Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers: AWARENESS TOUR: Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal by Ryan Cowan, Illustrated by Halo Rife

Hi guys!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers. Today, we play host to an AWARENESS TOUR currently running with The Children's Book Review that features a title that seems perfectly matched for the reading season. There's magic, a secret world, a Halloween Crystal, and an evil witch that needs stopping...I mean, it practically screams 😱 READ ME, and don't worry, I'll let you get to it, but first, a little something extra. Let's take a look at the author's journey from educator to writer in a special GUEST POST from Ryan Cowan himself, and don't miss your chance to win in the tour wide giveaway before you head on over to the other fabulous sites participating in today's tour. Ladies and gents, may I present today's featured title...

Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal

Ryan Cowan

Illustrated by

Halo Rife

9788351181905

For the Northern Star Publishing (2022)

About the book...

Elliott attends his third-grade class like any other boy, except that Elliott isn’t like any other boy. Endowed with magical powers, Elliott belongs to a secret world called Moonstone—and trouble is brewing. When the evil witch Noir steals The Halloween Crystal, it’s up to Elliott and his third-grade teacher, Mr. Moonbeam, to stop Noir from invading the non-magical world on Halloween night. But can Elliott learn to master his powers in time?

Amazon

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~~~ GUEST POST ~~~

Balancing Education and Creative Writing: My Journey as an Educator and Children’s Author

...by Ryan Cowan

It all started with a thesis…

July 2011, I had just completed a master’s degree program at UCLA where I wrote about the importance of culturally relevant pedagogy in inner-city schools. This work became the beginning of Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal.

How so?

Because when my time at UCLA ended, I realized that I didn’t want to stop writing. Writing had become a daily routine for me and despite the difficulties of writing, I realized that I loved the struggle! Writing became a way to express myself…a way to be creative. And so, one day, on a whim, I sat down at my computer and wrote the first sentence of Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal —

“Elliott watched as the wind and rain came crashing down against his classroom window…”

I had no idea who Elliott was. I had no idea who Mr. Moonbeam was. But, as the first scene unfolded, it became clear to me that I was writing about my own experiences as a third grader growing up in Middleport, Ohio. I was reaching into my past, remembering the spooky cardboard cutout from my elementary school days and the smell of fall leaves. I was remembering the Halloween toys and costumes and of course the smell of Halloween candy (Smarties and candy corn). Soon an entire slew of characters, a ghost, a haunted house, and a new world developed within my imagination. In time, the characters became family to me and their world — Moonstone — my adventure.

Finding balance between work and writing isn’t easy…

I carve out small spaces of time each day for writing. I often edit my sequel in the mornings before work and on rare occasions after work. I draft on the weekends or during my vacation time. Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal was written mostly during my summer vacations in Ohio. But to be perfectly honest, I don’t remember many of the details about writing Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal. It just happened and I’m grateful!

What’s next…

Around October of 2019, I started writing the sequel to Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal — Mr. Moonbeam and the Legends of Moonstone. This time I’m keeping a clear record of my writing process — where, when, and how — along with all the drafts and edits. The first draft of my sequel is done! Parts of it were written in hotels and airplanes. Other parts were written while sitting on my parents’ porch. Some parts were written in Palm Springs. Much was written during the pandemic. Sometimes I write at 5:00 a.m. Sometimes I write at 5:00 p.m.

All in all, I write when I have time, in small increments. I love to watch my stories develop and grow! My stories are fictional diaries of my life because there is truth behind the fiction.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ryan Cowan works as an educator in Los Angeles. He received his Master of Education in Urban Teaching degree (EdM) from UCLA’s Graduate School of Education and Information Studies.

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--- GIVEAWAY ---

Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal and an exclusive, limited-edition themed T-shirt!

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Special thanks to Bianca at The Children's Book Review for the chance to bring this tour to you and to the author for sharing a bit of themselves with the guest post. (THANKS!) This post is sponsored by Ryan Cowan. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal view. For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above. Be sure to check out the rest of the stops on the tour for more bookish fun!

TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, September 23, 2024

The Children’s Book Review

Book Review of Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Me Two Books

Interview with Ryan Cowan

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

Crafty Moms Share

Book Review of Mr. Moonbeam and the Halloween Crystal

Thursday, September 26, 2024

Country Mamas With Kids