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Children's Activities Children's Books Karate kids Reading

May 26 . Issue #155

Hello all, and welcome to my monthly journal. This is a place for me to share 5 points of interest. This month’s journal includes book festivals, love festivals and artisan markets, book promotions, and more …

1. My promotion for Samba on a Snowy Day, book 1 in the Samba Dog series, has ended. Thank you to all of you for checking out my book and for downloading it. If you liked the book and can leave an honest review on Amazon or Goodreads, that would be most helpful. 

I have been writing reports/reviews on shows that I have enjoyed seeing. My most recent was published in That Canadian Magazine under my pseudonym, Paul J. Youngman.

Look at my page, “Writing a Review,” for how to prepare a review if in doubt. 

2. Regarding promotions, my new children’s book in the Samba Dog series, Samba in Switzerland, is part of an Amazon Kindle Countdown Deal. 

Starting  May 24th, the ebook price will be set at $1.99 and run until May 27th, 8:00 AM. The price increases to $2.99 and will run until May 31st, 8:00 AM reverting back to $4.99 after that time.

 3. If you are out and about in June, stop into the Newmarket Farmers Market, the WCYR – The Bookshelf is hosting a book festival on June 10th. I will be there with all my books, which are on sale. They will sell for 10% less than online or at your local bookstores.

The next book festival for me, Sunday, June 11th, much more than that actually, is the The New Earth Village Love Festival and Artisan Market, it’s up north Loretto way. Featuring a reading by me of my new book, Samba in Switzerland, all my books will be on sale. There will be a drum circle, some Tai Chi, and a guest appearance by musical maestro Chris Assad and much more. Hope to see you there too.

4. Have you seen these little libraries on residential streets? They’re all the rage in Toronto. Well, I have found some great books in them. My most recent,  Blacklist by author Sara Paretsky, is my evening read.

As a way of paying it forward, I have been leaving my book Scratchy the Squirrel: A Time for Friends in the libraries close to where I’m staying when I am in Toronto. 

5. I love teaching kids and learning from them. It’s the reason I started writing children’s books. When I returned from Costa Rica this spring, I stopped in at one of my old training grounds, Dynamic Martial Arts. Paul sensei, the head instructor, allowed me to teach the kid’s class.

I enjoyed it so much that I asked if we could make it monthly. So, now it is, and I look forward to my once-a-month visit to Dynamic Martial Arts to share my passion with the students. The featured photo is of one of the students. Photo credit, by Daniela sensei.

Thank you for reading, and if you know someone who would like to read my journal, please share it with others. All of my books are now available at your favorite bookstores; support local bookstores with your online purchases.

Make sure you get out and about, enjoy the beautiful days. Visit an artisan market, a farmers market or a book festival. If you’re looking for a great early reader chapter book get my book Scratchy the Squirrel: A Time for Friends. For the younger ones, my picture books are perfect, Samba in Switzerland, Samba on a Snowy Day or  Samba in Brazil.

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong and keep going.

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Copyright © 2023 Paul Yanuziello

Categories
Art Creativity Karate kids Martial Arts Reading

February 26 . Issue #79

“Those who do not want to imitate anything, produce nothing.”

Salvador Dali (11 May 1904 – 23 January 1989)

Hello all and welcome; in this weeks newsletter, surrealists, antiques, karate and more …

1. Dali is one of my favourite surrealist artists and one of his most popular paintings is his rendition of the last supper. This article from artnet.com reveals some interesting details on his design technique.

For more Dali, you can visit The Dali Theatre-Museum, take a virtual tour. I found it fascinating.

M.C. Escher is another favourite surrealist artist of mine. The featured painting or in this case print hangs in my recreation room, home-dojo. A gift from a close friend.

 

2. I taught karate all this week, 4 different children’s classes and about 3 hours each day. Great fun, good exercise and a chance to do something different for a change.

 

How martial arts, especially karate, can improve your child’s life according to this report in Psychology Today Magazine.

Wednesday, February 24th is Pink Shirt Day and I did my part to help with anti-bullying during my karate class. The dojo-kun is a good start.

