Sunday, September 16, 2012

The Winners!


AND THE WINNERS ARE . . .

The drawing for autographed copies of Cowboy Christmas has just been held, and I’m happy to announce the five winners—all of whom promoted the release of Cowboy Christmas this week.

The winners are:
Joyce Ragland
MF Atkins
Lauri Meyers
Laura S.
Robyn Campbell

Winners, please email me at rob@robsanderswrites.com include your full name, your mailing address, and how you would like the book to be personalized. THANK YOU! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Thank You! Thank You Very Much!


A GREAT BIG
COWBOY
THANK YOU!

What a wonderful week! Thanks to everyone for helping launch Cowboy Christmas in such an outstanding way. Thanks to . . .

. . . my principal who made an announcement in faculty meeting the day of my book release and who has the Cowboy Christmas promo items on her door. Thanks, DM!

. . . the teacher who downloaded the Nook version of Cowboy Christmas to read to his preschool son, but showed me first (knowing my lack of techno savvy-ness). Thanks, Jim!

. . . the indy book store owner who is trying to schedule an event with me, but who had already ordered Cowboy Christmas after reading about it in the Random House catalog. Thanks, Krista!

. . . my editor who sent me the Publishers Weekly review of Cowboy Christmas hot-off-the-press, and then emailed back to say the cover of the book was included in the review—a super honor. Thanks, Diane!

. . . our receptionist at school who posted about the release on Facebook so friends at other schools would know about Cowboy Christmas, then ordered a copy of the book to display on her desk for parents and students to see. Thanks, Carrie!

. . . my niece-in-law who single-handedly located a book store in her community to host a book signing and promised to produce a crowd for the event. Thanks, Leah!

. . . to all of you who have Tweeted, blogged, posted on Facebook, sent emails, and promoted the release of Cowboy Christmas in ways I couldn’t even imagine. Thanks, Penny K., Joyce R., MF Atkins, Gail H., Lauri M., Leslie Z., Laura S., Robyn C., Leslie G., Susan B., and Carrie S.!

. . . and the countless number of people who have emailed, called, and contacted me this week with congratulations, posted to say you’ve received your copies of Cowboy Christmas, and placed an order. Thank you one and all!

Friday, September 14, 2012

How Sweet It Is!


How Sweet It Is!

Cookie is celebrating the release of Cowboy Christmas with some sweet recipes. Mix up a batch, sit a spell, read a good book (preferably Cowboy Christmas), and enjoy a tasty treat.

The recipes include:
No-beans Molasses Sugar Cookies


Cow Patties


Haystacks


SPREAD THE NEWS
It’s not too late to spread the news about Cowboy Christmas. Post a comment and let me know how you promoted my new release and you’ll be entered in a contest to win an autographed copy of Cowboy Christmas!

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Ho! Ho! Ho!


Spreading the
Cowboy Love!


This is the fantastic promotional postcard designed by the one and only Donna Farrell. I’ve already had the opportunity to hand these out at a writer’s workshop last weekend and at school.

And check this out, pardner . . .


 Donna also designed these round promotional items that I’m making into ornaments to share with principals, teachers, librarians, and more.


 They look great on a tree, don’t you think?!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Cowboys At School?


COWBOY CHRISTMAS
GOES TO SCHOOL!


This is the display for Cowboy Christmas that’s up in my classroom at Mintz Elementary, Brandon, FL. I love that students are already coming up to me and asking, “Are you the author?” or “Are you the guy who wrote Cowboy Christmas?” I answer, “Well, yes, I certainly am!”

All of our students are becoming familiar with the book already because our music teachers, Mrs. Cooper and Mrs. Witschen, have chosen to present Cowboy Christmas—The Musical as our holiday program! The musical includes songs with freshly cowboy’ed-up lyrics that will be sung by The Tumbleweed Chorus, and a cast with Dub, Darryl, Dwight, Cookie, and Santy Claus.

Here’s the link to Cowboy Christmas—The Musical: 
http://robsanderswrites.com/Cowboy_Christmas_files/COWBOYCHRISTMASTHEMUSICAL.pdf. 

Feel free to share the link (and the news of Cowboy Christmas) with a classroom teacher, drama teacher, music educator, or librarian. YEEHAW!

A Present!


MY FIRST CHRISTMAS PRESENT
OF THE YEAR!


 What do you do when you receive a box full of advanced copies of your new picture book? You rip into that box that a kid at Christmas, look at each copy one by one, and then . . .


. . . you put on your best cowboy shirt and pose for a picture!


Monday, September 10, 2012

Publishers Weekly Review!


GUESS WHAT BOOK WAS JUST REVIEWED BY
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY?
COWBOY CHRISTMAS, OF COURSE!

September 10, 2012 issue of Publishers Weekly (circ: 21,000):
COWBOY CHRISTMAS

Cowboy Christmas
Rob Sanders, illus. by John Manders. Random/Golden, $10.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-375-86985-3

For three cowboys out on the range, Christmas is looking mighty lonely. “‘No presents,’ said Dwight. ‘No stockings,’ added Darryl. ‘No Santy,’ groaned Dub.” As the cowpokes reminisce about the Christmas trees, cookies, and horses dressed as reindeer of their youths, camp chef Cookie suggests they create their own versions of those traditions. The results aren’t great (“charred sugar-molasses-bean cookies” are as bad as they sound), but a surprise visitor gives the cowboys a Christmas to remember. Sanders’ humorous, clipped prose and Manders’ loose, campfire-lit artwork are just right for the story’s down-and-dirty setting. As Dwight puts it, this one’s “a rip-roarin’ good time.” Ages 2–5. (Sept.)

Win a Copy!


ENTER TO WIN AN AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF COWBOY CHRISTMAS


This is Cowboy Christmas Celebration Week! Have you hugged a cowboy today? Wrestled a longhorn? Eaten beans and cornbread? I’m giving you fair warning—get your cowboy duds on, and get ready for a rip-roarin’ fun week!

While you’re at it, why not share the good news about the release of Cowboy Christmas? Write about it on your blog, post it on Facebook, call your local bookstore, share the news with your favorite librarian, or anything else that your clever little brain can dream up.

Post a message on Picture This! any time this week and tell how you shared the Cowboy Christmas news. You’ll be entered automatically in a drawing for an autographed copy of Cowboy Christmas. Five lucky winners will be chosen at random—so come on cowpunchers, spread the Cowboy Christmas news and then tell us about it!

'Twas the Night Before . . .


HAPPY Cowboy Christmas Eve!


 Do you have your boots shined, your bandanna tied just right, and your Christmas cactus up and decorated?

Well what are you waitin’ for?

Cowboy Christmas releases tomorrow, there’s no time to dawdle!