I am going to answer a list of questions I’ve been getting lately in one blog post:

Are you on Twitter?

Yes! http://twitter.com/DebbieGlade

Is your book, Lilly Badilly, still discounted?

Yep. $16.95. Order it here.

Can I still get free shipping on your book on your website?

Sure you can. Use this code FBS1209 (case sensitive)

Where can I read reviews of your book?

Click here and read away!

What is your platform?

I believe in making reading and learning fun. Mastering (and loving) reading at a young age is the key to lifelong success. I am an advocate of geography literacy, as our nation falls far behind others in that category. Creative learning with laughter is far better than rote memorization and strict teaching. I post videos answering kids’ geography questions. The program is called Ask Lilly Badilly All About the World. I am a member of the National Council for Geographic Education and attended a fabulous conference in October in Puerto Rico. My company also just sponsored a HUGE travel writing and art contest. You won’t believe the talents of these young writers and artists!

Do you have an author program?

Yes, I visit schools and libraries regularly. Check it out.

Where can I read your comic strip, Smart Poodle?

I publish a comic strip every Friday on my blog. Click here.

Where do you get the ideas for your comic strip?

From my own life, my crazy imagination and from observing others.

Do you write anything other than children’s books?

I have been a travel writer for far longer than I care to admit. I used to write stacks of brochures and marketing materials for luxury cruise lines. Now I write travel-related articles and some weird entries on my blog and am the Geography Awareness Editor at Wandering Educators. On that site I write articles and review tons of travel-related books and guidebooks. It is a fabulous website! I am also a children’s book reviewer for LA Parent Magazine’s Good Reads with Ronna. Ronna’s the best!

What is your favorite aspect of being an author?

Without a doubt it is the interaction with kids. They say the most hilarious things! They inspire me and teach me every day. I have an 11 year-old fan who writes to me regularly, and she really makes it all worth while.

Can you tell me something readers may be surprised to learn about you?

I am very, very outgoing. But I spend most of my time alone writing, illustrating and working (gardening and housekeeping too), and I do not like being in noisy places with noisy people. Noise makes me nervous. (No one really asked me this question, but I thought it sounded like a good, mysterious question.)

Kevin Huo is the First Place Winner in the 4-5^th Grade Category in Smart Poodle Publishing’s recent “I Love Costa Rica’s Rain Forest!” Contest. The extraordinary artistic talents of this ten-year-old from Northern California astonished the contest judges and many contest followers as well. As soon as Kevin received his prizes in the mail (thank you Rand McNally!) he called me to say thank you! No one ever calls to thank me, so I was impressed. I asked Kevin (and his parents) if he would be interested in doing an interview. He said yes. Read on for answers many questions you may have about what inspires him to paint. You’ll also learn more about Kevin’s commitment to Green Living.

Kevin Huo, Age 10

Before we ask Kevin some questions, here is a list of awards he has won:

Smart Poodle Publishing “I Love Costa Rica’s Rain Forest!” Writing and Art Contest – Kevin’s spectacular painting of Costa Rica and clever story landed him First Place in the 4th-5th Grade Category.

Kevin’s award-winning entry “Living Color: Costa Rican Rain Forest”

Go Green SamTram Bus Contest – When he was in third grade Kevin won the Grand Prize for this contest for his painting of a bus with an energy conservation theme, reducing the carbon in our atmosphere. His artwork was featured on some of the actual SamTram buses and on the bus passes.

Kevin’s spectacular art was displayed on Sam Tram buses

Filoli Art Contest – The San Mateo County Board of Education and the Filoli organization sponsored an art contest. Filoli is an historic country estate that is part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For this contest, Kevin created a painting of the California countryside.

Action For Nature Young Eco Hero Awards- This nonprofit organization in San Francisco encourages young people to take personal action to better their environments, and to foster love and respect for nature. Kevin was honored for his environmental activism. Click here to see the pdf. Apply for the 2010 Action for Nature International Young Hero-Eco Awards 2010. Deadline is Feb 28, 2010.

Town of Atherton, CA Evironmental Program Contest – While in 2nd Grade, Kevin won the Grand prize for his title Green Kid Saves the World.

Kevin proudly displays his artwork and blue ribbon

Mangrove Art Project International Contest – This is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to the protection of the world’s mangrove forests ecosystems. Kevin was the only award winner in the US. He painted this outstanding picture of mangroves, which was included in the organization’s calendar.

Kevin’s award-winning painting of mangroves

Environmental Awareness Camp; Cultural Exchange – Kevin was interviewed by Michael Caduto, Director of Programs to be featured in his upcoming new book about young activist kids

Hip Housing Contest – Kevin won 2 awards for his participation in the San Mateo County Hip Housing Project. In 2007 his painting  “My home is my moving castle” depicted houses being saved from a hurricane after Katrina.  The pictures were included in Foster City, CA calendars.

Kevin won the Hip Housing Art Contest 2 years in a row

San Mateo County Board of Education – Kevin’s work was displayed at a solo exhibit at the school board office, after he was inspired to create 6 paintings of the Midnight Ride of Paul Revere. (This was not a contest, but rather an exhibit of his work)

Interview

How old were you when you started to show an interest in art?

I was about 5 years old when I started to draw. My Dad draws a lot because he is an architect. Watching him work really inspires me to draw and paint. He’s so good at what he does. My Mom is very creative too. She used to work as a stage manager in the theater.

Kevin with his parents, Kenneth and Gina Huo

I understand that you and your parents are very interested in “Green Living.” Can you tell us how your family got interested in that?

Sometimes my Dad designs Green Living houses and other buildings. He’s taught me a lot about preserving our environment. Our family loves nature too. Through a great organization called V-O-CAL we volunteered for a project to help clean up some nature trails.. We talk a lot about the environment at home and at school. Also participating in the Go Green SamTram contest got me even more interested in the environment. It is important to learn about keeping our world clean.

What is your favorite art medium?

When I first started to draw I used colored pencils only. Now that I’m a little bit older, I also use watercolors.

What inspires you to paint?

I love to look at drawings and paintings from famous artists, but I do not have a single favorite artist. There are so many good ones! I am also inspired by nature and really love learning about and painting animals of all kinds. I love to research animals and places and then combine my interest in nature with my art.

Do you draw from memory, use photos or get your perspective from real objects and scenes?

I usually look at pictures in books for ideas and to see what shapes things are, but I also draw from looking at real objects. Before I start, I always spend time imagining what the finished drawing will actually look like. I often finish the painting, and it looks just like I imagined it would.

How often do you paint/draw?

Whenever there is a contest announced that I am interested in, I paint. I also paint when I am inspired or just get a new idea. Sometimes I paint every week, but not always.

Have you had any professional lessons?

