Winners for Shiver and Fears

 If you've been on the website, you know about Ms. Wilson's class. Shiver and Fears had about 22 students enter in a give-a-way. What was the occasion? Shiver and Fears author, AJ Hard, birthday is September 13th! Instead of recieving gifts and praise for AJ is doing the giving, and he is giving the rightful students amazing gifts.

Wait, rightful student? Well, yes. So we started with about 22 students. Ms. Wilson was in charge of which students remain on the list. Well whithin a week, it went from 22 to 3!😞😞 Pretty shocking huh? Well let me tell you what these students won. They were all going to receive an audio book, but one would get the first view of the newest edition.

Well since there were only 3 things had to change. The 3rd place winner got an audio book, the 2nd place winner got a glowing Shiver and Fears face mask with being the first owner of the new audio book: Terror Tales, and first place got the coolest prize of all! Reybi ( ˈreɪ.biː) Santillah chose Shiver and Fears next book: "Hauntings from Halloween Kids" 

The story is about a town that is afraid of Halloween. It's because of a curse, when the ghosts of trick or treaters come to your house and say their chant you become one of them! Reybi and his friend Ximana (h ee-m ai-n uh) will be the main characters in the story! They will be the first hispanic character used is a Shiver and Fears book! That's big news!

In the end, it pays to be a good student!

Monsters are out now!

 Shiver and Fears has been able to focus a lot more on book # 33 ever since summer ended. Want to know what's been up? Then you haven't been catching up with social media. Ever since the bookaversary ended things have gone crazy as it's been mounted with summer activities. Pool parties,  birthdays, and getting ready for school.

Now that school has started teachers are preparing themselves still learning what's next on our adventure. But that's now what this blog is about. It's about the monsters coming... yep, there are monsters!

 yeah, it's that time of year again. The Get Monsterfied Contest. This was the winner of 2020. he's pretty grusome. He was the top favorite, and now we're getting new contestants. And voters will be presented their choices to vote on in September.  Are you ready? Beware, because the monsters are coming!

What Been Happening?

 Wow, it's been a while. Shiver and Fears hasn't focused on a book, blog, or video in a while! Why? The Bookaversary of course. Last you heard about it, you probably thought it was a pool party, but it ending up being more. 

The plan went from a pool party, to a park water party, to a drive by in the park, to a drive by at home! I've spent weeks trying to get the plans set correctly. 

Once I had an idea I spent the rest of the time setting up the plan.

53 people are at home with a water, bookmark, cookie, key chain, and audio book code. But the question is what to do with the remaining bags? Well don't worry, they are slowly finding a home as time goes by.

This might be what Shiver and Fears has needed to reach more people. So chances are this will happen again next year, but things will be different. And I got a whole year to think of it.

Meanwhile now it's time to get the next event set. The Monsterfied Contest!

Long story short...

 June has been a busy month, not just because of of books, or the bookaversary. Because I've been set in charge of a lot of other things:

ok, I'm not in the last one, but I took that photo. I've been working with kids day after day. In my free time i've kept my mind on the bookaversary and all the qualities needed. 

So what's happening at the bookaversary? We making a goal of passing around 60 merch bags with a water, keychain, ticket, bookmark all relating to Shiver and Fears. There a little more included. So I told you about the giant card, right? peaople are signing it now, but for those of you who want to wait, sinature will be placed July 17th at the drive-by.

For those of you who can't make it, just comment what you want to place on the card like these people

This card will be presented on the actually bookaversary date which is July 20th on youtube. 

Not much of a story today, but if only you knew the story behind the author you would understand why.

Sugar and Fears

 So here's a story: I spent my Saturday cooking 4 dozen batches of Sugar and Fears cookies for the annual family gathering. I had everything set, so when the time came to go the gathering Sunday afternoon... plans were changed.

Now usually parties and gathering change because of weather or guest host last minute problems. This was not the case. The problem is finding that person to rely on. Yep, it's true even celebrities have a hard time finding a reliable source. 

So now I have a whole batch and mouth watering white chocolate chip blue sugar cookies and no where to place to put them. Now if I'm correct, you might be saying just throw them away... can you imagine working the day away on special cookies that you end up having to trash? Not me.

Now I have to find a plan for a wasted Sunday afternoon and figure out who to send these cookie to. It just comes to show, you can't just spend your weekend with just anyone!

Author live in person

School is finally out for this teacher, and what a month of work. Just earlier Shiver and Fearshad been presented in front of young readers of the grade of 3rd. After reading An Old Bite, A Puppet Family and a summary of The Ghost of Future Me, students were wowed with dozens of questions. Even the teachers were amazed with the story behind Shiver and Fears.

Throughout the week, I was no longer known to those kids as a teacher they've seen in the hall. I was now Mr. AJ Hard, the teacher who published books. Although, it's ashame. Today 4 of our student will be making their way to 5th grade. Them and the other 8 never knew this about their own teacher! Why were they never told? It wasn't because I was ashamed or anything. It was because I didn't want to lose the realationship I already had with them.

To those students of mine I was a teacher and I wasn't ready to advance that title, not just yet. Although I did think, maybe if I had shown them one of my books, maybe they would better understand  how a book is formed.

Anyway, I hope that next year  Shiver and Fears can reach out to more students. In fact my plan is to have a book published by the school, for the school. But we'll have to see what this year holds for us!

Early Start in the Bookaversary

 If you are reading this you are either a fan of my blogs, or you heard about the bookaversary this summer. This year we are doing things a little differnt. In the earlier years, Shiver and Fears would start a fundraiser in February- June and the money would go to food, prizes, decorations, and stuff like that.

Well last year I came to thinking. Why go through so much stress setting up a party. Coming up with games to win prizes, food to put together, and having a book sell too? Wow, seems too much.

So this year we're going to try something differnt. For one thing, we're going to make sure people enjoy the water part of the whole party, by hosting a pool party. Secondly no need to buy a collection of books to sell for the book signing when you already have the book yourself (especially when people are more interested in audiobooks)

Now food has always been free, but this year we're not just going to support ourselves. Shiver and Fears is going to support someone else too. This year Shiver and Fears is having a bake sale as well as a book sale.

Whio is our baker? She's new and wants to start a carreer in baking, so why not give her a chance to show her talents to everyone. Carson W. will be selling sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, (and a new cookie to honor Shiver and Fears) Sugar and Fears cookies.

Now I'm sure you see this photo and think; "Um, blue cookies... what's in them?"

But believe me, I took these cookies out to the public and they were a hit!" If things go well Sugar and Fears cookies will be on the market with other Shiver and Fears products...

Now the question has been, Why are we getting thing setted so early? It's only May and the Bookaversary isn't until July. Here's the answer: With less to concern about means more time to work on. This could cause a person to this less about it until last minute. that's when things become a struggle. Thinking of last minute ideas, prop that need to be set, that should have been set weeks ago.

Not to mention, with the obvious out the way, the second hand thought can start coming in. Like for instants. What can people do who don't swim? What if a storm comes in? What's the plan if the party is bigger or smaller than planned?

With only a few months ahead, the party is being put together pretty fast. But will everything be set in time? If you're coming, I'm for sure you'll enjoy it.