Category: Commentary

2023 Tune Up!

Our latest workshop/lab helping you get your social media ready for 2023. 

Let’s remove your excuses and help launch a fantastic 2023 where you’ll reach and connect with audiences, readers, and great customers.

Confused, Lost, Burnt Out, Overwhelmed, Frustrated?

Another NEW YEAR is upon us, and you still aren’t where you want to be? You are so done with theories and making resolutions …and…you know you won’t be able to keep them.

The core essentials of marketing have not changed in decades. However, HOW marketing is done changes frequently. Perhaps you are a bit confused by the “option shock” and want someone to show you WHAT needs to be done and HOW to get it in place and working. You’re not ready to hire staff yet, but sheesh, all of this is making you a bit crazy?

Or, you might be doing okay with your work but want a refresh on the latest ideas and services, that is, a tune-up for 2023.

Okay, we hear you. What if we gave you the steps weekly and showed you where the (no cost!) resources are ready for you to use?

What’s the offer?

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Soon! More Tucson-Festival-of-Books Live Streams

We’ve got MORE live streams in connection with the Tucson Festival of Books:

March 19, 2021. 5PM Arizona (5pm Los Angeles/8pm New York):

March 26, 2021. 5PM Arizona (5pm Los Angeles/8pm New York):

 

Watching 19th or 26th?! USE THIS YOUTUBE LINK NOW

 

 

Small-Tooth-Dog at Tucson Festival of Books, 2021!

drawing of our mascot quill with a az burrowing owl sitting on his head, their eyes are locked

We are happy and excited to share with you that we are a virtual exhibitor at the online Tucson Festival of Books in March 2021!

We’ll be sharing updates and more with you about our time at the Tucson Festival of Books, 2021!

Scheduled to appear from our “house” includes authors and illustrators:

The Schedule So Far:

Both Days: Virtual live one-on-one interviews, panel discussions, teaching, and prizes!

Special Saturday Events, March 6, 2021:

All times are AZ. So that’s 1 hour later than Los Angeles and 2 hours earlier than New York.

(9am Los Angeles =10am Arizona =12noon New York)

– Saturday 10 am Author Interview with Harriet Cole
-Author of “Fifteen Pounds of Muscle and Bounce: And Other Uncomfortable Norse Tales.”

– Saturday 12Noon Illustrators Interview (Scheduled C.S. Fritz and Michelle Buvala)

– Saturday 1 pm Presenter Interview (How the Oral Storytelling Tradition Can Inform Your Writing.)
– Interview and discussion with Laura Packer and Sean Buvala

– Saturday 3 pm Kidlit Panel
– Kidlit Focus Panel: Amanda, Marc, Sean, Harriet, Michelle, Tamera

– Saturday 7 pm Workshop: So, You Want to Publish a Book?
-for authors of kidlit and nonfiction books.

 

Special Sunday Events, March 7, 2021:

– Sunday 10 am Author Panel: What Have You Learned on Your Publishing Journey?
– Author Panel on Publishing Experience.

– Sunday 12 pm Workshop: “Author: Don’t Write Your Book First”
Especially for the potential authors of nonfiction and kidlit.

– Sunday 3 pm Panel: What’s Coming Soon from Small-Tooth-Dog Publishing?
– With Marc, Tamera, Gerri, Sean, Amanda, Laura

More news and artists coming soon!

 

logo for tucson festival of books friend of the festiva

 

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Award! “From Audience to Zeal” is a WINNER in the Storytelling World Honors 2020

We’re honored to tell you that two books under our imprint here at The Small-Tooth-Dog Publishing Group (Tolleson) received honors from “Storytelling World.” First, in the niche of oral storytelling, with hundreds of books submitted, “From Audience to Zeal: The ABCs of Finding, Crafting, and Telling a Great Story” received the WINNER in category 7 for “special storytelling resources.”

The author, Laura Packer says, “I am thrilled and humbled to be one of Storytelling World’s 2020 honorees. Along with being a practical guide, ‘From Audience to Zeal’ is a love letter to storytellers and storytelling. I am so glad it will find a broader audience thanks to this recognition.”

Great Deal for Cyber Shopping Weekend 2019

We’ve created a fantastic package of books and coaching to help you (or someone on your list) on the journey as a storyteller, public speaker, or spoken-word artist. We hope you’ll take a look at https://smalltoothdog.com/blackfriday for this incredible package.

We’re at the Tucson Festival of Books 2019

michelle buvala sits at a table of books from teh apples for the princess seriesLooking forward to seeing you at the Tucson Festival of Books 2019, March 2 and 3, on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. More details are at: www.tucsonfestivalofbooks.org.

We’re celebrating! Yep, we have a special online-store discount code, too. Valid until March 5. The code is at the end of this article.

We have three authors and illustrators at this event, show-special pricing on all the books. We’ll have some freebie book swag like buttons, bookmarks, and posters until we run out. Our staff will be signing it all if you wish.

We want to see you at TFOB. Hashtag it: #tfob #tucsonfestivalofbooks #smalltoothdog. Follow our Instagram at smalltoothdog and Twitter at @smalltoothdog .

There is a lot of info on this page. Scroll down!

Who’s going and where they’ll be?

Here’s a quick look at the schedule of our authors and illustrators.