No I haven’t. I have only watched my Dad. He doesn’t just design houses and buildings. He also draws or paints sometimes, and has given me direction or has helped me with ideas.

What did you learn about Costa Rica that interested you most, while researching to write your essay for the Smart Poodle “I Love Costa Rica’s Rain Forest!” Contest?

I knew there were forests in Costa Rica, but I had no idea how many unusual plants and animals were there. I was fascinated to learn about alien possums, which I wrote about in my essay. And the number of different species of plants is amazing! I loved learning about the rain forest, and I cannot wait to visit Costa Rica to learn more.

Kevin, it is great t hear you say that, because the purpose of our contest was to encourage kids to learn more about Costa Rica and the plants and animals of the rain forest. What did you learn about mangroves for the Mangrove Art Contest you won? That painting is spectacular!

I visited mangroves in Taiwan and found it fascinating. I remember the sounds, the smells of the decaying plants and all the animals that live there. Both visiting and reading about mangroves really helped me understand it all. Doing that painting was a lot of fun.

Did you know that we have mangroves here in Florida too?

Yes, I knew that, though I have never been to Florida to see those mangroves. Some day I’d love to visit.

I realize you are only 10, but do you have any idea what you’d like to do for a career when you grow up?

I can imagine myself being an architect and designing green living houses.

That sounds perfect with your talents! Will you design a house for me?

Sure. I’d love to. (laughing)

What else do you enjoy doing other than art?

I love to read adventure stories like yours – Lilly Badilly – and others. I enjoy studying history, like I did with Paul Revere. I also like to travel. I’ve been to Taiwan, where my parents are from and also to Japan. But when I get older, I’d love to travel a lot more and see the world.

What advice do you have for other young students who want to become excellent at art?

The most important thing is to just try. There are so many things that can inspire you to paint; it does not have to be just one thing. Try imagining what the finished drawing will look like in your head before you get started. Don’t be afraid to draw or paint, because if it doesn’t work out the way you want, you can always start over. No one even has to see it. Just keep on trying, and you’ll eventually get it. Never, ever give up.

Kevin, thank you so much for sharing your artistic talents with us. You may be only 10 years old, but you have inspired so many children and adults with your artwork. You are living proof that having a passion can lead to great accomplishments – no matter what a person’s age may be. You also know how important it is to say “Thank You.” That will take you very far. You also remind us that the only way to win numerous contests is to enter them often! Please stay in touch with us and let us know about any future projects you have. Your future is looking as bright as your watercolor paintings!

Epilogue

We all know that “passion” is the main ingredient to success. It is achieved through incurable curiosity and unstoppable motivation. Passion is not something we have to wait for until adulthood; it can appear at an early age. Kevin’s love of art and nature are not forced. These are simply part of his soul. How inspiring for us all!

Young writer extraordinaire, Dallas Woodburn, shares her two books with us

Writer and entrepreneur, Dallas Woodburn, had her first book published at age ten, a collection of short stories called: There’s a Huge Pimple On My Nose. While attending college at The University of Southern California (USC), she had many articles published in major magazines and newspapers as well as another collection of short stories: 3 am: A Collection of Short Stories. She is living proof that you are never too young to start a writing career! Dallas also started www.WriteOnBooks.org, a fantastic website that publishes short stories, poems and essays written by young writers for young readers to enjoy. She holds a holiday book drive every year and even offers a summer writing camp for kids in Southern California. If this weren’t all enough, she also has a blog, where she shares all sorts of information about writing.

How old were you when you first became interested in writing?

It’s funny, but it’s difficult for me to remember a time before I loved to write! I learned to read when I was four, and I gobbled up books. Like many kids, I made up stories; I was compelled to write my stories down. I think this was largely due to the fact that my dad is a writer. Every night, my parents read me bedtime stories, and every morning I came downstairs to see my dad writing. As a result, I was very aware that someone had written the books I so loved to read. And I decided that I wanted to be someone who writes books for other people to enjoy.

What were your major influences at that time? Who inspired you to write?

My dad is my biggest fan and is the first person who reads my work – his feedback and encouragement are invaluable. I remember when I was little, he would let me type stories on his computer once he had filed his column for the day – how special that was! I am incredibly blessed that my parents and teachers were so encouraging of my love of writing from a very young age. Also, when I was in the first and second grade I was lucky to have an amazing teacher, Diane Sather, who encouraged my love for writing. I remember she had me read one of my stories to the class. I got such a burst of joy from sharing what I had written with others. It never crossed my mind to just write for myself. My high school English teacher, Tania Sussman, became an amazing mentor for me and I now think of her as one of my biggest inspirations and dearest friends.

How did you go about getting your collection of short stories published when you were only ten years old?

There’s a Huge Pimple on My Nose is proof that with a lot of hard work, a lot of perseverance – and, yes, a lot of support, too – a small idea can snowball into something bigger than you ever dreamed. My snowball began as a snowflake when I applied for and received a $50 grant from my elementary school to write, publish and sell a collection of my short stories and poems — but I think here’s what set my proposal apart: I would use the profits to repay my grant, so the school could offer an extra one the following year. My first printing, done at a Kinkos copy shop, was modest: twenty-five staple-bound forty-page books. Actually, they were more like thick pamphlets, but no matter – to me, they were books, my books, the most beautiful books I had ever laid eyes upon. J.K. Rowling wasn’t more proud of her first Harry Potter hardcover edition.

My fellow students and teachers, bless them, acted as if Pimple was at the top of the New York Times Best-Seller List. The first twenty-five copies promptly sold in a couple of days. Can you imagine what a turbo-boost this was to a fifth-grader’s self-esteem? I was pursuing my dream, but I wasn’t pursuing it alone – my family and friends and teachers were right there with me. So I went back to Kinkos, ordered twenty-five more books – and soon sold all those as well. After three more trips to Kinkos, where the workers now knew me by name, I searched out a publishing business and ordered a few hundred glossy-covered, glue-bound, professional-looking Pimples. My little forty-page dream evolved from a snowball into a blizzard, with newspaper and radio interviews; appearances at literacy events all around California; even a “Dallas Woodburn Day” at the Santa Barbara Book Fair. I still have to pinch myself, but Pimple has sold more than 2,200 copies and I repaid two school grants.

Looking back, I was fortunate to dive into this career at such an early age because I wasn’t afraid or self-conscious about my writing. I think as we get older, we tend to lose that child-like pride and confidence in ourselves and our work. I published my first book when I was in fifth grade. I wasn’t afraid of rejection, so I sent my book out to anyone and everyone I thought might read it. Sure, I didn’t hear back from a lot of them. But I did score reviews in The Los Angeles Times, Girls’ Life magazine, Cosmo Girl magazine, and others.

