4 Tips For Writing Fantasy Stories

Do you feel overwhelmed because you never know how to come up with an opening line to your fantasy book? Most people feel a writer's block when they start writing their story because they do not know how to start.

Here are four step-by-step approaches or categories to get you started and focused on your writing.

1. Create A Character

2. Create The Setting

3. Create A Conflict

4. Create A Solution-Ending

I just finished reviewing a fantastic juvenile fiction series called The Kelmar Trilogy by Laura Sepesi. Fantasy is highly imaginative writing. For example, one can read about animals talking with one another, expressing emotions and wearing real clothes. Fantasy can be set in medieval times with castles and dragons, wizards and knights. Or the story can be set in the future.

So, when you begin to write your fantasy story, you will need to come up with a name for your character. Keep in mind that you will want to choose an exciting name and not just "dragon" but rather, "dragon-lord." This is what we call a compound word, taking two separate words joined together to form a new word, like "candlestick."

At this point, you will want to create details of your character from his or her size, characteristics, color, appearance, and descriptive titles to your character. For example, Dubious the dark-knight or Phoebe, the good-fairy of Seaguard Cove have soft or hard sounds to their name.

Once you've established the main characters and sub-characters of your story and have included a variety of dragons, dwarfs, ladies and lords, it's time to move on to the setting.

Will you start with the Great Fortress of Camden, surrounded in an enchanting forest? Perhaps the wise queen of Goshen lives in the High Tower of Gadzar. Whatever setting you choose, you will have lots of scene changes to create from barren deserts and empty plains to evil fortresses and radiant cities.

The next hearty step of your story outline will be the meat-and-potatoes part. Will the dark forces pose traps, plots and schemes to force their opponent in battle? Will monsters arise, sorcerers cast spells and a witch uses an invisibility cloak to lead a surprise attack to defeat their enemies? Yes, more descriptive writing occurs here to develop a real page-turner story.

My favorite and final point in writing a fantasy story is to provide an ending that hopefully pleases everyone but after all, it is your story and you probably will choose a predictable ending, like good triumphs over evil, but then, maybe not.

I personally like to read about the Good Lady Diana being rescued by her favorite, Great Knight Nicholas, from the treacherous and barbarous William Zardk, along with his companion, the dangerous Dragon Dunzabar. To be taken to Nicholas' enchanted castle to meet his father, the Kindly King, and to begin a new life atop a pinnacle of rock, overlooking a lush valley would be a great ending, and indeed another sequel to a marvelous, new beginning.

Book Review: If You're Reading This It's Too Late by Pseudonymous Bosch

Question: What do you get when you combine a 500-year-old man born in a bottle... an evil society bent on discovering the secret to immortality... and two adventurous 11-year-olds?

Answer: A fun, witty book that kids are sure to enjoy reading.

Yes, Pseudonymous Bosch has done it again. In his obtrusive, snarky way, he's created a story that kids will eat up - but will parents choke on the mild violence and references to the occult?

The Good Stuff

This is a story about a very independent survivalist (Cass) who learns little by little to rely on and trust others - especially Max-Ernest and the members of the Terces Society.

Cass, Max-Ernest, Yo-Yoji and the other members of the Terces Society all exhibit true friendship, as they stand by each other through thick and thin.

Here are a few examples that stood out to me...

- Cass asks Cabbage Face to forgive her for lying to him.

- Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji round up the Terces Society to rescue Cass from the Midnight Sun.

- Cabbage Face sacrifices his life to save Cass.

Violence

While "If You're Reading This, It's Too Late" isn't what most people would consider violent, Cass and Max-Ernest do find themselves in some hair-raising situations.

For example...

- Dr. L shanghaies Cass and Max-Ernest on board a ship, ties them up, and threatens to use them as shark bait.

- Cass finds out that Cabbage Face (the 500-year-old homunculus) killed the Lord Pharaoh and buried his remains. (At one point, he claims to have "eaten" the Lord Pharaoh.")

- Ms. Mauvais' evil henchmen grab Cass and the homunculus at the Skelton Sisters concert and threaten them with bodily harm.

- Cass is tied to a tree in a graveyard and gets frostbite.

- When the Terces Society battles the Midnight Sun to rescue Cass, there is much punching, flame-throwing, biting and kicking.

Magic, Sorcery and Spirituality

"If You're Reading This, It's Too Late" does have some spirituality of the ancient Egyptian kind.

