Earth Day, Every Day

We recently invited award-winning Leap author Bonnie J. Doerr to share her thoughts on Earth Day with our readers. Bonnie's a passionate conservationist and an author with an amazingly generous heart. Her MG novels about adventurous teens helping rescue endangered species will soon be joined

by an exciting new novel called Tangled Lines. And it's because of Bonnie's devotion to our world's environment that we asked her to write this post.

Earth Day elicits mixed feelings for me. While it’s uplifting to see and hear people the world over appreciating the wonders of nature and the importance of protecting our environment, it’s sad that we designate one day to remind ourselves of what should be obvious every day. We depend on the environment for our existence. But we have become increasingly separated from nature, living a plugged-in life inside four walls, within cities made of boxes stacked side by side and on top of each other, rarely considering the source of our sustenance.

This boxed-in life leads to nature deficit disorder, a term coined by Richard Louv in Last Child in the Woods. One deficiency of this disorder is a careless environmental attitude. If a child  never experiences wonder at a seed’s transformation into a living plant, never truly sees it grow to provide food, raw materials for shelter or clothing; if he never contemplates the source of oxygen while breathing forest air or experiences the sensation of wading in a creek, or swimming in a lake or ocean; if she never touches, sees, smells, or hears the flora and fauna that provide food, energy, and fertilizer to sustain life... Well, truth is, if a child doesn’t interact and connect with nature, how can we expect him to care about the environment? To a child living inside four walls his environment may be fine. Especially if he controls it with a thermostat. Ecology? Conservation? Meh.

I  combine my ecological passion and love of adventure to write about teens who don’t spend all day in a box. They experience wild outdoor adventures. Like many teens, they have family, school, and friendship problems. They can’t often control trouble in their own lives, but they boldly fight to protect wildlife and their local environment.

 Readers who never venture outdoors can inside the pages of my novels safely explore the ocean, tropical forests, and rugged beaches. They can survive wild storms, heroically outwit dangerous criminals, and solve mysteries that baffle adults, all while protecting wildlife and the ecological health of their own community.

I write with the hope that my characters’ appreciation for nature will slyly leak from eagerly turned pages onto the skin and into the hearts of my readers—that they, like my characters, will realize their power and use it to protect and create a healthy, enriching, and sustainable environment.

Find out more about Bonnie's books and her mission at her blog.

Fan of coloring pages? Here's an Earth Day freebie for you! Select the image on the left and print it. When you're done enjoying your coloring page, please recycle it. 

Leap Author in ACTION

Leap author, Bonnie Doerr recently conducted several author visits promoting Earth Day and her environmental mystery series - ISLAND STING and STAKEOUT.

Bonnie presented to students at Mineral Springs Middle School (Winston-Salem, NC) on Thursday, April 30th to discuss: Two Endangered Species, One Fragile Environment, & Two Crime 'Crackin' Teens.

Her presentation included, "...a staged reading from Island Sting to introduce students to the success story of the endangered Florida key deer, "visited" the national refuge and the Marathon, Florida sea turtle hospital and we played the game Endangered Lives, A Game of Survival. That's a board game I designed and have adapted it to both small groups of three and a whole class when projected on a whiteboard."

On April 18th, she occupied three tables at the Earth Day celebration held at the Kathleen Clay Edwards library in Greensboro, NC. "My research video looped on my computer while I displayed photos of trash in our creek and how such litter makes its way to the ocean. I also showed photos of how such garbage kills animals. Along with some wonderful Girl Scouts and their leader, we helped around 50 children make their own sea turtle craft."

We love seeing our Leap authors in ACTION! 

Celebrate Earth Day with Us!!

Sea turtles hatching

Part of caring for the earth is rescuing endangered animals. Leap Books author Bonnie J. Doerr is passionate about saving species from extinction. She pours her passion into her books--eco-mysteries where green teens capture poachers and clean up the environment at the same time. But Bonnie doesn't just write about the endangered animals, she does hands-on research. Here's Bonnie on a pelican release:

Bonnie J. Doerr researching for her third eco-mystery about pelicans

And at the Key Deer Refuge in the Florida Keys:

Bonnie with a full-grown Key deer

And here are a few videos about Bonnie's research:





While in the Florida Keys to research for her books, Bonnie spent time doing interviews and making videos to let people know about the problems endangered species face:





Bonnie's books include the EPIC award-winning tween novel, Island Sting, about the Florida Key deer,

and the Green Earth award finalist, Stakeout, about loggerhead and hawksbill turtles:

In an interview with the Authors for Earth Day blog, Bonnie explained why she writes her books:

"My dream is to rekindle that spark of wonder and fascination with wild things by providing fun, fast-paced stories featuring young teens as environmental heroes. I write stories that organically show, rather than tell, young impressionable readers how fragile our environment is. I write especially for ages ten to thirteen. Readers this age are shaping enduring personal goals and values." Bonnie hopes those values include caring for our fragile planet.