2,200 copies sold is indeed impresssive! You made a really great point here, Dallas – You were not afraid to try! I think that’s what stops most people from success in whatever they do. The fear of rejection and criticism.

Yes, many terrific doors were opened for me because I wasn’t afraid to hear the word “no.”

What kind of articles have you written for magazines and newspapers?

I write articles for magazines, newspapers and websites — everything from Family Circle to The Los Angeles Times to Writer’s Digest. I’m also a monthly columnist for GradtoGreat.com, TweenParent.com, and Listen magazine. I love profiling inspiring young people – like your daughter, Rachel (article to be published soon) – and helping spread the word about the amazing things kids and teens are doing. I think often the media focuses on negative stereotypes about teenagers, which is unfortunate because there are so many young people who are doing phenomenal, selfless things to better the world.

That is so true! I am so glad there are people out there like you to share positive stories with the world. How did you get your first article published?

One of my favorite things about being a writer is that even your most embarrassing moments in life are worth something because they are great writing material! My first article was for Justine magazine, at that time a newly established publication for teens, and it was a true-life account about how I was “sweet sixteen” and had never been kissed. The editors loved my honest voice and the piece resonated with a lot of readers. I have always tried to see my young age as an advantage in my writing, rather than a disadvantage, because it allows me to write about things like teen issues with a great deal of authenticity. As a teen writing for a teen publication, I wrote an article that I would want to read! I would encourage other writers to put themselves in this mindset – what insights and lessons does your particular background and experiences give you? How can you use these traits as an advantage in your writing life?

In addition to a love of writing, you and I have something in common. We both travel around our communities to speak to students at schools about writing and publishing. What is the main message you hope to get across to the students you speak to?

I hope that students come away from my talk inspired and motivated, knowing that they really can accomplish their dreams! I tell students that the lessons I have learned through writing can apply to whatever their own passions may be – sports, music, dance, art. Everyone at some point has to deal with rejection and discouragement. Everyone is going to face setbacks. Everyone is going to reach a crossroads where they might think of giving up. When they reach that point, I want students to realize that they are not alone – and the important thing is persevering through the hard times. Don’t ever let anyone discourage you from pursuing your dreams!!

Do you find this rewarding?

Incredibly rewarding! It is an activity that gives me great joy and fulfillment. Whenever I am feeling discouraged or creatively drained, going to schools and speaking to students inevitably recharges my batteries and gets me excited about writing again. So much energy and enthusiasm! It’s contagious!

I notice on your blog that you write about receiving rejection letters for your writing. Can you explain that?

Rejection is also something that everyone has to deal with. As a writer, I joke that I could wallpaper all four of my bedroom walls with all the rejection letters I have received from editors! The important thing is not to take it personally. For whatever reason, you or your writing just wasn’t a right fit for that publication at this specific time. That doesn’t mean that they won’t love the next piece you send to them! When I get a rejection letter, I first read the comments to see if there is any advice I can glean or ways I can improve for next time. Then, I submit my story or essay or article somewhere else.

It is so important for people out there to know about rejection, because the general public usually only hears about the success part of a person’s career. That makes us all think it is much easier than it really is!

Yes! It took me more than a year to find my literary agent. A year of rejection, rejection, rejection – until finally, I found my perfect match. My agent understands my writing and has faith in my career. I just had to have the patience and perseverance to find her!

Tell us about WriteOnBooks.org. What was your main goal when you started this website?

With my website I wanted to create a place where young writers can go to find resources and inspiration, as well as connect with other young writers. I started the site to coincide with my latest endeavor, which is starting a publishing company, Write On! Books, that publishes anthologies of stories, poems and essays written by young writers for young audiences. The goal is to give young people a much-needed outlet for expression and connection, while also hopefully inspiring a love of reading in youth. As a young writer, sometimes it can be hard to get people to take you seriously and get editors to even read your work. I believe that young people have a voice and opinions and a life perspective that just as important as the voice of adults. Moreover, there are so many books for young people that are written by adults – but who knows what its like to be a kid better than a kid herself? I am eager to read submissions from young writers — they can e-mail me at dallaswoodburn@aol.com or visit my website www.writeonbooks.org for more information.

Part of your website is Write On! For Literacy. What does that entail?

In a recent national assessment conducted by the National Literacy Institute (NLI) of fourth-grade students, 13% reported never reading for fun on their own; an additional 16% only read for fun once a month. I think this is a travesty. Reading has brought me so much excitement, confidence and has opened so many doors for me, including a tremendous college education and a career that I love.

Writing and reading have given me so much fulfillment and self-confidence, and opportunities that I never would have been given otherwise – like traveling to New York to be a guest on The CBS Early Show when I was writing a column for Family Circle magazine. I feel other kids should be exposed to writing and reading as well, to encourage their self-confidence and self-expression. When I published my first book, There’s a Huge Pimple On My Nose, in fifth grade, the teachers in my elementary school asked me to talk to their classes, and then I spoke to other classes throughout the school district. I still enjoy talking to kids about writing. At the beginning of my talk, I ask the kids if any of them are interested in writing, and usually a few shy hands raise. In contrast, at the end of my talk when I ask the same question, a lot more hands raise. The students told me they didn’t know that kids could be writers. They thought they had to wait until they were adults.

I started “Write On! For Literacy” in 2001 to encourage kids to discover joy, confidence, a means of self-expression and connection to others through reading and writing. My website www.writeonbooks.org features writing contests, book reviews, fun writing prompts, and more. I also hold an annual Holiday Book Drive to collect and distribute new books to disadvantaged kids — more than 10,000 books have been donated to date.

If one of our readers wants to sponsor a local holiday book drive for your organization, what should he or she do?

That would be wonderful! Write On! would love for you to start a Holiday Book Drive chapter in your area! It can be as large or small of an effort as you have the time and energy for. Many chapter leaders begin book drives by inviting friends and relatives to get involved, and then broaden their efforts to area schools, churches and community groups. I have found in my own efforts that often people in the community want to get involved with literacy endeavors, but aren’t sure how — when they hear about the Holiday Book Drive, they are very excited to help out.

If you are interested in starting a Holiday Book Drive chapter, please e-mail me at dallaswoodburn@aol.com and I will add you to our chapter list. I can also send you flyers to help spread the word and get the ball rolling!

Wow, Dallas. You sure have a lot of energy! What are you most proud of thus far in your writing career?

It is always fantastic to get fan letters and e-mails from readers who have enjoyed my work. Nothing makes my day more than a sweet note from someone who has been touched by my writing!

I think I am most proud, however, of Write On! and my literacy endeavors. When a boy tells me that he believes in his own potential after hearing my talk, or a girl tells me that she wants to be a writer now after visiting my website, it makes me feel like I am making a positive difference, and that is something to truly be proud of.

What are your hopes for the future of your writing career?

