Tuesday , March 19 2024
A candid talk with award winning author, Renee Hand about her passion for writing and her new blog radio show.

Award Winning Author Renee Hand, Talks About Her New Blog Radio Show

I recently had the opportunity to interview author Renee Hand about her new blog radio show. Hand is the the author of the incredible Crypto-Capers Series of mysteries for kids that encourages readership and active involvement with its several topics of interest, especially as the reader participates by solving cryptograms and puzzles to solve the case. Hand is a winner of a Best Book Award, a National Literary Award and a Preferred Choice award for her children’s series and adult books.

If you are a published author looking for a way to promote yourself, please read the interview below.

Tell us about yourself:
I write because it is a passion in my heart. I am a homeschool parent and like to create books that educate and inspire the children of today. I was born in Michigan and live there with my husband and two children. I have a degree in Zoology with a minor in Chemistry. I am the author of the amazing mystery series known as the Crypto-Capers Series that encourages children to read by incorporating several topics of interest. The reader participates in the story by solving cryptograms and puzzles to solve the case. I am also the author of the Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill Series, which focuses on animal detectives. This series is a great way to teach children about animals in a fun and interesting way that captures the reader’s attention and yet fills them with knowledge they will be learning about in school. All books are great to use in a classroom setting to supplement various topics or to just enjoy.

I am an award-winning author, receiving awards such as a Best Book Award, a National Literary Award and a Preferred Choice award for my children’s series and adult books. I have recently won a Seal of Excellence award in Storytelling for my Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill Series. I have been writing for over 25 years and when I am not spending time with my family or participating in author events, I am coaching and playing tennis, as well as doing research for my books and many other things that keep me busy. I am also the national radio host for Stories From Unknown Authors, a radio show that helps promote the everyday author and helps them become known.

Not quite sure what a cryptogram is and want to learn more? Visit the author’s website to learn about cryptograms and how to solve the ones that are in the books.

Give us an overview of your book.

In the midst of having her friends visit her rock collection, Maple Moo’s rare mineral goes missing from underneath her large cow nose. She instantly turns to Joe-Joe Nut and Biscuit Bill, the most famous detectives in Acorn Valley, to find it. But they didn’t know the task was going to be an impossible one. The suspects were hard to figure out. Was it Candy Cardinal, who committed the crime? She collects various gemstones to make jewelry. Brutus and Betty Blue Beaver also collect minerals and have a fancy quartz collection. Liam the Llama looks suspicious with his igneous rocks and exploding volcano, or was it Huckleberry Moose with his sedimentary rock collection? Joe-Joe and Biscuit find themselves at a loss until some bullies roar into town. Will the detectives be able to find the missing mineral? Or, will this be a case they won’t be able to close?

What inspired you to write this book?

The series is uniquely written and inspires children to look at rocks and minerals from a different perspective. That is my goal in writing mysteries, it’s for the reader to look at things differently instead of rushing to a conclusion based upon what we see or know. We must learn all the facts before a decision can be made, and our personal feelings on the matter must be put aside in order to see the truth of the situation. In this case, regardless if the reader loves the topic of rocks and minerals or not, they will enjoy learning about various properties and myths that circulate around rocks and minerals. To learn what they can do and the process a particular rock or mineral undertook to be in their current form, can be appreciated. I took some great and interesting information to capture the reader’s attention. I hope everyone enjoys it.

How is your book different from other books in this genre?

This fun book is a great tool that helps satisfy the requirement of the National Science Education Standards for Earth and Space Science. Included in the book is a picture of the rock cycle, terminology, a ‘Did You Know’ section which gives tons of extra information about rocks and minerals. The book also includes various experiments and works on inquiry, creating charts, and using variables and constants to determine an outcome of particular rocks and elements. My books help teachers, parents, and children understand and enjoy learning about the rock cycle.

Where can people buy your book?

People can by my books through Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, book stores big and small as well as through my website at www.reneeahand.com

Are you working on another book? If so when do you expect it to be published?
Coming out in October is the 5th installment of The Crypto-Capers Series called The Peacock Diaries. In this story the Crypto-Capers are going to England in search of a missing inventor who leaves them clues about the true identity of the Panther, who is the main villain in the series. Many obstacles are thrown in their path, and a truth is revealed that will haunt them all. The book can be pre-ordered now through Amazon, and of course, through my website.

Tell us about your new radio show, Stories From Unknown Author’s.

I started this radio show for many reasons. Being an avid book reviewer for The New York Journal of Books, as well as for various publishers and authors, I have read many good books out there from author’s who most people have never heard of. The books I read are from some very talented author’s and the topics are unique and different, not just the everyday story which seems to be duplicated on the market over and over again. I feel that the aspiring everyday hardworking author should get their due.

Every author works hard to promote their books and because more and more books come out every day, there are so many books that get lost in the shuffle, especially if they don’t have big publishers. I’m hoping that my radio show puts the focus on those wonderful and talented children’s authors and helps them with their marketing endeavors. In this world it is all about people helping people. My show has been picking up steam, and has been getting more and more listeners and authors wanting to be on the show. I am currently booked to the end of November.

What makes my show unique as well, is that I also review the books of the authors I interview, and offer a giveaway for the books. My show is relaxed and fun, which is my goal. And I’m really enjoying being the host. Anyone interested in being on the show can e-mail me at [email protected] or they can listen to some of the shows that have already been aired and can set reminders and can follow me through there. I don’t have all the upcoming shows posted yet but will at the beginning of each month.

Thank you for this interview and best of luck with your book.

Thank you so much for having me. It has been a pleasure doing this interview with you.

About Nicole Weaver

Nicole Weaver is an award-winning author. Her first trilingual book Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle was published in 2009. Her love for languages and other cultures resulted in publishing the award-winning book, My Sister Is My Best Friend which was published in 2011 by Guardian Angel Publishing. My Sister Is My Best Friend has won the following awards: 2012 Creative Child Awards Program consisting of moms and educators has awarded this book the 2012 PREFERRED CHOICE AWARD Kids Picture Storybooks category. 2012 Children's Literary Classics Seal of Approval 2012 Children's Literary Classics Gold Award Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review Her newest book , My Brother Is My Best Friend was also published by Guardian Angel Publishing, January 2014.

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