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Children and Young Adult Readers -- Check Out This Site!
On-Line Writing Classes Available
Leave a message for the author in the guestbook.
Request an Author Visit TODAY!!
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Coming Soon...The newest title: (forthcoming 2007)
WRITING & PUBLISHING: The Many Career Opportunities
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| Tina P. Schwartz's 2005 Release |
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My name is
Tina P. Schwartz
I am a children's book author, public speaker, and writing instructor. Please don't let all the pages of this website overwhelm you. There is a lot of information to digest!
Coming in 2007...
WRITING & PUBLISHING:
The Many Career Opportunities
(working title, Scarecrow Press)
[cover art coming soon!]
A Huge thank you goes out to the Warren-Newport Library, and the Gurnee Theatre Co. for putting on THE GREAT TOOTH FAIRY MYSTERY last spring. It was quite a thrill to see my first play performed. As a writer, it is always exciting to try new genres. Thanks to Doug McDade of the GTC for the opportunity!
Click Link below to order on
Click Link below to order on
Check out REVIEWS page to see what critics are saying about: ORGAN TRANSPLANTS!
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Author Visit/Bio Page has a short bio about Tina P. Schwartz, plus pricing for Author Visits and Workshops
Home Page gives quick reference to web pages, along with reviews of author's books
Portfolio Page Lists books available by Tina P. Schwartz
Calendar Page shows dates, times and places of scheduled visits and book signings
Guestbook Page lets you write a message to the author
Links Page Shows ways to order books by Tina P. Schwartz along with publishers for each book. Other favorite sites of the author are included.
Contact Page Allows visitors to write message that will be sent from web editor directly to author's e-mail address.
FAQ Page stands for "Frequently Asked Questions" and is a Q&A with author
Bowers Fund gives details about a Memorial Fund in honor of organ donor Elizabeth Bowers, young woman featured in Organ Transplant book
SCBWI gives information on the world wide organization, The Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, for which author is a member and Co-Representative of the Illinois - Far North Suburbs network
Writing Classes gives descriptions of available on-line classes taught by author
Editing Services shows editing services available and fees for such services provided by author
Reviews Articles that have discussed Schwartz's books, play, etc.
Contests gives contests run by author at various times during the year
ADPi is a sorority alumnae group the author is active in. They do various philanthropic work, and offer scholarships through their fund-raising efforts. (Alpha Delta Pi -- The First & The Finest... It was the first women's fraternity ever!) |
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Reviews for:
Organ Transplants:
A Survival Guide for the Entire Family
"This honest and compassionate resource will help teens cope with the emotional, physical, financial, and planning aspects of the transplant process if it happens to them or to someone in their family. The 13 chapters, written in a question-and-answer format, detail the steps involved from diagnosis and being placed on a waiting list to pre- and post-surgery. Schwartz acknowledges the feelings and emotions that adolescents might be experiencing throughout this process. The author does not sugarcoat the problems of qualifying for transplantations, the seriousness of these surgeries, or possible aftermaths. She weaves the harsh realities with a multitude of heartwarming survivors' stories, including an account of her father's transplant. The well-written text is complemented by a comprehensive section of suggestions for additional information. Average-quality, black-and-white drawings and photos of smiling recipients and donors are scattered throughout. Texts with this breadth of coverage are rare; this book will give young adults hope and courage and let them know that they are not alone."— SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
"The resources in the book are a treasure. I think it is an extremely difficult and challenging job to put together a piece of work that so eloquently ties in the scientific/physical, emotional, and personal aspects (essentially everything)—but this author has done it—and she has done it beautifully....For anyone even remotely interested in organ transplants and especially to everyone involved in the organ transplant area (family member, friend, recipient, patient, doctor, nurse, and the list goes on...), this book is a cushion to support you and a shoulder for you to lean on during any and all stages of organ transplantation."—Mary H. Wu, NATIONAL KIDNEY FOUNDATION, The transAction Council
"Her [Schwartz's] approach is straightforward and sincere, speaking understandably about the often-unspoken fears and realities of organ transplantation...
A comprehensive list of topics that families face are included in an engaging and readable fashion...
Anyone searching for information regarding organ and tissue transplantation myths, media coverage, and controversies would find Schwartz's book valuable and informative. She also inspires and challenges the reader to make a difference, whether it is signing a donor card, or starting a local donor awareness campaign.
As she says, "Anything is possible. But nothing will change if you don't try."
