Rogue's Angels Present: Annabelle & Aiden: Worlds Within Us by J. R. Becker

Please welcome J. R. Becker author of Annabelle & Aiden: Worlds With In Us

J.R. Becker will be awarding 2 personally-signed Annabelle & Aiden books, along with 3 limited-edition Annabelle & Aiden bookmarks (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. 

Annabelle & Aiden: Worlds Within Us

by J.R. Becker

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GENRE: Children's book (science focus)

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INTERVIEW:

1.    What or who inspired you to start writing? Some close friends and coworkers who loved my idea to create children’s books on science and evolution so much that they wouldn't let me ignore it.  I owe them everything.

2.    What elements are necessary components for this genre? To reach my goal of inspiring children about the nature of reality over fairy tales, I entice them with beautiful illustrations and lyrical prose that reads in rhyme without compromising the message.

3.    How did you come up with your idea for your novel? In the shower.

4.    What expertise did you bring to your writing? I hold a B.A. in philosophy and literature, and combine that with my love for science education.

5.    What would you want your readers to know about you that might not be in your bio? Nothing means more to me than a message (or better, Amazon review) that tells me a funny/insightful effect this book has had on their children. It’d literally make my entire week.

6.    As far as your writing goes, what are your future plans? I have 4 more books in my head I'd like to publish in the coming 2-3 years. This includes a book on death, and a book on the story of different human species.

7.    If you could be one of the characters from this book, who would it be and why? It’d be pretty cool to be a Tardigrade like Tom, since they’ve been around forever.

8.    Can you give us a sneak peak into this book? “Did you know you hold the strength of hydrogen bombs? Or that there’s parts of different stars in each of your palms? We’re made of pieces that used to be part, of dinosaurs, Shakespeare, or Amelia Earhart.”

9.    Do you belong to a critique group? If so how does this help or hinder your writing? I don't belong to any such group.

10. Do you outline your books or just start writing? I write brief outline of my idea, and then simply write it, thinking of words that rhyme. Editing takes far longer than writing.

11. How do you maintain your creativity? These days it bubbles inside me. Calming it down would actually be nice.

12. Who is your favorite character in the book? Annabelle. Can you tell us why? Nope.

13. Are your plotting bunnies angels or demons? Huh?

14. Anything else you might want to add? Nope.

BLURB:

"How did our universe form?" Annabelle wonders to Aiden. Luckily, the friendly Tardigrade Tom answers by taking the children on their biggest adventure yet! Soaring through space and time, they witness the universe's earliest stages, marvel at the big bang, and learn how each and every one of us is literally made of the same stardust. Readers will learn how we each hold a part of the universe inside us, and are far more special, interconnected, and 'larger' than we may think.

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EXCERPT:

Aiden says, “Great!

But I do have to say,

all of those stars

seem so far away…”

“Oh, but they’re in us!

Our bones and our skin.

And even those rocks

you’re now sitting in.

You’re feeling the stuff

from the bodies of folks

who lived long ago

and stood like great oaks.

And also the people

who have yet to be.

They’ll come from our bones,

these rocks and those trees.

And all of us come

from the same exact place:

the Earth, which came from

the stars out in space,

who were kind enough

to explode into shards

that joined to make up

everything that we are.

So when you feel small,

that you don’t matter much,

know stars are inside you,

whole worlds you can touch.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

AUTHOR: J. R. holds a B.A. in Philosophy and a Juris Doctorate from Emory University School of Law.  When he's not practicing entertainment law, playing drums, or enjoying the great outdoors, Joseph enjoys all the science and philosophy books and podcasts he can, pondering the bigger questions and dreaming up ideas for future children stories. (Got any? Send them in!)

After publishing his first (philosophical, dystopian) novel The Spider & the Ant, and later becoming a father, Joseph was inspired to found the Annabelle & Aiden series to foster curiosity and scientific awareness in the next generation.

Joseph lives in New Jersey with his wife Leah, and two children, Annabelle & Aiden.

ILLUSTRATOR:  Max lives in a small town just outside Venice, Italy. As an illustrator, she is proficient with multiple mediums (from physical to digital) and can draw in multiple styles, as seen in her portfolio below. Max is especially fond of cats, Game Of Thrones, and Lindsey Stirling. After wandering the cosmos in search of the perfect illustrator, we're lucky to have found her, just on the other side of our blue planet.

Check out Max's site HERE (http://www.maxrambaldi.com/).

See Max at work on her YouTube page HERE. (https://www.youtube.com/user/DigitalMakeup)

SITE: www.AnnabelleAndAiden.com

Amazon Listing: https://www.amazon.com/Annabelle-Aiden-Worlds-Within-Us/dp/0997806656/

This book raised over $18,500 in preorders on Kickstarter. View the campaign here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1269876999/annabelle-and-aiden-worlds-within-us

https://www.facebook.com/AnnabelleandAiden/

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GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

J.R. Becker will be awarding 2 personally-signed Annabelle & Aiden books, along with 3 limited-edition Annabelle & Aiden bookmarks (US ONLY) to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f2530"