I truly hope to make a positive difference in the lives of others through my writing and literacy endeavors. I believe writing can connect people and foster understanding, and that is what I hope to do in my career.

I have started to write another novel, which I’m in the early exciting stages of – writing and waiting to see where the story will lead me. I’m also a staff writer for the websites GradtoGreat.com, TweenParent.com, and Listen magazine, a publication that encourages kids to make smart choices and stay away from drugs and alcohol. I’m having fun working on play scripts and submitting them to festivals. I’m also the coordinator for the Young Writers Program of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference – I really enjoy interacting with other young writers, and I hope to expand the program and continue to be involved with the conference for many years to come.

What advice do you have for children (or adults) who are considering a career as a writer?

Enjoy the process! As John Wooden says, “The journey is better than the inn.” In addition, publishing my books has taught me not to be afraid to take risks, and to take the initiative when you have an idea and make it happen yourself rather than letting fear and doubt make you wait. Because, why wait? Take small steps towards your dreams, and small steps can snowball into amazingly big opportunities!

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us, Dallas. Your accomplishments and attitude are an inspiration, not only for young people, but also for the countless adults out there who are afraid to take risks. You are living proof that one is never too young to take action and make a difference. Please stay in touch with Smart Poodle Publishing and let us know about your future publishing endeavors.

To reach Dallas Woodburn, visit her website by clicking here or email her at dallaswoodburn@aol.com.

You know that feeling when you meet a family for the first time and you instantly hit it off with them, knowing you will fast become good friends? Well, that happened to me while at the NCGE conference in San Juan last week. I met Theresa Blain, owner of Visualize World Geography, which teaches students to visualize nations by turning the world into memorable shapes. Theresa and her husband Gregg, homeschool their two talented sons, Hunter (age 14) and Gregory (age 12). The family lives on a sprawling ranch in Western Texas, and the boys recently took it upon themselves to start keeping bees on their property. Naturally, I was curious about this and just had to ask them all about it. Beekeeping is fascinating!

Gregory (left) and Hunter (right) Blain suit up for their beekeeping duties on their Texas ranch

What made you decide to become beekeepers?

Hunter and Gregory: We were talking to our parents about multiple land uses of the ranch. Beekeeping came up as a possibility because it is compatible with cattle raising – our main use of land. Also, wild hives were infiltrating some of our barns, and had to be moved. This indicated that the ranch was a good bee habitat, and if we did become beekeepers, we could then have better control of where the hives would be located, and also receive the benefit of collecting honey.

How did you figure out what you needed to do to get started keeping bees?

Hunter: We read books on the subject, like “The Hive and the Honeybee,” and we asked older beekeepers for advice.

Gregory: I read a lot of descriptions of products in bee catalogs.

What kind of equipment is necessary to keep bees?

Gregory: I wouldn’t go without a bee suit—which includes gloves, a veil, a hat, and a full body suit. Plus you need a smoker, and a hive tool (a hive tool is just a strangely shaped pry bar). Each apiary has a couple of large hives, some smaller ones on top called supers, and a queen excluder between them to keep the queen from laying eggs in the honey comb. Also, make sure to bring an extra empty hive with empty frames to store good honey for transport and processing.

Hunter: You need an extractor to spin the honey off the frames, a capping scratcher to remove the wax caps from the cells, bottles, and a sanitary work environment. We use a hot plate, two stainless steel filters—one fine, one coarse, and different stainless pots, trays, and funnels. We wrap our extractor with heat tape to make the honey flow faster. A comb cutter is helpful if you are packaging the honey with the comb.

The beekeepers hard at work

How many apiaries do you have?

Gregory: We have two completed apiaries, and another area fenced off and ready for bees.

Did you attract your bees or purchase them?

Hunter: The two completed apiaries have purchased bees, while the other bees will come from a wild hive that is in a bad spot, and must be moved for safety reasons.

Gregory: You can domesticate a wild beehive by moving the queen bee into a man-made hive.

Do you have any idea how many bees live in your hive(s)?

Gregory: We have tens of thousands, round about, but it would take a while to “bee” exact and count them.

Hee, Hee. I am glad to know that beekeepers have a keen sense of humor! Do you need permission from your town or some sort of a permit to keep bees on a residential property?

Hunter: Because our hives are outside city limits, they have no jurisdiction over our operation. However, we do report our hives and honey production to the USDA for statistical purposes.

That is so cool that you do that! I’ve read that bees need a large water source to make honey and keep their hives cool. How do you provide your bees with water?

Hunter: Although water is not a major factor in cooling the hives (bees use their wings like cordless, portable fans), water is very important to make honey. Currently, the bees obtain their water from ponds about a quarter mile away. However, we decided that for this upcoming season, we will put 55 gallon drums of water next to each hive, making sure to cut just a small hole on top of each drum so that not much more than our bees can get into them. Giving the bees a water source right next to their hives will mean less of the bees’ time will be spent retrieving water, and more bees can be dedicated to gathering nectar, and producing honey.

That’s brilliant! Where is the pollen source coming from for your bees?

Gregory: Bees gather nectar from flowers—for the bees, moving pollen around is accidental. Our bees gather from wildflower patches that vary from year to year. Another important source is mesquite trees.

How long does it take your bees to make a jar’s worth of honey?

Hunter: Our honey production is rising as the hives become more established. This is because the bees do not have to re-make the wax cells from scratch. This year, we harvested about 110 pounds of honey.

Yum. How do you safely get the honey out of the hive?

Greogory: Make sure you zip your bee suit up completely. Use smoke to keep the bees calm and off the honey; use the hive too—check for honey content and bee larvae called brood. Honey comb with brood must be left in the hive. The hive contains a number of wooden frames—separate pieces on which the bees construct their comb. We put the good frames in an extra empty hive and drive away. The wandering bees eventually head back to their own hive.

Does it look the same as the honey we buy at the store?

Hunter: It looks about the same, except the color may vary depending on which flowers are predominant that year. Our honey tends to be sweeter because it isn’t made from a single flower type, or an agricultural crop.

What do you do with the honey?

Hunter: We bottle it, and then we eat it, give it to friends; we even sell some too.

Hunter proudly displays the honey collected from the beehives

Have either of you ever been stung?

Gregory: One time, my veil was slightly unzipped, and 6 or 7 bees unexpectedly got in. It was fine for a while, until one crawled into my left nostril. That’s when I started running. The quick reaction disturbed the bees and I found myself at a curve in the road about half a mile away, just about lost. As I mentioned before, always make sure your bee suit is completely zipped!

That must have been rather scary! What have you learned about bees that surprised you since you started doing this?

Hunter: The Africanized bees are amazingly aggressive. They form a dense black cloud and sting everything in sight.