-- Diana King Dreman*, UPDATE -- A News Magazine for the Transplant Community
*(Miss Dreman is a senior at Littleton High School, Littleton, CO and a volunteer with the Donor Awareness Council in Denver. You can see the full-page review on p. 33 of the Jan-Feb 2006 issue of UPDATE -- A News Magazine for the Transplant Community)
"This book is a one-of-a-kind book that addresses the issue of what it is like to be an organ transplant recipient or to be close to someone who is....Highly Recommended."
—Marilyn Sprague, Flower Mound HS (2006)
"The books strike a balance between breezy presentation and hard information, including references to popular movies and television shows as well as lists of Internet sites for further research."—THE RECORD, New Jersey 2006
"Personal stories illustrate what it feels like to be put on the transplant list, the waiting in fear that a match will not be available until too late, the frustration of false alarms, the concern about the actual surgery, and the support needed after the transplant. General information on transplants, the waiting list, and how organs are assigned to patients are explained and then individual chapters detail the process for different types of transplants-heart, liver, kidney, pancreas, and lung. Sidebars, quotes from patients and family members, and a questions-and-answer format, supported by the personal stories give a clear picture on what to expect. Web sites, organizations, and a suggested reading list offer the reader places to go for further information. This book in the It Happened to Me series would be valuable for reports as well as for family members of organ transplant patients."—VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates magazine)
"Intended for the children of patients, this resource answers questions about the organ transplant process and the emotions family members may experience. The author, whose father received a liver transplant, overviews the challenges of waiting for a donor organ, some of the related controversies created by low supply and high demand, and how to become a future donor."—SCITECH BOOK NEWS
"The book addresses the issue of what it's like to be an organ transplant recipient or to be close to someone who is. It is filled with real-life stories of teens whose parents, siblings or other family members have been transplant recipients and of teens who have had heart, liver, kidney, pancreas and lung transplants themselves....The book is the ideal resource for those who are interested in organ donation and transplant, those who are facing a transplant and their family members, and medical professionals who work with transplant recipients, donors and their families..."—GRAYSLAKE TIMES
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AUTHOR VISITS:
Half-Day School Visit: ($375)
Up to three hours, includes two assemblies maximum + Question & Answer sessions, plus an individual classroom visit
Full-Day School Visit: ($750)
Up to six hours, minus 30 minutes for lunch, includes any
combination of assemblies and individual classroom visits, plus
Question & Answer sessions
Public Library "Author Visit": ($500)
One hour visit, with question and answer session, where author
describes process of how an idea gets from her head, to paper, to a
publisher, to a book store. Also, Tina will show some of her work and
share upcoming projects.
WORKSHOPS:
$125/per hour* - Instructional workshop on writing and getting
published (magazines or books,) tailored to specific audience/age
groups.
[Contact author via contact page to set up visits and have contract sent to you.]
* Two-Hour minimum required.
Note: If fees are a true issue for your school, e-mail web editor to contact author for discussion.
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The family's first peek at the Book!
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BIOGRAPHY:
Tina P. Schwartz lives in Grayslake, Illinois with her husband Marc
and their three children. She enjoys writing for children as well as
meeting many, many kids while doing author visits at schools and book
signings at stores.
A Columbia College graduate, with a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing
Communication, Mrs. Schwartz worked in Advertising for several years
until becoming a mother. She began writing and worked part-time as an
Assistant Youth Librarian, and now writes full-time while staying home
with her children.
Tina is a self-proclaimed tomboy who enjoys playing sports, climbing
trees, extreme sports, watching movies and loves dogs and children.
Schedule An Author Visit for Your School or Library!
Arlene ("It Happened to Me" series Editor) & Tina Joking at January 2005 SCBWI event, where they were the guest speakers
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Tina & Arlene, Denise Thornton, Anne Courtright & Hal Shepherd.
Some of the "It Happened to Me" authors (3 titles forthcoming) and their editor, January 2005.
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Showing Art from Transplant book to
Meadowview Students
(November 2004)
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Tina visits students at Anthem Grade School in Anthem, Arizona
(November 2003)
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Rolling
Meadows' High School presents "Art Start" day, featuring authors,
musicians, dancers, actors, and a variety of other artists. (March 2005)
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| Autograph Session at grade school in Northern Illinois |
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The following is a list of questions I get asked quite often. If you have any more questions, please write to me by going to the "contact" page and e-mailing me personally. The web editor will deliver it to my mailbox. Thanks for writing to me!