3. Press releases, advertising campaigns, virtual book tours, book readings and promoting my new books. Books, yes I have two new books that I released this month. Samba in Brazil and a translated version of Samba on a Snowy Day entitled Samba em um Dia de Neve.

4. Have you noticed antiques are not what they once were. It used to be solid wood, old furniture, could hold its original value.

My partner Nina and I have put our dining room suite up for sale. Some folks are giving them away. The age of downsizing.

We have relocated temporarily to Toronto. Now we are walking the beltline and it is a new extraordinary experience.

 

5. My reading this week a couple of children’s book. Great fun! More Harry Potter and something new. Milo and Cat, Right Before Sleep by Miro Tartan.

Thank you for reading. If you think someone would enjoy the newsletter please share it with them.

If you are looking for a fun children’s book check out one of my books. Samba on a Snowy Day, Samba em um Dia de Neve or my new book, Samba in Brazil.

Stay safe, stay well, stay strong and keep going.

Copyright © 2021 Paul Yanuziello, All rights reserved.

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Categories
Books Children Grammy Awards Karate kids Martial Arts Music

Newsletter 15

Hello all! 

Some things that interested me this week, and I hope will be of interest to you too.

Here are my five items, links, or suggestions that should get you some inspiration and information.

Newsletter 15

1. I have been listening to Rodrigo y Gabriella and their new offering, nominated for a Grammy, Mettavolution – check it on youtube. My first exposure to this duo was on Ted Talks, and since that time I have been a fan.

Another artist in the same category; and I noticed he is getting more airplay this week, Theo Croker, an excellent trumpeter and bandleader. He’s been nominated in the best contemporary instrumental album category for Star People Nation, competition for Rodrigo y Gabriella. 

I enjoy watching NPR Tiny Desk Concerts and it’s where I first came to hear Anderson Paak. He’s another Grammy nominee in the Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Come Home” featuring André 3000. Check out this fun 2006 musical movie, Idlewild for a good idea of what André 3000 is all about.

2. Yakumo Koizumi is the adopted Japanese name of author Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904). In his 54 years, he wrote 29 books in many different genres. “Kwaidan; Stories and Studies of Strange Things” is one of his books on Japanese myths and I started reading it this week. What piqued my interest is the number of listings with his English name on the gutenberg.org site under the heading: Japan. When you google this gentleman, a fascinating individual comes to life. My search brought me to this article in the Japan Times.

While searching that amazing Gutenberg site I happened upon another book I couldn’t resist “Bushido, The Soul of Japan” by Inuzo Nitobe (1862 – 1933). A book that explores the way of the Samurai spirit. 

3. You may have noticed a strong Japanese thread runs through many of my newsletters, it’s true I have a great passion for all things Japanese. I have been studying Japanese on my own for many years. I recently started a new program to learn Japanese writing, Hiragana at a site named Tofugu.com, I feel encouraged to jump back into my studies.

The owner of the Shingikan dojo, where I teach Karate lived in Japan for 25 years. He is fluent in Japanese, both written and spoken. There is no excuse for me to not make the effort to communicate with him in Japanese.

4. Most of my instructing jobs are winding down now and I have only a couple of classes left, one is going to be a  children’s karate grading – coming up this Saturday afternoon in Stouffville, Ontario.

The Shingikan dojo will stay open until December 16th and as with all my classes, will be resuming in January 2020. So much fun sharing my knowledge of martial arts and learning from the children.

“Spare no effort when you teach. You advance as your students advance. Perseverance is important in teaching, as are patience, kindness, and the ability to put yourself in your students’ place.” (Koichi Tohei 1920 – 2011.)

5. Reading to children, how long should you read to your children? This resource says as long as there is interest. Reading to children at age 4 – 5 every day has a significant positive effect on their reading skills and cognitive skills (i.e., language and literacy, numeracy, and cognition) later in life.

I found this reference at Scholastic Canada on the state of kids and reading. As someone who is soon to self-publish a children’s book, I need to know who my target audience is. 

Thanks for reading. If you like what you’ve read forward this to someone you think will enjoy it.

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Copyright © 2019 Paul Yanuziello, All rights reserved.

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