You Can Do a Graphic Novel - Review & Giveaway

Graphic novels, a variation of comic books, are slowly but surely gaining popularity with tweens and teens. Thousands who just went to see Thor are eagerly waiting for the opening night of Captain America, Green Lantern and The Avengers. The movies that are expected to generate millions in the box office will also refresh curiosity in graphic novels.

Creating a graphic novel combines writing and illustrating with great creativity. It can be educational, exciting and fun. For young graphic novel enthusiasts the process of creating a graphic novel can be a great adventure that exercises their inner artists and makes a great project for long summer days.

Barbara Slate, graphic novelist and author of You Can Do a Graphic Novel guides readers through the same process she learned in her early days working for Marvel and DC Comics-a process she has simplified for the classes she teaches and for the syndicated column she writes. 

The book teaches readers how to:

·         Be creative in a way that works for you.

·         Find your own artistic style!

·         Create characters that get people's attention ... and hold it!

·         Develop a great plotline and write believable dialogue.

·         Lay out pages to keep the story moving forward.

·         Keep those creative juices flowing when you get stuck.

About the Author:

Barbara Slate has done it all. Her first character, Ms. Liz, appeared on millions of greeting cards, in a regular comic strip for Cosmopolitan magazine, as a spokesperson for Dupont's Lycra and as the star in a series of animated segments on NBC's Today Show. Her big break in comics came when she created Angel Love for DC Comics. From there, she created, wrote and drew Yuppies from Hell, and Sweet XVI for Marvel and put her own spin on the Disney classics Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Archie's Betty and Veronica, and Mattel's Barbie. Barbara's art has been exhibited in many galleries and reviewed by The New York Times.She is profiled in the seminal work A Century of Women Cartoonists. Stan Lee, Chairman, POW! Entertainment and Chairman Emeritus, Marvel Entertainment, calls Barbara "titanically talented." She is currently busy being a mom, doing a graphic novel titled, I Got Married and Other Mistakes, and teaching. Her website is barbaraslate.com.

You Can Do a Graphic Novel

ISBN: 9781592579556

Alpha Books, $19.95

MY REVIEW:


I really loved You Can Do a Graphic Novel. This book is great for kids and adults alike. It's bright, colorful and full of drawings. With chapters such as Your Story, The Creative Process, Creating Characters, Writing, Layout, and more, this book as everything you need to get started writing a graphic novel. There is even a glossary in the back to help you understand the terms used in the book.

You Can Do a Graphic Novel would make a great, fun way to get your kids writing. And drawing. This would make a great unit for the homeschooler for the middle school and high school. It is possible for younger ages to this book also. As long as your child can read, write, and draw, they will learn a lot from this book, regardless of grade level.

This would also make a great summer project. Keep the kids engaged with their reading and writing while having fun. My 12 year daughter wants to use the book. I think this would make a great family project also. Have the writer in the family write the story. The artist draw the pictures. Even the younger kids could help by giving ideas for the story, and what the characters should look like. How awesome would it be to give books for Christmas (or other holiday) presents that your family has made together?

Sounds great, right? How would you like to win your own book?


The Giveaway:


Enter to win a copy of You Can Do a Graphic Novel.

To Enter the Giveaway:

Do any (or all!) of the following:

1.Follow Linda's Lunacy with Google Friend Connect and leave a comment on this post saying your following. If your already a follower, just leave a comment saying so.
2. Subscribe to my blog by email, leave a comment and don't forget to confirm the subscription
3. Follow Linda's Lunacy on Twitter and tweet the giveaway. You can tweet once per day, just leave the link to your tweet every day.

Sample tweet: 
Enter to win the book You Can Do a Graphic Novel at Linda's Lunacy  http://bit.ly/kWaPtj   #giveaway 

5. Like Linda's Lunacy on Facebook and leave a comment on this post.
6. Follow Linda's Lunacy on Networked Blogs and leave a comment on this post.
7. Leave a comment - Do you or your kids like to draw? Has anyone in your family ever tried to do a graphic novel?

