Featured Author ~ Mary Jean Kelso 08/02/2011
Please welcome, Mary Jean Kelso to The Mustard Seed today. Let's meet Mary Jean...  Mary Jean Kelso is the author of Cowboy James and has written many other children’s books for Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc., as well as Young Adult and Adult novels through other publishing houses. Her books are available on Amazon.com (many for Kindle). All of her children’s illustrated books can be previewed at http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com. Please check out GAP’s FREE on-line magazine for children at http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com and the Andy and the Albino Horse blog spot at www.andyandthealbinohorse.blogspot.com for fun things for kids to do. Video trailers of some of the books are available at http://www.blazingtrailers.com/browse.php?txt=kelso or on YouTube. Mary Jean is a member of Made in Nevada (www.madeinNevada.org). More information on the author is available at www.authorsden.com/maryjeankelso. Cowboy James will be available in all media formats including digital downloads, paperback, hardback and audio DVD. www.madeinNevada.org www.wings-press.com www.whiskeycreekpress.com www.authorsden.com/maryjeankelso andyandthealbinohorse.blogspot.com http://childrensbookwinp.ning.com/profile/MaryJeanKelso http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com http://www.guardian-angel-kids.com http://guardianangelfamily.blogspot.com/  What is your preferred type of book to read for leisure? Although I write romance novels, I also write (and read) mysteries. I think the storyline is more important than genre. A good story is a good story is a good story. My romance novels are, compared to some, bland when it comes to sex scenes. I like my mysteries the same way – not too gory. I am just finishing The Cat Who books by Lilian Jackson Braun having read them in sequence and only two more to read after her death this year. I love a good mystery novel, too. What was the setting for the most romantic scene you've ever written? A wedding night scene in an 1850’s hotel overlooking a beautiful lake at sunset. You write romance novels, but are you a true romantic at heart or not really? Unfortunately, I truly am. I say unfortunately because so many men don’t fulfill women’s ideas of romance. But, then, perhaps the times they do are so thrilling it makes up for the times they don’t. Occasionally, you get lucky and find someone who generates romantic ideas more frequently. True, not every man is a romantic but like you said, when they do something romantic...it's so nice! Can you share some facts about yourself? I have been an avid reader since early childhood. I have written all my life and decided to make it my life’s work in the 1960s. I, like one of you recent guest bloggers, also saw a flying saucer when I was a child. Then, and never again. I wonder if all writers have had that experience. Maybe we should do a poll? I am fascinated in what makes people “tick.” I like finding the similarities in people and things and looking at patterns or “coincidences” in life. Like accidents, perhaps there are no coincidences. Thanks for sharing these facts. I would love to hear your thoughts on trends in the publishing industry.  Industry Trends: Do you know why Borders failed? It is my opinion that it is because they didn’t get on the bandwagon of e-books early enough to take advantage of the digital entry into the publishing industry. Very early on in digital publishing, I attended a Romance Writer’s Seminar where one of the speakers, Rosalie Moore, had just had a book published. It was on a 3 inch floppy disk. It was readable on a computer. That was my introduction to e-books. I knew, then, that it WAS the future. Now, don’t get me wrong. I like print books just as much as so many other people do. However, e-books are here to stay and publishers and book stores that haven’t embraced them have fallen by the wayside. This is not a trend. This is the reality of our time and our future. There will always probably be some printed books. However, the e-book market continues to outgrow them in number. A variety of e-book readers have been developed and e-books are readable on phones, iPods, laptops, tablets – any mechanism that has a screen and download capabilities. As for my authorship, I had several books published prior to the e-book craze. Now, most of my books are in digital formats for e-books, Flipbooks, audio DVD, paperback and hardback. My first e-book was generated sort of by accident. A print publisher accepted The Homesteader. When she called me she said, “You have a Best Seller here!” Music to my ears! Could she possibly be right? Then, she died before my book was published and the company closed. I was sad to hear of her demise. I, also, had a book that was no longer under contract. So, I forged ahead looking for another publisher and hoping disaster wouldn’t strike again when I found one. Within three months I had a contract with Wings Press. A recently