In a slight diversion from the treacherous beach of The Day I Became A Pirate, My Ride With The Alien is about a young girl who meets a friendly alien and their adventure together as they tour the solar system. This kids book is fun and educational for ages 3 to 12.

I teamed again with illustrator Zack Clough to produce a rhyming story that I hope will entertain and inspire young children to learn more about our solar system. If all goes well, they won’t even know they are learning as they explore the many activities included in the book.

The interactive book app features an educational overview of the solar system with activity pages for each of the planets. Each activity page includes amazing photographs, engaging sounds and fun facts. A highlight of the book app is a unique Build Your Own Planet activity that let’s younger readers use their imagination to come up with their own planet designs.

With over 370 tap-able items, this app is as entertaining as it is educational.

You can download My Ride With The Alien in the iTunes App Store, in the Book App section.

I hope you like it, and please – if you have a moment, rate the app in iTunes and leave me a review. Thank you!

Kids of any age can channel their inner pirate with the delightful “The Day I Became A Pirate” book app by Cary Snowden. The story is written in catchy rhyme punctuated with swashbuckler speak and boy-friendly grossness: guts, armpit hair and a belch for good measure.

A motley crew of smelly pirates descends on a tropical beach looking for help for a sick crewman. They see a young boy and appeal to him for aid. The frightened youngster figures out why the tattered buccaneer is in pain, gathers his courage and performs a swordfish extrication from the man’s stomach. The thankful captain rewards the boy with his booty and pronounces him a member of his pirate band.

Young readers have the options of listening to the story read in salty pirate dialect or reading the text from the scroll on each page. Nine hidden clues are interspersed throughout the adventure. When all the clues are found, readers are rewarded with a secret bonus web video that reveals an unknown component of the story.

Though pirates are not known for teaching wholesome virtues, this tale portrays compassion, loyalty, courage, gratitude, and generosity.  “The Day I Became A Pirate” is available on iTunes for iPad and iPhone. Download it today for yer favorite scalawag.

Get it here: What Is A Book App And Could You Create One? -How 27 Writers Did!

In this eBook, children’s book app author, speaker and coach, Karen Robertson, explains what a book app is, why it’s such an exciting publishing option, reveals a proven process for creating book apps, and presents the personal stories of 27 other writers who’ve published their books as apps for the iPad and other devices. From these 27 stories, others can see that there are a lot of ways to publish books as apps, and if these people can do it, others can too.

Published author-illustrator, Roxie Munro, has transformed two of her works into book apps and her story is included in the FREE eBook. “The interactive concepts inherent in my books, and even my art style, made them ideal for the book app format. I was thrilled, and ready to embrace new technology,” said Roxie. Both of your apps are available for the iPad.

When Nina Lim‘s initial “yes” became a “no” at a publisher’s editorial meeting, she took her career into her own hands and published her book as a book app. “I’ve now published two book apps and have been approached by another book app publisher to write for them,” Nina shares.

A busy high-tech professional, father of four, and passionate writer, Cary Snowden, felt he was burning through time as he played the traditional publishing game. Fate stepped in when he met a colleague at a networking event who talked about a new, do-it-yourself book app publishing platform. Cary reveals, “As a book app, ‘The Day I Became a Pirate‘ delivers a story experience far beyond what I could have done in print. I’m hooked!’”

Melissa Northway is a passionate book app creator and marketer. The idea to create a children’s book app had been in her head since her daughter was about six months old. The inspiration of her daughter helped create Penelope The Purple Pirate book app.  Melissa says “This is an exciting time to be a writer and to make ones dream of writing and creating an app is much easier than you might think.”

Read their stories and two dozen more for Free between April 9-13 in “What Is A Book App And Could You Create One? -How 27 Writers Did!”

This eBook is available exclusively on Amazon Kindle(TM).

You don’t have to have a Kindle e-reader to read a Kindle eBook. There is a Free Kindle app that lets you read books from the Amazon Kindle store on your Apple iPad or Android compatible devices. It’s easy to use and the app is Free.

