email. If I haven't heard from them within that time frame, I will select new winners.

My thanks go out to everyone who supported me during my virtual book tour: family, friends, bloggers, readers, and more!

I will be going on another virtual book tour in January, so look for the details of that coming soon.

You can purchase a copy of Little Shepherd at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

You can also email me at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com if you would like an autographed copy of the book. The cost of an authographed copy would be $10, plus a flat $3 shipping and handling fee for anywhere in the United States. Additional shipping charges would apply outside of the United States.

Happy New Year everyone!

Merry Christmas!

Orkut Scraps

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

--Matthew 1:23

Wishing you and your family a blessed Christmas.

Little Shepherd Returns to the Amazon Bestsellers List for the Seventh Time!

I promise you won't have to hear about this again after Christmas, but I was excited to find that Little Shepherd returned to the Amazon bestsellers list in the Large Print Children's Books category. This is the seventh time since the book came out that it has appeared on the list. Right now it is ranked 26th out of 100. Not bad.

Amazon only lists one copy in stock, so pick it up while you can. The book is also available at Barnes and Noble, but according to their shipping schedule, the book won't make it in time for Christmas. :(

I still have copies I can mail out from here. Email me at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com if you're interested in an autographed copy.

Thanks for all your support with my first book. It is greatly appreciated.

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 49

Today is a busy day for me with four stops, which means four final chances for you to enter and win. Here's where you'll find me today.

I return to Putting Words Down on Paper for a 10-question interview with Susanne Drazic. You can find this post at http://susannedrazic.blogspot.com/2010/12/ten-questions-with-cheryl-c-malandrinos.html.

Next up is a great review at The Elliot Review. I wasn't able to leave a comment there earlier.  Maybe it's just me. You can find this post at http://elliottreview.blogspot.com/2010/12/blog-tour-review-little-shepherd-by.html.

Then you can drop on in at Becky at Paperback Writer. She composed a wonderful review. Here's a blurb:

"This is a book that brings back the calmness of the Christmas spirit.  Sometimes, in the midst of all Santa’s Ho Ho Ho’s and the kids saying “I want this and I want that” one just needs  some time to reflect on what  we are really celebrating; certainly not the man in the red suit, but the baby Jesus born in a stable amongst the sheep and the cows, who became the “Savior” of all mankind."

Read the full review at http://rebecca2007.wordpress.com/2010/12/17/paperback-writer-reviews-the-little-shepherd-by-author-cheryl-c-malandrinos/.

Finally, Pump Up Your Book's Dorothy Thompson delivers a great review of Little Shepherd. You can read it at http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2010/12/16/book-review-little-shepherd-by-cheryl-malandrinos/.

In addition to all the wonderful news these blog posts share, Little Shepherd remains on the Amazon bestsellers list in the Large Print Children's Books category for the second day in a row. The book has hit this list six times since it was released. A true blessing indeed.

It's not too late to purchase a copy in time for Christmas. You can find the book at:

It's not too late to order a copy of Little Shepherd for your little one. You'll find it at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

 

You can also email me at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com if you would like an autographed copy of the book. Amazon's stock is getting low, so if you're planning to order from them, do it soon.

 

Thanks for following along the tour trail with me these past two-and-a-half months. I hope if you purchased Little Shepherd, you will take advantage of the giveaway and email me proof of purchase by December 19th to be eligible for the giveaway.

 

Details on both giveaways, which run through the end of today, can be found at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html

 

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas and a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

 

 

 

 

Short Video for Little Shepherd

My friend, Jo Linsdell, created a promotional video for her books using animoto.com. I didn't find it all that easy to figure out, but my technology skills can be a bit lacking at times. I was able to add images without an issue and add a title, but I couldn't get a text box to appear later in the video or at the end. Unlike Windows Movie Maker, it doesn't seem like you can easily switch images between windows either.

You can set up a free account and create a short 30 second video. If you would like more options and longer videoes, you need to pay for them. Let me know what you think.



Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Little Shepherd is Listed as an Amazon Bestseller for Sixth Time Since its Release

I check my Amazon rankings every day. This is a way for me to judge how the book is selling--or not, as the case may be. I went out to Amazon today to take a look and found that Little Shepherd is listed as number 32 in the Top 100 books in the Large Print Children's Books category. This is the sixth time since the book's release that it has been listed as an Amazon bestseller. I feel truly blessed.