organized publishing house, they were pioneers in e-book publishing who not only produced e-books but, also, generated print copies. Although my “Best Seller” wasn’t on the New York Times list, it was the Best Seller for May of that year at Wings Press. Since that time, Wings has published five of my novels both in print and e-book (most recently adding Kindle to their other digital outlets). One of their distributors is Fictionwise. Which gets us back to why Borders failed, in my opinion. Fictionwise was one of the first online e-book stores. Within a short time, Barnes & Noble (apparently more open to electronic books than some book sellers) jumped on the opportunity to buy Fictionwise. They also offered their own e-book reader, the Nook. Later, they developed kiosks at some of their stores to download and print e-books for those bibliophiles that want to hold a “real book” in their hands. For those people bemoaning the fact that they are faced with e-books in the future – I say, embrace them. If you don’t like them, download them and print them out in hard copy. If there is a book I just have to have in hard copy, I often buy both. Then I still have a print copy on my bookshelf as well as a convenient copy to carry with me on the e-reader or laptop on the go. Don’t be one of those, like Borders, who gets into the game too late because you can’t turn loose of the old ways. Think of the hundreds of books you can load onto the readers. Think of your opportunity to choose what you want to read while on a long trip. And, if you finish that book, be able to choose another, or another, or another, ad infinitum at your fingertips. Like losing my first publisher for The Homesteader, it is sad to lose Borders. Borders has been very good to me. They have hosted many book signings in my honor over the years. They gave many people the pleasure of previewing books and sipping Mochas. Like me, I’m sure you will miss them. I agree with your point that when publishers and bookstores haven't embraced eBooks, that they're not as successful. Can you share with us about your new book, Cowboy James?  Cowboy James Soon to be Released Guardian Angel Publishing, Inc., Saint Louis, MO, is scheduled to release Cowboy James this month. Most of my children’s illustrated books are in GAP’s Academic Wings Division. What does Academic Wings stand for? It is a Division of the publishing company which includes parent and teacher aides in the back of the books. Particularly valued by instructors and home schooling parents, the text not only has a story line but valuable information about the subject for additional learning experiences. Cowboy James is the story about a little boy who refuses to remove his cowboy hat for any reason. He loves to Rodeo. His involvement in Pee Wee Rodeo began as soon as he could toddle after small goats in the Goat Un-decorating contest and progressed through Stick Horse Racing. Now, he competes in Mutton Bustin’. His main competitor is a little girl who wears red cowboy boots, which she also believes are permanently affixed to her feet. When they meet each other in the ring for Mutton Bustin’ the outcome is far different than either of them expects. Not only is the storyline enjoyable but the opportunity for children to learn to share is imbedded within. Authentic illustrations created by K C Snider make the work “readable” for smaller children. Back of the book pages contain a reprint of an article about a real Pee Wee Rodeo Bull Rider Web links to even more information on the sport are included as well. Cowboy James will be available in all media formats including digital downloads, paperback, hardback and audio DVD. Mary Jean, thank you so much for being a guest today. I enjoyed chatting with you and getting to know more about you and your books. Comments08/02/2011 1:25pm
I didn't even know there was such a thing as PeeWee Rodeo. The book sounds darling. Thanks for the great interview, Joanne! 08/02/2011 2:27pm
Hi Mary Jean, Janet Ann Collins 08/02/2011 4:30pm
That book sounds like one both boys and girls will enjoy. Jacqueline Seewald 08/02/2011 8:22pm
Joanne and Mary Jean, good interview. Mary Preston 08/03/2011 4:33am
COWBOY JAMES looks wonderful. A great gift. Nany 08/03/2011 10:35am
08/03/2011 10:37am
What a great interview! It was so nice getting to know you better, Mary Jean. I agree with what you've said about eBooks--here to stay, whether we like it or not. 08/03/2011 10:39am
What a delightful interview. I enjoyed learning a bit about you, and I agree with your comments about ebooks. Very interesting comments. Sara van Dyck 09/19/2011 3:14pm
I enjoyed your interview, Mary Jean, and appreciate your thoughts about how we can and need to make the transition into e-books. 11/21/2011 7:44am
These books sound wonderful. I will be buying one or two for my little greatgrand son. Even at ten months he loves to be read to. I look forward to lots of good reading with him. Leave a Reply | Click photo to view Blog Trailer
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