My friends, summer is almost over and I hope you have enjoyed reading about the amazing Renee Drummond Brown. She will probably be back on here again to talk more about her prolific career. Please remember you can comment if you want on any of these blogs. And also, if you are on Goodreads it is synced on there but has a different title: Rising from the Ashes.
Now I am bringing you another guest author, who has also written a great many books. She was a guest here in 2014. Her name is Cheryl Carpinello and I know you will enjoy reading about her. Here is her interview with me.
Where were you born and where do you live now?
I’m a Colorado native and would never live anywhere else.
Besides writing do you have any other occupation or hobbies?
I’m a retired high school English teacher. Our grandkids and kids keep us busy with activities and baseball games. I’m also a retired airline employee and so we travel! We’ve been to Egypt, the UK, Iceland, Ireland, and Mexico. We also go to college football games each fall. I enjoy reading although my selection is eclectic. I gravitate toward books about the ancient world, some published before BCE! I also enjoy some fantasy, adventure stories, and ancient quests.
Who or what influenced you to begin writing?
As a teacher, I encountered students who loved to read, who just didn’t read, who didn’t like to read, and who even refused to read. All of these students, especially the non-readers, charted my writing journey. Although I dabbled in writing for many years, it wasn’t until I retired from teaching that I started writing seriously. Hence: Tales & Legends for Reluctant Readers & others.
Why did you decide to write about legends and medieval times?
The ancient stories and plays sparked an interest in my toughest non-readers. They found that they could relate to the characters and to the situations the characters found themselves in. As for the medieval, I had kids who wouldn’t be caught in a library, actually researching and finding stories about King Arthur and his knights!
Please describe a typical day of writing for you.
Wow! This is a tough one, Barbara. I’ve never had a typical day of writing. The only common factor in my writing is that when I’m not physically writing, the story is running through my brain. This past year has proven difficult on many levels. Currently doing a running storyline in my head.
How can children benefit from reading your books compared to other kinds of books?
It is my hope that when young people pick up my book(s), it will ignite a spark of interest that will lead them to read more, to learn more about and value themselves, and build an understanding of the world they live in.
How would you teach reading using your books?
I never taught reading. I guided students to see themselves in the characters and to relate that “fictional” world to their own. Even a play as old as “Antigone” showed students that standing up for what is right is not easy, but still needs to be done.
When you write your books do you use people from your life for your characters? How does this affect them?
For my characters, I use numerous traits from my 20+ years of working with young people. This is how I make my characters talk to my readers. I’ve seen first-hand the loves, frustrations, fears, heartaches, joy, and the many other emotions that young people exhibit. I draw from these to develop my characters.
However...I also draw upon myself, my emotions, and experiences to develop characters.
Do you think traveling as you do affects your writing? In what way?
I love traveling. It’s exciting to visit different countries and encountering various cultures and people. Naturally this makes its way into my writings. In some it’s the setting such as Egypt, Wales, and Iceland in my Arthurian Legend, my Egyptian Tales, and my newest series Feathers of the Phoenix. In others, it’s the infusion of characteristics of cultures and people as in Sons of the Sphinx, and Tutankhamen Speaks.
Please describe a little bit about your books.
My Guinevere Trilogy presents a young Guinevere as she struggles with the future laid out for her. The King’s Ransom is an adventure of friendship and fears. My Arthurian Legend stories incorporate the cornerstones of the Legend: Courage, Friendship, Honor, and Loyalty.
Sons of the Sphinx and Tutankhamen Speaks show another side to the Boy King that reveals his human side.
My new series Feathers of the Phoenix brings together ancient mythology and modern Biblical characters in a race to raise the island of Atlantis.
My Grandma/Grandpa Tales is a 3-book series introducing beginning/emerging readers and others to different reading skills using nature.
How did you get the idea for these books?
Guinevere was literally inspired by my students! Every single year, I kid you not, when I asked what my students knew about King Arthur, they talked about Arthur, the knights of the round table, the Holy Grail, and more. When I asked what they knew about Guinevere, each year I received this answer: she married Arthur, cheated on him, and was the downfall of Camelot! Knew I had to correct that view with a 13-year-old Guinevere.
My Egyptian Tales come from my love of ancient Egypt and were inspired by our 3-week visit there.
Feathers of the Phoenix come from my love of Greek mythology.
My Grandma/Grandpa’s Tales are to help beginners, emerging, and others with reading difficulties to hopefully begin to develop a love for reading.
How do you prepare for your classroom visits?