Thanks to everyone who has purchased a copy of Little Shepherd. I hope you remember to email me your proof of purchase by this Sunday so that you can be entered into my drawing for a Christmas gift basket retailing for $97. Full details on both giveawways can be found at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html.

Amazon added a new feature to Author Central that allows authors to check Sales by Week and Sales by Geography. It's a neat feature. It also states right now that Little Shepherd is ranked as 173,860 out of over 8,000,000 books. Now, that's very cool!

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 48

Today the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 makes a stop at Authors & Appetizers, a blog run by my good friend and social media expert, Angela Wilson. I think I was feeling a bit silly when I wrote some of these December guest posts because the title of this one is, "Help! I’m a Little French Girl Trapped in a Greek Household."

I talk a bit about growing up, my grandparents, and my children. There's also a great recipe for Kourambiethes, which is a Greek sugar cookie. You can find this post at http://authorsandappetizers.com/2010/12/help-im-little-french-girl-trapped-greek-household-by-cheryl-malandrinos/.

It's not too late to order a copy of Little Shepherd for your little one. You'll find it at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

 

You can also email me at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com if you would like an autographed copy of the book.

 

Thanks for your support.

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 46

Only two more days left in the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10, which means you only have two more days after today to leave a comment at one of my blog stops to be entered in a drawing for your chance at that beautiful gift basket.

Today a review of Little Shepherd has been posted at Putting Words Down on Paper, a blog run by a fellow writer and friend, Susanne Drazic. Susanne is very supportive of me and my work, which always means a lot in this world. Here is a blurb from her review:

"Cheryl did a wonderful job of conveying Obed's concern about leaving the sheep unattended, the wonder and joy of the shepherds seeing the newborn baby, and then again in sharing Obed's relief when he found not a single sheep missing or hurt."

You can read the full review at http://susannedrazic.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-of-little-shepherd.html.

You can purchase Little Shepherd at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

 

You can also email me at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com if you would like an autographed copy of the book.

 

Thanks for your support.

Little Shepherd Ranks As an Amazon Besteller in its Category Fifth Time Since its Release

I was excited to check my Amazon rankings this morning and discover that Little Shepherd was once again listed as an Amazon bestseller in the Large Print Children's Books category. Sales had slacked off a bit and I was getting kind of nervous because it is a seasonal title.

A combination of my virtual book tour picking up again after a week away, a press release I submitted online, and a local news article look like they have had some effect.

Thanks to all who purchased a copy of Little Shepherd. Remember, if you email me your proof of purchase, you'll be entered to win a Christmas gift basket retailing for $97.

Details on both giveaways I am running during my virtual book tour can be found at http://littleshepherdchildrensbook.blogspot.com/2010/09/giveaways-announced-for-little-shepherd.html.

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Days 44 & 45

Yes, it's getting close to Christmas, so the busy blogger has been busy doing other things. I couldn't wait, however, to come here and tell you about the great stops I've already been on this week.

I started Monday with an interview at Cafe of Dreams. April is a friend and supporter of my writing, so it's always good to find a nice spot on her terrific blog. You can find our interview at http://www.cafeofdreamsbookreviews.com/2010/12/interview-cheryl-malandrinos-author-of.html.

Then I was treated to a review at Tribute Books Reviews and Giveaways that left me momentarily speechless. Here's a tiny blurb:

"Malandrinos' touch is similar to the style of the classic Rankin/Bass animated TV specials from the 1960s and 1970s such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, The Little Drummer Boy and The Year Without a Santa Claus. It is in league with the timeless, quality children's entertainment that endures through generations."

You can read the full review at http://tributebooksreviews.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-books-giveaway-little.html.

Today I got the chance to show off my weird sense of humor with a guest post at my friend, Beverly Stowe McClure's blog. You can find, "My Story is Boring. Read about These Other Writers Instead" at http://beverlystowemcclure.blogspot.com/2010/12/visit-today-with-cheryl-malandrinos.html. Beverly also posted a lovely review. Here is a short blurb:

"Little Shepherd could be read in Sunday school classes and day care centers, and children might also enjoy acting out the story."