For example,

- The doctor who "created" the homunculus was a devotee of the secret science called alchemy - and he wanted power over life itself. He even started calling himself "Lord Pharaoh," because he discovered powers only known to the kings of ancient Egypt.

- The immortality-seeking loonies of the Masters of the Midnight Sun chant while the Lord Pharaoh's grave is dug up.

- Ms. Mauvais calls Lord Pharaoh a "god." She wants to continue his work, so the members of the Midnight Sun can be gods too.

But there's something else...

It's not exactly magic, but there are some strange, unexplainable things that happen in the story.

For example, Cass has nightmares about a short, odd-looking little creature (the homunculus) - BEFORE she even knew he existed. She also dreams that he could be found at a nearby lake - and lo and behold, that's where she finds him.

And while I'm on the topic, how can Cabbage Face (the homunculus) be alive in the first place? He was created in a bottle 500 years ago. Who comes into the world like that - and who lives that long? It's very strange, if you ask me.

Plus, there's the mysterious Sound Prism that has the power to call Cabbage Face. Hmmm... Not exactly magic, but how do you explain it?

Sexual Content

None.

Drugs and Alcohol

Cabbage Face steals a bottle of wine that Cass' grandfathers brought along on the camping trip to the lake. The kids discover that he has a cache of stolen alcohol when he graciously offers them a drink of wine, vodka, gin, malt scotch, tequila or cognac. (The kids wisely drink water instead.)

Foul Language

None.

Other Negative Stuff

Our heroes do a bit of lying, stealing and disobeying in order to have their adventures.

For example...

- Cass and Max-Ernest ignore their teacher's orders to stay close and slip away from a class trip to meet up with the Terces Society... and end up in a mess of trouble.

- Cass steals the Sound Prism from Dr. L and Ms. Mauvais - but I suppose the fact that she "stole" from the bad guys makes the theft a bit more justified.

- Cass lies to the homunculus to get him to come with her to the Terces Society.

- Cass uses the Sound Prism to eavesdrop on a couple of girls in the school bathroom.

- Cass lies to her mom to get her permission to go to the Skelton Sisters concert with Max-Ernest and Yo-Yoji.

My Two Cents

"If You're Reading This, It's Too Late" is a witty, fun follow-up to "The Name of This Book is Secret." Kids will enjoy reading along as Cass and her friends have yet another adventure with the Terces Society. And they'll get a kick out of all the extras in the appendix.

Some parents might not be comfortable with the occult nature of the Masters of the Midnight Sun. But for the most part, this book is appropriate for most 9 to 12-year-olds.

The Top Seven Great Reasons to Use EBooks for Kids

An eBook is a book in an electronic format that is downloaded to a computer, laptop or PDA. It looks exactly like a book and has numbered pages, pictures, graphics and a table of contents. As the world becomes obsessed with electronic gadgets, eBooks are gaining popularity amongst adults and children.

Most kids love to play video and computer games, so introducing them to the world of eBooks should be a simple progression. Children love interacting on the computer and they can do this while reading an eBook. This allows them to see books in a totally new light.

eBooks can be books that your children read on their own, or they may be books that you read aloud to them together. They can be found in novel format, fiction, non-fiction and animated picture books. There are also a number of online book sites to open the world of reading to your child at an early age. The following are seven great reasons to use eBooks for kids.

1) Introduces Them to the World of Technology - Reading an eBook allows you to teach your child how to utilize today's technology. Kids are obsessed with electronic gadgets and will be thrilled to learn how to use the keyboard. This is also an excellent way to give your kids a head start and prepare them for entering school.

2) Colorful Display and Pictures - eBooks for kids promotes learning through its vibrant colorful and picture display on the computer. It also holds their interest for a longer period of time.

3) Click on a Link - eBooks provide links to additional information and is an excellent tool for added learning. If they are unsure of a word or would like to learn more information, they can click on the link and gain additional knowledge. This is an excellent way to make learning fun.

4) Save a Tree - You can teach your child the importance of saving the environment by utilizing ebooks. The books are downloaded safely to your computer and cutting down trees is not a requirement to manufacture a book.

5) eBooks for Kids Can Be Read Anywhere - If you and your child find yourselves with unexpected free time, an eBook can come in handy. This is especially true if your eBooks are downloaded to a PDA and you can carry it with you at all times. eBooks are an excellent way to keep your child occupied with entertaining educational materials and not seek out mischief.

6) Indestructible - Traditional books can tatter, fade and tear. eBooks for kids can last for decades and be passed down from generation to generation. They are also easily transported and shared with others.

