RJ Simon - Updates

January 2019

1/16/2019

Turns out 2018 didn't slow down at all - in fact it just got busier and busier. I'm not going to do a recap of all the updates today. I mostly just wanted to stop in a wish you a Happy New Year. So, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
It's 2019 and already we're racing towards the end of January, that being said it feels like an exciting year brimming with positivity and new opportunities.

So far I've been keeping busy spending time with my family, designing, studies, and all of the other usual things.
I'm also quite enjoying Michelle Worthington's 30 Day Social Media Content Challenge on Facebook. I've been posting some of the challenges on my RJ Simon page - it's been fun to catch up with some author friends as well as connect with new ones.
I hope your year is off to a great start and that you you're finding plenty of reasons to smile. If you're on Facebook I'd love you to drop in and say hello.

April Already!

4/20/2018

April already – is it just me or is this year is flying by at warp speed? Well, either way, I’ve let this update section slide a little, so I’m going to cram a couple of things into this post.
Since the last update, I’ve written a couple of articles and was interviewed for Sharing Your Story - you can find the interview here

Interviews and Social Media

And I’ve made a start on interviewing some of the people who inspire me. You can find the first interview with Susan Day here.

Also, I’m participating in a 30 Day Social Media Challenge for Creatives - it started on the 1st of April so far it’s been heaps of fun!

What else?

Still writing and drawing, despite spending more time on branding, typography, architectural designs than usual. Hopefully, I’ll have some exciting announcements concerning some of my top secret designer projects to share over the next few months.

Personal Highlights:

1. Making a giant cardboard loot chest with my husband to wrap up our daughter’s birthday present.
2. Assisting eldest daughter with various 'Blanket and Cushion' cat-cave constructions on the lounge. Boris not only approved of his temporary cat caves and cubbies but also has taken to loudly demanding new ones be built in the early hours of the morning when the weather turns cold.
(Boris is not always very good at tucking himself in - see evidence below. And yes, Boris is a cat, unlike the Boris in the book who is as you might know a dachshund - a.k.a. a Sausage Dog.)

Other?

Hmm, I have not yet been tempted to learn the violin – enjoying listening to the girls practice instead. Reading? Yes, of course I've been reading too. Aside from that, the usual daily tasks eat most minutes of the day except for the ones I claim for sleep. We all need a little time to rest and to dream. It’s important to dream.

I hope your year is going well too. And I especially hope you’re finding time to dream big.

Flash

3/12/2018

Verve Flash - The short road to big fiction.

Last year I wrote a little piece called Spun for an anthology my U.S. Publisher was putting together. It's out now,
Cool cover hey?
The art work was created by fine artist Rick Sanders. Being multi-talented Rick also wrote some of the forty pieces with-in this collection.
There are works by 17 authors (including Rick, and me too of course).
It's NOT a children's book.
And I wouldn't call it a light read either.
It's NOT a book that I'd recommend to my grandmother.
And it's not a book I'd normally read.
To be fair, I'm a fan of picture books. I'm a fan of children's books.
I like fairytale endings and butterflies. This book is not filled with those things.

Second Stream of Consciousness

3/2/2018

Am excited to say I had my second piece about, Stream of Consciousness Writing, published in Enthralled Magazine.

Of course, I sit here now thinking, what business do I have talking about such things? But I have no intention of sharing that stream with you - far too dark for this site.
So, let's get back to the being exciting bit!

Catching up.

2/26/2018

Excited to say, I'm slowly catching up on some of my projects, and it feels great!
It means I can get back to work on some of the things I've been waiting to finish or start for what seems like FOREVER!
One of those things is adding interviews to this site!
Here is the page where you'll be able to find them, hopefully, the first ones will be up sometime in the next few months (sounds like a long time - but it's really not!).
PS. the whole Mud in my hair thing worked out spectacularly!

Instagram and Mud in My Hair

2/25/2018

Well, I've finally gone and done it this time.
I've joined Instagram, and I have absolutely no idea what I am doing. It'll be great!
That's what I'm telling myself for now anyway.
I haven't posted any photos yet.. so not sure if that will be easy or super complicated.

Enthralled Magazine

2/4/2018

Hello Everyone,
It's been awhile since I posted an update so here goes:
2018 is off to an interesting start!
I've have a few interviews coming out through out the year, a piece from last year should be coming out in a flash fiction anthology this year, and I recently had a piece called 'The Conversation' published in the new writer's magazine 'Enthralled Magazine'

Click the title or image below to read The Conversation on the Enthralled Magazine Blog.

The Conversation

Ruby Lane awarded a Readers' Favorite 5 Star Review!!!

12/28/2017

Very excited to find out that Ruby Lane was awarded a Readers' Favorite 5/5 stars review!

'Ruby Lane could very easily become a classic as a beloved favorite tale.' - Melinda Hills for Readers' Favorite

It's a wonderfully high note to end such a long year on! And certainly one that I will reflect upon as I finish mapping out my project and writing goals for 2018.

Nichole Madigan's review of Ruby Lane

9/4/2017

'Reminiscent of classics such as Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and The Magic Faraway Tree, Ruby Lane is a page-turner which will keep readers enthralled by the unusual storyline and unexpected scenes.'
Excerpt from Nichole Madigan's review of Ruby Lane.
Full review can be found here on
Just Write For Kids.

Review of Ruby Lane by Susan Day

8/26/2017

Susan Day is a prolific writer, and the author of over 30 books!

Susan Day is passionate about children's literature, about writing, illustrating, and teaching! She is the author/illustrator of ‘Clarence the Snake from Dunolly' and the entire series of ‘Astro’s Adventures’ early-reader chapter books too!

Find out all about the Astro's Adventures series here:
Astro’s Adventures Book Club

Here's an excerpt from Susan's Review of Ruby Lane:

'This delightful tale will enchant all its readers, young and old.'

Read Susan Day's
GoodReads review here

You can join over 45 thousand people who follow Susan Day on Twitter here

Author

RJ Simon writes and illustrates stories for children's books.

News & Updates

This is where I'll be posting news and updates about my top secret projects.

Top Secret Files

January 2019
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
December 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
April 2017
March 2017

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