To have two such wonderful reviews two days in a row, is almost too much for an author to ask. I feel truly blessed.

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Final Week Schedule

It's hard to believe, but the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 is in its final week. After Friday, I am going to hang up my virtual book tour hat for a tiny bit so that I can enjoy the holidays with my family.

I'll still be blogging and talking about Little Shepherd, so I hope you'll continue to check in here from time to tim. I also hope to add other things like short articles center on Christmas.

Here is where you can find me this week:

Monday, December 13
Interviewed at Café of Dreams
Book reviewed at Tribute Books Reviews & Giveaways
Tuesday, December 14
Book reviewed and guest blogging at The Story of A Writer
Wednesday, December 15
Book reviewed at J. Aday Kennedy’s Writing Playground (I don't think this will happen, but I'll let you know.)
Book reviewed at Putting Words Down on Paper
Thursday, December 16
Guest blogging at Authors & Appetizers
Friday, December 17
Interviewed at Putting Words Down on Paper
Book reviewed at The Elliott Review

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Week Nine Recap

Well, last week was a strange week. Some stops were late; I missed writing one guest post, but my chum, Tracee, took care of that; and my poor friend J. Aday, whose blog I was supposed to be at on Friday was in the hospital battling pneumonia. Thankfully she is home and trying to relax.

So that you know where I was last week, here is a short recap. You can add comments at any of these tour stops up until December 17th, which is when the tour ends. Leave a comment will enter you into my drawing to win a free Christmas gift basket.

Monday, December 6
Book spotlighted at The Hot Author Report
Book reviewed at A Mom After God’s Own Heart
Tuesday, December 7
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Guest blogging at Blogher
Wednesday, December 8
Guest blogging at The Hot Author Report
Book reviewed at Lynn’s Corner
Thursday, December 9
Guest blogging at The Hot Author Report
Guest blogging at Lynn’s Corner
Friday, December 10
Book reviewed at 4 the Love of Books

You can purchase Little Shepherd at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

 

You can also email me at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com if you would like an autographed copy of the book.

 

Thanks for your support.

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 43

Merrily we roll along....

It's hard to believe the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 is almost over. Where has the time gone? There's still time to pick up a copy of Little Shepherd for holiday gift giving, so I hope you take advantage of free shipping from any online vendor offering it, and pick up a copy today.

I'm not sure how it became Thursday so quickly, but here it is. This is the last day I am at The Hot Author Report. When the blog first debuted, I wrote a post on five thing you didn't know about me. Well, today I am offering up more of myself in this article titled, "Five More Things You Didn't Know About Children's Book Author Cheryl C. Malandrinos".

Original, don't you think? Hey, titles aren't my strong suit.

You can find that post at http://www.thehotauthorreport.com/five-more-things-you-didn%e2%80%99t-know-about-childrens-book-author-cheryl-c-malandrinos and it shows off some of my sense of humor.

Yesterday, a review of Little Shepherd was supposed to appear at Lynn's Corner. Unfortunately, Lynn's computer has a boo-boo and is in the shop. She did, however, get a chance to pre-post this article from me about old stories being made new. That's what Obed's story really is--the Christmas story told in a new way in the hopes that young kids can discover the beauty of Christmas miracles.

You'll find this post at http://lynnmcmo.com/2010/12/09/old-stories-told-in-new-ways-by-cheryl-c-malandrinos/.

Remember to leave comments for your chance to win a gift basket filled with Christmas goodies.

Thanks for your support.

Cheryl

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour - Day 42

For a third day in a row I am visiting The Hot Author Report. Today I am talking about getting inspiration from other writers and how helpful writing groups have been to me.

You can find this post at http://www.thehotauthorreport.com/inspiration-from-other-writers-by-cheryl-malandrinos. Leave a comment and be entered in my drawing for a Christmas basket of goodies.

Purchase a copy of Little Shepherd from now until December 17th and send me proof of purchase to be entered in to win another gift basket.

You can purchase Little Shepherd at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

You can also email me at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com if you would like an autographed copy of the book.

 

Thanks for your support.

Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour Days 40 and 41

Well, despite being sick and stops turning up late, the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 continues.

Yesterday, and today, I had two stops, so that means four chances for you to leave comments to be entered in to win that lovely Christmas basket filled with goodies.

