SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: As the founder of Purple Cotton Candy Arts (www.purplecottoncandyarts.com), I am proud to announce the publication of my first non-self published book, a picture book written by Alena Hansen.
In celebration of her first book, I am happy to give away two copies of her book. All you have to do is leave a comment here or on the Purple Cotton Candy Arts Facebook page. 

https://www.facebook.com/purplecottoncandyarts/?ref=settings

Two most responsive winners will be picked on Christmas day!

Alena Hansen's book is available on Amazon here.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732989702/ref=sr_1_1?s=amazon-devices&ie=UTF8&qid=1545452213&sr=8-1&keywords=alena+hansen
​
Enjoy the book trailer!

I am so blessed! I thank the Lord every day for paving the way to a more professional publishing business. Last December 12, I received an email that I've been awarded the NORTHERN CALIFORNIA PUBLISHERS & AUTHORS’ affiliate scholarship to attend the Independent Book Publishers Association's (IBPA's) Publishing University 2019! I'm attending the conference in Chicago in April 2019!!! I thank the Lord every day for paving the way to a more professional publishing business. 

I am so honored and grateful to see my name among other more accomplished authors and publishers. Here are all the winners of the 2019 IBPA Publishing University and their short bios.  https://www.publishinguniversity.org/scholarship

My short bio:

Christine L. Villa (www.christinevilla.com) is the founder of Purple Cotton Candy Arts. What started out as a small business to explore her creativity in the field of arts and crafts, later expanded into self-publishing her children’s picture books. As a graduate of one of the courses offered by the Institute of Children’s Literature, “Writing for Children and Teenagers (2010),” she has been inspired to write for children and pursue her dream of publishing. Christine has published eight children’s book titles since 2014, one of which won first place in the 2018 edition of the Northern California Publishers and Authors (NCPA) Book Award Competition.

If she is not busy attending NCPA meetings and speaker presentations, she is immersed in her duties as social media director, webmaster, and photographer of the group. Recently, Purple Cotton Candy Arts started offering publishing services to other aspiring children’s authors and publishers, so her days are also filled with tasks such as editing, collaborating with illustrators, and creating eye-catching book trailers. 

Aside from being a recognized children’s writer, Christine is also a gifted poet. Her passion for haiku and tanka writing has resulted in the publication of her work in some of the most renowned online and print journals worldwide, has garnered her a few awards, and has seen her bring out her debut full-length collection of Japanese short-form poetry entitled The Bluebird’s Cry. She is the founding editor of Frameless Sky—the very first DVD haiku and tanka video journal that is a collaboration of art, poetry, and music. In early 2019, she is set to launch a haiku book by another author under her own imprint, Velvet Dusk Publishing.

​Christine is looking forward to attending the IBPA Publishing University in order to network with others who are also learning the ropes of the publishing business. She is grateful for the opportunity to personally get her questions answered by experts and to learn valuable tips on developing concrete marketing plans.
​
​​Christine Villa accepts the IBPA Publishing University Scholarship on behalf of Northern California Publishers & Author

From October to December, I enjoyed being a vendor in some of the crafts fairs in Sacramento and other nearby places. My greatest joy was when I knew my books were going home to a child's heart. Here are the pictures that I took during the craft fairs. 

Annual Craft Boutique and Bake Sale by Grace Church

Vine St. Mercantile by St. Rose of Lima 

Arts & Crafts Festival at Elks Lodge, Riverside Blvd.

Annual Arts and Craft Fair at Rusch Park Community Center

Blacktop Theater, Rocklin 

These two pictures were not at a craft fair. These were my last book sales of the year made during the Author Display of NCPA at Denny's, Auburn Blvd. 

I didn't expect to receive a bunch of thank you letters this afternoon. I was over the moon! I couldn't believe how much I had inspired so many of the students. I'm ecstatic that I had also helped them in their story writing. I will treasure these forever!

When I was invited on short notice to visit Grant Union High School as a guest speaker for two classrooms, I didn't hesitate at all. I thought it was my chance as a children's writer to stand in front of a class and inspire younger people to write their own unique story. Fortunately, it turned out to be a very memorable experience. As a first timer, I managed to pluck up the courage to present to teenagers who did not expect me to just read one of my stories to them. I came more prepared equipped with my past experiences and with some knowledge that I learned from the writing course that I took a few years ago. While sharing with the 9th graders my writing and self-publishing journey, I was able to give them some tips on how to write a good children's story and how to self-publish their books if they decide to choose that route.
Did they learn anything? I hope so. Because it was a requirement to attend the class, most of them seemed bored or forced to sit through a 50-minute presentation. It was a challenge to keep talking in front of an unresponsive class, but I appreciated those who showed interest, those who nodded, smiled, or who asked questions and seemed curious about the subject matter at hand. I kept telling myself that If I had inspired just one student, my efforts were all worthwhile. 

