Meet Tiffany Stallings, Author

Tiffany Stallings is the author of Mommy Works Too Much, the first book in a planned 10 book children's miniseries. Ms. Stallings has served as the Founding Partner of a NJ based educational service firm that provided tutoring, test prep, enrichment programs, and a host of other summer camps and sports programs. She also has a broad range of educational experience working with children and families. She has taught on the elementary, middle, and high school level as well as adult learners. Her skills as a master teacher enabled her to teach an array of subjects.

Currently, Ms. Stallings serves as a high school vice principal. Her education stems from a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Montclair State University and a Master of Arts Degree in School Administration and Supervision from Saint Peter's College. In addition to her children's books, she is also working on a motivational book for women titled Bouncing Back from Rock Bottom: How to Regain Control of Your Life.

A mother of three, Tiffany Stallings enjoys running and cycling; she is currently training for the 2017 Paris Marathon where she hopes to not be last. For more information, you can follow her on Facebook as well as Twitter.

1. How did your experience as a parent and educator prepare you to write books for children?

I know as a parent and as an educator that young children love to read stories about story characters that they can relate to. I want my readers to be able "step into the minds" of the characters and be able to empathize with them. I kept this in mind as developed my characters.

2. In basing your main characters, Gigi and Mimi, on your own daughters, where do you find the balance between describing what happens in real life and shaping a fictional story in your books?

When writing Mommy Works Too Much, I centered the book on one actual statement that my daughter made, "Mommy works too much." The rest of the story is completely fictional. When writing books for the Gigi and Mimi series, I want the books to carry the essence of my children; however, all other events and characters will be fictional. I want the message from each of my books to be universal for all children.

3. How did you come up with the idea to do a series of ten books, and what are some examples of topics we'll see in the books?

There are 10 universal topics I would like to cover with The Adventures of Gigi and Mimi book series. The first book is about entrepreneurship. I plan to write about topics such as being a good friend, a sibling going away to college, and having pride in one's self. I want my books to spark a conversation with children and their parents. Additionally, all of my children's book titles will come with a 2nd classroom edition that will include a language arts literacy supplement.

4. Would you tell us a little more about your first book?

The idea of Mommy Works Too Much! is about a little girl that cannot quite grasp the idea that her mom must work many hours as an entrepreneur. I got the idea to write this book over 2 years ago as I worked late one evening. My oldest daughter sent me an email that stated, "Mommy, you work too much." I jotted it down because the statement made me feel very guilty about the amount of time that I spent working.

5. What has been the most fun for you in writing and publishing your first book--and what has been the most challenging?

The most fun aspect has been seeing the feedback and anticipation from potential readers about the book. It certainly has been exciting to see that an idea that I jotted down on a sticky note over 2 years ago – is now an actual book that people are looking forward to reading. I love when an idea comes into fruition!

The most challenging aspect has been learning the technical components of putting a book together. Once I wrote the story down, I had to ask, "Now what?" It has been a fun yet challenging journey of learning about graphic design, book layouts, editing, marketing, and self-publishing.

Thanks, Tiffany!

Introducing Goodbye Monsters, a Children's Book and Toy

Kids scared. Monsters under the Bed. Sleepless nights. These are all phrases Msgt. Benjamin Hemme heard from his fellow Airmen whose significant others were struggling to maintain normalcy at home while they were deployed. While we tend to think often about the men and women fighting for our freedom, the struggles that loved ones at home, especially children, encounter sometimes get overlooked. This was quite evident by the number of children who were experiencing more bedtime fear than usual with Mommy or Daddy deployed. Recognizing a need to support fellow men and women in uniform and children everywhere who suffer from bedtime fear, Goodbye Monsters was born!

Goodbye Monsters is the story of a little boy named Ben who is terrified of monsters. One day Ben is introduced to a magical creature named Zimbobo who has supernatural powers that keep all of the bad monsters away. All you have to do is place Zimbobo in the scariest place, and you will wake up safe and sound with a smile on your face! Its creators recommend placing Zimbobo under the bed or in the closet, but you know best where the monsters are hiding!

Goodbye Monsters (ISBN 978-0-615-99704-9) was written by Benjamin & Susan Hemme. It is a hardcover 8.5” x 11” children's book with a plush toy named Zimbobo that measures approx 9" in height and 6" in width. For more information please visit www.goodbyemonsters.com.

Childrens Cancer Recovery Foundation

The Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation was founded to help kids under 18 and their families. A cancer diagnosis can create all sorts of changes--not just physical ones, but also social and emotional ones. The Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation seeks to help kids and their families improve their well-being in lots of different ways. It is a publicly supported 501(c)3 non-profit organization, affiliated with the Cancer Recovery Foundation International group of charities which have been around since 1984.

You might have heard of their Bear-Able Gift program, which allows social workers and child life specialists to request gifts for the children they work with. The Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation provides a range of gifts, including toys, coloring books, board games, video games, and books. Kids across the country receive gifts through this program. Volunteers help field requests and pack and send gifts to children in hospitals from coast to coast.

Other programs include free scholarships for kids in remission from cancer to go to camp, and the Helping Hands Fund, which helps families meet urgent household needs such as utility bills and rent.

For more information about the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation, here are a couple of interesting articles, one on Mediabistro and another on Community Focus Online. The video below gives details about the way that the foundation gets gifts out to kids undergoing cancer treatments.