Staten Island, NY – Author Susan Wigden is excited that her next mid-grade novel, “Cloudy Skies Over Miami” will have a Staten Island child on the cover. She does not know who it will be yet, because she is holding an essay contest to select a boy who wins with his writing on the topic of “Why books are magical.” This will be her second novel that features a local Staten Island boy on its cover.
Susan and her husband, Bruce, have goals to get more children involved in reading. She came up with the idea to use an essay contest to select a student for the cover of her next book as a way to involve the children in the publishing process as well as to encourage them to read and write. They also believe that children need to read more family based stories that center around relationships between the generations. “We need to bring family values into literature,”
This novel will mark Susan’s second mid-grade novel. Susan and her husband, Bruce, wrote their first novel, “Chapter Two: The Magic in Baseball” (http://tex-ware.com/
Susan’s novels are written in the first person perspective of a young boy. A 10-year-old is featured in her first book and a 12-year-old in her second. As you read her books you will suddenly find out what is going through the mind of a young boy as he faces life. You will laugh and you will cry along with the characters. Youngsters who read these books will see that young and old alike need each other to help face the uncertainties of life.
Susan and Bruce Wigden, two Staten Island New York authors, are involved in the lives of children through their visits to schools where they discuss the publishing process. Susan has worked with pre-school children for nearly two decades and now visits the lower grades where she does an interactive reading of her rhyming picture books. Bruce is a retired New York City High School teacher. The couple hopes to promote reading and writing and encourage children to work hard at following their dreams.
The fact that they have been Staten Island residents for the past thirty-three years and have raised their son on the Island has had an impact on the location of their stories.
The Wigdens have their summer schedule quite busy and are excited to be part of the Staten Island community. In May and June of 2010 they will be visiting children at many schools in their area. They will also be at Barnes and Noble on Richmond Avenue in Staten Island for book signings and children’s book club discussions in May. See http://store-
The Wigdens have expressed their appreciation to their publisher, Ray Ruppert of Tex Ware (www.tex-ware.com)