7) No Waiting - eBooks for kids can be delivered almost immediately. You can show your kids how easy it is to purchase an eBook, download it and begin to read it within a matter of minutes. You don't have to go to the bookstore or wait for them to arrive in the mail either.

Reading to children at an early age benefits them into adulthood. eBooks for kids will help keep them interested in reading. This will also help them be better equipped during their job seeking years and have a brighter outlook for their future.

Important Tips for Publishing a Children's Book

The task of finding a publisher for your book can be daunting. Even J.K. Rowling, the highly acclaimed author of the Harry Potter books, received many rejections before achieving her phenomenal success. To circumvent the publisher problem, you may wish to consider publishing a children's book yourself. This route can be a very profitable one, providing you know what you're doing.

As soon as you start to investigate the possibility of self-publishing you will find yourself surrounded by apparent offers to assist. There are hundreds of companies only too ready to part you from your cash, and charge you a very high price indeed for publishing your work. Known as "vanity publishers", these organizations are out to make high profits - for themselves, not you!

As a self-publisher, your best option is to simply choose a regular, commercial printing company to carry out your work. You should fully investigate the market and choose a company that offers competitive prices. By following this route you will have full control of the process, and can make your own decisions about quality of materials and finish.

By using a mainstream printing company to assist you in publishing a children's book you will be able to retain full copyright to your work. There will be no requirement for you to sign a contract with the printer in this respect. This leaves you free to take all the profits from sales of your work, and also at liberty to use another printer, should you so wish, for any future reprints of your book.

It's important that you are fully aware of the work involved in publishing a children's book yourself. You must be prepared to take responsibility for all aspects of the process such as editing and proofreading. Also there will be important decisions to make on layout, font size, typefaces, bindings and so on. The level of involvement is considerable, but perhaps this is something you will in fact relish.

Providing you choose a printing company with a good reputation and high standards of customer care, these additional tasks need not be overtaxing. Ensure your children's book printing company is prepared to offer plenty of guidance, and that you can easily contact them for updates and clarifications.

Lastly, I'd like to touch on the subject of ISBNs. International Standard Book Numbers are unique 13 digit identifiers and enable books to be ordered and tracked in a commercial distribution network. If you are planning to handle sales of your children's book yourself, by selling directly in person or through a website, it's not necessary to have an ISBN.

Top FIve Types of Activity Books For Young Children

Activity books are a great way to make reading fun. There are lots of different types of activity books available to suit different age groups. Here we have selected our top 5.

1.Texture Books
Texture, also known as touch and feel books, are very popular with babies and very young children. These are books where part of the picture is made out of different fabrics and materials. Babies like the tactile aspect of the pages and love to touch the pictures while the story is being read to them. This type of book will also help develop the childs sensory awareness.

2. Lift the Flap Books
These are story books which usually have flaps to lift on every page It is a classic book format that children love. Lifting the flaps adds to the fun of the story and will make story time a more interactive event. These books are usually aimed at younger children from babies up to the age of about 4 or 5. When choosing a lift the flap book look for books with a sturdy feel and strong flaps. The flaps will get pulled and tugged at and if they are not attached securely or are not made out of thick cardboard, they wont last long.

3. Sound Books
Sound books are popular with pre-school children. They usually have one or more buttons to press which made noises or sounds appropriate to the story. The more elaborate sound books will have different sounds that need to played at the correct part of the story. Like the lift the flap books, they add an interactive element to reading your child a story.

4. Pop-up Books
Pop-up baby books are books that have been designed where part of the page leaps out as a 3D picture. The surprise of the 3D picture will intrigue babies and delight older children. The only downside is that pop-up books tend to be delicate so you will have to be careful as young children do love to touch. You can choose quite simple pop-up books for young children but there are plenty of more intricate and even interactive pop-up books which will be suitable for much older children.

5. Sticker Books
Sticker books come in a variety of formats. Some tell a story which can be decorated or added to by a selection of stickers. Others tell a story with specific places where each sticker should be place. Which book will appeal to your child will depend on their personality. some children will love the challenge of finding the right places to stick the stickers. Other children will want to be more creative and place stickers where they want. There is no right or wrong and both ways are good for a child's development and enjoyment.

Activity Books for Little Ones Certainly Are a God Send Throughout the Summer Break

The most challenging task on the planet is to make sure that your kids are kept occupied with either after school activities or activity books for children in the house. Meanwhile with the summer break coming parents may need several activity solutions up their sleeve so as to provide themselves with some respite from their over-active children.