You can catch:

Saturday
Marc Severson, author of “Don’t Throw Me in the Cholla Patch,” telling stories at the Children’s Entertainment and Storytelling Stage from 3:00pm to 3:40pm. Marc has a long history of great storytelling in Tucson and we’re glad you’ll get to experience him this way. We’ll be giving away posters and bookmarks (until we run out) afterward and we’ll have the Woodrat book available for sale.

Sunday Morning
Sean Buvala (and Michelle Buvala) will be signing copies of their book. “Apples for the Princess” at 10:00am-12:00pm at the Indie Author Pavillion- Children’s Books. Book swag for free (while supplies last) and the book on sale for a show price. Come and talk “publishing shop” with us, too, if you’d like.
too,

the cover of the fox and the crow book it shows the fox with his tail wrapped around the bottom of the the tree looking up at the crow who gestures coyly and holds a piece of cheese in her beakSunday Afternoon
From 2:30pm-4:30PM, Michelle Buvala (and Sean Buvala) will be signing copies of her hot-off-the-press book, “The Fox and the Crow: Art and Stories Inspired by Aesop” in the same Indie Pavillion- Children’s Books. The same deal on free swag and for-sale books as above. However, we have very few of the “Fox and the Crow” books at the moment. If you want one in Tucson, feel free to drop us a line to pre-purchase one and have us hold it for you at the TFOB. -AND- Marc Severson will ALSO be signing his book (listed above) at the same time in the same tent. It’s a Small-Tooth-Dog-apalooza.

From TFOB:
The Tucson Festival of Books will be held on Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3, 2019, on the beautiful University of Arizona campus in Tucson, Arizona. The Festival enters its eleventh year as one of the premier literary events in the country. All proceeds from the Festival are donated to local non-profit organizations that support improved literacy in Southern Arizona. More than $1,850,000 has been donated since the Festival began in 2009.

Let’s party! Save in our online store!
Use the code TFOB2019 to save 10% on every product in our store. That is ON TOP of our “spend $20 or more and get 10%.” Valid online only. Expires on March 5, 2019.

Video: Pick the Brain of a Storytelling Expert.

Sean Buvala talks about how Laura Packer’s New book is like taking part in one of those “pick my brain” sessions with an expert in the field of oral storytelling and public speaking. Short video:

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Praise for “From Audience to Zeal” by Laura S. Packer

shows covers of laura packer's new book title from audience to zeal the abcs of finding crafting and telling a great story“In ‘From Audience to Zeal,’ Laura Packer has created a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ that is a remarkable combination of good advice and wonder about the length and breadth of storytelling… time and time again as I read it has set me to thinking about how delicious and right her words are.”
-Loren Niemi, Storyteller

“Whether telling stories for fun or for one’s livelihood, this reference guide will be a useful addition to one’s storytelling library. Beginning storytellers will find that it easily breaks down the nuts and bolts of storytelling from ‘A to Z’. Seasoned storytellers will appreciate Laura’s experiences and anecdotes to hone their own practices.  What I valued most about Laura’s approach is that she provides a blending of storytelling pragmatic, theory and skills while using her own stories and sense of humor to guide the reader along.”
-Aimee DuBois, Storytelling Instructor, Normandale Community College

“Wow! Yes, that’s one of the entries in this amazing book, along with Love and Vulnerability, Tenderness and Truth. Although I am not a professional storyteller and reading a book – even one as good as this – isn’t going to make me one, I can say that I came to have even greater regard for this profession, and for author Laura Packer, a very special storyteller, as well. Like many A-to-Z books, this one is intended to be dipped into as the need arises, but it was equally interesting and informative read in linear fashion. Indeed, the lessons reinforced each other and the writing is engaging and lyrical. This book promises to enlighten and delight, to demonstrate and show, and yes, to cause the reader to say, more than once, ‘Wow!'”
-Susan Dray

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Laura Packer Interview: Author of “From Audience to Zeal” (Part Three)

Interview with Laura Packer

“It was so important to me that…that I neither shield my audience from the depth and rigor of what it is to be a good storyteller nor do I present this in such a way that they feel like it’s never attainable, that they can’t reach it.” -Laura

Author and Storyteller Laura S. Packer is the creator of “From Audience to Zeal: The ABCs of Finding, Crafting, and Telling a Great Story.” Part 3: Laura Packer and Sean Buvala discuss the nature of Laura’s new book, coming at the end of 2018. They talk about the invite a reader needs in order to feel comfortable in the conversation of an author’s book. They discuss the nature of how stories are used for bonding people’s lives together in the midst of a real-life lab(rador) in the office. Woof. Part 3 of 8. Learn more at audiencetozeal.com. Preorder a Kindle version at this link now.

You can listen here to part three. To hear more of this great interview, please check your favorite podcast provider and search for “Storyteller.net Amphitheater.” You can also go directly to our hosting site at http://anchor.fm/amphitheater.

A transcript for Part Three is printed below the “listen” link below. Additional transcripts for other issues will be available soon!

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The Benefits of Journal Writing for Kids

“Should I encourage my kids to keep a journal?”


 In these days of too much screen time, a journal can help your kids find some balance in their communication choices. Journal writing is an incredible activity for kids. It’s especially good for young people that have a hard time expressing things orally or those that are reluctant to write as a “school assignment.” Some of the kids also prefer to remain a bit more private, since they are not comfortable saying their feelings out loud. That may be because they feel that their feelings and thoughts are not that important and they should not be shared openly. A journal comes in this scenario to help them find their creative voice. There are many other benefits of journaling. Here are a few: 

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