My friend from the land down under shared a bit about Little Shepherd on Monday at her blog, The Hot Author Report. You can find her post at http://www.thehotauthorreport.com/the-little-shepherd-by-cheryl-c-malandrinos.

Then Shirley over at A Mom After God's Own Heart posted a wonderful review. You can find that one at http://therempels4.blogspot.com/2010/12/little-shepherd-virtual-book-tour.html.

Today, I returned to The Hot Author Report for an interview. You can find that post at http://www.thehotauthorreport.com/interview-with-cheryl-malandrinos-author-of-childrens-book-the-little-shepherd

I'm also at Blogher.com today talking about the other side of book promotion--the author side.  That's at http://www.blogher.com/im-not-sure-i-side-book-promotion-world-cheryl-malandrinos.

Autographed copies of Little Shepherd can be ordered by sending me an email at cg20pm00(at)gmail(dot)com. Please put "Little Shepherd" in the subject line.

You can also order your copy online at:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

The Little Shepherd Virtual Book Tour Continues on Monday, December 6th

After a short break, the LITTLE SHEPHERD VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR '10 picks up again on Monday, December 6th. If all goes well, there will be ten stops this week, which means 10 more chances to enter my giveaway.

Here's what the week looks like:

Monday, December 6
Book spotlighted at The Hot Author Report
Book reviewed at A Mom After God’s Own Heart

Tuesday, December 7
Interviewed at The Hot Author Report
Guest blogging at Blogher

Wednesday, December 8
Guest blogging at The Hot Author Report
Book reviewed at Lynn’s Corner

Thursday, December 9
Guest blogging at The Hot Author Report
Interviewed at Lynn’s Corner

Friday, December 10
Book reviewed at 4 the Love of Books
Guest blogging at J. Aday Kennedy’s Writing Playground



Leave a comment at any of these blog stops and you'll be entered to win a Christmas gift basket retailing for $65. Purchase a copy of Little Shepherd between its release date of August 21, 2010 and the end of my virtual book tour on December 17, 2010, and submit proof of purchase, to be eligible to win another gift basket with a retail value of $97.

Additional rules and guidelines can be found at the end of this post.

To purchase a copy of Little Shepherd visit:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble
Guardian Angel Publishing
Indiebound.org

GIVEAWAY #1 (for people who comment during my VBT)

An autographed copy of Little Shepherd
Angel figurine printed with the Serenity Prayer
A Little Shepherd sticky note pad
Little Drummer Boy 2010 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament
Gift of Peace 2003 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament

Retail value of Giveaway #1 is $65 (rounded to nearest dollar)

*****


GIVEAWAY #2 (for those who purchase a copy of Little Shepherd between August 21, 2010 and December 17, 2010)

A "Sparkling Angel" scented jar candle from Yankee Candle
An angel gold and silver lid topper for the candle
An angel tea light holder from Yankee Candle
A Little Shepherd sticky note pad
A Jim Shore Nativity Star hanging ornament
A Jim Shore Holy Family hanging ornament
A $25 Amazon.com gift card

Retail Value of Giveaway #2 is $97 (rounded to the nearest dollar)

Here are the rules and guidelines for these giveaways:

1) For Giveaway #1 you must leave a comment on the hosting blog with a working email address for us to contact you if you win.

2) For Giveaway #1 only the first comment with your working email address is used to determine eligibility (one comment, per blog).

3) You are eligible to win Giveaway #2 if you purchase a copy of Little Shepherd between August 21, 2010 and December 17, 2010 and provide proof of purchase via email, mail, or fax prior to December 19, 2010. Little Shepherd is available at the Guardian Angel Publishing website, Amazon, Barnesandnoble.com, and at indiebound.org.

4) All giveaway winners will be selected using Random.org.

5) Prizes will be shipped via USPS with appropriate insurance. The author cannot guarantee receipt before December 25, 2010.

6) Author, blog hosts, and Pump Up Your Book are not responsible for lost or damaged goods.

7)  The same person cannot win both giveaways.

Although it is not a requirement for eligibility, the author asks that you consider following the blogs who host her during her tour and also the Little Shepherd blog.

Good luck to all who enter!

