May 21, 2018

Doctor Mom Blog Hop / I Love You, Mom!



DOCTOR MOM BLOG HOP

Prompt: Share a favorite memory you have of your mom. Or just share a picture of your mom that you cherish. Or you can do both!



My mom and me. We were...and are...so much alike.

My mom is the author of Doctor Mom. I grew up watching her write these children's stories, featuring Gregory Green and Sammy, when I was in Kindergarten. She'd sit at our dining room table with her typewriter, a stack of papers, pencils, colored pencils, and laminating paper. That was where she'd write, illustrate, and bind her stories. She dreamed of publishing these stories and sent out many snail mail queries without success. So she read her books to my siblings and me, as well as to elementary school students.

She worked as a library assistant at my elementary school. Sometimes, my class (and other classes) would go to the library for reading time, and my mom would read her stories. She would even bring Sammy...not the teddy bear, but the real Sammy, a Cabbage Patch Doll. She'd pick a student to enact the story with Sammy as she read. I remember wanting to be the lucky kid to have that job, but she chose someone else to do it instead. I was disappointed, but in all fairness, it was the unbiased thing to do.



The original Sammy. He inspired the teddy bear in my mom's stories.

Years later, my mom visited my fourth-grade class to read one of her stories and lead us in some fun activities. We were joined by our neighboring class. In that class was a boy who liked to bully me on the school bus, so I was full of fear that he'd make fun of my mom to me later. If he did, I was ready to fight.


During her time with our classes, she picked a student to, once again, enact the story with Sammy. Coincidently, she chose the same student (who happened to be in my class again) to play with Sammy as she did all those many years ago. (It was even a different school.) She even read Slow Poke.



Left: My mom's graduation picture. Right: My mom in Hawaii.
These are two of my favorite pictures of her.


Later, on the bus, I braced for what the bully would say. Sure enough, he sat down in the seat next to mine, and the first thing he said was: "That was your mom?"


I glared at him. "Yes," I snapped.


Then he surprised me with, "She's cool."


I was so proud of my mom at that moment. She had the power to make my bully nice. That's what a story and an author can do. It just so happens that the updated version of Pea Soup Disaster, the first adventure in this series, is about bullying.


As the years have gone by, I've wanted to help my mom to realize her dream of being a published author. I wasn't able to do it before, but I'm capable now, so we're self-publishing her picture books. Two to three a year. And next year we plan to add a chapter book to her credentials. After all my mom has done for me, she deserves this. And she deserves to see her stories in print.



I LOVE YOU, MOM!



Title: Doctor Mom
Author: Elaine Kaye
Genre: Picture Story Book
Ages: 5-8 years


BLURB: It’s Saturday, and Gregory Green can’t wait to have fun with his dad on the riding lawnmower, but something is wrong. Sammy, his teddy bear and best friend, won’t get out of bed. Gregory is worried when he sees Sammy’s left leg is torn. This is a case for Doctor Mom! Can they fix Sammy? And just how did Sammy get hurt in the first place?


PRAISE FOR DOCTOR MOM:

"Doctor Mom is an adorable story that shows how Moms can fix anything—even a torn limb on a beloved teddy bear! Children will enjoy the lovable little bear who needs a stitch or two and his boy who plays dress-up as a doctor." – Wanda Luthman, award-winning author of Little Birdie Grows Up.

“A sweet and heartfelt tale kids can easily identify with, and all of that with a wonderful touch of magic.” – Tonja Drecker, reviewer at Bookworm for Kids

  BUY LINK:

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Elaine Kaye first created Gregory Green after her son, who loved her homemade pea soup, thus inspiring the story Pea Soup Disaster. Doctor Mom is the second book in A Gregory Green Adventure series and highlights something all moms and children can relate to; a beloved stuffed animal in need of a repair.

Kaye has worked as a library assistant and teacher's assistant in elementary schools in the Sunshine State. She currently lives in Florida, but she has called Michigan; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Okinawa, Japan home.

She is a grandmother of three boys.



61 comments:

  1. That's awesome she was able to change that bully's attitude for you. How cool those stories have been around that long.

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    1. Yes, her stories have been around for a long time for my family. :) She’s updating them as she publishes them, but they still have that charm from all those years ago.

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  2. Congratulations to your mom! It's never too late to publish a story, no matter how long ago it was written or conceived of.

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    1. Thank you, Carrie-Anne! And that’s very true. She’s really happy that it’s finally happening. :)

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  3. What a beautiful mom, daughter story. Congrats Elaine on the new release.

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    1. Thank you, Juneta! And thanks again for participating!

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  4. What a great tribute to your mom, Chrys. Love the pictures. Wishing Elaine much success.

