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Merry Christmas from David Chuka

Merry Christmas!

Wow! I can’t believe Christmas has arrived and we’re almost on the brink of a New Year.

First of all, in the spirit of Christmas, I’d like you to download a free copy of Billy and Monster: The Superhero with Fart Powers.Billy and Monster Books This is a funny book for kids with a nice lesson weaved in. It’ll be free till Boxing Day so hurry and get your copy today and tell all your family and friends about it. It’ll make a nice addition to anyone who gets a tablet or Kindle for Christmas.

2013 has been a year filled with many ups, a few bumps and the realization that it’s only the springboard for better things to come.

As I look back on the year, there are certain memories that stick out in mind.
Visiting the London Book Fair – for 3 days in April, it was such a pleasure to mingle with fellow authors and people from the publishing industry. I got to personally meet some movers and shakers and their advice and critique has taken my writing to another level. I also had a publisher who was interested in the Billy and Monster books. It’s early days but do watch this space on more on that. If you’re a fellow author who lives in the U.K. or Euro zone, then I’d like to encourage you to make out some time to visit the London Book Fair in April 2014. I’ll be there and I look forward to meeting you. If you live outside the U.K., then by all means find a book fair or Publishing event coming to your town and make it a point of duty to attend. You just never know. One connection is all it takes to catapult your publishing efforts to another level.

Reading at Devonshire Preschool – back in July, I had the opportunity to give my first reading to a group of children.David Chuka Reading at Devonshire Preschool Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect and I have to admit I had a few butterflies in my tummy 🙂 I have to say the insight I gained from that one activity has impacted the quality of my storytelling. I gained a better understanding of what children like and don’t like. I had a better appreciation of what type of story appeals to different age groups. I also learned how to engage children while reading so it becomes more interactive and fun. I’ve been back to Devonshire since then and I have more visits to schools lined up in the 2014. Who knows? I might be coming to your loved ones’ school one of these days.

Billy and Monster at Number 1 – Way back at Easter, the third book in the Billy and Monster series hit the Number 1 spot and stayed in the Top 10 in the Easter category for a couple of weeks. Seeing Billy and the Monster who Ate All the Easter Eggs at the Number One spot on Easter Sunday was validation that I was in the right lane and my writing was gaining a small legion of fans who appreciated what I was doing. Some of the reviews I received for that book included the below

Experience is the best teacher as Billy and his “purple shadow” learn a sweet lesson in Billy and the Monster Who Ate All the Easter Eggs. Beautifully illustrated, nicely formatted, this quick, easy story will be read over and over again. Julia Busch

My daughter has really been enjoying David Chuka’s Billy and Monster books. This is another fun addition to the “family.” As always, the story has a lovely moral (this time teaching the value of moderation – definitely the biggest word in the book)! It’s based on the very realistic theme of overindulging in chocolate/sweets, which virtually anyone can relate to and which kids find a lot of fun. And, awesome pictures as always. Definitely recommend it. Amazon Customer

Kids will get a kick out of Monster and Billy’s chocolate over-indulgence and the effect it has on them. So nice, too, that the story weaves in a moral lesson about moderation. Elizabeth Dodwell

Meeting the Authors on Author Interview Thursday – As regular visitors of this blog will know, every Thursday is Author Interview Thursday.Adam Presenting to Kids I have to admit I’ve looked forward to reaching out to authors, preparing the questions for them, editing the interview for publication every Thursday and sharing them with you. I’ve been humbled by some of the comments left by readers of this blog after each interview. I’ve made some friends with some up and coming authors as well as some established authors who I’ve admired from afar. I have used some of the advice shared on AIT to improve myself as an author and self-publisher. I look forward to meeting more authors in 2014 and bringing you insightful and inspiring interviews.

 

Reviews from fans and Bloggers – I’m grateful for every review from readers and bloggers who have taken the time to read my books and left a review. Every time I see a positive review on Amazon, GoodReads, Smashwords, Facebook, Twitter etc of one of my books, it really does bring a smile to my face and re-enforces why I do what I do. Below is a link to a review of the Kojo the Sea Dragon Gets Lost by a blogger that really meant a lot to me as she got what I was trying to say in that book.

http://squishablebaby.com/kidlit-review-kojo-the-seadragon-gets-lost/

 

These are just some of the memories that will stay with me and have defined 2013 for me. I have a few ideas for some stories in 2014 and I look forward to sharing them with you.

I wish you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

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