HOLIDAY SPECIAL! FREE ONLINE AUTHOR READING w/BOOK PURCHASE! Buy a hardcover copy of "Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling," and the recipient of your gift will also receive a PERSONAL LIVE READING from me through the interactive reading app, USTYME!

The hardcover book will be personalized and autographed and delivered to you via 2-day USPS shipping; live readings to be scheduled beginning in January. Total price is $20 (tax & shipping included). Message me for more details.

I am excited to announce that Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling is now available on the USTYME platform! This cool app (for your tablet or computer) allows you to read stories and play games together in real time with the ones you love across any time zone! Grandparents, parents away on business, military families, cousins, etc., can connect and share a book anytime. Check out "Roxy" on ustyme!

Hot off the presses: Copies of "Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling" signed by both author and illustrator! Had a fun time today catching up with my illustrator, Brian, while we signed hardcovers with interested coffee shop staffers and patrons looking on. If you would like your own signed copy, let me know.

Super excited to see my children's book, "Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling," sitting next to B.J. Novak's on the Librarians' Picks table at the Edna Maguire Elementary School book fair today!

The first-graders in my classroom visit today were awesome! One little girl told me that she wanted to be a "horseback rider but was scared to do it, but now I'm not after hearing Roxy's story." Made my heart melt. I told her I used to ride a pony when I was her age (See very 1970s photo of Taffy and me).

Roxy Rogers: Your Destiny Is Calling hardcovers are in! 

$20 bucks includes personalized, signed hardcover/tax/2-day shipping. Makes a great gift for your child, relative, or friend! 

Click on link below to order your copy directly from me: 

http://www.threebugbooks.com/signed-hardcovers.html.

Baseball fever in my house. Dodger play-offs, T-minus 3 days. Getting ready with Hanley Ramirez's autographed cleats. Name your best sports autograph. Is there a story behind how you got it?

Some people have been wondering if the "Roxy Rogers" character in my book is based on my daughter, Maddy. Take a look. ‪

I love the honesty of kids when you ask them a question. The one I am posing in my author classroom visits since it is the topic of my book is:

What do you dream of being when you grow up? I will be posting some of the more unique answers in the coming weeks.

Today's awesome answer comes from a boy named Dylan: “I want to be a miner!”

What did (or do) YOU dream of doing? 

My answer is simple: Write children's books! Runner up: Play third base for the L.A. Dodgers!

I had my first classroom visit for my book, ROXY ROGERS: YOUR DESTINY IS CALLING today! It was so fun to read my book to the kids, watch their expressions as I read, and share stories about their own hopes & dreams for their futures. Shout out to Anne Siskin for being an awesome teacher and sister and inviting me to share my work with her third-graders! Can't wait to do more!

Excited to announce the official launch of ROXY ROGERS: YOUR DESTINY IS CALLING, available for purchase beginning TODAY on Amazon! I wrote the manuscript 10 years ago and put it in a drawer. Eight months ago, I challenged myself to bury old fears and realize my dream of writing and publishing children’s books. Baseball, my daughter, and Aretha Franklin were the inspirations for ROXY ROGERS. Find out how they all come together--order your copy today to read with the kids in your life. http://amzn.com/0692248714

Check Out The Free, Advanced Giveaway of ROXY ROGERS: YOUR DESTINY IS CALLING on Goodreads!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Roxy Rogers

by Emily Siskin-Toy

Giveaway ends September 01, 2014.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Answering the call for more multicultural children's books, the story of Roxy Rogers takes place in a biracial family.

Another "Before/After" look at the illustration process.  The final illustration brings life to the scene of Roxy playing catch with her dad through deep contrasts and minimal splashes of color.  The "cannon" arm playfully gives readers the idea of Roxy's amazing ability to throw the ball.

Author, Emily Siskin Toy, and Illustrator, Brian Krumm, brainstormed ideas about various ways to bring the character of Roxy Rogers to life.  In the above illustration, which takes place early in the story, Emily and Brian wanted to set the tone for the look and feel of the book and Roxy. They chose to use splashes of color and sharp contrast to give the sense that Roxy is popping off of the page.

The first release from Three-Bug Books will be:

ROXY ROGERS: YOUR DESTINY IS CALLING

Coming: August 2014

Leading up to the release, there will be a "behind the scenes" look at the making of the book.