Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

Monday, April 15, 2024

AWARENESS TOUR: Miranda Moose Loves Orange Juice by Melanie Brazdzionis, Illustrated by Ning Loo - GUEST POST + GIVEAWAY!

Welcome friends!

Today, we welcome The Children's Book Review as we shine a light on a storybook currently making its way through the blogosphere. I'm bringing up the rear on this particular AWARENESS TOUR, but that doesn't mean I have anything less than something WONDERFUL for you! Our post today features an article by the author all about finding your passion, and the right mix in life for you to bloom. Sound good? I thought so too. Without further ado, I give you today's featured title and blog tour guest...

Miranda Moose Loves Orange Juice

Melanie Brazdzionis

Illustrated by Ning Loo

9798988046004

Miranda Moose Publishers, LLC

About the book...

Miranda Moose Loves Orange Juice is a delightful tale about friendship, perseverance, and self-empowerment for ages 2-6. Follow Miranda as she embarks on an adventure to find her favorite drink! With the help of her farm animal friends, she discovers the power of self-reliance and realizes that what you need may only be as far as your own backyard! Filled with vivid illustrations and heartwarming rhymes, Miranda Moose Loves Orange Juice will captivate your little ones and leave them with a valuable lesson.

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Bookshop.org

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~~~ GUEST POST ~~~

🌻 Bloom 🌻

Written by Melanie Brazdzionis

I’ve often wondered about those of us lucky enough to know, at a very early age, who they are and what they’re going to be in life. For some it seems to be super obvious because they have a huge talent. Let’s take Taylor Swift, for example. I think of Taylor as a variety of a long-lasting daisy. She bloomed in early spring. Her career will likely last throughout the fall of her life, if not longer. Many, if not most of us, are not that lucky. We struggle to find out who we are or what we came here to do. It used to be said that the average person will change jobs or careers at least three times in their lifetime. According to Google, that number is now up to five times or higher. I’ve changed careers several times myself, but now believe I’ve finally ascertained who I was meant to become.

Acknowledging an Underlying Passion

I grew up playing games like Scrabble and Boggle. I like crosswords and word scrambles. I enjoy words in different languages. But most of all, I love rhyming words. In my 20s, I wrote song lyrics. Now I find it engaging to not only draft a rhyming manuscript, but to edit it as well. I enjoy the time spent in the process of writing and editing. At 60, I’ve finally identified the passion that’s been with me for a lifetime.

Finding Joy

It’s taken me over 30 years to realize that I am good at many things; I just needed to find where I was willing to persevere. During the pandemic, I had plenty of time on my hands to do whatever I wanted. So, I decided to do only things that I enjoyed. I played the piano and sang. I returned to studying the beautiful language of French because I’ve always wanted to be fluent. I practiced yoga every morning because it brought me peace. I went on long hikes with my husband for the exercise and companionship. Doing these things made me realize that I was nourishing my soul with love and attention.

After weeks of continuing to bring myself joy, I suddenly had the desire to do something more that would deeply fulfill me. That’s when I found the courage to pull out the story of Miranda Moose Loves Orange Juice that had been sitting at the bottom of my ‘Someday-Maybe’ list for years. Following the path of doing only those things that brought me joy, I found out that I could do this: write a children’s book. I not only completed the first, but I’ve continued to write an additional three books, which I am now looking forward to publishing over the next couple of years.

Juxtaposed to Taylor Swift, I see myself as a winter bloom—a poinsettia, if you will, that still has great potential to stay hardy for several more years—as long as I continue to nurture myself.

Give to Yourself

We’ve all heard the age-old adage to “use your time wisely.” I say, “use your time lovingly.” If you’re still wondering what you want to be when you grow up, give yourself some loving attention. Focus on what is fun for you. Ask yourself the difficult question, “If I could do one thing right now, anything I want to do, what would that be?” Pick a few things that you really enjoy doing. Then give yourself permission to do them! Give yourself the time to do them. Do at least one of those things every day—or as often as you can...and watch yourself. You just might bloom.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

As a stay-at-home mother, Melanie Brazdzionis spent much of her time engaging, educating, and entertaining her two children.

Miranda Moose Loves Orange Juice was a result of those very efforts.

Prior to becoming a mother, Melanie wrote lyrics and music for her original rock band in the late 1980s. More recently, she launched a virtual assistant business to edit other people’s newsletters and websites. Her current focus is on creating and publishing stories to entertain other people’s children.

When Melanie is not writing, she is practicing yoga, playing piano, studying French, hiking, or traveling. Melanie lives with her husband in Connecticut.

For more information, visit www.mrs-melanie.com.

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ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Ning Loo has harbored a deep love for creating, sharing, admiring, and learning about art since childhood. Encouraged by her parents from a tender age, Ning’s early drawings, though crude, sparked admiration and encouragement from her family.

A graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a degree in biotechnology, Ning’s passion for drawing and painting has remained a constant throughout her life. She eagerly anticipates every opportunity to immerse herself in her beloved art supplies, finding solace and joy in the creative process.

When presented with the chance to illustrate Miranda Moose Loves Orange Juice, Ning’s excitement knew no bounds; she couldn’t help but do a little dance right in the middle of her office! Her journey with MMLOJ has been nothing short of delightful. Collaborating with the gracious author, Ning brought to life cozy characters adorned in charming outfits, all the while discovering more about her unique art style.

Ning feels privileged to be a part of this enchanting book and hopes that her illustrations will bring comfort, wonder, and joy to readers of all ages, spreading the magic of Miranda Moose’s adventures far and wide.

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Enter the giveaway for your chance to win a signed hardcover copy or a 25-book classroom set of Miranda Moose Loves Orange Juice!

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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 Melanie Brazdzionis. 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

Friday, March 22, 2024

The Children’s Book Review

Book Tour Kick-Off

Monday, March 25, 2024

The Fairview Review