  Here's a brief summary of the second half of my talk as a guest speaker at the Northern California Publishers and Authors monthly meeting last Thursday, September 13. 

HOW TO MAKE A BOOK TRAILER
 
Why do you want to create a book trailer:
 
1.  It helps you reach your target market.
2.  It creates excitement and intrigue for your book.
3.  It provides a much better insight into what your book is about.
4.  It can be shared as a promotional tool.
5.  If you learn to make your own, it can save you a lot of       
     money.      
             
     https://www.bookcandystudios.com/   $399-$999
     http://brilliantbooktrailers.com/    $139.85  
     http://ivideoproductions.com/video-book-preview-4/  $25 and up
 
Guidelines on how to create your own book trailer:
 
1.  Watch other book trailers  - YouTube.
 
     Examples:
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=nCaAeTRcsZE
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKKonm4OytI
 
2.  Write your script – Don’t use the jacket copy. Make sure it is clear and concise. Start with a sentence that pulls in the reader. For example, in the beginning of the book trailer, you can grab the reader’s attention with a question or a quote from the book.

     Example: “What happens at Zoobooloo when the gates are closed at
     night?”

3.  Make it simple – Adding too many elements can be confusing. You want the theme to stand out and that everything included is appropriate to your work.   
 
     Example: I just added some illustrations from the book and added some
     text and transitions.
 
4.  Don’t just summarize the plot – Make it more exciting by dropping hints about the book. It’s supposed to be like a sneak preview of a movie. You want to pique the interest of your viewers and make them want for more. And how do you hold their interest? Here’s when you think about the photos, videos, and music you want to include in your trailer.
 
     Example: To keep the readers interested I added music that was
     appropriate for the zoo setting. I found a music with animal sounds and 
     rather than telling the whole story, I added this texts - “Discover what
     Monkey advises them, and if the grand switch-a-roo is a disaster or a
     raging success.”
 
5.  Find your photos – You can use your own or photos online. Just google “royalty free photo.”  Royalty Free photo or refers to a type of licensing that allows the purchaser to pay for the photo license only once and to use the photo for as long as desired. 

      Examples:
      iStockphoto  (lowest price $12)
      Free download:
      Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/creativecommons/
      Unsplash - https://unsplash.com/
      Pixabay - https://pixabay.com/
      Gratisography - https://gratisography.com/   (quirkiest collection
      of photos)               
 
6.  Find your music – Choose carefully. Make sure it matches the theme of
the book.
 
     Examples:
 
     Soundsnap.com ($15 for 3 downloads)
     300 Monks ($35 per song for a video)
 
     Free download:
     Free StockMusic https://www.freestockmusic.com/
     Freepd https://freepd.com/
     Purple Planet (Free music )
     http://www.purple-planet.com/using-our-fee-music/4583818250
     Oleg Gorbunov (Free music)  https://soundcloud.com/gorbio
     Wil Forbis (Free book trailers)
     https://soundcloud.com/wil-forbis/sets/book-trailers
 
7.  Find your video

     Examples:
     Storyblock http://www.videoblocks.com/  ($8.25/month)
     Envato Market https://videohive.net/ ($16.50/month)
     Free downloads:
     Internet Archive https://archive.org/
 
    *List of sources for images, music, and video clips
     http://booktrailer101.info/wiki/index.php/Step_5._Acquire_Media


8.  Make it as short as possible – A length of about 1 to 1- ½ minutes is about right. If you make it too long, there is a greater possibility that you would lose the interest of the viewers.
9.  End with a bang - whether it’s a call-to-action, an appreciative thank you, or a powerful life lesson, your animation should end with a punch.
10.  Don’t forget to add your book in the end and where they can purchase it.
                                      
     Free software programs
     Window Movie Maker
     IMovie for Mac
 
     Powtoon – Free then you can upgrade $16/month
     Masher - $2.99/month  (when you pick a theme, it automatically
     does the effects for you)
     Prezi.com – $7/month
     Animoto - $8/month
           
    *Video on How to Make a Book Trailer Using Windows Movie Maker:
     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9e-4xumP4A

If you want me to help you make your book trailer, you can email me at chrissivilla@gmail.com

I have a lot of wonderful first times in my writing career and this is one of the most memorable. I have not received any review such as this! This also made me cry because it shows me how much a kid has loved reading my book. This boy is a good promoter!