That's right, no mandatory entry. You choose how you want to enter! 


*This giveaway ends on Monday, July 6th at 11:59 pm  Open to US only. The winner will be selected by random.org. I will notify the winner by email. The winner must respond within 48 hours to claim their prize, or another winner will be chosen. I will verify entries.






*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. I received one book for review purposes. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Read the Bible in 90 Days

Mom's Tool Box is starting a new session of Read The Bible in 90 Days.

I participated in The Bible in 90 Days reading challenge last summer, and completed it in October 2010.

I found the challenge very rewarding. It is quite the challenge, though. Every days reading is 12 pages long. Which may not sound too bad and most days it isn't. Reading the genealogies was the hardest part for me.

Reading the Bible in 90 Days is very doable!

A new session is starting on July 11th.  I highly recommend the challenge for everyone. Visit Mom's Toolbox to sign up.

Wordless Wednesday - Barn Buddies

For more pictures, visit Wordless Wednesday,
Wordless Wednesday at 5 Minutes for Mom ,
Say "Cheese" at It's a Blog Party
A Beautiful Mess,
Live and Love Outloud,
Mama to 4 Blessings
Wordy or Not So Wordy Wednesday
Frugality is Free
Dear Crissy
Baba's Farm Life
Mrs. Mama Hen

Making a Home

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There are so many things I want to do, but I don't have time! So many things I want to crochet, knit, sew, craft, cook and bake.

I guess I'll just keep doing a little here and a little there, besides the cooking. lol There'll be time for more crafting when the kids are older. I did find the time and energy to try two new recipes last week. Check out the gluten free banana bread recipe linked below. It's awesome!

Last week, we worked most of the evenings getting everything ready for a clothes giveaway at church. We fill our church's fellowship hall with donated clothes, shoes, linens and other household items, and toys for the community to come and get for free. We had 51 people come in 2 hours time on Saturday morning. Not our best showing, but a decent turn out considering it was pouring the rain and storming the whole time.

While your here, don't forget to enter my latest giveaway a Fiber One Cereal Giftpack!

What did you do last week to make your house a home?

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Where we share all aspects of Making a Home. Share your posts about homemaking ideas, recipes, crafts, decorating, cleaning tips, basically anything that has to do with caring for a home and family.

Making a home for my family is very important to me and I'm always looking for tips and ideas.

So, link up your posts, and let's all support each other in making our homes better for our families.

Please provide a link back to me. A text link is fine. Of course, family friendly posts only.

Gluten Free Banana Bread

I was excited to try this recipe for gluten free banana bread. Since going gluten free, I've tried lots of recipes, and this one is definitely a keeper. Moist, delicious, crispy crust. Awesome warm from the oven, and toasted with butter for breakfast.

I found this recipe for Gluten Free Banana Bread at Budget Savvy Diva but I see she found it at All Recipes. You can go to those links to see the original recipe. I added cinnamon and nutmeg to the recipe, as I like these in banana bread. I've also changed the cooking time. It took about an hour to bake, and comments on All Recipes say others have had to bake it for an hour, too. So I changed the time in the recipe.





Gluten Free Banana Bread

2 cups gluten-free all purpose baking flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 6 ripe bananas, mashed
• 
  

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F . Lightly grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in eggs, maple syrup and mashed bananas until well blended. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture; mix until batter is just moist. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.  

I ate some, set aside a couple of slices to eat and put the rest in the freezer. I froze these with 2 layers of waxed paper between each slice. That way, I can pull out one slice at a time. This was so good, I'm sure I would  have eaten it all very quickly if I didn't put it in the freezer!

Check out Budget Savvy Diva's Gluten Free Sunday for more GF recipes.






For more tips and recipes, visit:

Making a Home

Garden and Kitchen Call Monday

Homemaker Monday

Unwasted Homemaking

Reasons to Skip Housework

Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays,

Tasty Tuesday 

Tuesdays at the Table

Delicious Dishes

Domestically Divine Homemaking Link-up

Made From Scratch

What's on the Menu Wednesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

Homemaking Link Up

The Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom

What's on Your Plate?