To learn more about Bonnie J. Doerr, visit her website and her blog BonnieBlogsGreen. Bonnie is also featured on the Girl Scout website, Aurora Reviews (who gave Stakeout a 5-star review), and TBR.

To celebrate Earth Day, Island Sting and Stakeout are both on sale in the Leap Books store for 40% off. And the Island Sting e-book is FREE for Amazon Prime members and only 99 cents for other Amazon shoppers. Watch for the Stakeout e-book coming soon.

If you leave a comment below from now until April 30, 2012, your name will be entered in drawing for a free e-book or an autographed paperback of Stakeout or Island Sting. Enter as often as you wish. And let us know if you send friends, and we'll give you an extra entry.

Go forth and be GREEN!

If You're in Key West, You're in Luck...

On Friday, February 3, 2012, award-winning author Bonnie J. Doerr will be signing her most recent book, an eco-mystery about sea turtles, at the Key Deer Refuge Visitor Center on Big Pine Key, Florida. She'll also have some copies of her first book on the Key deer for those who haven't gotten a copy. Details below or click here for more news:

Danger: Crime Scene

Author Bonnie J. Doerr appeared at Barnhills Bookstore in Winston-Salem, NC, on Saturday, November 12, 2011. The audience enjoyed her presentation about her hands-on research before she writes her mysteries about endangered animals.

Here are some photos of her presentations and booksignings after each event. Note the crime scene tape adorning the book display table and around the author's neck.

Here's the audience for the first sitting eagerly watching her slides about Key deer, sea turtles, and pelicans. To accommodate the crowds, Doerr did a second presentation.

Fans line up for autographs at the end of the first presentation.

Advice for Teen Writers (Part II, Bonnie J. Doerr)

Anna's back...

with Part II of her interview with author Bonnie J. Doerr, the award-winning author of eco-mysteries, including Island Sting and Stakeout. 

Because Bonnie's responses are so much fun and comprehensive, we've dividing the interview into two parts. Here's PART 2: 

·                     How much research goes into each of your books?

I spend several weeks each year where my stories are set—the Florida Keys. Now that I live in western North Carolina, I make this research trip during February. Yes, I hate cold weather. But, hey, many animals and people migrate to the Keys for winter. I’m simply following my sources. Honest!

Island friends connect me with sources who are experienced and knowledgeable in specific environmental issues. These dedicated people help me build realistic plots. I ask them questions that begin like this: “Is it possible that...?” “What could cause...?” “What would happen if...?” 

I also spend hours observing and interacting with my star critters. For Island Sting I toured the National Key Deer Refuge and spent time with wildlife officers who protect the tiny endangered deer. While planning Stakeout, I spent time with personnel and patients at the Marathon Sea Turtle Hospital, and participated in a nest-monitoring walk. Most recently, I fed injured pelicans and helped release rehabilitated pelicans. Wildlife volunteers and professionals are eager to provide facts, details, and personal experiences that enrich and inspire my stories.

Doerr feeding a Key deer

For me, there’s no substitute for field work. And, wow, do I take lots of notes and pictures. Thank heavens for digital cameras. But when I’m not on location, I spend many additional hours reading news articles and books about the wildlife and environment I feature. 

·                     Do you get really attached to your characters? Do you have a favorite?

On site at a pelican release

My characters do become very real to me. Once, while in Big Pine Key, Florida I nearly asked a Florida Fish and Wildlife employee if he’d recently seen his fellow officer, Mike Kaczynski. I was eager to know whether Mike and Kenzie’s mom were still an item. (Mike, Kenzie, and her mom are all characters in my books rather than real-life people.) Could have been embarrassing. In the book I’m working on now, Kenzie and Angelo are now attending school in Key West. So this coming February, I know I’ll be looking for them when I’m traipsing around town.

As for favorite characters? I think it changes from book to book. I was crazy about Fisher in Island Sting, but it was Ana who won my heart in Stakeout.

·                     How would you advise young adults who want to become published authors?

I’m going to answer this with everything I’ve got. Bet you’ll be sorry you asked.

I would tell aspiring authors (of any age) to study many genres. And I do mean study—via online courses, books, workshops, conference sessions, college programs, any and every way you can. As with any art, it’s important to first learn established rules and practice proven techniques. Then you’ll be prepared to change it all up when you’ve developed your own skills and style. 

Study and write with people who challenge and stimulate you. Then emerge from your comfort zone. Interact with a variety of real people in real life. Even if you write fantasy, your work has to connect with real people. 

Read much, listen well, and never stop learning. 

Don’t fixate on a troublesome manuscript hoping it will eventually, perfectly please everyone (including yourself). It never will. Let it go. Turn it in. Send it out. Move on. Capture that energy for the next project. You can return to that problem child later with fresh eyes.