Listen to My Podcast with Barry at A Book and A Chat

In case you missed it, you can still catch my interview on A Book and  A Chat with Storyheart (Barry Eva).  There is a link on the Blogtalkradio site, which you can click on and listen to how the show went. We talked about a lot of things: Little Shepherd, online book promotion, Picture Book Idea Month, and more.

After listening to it myself, I've decided I really need to strike the phrase, "you know" from my vocabulary. LOL!

I would appreciate your feedback.

Listen in at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/across-the-pond/2010/12/04/a-book-and-a-chat-with-cheryl-c-malandrinos

Cheryl Malandrinos on A Book and A Chat Today!

Children’s author Cheryl Malandrinos to be a Guest on A Book and A Chat

Cheryl C. Malandrinos, author of “Little Shepherd” will be a special guest on the popular Blogtalkradio show, A Book and A Chat with Storyheart.

Join Storyheart at 11 AM Eastern on Saturday, December 4, 2010 for A Book and A Chat sit down with children’s author Cheryl C. Malandrinos. You can listen online at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Across-the-Pond and call in your questions to 347- 237-5398.

Malandrinos’ picture book, “Little Shepherd” has hit the Amazon bestseller’s list in the Large Print Children’s Books category four times since its release.

Here is what reviewers are saying about “Little Shepherd”:

“It's a great book for families during the holidays looking to bring more depth and understanding to the standard nativity story.”

--Christy’s World of Books

“Little Shepherd is a great Christmas story for children between the ages of 4-8 that inspires faith and trust in something that cannot be seen, but can be felt in the heart and in the soul. This book would make a great addition to any Christmas collection as well as in any religious setting.”

--The Crypto-Capers Review

“Your first reaction may be, oh goodness another story on the birth of Christ. Toss those thoughts away and immerse yourself and your children into the magical arrival of Christ the Lord. Children’s author, Cheryl C. Malandrinos has re-explored and created a beautiful re-enactment of Christ the Lord’s birth in a unique and awe inspiring rendition which surely will become classical reading in Christian religious school studies and home libraries.

The old time illustrations expertly created by illustrator, Eugene Ruble will leave you feeling that you journeyed through the countryside with Obed and his fellow shepherds.”

--Donna McDine, award-winning author of The Golden Pathway

Cheryl Malandrinos is a freelance writer, online book publicist, blogger and reviewer. She is a founding member of Musing Our Children and Editor in Chief of the group’s quarterly newsletter, Pages & Pens. “Little Shepherd” is her first book.

Visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com

Storyheart (Barry Eva) is the author of the YA romance novel, “Across the Pond” and the host of the popular Blogtalkradio show, A Book and A Chat.

You’ll find Storyheart online at http://acrossthepond-storyheart.blogspot.com/.

Contact information:

Cheryl C. Malandrinos

Email: cg20pm00@gmail.com

Website: http://ccmalandrinos.com

Help Your Family Make the Holidays Meaningful by Cheryl C. Malandrinos

Help Your Family Make the Holidays Meaningful

By Cheryl C. Malandrinos

Copyright Cheryl Malandrinos - All Rights Reserved

Does your blood pressure go up a few points every time you hear your children screech, “I want that!” while gazing blankly into the television set?  At times I become so frustrated with the “I wants” that I consider tossing the TV into the woods for the chipmunks to use as a hotel.

Even though the level of television advertising has significantly increased over the past forty years, there are several ways parents can encourage their families to embrace the spirit of the season and to think of others.  Here are just a few ideas that might work for your family.

Volunteering

Volunteering is an excellent way to help your family move their focus to others.  Whether you choose to volunteer at church, raise money for charities or help out at a local food pantry or shelter, it’s a good idea to consider what causes and issues are important to your family and what skills your family has to offer before selecting volunteer opportunities.

Donating gently used items

At least twice a year I go through clothes, toys, and other household items to decide what can be donated to our local crisis center and the church’s annual tag sale. 

But this doesn’t have to be a one-person chore. 

Include your family in the process by starting off with a brief discussion of being thankful.  Encourage family members to share what they are most thankful for and help them understand there are many people who are in need of some of the things they already own. 

Ask each family member to donate three gently used items and decide as a group which shelter or organization will receive these items.