Cooking Thursday

Thrilling Thursday

Frugal Food Thursday

Friday Food

Food On Fridays.

Friday Food Fight

Fun with Food Friday

Foodie Friday

Sweet Tooth Friday

Sweets For a Saturday

New Miss USA crowned in Las Vegas

A 21-year-old auburn-haired California model won the Miss USA crown Sunday night and will represent the nation in this year's Miss Universe pageant.

Alyssa Campanella of Los Angeles topped a field of 51 beauty queens to take the title at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. She strutted across the stage in a blue bikini with white polka dots and a dark turquoise Sherri Hill evening gown with beading on its top.

She also answered a question about legalizing marijuana by saying she didn't think it should be fully legalized as a solution to help ailing economies.

Campanella told reporters in a news conference after the pageant that the win validated her decision to quickly move to Los Angeles from New Jersey after losing an apartment.

"The downs happen for a reason," she said. "The path that I'm on now is the path that's been meant to be."

Campanella, a former Miss Teen USA runner-up from 2007, when she represented New Jersey, said she has been competing in pageants since she was 15 because of her mom.

"I was going through a tough time in high school and she thought it'd be a great way for me to meet other girls throughout the state," she said. "It's Mom's fault."

Originally from Manalapan, N.J., Campanella began modeling at age 16, graduated from high school a year early and received a scholarship to the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, according to her personal website.

Campanella, a history buff who says in her Twitter bio that she was "born in the wrong time period," said she thought the marijuana question posed to her from "Real Housewives of New Jersey" housewife Caroline Manzo was fair, given that she represents California.

"Well, I understand why that question would be asked, especially with today's economy, but I also understand that medical marijuana is very important to help those who need it medically," she said during the pageant.

"I'm not sure if it should be legalized, if it would really affect, with the drug war," she said. "I mean, it's abused today, unfortunately, so that's the only reason why I would kind of be a little bit against it, but medically it's OK."

Marijuana has been legal for medical use in California for about 15 years.

Miss Tennessee Ashley Durham was the first runner-up, while contestants from Alabama and Texas placed third and fourth.

Campanella, a natural blonde, said she dyed her hair six years ago for a part in a play, for a "fiery" character with whom she found she had traits in common.

"It's really brought out the true Alyssa Campanella, I feel, and that's why I really enjoy being a redhead," she said.

Campanella replaces Miss USA 2010 Rima Fakih. The 25-year-old from Michigan teared up as she walked across the stage for a final goodbye.

The pageant had three competitions: swimsuit, evening gown and interview question.

The contestants were whittled to 16 after the show's opening number, in which the beauty queens introduced themselves one-by-one. The top 16 were picked by preliminary judges through competitions and interviews during the week before the telecast. Celebrity judges picked the top eight after the swimsuit competition and the top four after the evening gown portion.

Durham appeared to stumble as she answered a question from celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito about whether the First Amendment should protect burning religious books, as it protects burning the flag.

Ground breaking double lung transplant operation performed

LONDON: A Manchester hospital has carried out a double lung transplant on a cystic fibrosis patient whose life was threatened by a fungal infection.

Dubliner Becky Jones, 20, was airlifted to Wythenshawe Hospital in late May for the operation, after spending more than a year on a waiting list.

"I'm a different person, I can breathe, I can do anything I want," she said.

Professor David Denning said, "If she didn't have a transplant she wouldn't be with us in two year's time."

The hospital said she was the first patient to have a lung transplant with multi-resistant Aspergillus and multiple fungal balls in her own lungs.

Aspergillosis affects 150,000 people a year.

Professor Denning, who is Director of the National Aspergillosis Centre which is based at the hospital, said surgeons had no option but to attempt the transplant even though it had not been tried on patients with this condition.

"It was either have a go or let her drift downwards," he said.

Becky said, "I can travel again, I can go shopping again, I can go to college or just go to lunch at the drop of a hat with my friends, which previously I would have to plan weeks in advance."