Category Archives: Jasper Amazon Parrot

Author, Jasper Amazon Parrot, Research your novel

Your book: Researching

2 Comments

 

 

P1010445-MMy writing group, the one I started, met over the weekend. During our reading and critiquing one of the members asked me if this animal lived in the rainforest. A valid question and one that no one had asked me before.

Do you research your books? In “Jasper, Amazon Parrot: A Rainforest Adventure” I have three folders. One each for spider monkeys, parrots and the three toe sloths. I may own an Amazon but I still wanted to see about their interactions in the wild. I also researched the various rainforests for each is separate as to which animals live there.

While writing the sequel to Jasper my friend Gina and I were hashing out what chaos or challenge I could put my main character in. She said, “How about elephants?” My thought was yes who doesn’t like an elephant, right? I progressed to write three pages on an uplifting scene. Once I finished I thought to myself, hmm elephants in the rainforest? Of course there are elephants there I mean of course . But I decided to check it out just to be sure. I mean I was right and I was just going to collaborate what I already knew. I found out within minutes how wrong wrong so incredibly wrong I was. I am not sure what made me decide to check this fact but am sure glad I did.

Do you really want to irritate your readers? Do you want to put in information that is poorly research if researched at all? I don’t. A good example of this is my children series featuring my main character Jasper who is an Amazon parrot. I know about parrots having lived with one since 1999. But prior to owning any of my birds I read numerous books to make sure I understood as much as I could before taking on such a task. So why should my books be any different?

Did you know that a three toe sloth are more active during the day then a two toe sloth? This is huge since my character George is a sloth who enjoys spending time with my main character during the day. Yeah small facts that are important. Lesson learned, I went away from the research in volume 2 like I had done in volume 1. Never again. Kids are not stupid. I don’t intend to insult them.

Artwork, Heather Reading, Jasper Amazon Parrot

My Jasper Artwork

2 Comments

HeatherHeather

I’m blessed to be surrounded by amazing artists of all kind. My friend Heather Reading, from England, is one talented woman, she paints and writes. Over the past year we have bonded and become close friends even though we have never met. Her motivation and spirit fills you like a sponge if you happen to be around her. Her belief in me as a writer makes me smile on the inside.

One day I was telling her how I been trying to find someone to paint or draw Jasper. I had little luck. She offered. Not only did she offer but she did it right away. As she did the process she sent me bits and pieces of how it was going. I was not sure who was more excited about the project, her or me.

Telling me the painting was done she mailed it. We both waited. A few times we discussed on what was taking so long. Finally I saw the mail lady park her truck on the side. Seeing she had a package I met her halfway, excited to see the painting in person. Unwrapping it fast but carefully, I unraveled a work of pure art. Showing Jasper he backed away. I temporarily forgot birds don’t like things over their heads. My son instead showed him the picture.

Heather got his seal of approval for a/ he didn’t back away and b/ he didn’t try to destroy it. He stared and stared at the portrait of him. I imagined he was thinking, “Ah very good. She got my good side.” To say I love this art is a gross understatement. The photo does not do it justice at all. But Heather has made my bird happy. And that was one of the best rewards of this gift.