For parents or guardians everywhere the day won't conclude at the sound of the school bell as children are going to want to paint more pictures, play more games and sing more songs. Keeping your kids safe and content after the school day has finished can generate problems yet with after school activities and sticker and activity books at home we've got the entire predicament sewn up!

Parents who work have the biggest problems as normally they aren't present in the home when the children finish school.

Although not to be mistaken as a baby sitting service, after school activities are a lifeline for working mums and dads everywhere. That being said, these activities can only do well if parents become involved also. For instance, occasionally parents or guardians could possibly assist with the making of outfits or maybe the painting of scenery for a school play. If your youngster was a member of a sports team, what would their game be like without the benefit of parents supporting them on the sidelines?

Although kids with working parents need to be looked after, there's no point in making your young kids participate in activities that may not interest them or they are not skilled at because it keeps them out of harms way. Talk to them, get to know what interests them and thereafter start looking around for the right after school classes which they are able to really enjoy whilst also generating new skills.

If you are a stay-at-home mum or dad and pick up your kids each day from the school door then you have to try and keep them entertained for far longer. With the aid of activity books for children and after completion of their homework assignments, one can sit them down and let them draw or paint a really colourful picture, solve puzzles or put together a jigsaw puzzle.

At home activities needn't always be stationary hobbies though. Young ones can play things like football, tennis or basketball in the garden. Not all kids are sporty and will much prefer to take dance lessons or discover how to play a musical instrument - however these kinds of classes invariably have a price! They may also pass the time by assisting with activities in the kitchen or garden - under the attentive eye of the parent or sitter obviously!

Whatever activity your little ones desire to do, they shall acquire a number of life skills such as discipline, patience and self-control.

In case finances are a concern there are lots of discount children's books online that you could select from and which will not break the bank. There is a wide range of kid's books available that can help them to discover how to read, further their reading skills or to educate and stimulate them in some other way. Just because they're educational books doesn't necessarily mean that a lot of them can't be fun!

Value Of Books In Character Development In Children

Reading is a fun and interactive way to bond with kids. Experts recommend reading a good book to a young child every day. It is usually done before a child goes to sleep. It is an excellent way to end the day as it leaves the kid's imagination flowing with wonderful thoughts. Moreover, reading books to children aloud can help cultivate creativity and expand vocabulary and reading skills. Children are curious beings and they love to hear new stories, see beautiful pictures and illustrations. Parents use books to help their children develop good character traits like courage, kindness and obedience.

Story Telling Books Mold Character

Stories have been an important part of man's life. Before, stories were passed on by word of mouth. Now, there are so many kinds of books available, thanks to the invention of the printing press in 1440. Story telling books today ranges from fairy tales, princess and prince books, fables, parables, folklore and so on. Millions of parents around the globe still use these story books to teach moral lessons to their little ones. Goldilocks and the three bears and Little Red Riding Hood are two of the most popular books of all time. These books teach kids different values which are applicable to all aspects of life. Goldilocks and the three bears talks about respect of others property and privacy. Little Red Riding Hood, on the other hand warns children of the danger of talking to strangers.

Fables And Parables

Parables illustrate life lessons and instructive principles. The Bible's New Testament provides a number of parables that Jesus taught himself while he is still on earth. One of the most significant parables in the bible is the Prodigal Son, which teaches about the love of the Father to his children. Fables, on the other hand, are very much like a parable but the difference is that it uses animals in the story. Aesop is credited for a number of popular fables today. Thus, the name Aesop's Fables become a popular household name. Aesop, according to research was Greek slave and story-teller believed to have lived between 620 and 560 BC. Some of his famous stories are "The Dog and the Wolf", which teaches the importance of being free, "The Bear and the Two Travelers" which talks about sincerity of friends.

Evolution Of Books

For years, books have greatly evolved. Before, books are part of every kid's bedtime routine. Children anticipate eagerly the first page of the book that their parents will read to them. Each book has a new story to tell. Children are intrigued to see how each story will end. Will the princess meet his prince charming? Will the frog turn to a handsome prince? On the other hand, with the advancement of technology, some children are no longer accustomed of having good books around the house. More parents and educators rely on the power of the internet to teach young minds to explore. Yes, having educational other educational materials and gadgets around the house is good. Then again, it is refreshing to see kids enjoying reading books. Certainly, the experience of feeling the hard covers of the book and the crisp turning of pages is different from just clicking on pages.