I’m basically always prepared. I have my materials all set aside and just need to pack and drive! I do mostly elementary/middle school visits. My Illuminated Medieval Poetry is fun for boys and girls.
What are the values you hope to teach children from your books?
The only values my books teach are for readers to trust and believe in themselves as my characters learn to do.
Besides this do you have any other online or in person events planned? What are they?
I have a couple of on-line interviews I’m working on. One is for the All Author website. I just did an interview for Voyage Magazine in the Spring.
I have a full in-person schedule for the Fall.
Sept. 21: Aurora Mini-Con (auroragov.org)
Oct. 5: Littleton Craft Fair (littletoncraftfair.org)
Oct. 19-20: Molly McGee – Longmont
Oct 25: Boo-rific – Foothills Rec. Center
Nov. 1-2: Sons of Italy Craft Fair
Nov. 8-10: Grandmother’s House – Parker
Nov. 16-17: Molly McGee – Longmont
Nov. 22-24: Colorado Country Xmas – Denver
Dec. 7 & 14; Book Nook Book Bash - Georgetown
Are you planning to publish another book soon? If so, what is it and when will it be available?
Yes. I’m hoping to finish up The Norse Star this fall. It’s Book 2 in the Feathers of the Phoenix series.
Please tell us where we can find you.
My on-line store: https://cheryl-carpinello.square.site
Website: http://www.cherylcarpinello.com
Writing Blog: http://carpinelloswritingpages.blogspot.com/
Publishinng: https://www.silverquillpublishing.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.carpinello1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccarpine1/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2924554.Cheryl_Carpinello
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/cheryl-carpinello
Finally, my last question which is one I ask all of my guests. Are you a plotter or a pantser? In other words, do you outline or do you just write?
I’m a pantser. When I sit down to write, the story is already in my head. I learned years ago to ‘write into the dark’ and I love it.
I am a pantser too and my characters talk to me too. Only mine are more of this century. LOL
Cheryl Carpinello Bio
Tales and Legends appeals to readers of all ages, particularly those who have struggled with reading. Through my 25 years of teaching experience with diverse readers, I’ve found that stories from the Ancient Worlds and Arthurian Legend draw in readers of all abilities.
My Grandma/Grandpa’s Tales help young readers build reading skills through nature tales.
My husband and I are both retired high school teachers and we love to travel. We attend a college football game around the US each year, and we travel abroad for fun and my books. We’ve been to Egypt, the UK, Iceland, Mexico & the Caribbean. Besides teaching for 20+ years, I also worked nights for a major US airline. Reward: Lifetime Travel Benefits! Love it!!
I'm a lover of mythology, myths, legends, & tales from the ancient/medieval worlds. All of these have transcended time & space into our world today. The myths & legends don't fade away; they are just repackaged for a new audience. As a high school English teacher, I continually challenged my students to find connections between today & times long gone by. Some took more digging than others, but the connections are always there
Now, I write Arthurian Legend for young readers and teens. These stories exhibit what I consider to be cornerstones of that Legend: Courage, Honor, Loyalty, & Friendship. My tales from Egypt & my new series Feathers of the Phoenix meld the ancient/medieval worlds with today. The Atlantean Horse (Book 1 of Feathers of the Phoenix) also brings the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse out of the Bible & into the modern world. My Grandma/Grandpa’s Tales, short illustrated stories, help the youngest readers build their reading skills. At the 2nd grade reading level, these stories are suitable for readers aged 4 and up.
I love doing classroom visits where students create their own Medieval Illuminated Poetry. So much fun! Even the boys have a great time creating their poems. I also do full-day Medieval Workshops where kids explore Medieval titoimes with a variety of activities.
It does sound like fun to do that with kids. As a teacher I know that activities like this are better for learning than any books. And your books are sure to be both fun and educational. I hope everyone will check out your website and see all the awards you have won for your books.
Thank you, Barbara, for this opportunity to appear on your blog.
It is my pleasure to have you on my blog again. I went back and saw you were a guest author way back in 2014. I hope you won't take ten more years to come back.
Until the next time, this blog will be on here until October 16, 2024. I hope some of you have checked out my newly published book, If I Could Be Like Jennifer Taylor. It's YA but older people like it too. This book will bring you back to high school.
The next guest author on here will be Fibby Bob Kinney. He is a poet and author.
The Jewish Holidays usually come up around now but this year they are in October. Fall is in the air and it's hard to believe summer is almost gone. Summer is my favorite season, since I was born in the middle of it. But I do like Fall or Autumn too for the colors of the leaves. Please leave a comment here for our guest author.
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