Continually monitor and research the before-and-after aspects of all publishing options.  No one path is right for every author.

Last of all, the most challenging skill for pre- and post-published authors is learning to deal with criticism. Accept it, ignore it, or apply it, but do so with grace. Maybe I’ll paint the letters G-R-A-C-E on a pebble and carry it with me. Might help me follow my own advice.

For more information on Bonnie Doerr, her books, endangered animals, visit her at her blog, Bonnie Blogs Green, and her website for more information about her books and awards, and for lots of information about endangered species.

Here are Doerr's most recent books. Watch for PELICAN PERIL coming next.

Congratulations to Bonnie J. Doerr

Epicon recently announced the finalists in the 2011 Epic Awards to be held in March in Williamsburg, VA. Island Sting by Bonnie J. Doerr is one of the three finalists in the Children's category.

This eco-mystery about Key deer has also been selected as a finalist for the YALSA 2011 Popular Paperback Award.

Artist Joanna Britt and Author Bonnie Doerr Go to Camp

Last week Leap Books artist Joanna Britt (pictured on left) took her art to summer camp. She and author Bonnie J. Doerr talked with campers about the process of writing and illustrating books. The audience was enthralled as they described how they collaborated on Island Sting.

The campers were writing and illustrating their own books, so they got a lot of helpful tips on how to do that. They also enjoyed seeing how Bonnie doe her research for her books on endangered animals. That's Bonnie pictured on the screen below as she gets into the habitats along with rescue workers who save these endangered species.

The visit wasn't all about work, though. Everyone enjoyed playing a game while they learned more facts about the endangered Florida Key deer that are the stars in Island Sting. Did you know that Key Deer are only found on a few islands in the Florida Keys? And one fun fact that surprised most of the campers was that Key deer are tiny. When they're full grown, they're only about the size of a German shepherd dog.

Now these eager campers can't wait to get a hold of the next books in the series: Stakeout (2011) and Pelican Peril (2012). For more information about these books and the endangered animals Bonnie has worked with and observed, check out her blog: Bonnie Blogs Green.

Danger! Endangered Species Area

If you've ever traveled to Big Pine Key in Florida, these signs will be familiar. The big yellow warning signs caution you to watch for an endangered species. So once you slow down, what species will you be looking for?

The tiny Key deer, as small as a dog, which is found nowhere else but the Florida Keys. Speeding cars can kill these miniature deer, but so do other things. One of the greatest dangers to these deer are humans--humans who feed them "people food." According to Kenzie, a character in Bonnie Doerr's book, Island Sting, "so many people in cars feed them that they're losing their fear of humans and traffic." So instead of running from cars, they come toward them, hoping to be fed.

To help with the problem, officers have posted signs they hope will prevent people from feeding the deer. Here's an illustration from Doerr's book:

The fine for feeding a deer is $250, but this doesn't always stop people from offering these cute deer snacks as if they were pets. Many of the deer are so used to humans that they'll stick their noses in bag of chips or eat bites of sandwich straight from a person's hand.

Junk food and speeding cars present a major threat to these endangered animals, but even more deadly are poachers. Because they are so small, the deer don't provide much meat. But food isn't the only reason some people slaughter Key deer.

In Island Sting, Angelo and Kenzie team up to stop a vicious criminal from killing the Key deer, but will they survive when the poacher turns from stalking deer to hunting humans?

Get your copy of Island Sting to find out the answer. If you use the secret code for spring specials, you can save 30% off the cost of the book from now until May 31, 2010. See Leap Books online store for more details.

Celebrate Earth Day

Do something wonderful for the planet today. Pick up trash. Turn off the electricity for an hour. Or try one of the main ways our author, Bonnie J. Doerr has compiled to help save the environment. She made a list of 25 suggestions. We'll post them a list next week when you find out more about Bonnie. In the meantime, here are two quick suggestions you can try:

1.    Downloading music saves production of the greenhouse gas produced during the making, packaging, and distribution of the discs UNLESS you burn a CD.

2.    Americans eat at least four servings of beef a week. If you consume only one less beef meal a week you can reduce your environmental footprint by 25%. Why care? Raising cows requires acres of land, tons of water, grain, and pesticides. And cows produce a staggering amount of methane (yes, through belching and “tooting”), thus contributing to global warming.

Stay tuned for more environmentally friendly ideas or visit Ms. Doerr at Bonnie Blogs Green for more ways to save the planet. Better yet, pick up a copy of her book Island Sting to see how other green teens not only save the environment, but also nab the poacher of the endangered Key deer.

DANGER--INTRIGUE--ADVENTURE...