Karen Robertson is an international speaker and lecturer on how writers can turn their stories into book apps. She’s written numerous eBooks on the topic including ”What Is A Book App And Could You Create One? -How 27 Writers Did!,” “Author’s Guide to Book Apps,” “How to Choose a Book App Developer” and “How to Market a Book App.” She’s written two award-winning book apps, “Treasure Kai and the Lost Gold of Shark Island” and “Treasure Kai and the Seven Cities of Gold.”

More Information:

Digital Kid’s Author: http://www.digitalkidsauthor.com
What is a Book App and Could YOU Create One?: http://www.amazon.com/What-Could-Create-Writers-ebook/dp/B00BMH1KJK
How to use the Kindle app on iPad: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200298460
How to use the Kindle app on Android: http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=165849822

The legal stuff about this post: Located in Austin, Texas and Sydney, Australia, Treasure Bound Books Pty Ltd creates interactive books apps and companion online content for kids. The company is committed to bringing children all over the world dynamic digital reading experiences that inspire a love for reading. All Material and Software (C) 2007-2013 Treasure Bound Books Pty Ltd / All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.

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Contact Karen Robertson
LinkedIn Profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/karen-robertson/4/706/4bb
Twitter Profile: http://twitter.com/KarenRobertson

This news story about Karen Robertson was originally release by PRMac.

Titled What Is A Book App And Could You Create One? -How 27 Writers Did!, her new book includes stories from 27 successful writers who have created book apps for the iPad and tablet markets.

The stories in her new book are very informative and offer a condensed education on how to create your own book app in the form of 27 successful experiences. Inspirational, too; there are tips, tricks, advice and pitfalls to discover as Karen interviews each author to glean the secrets to success in creating a book app.

I found it quite inspiring, and am looking forward to using much of the advice in the launch of my latest book My Ride With The Alien. As I have mentioned before; Karen’s advice was instrumental in the successful creation and launch of my first book The Day I Became A Pirate, which I am proud to say is available on the iTunes Book App store and has been a great source of pride for me, personally. Her advice was invaluable as I moved from the early writing stages to actually producing the book app, and I would have been overwhelmed by the subsequent marketing needs had her books not prepared me.

You can read my story in her book. I became friends with Karen while I was writing my pirate book and am grateful for her mentoring. I was able to avoid a few pitfalls and leverage a few opportunities at her advice. She was impressed with what I was able to do with the TaleSpring.com software, and I enjoyed talking with her about the inspiration for my story, and some of the early experiences I had while developing it.

If you are interested in building your own book app, check out Karen’s book. You’ll be glad you did.

What is a Book App and Could You Create One? How 27 Writers Did!
-by Karen Robertson

I saw everything from phony birth announcements to tales of treachery and even some highly polished corporate gags; all fer the fun of it and plenty worth while.

I hope you had a good one! Share your pranks if you pulled one off!

Happy April Fools Day!

Among the accolades:

“The Day I Became a Pirate definitely deserved its 2012 Best Multimedia in an eBook Award for its content. With the fact that this app has a story, puzzles, music, and even clues to help figure out the treasure to visit the website, The Day I Became A Pirate is a fun app for kids to have at home or even in the classroom.”

The pirate book app received 5 stars for Educational Value as well as for ‘Entertains/Engages’. With an average above 4 stars in all categories, the overall score was a 5-out-of-5!

Other categories in which the children’s book for the iPad was rated: Value for the Money, Ease of Navigation, and Quality of Graphics (Way to go, Zach Clough!).

In summary:

“If you have a school-aged child who is interested in pirates and rhyming books, The Day I Became A Pirate is a definite digital story to add to your collection. There are a lot of surprising elements within the app all about a boy and a pirate ship. It not only contains a story, but also puzzles, suspense and even clues to solve a treasure hunt.”

…Looks like we’re on the right course!

Here’s the link to the Appy Review.

Karen just released her latest book titled ‘What is a Book App and Could YOU Create One? How 27 Writers Did!‘. It is very worthwhile, and not just because I am in it…

Among other valuable advice, Karen interviews 27 successful book app authors and publishes their stories, tips and struggles in a compilation that is a must-have for any author considering going digital. The experience in the personal stories of published authors is worth a lifetime of working it out on your own.

In her book, Karen Robertson, explains what a book app is, why it’s such an exciting publishing option, what you need to know about this opportunity, and how it’s done. It is a tremendous resource and will help you decide if it’s right for you to publish your children’s book as an app.