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  5. Wonderful story! That's great--and those photos of your mom are something! I don't have many photos of my Mom as a child, since she grew up during the Depression and WWII--not a lot of money for film.

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    1. Thanks, Rebecca! I love the pictures of my mom as a baby. :)

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  6. Very cool. And good for you for helping her get those published finally.

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    1. Thanks! I’m blessed to be able to finally help her do this.

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  7. What a sweet story about your mom reading to the kids. I think making Sammy a Teddy Bear works really well.

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    1. Yes, she had some smart thinking with changing Samny to a teddy bear for her stories. :)

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  8. Thanks for sharing the fabulous photos and facts about you and your mom. You are so lucky to live close to her. The book is so darn cute! Congrats and I hope you have many more stories to share.
    sherry @ fundinmental

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    1. My mom actually lives with me. :) She’s single and needs the help. But we’re two peas in a pod, so we both enjoy it.

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  9. Congratulations, Elaine on another publication of the Gregory Green series! Chrys, it's so wonderful that you're helping your mom publish! You two look very much alike. Love the picture of you together. Lovely!!

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    1. I get that a lot...that we look alike. I’m honored to take after her. :)

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  10. Thank you Chrys for this wonderful post and your Mother looks just wonderful.

    Yvonne.

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  11. That's great that she turned the bully around. Goes to show how well her stories and attitude hit with the kiddos. Congrats to her on her newest.

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    1. Yup. Bullies are no match for her stories! LOL

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  12. CONGRATS, ELAINE! All the best with your charming stories! Chrys, how wonderful to be part of her literary journey. It will bond you even closer.

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    1. Thanks, Michael! I’m proud to help her and seeing her happiness, especially when she said “It’s finally happening” just made it all worth it.

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  13. What a great story--and great pictures! I hope your mom is thrilled to have her stories published and out in the world now. It must make you so proud to see them published and to help her get them that way!

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    1. She is really happy. I wish this could’ve been done sooner, but I’m glad I can help her do it now.

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  14. It's so wonderful you can help her do this! Good luck to her on this book launch. Also, love the story and her photos.

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  15. Congratulations! Enjoying this blog hop! @mirymom1 from
    Balancing Act

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  16. Great creative-growing-up story behind three books - and I realise more in the near future. Congratulations, Elaine & Chrys.

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    1. Oh yes! Lots more in the future. :) Thanks, Roland!

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  17. You look so much like your mom! A couple of beautiful ladies! Best of luck to your mom.

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  18. You and your mom are twins! Both are beautiful. I will check out her book!

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  19. I loved your book and wish you every success!

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    1. Thank you, Wanda! And thanks for participating and for commenting on my post. :)

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  20. I'm so glad your mom's dreams are being realized. I know that means the world to her and you.
    I had a pair of those black rimmed glasses. Heh.

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    1. I love those glasses! I’ve always wanted a pair. :)

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  21. Moms are the best! I need mine more than ever, especially after having kids myself. You never really leave home;)

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  22. Lovely pictures and a great story about you and your mom. Thank you.
    I miss my mom so much. She's been gone for years and I guess that makes me the mom.
    Congratulations to Elaine and her lovely book. Kids should love it.

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    1. Thank you, Beverly!

      I’m sorry for your loss. I couldn’t imagine my mom not being here.

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  23. This is such a beautiful post!!! Loved the pictures! Congrats to your mom!

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  24. This just made my heart smile. What great memories to have and to share of your mom. That's awesome. Congratulations mom!!

    Elsie

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  25. You and your mom are so cute. I love that story about her turning your bully nice. Doctor Mom sounds like a wonderful installment in the Gregory Green series.

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    1. Thank you, Toi! Her story held some magical sway against my bully.

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  26. That's so cool that you're helping your mother with her writing. It sounds like you two have a really great relationship. It's encouraging to know that there are good mothers out there who have loving relationships with their daughters, even though I can't say the same about my own mother. But at the very least defying her attempts to control me has driven me to live my own life on my terms, not hers or anyone else's.

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    1. We do have a great relationship. I don’t know where I’d be with her. I don’t have the same relationship with my dad, though. Things changed between us when I got older.

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  27. I love reading about great mom/adult child relationships. I can tell you appreciate your mom. What a great example she has been for you.

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    1. I really do appreciate my mom. She’s done so much for me. ❤️

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  28. Your mom is lovely. How blessed you are.

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  29. Cool blog hop! And congratulations to both you and your mom for the new books you have released. Sorry I missed the blog hop and the opportunity to help you promote these. I haven't been blogging as much as I used too, but I'm definitely getting your new Writing Sparks book.

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    1. Thank you, Sherry! I understand not blogging as much anymore. I blog less, too, and next year I’ll do one less post a month.

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