Pelican Release

Wondering what author Bonnie J. Doerr is up to on her trip to the Florida Keys? She'll soon be doing author visits (check out the schedule below for more information), but in her spare time, Bonnie's doing what she loves best--working to save the environment.

Today she assisted with a pelican release. She sent us a picture of the release, part of the mission of the Key West Wildlife Center. And guess what Book 3 will be in Bonnie's series? That's right. A pelican rescue.

If you haven't read Book 1, about the Key deer, you'll want to start with that. Book 2 will be about turtles. And now you know what you'll have to look forward to in Book 3. One of the reasons Bonnie's books are so much fun is that she does hands-on research. So her books take you right to the scene. It doesn't get any better than that.

Or wait, maybe it does... Stop by the Key West Wildlife Center on Sunday, February 7 for the Family Fun Day Fund Raiser from 1-4 pm. Proceeds from the book sales will be donated to the wildlife center, so you can meet Bonnie in person, get an autographed copy of Island Sting, and help endangered species at the same time.

Oh, and don't forget to ask about the pelican release.

Island Sting Charmers

Because Angelo from Island Sting is so-o-o charming, we’ve decided to give away a charm necklace to honor the cool hunk that he is.

Angelo inspires the key pendant gift Kenzie receives, and you can win a key of your own. Kenzie won’t get jealous, we promise. And because Angelo is the hottest lobster trapper and fisherman we know, we’ll also give away these fish hook and lobster charms. Maybe you’ll hook a hot catch of your own.



But about the lobster charm—to win it, you have to keep a secret from Angelo: this lobster charm is a Maine lobster, not the Caribbean spiny lobster in his world. He’d think we were clueless city chicks if we didn’t divulge the truth to you.

Want to read more about Angelo? Check out this interview with him and watch for more on our website.

Even better, want to meet author Bonnie J. Doerr in person? She’s headed to the Florida Keys for a series of author visits. Hear her at the following locations:

February 4: US 1 Radio 104.1 FM Morning Magazine with Bill Becker 7:50 am
February 4: KONK AM 1680 AM “ECOcentricView” with Erika Biddle 2-3 pm
February 5: Walk on Winn Dixie, Big Pine Key 7 – 9 pm, National Key Deer Visitor Center
February 7: Family Fun Day Fund Raiser, Key West Wildlife Center 1-4 pm
February 9: Florida Keys Community College Library 5:30 pm, “Manuscript Makeover/What Not to Dare”
February 11: Café con Libros, Key West Public Library 9:30 –11:00 am, “Evolution of a Novel/Survival of the Determined”
March 2: Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave. Coral Gables, FL 7 pm

If you spot her, be sure to tell us where. Anyone who comments from now until the end of Bonnie’s tour on March 2, 2010, will be entered in the drawing for these prizes. If you aren’t lucky enough to be in the Florida Keys while Bonnie is there, leave a comment about Island Sting or a tip for staying green. And maybe you'll be one of our winners!

But the Contests Continue...

Our authors are finding their way around the globe. Watch for posts in Finland, the UK, Japan... More about those later.

Right now we're highlighting blogger Kate at READ THIS BOOK!, who's been featuring Island Sting this week. She's shared some excerpts and done interviews with the main characters--Kenzie and Angelo--so she has plenty of information that you won't find in the book. She's also posted a scene from Angelo's point of view. So even if you've already read the book, you won't have seen any of this. Check out these exclusives at:

http://readthisbook.wordpress.com/2010/01/16/island-sting-excerpt-and-contest/

But best of all, Kate's running a contest. Win a necklace! If you've read Island Sting, you'll know the meaning behind this special necklace. And if you haven't read it, now's your chance. Check out our online store and take advantage of the BLUE MOON special (see below) for a special price.

Get Ready...

Our first author is about to Leap.

We're counting down the days until author Bonnie J. Doerr's book, Island Sting, releases. Bet you are too. Here's a sneak peek at the first page:

 Splash!

Ripples circled across the dark water farther down the canal. Kenzie scrambled through the mangrove thicket, stumbling over tangled roots toward the disturbance. Branches caught her hair and scratched her face. When she thought she’d reached the spot, she crept to the water’s edge, but the surface was calm. Had she miscalculated?

No. There. Something broke the surface. It swam in jerky circles. Round and round. Over and over. She shielded her eyes from the sun. A long nose cut through the water, leaving a little wake in its path. It circled closer. Nose, two eyes, and long ears.

A dog!

It paddled away, floundered, and went under.

Does Kenzie save the drowning animal? Find out by picking up your copy of Island Sting. Be the first to get your copy by pre-ordering the book here. Or watch for it in a few weeks at Amazon.com and all other major distributors. Booksellers and teachers can get special discounts by contacting Cathleen Cartwright, Public Relations Assistant, at marketing@leapbks.com.

And don't forget to take advantage of our BLUE MOON special. See below.