From the writers’ stories, you’ll see that there are a lot of ways to make a book app happen in a way that will meet your objectives and budget, even if you aren’t technically inclined.

Her eBook is available exclusively on Kindle for just a few bucks. If you don’t have a Kindle reader, fear not: I use the free Kindle app that lets you read books from the Amazon Kindle store on your Android devices, iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.

Check it out if you are interested in turning your books into a book app, and don’t forget to check out TaleSpring for a great way to get ahead on the development for almost no money at all.

So here are the Top Ten Things Every Pirate Costume Needs:

1. A Hat or Scarf.
Fer starters, yer gonna need somethin’ to protect yer noggin from the sun. Other than that, it’s one of the best ways to look piratey without spending yer entire booty. Go with a hat to look like The Captain, or with a scarf or bandana to look like The Crew.

2. Earring
Adding an earring to yer pirate costume is a must; they’re fun to wear and can be made with as much as a paperclip if you are desperate. It’s a great way to show some bold sass, and can be used as a fishing lure if you find yourself stranded on the high seas.

3. Scar
Every pirate worth their salt has a scar. It proves you have some fightin’ experience, and is fun to brag about over a mug of ale during shore leave. A quick stroke with an eyeliner usually does the trick; no need to go fer the real thing in this day and age.

4. Boots
Boots are a keystone of yer pirate costume. Pirates wear boots for a couple of reasons, not least of which is to make them seem just a little taller. Other reasons include ‘looking cool’ and protection from a splashy deck. Don’t forget to curl the tops down a little to keep the waves from splashing up onto your pants.

5. Peg Leg
OK, this one is a bit of an option; a peg leg isn’t necessarily required, but it does make fer a good opportunity to tell a tale of treachery on the high seas. I recommend blaming it on a shark or seafaring crocodile, but you can invoke the Kraken for a really tall tale. Tip: Wrap your leg in ace-bandage for a wood-like look below the knee.

6. Big Buckle
Pirates love a nice buckle to hold up their drawers; the bigger the better. A nice square brass one is a favorite on the high seas. Look to your local second-hand store fer an inexpensive facsimile.

7. Coat or Vest
It really doesn’t matter which, but most pirates wear a coat or vest to show off a little color and dazzle all who look upon it. The flashier and more arrogant, the better. Of course, this is optional, and there ain’t nothin’ wrong with going in a simple peasant shirt or something flamboyantly fluffy.

8. Cutlass
Nothing says ‘pirate’ like a cutlass. A knife makes a good alternative, but a cutlass is classic pirate costume fare and isn’t too hard to come up with if you are a little creative. Cut one out of that old cardboard box your oranges came in, and cover the blade end with tinfoil.

9. Scowl
Perhaps the easiest part of your Pirate Costume, all you have to do is practice a little in the mirror. For inspiration, imagine one of your parents telling you to clean your room, or do your homework. -I find this works even for adults.

10. Eye Patch
Finally, no pirate costume is complete without an eye patch. There are lots of rumors as to why pirates wear an eye patch; one has them wearing it over one eye on deck, and then switching to the other eye when they go below so that their other eye is ready for the dark of the cabin. These are easy to find, but in a pinch you can use some string and a small patch of cardboard.

Start collecting yer items now fer later in the year for Halloween, or Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Yarrr!

With a little encouragement she came through. Using a combination of text messages and Garageband, I was able to record the track; It has us all in stitches!

I am going to name the MP3 ‘Sing the Pirate Ode’, and place it into the iTunes playlist on my iPhone. Next time I ask Siri to ‘Sing the Pirate Ode’, the MP3 will play and it will sound like Siri is singing The Pirate Ode in response! -My new party trick.

Here’s the clip, if you have ever wondered what Siri does in her spare time…

Here are the words to The Pirate Ode if you want to sing along:

A Pirate is a nasty beast, we love to kick and fight,
And to a pirate none the least, is winning makes it right!
But when a fellow pirate falls, we stop all that we do,
For when the pirate duty calls, to all for one we’re true.
By pirate code we all shall stand, to every mate we lend a hand.

© Copyright 2012 Cary Snowden