Gregory: Bees can sting multiple times on most animals. Human skin traps the stinging organ, which is fatal for the bee.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about bees with our readers?

Hunter: After the initial set up costs, and the first year’s experience, beekeeping is easy and inexpensive. It is true that building fences and assembling hives require hard work, and that a good extractor can be pricey, but if you are going to raise bees, you have to think of them as a long-term deal.

Gregory: Dadant and Sons, a beekeepers supply company, has good, introductory books and a lot of the things you would need to get started.

Hunter and Gregory, I cannot thank you enough for sharing all your knowledge with us. I learned so much about keeping bees. Please keep us informed about your progress with the beehives and any other fascinating new projects you take on. With curiosity such as yours, I am sure there will be many other exciting adventures in your future!

Click here to read our weekly comic strip!

Read Interview Part 1 here. Part 2 here. Part 3 here.

You have written Globejotting: How to Write Extraordinary Travel Journals (and still have time to enjoy your trip!). I cannot wait to read it! Now you teach travel journaling courses in Seattle.  I think it is wonderful that you share your writing insight with others. Is teaching a rewarding experience for you?

I love teaching – and especially travel journaling classes. It’s something I’m passionate about, because I think it helps people get more in touch with the emotional side of their trips and helps them have richer journeys. I’m really dedicated to helping people understand other cultures, and also to helping them harness foreign cultures as a backdrop for their own self-discovery.

I’ve been teaching journaling classes for quite a few years now, which is what led me to write Globejotting. I’m excited about some upcoming journaling tours I am putting together. In January, 2010, I’ll be partnering with African wildlife specialist Bill Given and co-leading a travel journaling safari in Botswana. Bill will lead game drives in the morning and evening, when the temperatures are tolerable, and during the middle of the day, when it’s too hot to be running around in the Kalahari bush, I’ll to teach lessons in travel journaling and essay writing. I’m also looking into a similar workshop in Vietnam in the fall of 2010. If anyone is interested, they will find all the details on my websites at traveljournaling.com and davethefox.com.

Do you often look back and read your own journals from long ago?

I do go back and read my journals on occasion, and it’s fascinating to see how much I have changed. I encourage people to keep travel diaries because there is so much we can capture in writing that we can’t capture with a camera.

At the same time, though, I think that even if you never go back and re-read your travel diaries, they are still worth writing. When we journal in the right way, writing about our experiences brings us more intimately in touch with all the things that are happening around us. Journaling gives us richer travel experiences because it increases our awareness of our surroundings.

The two frustrations most people face are either that their writing seems to fall flat, and not fully capture the spirit of their journeys, or they just can’t find time to write in the middle of an exciting trip. I offer solutions to these challenges, and a lot of different writing techniques, in my book, Globejotting.

Here in the US, students are greatly lacking in geography education. Why do you think this is the case? And what do you think we can do about it?

I’m not sure why that is, but it’s something I wish we would fix. Especially now that the Internet makes it so cheap and easy to communicate with people all over the world, it’s important to understand who we are talking to, and know where they are.

I think what helps is when teachers, parents, etc., teach geography as more than just memorizing maps and locations. On a very basic level, even young kids can appreciate the concept of different cultures, climates, governments, etc. We need to encourage kids to learn about people who are different from themselves. When we do these things creatively, many kids find it fascinating.

When you are not traveling, teaching, speaking or writing, what do you most enjoy doing?

Eating and sleeping are two of my favorite things. I like to cook. I love to barbecue when the weather is nice. And I love music of many kinds

If I’ve been spending a lot of time around people, at the end of a busy tour season, for example, I tend to hang out alone for a couple of days and enjoy some quiet time by myself, but ultimately, I get a lot of energy from meeting new people and finding out what sorts of experiences they are having in this thing we call “life.”

Thank you Dave!

Dave Fox is a busy guy. He is one of the judges for our new children’s I Love Costa Rica’s Rain Forest! Travel Writing and Art Contest. In addition to traveling, teaching classes about journaling, speaking and writing books and articles, Dave spends several months in Europe each year as a tour guide for Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Back Door. He even posts his crazy travel schedule on his website. When he’s not on an airplane or in a hotel, Dave enjoys the comforts of his own home in Seattle. Please visit www.davethefox.com to get the whole story.

Every time I turn on the TV or radio or read a newspaper or magazine, there’s news about the Swine Flu. Colds and flu spread so easily that sometimes you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you will get sick. But we’ve heard time and time again from medical experts that keeping ou hands clean is the best way to prevent getting sick. Once school starts, that’s when airborne illnesses spread.

http://www.freeclipartisland.com

Here’s what I know from common sense:

1. Wash, Wash, Wash – Talk to your kids about washing their hands may times throughout the day. At home, wash your hands together in the sink. Show them how to rub them together fast and wash both top and bottom of hands with soap.
2. Hand Sanitizer - I am not a big fan of this stuff because it fries the heck out of my hands, but it does cut germs. Put a small bottle in your child’s lunch box. He might think it is fun to use it.
3. Hand Habits – Nail biters, thumb suckers and cuticle chewers are more likely to get sick. Try to get your child to stop these habits.
4. Nutrition - A healthy diet is essential for everyone to stay healthy. Bad diets compromise the immune system, making it more likely for a person to contract an illness. High sugar and fat diets are not going to keep your child healthy. Vitamins can help.
5. Sleep Habits – Does your child get enough sleep? Exhaustion will bring down your ability to fight off colds and flu. Get your child into a good sleeping routine, winding down at least an hour before bed and going to bed at the same time every night.
6. Fitness – Everyone in the family needs regular exercise including your children. They will sleep better, feel better and strengthen their immune systems.
7. Schedules -  Don’t schedule your children with extracurricular activities. A hectic lifestyle is not a healthy one. Kids, like adults, need unscheduled down time.
8. Friends – Keep your child from going to friends’ houses and from them coming to your house for play time if wither child or any of their family members are sick.
9. Kissing - I heard an MD on Good Morning America today say that people in his office are not shaking hands due to the Swine Flu. He recommended that it is good idea to forgo the usual kissing hello of friends as well. It may be impossible to get small kids to keep their hands to themselves, but you can try to explain this to them.
10. Keep her Home – If your child does get sick – especially with flu-like systems, don’t send her to school. Many moms have to work, but they should have a backup system for home care from a friend or family member when their kids are sick. If parents kept their kids home when they are sick, it would make a HUGE difference in preventing the spread of germs.

Welcome to the third part of our interview with travel writer Dave Fox. If you love to travel, wish you could travel, love to write or wish you could write, you’re gonna love Dave Fox.

In case you missed either of the first 2 parts of this interview, click here for Part 1 and here for Part 2.

You advise your readers to expect the unexpected when traveling. In Getting Lost you write about getting food poisoning in Istanbul, which made you gravely ill for many months. Was that the worst traveling experience you have ever had?

