Annabelle & Aiden: Worlds Within Us
by J.R. Becker
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GENRE: Children’s book (science focus)
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BLURB:
“How did our universe form?” Annabelle wonders to Aiden. Luckily, the friendly Tardigrade Tom answers by taking the children on their biggest adventure yet! Soaring through space and time, they witness the universe’s earliest stages, marvel at the big bang, and learn how each and every one of us is literally made of the same stardust. Readers will learn how we each hold a part of the universe inside us, and are far more special, interconnected, and ‘larger’ than we may think.
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Excerpt One:
Aiden says, “Great!
But I do have to say,
all of those stars
seem so far away…”
“Oh, but they’re in us!
Our bones and our skin.
And even those rocks
you’re now sitting in.
You’re feeling the stuff
from the bodies of folks
who lived long ago
and stood like great oaks.
And also the people
who have yet to be.
They’ll come from our bones,
these rocks and those trees.
And all of us come
from the same exact place:
the Earth, which came from
the stars out in space,
who were kind enough
to explode into shards
that joined to make up
everything that we are.
So when you feel small,
that you don’t matter much,
know stars are inside you,
whole worlds you can touch.
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AUTHOR Bio and Links:
AUTHOR: J. R. holds a B.A. in Philosophy and a Juris Doctorate from Emory University School of Law. When he’s not practicing entertainment law, playing drums, or enjoying the great outdoors, Joseph enjoys all the science and philosophy books and podcasts he can, pondering the bigger questions and dreaming up ideas for future children stories. (Got any? Send them in!)
After publishing his first (philosophical, dystopian) novel The Spider & the Ant, and later becoming a father, Joseph was inspired to found the Annabelle & Aiden series to foster curiosity and scientific awareness in the next generation.
Joseph lives in New Jersey with his wife Leah, and two children, Annabelle & Aiden.
ILLUSTRATOR: Max lives in a small town just outside Venice, Italy. As an illustrator, she is proficient with multiple mediums (from physical to digital) and can draw in multiple styles, as seen in her portfolio below. Max is especially fond of cats, Game Of Thrones, and Lindsey Stirling. After wandering the cosmos in search of the perfect illustrator, we’re lucky to have found her, just on the other side of our blue planet.
Check out Max’s site HERE (http://www.maxrambaldi.com/).
See Max at work on her YouTube page HERE. (https://www.youtube.com/user/DigitalMakeup)
SITE: www.AnnabelleAndAiden.com
Amazon Listing: https://www.amazon.com/Annabelle-Aiden-Worlds-Within-Us/dp/0997806656/
This book raised over $18,500 in preorders on Kickstarter. View the campaign here:
https://www.facebook.com/AnnabelleandAiden/
Interview:
Where are you from? Tell us about yourself!
R. holds a B.A. in Philosophy and a Juris Doctorate from Emory University School of Law. When he’s not practicing entertainment law, playing drums, or enjoying the great outdoors, Joseph enjoys all the science and philosophy books and podcasts he can, pondering the bigger questions and dreaming up ideas for future children stories.
After publishing his first (philosophical, dystopian) novel The Spider & the Ant, and later becoming a father, Joseph was inspired to found the Annabelle & Aiden series to foster curiosity and scientific awareness in the next generation. Joseph lives in New Jersey with his wife Leah, and two children, Annabelle & Aiden.
Tell us about your book? How did it get started?
In and after college, after shedding much of the religious beliefs I was raised with, I wondered about how the natural world actually does work. This opened me up to the amazing world of scientific knowledge and wonder. I hope to pass that onto children with my Annabelle & Aiden book series.
How do you create your characters?
A friend gave me the idea to name the book series after my children, though I gave my illustrator free license to draw them however she wanted. As for the other characters, I think of interesting animals not usually used in childrens’ books that are popular in science (like “tardigrades” or feathered dinosaurs) and give each their own personality.
What inspires and what got your started in writing? See above.
Where do you write? Is there something you need in order to write (music, drinks?)
Music, definitely. Ambient or atmospheric rock to get in the zone.
How do you get your ideas for writing?
What do you like to read? Philosophical, dystopian, satirical novels are my favorite genre, but good ones are to find. Now I read science and philosophy.
What would your advice to be for authors or aspiring in regards to writing? If you write to write, then continue. But if you write for people to read, well, know that writing will be about 20% of the work you do.
Anything else you’d like to share? That’s all. Thanks!
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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION
J.R. Becker will be awarding 2 personally-signed Annabelle & Aiden books, along with 3 limited-edition Annabelle & Aiden bookmarks (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thanks for hosting!