Do you have any pets? Yes. Right now my family has a VERY soft, white, fluffy hamster named... you guessed it -- Fluffy!
Are you married? Yes. I've been married since 1995.
Do you have any children? Yes, three kids.
Do you have any brothers and sisters? Yes. I am the youngest of five.
What are some of your hobbies? I love to play sports like softball, hockey, bmx racing, swimming, ice skating, and I LOVE to watch motocross! I also love to go to amusement parks and ride the rollar-coasters. But my all-time favorite thing to do is go to the movies!
Did you always want to be a writer? When I was little I wanted to be a movie star or a dancer! But when I grew up, I didn't want to move away from my family (I live near Chicago and would have to move to California) so I decided to write. I started out in advertising, since I love t.v. commercials. Once I had children, I didn't want to commute downtown to work at an agency where I would have to be away from my kids all day. That is when I decided to be a freelance writer, so I could work from home.
How do you think of what books to write? I write about things that interest me. Right now I am very curious about water towers. Why are there so many different sizes and shapes, and why are they so high up? And why do some have such fancy paint jobs? Questions like that make me want to learn more, so I root around books and on the internet and answer all the questions I can think of, then I try to explain all I learned in an interesting way.
Sometimes, I like to just make up new stories altogether. I am working on a book called "The Year I Had No Friends" which was inspired a little bit by my life in the seventh grade when my best friends went off with the cool crowd and got the school not to talk to me.
Do you like to write fiction or non-fiction better? I am more comfortable writing non-fiction, because of my curious nature. I like to write fiction, but it is a much, MUCH bigger effort for me to completely make something up, and have it sound real. (I am a bad liar, and it is almost like making up lies.) Writing fiction is a craft that I am continuously working on. Plus, I am learning to write screen-plays... I've never completely outgrown my love of movies!
How do you pick the names of your characters? I often use names I like, and keep them similar to real people I've met. Sometimes I use names of kids I meet at school visits. I am HORRIBLE about remembering peoples' names, which can hurt peoples' feelings. (It doesn't mean I don't remember THEM, I just have a weird trouble with remembering names.) So sometimes I use names of people I really like to honor them.
Who is your favorite author? My all-time favorite author is S.E. Hinton, in fact I'm putting her in my next book titled "WRITING & PUBLISHING: Opportunities Abound" (working title, forthcoming, 2007). But I also like SO MANY other authors like Kevin Henkes, Jack Gantos, Sharon Creech, William Steig, Lauren Child, Cynthia Rylant, Kevin Luthardt, Laura Numeroff, Jamie Lee Curtis, and many others!
What is the hardest part about being a writer? It is hard to be self-diciplined. You don't have a boss checking up on you. YOU are the boss, and if you want to go outside and play you do. But if you don't get your work done, your books won't make it to the store or library. So you have to be good and WRITE FIRST... play later! Also, it gets kind of lonely writing. I am usually alone, late at night, when my family is sleeping. I think best at night because it is quiet, so I usually write from 10pm until 2am. That is the middle of the night! Otherwise I like to go to the "quiet room" at my local library or coffee shop.
What is your favorite part about being a writer? I like going to different cities and states and meeting other writers, and kids, and adults. I like when people have read one of my books and learned something from it, or have just enjoyed it and been happy to meet me, too. Another good part is being able to write at home, so I can be "room mother" at my kids' school and go on field trips. Other moms and dads have to GO to work, so they aren't as lucky as I am sometimes. (I can even work in my pajamas!)
How can I become a writer? Good writers practice every day. Even if you just write in your diary or journal, that counts as writing. Another important part of writing is reading. You should always read every day, too. I was always a very slow reader (and still am) so I'd get frustrated and want to watch t.v. instead. But I kept practicing and got a little quicker as time went on. The better I read, the easier school became for me too.
There are a lot of great classes to take in grade school, high school, college and graduate school. You can learn to write all kinds of things from poetry to plays, from fiction and non-fiction. I have classes I teach, even on-line, so YOU could take a class from me!
Can you visit MY school? Maybe. It's up to your school to officially invite me. If there is a time when I am available to travel, I would love to try and meet you! You need to ask your librarian or teacher or PTA leader to go to my website and request an "Author Visit" through my contact page.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY SITE. COME BACK OFTEN TO SEE WHAT NEW BOOKS WILL BE COMING OUT SOON! -- Tina P. Schwartz
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