“Food poisoning” is putting it mildly. It was more like “food nuclear armageddon.” I was very ill and very frightened. What was incredibly powerful about the experience though, was writing about it nearly two decades later in a book of travel humor essays. “When Salads Attack” is one of my favorite chapters in Getting Lost.

It was cathartic to write about such a horrible experience and try to make it funny. It was tough; I had to relive some unpleasant stuff – not just the health problems, but some painful personal issues I was going through at the time as well. And I felt like the chapter had to be in the book, or there would have been a gaping hole in the bigger story. I felt like I was finally at peace with one of my most traumatic experiences ever – not just traveling, but in life in general.

http://www.aperfectworld.org

The humor in your writing is so refreshing. Have you always been funny?

People often don’t believe this about me, but as a child and into adolescence, I was a shy, awkward, and introverted. Occasionally, I would attempt to come out of my shell and try too hard – kind of like the annoying guy at the party with the lampshade on his head. Travel in foreign places is what helped me accept and share myself, and do so in a more natural way.

The humorous part of me started emerging in high school, though the awkward part was still overshadowing most of the time. I began writing to express things about myself that I couldn’t express otherwise. I got interested in journalism, and also wrote a lot of self-absorbed adolescent poetry. I had a couple of teachers who encouraged me to keep writing. I started experimenting, and started writing funny stuff.

It wasn’t until recently that I realized humor is a genre that comes fairly naturally to me. Actually, my past insecurities have made me comfortable with a self-deprecating writing style, which lends itself well to travel humor. When I started pursuing professional humor writing, 7 or 8 years ago, I took a very geeky approach at first, trying to understand what makes things funny, stretching something funny into something funnier.

So I’d say humor is something I’ve always had in me, but it has taken a lot of time to coax it out – to not only share it with the rest of the world, but to share it with myself as well.

Of all the places you’ve been in the world, what is your absolute favorite?
People ask me that a lot, but I can’t compare Norway to Turkey to Samoa to Vietnam and come up with a favorite. They’re all so different.

Is there any destination you’d like to see, that you haven’t visited yet?

Yes. Greenland, Tuvalu, Argentina, Cape Verde, Albania, Iran, Botswana, Antarctica, the Faroe Islands, Cyprus, Bahrain, Kiribati, Jamaica, China, and Texas, to name a few.

Thanks, Dave!!!

Stay tuned next week for the last part of this interview, Part 4.

Click here to read Part 1 of this interview . . .

Many Americans never really get to experience, firsthand, what foreigners think about our culture. But you have many times. Have you encountered any misconceptions others have about us?

Many. The reality of life on Earth is we have a lot of different cultures, and we don’t always get each other. When I lived in England as a child, many of my classmates thought Americans all drove cars as big as Delaware and had high-speed police chases through our communities every night. It was 1977, and “Starsky and Hutch” was one of the most popular TV shows there.

As a teenager in Norway, I encountered other stereotypes – that America was a dangerous place, and that we were all either very rich or very poor. Again, the reason for these misconceptions, I think, is that television shows extreme sides of our culture. These shows may be entertaining for us, but different cultures might take them too literally.

I’ve also encountered political stereotypes, which have shifted in the last decade. I was at a punk rock concert in Bergen, Norway, a few years back. Between songs, the lead singer started ranting about how stupid Americans were for voting for George W. Bush, “not once but twice.” I don’t think she was expecting a Norwegian-speaking liberal American in the audience, and she was a bit bewildered when I yelled from the audience that that we didn’t all vote for him. (But hey, at a punk show, it is culturally appropriate to yell at the band.) I went up to her later and apologized for interrupting, and she apologized to me for stereotyping an entire nation based on its elected officials.

Have there been times when you realized you had improperly stereotyped other cultures as well?

Absolutely. It’s something we all do, and on some level, I would argue that is natural and okay, as long as you also challenge your beliefs and really get to know people. If we travel in foreign places, we’re going to have knee-jerk reactions to things we don’t understand. The trick is allowing time to question our initial negative reactions.

In Globejotting, my book about how to write more meaningful and exciting travel diaries, I talk about how journaling about your expectations before you leave on a trip makes for interesting contrasts once you arrive.

When I teach this idea, people sometimes suggest it’s wrong to travel with preconceptions. But, come on! We travel to places because we have a sense of what they will be like. If we didn’t have some sense of what a place was like, why would we go there in the first place? But usually, there’s at least a subtle difference when we arrive between our expectations and reality.

Do you keep in touch with people you’ve met in other countries?

It’s tricky, but I try. I have a lot of friends in a lot of places. Keeping in touch with all of them on a steady basis just isn’t practical. It could be my full-time job if I were independently wealthy. But the flip side to that is that I have people in many parts of the world who I consider close friends, even if I might only see them once every few years, and when we do get together, it feels as if little time has passed.

How many languages do you speak (or sort of speak)?

Hmmm… well, for starters, I sort of speak English. It’s my native language. I am also fluent in Norwegian, which is very similar to Swedish and Danish, so I understand those as well.

I speak functional, albeit broken, French; enough German and Italian to fool people into thinking I understand them, and a few phrases in a lot of other tongues. Basically, I’m a language nerd, and I try to pick up some of the language wherever I go. But none of this is as impressive as some people make it out to be. Once you’ve got one or two foreign languages down, something clicks in your brain that makes it easier to learn additional languages.

Wow, Dave I am impressed! Most Americans do not speak numerous languages like that. Why do you suppose that is?

I wish we would embrace the concept of teaching foreign languages in elementary schools more than we do. I don’t care whether we teach Spanish or Japanese, Icelandic or Xhosa. Once you go through the process of learning a second language, you understand the thought process involved in communicating in a foreign tongue. So when you then meet people who are struggling to communicate in English, you understand what they need from you – slower speech, clear enunciation, simpler words, etc. You become more effective at communicating in English with non-native speakers.

Americans tend to be perfectionists. That makes some people afraid to attempt other languages because we’re afraid we might say something “wrong.” But you know what? People in other countries don’t think poorly of us if we speak their language badly. They think poorly of us if we don’t try, and always expect them to communicate on our terms.

Thanks, Dave! We’re looking forwrd to Part 3!

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this interview!

Visit Dave Fox here.

Dave Fox is an award-winning travel writer with a refreshing sense of humor and an incredibly large comfort zone. I just finished reading his highly entertaining Getting Lost: Mishaps of an Accidental Nomad. Read the review by clicking here. Dave has been almost everywhere, and he has a unique way of writing about it. With an honest, straight forward writing style, he’ll make you laugh, and he’ll educate you in ways you never knew you should be educated.

