My name is Dr. Evona Lee Smith and I am a wife and mother of five children and a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. I received a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Dillard University at New Orleans as well as a Master of Science degree in nursing and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from Loyola University at New Orleans. I practiced as a registered nurse since 2003 and a family nurse practitioner since 2009.
Every child has a dream in childhood of what they want to become and their choices change daily and that’s the beauty of childhood.
This is such a cute and colorful story which teaches children about different colors , their importance and most importantly gives the message of ‘ Unity is Strength ‘.
I grew up in Napa, California, raising a family with a now grown son and daughter who are my rocks. My life partner of 13 years is my best critic as he is always willing to share constructive criticism in regards to my writing (when requested of course). Lol I worked in law enforcement for several years – later being offered a full-time position at my local district attorney’s office. While the pay was great, I always felt there was something missing. The wine industry in Napa was booming and the population grew to immense numbers with wineries being the staple point, wine bars on every corner and the tourists were more catered to than the locals. I started to miss the old small town Napa I grew up in and needed to make some changes in my life for this and other health-related reasons.I moved from Napa to a quaint country town in Lake County, up in the mountains, high above Napa. I spend endless hours in my writing cave (which overlooks the lake),especially during this unfortunate pandemic.Here, in my writing cave, I create my stories (both novels and children’s books), editing,formatting and marketing each book after endless hours of author forums, webinars and zoom meetings in order to improve my niche.
I also ghostwrite, format and market books for others, treating each story as my own. My latest venture has been to create a Book Marketing Plan for future authors, which provides everything they would need from the beginning stages of the process to the end. Between writing projects and marketing, I am a criminal court reporter for my local newspaper. While I enjoy keeping my local community versed on the crime in my county, I am blessed to balance my brain with the lighthearted stories from within my heart along with stories forwarded to me for edits and formatting.
Life is good.I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am grateful for all of your support!
Bubbly Jock Jack and the Thanksgiving Fallacy is a beautiful story with a strong message for children that everyone has different qualities so we don’t have to compare ourselves with others . Bubbly Jock jack is a wild turkey who lived on the cluck cluck farm with farmer Craig and his family . Once Jack overhears two young girls in the corn maze discuss their Thanksgiving plans and he now believes he will be on Farmer Craig’s Thanksgiving menu! This silly turkey pretends to be a bumble bee, a herding dog, a dairy cow and a hen but what he does not realize is that he has self-worth, too. Join the adventurous journey of this cute little turkey which just took my heart away .This book is an enjoyable reads with lots of laughter and learning because Bubbly Jock Jack is very funny and lovable his actions are hilarious
I just loved the concept of this book which teaches children about so many farm animals and what they do or what they give us . Illustrations are so beautiful and colorful that kids are going to love this book and want to read it again and again .This book has a unique POP-UP TEXT. If your child or student would like to learn fun facts about turkeys, every time they see a turkey illustration within the book, they can click on or near the turkey and a fun fact will POP-UP!!!!
Q: First tell us something about yourself ?
I am Anthony Newland and I was born and raised in South London. After completing a degree in criminology I have worked many roles ranging from customer services to roles within the criminal justice system. I have always been creative and wish to fill the world with my best and favourite ideas.
Q: How and when your journey started as a writer?
I have enjoyed writing since I was a child in primary school. I would often write short stories and even wrote and acted in plays for my family at family gatherings. I was always an avid reader and would often read books above my age range which I believe stemmed the birth and growth of my writing journey. Over the past ten years I have written plans for novels, short stories, poems and also music. “When Cow Lost Her Moo” is my first published story and is the first step in my official author journey.
Q: When did you write your first story? Is it published or not?
“When Cow Lost Her Moo” is my first children’s story but I have written a number of short stories and other mediums over the years. After writing this story I felt it was the right time to release my work into the world. Starting in children’s literature was never initially my intention but after writing this story it felt right and very special to me.
Q: Tell us something more about your books?
This is my first story but I have many ideas ready to go and intend to follow this story up soon. So keep your eyes peeled!
Q: Why do you choose kids as your reader ? is there any specific reason?
The reason I was inspired to write this particular story is the many inspirations around me. There have been an influx of young children within my family and I am inspired by them constantly. Watching them grow and build their personalities is fascinating and has been very surreal to me. My wife is a primary school teacher which is also a huge inspiration for me. She has supported me through the entire process and this has helped me take this direction.
Q: How did these stories and characters come to your mind?
Interestingly, when I write stories I usually plan them out in my head first starting from genre, to basic story thread, with characters and titles coming last. This story however took a very different process. I was sitting on a bus thinking what should my next story be about? I remember feeling a bit lost and having a moment where I had a lack of inspiration. Then the title “When Cow Lost Her Moo” came to me and skipped my usual steps of storytelling. It is a title I then sat on for some time before fleshing out the plan and story structure. I believe how I felt at the time inspired the title but overall it was one of these ideas that you pluck out of the deeper unexplored parts of the mind. As if gifted to you by a third party.
Q: Do you want to give any message for your readers?
The message I want to give is that without a doubt in life there will be moments in which we lose ourselves. Moments in which our “Moo” is missing. However there is always light at the end of the tunnel and finding ourselves is a matter of self-exploration and belief. Always use the tools around you but most importantly always believe you can!
Q: First tell us something about yourself?
I love children’s books! They hold a very special place in my heart. Many complicated concepts in life that we often struggle with well into our adult years are beautifully, and succinctly described in books for kids. From kindness and empathy, to jealously and anger the simple yet carefully constructed words in children’s books have always provided me with a compass in life. I find they are great resources to help give kids and adults guidance as well as allow our minds to travel to faraway lands and imagine incredible creatures, scenarios and adventures. I believe helping foster a child’s imagination is one of the best gifts we can give them!
Q: How and when your journey started as a writer?
My professional life has always included writing. Early in my career, I started a medical marketing company. My job included writing columns and articles for industry publications. During this time I also authored and co-authored three marketing text books. I’ve loved writing my entire life and have always been passionate about expressing myself through written communication. Restaurant
Q: When did you write your first story? Is it published or not?
I wrote My Blank Page when I was pregnant with my first son in 2017. It was an adventure that came to life in my head as I thought about how we all have the power to transform a blank space into anything we can dream. It was published in 2019 by Ashland Wells Publishing.
Q: Tell us something more about your books?
My Blank Page is a fun story for children to read and also a great tool for moms or teachers to use as a lesson plan or to get kids engaged in an activity. The book encourages imaginative play and also directly asks the reader “what would you do with a blank page. ?” The story prompts the readers to grab paper and explore, dream, and create.
Q: Why do you choose kids as your reader ? is there any specific reason?
I am passionate about imaginative play and asking readers of all ages to think and create. With technology and phones having a constant presence in our lives, I felt this story would be a great way to show children the most powerful tool we can have is something that is within us all already and we just have to tap into our creative energy to fuel our imaginations.
Q: How did these stories and characters come to your mind?
Much like the child in the story, the story came to life as I grabbed a stack of blank pages and began to create. As I made the objects the boy does, the adventure and words unfolded in front of me.
Q: Do you want to give any message for your readers?
By encouraging kids to use and hold onto their creative talents, you are doing more than passing the time with play. You are helping them grow and develop crucial life skills. My hope is that the book I created can spark at least one creative thought in the minds of the children in your life. Whether they finish the story and want to draw, make paper airplanes, or embark on their own pirate adventure, my wish is that this book can interrupt a TV show or video game long enough to encourage children everywhere to exercise their creative muscles and dream.