     I am grateful to Norma Thornton, secretary of the Northern California Publishers and Authors, for asking me to come as a speaker at our monthly meeting last September 13. It was an honor and a learning experience to be a guest speaker for the first time. 
     They said my talk was very informative. Here's a an outline of my an hour and 1/2 discussion on how to host a book launch on FB. My discussion, How to Make Your Own Book  Trailer, will be on my next post.
​
HOW TO HOST A BOOK LAUNCH ON FACEBOOK
 
1.  Why host a book launch on Facebook?
     a.  Most people are on FB.
     b.  It’s free!
     c.  You don’t have to dress up.
     d.  Guests can pop in and out at any time.
     e.  You don’t have to worry about not having enough space and food or
        drinks.
2.  Guidelines on how to host a book launch of Facebook
     a.   Know the purpose of your book event
     b.   Create an account on Facebook
     c.   Create an event

           YouTube instruction on how to create an event:  
           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JofZzq6w4nE

           - Name the event   
             Ex. My own Facebook Virtual Book Launch of The Bluebird’s Cry
             https://www.facebook.com/events/677352339080148/
           - Set the date and time
             Ex. Sept. 3, 2016 at 12 PM – Sept. 4, 2016 at 11:30 PM
           - Write a brief description

     d.   Create an eye-catching Facebook banner to attract more attention.
     e.   Send out invites by clicking the INVITE button
     f.    Give a clear instruction on how to join your book party event. Tell
           them to just follow the link and just type “interested” or “going.” On
           that day, post the link again to remind them and mention the day
           and time.
     g.   Have your books ordered on time, at least a week before so you can
           mail out a signed copy as soon as possible.
     h.   Post an introduction and keep it pinned on the top of the page.

           Examples:
           video of yourself – what the party is all about and what to expect
           picture of a welcome drink
           welcome banner or poster
​
     i.    Keep the party alive! Entertain your guests by using visual and
           auditory aids. Prepare all your materials in advance.

           Examples:
           Videos
           Photos of the book cover, characters, or setting.
           Interviews
           Quizzes/Games
           Inside look or behind-the-scenes – what inspired you to write the
           book, how long did you write the book, what anecdotes can you
           share, etc.
 
           What I did at my own Facebook party:
           -  Provided music by posting my husband’s video
           -  Interview (8 questions and answered) that were posted one at a
              time throughout the day
           -  Quotes that are relevant to the theme of my book. I made it visual
               to catch the reader’s attention
           -  Behind the scenes
                
      j.   Encourage your guests to participate.
 
           What I did at my own Facebook party:
           -  I asked a couple of friends to post a picture of them holding my
              book. Then my other friends did the same. Some posted it on their
              own page.
           -  I asked a question.       
           -  Invited them to participate for a prize or free book giveaway and
              announced the winners during the event. I have a picture of me
              holding the book.
 
           *The secret is to keep them interested until the end.

      k.  Ask a friend to post on Facebook or Twitter that the party is going
           on. Or, if you are not too busy, you can do it yourself.
      l.   Make sure all guests are welcomed and all questions are answered.
     m.  Repost the link to your event the next day.
​

It feels wonderful to receive a review from a seven-year old boy living in UK. "It’s really nice, very entertaining. People at my age would love to read it." 

Thank you, Amshuman! :-)

Last June 29, I witnessed the graduation of several Filipino-American students at Eskwela Natin's summer class. I watched them with pride and joy knowing that their lives were now enriched with new learnings about their Filipino heritage. 

During the program, they played the maracas which they made themselves two weeks ago.

They performed a couple of folk dances which greatly entertained all the parents and the rest of the audience in the room.

I was also so pleased to present the winner of my free book giveaway. Who else but Ely? In this picture she is now holding her very own book. She kept telling me, "You are my favorite author!" :-)

Some went home with my books, either as a raffle winner or an eager buyer. 

The afternoon wasn't complete without a photo taken with the former mayor of the City of Davis, Hon. Ruth Asmundson. 

I look forward to being back again next year for more book readings and free book giveaways! Hopefully, my goddaughter will be able to join in too.