Dave squeezed time out of his ridiculously busy schedule to answer some questions for us. Wow. Are we ever grateful he did!

Since you were a young (shy) child, your life has been full of foreign travel and temporary living situations where you were faced with completely unfamiliar surroundings, languages, people and food. What was that like?

I was a shy kid but was also very curious. I grew up in a suburb of Washington, DC with kids from all over the world. I think I related to foreign kids better than some, because at times I felt like a bit of an outsider myself.

At age 8, I spent a year in England. It was an odd sort of culture shock. In the US, I was teased for being the shortest kid in the class, In England, I stood out for my American accent more than my height, but the kids there had a fascination with the US. England was importing a lot of our TV shows and fast food, among other things. So I guess I felt different in a more socially accepted way there, but at the same time, I felt okay being different.

How did that shape you into the person you are today?

The simple answer is I love to travel, but it gets deeper than that. To me, traveling is a way of collecting stories – my own, and other people’s. We are all surrounded by foreign cultures, even when we’re at home. We just have to be willing to seek them out. Culture is so much more than nationality. There are sub-cultures based on age, religion, race, body type, economic level, political views, occupations, hobbies, and so many other things. When we can’t travel in faraway places, it can be fascinating to explore the foreign cultures that exist close to us. I’ll talk to anybody who is willing to tell me their story, and I’m comfortable around people who are different from me. In that sense, I’m often a foreigner, even when I’m at home. And I love it.

You have been to more than 40 countries on 5 continents! I’d imagine there were times when you missed the comforts of home and wished you had not ever left.

Missed the comforts of home? Yes. Wished I had never left? No way. Even in my worst travel moments – and if we travel enough, it’s inevitable we’re going to have a few of those – I’ve never regretted exploring the world, even when it has been uncomfortable. Staying home and hiding under the bed so nothing bad happens seems a lot more uncomfortable to me than jet lag or traveler’s diarrhea.

Have you any tips for our readers about decreasing the ill effects of jet lag?

If I had a cure for jet lag, I’d be very rich! Our bodies just aren’t designed to be flung halfway around the planet in half a day. So jet lag is an unavoidable side-effect of long-distance air travel. But there are things we can do to reduce its intensity.

The pineal is a gland in our brain that responds to light and tells us whether to be awake or asleep. After I cross a lot of time zones, I expose myself to as much natural light as possible during the daytime, and I avoid bright lights at night to help cue my brain that it’s time to be asleep. For the same reason, I never wear sunglasses during the daytime my first few days in a new time zone.

Eating meals at regular local hours and avoiding caffeine later in the day also signal our bodies to the time of day. And, I sometimes take Melatonin or a sleeping pill my first few nights to help me get a good night’s sleep. But I recommend checking with a doctor before you do that.

Now that we are on the subject, what are your top 5 tips to make travel easier? After all these years, you must have the travel thing down pat!

That’s a tricky question. I think on some level, travel isn’t supposed to be easy. When we venture outside our cultural comfort zones, we have better experiences if we challenge ourselves and accept that we’re in unfamiliar territory. You can make things easier by staying in a glitzy Western-style hotel in a foreign country, but then, what’s the point of going to a vastly different culture? You might as well stay home and watch the Travel Channel!  That having been said, here are five tips for making travel emotionally easier.

1. Always leave something to go back to, even if you are certain you will never return. A lot of people run around with check lists, trying to do all their guidebooks suggest. Foreign travel shouldn’t be a race. Go for quality experiences, not a high quantity of experiences. Allow “down time” for non-touristy things like wandering aimlessly through side streets, visiting a grocery store, or getting a haircut.
2. Smile! Yeah… that sounds trite, but I tried an experiment a few years ago. As a tour guide, when I needed help – maybe at a hotel or at a restaurant – I’d make a point to smile and look calm at the group even if I wasn’t feeling that way. Other times, I forgot to do that. I noticed that the difference in people’s reactions, depending on how I approached them, was huge. If you are friendly, people respond in a friendly way. If you are stressed, it stresses them too and they are less open to you. So even if you think you’re having a crisis, appear calm and people will warm up to you and help out.
3. Never forget YOU are the foreigner. If you are frustrated with the way things are in a foreign place, it’s likely because you just don’t understand the local ways. And not understanding them is fine; feeling confused is part of the fun. Eventually we figure things out, and that can be very rewarding. But whining that things should be different – when in fact, we are the ones who are different – isn’t just ignorant; it’s also a waste of time and energy. Allow yourself some confusion, and don’t be hard on yourself because you don’t understand the local rules. Don’t be hard on the local people either.
4. Don’t let technology kidnap your trip. When I started backpacking in Europe in the 1980s, I gave people poste restante addresses where once a month, I could stop at a local post office and plow through a pile of letters, hoping one might be for me. Cell phones, e-mail and social networking can help us keep in touch, but some people get so frustrated when they can’t get a Wi-Fi signal or a good phone connection. In a faraway place, let yourself be far away. The world won’t crash down around you if you can’t read your e-mail for a day or two. Another thing that drives me crazy is people who travel with video cameras glued to their eyes. They’re losing out on the experience. When they get home, do they really sit through that many hours of footage? Take advantage of technology when it’s convenient, but don’t let it wilt your mood when it doesn’t cooperate, or drive a wedge between yourself and real life experiences.
5. When you travel, things go wrong. That was the premise of my book, Getting Lost, and it’s been my number one travel rule for years. It doesn’t sound like uplifting advice, but when we’re out of our element, unfamiliar with the local “rules,” things are going to get wonky at times. When they do, try to find humor in the chaos, keep and you’ll probably have a great story to tell later.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of our 4-part interview with Dave Fox, coming up next week. He’s got a lot of great info to share with us! In the mean time, check out Dave’s books and websites by clicking here.

Smart Poodle Publishing subscribes to Role Mommy’s informative newsletter, which links back to the website – one of my absolute favorites. This is a terrific place for busy moms everywhere to stay informed about all things that might interest them. The mission of Role Mommy is “Helping your children realize their hopes and dreams doesn’t mean you have to give up on your own.” As a working Mom/business owner myself, I can so relate to that. Beth Feldman, President of Role Mommy (and so much more!) was kind enough to answer some questions for us today.

Beth Feldman

I love the mission of Role Mommy. What inspired you to come up with that?

When I became a new mom I was always fascinated by stories of women who were pursuing their passion while raising a family.  I wanted to know what made them tick, what inspired them to still do what they love despite the stress, time constraints and mommy guilt.  And after meeting with and interviewing countless women who are still going after their dreams while juggling motherhood, I felt that they were role models or “Role Mommies” who should be celebrated.

What do you hope your readers can get from your website?

What I hope is that readers will be entertained and inspired when they visit Role Mommy.  From celebrity interviews, humorous essays, recommendations and profiles of amazing moms, when you visit our site, it’s like that chocolate box scene from “Forrest Gump” – you never know what you’re gonna get.