Visit Shut-ins

Do you have a relative or neighbor who can no longer drive?  Plan a visit with your family.  Bring along a baked good or other homemade item to make your visit extra special.  Offer to help him/her do a bit of shopping or to decorate his/her home for the holidays.

Focus on People, Not Things

It’s easy to get so tied up in buying gifts, baking, and decorating that we forget to spend time together.  Help your family enjoy the peace and love of the season by dedicating one night a week to each other.  Now is the perfect time to cut back on watching television and have family reading nights.  Pick a favorite holiday classic, like A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and settle into the family room together and read a small portion each night. 

Children learn a lot by watching their parents, so lead by example.  Encourage your family not to focus on how many gifts they receive by spending less money while increasing the amount of time you spend together. 

When you make people, not things, the priority, everyone can have a truly meaningful holiday season!

Cheryl Malandrinos is a freelance writer and editor. A regular contributor for Writer2Writer, her articles focus on increasing productivity through time management and organization. A founding member of Musing Our Children, Ms. Malandrinos is also Editor in Chief of the group’s quarterly newsletter, Pages & Pens.   

Cheryl is a Tour Coordinator for Pump Up Your Book, a book reviewer, and blogger. Little Shepherd is her first children’s book. Ms. Malandrinos lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband and two young daughters. She also has a son who is married.

You can visit Cheryl online at http://ccmalandrinos.com. 

Christmas Children's Books

I love reading books set around Christmas. Children's books are some of the most fun. I'm proud to say that Little Shepherd is among the many possible choices you have when selecting a Christmas children's book for the young person in your life. There are, however, many other great books around this time of year. This video trailer mentions just a few.



Here are some lists of titles you can check out that others have suggested:

G. Powell's list on Amazon can be found at: http://www.amazon.com/Best-Childrens-Christmas-books/lm/H65O5OCPJUKR

Elizabeth Kinney put together this list a few years back that includes slides of book covers:  http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/holidays/ss/christmas2004.htm

Apples 4 the Teacher suggests these ones: http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/christmas/kids-books/

They also suggested this list of Christian Christmas children's books: http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/christmas-religious/kids-books/

This is another list from Amazon. This one comes to you from Cassandra W.: http://www.amazon.com/Great-Christmas-Books-for-Kids/lm/F64KKM87CA3H

And last but not least, here are some of my personal favorites:

'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore, illustrated by Kat Whelan. This lovely book from tiger tales has a cute Santa Mouse who visits the Mouse family on Christmas Eve. The pages are cardstock and have glitter accents.

A Nutty Nutcracker Christmas by Ralph Covert and G. Riley Mills, illustrated by Wilson Swain. This book came out in 2009 from Chronicle Books. It takes the traditional nutcracker story and turns it on its ear.

Fritz is left home on Christmas Eve with his neighbor. All he wants to do is play his video game, but it's been locked in the closet because he broke his sister's doll. Fritz sneaks the game out of the closet and begins playing, sending him on a magical journey to Christmas Wood where he must help the Nutcracker defeat the Mouse King's evil plan.

The Christmas Pumpkin by Debbie Reese, illustrated by Ron Head. This award-winning book from BeeBop Books tells the story of a young boy whose father gives him a green pumpkin at the end of the harvest season. The boy decides to decorate it for Christmas, but everyone he tells this it's idea. That is until he meets up with a kind old man with a long white beard who offers him some help.

Baby Jesus is Missing by Dixie Phillips, illustrated by K.C. Snider. This book is from my publisher, Guardian Angel Publishing. When I read books like this one, it makes me realize all over again why I wanted them to be the ones to bring Little Shepherd to readers.

In this book, Mommy and Daddy are all tied up with winning the neighborhood Christmas decorating contest, but young Josiah is worried about something else–Baby Jesus is missing from their wooden manager scene, and you can’t have Christmas without Jesus. Baby Jesus is Missing features some of artist K.C. Snider's wonderful winter scene illustrations that I love so much.

One Family's Christmas by Mary Jean Kelso, illustrated by K.C. Snider. Another book from Guardian Angel Publishing, find young Derrick going up to the dreaded attic with his father to find the Christmas decorations. When they discover the Christmas angel that once traveled the Oregon Trail, Derrick and his older sister vow to protect the angel just as those who brought along the trail did many years before them.

All the books on my list and many of the others mentioned are available at Amazon.com.