Caylee Anthony
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
What's In A Name?
Hello! Today on the blog we have a guest post with the amazing Anna Levine.
What's in a name? Three tips on naming your character.
Using T.S. Eliot’s poem The Naming of Cats, here are a few tips for choosing just the right name for the character of your novel. (http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/t__s__eliot/poems/15121 )
1. “First of all, there's the name that the family use daily.”
As writers we put a lot of thought into a character’s traits, their strengths and flaws. Yet when it comes to choosing their name, it’s often based on random associations: the people we love (people we don’t!), family, friends, the name we wished we had, names that start with a certain letter, names popular at a certain period, names that alliterate or are right in front of us when we look up ponderously, hoping for inspiration.
2. “There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,/ Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames.”
Do you want a gender neutral name, or just the opposite, a name which confuses the reader? Using names to represent the character’s traits, when done subtly, can be a fun and clever device.
3. “But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,/A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,”
Nicknames are a great device to help reveal the relationship between characters. What name does a parent use as an endearment? What name do siblings use to tease each other? What name do the local gossips use? All these variations reveal layers of attitude and relationship.
4. “The name that no human research can discover--/But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.”
T.S. Eliot knew that though we are given names, there is always the name deep inside of us to which we feel most connected. Find that name and you’ll discover a deeper level to your character. Readers have asked me why I chose Ima Crane, Abba Crane and Saba and Savta. I chose those names because they are the words used where I live for mother, father, grandfather and grandmother. These are the names that Alexandra knows and what connects her and her author to the back story.
Thank you for joining us today Anna! These are great tips!! Until next time Happy Writing and Reading! Later Days!!
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
All Eyes On Alexandra Review and Blog Tour
Hi guys! Today I am happy to share with you this amazing book by Anna Levine. We will be featuring her again on December 19th so be sure to check in. First let me tell you a little about the book.
Book summary
In All Eyes on Alexandra, young Alexandra Crane is terrible at following her family in their flying Vee. She can’t help it that the world is so full of interesting distracting sights! When it's time for the Cranes to migrate to Israel's Hula Valley for the winter, Alexandra is excited but her family is worried. Will Alexandra stay with the group, and what happens if a dangerous situation should arise? Might Alexandra—and the rest of the flock—discover that a bad follower can sometimes make a great leader?
Based on the true story of Israel’s annual crane migration.
Print Length: 32 Pages
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Publisher: Kar-Ben Pub
ISBN-10: 1512444391
ISBN-13: 978-1512444391
All Eyes on Alexandra is available to purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target and Thrift Books.
About the Author, Anna Levine
Anna Levine is an award-winning children’s book author. Like Alexandra Crane, the character in her latest picture book, she loves to explore new worlds. Born in Canada, Anna has lived in the US and Europe. She now lives in Israel, where she writes and teaches.
You can find Anna Levine online at --
Author website: http://www.
Twitter: @LevineAnna
Instagram: @booksfromanna
About the Illustrator, Chiara Pasqualotto,
Chiara Pasqualotto was born in Padua, in northern Italy, currently teaches illustration and drawing classes to children and adults, in particular in Padua during the summer at the Scuola Internazionale di Comics and in Rome. Since 2008 she's been living in Rome and working with illustration professionally: her first picture book, Mine, All Mine! was published in 2009 by Boxer Books (UK), since then she published with Oxford University Press, Giunti, Terranuova and some American publishers (Paraclete Press, Tyndale, LearningAZ, Kar-Ben Publisher).
You can find Chiara Pasqualotto online at -
Artist website - https://romeartweek.com/en/
Facebook: https://www.
And now for my review of All Eyes on Alexandra.
A cute story about a crane just trying to be herself. All Eyes On Alexandra is an excellent story with amazing characters any child will love. Read along with Alexandra on her journey and enjoy a story adults and children will treasure for a lifetime.
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