What is Role Mommy University?

We are in the process of developing a program for mothers who are entrepreneurs, authors and parenting experts where we will provide them with the tools they will need to garner exposure for their brand, book or product.  We are currently scheduling these events in NYC that will then be made available online.

How do you come up with ideas for your blog?

I come up with ideas in a variety of ways.  If I’m out and about with my family I usually find that divine inspiration strikes and I get some great ideas for humorous posts.  I’m also invited to lots of media events and while I can’t make them all, I definitely attend the ones where I can get an interview with one of my favorite stars (you can check out our interview with Kelly Ripa for one of my latest big gets).  I’m also contacted regularly by enterprising moms and PR agencies and again, I pursue stories that interest me.  I’m an entertainment junkie, love to read chick lit and inspiring books and also love to showcase the incredible moms who have joined our community.

In a sea of countless Mommy Blogs and websites, what makes Role Mommy so unique?

Role Mommy is a place for every mom.  If you’re doing something in your life that you’re passionate about, then we want to hear about it. We hope that when you visit our site, we can make you laugh or you are inspired by the stories of our Moms of Reinvention.

What do you like best about your work at Role Mommy?

Being able to connect with incredible women from all over the country who are doing amazing things in their lives and writing funny stories about my hectic life as a working mom with a husband, two kids, two cats, a hermit crab and a lizard that will be joining our brood this summer.  I guess what I’m saying is my home life is like a zoo and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

In addition to publishing your website, you are President of BeyondPR, an entertainment public relations agency in NY. Can you tell us about that?

Before I left corporate America, I was a vice president for the CBS Communications Group where I spearheaded PR efforts for four divisions of the company including entertainment, marketing, consumer products and digital media.  When I left CBS, I launched a public relations consulting firm and over the last two years have worked on a host of entertainment projects for TNT, TBS, CBS, Yahoo and Lifetime Television.  I’m also frequently hired by entertainment and toy companies to tap into the mom blogger market.  So in essence, my passion for motherhood has now dovetailed with my public relations agency.

Beth with her Children and Husband – One Happy Family!

How on earth do you find time to manage the website and the agency and be a wife and Mom to two children and two cats?

Let me stop you right there – today I purchased a tank for a new lizard we’ll be taking into our home when my son comes home from school tomorrow.  Plus, we have two hermit crabs too.  I pretty much work a lot.  I try to stay away from my laptop when my kids are awake but once they go to sleep, I’m back online, writing, pitching, social networking and pretty much doing what I love.  I now have to run and break up a scuffle between my elderly cat and psychotic kitten.

I’m laughing, because your life actually sounds like a sitcom! Beth, you are quite possibly the busiest mom in America! When (or if) you have an hour to yourself, how would you best like to spend it?

I love getting pedicures and judging from my toes, I’m in desperate need of one right about now.  I also enjoy slipping on my headphones, strapping on my rollerblades and singing some of my favorite show tunes and pop songs as I zip around my neighborhood.

I understand you have a funny story about the early birth of your son, Dylan, and how that did not stop you from working. At that time you were employed by CBS, right?

My son was born three weeks early, as I was in the midst of planning the finale for “The Amazing Race,” scheduling a major photo shoot with the cast of “The King of Queens” and arranging for the entire cast of CSI to ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.  I never realized that the stress from all three shows would cause me to go into pre-mature labor, but it did.  On the day I went into labor, I was busy emailing my assistant (this was before Blackberries) while clutching the wall between contractions.  Within a few hours, my son literally flew out of me (now I know why women give birth in rice patties and go back to work right afterwards).  I then spent the next few days in bed watching all my stars appear on the talk shows I had booked for them before Dylan decided to make his entrance into the world.

Now that’s dedication! Eventually you talked your boss into telecommuting. You must have been a bit nervous about asking. How did you present the idea?

When I was set to go back to work after my daughter was born, I asked my boss if he would give me the chance to telecommute twice a week.  He agreed to give me a trial run for six weeks and it worked out really well.  So much so, that my actions paved the way for other women in the department to work from home too.

Your PR work sounds fascinating. Of all the campaigns you’ve worked on, what’s your favorite?

Hands down, my favorite campaign was the finale of “Everybody Loves Raymond.”  From creating a collector’s item press kit that resembled a family photo album, to arranging a marathon day of press appearances for the cast where they appeared on nearly every national talk and entertainment show on television, to the moment when they rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.  I’ll never forget the moment when Doris Roberts reached reached for my hands and said to me, “Honey, you should be so proud of yourself.  Look what you’ve accomplished today – don’t you ever forget it.”  We then ended the night at the Ritz Carlton in Battery Park City where the cast, writers, producers, close family and friends got the chance to celebrate the final episode with a private screening party that I helped spearhead too.  It was truly one of the most amazing moments of my career and I will never forget it.

You have co-authored a book with Yvette Manessis Corporon called “Peeing in Peace: Tales & Tips for Type A Moms.” What a hilarious title. Can you tell us about the book?

After the finale of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” Yvette, who was a producer at “Extra” and I got together for lunch and realized we both wanted to write a book about what it was like balancing work, family and everything in between.  We wanted to present the lighter side of working motherhood and we spent the summer in my basement writing our book proposal.  While we initially weren’t able to get the book published traditionally, we decided to self publish through NK Publications, who actually managed to sell the book into Borders.  Within weeks, we snagged a new agent and she sold the book to Sourcebooks and the rest is history.  The book is now available online through Amazon, Borders and in stores like Barnes and Noble and Destination Maternity.  And, it’s even available in Portugal too!

I’ve got to read that! Where can our readers buy it?

The best way to find the book is on Amazon – we always love driving our numbers up with tons of Amazon sales!  And I’m also proud to announce that my next book, “See Mom Run:  Side-splitting Essays from the World’s Most Harried Blogging Moms” will be published this fall by Plain White Press.

What advice do you have for the woman who wants it all?

Any mom can have it all – She just can’t have it all at once.  Always do the things you love – even if it’s just for one hour per week.  Never lose yourself in the process of becoming a mom – you are an incredible individual who is a role model to your children.  Do what you love and the rest will fall into place.

So well put, Beth! I am sure our readers are inspired – not only by your accomplishments – but also by your philosophy on life. It is obvious that school of thought has a great deal to do with your success. Your energy is relentless and your passion for what you do is awe-inspiring. Thank you for enlightening us and supporting hard-working moms all over the world. Please stay in touch as we’d all love to hear what’s in store for you, your future Role Mommy endeavors and naturally, your expanding “zoo” at home.

To reach Beth Feldman, click here. To subscribe to the free Role Mommy newsletter, click here.