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10 ways you can help me spread awareness about plastic in our oceans this Holiday Season!

11/20/2022

The time is finally here. The book is starting to post on websites(!!) I cannot thank you all enough for the excitement. It is contagious and I really feel the love and support from so many family and friends.

A lot of you have asked how you can help me. Here are a few ways:

Buy the book and gift it this holiday season. To anyone and everyone who works with children or has children. This is a true investment in ocean's future and I really do hope and pray it makes a big impact.
Please read the book and then...
Please, leave honest reviews! This is so helpful because without reviews, the book won't get much traction on amazon, B&N, etc.
If you are at a library or bookstore, ask them to please carry Island Girls! This will take a village to get my little book in your local stores and libraries. Give them these ISBN numbers that they can search by, this will help. Island Girls, 9781662932472, Hardcover (LL)
Island Girls, 9781662932489, Paperback
Gift a copy of the book to your child's teacher for their classroom. There are activities and suggestions in the back-matter for activities to do together to get involved and make a difference.
Talk about the book, maybe a news outlet will pick up the story!
Ask your school if they'd like me to come for an author visit. Many schools host these virtually as well.
Know anyone in the news? PR? or anyone who has a big following on social channels and they'd like to do a post on the book? Send them my way, the farther we can reach, the better.
If you see a post of mine that you like, share it, like it, comment on it, or, post about the book yourself! I appreciate it.
Corporate gifting: if your company wants to place a bulk order and donate the books to a children's hospital or a charity, I'd love to talk to you, please email me. OR if you'd like to order copies to give to your business buddies for the holidays, we have enough time to place those orders and get them to you this year!

Where can I buy the book today?
At this minute on November 20, the book is up on a few websites, one site has hardback, two have paperback. It just takes time for the big retailers to upload all of the information to their sites. The book will be available in hardback, paperback, ebook, and audiobook. I'm hoping by Tuesday at the latest they will be up everywhere. Right now both versions of the book can be found on the following website:

Gatekeeper Press

Due to high demand, I am ordering more books to sign for the holidays(!!)
IF YOU ARE LOCAL IN RICHMOND ONLY, I am taking pre-orders for signed copies for the holiday. I will be placing one more bulk order before Thanksgiving to have the books in time for the signings. You can reserve your books by sending a Venmo payment to @blairnwilliamson and you can pick them up at a signing event.
These signed, first edition copies are $25 each.
Otherwise, you can buy the books on the above sites and bring the book with you to a signing, I'll sign it there for you.

I appreciate the love and support so much and I'm stretching my hand... getting ready to sign all the books for you all!

It really will take a village but together, I do believe we can FREE THE SEA OF PLASTIC!

THANK YOU ALL.

Here is one more sneak peek image of the gorgeous illustrations by Svitlana Holovchenko. We can't wait for you to enjoy her original watercolor illustrations. She is so incredibly talented!

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Dallas Writers Retreat: Writing with Rosie Recap

11/10/2022

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Writing with Rosie weekend was a huge success!

I just got back from another whirlwind of a weekend in Dallas, Texas. I attended the workshop with the intention of learning more about the children's picture book industry, working on my own manuscripts, having FUN, and connecting with other women in the KidLit community. I did all of that... and so much more!

A quick recap of what the weekend entailed with the wonderful writers who flew in from New Jersey, California, Virginia (me), and a few from Texas:

We had a very informative lecture from author/editor Jackie Kruzie about making picture books B.A.R.F.
We had a surprise visit from author Jennifer C. Judd who shared insights on rhyme, poetry, and magazine submissions.
Rosie shared her 20 questions to ask an agent to make sure you find the *right* agent for you.
We had round-table critique sessions, writing prompt challenges, and one-on-one manuscript critique session with Jackie and Rosie.
I shared my experience over the past 2 years since I started working with Rosie, from writing, to submissions, to receiving offers to publish, to getting an agent, to publishing my first book!

Rosie's willingness to help new picture book authors in the industry is so amazing. I really am very happy to have found her and the little community we have built is amazing.

This year Rosie added Jackie Kruzie to her faculty for the weekend, and she was so valuable! Jackie's experience as an editor brought our manuscripts to the "next level". I am forever grateful to Jackie for leading the edits on Island Girls: Free the Sea of Plastic which is publishing in a few weeks. We took my manuscript down from 523 words to 302, which is just so incredible in the world of picture books!

I am also very thankful to my new critique group, appropriately named "The Gut Fillers", for your willingness to share your work with me, the group, your honest feedback, and your support of all things Island Girls. I cannot wait to meet you all again at another retreat!

Rosie and Jackie, thank you again for everything. I can't wait for the next retreat!

For more photos and updates from our weekend in Dallas, visit Rosie's website online here: https://www.rosiejpova.com/writersretreat2022.html

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10 ways you can help me spread awareness about plastic in our oceans this Holiday Season!

Dallas Writers Retreat: Writing with Rosie Recap

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